Program of exercises for North Carolina Day

              PROGRAM OF EXERCISES
n NORTH CAROLINA DAY"
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1905
R. D. W. CONNOR
ISSUED FROM THE OFFICE OF THE
STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION,
KALEIGH, N. C.
CHAPTER 164
OF THE PUBLIC LAWS OF 1901.
An Act to provide for the Celebration of North Carolina Day
in the Public Schools.
The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:
Section 1. That the 12th day of October in each and
every year, to be called "North Carolina Day/' may be de-voted,
by appropriate exercises in the public schools of the
State, to the consideration of some topic or topics of our State
history, to be selected by the Superintendent of Public In-struction
: Provided, that if the said day shall fall on Satur-day
or Sunday, then the celebration shall occur on the Mon-day
next following: Provided further, that if the said day
shall fall at a time when any such school may not be in ses-sion,
the celebration may be held within one month from the
beginning of the term, unless the Superintendent of Public
Instruction shall designate some other time.
Sec. 2. This act shall be in force from and after its ratifi-cation.
In the General Assembly read three times, and ratified this
the 9th day of February, A. D. 1901.
PREFACE.
As many of the public schools are not in session as early
as October 12th, I have taken the liberty allowed under the
law of fixing the date of North Carolina Day this year and
hereafter on the last Friday before Christmas. It is earn-estly
desired that all the public schools of the state shall
engage in this celebration on the same day. This pamphlet
has been prepared and sent out to aid busy teachers in the
proper celebration of the day and to leave no excuse for fail-ing
to celebrate it.
The consecration of at least one day in the year to the pub-lic
consideration of the history of the state in the public
schools, as directed by the act of the general assembly
printed on the preceding page, is a beautiful idea. It is the
duty of every public school teacher to obey the letter of this
law. It will, I know, be the pleasure of every patriotic
teacher to obey the spirit of it by using the opportunity of
North Carolina Day to inspire the children with a new pride
in their state, a new enthusiasm for the study of her history,
and a new love of her and her people.
Following the chronological order of the state's history,
the subjects of the North Carolina Day programs have been
as follows: In 1901, The First Anglo-Saxon Settlement
in America; in 1902, The Albemarle Section; in 1903, The
Lower Cape Fear Section; in 1904, The Pamlico Section;
in 1905, The Upper Cape Fear Section. In succeeding
years the history of other sections of the state will be studied
somewhat in the order of their settlement and development,
until the entire period of the state's history shall have been
covered. It is hoped ultimately to stimulate a study of local
and county history.
These programs have been arranged with a view of giv-ing
the children of the rising generation a knowledge of the
history and of the resources, manners, customs and ways of
making a living of the different sections of the state. It is
hoped in this way to awaken a proper pride in the history of
the state, to inspire a proper confidence in its present and
hope in its future, and to give the people of the different sec-tions
of the state a better acquaintance with each other.
The material for this pamphlet has been carefully prepared
and arranged by Mr. R. D. W. Connor of my office. My
relation to its preparation has been entirely advisory.
I beg to acknowledge the kindness of Mr. Charles L. Van
Noppen, publisher of the "Biographical History of North
Carolina," for the excellent portrait of Dr. Wiley which
appears as the frontispiece of this pamphlet.
I also wish to acknowledge with thanks the kindness of the
editors of the "North Carolina Booklet" in allowing the use
of their cuts of the Moore's Creek monument and of the route
from Cross Creek to Wilmington.
Very truly yours,
J. Y. JOYNEK,
Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Raleigh, N. C, November 8, 1905.
Ml»
HOW TO USE THIS PAMPHLET.
This pamphlet attempts to present the story of the princi-pal
historic events connected with the Upper Cape Fear Sec-tion,
or the Scotch Highlander Settlements, in North Caro-lina.
It should be made the basis for the study of North
Carolina history by all the pupils in the school who are suf-ficiently
advanced to understand the subject. This work
ought to be begun sometime before North Carolina Day, and
continued, article by article, until the subject is mastered.
The teacher is expected, of course, to explain all points
which present difficulties that the pupils are not able to clear
up for themselves. It will greatly aid in explaining the sub-jects
and fixing them in the minds of the pupils if the teacher
will put topical outlines of them on the blackboard ; or have
the pupils make them in their note-books. After they thor-oughly
understand the subjects, the pupils should be ques-tioned
about them.
The best results can be obtained by having pupils repro-duce
the articles in their own language. If an article is too
long for a single essay, let it be sub-divided into two or more
subjects, each to be treated separately. The principal value
of the articles is to present the facts upon which the pupils
may base their own work. This practice serves both for his-tory
work and for exercises in composition. It will tend also
to develop the talent for historical work which any of the
children may have. It is importaut for the teacher to dis-cover
such talent, if any of her pupils possess it, and help to
develop it.
When the pamphlet is completed in the way suggested the
pupils will have a fair knowledge of the history of the section
under consideration.
NORTH CAROLINA DAY.
It has been frequently observed that many of the pupils to
whom places have been assigned on the program for North
Carolina Day do not seem to understand clearly the articles
they have to read or recite. Two reasons may be given for
this: First, the articles are too difficult for the pupils to
whom they have been assigned ; second, the pupils have not
received sufficient previous training.
In regard to the first : Care should be taken not to assign
parts to pupils who are not advanced enough to take them
understanclingly. If the article to be presented is too diffi-cult,
let the pupil to whom it has been assigned, instead of
reading it as it appears in the pamphlet, use it as the basis for
writing an essay of his own on that subject. It has been sug-gested
that in using the pamphlet for class-work previous to
North Carolina Day, this practice should be followed. If
the teacher will select from these essays, as they are prepared,
the best ones, they can be used in the program for North
Carolina Day. The knowledge that this will be done will
stimulate pupils to their best efforts.
As an illustration: The article on "The Highlanders at
Home" is, as it appears in the pamphlet, rather long for one
pupil to read as a single number on the program. But it may
be used as a basis for an essay in the child's own language ; or
it may be sub-divided among several children, one writing
from it a short essay on "The Highlands of Scotland" ; an-other
on "The Superstitions of the Highlanders" ; another
on "The Highlander in War" ; still another on "The High-land
Clan," etc. The facts upon which these essays may be
based will be found in the original article. Other subjects
may be treated in the same way. The short sketches of dis-tinguished
men should be used for more elaborate essays by
the pupils.
These essays in the children's own language will present no
difficulties to them when read in public, and a little previous
training will enable them to perform their parts with credit
to themselves and to the school. Another result of this plan
will be to make the program more truly the children's pro-gram,
for they will present their own work, not another's;
this will, of course, increase their interest in the celebration.
Perhaps it will be well to have one or two of the simpler
articles read as they appear in the pamphlet. Those entitled
"The Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge" and "Flora Mac-
Donald" are suitable for this purpose.
The poems, of course, must be sung, or read, or recited, and
the declamations delivered, just as they are written. The
pupils to whom they are assigned should read them over and
over again to the teacher before the celebration of North
Carolina Day, until every word, every phrase, every refer-ence,
is thoroughly understood. They can not be presented
with the proper expression unless this is done.
"America" and "The Old North State"* should, of course,
be sung by the school ; so ought "Ho ! for Carolina !" if the
teacher knows the air. It will be well for the teacher to in-clude
in the program other songs with which the children are
familiar, though no special ones are suggested in this pam-phlet,
"The Fiery Cross" should be read. It will require a
good deal of practice to enable the pupil to read this poem
properly, but if it is read well, nothing on the program will
be more stirring. Mr. Stockard's fine, inspiring poem, "The
Last Charge at Appomattox" ought to be recited. It appeals
strongly to the pride and patriotism of every North Caro-linian.
The teacher should be careful to see that the pupils
understand not only the meaning of the words and phrases
of these poems, but also the historical allusions in them.
The declamations should, of course, be memorized and
spoken. These are more suitable for boys than for girls and
should be assigned to boys who are well advanced. It will
be a good arrangement, for illustration, to have an essay on
Dr. Wiley, read by a girl, followed by the declamation on the
same subject, delivered by a boy.
The subjects treated in the pamphlet are arranged in chro-nological
order and the program should follow this arrange-ment.
It is scarcely necessary to add that the teacher should be
thoroughly familiar with the pamphlet from cover to cover,
if it is to be used intelligently.
The program may be divided into two parts—one part to
be presented in the morning and one in the afternoon or night
;
or one part by the younger children, the other by the older
*The music and words of "The Old North State" can be obtained from Alfred Williams
& Co., Raleigh, at a cost of 35 cents.
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ones. If it is too long to be conveniently carried out by small
schools, two or more schools may nnite in the celebration.
Teachers are urged to make a special effort to secure a
large attendance of the people of the district, and to avail
themselves of this opportunity to interest parents and patrons
in the school. The occasion can be used by the teacher to
secure the hearty co-operation of the committeemen, the
women of the district, and all other public-spirited citizens.
The day should be made North Carolina Day in truth, for
grown people as well as for children.
These pamphlets issued from year to year for the celebra-tion
of North Carolina Day will contain much valuable and
interesting information about the state and her people. They
must be preserved as the property of the school and filed in
the school library, where they will be accessible to teachers
from year to year for the teaching of North Carolina history.
THE WILEY MEMORIAL
Every public school-teacher ought to count it a privilege
as well as a sacred duty to co-operate heartily with the Wiley
Monument Committee in completing this year the fund for
the erection of a lasting memorial to Calvin H. Wiley. It
can be easily completed by a united effort. It will be little
less than an act of ingratitude to a great unselfish benefactor
of the children and the teachers if every public school does
not send a contribution for this worthy purpose.
J. Y. JOYNEB,
Superintendent of Public Instruction.
