The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-06-28

~ II LO0 We ~O
not compel the Legislature OF North
Carolina to meet and pass an act; the
marshal could not levy upon the pub
lie buildings of the state. What would
be the significance Of a Judgment
which the court was powerless to en-
force? You may remember as an his
torical fact that Andrew Jackson once
said in regard to one of the judgments
OF our court, John Marshall has rem
dered a judgment; now let him en-
force it if he can"
The day before that fixed for the
sale of those bonds the attorney gen
eral of North Carolina came to my
house, for | was the agent Of the court
in delivering the opinion, and said
that he had been sent by the governor
to pay the full amount that we found
to be due; that the state did not in
tend to raise any question as to what
should or could be lone in case OF a
deficiency after the sale OF the stock,
and that inasmuch as the court Great
ed by the constitution and chargedHith
the duty of determining controversies
between the states had declared That
a certain sum was due from North
Carolina to South Dakota he was direct
ed by the state to pay that; every
dollar, as we'll as the costs Of the case.
And then and there he did SO. ZAP
plause.)
Now | submit that there was a re-
Spouse of public opinion declaring
that the judgments of that cour IN
this nation which is charged with the
the settlement of controversies be-
tween two states should be respected,
for the defeated state, although feeling
| aggrieved by the judgment, yet walv-
ed all question as to its enforcement
and at the time appointed paid every
dollar and cent of the debt. Not only
was thai a response of public opinion,
| but in addition it was d glorious trio-
| ute to the patriotism of the state Of
North Carolina. a state which gave us
the Mecklenburg Resolutions, aTnlci-
pating the Declaration of Independence
(Applause.) And al but think aer
! conduct far above hat of the state or
| South Dakota, which willingly took a
donation of bonds with the idea OF
| collecting them from a sister state, IN
disregard of that generous feeling
which should control all the states OK
this union; and | do not wonder that
the governor of South Dakota, vino re-
tired from Office last January, in his
final message recommended that the
| legislature appropriate the full'amodnt
| of the money received and tender it
| back to North Carolin. (ADplaus'e.)
| Public opinion. Mr.. President, is all
powerful and it is to the credit of he
intelligent people of this country til at
we do respect the judgments of the
| courts created by the constitution in
| declaring rights and awarding decree 5
Now, | said. Mr.. President, that
| did not intend to make a speech, but
| do want to say, in closing. that j
| never come to these conferences with
! out being Lifted to a higher manhood
There is something contagious in
| meeting the body of men and women
| that gather here and In hearing their
earnest words in behalf of a so
worthy: so dear to my heart. l so
away feeling that | am d better man
for having been privileged to come
here. (Applause.) | go away conf
dent that the time is coming when the
blessed day of peace will dawn upon
u o0~+h 0r1 no oh0I all and al
that then live will look to Mr.. Smiley
and thank him for the great WORK
he las done IN fastening that day
am not very sangulne OF It's SPEEDY
coming. The conservatism winch
comes from years, | might say f1O1-
many years-but a sort of torbiddins
glance from my wife does not allow m
to make allusion to my a@e-the con
servatism Of years does not lead me u
see the day nigh. / remember that II
the calendar Of the heavens that
l thousand years are as one day n on
l day as a thousand years, and yet, a
1 a friend said TO me the other dag, car
you go sure that the time is distant
| Think of what has happened in Othe
directions-take the slavery question
One of the fathers of the republi
e once said: Il tremble for my cCurtr
: when [ remember that God is just
John Brown went into Harper S Fer
ry, and We said: Fanatic; fool" An
3 yet. within five, years. enlalcipatio
d was a settled far, and slavery had lis
appeared from our soil. 7 realized an
q you realize, and no one who come
: here can help realizing, that there
e through this nation a more intens
n feeling in respect to the coming of I'll
! time of international arbitration an
r with that, the time Of universal Deac
S, And we can wish no better, richie
reward to our good fr>eni, than tn;
1t he should be permitted before his pa
$ and sacred clay is cnbosomed