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


wi = 060 Il kGe
Pierce. This speech, together with
P~ierce's name. toe the convention by
storm, and Pierce was nominated. |
During the campaign that followed. ,
Mt Dobbin. elector at large. canvassed
Eastern North Carolina, winning new |
,,urels and adding to his reputation
"a an orator and statesman. Return
el TO h Legislature from Cumber-
land county, he was again nominated
for the ~speakership of the House OF
commons, but was defeated by the
wing nominee. In this Assembly,
though the Wings had a majority Of
she House Of Commons, the Democrats
controlled the Senate, n on a joint
ballot could cast two more votes thar
their opponents. AS it was the year
tor the election Of a United States Sem
ator to succeed Willie r. Mangum, the
Democrats expected, Of course, to Sc
lect The man. A party caucus, at
which "A large majority of their men,
hrrs we're present. unanimously select
rd James c.. Dobbin as the Democratic
nominee: but a few dissatisfied Dem
ocrats, who did not attend the caucus
and who refused to be bound by IT'S
action. declined to support Mr.. Dob
bin. The struggle vas spirited, and
much bad feeling was aroused; but
throughout the contest Mr.. Dobbin
bore himself with dignity and honor.
on several ballots he needed only two
more votes to elect him, but these two
could not be obtained. In his Me
moirs Of Eminent North Carolinians,"
Wheeler. describing the contest, says:
IAN OF us who were members OF
that Legislature can remember the In
tense excitement of the time. The op-
position was able. active, and not over
s%crupulous. They could not elect; but
By aid of one or more marplots of
other side they could prevent the cleo
ton of the Democratic candidate.
Amid all this excitement Mr.. Dobbin
appeared the only calm and cOnsid-
crate person among US. After some
forty ballotings he requested that q
caucus should be called, and with un-
affected sincerity and glowing elo-
auence ne requested his name to be
withdrawn and some other person vot-
cd for . : He withdrew his name
but it was In vain. If he could not be
elected no other person should be. and
the State had only one senator for 9
long time"
But others hcnors awaited Mr.. Dob
bin in another sphere Of usefulness
which afforded greater opportunities
OF service to the country than tn
senatorship from North Carolin;
would nave presented. While 1t wa
expected that the services rendered
By him at the Baltimore Convention
and in the campaign that fOlowe'
should be suitably recognized. nobod
anticipated so high q reWar as q cabi
net appointment. Mr.. Dobbin, him
self. not only did not expect 1t. but o
the contrary had recommended an
pressed as far as his power extende
the claims Of another Judge Strange
whom he considered AN old and BET
ter soldier for the very seat In tn
Cabinet which TO his surprise. withot
any knowledge on his part, was vo
unfairly rendered TO him by Generi
Pierce" The appointment was gree
ed with surprise by all and by not
few with q good deal Of
merriment. Except for n term
Congress. nearly ten years before. u
new secretary was an untrted man G
the stage Of national politics. but !
so conducted his great office that !
lived 10 see the ridicule that greett
his entrance into the Cabinet, turne
upon his retirement, into n unlve
sai eulogy from friend n oppone
alike. in all sections of the Union.
was an able Cabinet into which tn
new untried man OF less than tv
years was admitted. William
Marcy, Of New York, was secretary
'NoAN. Ill w
was secretary Of the treasury, Jene
son Davis was secretary Of war. Cal
Cushing, OF Massachusetts, was attic
ney-general, James CampoeH,
Pennsylvania, pas pOstmaster-gener
ana Robert McClelland. Of Mlchigs
was secretary Of the interior.
When Mr.. Dobbin entered upon
duties as chief Of the Navy Depa
mont. the navy was not a SUBJECT
Ynnrb nriAa -, tho Cnt1nfrv JxOnX AT
lect, not so much by Mr.. Dobbin's p
decessors as by Congress. had fore
Vt TO become, as has been said, Il
Rip Van Wrinkle Of our national
lenses" Thorough reform in all
branches was the work cut out
James G.. DObbin. Perhaps there '
no better man suited by disposition
such work than he. "Unprovok
and fearless" he knew how to aeco
nlIEH- q suifhOIlf I'll Z