To the Teacher:
Four years ago the North Carolina Teachers' Assembly
appointed a committee to solicit funds for the erection, in
the city of Raleigh, of a suitable memorial to Calvin Hen-derson
Wiley, the organizer and the first state superintend-ent
of the North Carolina public schools. At their annual
session held in November, 1903, the county superintendents
of the state unanimously endorsed the movement to erect a
Wiley memorial.
The appropriateness of this undertaking must be apparent
to all. It is especially fitting that the first contributions
should come from the educational forces of the state. The
movement which resulted in the erection of a beautiful mon-ument
in this city to the "Confederate Dead" received its
first impulse from Confederate veterans; that which erected
the handsome statue of Governor Vance came from his friends
and contemporaries. Counties and towns in North Carolina
stand as everlasting memorials to Caswell, to Iredell, to Nash,
to Harnett, to Pender, to Davie, to Gaston, to Graham, and
other distinguished sons of the state ; while such names as
Clay, Columbus, Franklin, Gates, Greene, Pitt, Chatham,
Washington, Raleigh, Marion and others show that we are
riot unmindful of the honor due great sons of other states
and nations. But it is noticeable that nowhere in this list
does there appear the name of an educational leader. Is it
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because they do not deserve to be ranked in such company ?
Is it not rather due to the neglect of the teachers themselves ?
We believe that the name of Wiley is in every respect
worthy to be placed beside that of Vance and Gaston and
Pender, and we appeal to the teachers of North Carolina to
see that this honor is paid to the memory of our great educa-tional
pioneer.
There are enrolled in the public schools of North Carolina
more than 450,000 pupils. If, on North Carolina Day, each
of these pupils should contribute to this undertaking as much
as one cent, a fund sufficient for our purpose could be raised.
If the teachers will enter heartily into the plan, explain to
the pupils beforehand what is wanted, tell them about this
great and good man who gave his life's work for them, the
pupils will enter enthusiastically into the idea and contribu-tions
will be gladly made. Urge each to contribute at least
one cent, but if any desire to make larger contributions en-courage
them to do it. What a grand idea this is—to make
this the "Children's Memorial" to their great benefactor.
We have already on hand a small sum collected in the
manner proposed. Other patriotic North Carolinians stand
ready to join in the work when the children and the educa-tors
have done their part. We shall not work unaided. Let
the teachers but do their share and the work will soon be
completed. Such a memorial will show to the world that
we are not unmindful of our great educational heroes. It
will serve as an eternal inspiration to the educators of the
state.
All communications should be addressed to R. D. W.
Connor, Raleigh, and funds remitted to him.
J. Y. JOYNER,
Chairman;
J. I. Foust,
Charles D. McIver,
R. D. W. Connor,
W. D. Carmichael,
Committee.
REPORT ON THE WILEY FUND.
The total amount received for the Wiley Fund to date is
a little more than two hundred and fifty dollars ($250).
This sum is on deposit in one of the savings banks of Raleigh,
where it draws four per cent, interest. It represents contri-butions
from about three hundred schools. Collections have
been received ranging from six cents to as much as $8.60 per
school, according to the enrollment. But it does not matter
how small the collection may be : the important thing is that
every child and every school should contribute something.
The enrollment in the public schools of North Carolina for
the year ending June 30, 1904, was 593,387. One penny
only from each of these children would have raised a sum
amounting to $5,933.87. What a handsome "Children's
Memorial" to Calvin H. Wiley this sum would erect ! Every
child, every teacher, who contributes to this undertaking will
feel a personal interest and personal pride in the memorial.
The public school teachers of North Carolina should not fail
to give every child in the state an opportunity to have a share
in this truly noble undertaking.
Let us all unite in one last effort to raise this fund so that
no further appeal may be necessary.
E. D. W. Connor,
Treasurer.
CALVIN HENDERSON WILEY.
Born in Guilford county, N. C, February 3, 1819. Pre-pared
for college at Caldwell Institute, Greensboro. Grad-uated
at University of North Carolina with highest honors
(1840). Studied law. Licensed 1841. Settled at Oxford,
N. C. Had good practice. Edited "Oxford Mercury"
(1841-1843). Published "Alamance" (1847), "Roanoke"
(1849), novels based on North Carolina history. Studied
educational needs of North Carolina. Determined to devote
life to educational work. Returned to Guilford county
(1849). Elected to legislature by Whigs (1851V51). In-troduced
bill to provide for state superintendent of public
schools. Defeated. Re-elected to legislature (1852).
Wiley's bill re-introduced by Cherry, Democrat, of Bertie.
Passed. Legislature Democratic but elected Wiley superin-tendent
(December, 1852). Began duties January, 1853.
No information on which to work. Did not know number of
schools in state, what was taught, who were taught, number
enrolled, number in attendance, length of school term, nor use
made of school money. Personal investigations necessary.
In 1853 visited thirty-six counties in his buggy studying
needs and conditions. Expenses took half his salary. Found
laws unenforced, school officials negligent, school money
wasted and stolen. Necessary to instruct people in public
school idea. Issued hundreds of circulars, public communica-tions,
letters, made dozens of addresses, gave thousands of
interviews. Good results followed. Old friends discovered,
new ones made, enemies defeated, officials aroused to duties,
incompetent ones removed, misconceptions corrected, informa-tion
gathered. Wiley adopted text-books, prepared a series
of North Carolina readers ; prepared North Carolina supple-ment
to geography used in schools. Aroused interest in North
Carolina. Organized examining committees for teachers.
Established teachers' library associations in each district
;
founded and published North Carolina School Journal; or-ganized
North Carolina Teachers' Association. Results far-reaching—
great moral and industrial revolution in state.
Number of teachers: (1853) 800; (1855) 2,064; (1857)
2,463; (1858) 2,408; (1860) 2,286. Enrollment: (1853)
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83,373; (1855) 112,632; (1858) 115,856; (1860) 116,567.
Number schools taught: (1855) 1,905; (1860) 2,854.
Average length of term, four months. Average salary per
month, $28. Receipts: (1850) $129,255; (1853) $192,-
250; (1859) $379,842; (1860) $408,566. Disbursements
(1850) $94,596; (1853) $139,865; (1859) $236,410
(I860) $255,641. Disbursement per pupil: (1857) $1.66
Local tax first voted 1857. Amount collected, $76,160
(1860) $100,460. Great confidence felt in Wiley. Con-tinuously
re-elected by political opponents. May 20, 1861,
North Carolina seceded from Union. Effort was made to
use school fund for war purposes. Wiley fought effort and
won. Schools saved—kept open throughout war. Enroll-ment
in 1863, 50,000. Average term, 2.8 months. In Oc-tober,
1865, office of superintendent abolished. Only then
did schools close. Wiley married Miss Towles, of Raleigh
(1862). Ordained Presbyterian minister (1866). Made
D. D. by University of North Carolina (1881). Appointed
general agent for American Bible Society for Tennessee
(1869). Moved to Tennessee. Returned to North Carolina
(1874). Organized Winston city schools (1883). Elected
chairman of board. Died January 11, 1887. Reputation
national. Many invitations to speak in other states. Gave
his life to the children of the state.
CALVIN HENDERSON WILEY.
(Address of J. Y. Joyner, superintendent of public instruction, at the unveiling of
the monument to Calvin H. Wiley, at Winston, September 9, 1904. The monument was
erected by contributions of the children of the Winston public schools.)
Little can the living do for the dead. In vain for them do
the living speak their words of praise and love. In vain for
them do the living prepare their pomp and pageantry and
rear their monuments of brass and stone. Monuments, mau-soleums
and statues to the truly great perpetuate the memory
of noble deeds, teach the living by great example, and incite
them to better lives by the record of the virtues of the dead.
In thus honoring the memory of the noble dead the living
honor most themselves.
Only a record of service deserves to be written On enduring
stone or lasting brass. All other records should be and are
"in water writ." If unselfish and lasting service be the true
test of greatness and worth, then few that have lived in our
generation have so richly deserved at our hands the tribute of
a monument as Calvin Henderson Wiley. His signal service
to his people, the service that entitles him to a place in their
hearts forever, is the service in organizing and bringing to effi-ciency
the public school system of the state.
As early as 1776 the constitution adopted by the famous
Halifax convention had enjoined upon the legislature the
duty of establishing "a school or schools for the convenient
instruction of youth." In 1816, Judge Archibald D. Mur-phey
first brought to the serious attention of the legislature,
of which he was a member, the duty of obeying this injunction
of the constitution. In 1817, as chairman of the committee
appointed in obedience to a resolution of the preceding leg-islature,
Judge Murphey filed his famous report on education.
I doubt if a more able and scholarly report was ever filed by
any man on any subject in any North Carolina legislature.
It reads like blank verse and deserves to rank forever as an
educational classic. It marked the beginning of a new era
in education, formed the basis of the common school system,
and worthily won for its author the title of "Father of the
Common Schools." But it was not vouchsafed unto this
great man to see the realization of his great dream in the
15
establishment of a system of common schools for his people.
The bill incorporating the ideas of his report was defeated.
No practical steps were taken by the legislature for pro-viding
means for carrying out the injunction of the constitu-tion
of 1776 until the passage of the act of 1825, creating
the
a
literary fund/' "from the parings of the treasury," as
the author of the bill expressed it, and providing for a liter-ary
board consisting of a president and a board of directors
that should have the management of this fund. The fund
was to be "applied to the instruction of such children as it
may hereafter be deemed expedient by the legislature to in-struct
in the common principles of reading, writing, and
arithmetic." Bartlett Yancey, of Caswell, then speaker of
the senate, who had been in earlier clays a student in Judge
Murphey's office, and who was now his able coadjutor in the
cause of the common schools, was the author and chief cham-pion
of this bill. For this service, he may appropriately be
called "The Creator of the First Public School Fund." His
name and Judge Murphey's deserve to be linked together as
the greatest two names among the early friends and cham-pions
of the people's schools.
