The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-19
Statue to Vance at Washing
ton.
Continued from First Page.)

ton was not a skeptic, his mind had
received a deeply religious vent.
With limited educational advan-
tages, at the age of twenty-one, he
entered the University of North Caro-
lima and took "a special course, leaV-
ing out the classics and mathematics,
reading law at the same time. AT
the end of a year he applied for, ana
received a license TO practice law. He
at once established q good practice
and within six years became a MEM
Der of the Legislature of his STATE
and then of the House of Represent
tatiVeS of the Congress of the United
States He was Il Wing and a Union
list, and besides taking a prominent
stand, made many friends OF influence
some of whom in after years were
of. service to him. In his speech de-
livered in Boston in 1886 he gave the
following account of his last speech,
before the people, for the Union: ':tOr
myself, l will say that | was canvas
sing for the Union with ali my
strngth; Il was addressing a large and
excited crowd, large numbers of whom
were armed, and literally had my arm
extended upward in pleading for
peace and the Union of our Fathers,
when the Geographic news was am
nounced Of the firing on Sumter, and
the Presidents call for seventy-five
came down from that imprisoned
jesticulation. it fell SLOWLY and sadly
by the side of q SeceSSoniSt. / inn
mediately with altered voice and man
ner called upon the assembled multi
ture to volunteer not to fight against
but for South Carolina: | said if war
must come | prefer to be with my own
people If we had to shed blood |
preferred to shed Northern rather
than Southern blood. If we had TO
STAY / had rather Stay strangers than
my own kindred and neighbors.
He at once raised company of
volunteers and Joined the 14th Regi-
ment. Later he became Colonel OF
the historic Goth Regiment, and after
the battles around Richmond, closing
July 1st, 1862, he resigned, having
been erected Governor of North Caro-
lima. He was inaugurated on the 9Th
day Of September, 1862 and served
until the evacuation of Raleigh in
April 1865.
He was known as, and merited the
appellatiOn, the great war Governor of
the South. The cares and RESPONSE
hilities Of that office taxed his patience
and strength almost beyond endur-
ance, although he had u large stock
of both. Besides the sufferingS Of
the women and children at home, and
the equipment and furnishing the
SOLDIERS IN the IIeld ne nau TO ildln-
tain against the usurpationS of the
Confederate Government the laws and
Constitution of his own State. Ills
situation in that respect was the most
trying and distressing that q patriot
ever had to endure. Opposed to the
doctrine of Secession, filed with love
and pride for the Republic whose
laws gave to all of it's sons, regard
, less of social or other conditions.
no
federate Cause purely on the ground
as he said. If war must come | prefer
to be with my own people. If we
had to shed blood I preferred to
shed northern rather than Southern
blood
'sThe ENACTMENT by the Confederate
, Congress at the instance and impor-
tunitv of the President of the Con-
scription Act in April. 1862, and the
act known as the Twenty Negro law
later. he thought unjust and impolitc
and the attempted manner of en-
forcing the CONSUMPTION law by the
Confederate Government, the I'M
pressment of private property and the
employment of officers and agents
from other states 10 enforce these
provisions were in his opinion vio-
lations of the Constitution and laws
of North Carolina; and they aroused
his State pride. his sense OF Justice and
his anger. He opposed all these
measures because he knew the South
ern cause was doomed the instant the
civil authorities admitted that the
success of that cause was dependent
= on other than volunteer armies and
the free gifts of the people OF their
propertv with which to persecute the
war. But he was q patriot. and he
had determined to obey the laws and
to be loyal to the Confederate Gov
eminent. but at the same time to see
Continued on Page FiVe)