The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-16

The Conference closed its session on
Friday evening. The next annual
meeting viii be held with the church
at Kenly a year hence.
To say that / was surprised at the
growth of Smithfeld. is putting il
mildly. i was astonished While il
may not be a Durham. or a Greens
boro. or a Wilson. or a Goldsboro. IL
is no stretch Of propecy to say, that
as it is going forward in improvement
it will. before great while. be a
most charming little city. sitting as a
queen OF beauty OH the banks OF the
Neuse.
Smlthfield is a historic old town.
and. connected with its past. there are
some very interesting things that
might be woven into = Renaissance.
But, as | had no opportunity, while
there, Of thoroughly posting myself,
I refrain from making the attempt 10
write OF those things, lest / might
not write history correctly. / viii say.
however I was very much Interested
in q story to the effect. that, ia an
old house. which stands a block north
OF the Methodist church, John Stanly
concealed himself from the world, for
a period Of several days after he had
killed Richard Dobbs Spaight in a
duel. fought Sunday afternoon. Sep
TENDER 5th. 1902. Speaking of that
duel. Wheeler's History Of North Caro-
lima says.
From some expression Of the Hon.
John Stanly, lin regard 10 his
(Spaight'sD political career. an angry
correspondence took place. which ter
minated by a challenge from Mr..
Stanly." From which it would seem
that Mr.. Stanly provoked the quarrel
and sent the challenge That being
so he must have felt very much like
a murderer. indeed. and il is not Won
derful, therefore, that for 4 time. AZ
least, ne hid himself from the world.
Mr.. StanIy in petition for pardon,
to Governor Benjamin Williams, writ
ten September 18th. 1902, Git may
have been written from his Smithfield
hiding place., says:
II appeal. sir. 10 the feelings OF
every gentleman permit me. sir. To
appeal to that dignified sense Of honor
which adorns your own character. to
decide whether ii was possible or
would have been proper ia me 10 ac-
quiesce with humility to have bowed
myself TO the approbrIous epithets Of
liar and scoundTel. which General
Spaight In his publication OF the
4th applies to me, at the same time
Drawing me to ask satisfaction.
Il felt an obligation due 10 myself.
and no less urgent dutyyto the people
whom / have the honor to represent,
to remove those dishonorable terms.
] took that step which ] hope cannot
be condemned, the one most likely
to procure that redress which / wish
ed. a retraction Of the epithets or.
on refusal. To punish the man who
could so unjustIy apply them TO me. 4
copy OF my challenge Of the 5th inst
accompanies the other papers. This
was accepted. We fought the same
day General Spaight received a
wound OF which ne has since died
Governor Williams paTdo1ed him.
and Mr.. Wheeler says. he continued,
without much intermisSion. in the
House of Commons. of which he was
often Speaker. until 1926, when he
was stricken with paralysis. which
terminated his political career He
died in 1894.
When / go TO Smithfeld again
hope 10 have time to get many remin-
iscences OF the olden time.
We've all heard the story of the
painted mule. and we've heard of the