No action was taken, however, by the legislature looking
to the application of the literary fund to the purposes men-tioned
in the Yancey bill until 1838. In the meantime the
fund had grown from the "parings of the treasury" and from
the appropriation of a considerable part of the state's portion
of the surplus revenue distributed by the Federal govern-ment,
until the annual income from it amounted to about
$100,000.00. Upon the urgent recommendation of the "lit-erary
board," the legislature of 1838-'39 passed the initial
act for the organization of the common schools, as they were
called before 1868, entitled "An act to divide the counties into
school districts and for other purposes." Little was done,
however, toward the organization of these schools until 1840,
when a new, more definite, and fuller law, entitled, "An act
for the establishment and better regulation of common
schools," was passed by the legislature.
Under this act the net annual income of the "literary
fund" was to be divided among the counties in proportion to
Federal population. The authority to divide the county
into school districts, to apportion the funds among the dis-tricts,
and to have general management of the school affairs
of the county was vested in a board of superintendents of
16
common schools, of not less than five nor more than ten mem-bers,
elected for one year by the county courts of such conn-ties
as voted for schools. The county courts of such counties
were authorized and empowered to levy a tax for school pur-poses
not to exceed one-half the estimated amount to be re-ceived
by the respective counties for that year from the lit-erary
fund. A school committee of three was to be chosen
by ballot of the white electors of each district to serve for one
year. This school committee was to provide a house, make a
census and employ teachers. The taxes levied and collected
for school purposes were turned over to the chairman of the
board of superintendents who was required to give bond.
The school committees were to report to him and he was di-rected
to report to the literary board all essential facts and
statistics.
The radical defects of this system are apparent. Under it
there was and could be no efficient supervision ; there was prac-tically
no executive head of the system. There was and could
be practically no unity or uniformity in the system. It was
almost entirely a local system instead of a state system. It
was not operated as a part of governmental machinery, but
as a local interest, to be controlled by local authorities almost
at their discretion. It was left to the counties even to say
whether they would have schools at all, and then to say
whether they would levy any county tax for their support.
Under the laxity of such a law, it was not till 1846 that all
the counties even voted to have schools. Some levied taxes
and some did not. Many, usually a large majority, of the
county chairmen of the boards of superintendents failed to
report to the literary board. As returns from the counties
could not be enforced, it was impossible to obtain any accurate
information about the schools, from which to form any opin-ion
as to the progress or deficiencies of the system. Nobody
knew how the school funds in many counties were expended.
In some counties the school funds had not been spent for years,
and the chairmen were using them for purposes of private
speculation. There were no moral or intellectual qualifica-tions
prescribed or enforced for teachers. The idea of char-ity
was attached to the common schools and the name itself
helped to raise a barrier between the upper and lower classes
of society. In almost every biennial report the literary
board pleaded for reform, and recommended the appointment
17
of a superintendent of common schools to be the executive
head of the headless system.
Such was the deplorable, chaotic condition of the common
school system in 1850. After a trial of more than ten years
it had failed to win the confidence and respect of the people,
and the common schools were patronized, in most instances,
only by those who were compelled to patronize them because
they could do no better.
Surely the hour had struck in North Carolina when a great
leader was needed to organize and direct a great system of
public schools for all the children of the state.
aThe people
perished for lack of knowledge.'' About one-third of the
adult white population of the state were unable to read and
write. Where was the leader for this great work '(/
I believe in the inspiration and the divine call of great men
to their great work. "Where did Shakespeare get his genius ?
Where did Mozart get his music ? Whose hand smote the lyre
of the Scottish plowman and stayed the life of the German
priest ? God, God, and God alone." If ever man was in-spired
and called of God to a work, Calvin H. Wiley seems to
me to have been inspired and called to his.
Yonder in the classic, cultured old town of Oxford is a
young lawyer of fine promise and fine culture, a graduate with
high honor of the university of his state, a man of rare liter-ary
taste and attainment, author already of several books of
more than average merit and popularity. In the midst of
the most congenial social and literary surroundings, life to
him was indeed sweet, and all the skies of his future were
aglow with the roseate promise of professional and literary
fame. Ambition wooed him to follow where she pointed the
way. But another voice is heard, a still small voice. Things
have been going badly yonder at the dear old home in Guil-ford.
Financial reverses have come, the old father has been
compelled to surrender a large part of the ancestral lands, and
now even the roof that shelters father and mother and two
young sisters is endangered by debt. His loved ones need him,
the voice of duty calls, the young man hears and obeys, for he
indeed is of that heroic mould "who reverenced his conscience
as his king." Without a murmur, without a moment's hesi-tation,
he turns away from the literary visions that lure him
on, leaves his delightful social and intellectual surroundings,
returns to the seclusion of the country home of his boyhood,
IS
and quietly takes up the burden of life and of family support
on the little remnant of the wasted farm. As if to make the
struggle harder and the sacrifice greater, his political party,
the Whig, was just coining into power in the nation, and he
was seeking, with some prospect of success, an* appointment to
a foreign consulship, which would have given him means and
leisure for the pursuit of his cherished literary work. He
lays this ambition and prospect on duty's altar too. Of such
stuff was this man made.
Little knows man what is best to do. "Lead, Kindly
Light." Ever at his peril man disobeys the voice of duty,
which is the voice of God. There is something tragic, though,
in the sacrifice of a cherished plan and a fond ambition, even
at duty's call. There is something heroic, too. We can
understand nOw what he could not then, how in this sacrifice
was a blessing for men and for him too, and how through it
he should be led to a grander mission and a nobler fame.
Thus was Calvin LI. Wiley called from the work that he
had chosen for himself to the work that God had chosen for
him. Thus was the great leader found for the great educa-tional
work that the hour called for.
From the hour of his return to the old farm in Guilford, a
new life, a new career lay before him, a life of long, unselfish
service, first to his kindred and then to his beloved native
state. He returned to Guilford in 1849 ; in 1850 he was
elected to the general assembly. In the legislature of
1850-'51, he introduced and advocated in a speech of great
power and eloquence, his bill "To provide for the appoint-ment
of a superintendent of common schools and for other
purposes." This was the beginning of his public career and
of his great service to the public schools. The speech in sup-port
of his bill showed a careful and thorough study of the
common schools of this state, a clear comprehension of
their defects and of the remedies for those and a surprising
knowledge of the successful school systems of other states.
His bill received a large vote, but failed to pass. Dr. Wiley
was also a member of the general assembly of 1852-'53,
and through his influence a bill for the appointment of a state
superintendent was introduced by Mr. Cherry, of Bertie.
This bill was passed and stands as chapter 18 in the public
acts of 1852. So great had been Dr. Wiley's activity in ad-vancing
the interests of the schools that without the slightest
solicitation on his part, he was elected in December, 1852, by
19
a Democratic legislature by a large majority state superin-tendent
of common schools, though he was a Whig in politics
and a lawyer by profession. He entered upon his duties Jan-uary
1, 1S53.
It was a herculean task that lay before him, but he set him-self
to its performance with courage and with wisdom. He
reduced the chaos prevailing in the system to order. He se-cured
the application of more business-like methods in the
management of school funds by all school officers, collected,
printed and circulated a digest of the school laws ; by means
of this and of numerous printed addresses and official circu-lars,
he instructed school officers in their duties, and informed
these and all others in regard to the schools and their work.
By dint of everlasting insistence he finally educated most of
the chairmen of county boards to the duty of making their
reports and obtained fuller and more accurate knowledge of
the work which he embodied in able reports to the governor
and general assembly. He traveled in his old-fashioned
buggy from Cherokee to Dare, studying the schools and the
people, conferring with friends of the system, teachers, and
school officers, and making public addresses on education at
the county-seats of the counties that he visited. With in-finite
tact and judgment born of shrewd knowledge of men
and affairs, he secured the support and active interest of poli-ticians,
statesmen, leading citizens of all classes in all sections
of the state. He silenced opposition here and answered criti-cism
there. He utilized the press and every other available
agency for cultivating public sentiment, awakening interest
and disseminating information about the schools. He organ-ized
teachers, editors, and other friends of education into the
educational association of North Carolina that proved a pow-erful
ally in his wrork. He organized also teachers' associa-tions
and library associations in the various counties. Real-izing
the need of a voice as well as a head for the cause, he
established "The North Carolina Journal of Education" and
placed it in the hands of all school officers and teachers, thus
securing an effective medium of communication with his co-workers.
He successfully combatted the idea then prevalent that the
public schools were a charity and inculcated the idea that
these schools were a necessary part of the governmental
machinery to be supported by taxation like other necessary
parts of the machinery of a great government, This idea of
20
charity had been attached to the common schools from the
first. In Jndge Murphey's report they were spoken of as
schools for the children of the poor, and his bill failed mainly
because he would not consent to strike out the impractical
clause proposing to maintain as well as instruct the children
of the poor. It was a long time before this badge of pauper-ism
could be removed from the public schools. Wiley found
this false idea, chiefly the product of a social order that was
aristocratic rather than democratic, one of the chief obstacles
to the progress of the common schools.
With rare tact he set himself to overcome the antagonism
of the old field school teachers whose business was largely
destroyed by the common schools and the incipient opposition
of academies and colleges. He struggled successfully with
the problem of securing better text-books and more uniform-ity
of text-books.
Through wise amendments to the law and constant appeals
and instructions to the board of superintendents and other
officers, he succeeded in getting the standard of moral and
intellectual qualifications for teachers raised.
He was greatly concerned about the disastrous emigration
from the state, and, before he was elected superintendent, he
had begun the preparation of a series of North Carolina read-ers
with a view to counteracting this by inculcating in the
rising generation, through a knowledge of the history and
wonderful resources of the state, a spirit of patriotism and
pride. He never lost sight of this commendable purpose and
when he came into office, he gave up all financial interest in
the series of readers in order that he might be free to secure
their introduction into the common schools. The love of his
state was one of the ruling passions of Dr. Wiley and he
never lost an opportunity to promote through all means in the
plastic nature of childhood this love of native land.
