Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 191?-19??, 1915-06-03
UNWILLING OF JOHN
LAWSON MEMORIAL
An Interesting Ceremony
i'm this City at Noon
Today
DUTY OF KEEPING
HISTORY STRAIGHT
Presented by The North Carolina So
ciety of the Colonial Danes OF
America to GOldsbOrO and
Wayne County.

Owing to the indisposition of Mr.. u.
H. Dixon, president of the Goldsboro
Chamber of Commerce, who was pro-
grammed to preside at today's unVell-
ing ceremonies of the John Lawson
boulder, Mr.. Geo. G. Royal was sub
stituted by invitation in the eleventh
hour, and graciously and gracefully
subserved the duties incumbent. He
cordially welcomed the visitors and
efficiency.
The opening services were held III
the spacious Commissioners Room of
the Court House, where, notwithstand-
ing the rain representative audience
greeted the occasion, and the opening
prayer, as we'll as the benediction at
the close were by Rev. P. Mcintyre.
Mr.. Royal presented Mr.. Matt H.
Allen, Of the Goldsboro bar, the his
torical orator of the occasion, and his
address was a gem of literature as
we'll as history, and most entertaingly
delivered. He spoke in full as follows,
and we are glad to give it place in our
columns for it's original historical
value, for, with Mr.. Allen we have the
same opinion of DeGraffenreid, whose
only saving grace was that he per-
trayed Eastern North Carolina as
new Ell Dorado-and it is:
John LawsOn-Gentleman.
Madam President of the North Caro-
lima Society of Coleman Danes OF
America: Colonial Danes of the
Wayne County committee: Ladies and
Gentlemen: :-Forceful is the figure of
speech, voiced by some writer, who
says that, "The pyrimids of Egypt
doting with age have forgotten the
names of their founders" Immeasure-
ably more mighty than the pyrimids
and not doting with age, is the great
American Content, whose settlement
was begun by our Colonial progeni-
tors; and succeeding generations
should see to it that the names and
deeds of these founders are not for
gotten, but shall be held in grateful
and everlasting remembrance. So il
is but proper that in Eastern North
Carolina there shall be placed an in
destructible, irremovable and eterna,
token of remembrance Of man who
came here amid the wilds of new
continent, iabored, explored, blazee
paths through the wilderness, made
measurements of our sea coast, laiG
out villages, promoted colonization
and wrote the first history of Nortl
Carolina.
1t is unfortunate that at the tim
John Lawson lived in this countr,
there were no writer's or historians
and that the only mention of this bFav
and daring man was from his ow,
pen, in his reports to the Lords pro
prietors, and by the pen of an averio
ious agent named Baron DeGraffen
reid, who. disliked Lawson on accour
of his popularity with the Indians, an
the Palatines, and his influence wit
the Lords Proprietors (and who fina
1y deserted both Lawson and the Pa
atines and in attempting his own jus
tification, berated both)
John Lawson was of Scotch brit
InaL ne was an educated man anu
acute and intelligent observer, ente
prising and -circumpsect, no one wi
question, if they will read his repor
to the English Government and b
History of North Carolina. And as
surveyor his work has been pronoun
ed excellent.
He is represented by Baron Christ
pher DeGraffenreid as disturbil
element among the colonies and as
cheat and fraud, and was accused
settling the Palatines on the Southe
bank of the Trent at the hottest a