The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-02-27

The greatest man with whom / ever
shook hands was Daniel Webster, Of
Massachusetts. 1t was III 1916, at
Raleigh, and Governor Graham in
PRODUCED me. The greatest soldier |
ever knew personally was Lieutenant
General Bedford Forrest, OF Tennes-
see. | met him III 1868 in Memphis.
The greatest orator of national fame
| ever heard WAS Henry Clay. who
spoke at Raleigh in April, 1914. The
greatest lawyer at the bar | YER
heard was George Il. Eadger. | heard
him SeVcra! times il. the Xfor court
house. The greatest Northern soldier
! ever knew personally Was General
L. $, Grant. l. rode in the same seat
With hin on November End. 1865, |
believe it was from Franliinton to
Raleigh at his request. The only
President of the United States | eyer
saw was James x. Polk, d native OF
North Carolina. ! saw him DIT the
commencement at the University of
North Carolina. in June, 1916. Grant
became President after had met
him. | had seen Major General w.
y. Pendcr and BriGadier General 10.
Johnston PettigreW before they be-
came sucn distinguished soldiers OF
Governors Of the State ] have seen
Swain, Morehead. Graham. Manly,
Bragg. Reid, Scales. Vance. Jarvis.
11olbtlt- |N toGh, \ dIltt. L oN IG w VI Ill
Holden. AycoCk. FOWle, North Cald-
we'll and Holt. | knew ali personally
except MOrehcad and Reid North and
Caldwell. OF the speakers outside of
this State | have heard who impressed
me excepting Clay, were Henry
Winter Davis, of Maryland, and Alex
andcr II. stephens. OF Georgia. and 7
heard them in the United States
House of Representatives.. The great
est lawyer | ever heard at the bar
after Badger was Governor Bragg
] do not recall the finest ~orepins
! ever heard in AL address Of any
kind. but MI. Claws was the most
taking" bringing out hearty cheers
near the beginning. For d quarter OF
a century ] could repeat it Well nigh
Verbatim. The o exquisite and
eloquent introduction To a ermon |
ever listened TO was Rev. Thomas @.
Loves. preached to an ilIiteratc con
g~regation in 1864. at ~i1benezel'
church, Halifax county. y. G. could
repeat il, too, for a long time. but it
has at last faded almost entirely
from my memory Mr.. Charles
Bruce. of Charlotte county. Va, an
alumnus OF the University Of North
Carolina. and u gentleman of cultiVa-
ton and ability. OF marked refinement
and large wealth before the war, told
me in 1870. at Buffalo Springs. Va,
10 t.I1 h'91 80 iiiiS tAt1 -
opening of q speech he ever heard
was by Roger \. Pryor, then a jour
.ualist, and since Chief Justice Of the
HFighest Court IN New York City. lie
was q candidate tor the Federal
House in the Petersburg District, Va.
and his speech was made 1t Charlotte
Court House. Va, about 1855 | think
it was. Mr.. Bruce aid the speech
was very splendid. He had heard all
Of the leading men OF his own state.
and some Of the foremost men Of
Great Britain, prior to that Time. ana
he heard no one WHO reached the eN-
ccllcnce Of that speech. Nh, Pryor
was but thirty Years old then Mr..
Bruce told me hat venerable ana
prominent gentlemen had ridden II
their carriages forty miles OF mora
to hear young Pryor. ana after the
speaking he stood With them undei'
the trees in front IF the court house
trees under which Patrick Henry
and John Randolph 4 stood and
spoken to the pcople-and looking
each other III the face. they SAID:
There has been no such speaking in
Virginia since John Randolph Ny
recollection IS that Mr.. Bruce not ONLY
: thought Mr.. Pryor'S speech superior