The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-04-08

mind, and q noble and very handsome
presence. His mind WAS s~ssiduouSsy
cultivated and trained. He had the
religious and moral instincts by in
strengthened in the environment in
which his life was placed. He .
no bad habits az a boy. none as .
youth and none as a man. Instead.
the habits OF thrift OF industry and
thorouShness became a second nature
u him. lie Was ambitious. but Il was
with a guided and controlled ambition
when he came to face the world en-
larger spheres II usefulness. All theee
Whe he became 10 face the world en-
aoled him 10 conquer a place for him.
Sell second t. nc North Carolnian.
n. He was many sided. and a
great deaf OF his work remains and
There Is none Of It that is not far
above the average. lie is entitled
To very hlSn rank rs "a lawyer. "a 4
public speaker, as a statesman and as
q writer, and the highest as a faith
ful. As a thorough and ~ a conscier-
tious public Official"
James Cochrane Dobbin.
Franklin Pierce treated tho country
TO & surprise IN ES53. when he am
nounced the appointment Of James &.
Dobbin Is Secretary OF the Navy. FIX
eept Tor n single term IN the lower
branch OF Congress. Mr.. pobbin had
AhNA 4Ao AZ t4@kfOt.4 pOiltltS
and was almost unknown beyond the
limits OF his own Stat". Even In
North Carolina ne had had no career
IN public life, except three terms fl
the Legislature Yet - strong All
impression had his more thar ordinary
ability. his sound Judgment. his cour-
age, has rare powers as a debatcr
ms winning personality. his high
sense 81 personal and political honor
made upon the peopl" Of the State.
that before he had reached his thirty
fifth year he had become the recoc-
nized leader Of his party. which stood
ready 10 elevate him To the highest
positions within the gift OF the poo
pie.
; pobhin advanced to his high Pc
Sition by the same steps on which al
other aspiring youths OF his time
mountcd-graduation from the stat
university, entrance into some prom
1nent lawyers office. admission to the
bar. and then eithc. 4 political or a
a Judicial career according To indivio
ual inclination. tie was graduated
from the University OF North Caro-
, lima. fourth n his class, in 1882.
studied law under Judge Robert
Strange, and settled at Fayette-
= vile to practice his profession. No
ACCIDENT came TO lift him int"
sudden prominence. Politics had no
attractions for him. and though fire.
y qucntly urged to become a candidata
Ior the Legislature. he steadily de.
:. clllieo pre1errlng to devote himself Il
the study and practice Of the law. Il
1910 the Democrats or his district
~ Wlthou his knowledge and in his ab
Senoe, nominated him for Congress:
g He was elected by an Overwhelming
y. majority. served in the TNenty-nintt
Congress, and declined reelection
~ Elected to the Genera Assembly il
-: lS48, he aligned himself with the lib
eral element in that body, and in op
y position to his own party supported
SUCH progressive measures aS interna
IL improvements, the incorporation o
the North Carolina Railroad Company
10 and the erection Of q State Hospita
~ for the Insane. Returning to the Leg
ia i%slature in 1850, he was elected speak
~ er Of the House Of Commons, Dur
in ing the session q great debate occurre
~ in the House Of Commons, while i
H. Committee OF the Whole. on the ques
70 ton of the relation OF the States to tn
oh Federal Union, in which MI. Dobbi
en- made one OF the greatest efforts {
;lt. his life. He spoke with his usual fore
ere and c~learness for more than an hoL
to an attentive House and crowde
galleries, upon the rights Of the Stat.
ce- according to the Constitution.
M He took the ground boldly that II
md States are soyereign-that they h1>
Of a right To judge OF infractions Of IL
Constitution. and OF the mode ~
ms measure of redress-in a word. that
ties State in the last resort has Il right
secede from the Union and take cl.
OF her own interest and honor" III
right Of secession, however. was not
.ce- constitutional right" but a "reserv'
rial right and one that ought never 10
his exercised except in the last extrelnlt
re- much ought to be borne for the ga
for of the Union, for. he exclaimed. =
to day Of its dissolution will be the dar
est day for human liberty the wor
on has ever seen Mr.. DODbln : love (
the. Union was one Of the stronge
red sentiments OF his life, and on III"
tier than one occasion he delivered his Sc
timents III language Of uuquestionat
OF meaning.
Ike by 1852 Mr.. Dobbin had become