The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1905-08-24
THE OLD NORTH STATE.
Pride and Devotion of North Caro-
Iinians to Their State Justified
by her History and Achieve
ments of Her Sons.
Houston, Texas Chronicle.

Houston, Texas Chronicle.
There is something admirable and in
spring in the state pride of the people
OF North Carolina, and their pride in
and devotion to their state is justified
by her history and by the achievements
OF North Carolinians from the period of
the Revolution until this good day. AS
one of the thirteen Colonies which re-
belled against British tyranny she was
the theatre OF bloody war, and her sons
bore we'll their part in that memorable
struggle.
Recent historical investigation has
proved that upon her soil was framed
and proclaimed at Mecklenburg the first
Declaration of independence, and in the
conflict which followed upon the latter
declarations at Philadelphia many a
| son OF North Carolina sealed with his
blood his devotion to the principles
which her people had been the first to
proclaim.
When independence had been achiev-
ed her sons stood as peer of the proud
est in the halls of legislation, and were
potent factors in shaping the policy and
destiny OF the young republic, for the
existence of which they were in such
great and honorable measure respOn-
lsible.
During the formative stage Of the ma
tional government, when there was a
struggle between intellectual giants re-
presenting the respective contentious
for a strong centralized government on
/ one side and a government wherein the
autonomy of the states and their unsur-
rendered sovereignty should be the
guiding and controlling policy and prin-
ciple on the other. North Carolina
statesmen stood always for the latter
contention, the true faith and the basic
principles of the republic conceived and
created by the patriotism and genius OF
Jefferson and Madison and their great
compatriots.
North Carolina always. adhered to
lofty political ideals. Her representa-
tive in Congress and her senators were
men OF the highest intellectual and
lm0rai stahdara, aud she sent to Bepre-
| sent her in the national councils none
but men worthy of her historic and lofty
political and social traditions. It would
have been as impossible for a man with
q tainted record or upon whose name
there rested even the suspicion of dis
4 70 hou
sentative or senator from the Old North
State ss it would for an unpardoned sim
ner to have entered heaven.
In that old state there have always
been and are yet maintnined the loft
| lest social standards and traditions.
The meretricious and demoralizing COM
mercialism which so dominates other
sections has found no lodgment there.
Money there is not the measure of merit
No man buys his way into society there.
The people hold to the honorable, ex-
alted, ancient social faiths and there is
to be found an aristocracy not of wealth
but OF breeding and grace and. culture.
The people of North Carolina not only
profess devotion to the true principles
of republican government, but are ever
ready to make good their professions.
and when their rights were disregarded
and aggression upon the soil of their
beloved state was threatened, they rose
as one man to defend their homes and
fresides, and historical statistics prove
that North Carolina sent more soldiers
to battle in proportion to population
than was ever furnished by any state
or nation in all the annals of human
history.
Great as was her contributions to the
armies of the south in numbers, the
quality of her soldiery was equally as
remarkable. Her people cherish with
pardonable and imperishable pride the
record of North Cardinals sons from
1861 to 1855, and on a monument recent
ly erected in that state in perpetuation
of the memory of their matchless deeds
there is craven the inscription, sustain
ed by historical records: First at Beth
Ell. Farthest at Gettysburg, and last at
Appo1nattox.
To read that inscription thrills every
man capable of appreciating heroism
and devotion to duty, like bugle call.
First in the opening battle, fartherest
in the advance up the historic heights
of Gettysburg, and last to yield when
the great drama closed in gloom, but yet
In glory at Appomattox is record upon
which North Carolina may we'll rest
through all the changing years. It
stands and unmatchable, and the impair
tial historian of the future will write
North Carolina down as she deserves.
The devotion of her people to which
they testified by their blood in time of
war was not more remarkable and
scarcely more admirable than has been
that displayed in the weIl-nfgh as irving