The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1915-01-28

main unchanged. In accordance
Herewith l have speedily and sin
cerely declined all promotions save
that which placed me at the head of
the gallant men whom l now COM
mand. A true man should, however,
be willing to serve wherever the
public voice may assign him. If,
therefore, my fellow citizens believe
that l could serve the great cause
better as Governor than l am now
doing and should see proper to con-
fer this great responsibility upon me
without solicitation on my part l
would not feel at liberty to decline
it, however conscious of my own
unworthiness." How efficiently he
served as Governor during this pc
riod that tried mems souls is writ
ten on the pages of history in gilt
tering letters. He is known to US
as the War Governor of North Caro-
lima. He equipped and sent to the
the field more troops. according to
population, than were sent from any
other State-one-sixth. in fact, of
the soldiers that were mustered into
the Confederate army. AS a result
Of his efforts the North Carolina
soldiers were better fed and better
clothed than were the soldiers from
any other State in the Confederacy.
He accomplished this result in a
most systematic and vigorous way.
Ocean steamers were purchased to
transport cotton abroad. These
steamers made frequent trips to
Liverpool, and were reloaded with
all such articles az the necessities of
the people of the State required.
An agent was sent to England to
superintend the sale of the cotton
and the purchase Of the articles
which so enhanced the comforts of
the people and the soldiers. In this
way he was enabled to satisfy not
only the immediate necessities of his
own people and the soldiers of his
own State, but large quantities of
provisions and supplies were turned
over to the Confederate government
for the troops of other States. In
the winter succeeding the battle of
Chickamauga he sent General Long
streets corps $4,000 suits of cloth
ing complete. While Vance was
Governor he Frequently visited the
North Carolina troops in Virginia
General J. f. 3. Stuart said of cne
Of his speeches to the army that I'll
the test Of eloquence is its eifoc'
this speech was the most powerful
ever delivered" General Lee said
'Speech equivalent to a force Of
ten thousand meu."
Next to Governor Vance's earnes
desire TO care for the people Of TIE
State and North Carolina soldiers
he was concerned in maintaining
the supremacy of civil authorities ot
the state against the aggression OF
military power. To him is due The
proud distinction that in NORTH
Corolina alone, of all other States
with one possible exception, in The
United States or Confederate
States, the writ of habeas corpu.
was at no time suspended during
the four years of war. This is as
founding when we remember tha
forty millions Of people were en
gagged in desperate strife. 1t seem.
well-nigh impossible that amid til.
cleaning Of bayonets, the roaring
of cannon, the thunder of charging
sQuadrons and the light of burning
cities he could accomplished this
No wonder that when the war cloud
had rolled away and the Sun o
Peace looked down on a blood soak
ed land and the task of replenishing
rebuilding and reviv;fying a desc
late, devastated and deadened lant
weighed heavily upon the people O
our State, no wonder, | say, tina
they should have looked to Vanc,
for needed guidance and leadership
and how right and fit it seems tha
the people OF the State from tina
time on to the close Of his life con
ferred on him every honor that j
was in their power to bestow. Vanc
met the necessity of every require
ment. The outcome Of the memor
able campaign for the governorshi]
Of North Carolina in which Vanc
had for his competitor Judge Ton
Settle, an able and most astute man
is only illustrative of Vance's abi!it,
to meet the demands of every occa
sion. Prior to this campaign tn
Republicans had had complete con
troll of all the departments Of tn