The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-08-28

4 ~ f
wise ln hI~ conduct. governed l8 l8
his actions by reason ana IuIsu4el...
ANA deeply lfnburd N.th Is4U4. images
TINS NlTtatus aAi patriotic lrau t..u u.s.l
Mr. jefferson eaite8 .#IA. last .t tU..
Romans bad long fz.I ,ue term of
ll~ ralitl.@l existence FF fAe .tset s.!E,..
the - lnISt assigns Tag ILL.,. luU ~
ln.nil lif Thr days ui uut ,p.4r- tT-
uitvr~cofc years and t.us ANA II ul
reason ~ strength they bv faurseDtr
years. yct IS their strength labor 4ud
sorrow fpr III is soon cut un. ana ut
iiy away. He touched that aEe III
ISIS. aud true Ia all Ais pur posses. ~
Was tgu 10 ms resolve I'll tins. ana
executed it "ith thc aalvtud. ana Iu-
difference II an ordinary transaction
lie WAS IN the middle af tklf4 Seua-
tprial term. and ia the fuH s9s~ya- iG4
81 al his faculties Of mind and body.
but his Time for retirement had come
the time fixed hy himself but nNe3
upon CONVICTION and for well DaH~ltt-
erred reasons. and IS iueXovahle to hlm
aS If TNcI by tat". To the friends w -
urged nim 10 remain to TN end ui
his term. and who Insisted that hIs
mind was as good AS ever. H. would
.ansWer that it WAS good enough TO let
him know that ne ought - quit Office
before his mind quit him. ami that he
did not mean to riSk the fate ot the
Archbishop of Grenada. lie resigned
his senatorial honorS as lac had Woln
thcm-meekly uuostentaIiuuSly n Il
letter of thanks and gratitude to thr
General Assembly Of his state and
gave TO repuSe at home that interval
Of thought ana guletudc which every
wise man would wish to place between
. the turmoil Of strife ana the stiffness
Of eternity. lie had nine wears of this
tranquil enjoyment and died without
pain on suffering June -, 1AI3--char-
+ ..t.fr -t.st ia "a.
eight o'clock in the morlng when
he felt that the supreme hour had
come. had himself full-dres>ed with
his habitual neatur.n. walked in the
room and lay upon the bed. by turns
fconsersing kindrv WITH those who were
about him. and showing by his con-
duet that h was ready and waiting,
but hurlying nothing. IT was the death
/ Of Socrates. all bat the hcmIock and
in thar run faith Of which the GreCiaa
&c had only a glimmcring He Ii
rected his own grave on Il point Of
sterile ridge CWheTe nobody would
wish to pIough), and covered With 4
pile Of rough tint-stonc (Which no
BODY would wish To build with)
deeming this sterility ana the useless
mess Of this rock the best security for
tthat undisturbcd rcpose Of the bones
which il still desirable t. those who
are Indifferent to monuments.
characters there Is usually some Incl
dent or sign. in early life. which shows
/ that character ana reveals To the close
observer the type Of the future man.
SO it was with Mr.. Macon. His firm
ness. his patriotism, his e-lf-denial his
devotion to duty, and disregard Of Of
flee and cmolument. his modcsty. in
tegrity. self-control. and subjectiou of
conduct To the convictions of reason
ana the dictates Of virtue. all so stead
lily eXemplificd in q long life. were
All shown from the carly age OF ei@ht-
cen in the miniature representation
Of individual action. and only CON
| 1irmed in the subsequent public cx-
hibitions Of long, beautiful. and cX-
allied career.
He was Of that age. and q student
at Princeton College, at the time of
the Declaration Of American Tnde-
pendence : small volunteer corps
was then on tn Delaware. H quit
his books Joined it. served term.
returned to Princeton, ana resumed
/ his studies III the year 1873 the south
/ ern States had become a battlefield.
/ big with their own fat. and possibly
! Involving the issue Of the war. Brit
|iSh fleets and armies appeared there.
strongly supported by the friends OF
/ the british cause; and the conquest
/ of the south was fully counted upon.
Help was needed In these States. and
\ Mr. Macon. quitting college. returned
/ To his native county in North Carolina,
4 joined q militia company aS private.
land marched 70 South taTolfnH-insn
THE theatre Of the snemy'S operations
/ He mad his share in all the hardships
land disasters or that irving time. was
lat the faII Of Fort MouItTie surTe.-
lder OF Charleston. defeat at Camden
+ and the rapid winter retreat across
THE upper part OF North Carolina. FL
;.z I1E l.-fF f4sF ftf
i the Yadkin when t1- sudden Hood
/ ing OF that rixe- in the brief interval
between the crossing Of the Ameri-
leans and the coming up "f the Brit
/ ish arrested the pursuit Of Cornwall
Ills and enabled Green 10 allow some
rest to his wearied and exhausted men
/ In this camp. destitute of everything
and with gloomy prospects ahead a
Summons came 10 sir. Macon from
i the Governor Of North Carolina. re
/ Iquiring him to attend meeting Of
the General Assembly. Of which he
had been elected member. without
his knowledge. BY the people Of his
county He refused 10 90. and the In
Icident being talked Of through the
camp came TO the knowledge of the
general Greene was q man Lln4Seii
land able to know a man. he felt
at once that If this report was true.
This Young soldier was no common
fcharacter. and determined To verify
1.-The fact He sent for the young man.
| inquired OF him, heard the truth. and
lthen asked for the reason of this IN
respected conduct-tlis preference for
/ a suffering camp over q comfortable
l&eat in the General Assem- bly,. Mr-
! Macon answered him, in his quaint
land sententous way. that he had seen
the faces Of the British many times.
but had never seen their backs. and
meant 10 stay in the army till he did
IGreene instuntly saw the material the
Young man was made or and the han
idle by which he was 10 be worked.
IThat material was patriotism, that