In the short compass of an address like this I have been
able to give only the barest outline of the splendid work of
this splendid man for the common schools of the state. In his
own words, he was "all things to the schools and had to be
for a time at least a guide to them, to public sentiment, and
to the legislature, with no guide or support for himself in the
community or in the neighboring states.'
7 Under his shaping
hand, the system grew and improved and the schools prospered
until it v could be truthfully said at the beginning of the Civil
War that North Carolina had the best system of common
21
schools in the South. In fact, so marked had been the suc-cess
of the common school system that it had attracted general
attention abroad and a number of southern states had fol-lowed
the example of North Carolina and modeled their sys-tems
largely after hers. The distinguished superintendent of
schools was applied to from various southern states for sug-gestions
and plans and was invited to visit the legislature of
some of these to address their committees on education. It
was noticeable, too, that along with the progress of the com-mon
schools had come corresponding progress in all other
educational institutions in the state.
Such was the general condition of the public school system
at the outbreak of the Civil War. The new perils of the
school system incident to this period of revolution, as Dr.
Wiley himself writes, "fill the superintendent with unspeaka-ble
concern, and the anxiety lest the result of years of toil, and
prayer should be suddenly blasted in the dawn of triumph
will never be known on earth outside of his own mind and
heart. But his duty was to stand by his trust, to continue at
his post and there to serve his Divine Master and his genera-tion."
Well did he perform this duty. I know no more re-markable
illustration of the power and influence of the man
than is to be found in the fact that chiefly through his efforts
and influence the literary fund was held intact throughout the
war, and, notwithstanding the great financial straits of the
state during these dark days and the frequent efforts of the
legislature to use this fund to meet the crying needs of war, no
legislature dared to lay unholy hands upon this sacred fund.
When the first news of Johnston's surrender reached Dr.
Wiley, he was in his office receiving reports from the public
schools. In his last report made to Governor Worth, dated
January 16, 1866, Dr. Wiley says: "To the lasting honor of
North Carolina her public schools survived the terrible shock
of cruel war and the state of the South which furnished most
material and the greatest number and the bravest troops to
the war did more than all the others for the cause of popular
education. The common schools lived and discharged their
useful mission through all the gloom and trials of the conflict,
and when the last gun was fired, and veteran armies once hos-tile
were meeting and embracing in peace upon our soil, the
doors were still open and they numbered their pupils by the
scores of thousands." He did not say, but he might have said
with truth, that to the eloquence, the zeal, the vigilance, the
22
courage, the devotion, the wisdom, the tact, the power, the
energy and the influence of the great superintendent of her
public schools was mainly due the credit of this honorable
record.
Dr. Wiley's term of office ended October 19, 1865. He
served as superintendent thirteen years. Notwithstanding he
was a Whig in politics, he was continuously kept in office by
Democratic legislatures and had the co-operation of the lead-ers
and of the best people of both political parties. Though
he exercised the privilege of voting his political convictions,
he ever held his work above politics. In 1876 he was ten-dered
the Democratic nomination for superintendent of pub-lic
instruction, but declined on the ground that the office had
become a political one and that the candidate for it would be
expected to engage in political debate.
He never lost his interest, however, in the public schools.
With pen and voice he labored for the advancement of the
people's schools to the day of his death. His last service to
the cause was that rendered in the establishment of the admir-able
system of graded schools here in your own city. Who
can forget the zeal and enthusiasm with which he labored for
their establishment, the solicitude with which he watched over
them and the wisdom with which, as chairman of the first
board of trustees, he guided them in their early days. There
was the tender touch of a father's love for a child in his devo-tion
to these schools. It is peculiarly fitting that those to
whom his last service to education was rendered should be
the first to do tardy justice to his memory by the erection of
this beautiful monument. It is peculiarly fitting that this
monument should be erected by the thousand small offerings
of the children of these schools. It is peculiarly fitting that
the monument should stand beside that monument of brick
and mortar yonder erected mainly through his efforts as a last
service of an old man to a cause for which his life was spent.
Of the beautiful private character of the man, I need not
speak to those among whom he lived so long and to whom were
daily revealed his gentleness, sweetness, courage, friendliness,
geniality, cheerfulness, earnestness and enthusiasm for every
good work.
Archibald D. Murphey, "Father of the Common Schools,"
Bartlett Yancey, "Creator of the Literary Fund," Calvin
Henderson W^iley, "Organizer and Maker of the Public School
System," these three—measured by length of service and by
23
the practical and far-reaching results of his work—shall we
not say that the greatest of these is Calvin Henderson Wiley %
For his service he deserves the honor that yon pay to his
memory to-day. For this he shall receive the undying grati-tude
of generations yet unborn as they shall learn from his-tory's
shining page the everlasting debt they owe.
How prone we are to forget the living in the hour of honor
to the dead. Here is this sacred hour when we are met with
uncovered heads to dedicate this beautiful memorial of our
love and gratitude to the dead, let us not forget the living.
Tennyson's sweet prayer for England's queen, when Arthur's
death had left her lorn, shall be our prayer for her, the
widowed wife of him we loved
:
"may all love,
His love, unseen but felt, o'ershadow thee,
The love of all thy sons encompass thee,
The love of all thy daughters cherish thee,
The love of all thy people comfort thee,
THE WILEY MEMORIAL.
A DECLAMATION.
Calvin H. Wiley is rightly called the "Maker of the Pub-lic
Schools in North Carolina." Though he did not originate
them, yet he was their first head. Through his genius and
labor they first won their way into the confidence and hearts
of the people.
When he took charge of the school system the schools were
in a wretched condition : the houses were mere log hovels ; the
teachers ignorant and careless in their work; the schools
poorly attended- Thousands of parents were yearly leaving
the state and going to other states where their children could
be educated. Tens of thousands of children in North Caro-lina
were growing up to manhood and womanhood in ignor-ance
and illiteracy. Dr. Wiley knew that this condition
would ruin the state, for no state can prosper if its people are
uneducated. He therefore devoted his life to improving the
schools, so that every boy and every girl in North Carolina
could be educated and become a useful man or woman. To
do this he gave up a large law practice which would doubtless
have brought him wealth and fame. But so devoted was he
to North Carolina and her children that he did not hesitate
to make any sacrifice for their good.
No man ever had less to guide and help him, or more and
greater difficulties to overcome in his work, than did Dr.
Wiley. There were a thousand little springs, invisible to the
eye, to be delicately touched, a thousand nameless duties to
be performed, a thousand crosses and difficulties unknown to
the world at large to be met and disposed of. He had every-thing
to do and everybody to instruct. He was like a lonely
traveler upon the bosom of a hostile and unknown sea. The
compass of experience from which he could learn the channels
where to steer his course and avoid the thousand dangers en-circling
him was lacking to him. But he did not flinch from
his task. His hand firmly grasped the helm and the old
state swung into the safe channel, under the control of a pilot
whose steady hand, guided by a penetrating insight into the
cloudy conditions facing him, was supported by a heart,
25
strong through faith in his cause, in his people, and in Divine
guidance.
It was a tremendous, almost a superhuman, task ; but Dr.
Wiley's unconquerable spirit, tireless energy and fiery en-thusiasm
were catching, and others were soon eager to enroll
themselves under his banner and light by his side.
But whatever of success was attained was admitted by all
to be due to Dr. Wiley. He had found the minds of the peo-ple
filled with errors, he turned on them the light of knowl-edge
and they vanished like mist before the sun; he found
them indifferent to the schools, he aroused their enthusiastic
support ; he found a vineyard without laborers, he created an
army of skilled and devoted workers. But just as he reached
the point where his work began to show on the development
of the state the storm of civil war swept across the country
and the schools soon became involved in the general ruin. At
the time when the war began, Dr. Wiley had built up in
North Carolina the best system of public schools to be found
in any of the southern states. In doing this great work, he
was compelled to make great sacrifices of personal ambition
and wealth. Although for some time his salary was not large
enough to pay for the board of his horse, yet he clung to his
work because he loved the state and loved her boys and girls.
Ought not the people of North Carolina to honor the mem-ory
of this great and patriotic man ? Ought not the school
children, for whose sake he did so much, to erect a fitting
memorial to him in our capital city, so they may show to the
world that they are not ungrateful for the great sacrifices he
made for them ? Let us all determine here and now that we
will contribute whatever we can for this noble purpose. If
the strength of a state lies in the virtue and intelligence of
her citizens, then surely no other man more deserves the grati-tude
of our hearts than Calvin H. Wiley. This gratitude
demands that we engrave his name forever upon the tablets
of our hearts ; that in our capital city, right in the heart of
his beloved state, there shall be erected a monument which
shall endure as long as the soil on which it stands, forever
bearing testimony of the honor in which his name is held by
those for whom he labored without expectation of reward. A
foresighted statesman, a loyal citizen, a devoted patriot, he
labored not for himself, but for his fellows. Let every school
child in North Carolina contribute even but one penny and a
monument worthy of his work and his sacrifices will be
erected—the children's memorial to their friend.
NORTH CAROLINA DAY.
Subject: The Upper Cape Fear Section.
PROGRAM OF EXERCISES.
1. Reading—An Act to Establish North Carolina Day.
2. Song—The Old North State.
3. Reading—The Highlanders at Home.
4. Reading—The Fiery Cross:
5. Reading—The Coming of the Highlanders.
6. Declamation—The Highlander's Farewell.
7. Reading—The Highlanders in Their New Home.
8. Reading—Flora MacDonald.
9. Reading—The Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge.
10. Declamation—On the Cape Fear.
11. Reading—The Convention of 1789 and Its Centennial
Celebration.
