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

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tom he declared, could have done II
no better" ,
In the ante-belium South no other
agency was so potent in moulding the
thoughts n deals OF the people as
the bar. Especially was this true IN
North Carolina. not only a OF
the great ability OF the members or
the legal profession, but also because
North Carolina, being a distinctly
rural State. the people did but nttie
general reading and sought their chie1
social and intellectual recreation IN at
tendance upon the courts ihe aoVo-
eat who addressed 4 jury had a coun-
~ for his audience. Aware Of the
great opportunity which this fact gave
to the lawyer and appreciative Of the
responsibility it imposed upon him.
William A. Graham set before himself
high standards of professional learn
ing, dignity and integrity. In the
management Of his causes. looking be
You'd the triumph Of the he
adopted as his rule Of conduct the idea
that While duty to his client required
his greatest exertions to win his case,
duty to society required his best et-
forts to establish or to maintain q
principle.
But thu fame OF William A. Graham
rests less upon his ability as a lawyer
than upon his services as a statesman.
! AS a lawyer he must yield precedence
to Ruffin and Castor IA Pearson: but
as a statesman he may dispute first
! place in the history Of North Carolina
with any Of her eminent men. Begin
ming his political career as a Henry
Clay Wing. he advocated the policies
| Of that party Until it's dissolution. In
1850 he was one OF the organizers of
| the Constitutional Union Party. Eight
| years later he presided at the birth of
the Conservative Democratic Party in
North Carolina. With the overthrow
Of the Reconstruction government he
became an adherent OF the Democratic
Party-a strange evolution from a
Henry Clay" Wing, possible only as
the result Of a great political. eco
nomic n social revolution. Ora
hams political career embraced SER
vice as party leader, as representative
in the State Legislature, as Senator in
the Congress OF the United States, as
governor Of his State, as cabinet minis
ter. as senator in the Congress Of the
Confederate States, and as delegate
to constitutional conventions. AS a
statesmen. though temDeramentally
conservative, he IA intellectually pro-
gressive. Clinging to the Past as the
foundation on which to build the Flu
ture. he discarded no policy merely
because it was old, n he was not
49, ~ ~
was new.
In 1910 while he was Speaker OF
the House Of Commons Of the State
Legislature, Graham was elected to
the Senate Of the United States. His
election was remarkable not only be-
cause Of his comparative youth. but
also because Willie P. Mangum, also
a member Of the Legislature Gin the
Senate) and also from Orange coun-
ty. was elected to the United States
Senate 1t the Same time. Graham's
term IN the Senate was too brief for
MIN TO take the place justified by his
ability among The leaders Of that body.
: His course. however, met the approval
of his party friends and colleagues.
: While In the Senate, he became in
I volved in h quarrel between Tyler
and the Wing party. The Tyler admin
!, istration found itself face to face with
r a depleted treasury, and was forced to
appeal to Congress for aid. Many Of
t the Wing leaders. bitter over Tyier's
~treachery. were not disposed to help
$ his administration; but with this atti-
: tude Graham did not sympathize. He
4 declared in q speech Of much force
: that he would not stop the action OF
: the government by denying it the
means Of going on, no matter who may
e be in power" His term In the Senate
brought him IN touch with national
affairs, while his breadth of mind and
his national spirit won him recogni-
q ton from his party leaders and pre-
pared the way for his services in the
c Cabinet.
BY 1S4S the Wing Party had recov.
cred flom the decentralization caused
by Tyler's desertion, anG in that year
'f carried h country with Taylor AND
Fillmore. Graham's services to tn
n party deserved recognition, and Tay.
~ Tor offered him the choice OF the mis-
sious TO Russia and to Spain. both O.
which he declined. July 9, 1850, Tay
= Tor died and was succeeded In the pres
= idency by Miliard Fillmore, who ha
been a member Of Congress while Ora
ham was In the Senate. Taylor's Cab
met at once resigned, according TO Gus
:. tom, and Fillmore selected as thei
:, successors: Daniel Webster. Score
:. tary Of state: Thomas CorWin. Of Ohio