The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-02-02

is marked by few notable events of
which his ~biographer can make men
ton. Although the work he did here
was undoubtedly the great work OF
his life. it is impossible to compute it.
AS with the silent forces of atu
which W. know to be the greatest
that are eXerted in this world, but
which yet elude the grasp of our
senses; SO it is impossible for us to
, measure the power of the BILE and
| faithful teacher.
1--WE know that the moral one of
a community is the handspring of it's
glory or its shame: that that one is
to a great extent impaired by its edu-
cated men; We know, too. hal no
man has ever lived in North Carolina
whose opportunities for thus influ-
encing those who control her destinies
have been greater than Governor
SWANS were; and I am quite sure
that no man ever more diligently and
earnestly improved those opportuni-
ties. - The sparks Of good which he
elected, the trains of generous ambi-
ton which he set on fire, the number
Of young lives which his teachings
have directed into the paths of virtue
and knowledge, and colored with the
hueS OF heaen, who but God can tell ?
Ii we could see events and analyze
destln1es as only the Most High can,
now Wondrous would appear the harry
49, ~ lawn IL. 0Wdlu > SOWl1S. HOW
many great thoughts worked out in
the still watches Of the night; how
mang noble Orations in the Forum
stirring the hearts of men; how many
oQuen and mOmentous ~discourses in
the pulpit: how many bold strokes Of
patriotic craftsmanship; how many
daring deeds and sublime deaths on
bloody fields Of battle; how many
good and generous and honest things
done In secret: how many evil things
ana sore temptations resisted; ir
snort, how much Of that which con.
stitutes the public and private virtue
. OF our people. the prosperity, the hon.
or, the glory Of our State. might not
be traced to the initial inspiration O.
T: David L. Swain! 80"
How we'll do I remember the man,
l occasions during my ~sojourn at thu
: University, when he as my preceptor
: eSteeming such influences of create,
importance to the class than the text,
: Q! the lessons, would for the tim.
: give his whole soul to the stirring u,
!" OF tneSe generous and emulous senti
ments in the hearts Of his pupils. TIL,
very hrst recitation in which I eve,
appeared before him was one such.
snall never, never forget it. In 1851
e | entered the University, and toinet
the senior class as an irregular. Thi
nrst lesson was in Constitutional Law
"A single general question was aske,
aHu answered as to the subject il
hand. n then he began to discours
- or Chancellor Kent, whose treats
= we were studying; from Kent he wen
:. to Story. from Story to Marshall. re
!" peatlng anecdotes Of the great Amer
leans who had framed and interprete,
our organic law; and touching upo
- debate between Hayne and Wei
~ ster. From these he went back an
u back to the men and the times whe
II the great eminal principles of Anglo
le Saxon liberty were eliminated frOr
feudal chaos. and placed one by on
~ as stones polished by the genius {
D the wise, n cemented by the bloc
q of the brave, in the walls of tn
II temple Of human freedom. He TO-
us OF the eloQuence of Burke, Of til
genius Of Chatham; he took us int
the prison of Elliott and went with ,
!. to the deathbed of Hampden; into til
le closet with Coke and Sergeant Ma,
We nard; and to the Forum whel
p. Somers spoke; to the deck Of tt
=, Brill where William, thu deliyere
g. stood as he gazed upon the shores
re England: to the scaffolds of Sydnt
and of our own glorious Raleig
Warming as he went with the CLOWN
theme. walking up and down the rec
8 tation room. which was then the L
brary of the Old South with lor
and awkward strides, heaving tho
y heavy passionate signs. which we
d. always with him the witnesses Of de-
emotion. he would now and then ste