12. Song—America.
13. Reading—Lafayette's Visit to Fayetteville.
14. Reading—James Cochrane Dobbin.
15. Declamation—A Plea for Public Schools.
16. Reading—The Battle of Bentonville.
17. Declamation—The Last Charge at Appomattox.
18. Reading—Some Distinguished Men of the Upper Cape
Fear.
19. Reading—Resources of the Upper Cape Fear.
20. Song—Ho ! for Carolina
!
There's sighing and sobbing in yon Highland forest;
There's weeping and wailing in yon Highland vale
;
And fitfully flashes a gleam from the ashes
Of the tenantless hearth in the home of the Gael.
There's a ship on the sea, and her white sails she's spreading
A' ready to speed to a far distant shore
;
She may come hame again wi' the yellow gowd laden,
But the sons of Glendarra shall come back no more.
The gowan may spring in the clear-rinnin' burnie,
The cushat may coo in the green woods again.
The deer o' the mountain may drink at the fountain,
Unfettered and free as the wave on the main
;
But the pibroch they played o'er the sweet blooming heather
Is hushed in the sound of the ocean's wild roar;
The song and the dance they hae vanished thegither,
For the maids o' Glendarra shall come back no more.
^w\w
THE OLD NORTH STATE.
BY WILLIAM GASTON.
Carolina ! Carolina ! Heaven's blessings attend her
!
While we live we will cherish, protect and defend her
;
Though the scorner may sneer at and witlings defame her,
Our hearts swell with gladness whenever we name her.
Hurrah ! Hurrah ! the Old North State forever
!
Hurrah ! Hurrah ! the good Old North State
!
Though she envies not others their merited glory,
Say, whose name stands foremost in Liberty's story
Though too true to herself e'er to crouch to oppression,
Who can yield to just rule more loyal submission ?
Hurrah, etc.
Plain and artless her sons, but whose doors open faster
At the knock of a stranger, or the tale of disaster ?
How like to the rudeness of their dear native mountains,
With rich ore in their bosoms and life in their fountains.
Hurrah, etc.
Then let all who love us, love the land that we live in
(As happy a region as on this side of Heaven),
Where Plenty and Freedom, Love and Peace smile before us,
Eaise aloud, raise together the heart-thrilling chorus
!
Hurrah ! Hurrah ! the Old North State forever
!
Hurrah ! Hurrah ! the good Old North State
!
THE HIGHLANDERS AT HOME.
A range of mountains beginning in the county of Aberdeen
and running in a southwesterly direction, divides Scotland
into two distinct parts. The part lying to the south of the
range is called the Lowlands; that to the north, the High-lands.
The southern face of these mountains is steep and
rocky. The coastline of the Highlands is broken by long
arms of the sea and bordered with groups of islands.
The surface of the country is mountainous. Some of the
most beautiful and grandest scenery in the world is found
there. Tall rugged mountain peaks lifting their bare heads
above soft green valleys, and sparkling streams hurrying their
cool waters to feed innumerable glassy lakes, give a variety to
the view that is never tiresome. Poets and musicians have
celebrated the charm of this beautiful land in verse and in
song. Thousands of travelers visit it every year.
The people called Highlanders are no less interesting than
their country. Shut off for ages from communication with
the outside world by the rugged face of their mountains on
the one side, and by their bold, rocky, and stormy coast on the
other, they lived a life peculiar to themselves. The High-landers
knew little of the Lowlanders, whom they thoroughly
despised ; and the Lowlanders knew little of the Highlanders,
whom they thoroughly feared.
The Highlanders were a strong and active race, large in
stature, well developed in body, robust in health. They lived
largely an outdoor life, engaged in those occupations which
require strength and courage and activity both of mind and of
body. Following the cha.e over pathless mountains, and
waging constant war with their neighbors, developed in them
a keenness of sight and swiftness of limb which rivaled those
qualities in the American Indian.
The state of almost constant warfare in which they lived
had in it no place for the coward or the sluggard. "In their
school of life it was taught to consider courage an honorable
virtue and cowardice the most disgraceful failing." Their
wild surroundings and their mode of life developed in the
Highlanders "firmness of decision, fertility in resources,
ardor in friendship, love of country, and generous enthu-
30
siasm." They admired physical beauty almost as much as
physical courage, and it was a rare thing to find an ill-devel-oped
man or woman among them. It was almost as difficult
for a woman of puny stature to find a husband as it was for a
cowardly and sluggardly man to win a wife.
Legally and nominally the Highlanders were subjects of
the king of Scotland, but in reality they gave the royal au-thority
such respect and yielded to it such obedience as suited
their fancy. That loyalty which the people of other countries
gave to their nation and to their king, the Highlanders gave
to their clans and to their chiefs. The clan or tribe was made
up of families tracing their descent from the same common
ancestor, and bearing. the same name—as the MacDonalds,
the Campbells, the MacLeods. To guard the safety and the
honor of the clan was the first duty of the clansman. An
insult even to the humblest clansman by a member of another
tribe was regarded as an insult to the whole clan. It was
never forgotten nor forgiven, and if not avenged by one gen-eration,
it was handed down as a precious legacy to the next.
Of course this custom kept the Highlands in a state of contin-uous
warfare.
At the head of each clan stood the chief, with whom every
member of the clan claimed kinship. It was his duty to sup-port
his clansmen with his wealth and protect them with his
power. Although subordinate to the will of the clan, he gen-erally
ruled over it with "absolute and irresistible sway," and
his commands were readily obeyed, "not from motives of fear,
but with the ready alacrity of confidence and affection."
They obeyed his voice in their dealings with each other; they
rallied around him in his fends with neighboring chieftains
;
they followed his standard when he marched away to battle
for the king. When the chief called his clan to arms, the
clansman who failed to respond or lingered behind was
branded with infamy forever.
A Highland chief counted his wealth by the number of his
followers. "How much is your income?" an Englishman
once asked the chief of the MacDonalds. "I can raise five
hundred men," was the proud chief's laconic reply.
The chief's pride in his clan was equaled by the clansman's
devotion to the person of his chief. For his safety and glory
and honor
?
the true Highlander stood ready to sacrifice all he
possessed, save his own honor. His own life he counted as a
worthless trifle when weighed in the balance with that of his
31
hereditary chieftain. In one of the battles against Cromwell
eight hundred and fifty of the MacLeans followed their chief,
Sir Hector MacLean, to bloody graves. During the fight
eight brothers sacrificed their lives in defense of the chief.
Hard pressed by a circle of foes, he refused to yield ground,
and these brave brothers rallied to his support, and threw
their bodies between him and his enemies. As each one fell,
another sprang into his place shouting: "Fear eil airson
Eachainn! v which meant, "Another for Hector!" They
were a strong and active people, bold against their enemies,
faithful to each other, loyal to their chief and to their clan.
The Highlander's costume was as picturesque as his native
hills. In a general way it consisted of a short, coat, a vest,
and a kilt, or "philabeg," which is a kind of petticoat reach-ing
not quite to the knees. The knees themselves were left
bare, but the lower part of the leg was covered with a short
hose. A belt encircled the waist and from it hung the
"sporan," or pocket-purse, made of the skin of a goat or of a
badger with the fur left on it. From the left shoulder, fas-tened
by a brooch, hung the plaid or scarf, a piece of tartan
two yards in breadth and four in length. The right, or sword
arm, was left uncovered and at full liberty, and when both
arms were needed the plaid was fastened across the breast by
a large bodkin or brooch. In wet weather it was thrown loose
so as to cover both the shoulders and the body. Each clan
had a plaid of its own, differing in the combination of its
colors from all others, so that a Campbell or a MaeDonald or
a MacLean could be known by his plaid. The costume was
well adapted to the Highlander's mode of life. Its lightness
and freedom permitted him to use his limbs and handle his
arms with perfect ease.
His arms, too, formed part of his costume, for the High-lander
was never without them. His weapons were a broad-sword,
or "claymore," a dirk, and his trusty rifle. Before the
introduction of fire-arms he wore a round shield on his left
arm. The claymore had a long straight blade, a basket hilt,
and was worn on the left side attached to a broad band which
passed over the right shoulder. The dirk was a stouter and
shorter weapon, intended for use in close quarters, and was
worn on the right side. The sheath of the dirk was also pro-vided
with a hunting-knife.
The Highlanders were a religious people, but their reli-gion
had in it a strong mixture of superstition. Their ro-
32
mantic life, wild surroundings, and isolated position, excited
in their uncultivated imaginations belief in stories of ghosts,
fairies, kelpies, witches, and goblins, and in the visions of
seers or prophets.
The most evil and malicious of these spirits was the River-
Demon or Water-Kelpie. He delighted in mischief and in
calamity. One of his favorite amusements was to entice
women and children into the water, where they were drowned
and then became his prey. He could skim along the surface
of the water, browse by its side, or suddenly swell a river or
a loch so as to drown the traveler. One of the River-Demon's
most memorable deeds occurred on the banks of Loch Ven-nachar,
where he destroyed a funeral procession with all the
attendants.
The Urisk were half men, half spirits. By kind treatment
they could be induced to do one a good turn.
Perhaps the most interesting of the spirits were the Daoine
Shi', the Men of Peace. They were peevish, repining crea-tures,
who enjoyed but little happiness,' and accordingly were
very envious of mankind. Their abodes seemed to be beauti-ful,
but in reality were bare and rough ; their food seemed to
be delicious, but in reality was very repulsive ; nothing they
had was what it seemed to be. Often they would entertain
mortals in their subterranean retreats. They received their
guests in what seemed to be splendid apartments ; they served
what seemed to be delightful food and delicious wines. But
woe to the mortal who ate any of the food or drank any of the
wine ! He immediately became doomed forever to the con-dition
of Shi'ick or Man of Peace. The Daoine Shi' dressed
in green and became offended with any mortal who adopted
that color. Dreadful calamities would be visited upon those
who wore green, so that in some parts of Scotland it was con-sidered
unlucky.
