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

class-rooms were the fields in which
students strove for leadership. In
these society contests, both .ntellectu-
al and political. not a few Of the
eminent leaders in the State and ma
tional affairs received their training
in parliamentary tactics. in the arts
OF debate and IN the management OF
men. Vance became a mernber OF
the Dialectic Society, n was assidu-
Il IN his attention to its reQuire-
ments. Many stories, OF course. are
told Of his skill in debate and OF
his lashes of wit and humor which
frequently disturbed the serene dig
nifty of that body, threw its members
into uncomfortable fits Of laughter
and applause, and, thus at their eN-
pense. r~eplenished the society's too
often treasury. Behind all
TINS, however. he kept steadily in
view ms serious purpose 70 train him
sell for the contests of the bar. the
stump and the forum to which he
looked for the realization OF his am
billions; and accordingly he let Slip
no opportunity of joining in the set
debates and informal discussions OF
the society. In his way ne soon de
Veloped a readiness of repartee, an
aptness at illustration. and an elo-
Quence n power of utterance thai
made him a formidable adversary for
the most experienced debaterS in the
University.
responds to Ennoblins Influences.
Nance'S entrance into the Universe
~ him into a world OF
larger vision and broader culture than
that which he had previously known:
and his active mind and spirit were
quick to respond to its influence. The
Faculty of the University. though
small in number. was strong in abili-
ty, scholarship and force Of Charac-
ter. The contact between its mem
berS and the students was personal
and intimate. 1t would be difficult to
over-estimate the influence on Nance's
mind n character of his association
with certain members of the Faculty
and their families. These associations
formed the basis Of several close and
devoted friendships that were ter
minated only by death. For DR..
Elisha Mitchell he conceived a genu-
inc affection and always spoke of hin,
as his dear friend.' Aftsr DR..
MitchelIs death in 1S56-the result
of g fall while exploring Black Noun
tain-Nance was a~ssiduous in his eff
forts to raise funds for the erection
; of a to his memory and t.
have the official maps of the United
: States Government corrected so as t.
t record the results of DR.. Mitchelrs
work which proved Black Mountain
now Mt. Mitchell-to be the highest
I SCs1 vi l1lS ~ oi4,T
became intimate in the family of Dr.
r James Phillips, professor of Mathe-
S mates, with whose sons, Samuel anC
0 Charles, and daughter, Cornelia, at
forwards Mrs. James NJ. Spencer, he
h formed ties of friendship that con
: tinued throughout their lives. Dur
n ing his subsequent career, both as
Q private citizen and as a public of
[ fetal, he frequently sought Mrs
: Spencer's advice on the most import
e ant matters, and his letters to her
] covering a period Of many years, form
n one of the most interesting and i'm
# portant portions of his eNtant CORE
n spondence. In the family Of Judg
IT Battle, Vance found two young men
l abOut his own age, to whom he be
h came bound by the closest ties 0
'e sympathy and affection. They wer
se Kemp 2. Battle and his brother Rich
S, ard. With the former his relation
t. were largely personal only, but wit
s, the latter they were both personal an
in official. w were contemporaries q
at Chapel HILL" says Mr.. Battle. IAN
r fellow members Of the same literar
ID society. : I was his Private Sec
t. rotary from the day Of his inaugura
I ton as Governor, September 8. 1856.
Ill for two years, and then. by his al
&c pointment, State Auditor, and ofte
ne his legal counsel in questions an
cases growing out Of the ConscriI
I'll law, until we left the Capitol, Apr
tn ~, 1865, the day before it's occups
I ton by Sherman. During these year
while his labors were Herculean ar
his anxieties intense, I was in dai
association with him, sometimes
the privacy Of his home. > : The
lis and ever afterwards he treated II
he with the kindness and confidenc
IN and (may I not say it?) with the a
Iy lection Of an older brother"
His Most Important Friendship.
,ss But Of all Vance's associations
", Chapel Hill the most important in i
n results was his association with Pres
,SS lent Swain. Governor Swain W
frequently charged with an und1
to partially for mountain boys. Wheth
lis this charge was true or not general
it is certainly true that he quick
rk conceived a strong Partially for til
TX particular mountain boy, and tn