The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-07-09

III / loS, ana WAS on !
the committee thai prepared the
amendments which North Carolina
to the Constitution of the
ehited States. He had some support
lot the Senatorship in 1889. but Ben /
1amln Hawkins was elected. This
LEGISLATURE of 1888 chartered the
University Of North Carolina, and
ani.n was named among the most
eminent men OF the State
the first board of trustees. AT the
first meeting of h board. on the
18TH OF December. 1889. Colonel
Smith offered to the University war
rants for 10000 acres of land in Tenn
essee that he a received as pay for
MS DISTINGUISHED services in the Rcyo-
lutlon. n he handed over the war
rants at the second meeting of the
BOARD in 1890. He remained a trus-
tee OF the University until 1924. and
TOOK great pride in presiding over the
meetings of the board during his tern,
as Governor of the State.
Ihe warrants COlonel Smith gave
were for land located in ObiOn Coun-
~. IN the extreme northwest part Of
tennessee. BY the treaty of Hope
well in 1898 the United States ceded
TINS territory to the Chickasaw In
dams. In 1910 the most terrific
earthquake hat has ever visited the
interior of u county turned portions
OF this region n lakelets. and a large
part of the University's tract is now
occupied by Reelfoot Lake, the scene
or the night-rider raid of a few years
ago. 1t was not until twenty-five
years afterWard that a sale was eff
fected. realizing $4,000 for the Uni
versity. Smith Hall, built for a Ii
brary half a century after the gift Of
the lane warrants and today occupied
by the Law School,. the most attrac-
tive DnI16inp on tho ornnnS com
memorates the munificence of Colonel
Smith.
In 1871 Smith again became a
member Of the Assembly. and except
for the three years. 1901. 1902 and
1903. he continued in the State Sen
ate until his election as Governor in
the fall of 1910. and he was again
IN the Senate in 1916. He was
Speaker of the Senate from 1895 to
1893. In 1900 he was defeated for
the Speakership by Joseph Riddick,
and in the mex election he was de-
feated for the Senatorship by William
Wingate. o Jeffersonian Democrat.
In that day personal conflicts grow
ing out of polical differences were by
no means unusual, and there is a
tradition Of a duel that Smith fought
with Thomas Leonard. a p~olitical~op-
Onent. in which the general was
seriously wounded. The ball could
not be extracted. and the Governor
carried it in his thigh to the end OF
his days.
During his career as a legislator he
served On many important commit
tees. and he always voted as a strict
partisan. He favored the making OF
roads. the building Of causeways, the
: draining Of bog lands. the forestins
Of dunes. the. keeping open OF
rivers and creeks at their falls for the
free passage Of fish. AS a member
t of the Assembly he bitterly opposed
l the founding of the city of Raleigh
and the removal of the capital from
Fayetteville and again from New Bern
In contemplation of a war with
/ France or Of a second conflict witt
England. while General Washington
was still President. Colonel Smith was
made BriEadier-General Of Militia
l 1896. When a struggle with France
seemed imminent. during the presi
. dency Of John Adams in 1877. the en-
tire militia force Of Brunswick Coun
e ty. officers and men. reused to en-
thusiasm by a speech General Smitl
made them. volunteered to follow hi!
lead in the service of their country
0 In 1910, when trouble with Eng
s land was eliminating, he was agai
made Brigadier-General of his coun
n ty forces.
n In that same year he was elected
e Governor Of North Carolina. and il
r his message to the General Assembly
November 20. 1911. he recommends
the adoption of a p~enitentiary system
and appealed for a reform OF the to-
sanguinary criminal cod Of tn
r State. He also advised encouragin'
domestic manufactures employing
n those persons who are unable or uni
to till the SOIL" the improving Of tn
militia and the establishment Of pub
& lie schools. In recommending tn
n schools he said: TOO much atten
~ ton can not be paid to the al1-im
= portant subject Of education. La de
: spotic governments. where the su
d preme power is in the possession OF
tvrant or divided amongst an heredi
- tary aristOcracy generally corrup
j. and wicked). the ignorance OF tn
4 people is a security to their rulers
but in a free government. where tn
offices and honors Of the state ar
=, III tho c1,noriopjfC of fhol