Great care had to be taken to keep these spirits from steal-ing
mothers who had new-born babies. Once they stole a baby
and carried the mother to their abode to nurse it. One day
she noticed the Shi'icks mixing something in a boiling cal-dron.
Part of the stuff they rubbed on their eyes; the rest
they put away. While they were out of the room for a few
minutes, the woman rubbed some of it on one of her eyes, but
did not have time to rub the other before they returned. But
with the anointed eye she could now see things as they really
were and not as they seemed to be. The splendid ornaments
33
of the apartments became the bare walls of the gloomy cavern
;
the food which had seemed so delicious, now was seen as the
very refuse of the earth.
Finally the baby did not need the moth r any longer, so she
was dismissed. Even after she came back to the upper
world she conld still see with the one eye through all the
deceptions of the Shi'icks. One day she saw in a crowd the
Shi'ick with whom she had left her child, though no one else
could see him. Anxious to know how her baby was, she asked
the Shi'ick. He was astonished to be recognized by mortal
eyes and demanded of her how she could see him. Fright-ened
by his frown, she confessed what she had done. The
Shi'ick thereupon spat in her eye and put it out forever.
Another spirit of the Highlands was the Ben-Shie. She
was a female fairy who foretold death. Most of the great
families of the Highlands were supposed to have a family
spirit attached to them who took an interest in their happi-ness
and welfare, and warned them of coming disaster. Such
a spirit was Ben-Shie, whose lamentations foretold the death
of the chieftain of the family. When she was visible it was
in the form of an old woman with a blue mantle and stream-ing
hair.
In the great Highland family of the MacLeans of Loch
Buy, there was just such a spirit. It was the spirit of an
ancestor slain in battle. When it came to announce a death
it was heard galloping along a stony bank, then riding thrice
around the house, ringing its fairy bridles.
The Highlanders had various ways of inquiring into the
future. One of the most noted of these was the Taghairn.
A person was wrapped up in the skin of a newly-slain calf,
and then laid beside a waterfall, or at the bottom of a preci-pice,
or in some other strange and wild place where the
scenery all around him suggested nothing but objects of terror.
Questions were then asked him about the future. He turned
them over in his mind, and whatever now impressed itself
upon his imagination was taken to be the answer to the ques-tions.
Dreams and visions were other ways of foretelling the
future.
Each of the wealthier chiefs kept a miniature court, at-tended
by guards, armor-bearers, minstrels, a bard, an orator,
and an array of courtiers. His nearest kinsmen were his
sub-chiefs, his counselors and assistants in all emergencies.
34
Rival chiefs vied with each other in the display of their
courts, in the number of their attendants, and in the magnifi-cence
of their hospitality. They were constantly at fend
with each other, making frequent raids upon the crops and
cattle of their enemies. Sometimes several clans would unite
and descend like an avalanche of flames upon the wealthier
districts of the Lowlands; and sweeping away flocks and
herds and harvests, would rush back to the security of their
Highland homes before the terrified Lowlanders could gather
strength enough to make resistance. After such an expedi-tion
the chief gave a great entertainment to which all the
clansmen came. Deer and beeves were roasted whole; bar-rels
of liquors were served; the pipers played; the warriors
engaged in martial and athletic sports. Great feasting also
accompanied weddings and funerals. At the burial of one
of the Lords of the Isles, in Iona, nine hundred cows were
slain.
The Highlanders were thus brought up to the use of arms
in the midst of violence. Used to the severest weather, accus-tomed
to occupations requiring great physical endurance and
courage, they were taught to bear without complaint the
greatest hardships and to despise comforts and luxury as fit
only for effeminate cowards. Once the MacDonalds were
out on a winter campaign against a neighboring clan. When
night came the men threw themselves on the snow with no cov-ering
except their plaids. The chief ordered one of the men
to roll up a ball of snow for him to place under his head. The
men looked at him in astonishment. "We can never win the
victory," they said, "under a chief so effeminate that he can't
sleep without a pillow."
One of the most important persons among the Highlanders
was the minstrel. "The aged minstrel was in attendance on
all important occasions ; at birth, marriage, and death ; at suc-cession,
victory, and defeat. He stimulated the warriors in
battle by chanting the glorious deeds of their ancestors;
* * * when the conflict was over the bard and the piper
were again called into service—the former to honor the mem-ory
of those who had fallen, to celebrate the actions of the sur-vivors,
and excite them to further deeds of valor. The piper
played the mournful Coronach for the slain, and by his notes
reminded the survivors how honorable was the conduct of the
dead." The minstrel was also the historian of the tribe, and
in his songs recounted the glories of the past.
35
When the chief of the clan wished to summon his clansmen
upon a sudden danger or for a sudden foray, he sent out the
Fiery Cross or Cross of Shame. Two pieces of lightwood
were tied together in form of a cross. A goat was then killed
and a fire made. The ends of the cross were set on fire and
after burning a little while, the burning ends were dipped in
the blood of the goat. The burnt ends were a warning to the
clansmen that the homes of all those who failed to obey the
chief's call would be given to the flames ; and the blood on the
cross signified that he and all his family would be put to the
sword. It was sometimes called the Cross of Shame, because
disgrace forever followed the clansman who failed or even
hesitated to obey its message.
As soon as the cross was finished the old gray seer, or priest
of the clan, uttered his curse against
"the wretch who fails to rear
At this dread sign the ready spear."
A swift and trusty messenger then snatched the "dread
sign" from the feeble hands of the old seer. Then away he
dashed over mountains and across streams, showing it to every
clansman, naming the time and the meeting-place. At the
sight .of the Fiery Cross every man in the clan capable of
bearing arms, from sixteen years of age to sixty, must in-stantly
snatch his weapons and hasten with all the speed pos-sible
to obey the call of his chief. "No excuse answered for
delay: the son must leave his dying father; the bridegroom
his weeping bride, for before all other duties came duty to the
clan and loyalty to the chief. One messenger after another
took charge of the fatal sign, until with great speed it had
gone throughout the territory of the clan. On one occasion
the Fiery Cross passed through the whole district of Breadal-bane,
a distance of thirty-two miles, in three hours.
In war the clan was commanded by the chief. Every clan
had its battle-cry and its war-song. At the battle of Moore's
Creek Bridge, where members of several clans fought under
MacDonald, their battle-cry was, "King George and broad-swords
I" His great physical strength, his long training, his
daring and impetuosity, and his scorn of death, made the
Highlander almost irresistible in battle. But his habits of
life made him a poor soldier for an extended campaign. As
soon as the battle was over the Highlander was ready to go
36
home. Once Prince Charles Edward caused a Highland sol-dier
to be shot for desertion, as a warning to others. Instead
of frightening the others, however, it made the whole army
wrathy with indignation. "They could not conceive any prin-ciple
of justice upon which a man's life could be taken for
merely going home, when it did not suit him to remain longer
with the army. Such had been the uniform practice of their
fathers. When a battle was over, the campaign, in their opin-ion,
was ended; if it was lost, they sought safety in their
mountains ; if won, they returned to secure their booty. At
other times they had their cattle to look after, and their har-vests
to sow or reap, without which their families would have
perished for want." This habit often rendered the most com-plete
victory fruitless, and made the Highlander a trouble-some
ally on an extended campaign; the general never knew
when he might suddenly find himself without an army.
Such were the Highlanders in their native country. When
they came to North Carolina to live they brought many of
their customs and peculiar habits and beliefs with them.
oMfc
THE FIERY CROSS.
FROM "THE LADY OF THE LAKE," BY SIR WALTER SCOTT.
[Roderick Dhu, chief of Clan-Alpine, having determined on war with the neighboring
clan, sends for Brian, the seer of the clan, to prepare the Fiery Cross, as described in the
article entitled "The Highlanders At Home".]
The cross thus formed hea held on high,
With wasted hand and haggard eye,
And strange and mingled feelings woke,
While his anathema1 he spoke:
"Woe to the clansman who shall view
This symbol2 of sepulchral yew3
,
Forgetful that its branches grew
Where weep the heavens their holiest dew
On Alpine's dwelling low
!
Deserter of his chieftain's trust,
He ne'er shall mingle with their dust,
But, from his sires and kindred thrust,
Each clansman's execration4 just
Shall doom him wrath and woe."
Woe to the wretch who fails to rear
At this dread sign the ready spear
!
For, as the flames this symbol sear,5
His home—the refuge of his fear
—
A kindred fate shall know;
Far o'er its roof the volumed flame
Clan-Alpine's vengeance shall proclaim,
While maids and matrons on his name
Shall call down wretchedness and shame,
And infamy6 and woe.
aBrian, the seer of Clan-Alpine.
1. A curse pronounced with religious ceremonies.
2. A sign.
3. An evergreen tree growing over a grave.
4. A curse dictated by feelings of hatred.
5. Burn.
6. Public disgrace.
38
Sunk be his home in embers7 red
!
And cursed be the meanest shed
That e'er shall hide the houseless head
We doom to want and woe.
When flits this cross from man to man,
Vich-Alpine's summons to his clan,
Burst be the ear that fails to heed
!
Palsied8 the foot that shuns to speed!
May ravens tear the careless eyes,
Wolves make the coward heart their prize!
As sinks that blood-stream9 in the earth,
So may his heart's blood drench his hearth
!
As dies in hissing gore10 the spark,
Quench thou his light, Destruction dark!
And be the grace to him denied,
Bought by this sign to all beside!"
* * * * *
Then Roderick with impatient look
From Brian's hand the symbol took:
"Speed, Malise ; speed !" he said, and gave
The crosslet to his henchman11 brave.
