The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-12-26
b. s. HEDRICK n
BARTLETT YANCEY
Subjects OF Two Valuable Recent
Numbers Of the James Sprunt
Historical Publications.

Number I, volume 10, of The
James Sprunt Historical Publications.
tpaDIlshed under the direction OF the
North Carolina Historical Society, il
IN many respects the most Instructive
ana most interesting of the many is
sues OF that publication. The sub
]ect of the monograph is benjamin
sherwood Hedrick;;" the author is
Dr. }. G. de Roulhac Hamilton. Pro
lessor Of History in the University.
The monograph contains AZ pages.
nile it is primarily a ocumentary
history, the documents are hung to-
sether by a running narrative which
serves to explain them. There are
All told, including letters, newspaper
articles, extracts from the minutes of
the faculty of the University, and
from the minutes of the executive
uments. No more effective con-
domination Of the institution of slavery
was ever written than that uncon-
sclously written by it's defenders and
advocates in these documents.
Hedr1ck was Professor Of Chemis-
try in the University in 1856, and in
a private conversation. in reply to a
question, vowed his preference for
Fremont for the presidency over
For his audacity in eX-
pressing his privilege as a freeborn
American citizen he was promptly de-
nounced, reviled, slandered and driven
N disgrace from his native State.
Holden in the Standard" demanded
that Hedrick be dismissed from the
University and driven out" OF the
State. can ~alurnnus," catching up
the CIV urged the frTI-tpaS RI i'm ms
date action for the sake of the pros
perity Of our Alma Mater and the
good OF the state" Hedrick
t~hereupon made the mistake natural
TO a brave, honorable man conscious
Of innocence, of replying, ably. elo-
quently and unanSwerably, to his
critics and defaluers. He but added
fuel to the fame. Holden raved
like a mailman. President Swain
n members of the faculty lost their
heads. frightened out of their wits
at the ratings of the standard"
Governor Manly, secretary of the
Board of Trustees, and other mem
bers of the board, bowed like tender
saplings before the storm. The
Executive Committee OF the tniver-
sity, composed of the ablest and most
distinguished citizens of the State,
raised an altar and on it inundated
the Constitutions right Of freedom Of
thought and speech in North Caro-
lima LAS to Hedrick,' wrote Manly
to Swain. October IS. 1856. "he is
beheaded."
Manly was mistaken. Il was not
Hedrick, it was the precious institu-
ton of slavery, which lad bee be-
headed. When slavery ~grappied in
mortal combat with freedom Of
speech, it was equivalent to the com
| mission of suicide; it was a combat
between a mortal and an immortal
| Hedrick was dismissed. But now
| that the full proceedings, the news
| paper attacks, his letters, the pro-
| eeedings of the faculty. the proceed
| ings of the trustees. all lie open be-
| fore us, our judgment falls instantly
| and without hesitation. The dis
| graced professor energies calmly. with
dignity, and ~unscatned; while on the
records Of the University remains a
blot which we would fain erase were
it possible.
Bartlett Yancey.
No. 9, Vol. Y of THE am Sprunt
| Historical Publications" IS devoted to
the career of Bartlett Yancey. 1t is
in three parts: /. Bartlett Iancey. by
| George A. Anderson; II. The Political
and Professional Career OF Bartlett
| Yancey, by J.. G. der. Hamilton. III.
| Letters to Bartlett Yancey, edited by
| Dr. Hamilton. The contributed ar
| ticles are interesting and h-ipful IL
understanding h letters. The letters
of course form the most vaIuabl
f.atrre OF the publication. OF these
there are 81, embracing letters from
William Castor, thomas Ruf1in-
RonauIus NJ. Saunders, Lewis viii
Iians (member of Congress from!
North Carolina for q years; Father
J, Of the House"l; Archibald ID. Muir
phey- Nathaniel Macon, Frederick
Nash. Willie p. Mangun, John G.
| calhoun and other distinguished pub
lie men of Yancey's time.
~H