"The muster-place12 be Lanrick Mead
—
Instant the time—speed, Malise ; speed !"
Like heath-bird, when the hawks pursue,
A*barge*13 acros*s Loch*14 Katr*ine new; And from the silver beach's side
Still was the' prow three fathoms wide,
When lightly bounded to the land
The messenger of blood and brand.
Speed, Malise ; speed ! The dun deer's hide
On fleeter foot was never tied.
Speed, Malise ; speed ! Such cause of haste
Thine active sinews never braced.
7. The smoldering remains of a fire.
8. Paralyzed.
9. The blood from the goat they had just killed.
10. Blood.
11. Follower.
12. Meeting place.
13. Boat.
14. Lake.
39
Herald of battle, fate, and fear,
Stretch onward in thy fleet career
!
* * * * *
Fast as the fatal symbol flies,
In arms the huts and hamlets rise
;
From winding glen, from upland brown,
They poured each hardy tenant down.
Nor slacked the messenger his pace
;
He showed the sign, he named the place,
And, pressing forward like the wind,
Left clamor and surprise behind.
The fisherman forsook the strand15
,
The swarthy smith took dirk and brand;
With changed cheer, the mower blithe16
Left in the half-cut swath17 his scythe
;
The herds without a keeper strayed,
The plow was in mid-furrow stayed,
The falconer tossed his hawk away,
The hunter left the stag at bay;
Prompt at the signal of alarms
Each son of Alpine rushed to arms
;
So swept the tumult and affray18
Along the margin of Achray.
* * * * *
Thence southward turned its rapid road
Adown Strath-Gartney's valley broad,
Till rose in arms each man might claim
A portion of Clan-Alpine's name,
From the gray sire, whose trembling hand
Could hardly buckle on his brand,
To the raw boy, whose shaft and bow
Were yet scarce terror to the crow.
Each valley, each sequestered19 glen,
Mustered its little horde20 of men,
That, met as torrents from the height
In Highland dales, their streams unite,
Still gathering, as they pour along,
A voice more loud, a tide more strong,
15. Beach.
16. Cheerful.
17. Grass cut by the sweep of a scythe in mowing.
18. Violent disturbance.
19. Secluded.
20. Group.
40
Till at the rendezvous21 they stood
By hundreds, prompt for blows and blood,
Each trained to arms since life began,
Owning no tie but to his clan,
No oath but by his chieftain's hand, .
No law but Koderick Dhu's command.
21. Meeting place.
THE COMING OF THE HIGHLANDERS.
1729-1775.
It was during the first half of the eighteenth century that
the Highlanders began to come to North Carolina to live.
From that time until the Revolution they came by the thou-sands.
There was something unusual about this, for the
Highlander was by nature a great home-stayer. He was
deeply devoted to his own country, and cared nothing for the
luxuries of more favored lands. Indeed, in the opinion of
the true Highlander, there were no more favored lands. He
never undertook to conquer foreign territory with the view
of making it his home. His natural home was in the High-lands
and his devotion to it was strengthened by his intense
loyalty to his clan and to his chief. Death was always to be
preferred to exile ; and death itself lost half its terror for the
Highlander if he was assured that he was to lie beneath his
native soil. Why, then, should they in such large numbers
willingly leave their native land and seek homes in the wild
woods of America ?
Two causes may be given for their action: First, the agri-cultural
conditions in the Highlands in the eighteenth cen-tury;
second, political misfortunes. Both of these grew out
of their peculiar social life.
In the dealings of one chief with another "might made
right." For this reason a chief's importance depended largely
upon the number of armed men he had in his clan. Each
chief, therefore, made constant efforts to increase the number
of his followers, and to train the men in the use of the clay-more
and the dirk rather than in the use of the plow and
the hoe. Their country, naturally rocky and barren, could
support only a small number of people even when kept in a
high state of cultivation. But their agriculture was on the
most limited scale. The. work was done in the simplest
manner with the rudest sort of tools. Tilling and reaping,
and most of the other field labor, were done chiefly by women.
Nor was their trade any better. They had none, except
the occasional sale of a drove of cattle. There were no manu-factures,
and of course no commerce. That genius and energy
which the people of other countries had learned to devote to
42
manufactures and agriculture and commerce, the Highland-ers
were still devoting, even as late as the eighteenth cen-tury,
to the arts of war and the chase. The result was that
in many of the clans there were more people than the land
could support.
To add to the suffering caused by these conditions, the
British government, after the defeat of the Highlanders at
Culloden, determined to break up the clan system. A great
deal of their land was taken away from the Highland chiefs
and given to soldiers of King George. These new landlords
cared nothing for the people in the Highlands. It did not
make any difference to them what the condition of the High-landers
was as long as they themselves could make money
out of their farms. They soon found that sheep-raising was
more profitable than farming, and so they turned into sheep
pastures thousands of acres which had before this time been
cultivated. This, of course, added to the general distress,
because it takes fewer people to raise sheep than it does to
cultivate the land. Thousands were therefore thrown out of
work. Rents became higher, because there were fewer acres
to cultivate and more people wanting them. Then, too, the
money that came from the sale of the wool and the sheep
was sent out of the Highlands to the owners of the land,
who lived in the Lowlands and in England. Always before
this time it had gone to the chiefs, who had used it for the
good of the. clan.
In addition to all of this, a great deal of the property
in the Highlands had been destroyed during the rebellion. It
was all the poor Highlanders could do to save themselves
and their children from starvation. In the winter-time they
often had to bleed their cattle, mix the blood with a little
oatmeal, and fry the whole into a kind of cake. After a while,
as the situation got worse, instead of better, many of them
began to look around for new homes.
The second cause for their coming to America was their
political misfortunes. These came from their loyalty to, the
Stuarts. For many generations the Stuart family had been
the royal family of Scotland. The heads of that family
were regarded by all the Highland clans as their common
chiefs. However much they might quarrel among them-selves,
nearly all the chiefs owned allegiance to the Stuarts.
In the year 1603 one of the Stuart kings, James VI. of
Scotland, became king of England also. His son, Charles I.,
43
and his grandsons, Charles II. and James II., behaved so
badly that the English people rebelled against them. They
cut off Charles I.'s head, drove James II. out of the kingdom,
and gave the crown to Prince William of Orange.
For many years the Stuarts tried to regain the throne of
England. In their efforts they depended largely upon the
help of the Highlanders. The last attempt was made in
1745. In that year Prince Charles Stuart landed in Scot-land
and called upon the Highlanders to join him in an
invasion of England. The Highlanders came in large num-bers,
singing:
"Over the water and over the sea,
And over the water to Charlie;
Come weal, come woe, we'll gather and go,
And live and die with Charlie."
At first they were successful, but finally, in 1746, they
were terribly defeated at Culloden. Prince Charlie had to
fly for his life, and finally escaped only through the bravery
of the heroine Flora MaeDonald. Many of his brave follow-ers
perished.
The Highlanders had rebelled against the British govern-ment
so often that the English now determined to punish
them with such severity that they never would rebel again.
An English army under the Duke of Cumberland was sent
to the Highlands. His nickname tells what sort of man he
was. He is known as "Butcher Cumberland." Taking up
his headquarters at the town of Inverness, he sent out sol-diers
in all directions. They laid waste the country for miles
and miles. The cattle were driven away; the mansions of
the chiefs and the huts of the clansmen were burned to the
ground; the Highlanders who were captured were instantly
murdered; women and children, without food, without
homes, without husbands and fathers, wandered helplessly
among the hills and valleys. The soldiers whom they met
were often brutal to them. Many perished from hunger and
cold. One of the soldiers afterwards boasted that neither
house nor cottage, man nor beast, could be seen within fifty
miles of Inverness: all was ruin, silence, and desolation.
The British parliament also passed severe laws against
the Highlanders. The authority of the chiefs over their
clansmen was abolished and their lands declared forfeited.
44
The Highlanders were forbidden to carry their arms and to
wear the picturesque costumes of their ancestors.
Many of them now turned their eyes toward America.
As early as 1729 a few families of Highlanders had settled
on the Cape Fear river in North Carolina. The climate
was mild and the soil fertile. There was everything to
make them happy and contented. Letters were written to
their friends and relatives describing their new home in
glowing terms. A few years later a Scotchman became
governor of North Carolina. His name* was Gabriel John-ston.
He was very fond of his countrymen and did all he
could to induce thein to come to North Carolina.
Among the Highlanders who had settled on the Cape
Fear was a man named Neill McNeill. About the year
1739 he visited Scotland to tell the people there about the
advantages of the new country. In September of that year
he returned, bringing with him a ship-load of 350 High-landers,
who landed at Wilmington. Their peculiar dress
and strange language frightened the town officers so much
that they tried to make the new-comers take an oath to
keep order and peace. But McNeill managed to get out of
this and carried his countrymen up the river to the High-land
settlement. There they found a ready welcome.
Soon after this the legislature passed a law offering en-couragement
to other Highlanders to come to North Caro-lina.
They were promised that they would not be required
to pay any taxes here for a period of ten years. Then in
1746 came the defeat of Prince Charles at Culloden. Thou-sands
of Highlanders now turned their faces toward the
setting sun. Ship-load after ship-load reached the shores of
America, and most of them found their way to their kins-men
on the Cape Fear. Their settlements covered large
areas of territory around the village of Campbellton as a
center. The name of the village was later changed to Cross
Creek, and after the Revolution to Fayetteville.
Rents now began to rise in Scotland for the reasons already
mentioned. In America land was plentiful; the soil fer-tile;
the climate good. Any man who was willing to work
could own his own farm and become well-to-do. So in the
Highlands of Scotland the refrain of the popular song of
the day was,
"Going to seek a fortune in North Carolina."'*
*The Gaelic words are : "Dol a dh'iarruidh an fhortain do North Carolina.'
45
They continued to come to North Carolina in a steady
stream until the outbreak of the Revolution, settling in what
are now the counties of Cumberland, Bladen, Harnett, Robe-son,
Anson, Sampson and Scotland. From 1769 to 1775
the papers of the day mention no less than sixteen emigra-tions
from the Highlands, besides "several others." Some
of these emigrants were among the best people in the High-lands.
In 1771 the Scot's Magazine says that 500 High-landers
sailed in one ship for America, "under the conduct
of a gentleman of wealth and merit, whose predecessors
resided in Islay for many centuries past.' 7 A colony of
them from Skye was mentioned as being composed of "the
most wealthy and substantial people in Skye." Another
ship-load is recorded as being made up of "the finest set of
fellows in the Highlands."
In their new homes comfort and plenty, if not wealth
and luxury, awaited them. Industry and economy were the
only things necessary to win these rewards. The Highland-ers
had both, and they soon attained in North Carolina to a
degree of prosperity which in their Highland homes would
have been counted wealth.
And yet they did not forget their native land. In the
forests of America, as far as possible, they kept up their
native customs and spoke the language of their fathers.
They still wore their Highland costume, and when they met
the patriots at Moore's Creek Bridge in 1776 many of them
were armed with the weapons their fathers had used at;
Culloden.
<aMMu
THE HIGHLANDER'S FAREWELL
BY PETEB CEERAB.
Farewell to the land of the mountain and wood,
Farewell to the home of the brave and the good!
My bark is afloat on the blue-rolling main,
And I ne'er shall behold thee, dear Scotland, again.
Adieu to the scenes of my life's early morn:
From the place of my birth I am cruelly torn;
The tyrant oppresses the land of the free,
And leaves but the name of my sires unto me.
Oh ! home of my fathers, I bid thee adieu,
For soon will thy hilltops retreat from my view
;
With sad, drooping heart I depart from thy shore,
To behold thy fair valleys and mountains no more.
'Twas there that I woo'd thee, young Flora, my wife,
When my bosom was warm in the morning of life.
I courted thy love 'mong the heather so brown,
And heaven did I bless when it made thee my own.
The friends of my early years, where are they now ?
Each kind, honest heart, and each brave, manly brow
;
Some sleep in the church-yard from tyranny free,
And others are crossing the ocean with me.
Lo ! now on the boundless Atlantic I stray
:
To a strange foreign realm I am wafted away;
"Before me, as far as my vision can glance,
I see but the wave-rolling wat'ry expanse.
So farewell, my country, and all that is dear;
The hour is arrived the bark is asteer,
I go, and forever, oh ! Scotland, adieu
!
The land of my fathers no more I shall view.
THE HIGHLANDERS IN THEIR NEW HOWIE.
The Highlanders -who settled in North Carolina chiefly
occupied lands in what are now Anson, Bladen, Cumberland,
Harnett, Moore, Eichmond, Robeson, Sampson, and Scotland
counties. Some few of them, of course, found their way
into other parts of the colony. Soon after the first party ar-rived
they petitioned the general assembly for aid and en-couragement.
The assembly accordingly resolved that the
petitioners need not pay any taxes for a period of ten years.
In order to encourage others to come to North Carolina the
same inducements were held out, provided they came in par-ties
of at least forty.
At a meeting of the council held at Wilmington, June 4,
1740, lands amounting to 25,806 acres were granted, mostly
to Highlanders. These lands were situated in the counties
of New Hanover, Bladen, Tyrrell, Edgecombe, Craven, and
Beaufort.
The Highland settlers in North Carolina lost no time in
clearing their lands for cultivation. They built dwelling-houses,
and stables, and barns, and sowed their fields the first
season. They had come to stay, to make North Carolina their
home and the home of their children.
Anxious to make such good settlers feel at home in the
province, the authorities hastened to give them social and
political recognition. As early as 1740 Governor Johnston
appointed several of the Highlanders in Bladen county jus-tices
of the peace.
In 1758 Hector McNeill was sheriff of Cumberland county.
But the services of a sheriff must not have been greatly in
demand among the Highlanders, for his fees during the year
were only £10. The people were too busy cultivating their
fields and building homes to need the services of a sheriff. In
1762 Cumberland county sent representatives to the general
assembly. Her delegates that year were Hector McNeill and
Alexander McAllister.
It is impossible to say how many Highlanders there were
in North Carolina at any particular time. In 1753 the num-ber
of men in Cumberland county capable of bearing arms
was estimated at one thousand. If this estimate was correct,
48
the number in that county alone could not have been less than
five thousand.
Nor is it easy to tell what was the financial condition of
the new settlers. In 1767, in Anson county, there were 696
white people subject to taxation. They are recorded as being
generally poor and unable to support a minister. The settlers
in Bladen were somewhat better off, there being 791 white
people subject to taxation, who were said to be "in middling
circumstances." But the most prosperous of the Highlanders
were those around Campbellton. In Cumberland county, in
1767, the number of white people subject to taxation was 899,
"mostly Scotch," and able to support a Presbyterian minister.
It is a very strange thing that the Highlanders brought
with them to America no minister of the gospel, for they were
a deeply religious people. From their first settlement in the
colony until 1757 they were without a minister. In that year
Rev. James Campbell came to them from Pennsylvania. He
preached in what are now Cumberland and Robeson counties,
and continued his work there until 1770. He was a Presby-terian,
of course. On each Sunday he had three regular con-gregations,
and often held other services in addition to these.
He conducted his services in both Gaelic and English, preach-ing
every Sunday at least one sermon in each language. For
ten years he preached on the southwest side of the Cape Fear
river at a place called Roger's Meeting-house. Hector Mc-
Neill and Alexander McAllister were elders in his church.
About 1758 Campbell began to preach at Barbecue church,
though the building was not put up until about 1765. Flora
MacDonald was a member of this church.
The first Highland preacher to come to North Carolina di-rectly
from Scotland was Rev. John McLeod, who came in
1770. He continued in the work for several years, "proving
himself a man of genuine piety, great worth, and popular elo-quence."
Upon the outbreak of the Revolution, he left Amer-ica,
intending to return to Scotland, but he was never heard of
afterwards. It is believed that he was drowned at sea.
One of the chief reasons for which the Highlanders came
to America was to seek peace—freedom from political
troubles. But for them there seemed to be no peace. In ex-changing
Scotland for North Carolina they but exchanged the
character of their political troubles. No sooner had they be-come
quietly settled by the Cape Fear than the peaceful waters
were disturbed by the stamp act. The stamp act did not
49
remain a law long enough to be of much inconvenience to the
inhabitants of the interior ; but while it was in existence, so
far as the Highlanders showed any activity at all, they seemed
to have sympathized with the resistance of their adopted coun-trymen.
At Campbellton Lord Bute, who was supposed to
have been the moving spirit behind the act, was burnt in effigy.
When the vessels were seized at Wilmington and Brunswick
a letter was written from Cross Creek calling upon the people
in the name of "dear liberty" to resist the oppressive act.
And no sooner were the stamp act disturbances settled than
the Regulator riots occurred. Governor Tryon called on the
Highlanders to send soldiers to help put down the insurrec-tion.
A captain's commission was issued to Farquard Camp-bell,
who raised his company and marched with Tryon to Ala-mance.
Whatever sympathies the Highlanders had in the
quarrel were on the side of order and established government.
In spite of all these difficulties, the Highlanders prospered
in their new country. Campbellton or Cross Creek became an
important trading point whence most of the produce of the
interior counties was shipped. Its water connection made it
an important and prosperous place. In 1773 the general as-sembly
passed a law t lay out a road from the river Dan,
through the counties of Guilford, Chatham, and Cumberland,
to Campbellton ; and another to connect with it, from Shallow
Ford in Surry county. These roads made it possible for the
settlers in the frontier counties to get their produce to market.
By the time of the outbreak of the Revolution the High-landers
had become an important part of the population of
the colony. Many of the clans were represented. At first
there were more McNeils than any others, but later, with the
coming of the MacDonalds they soon outnumbered any other
one clan. By 1775 the MacDonalds had become so numerous
and so important that the Moore's Creek campaign is some-times
spoken of as the "Insurrection of Clan MacDonald."
Perhaps the most influential man among the Highlanders
was Allen MacDonald of Kingsborough, husband of Flora
MacDonald. In 1772 Allen's father died and he succeeded to
the estates of Kingsborough. He found his property burdened
with debt and unprofitable. So in 1773 he decided to go to
America, arriving here the next year. He was somewhat
aged, but still bore himself with grace and Avith great dignitv.
He was a large man, of stately bearing, with a steady, sensible
50
countenance. Upon his arrival he at once became a leader
among his countrymen.
In June, 1775, the disputes with Great Britain had reached
a point at which war seemed certain. The royal governor,
Josiah Martin, was anxious to show his zeal in the king's
cause. So he offered to raise a regiment of one thousand
Highlanders if the king would make him a colonel. He
recommended that the king appoint Allen MacDonald a
major in this regiment, and Allen's son-in-law, Alexander
McLeod, a captain. These he said, "besides being men of
great worth, and good character, have most extensive influence
over the Highlanders here, a great part of which are of their
own names and families."
MacDonald and McLeod were both willing to help Governor
Martin. They became active in their efforts to stir up their
countrymen to the king's side. In July MacDonald visited
Governor Martin, who was on board a vessel in the Cape Fear
river, to discuss their plans with him. At the very time he
was with the governor, the Wilmington committee of safety
instructed their chairman, Cornelius Harnett, to write to Al-len
MacDonald to learn from him, himself, whether the ru-mors
that he was raising troops to help the governor were
true. A few months later Alexander McLeod visited Gov-ernor
Martin and told him that both he and Allen MacDonald
had each raised a company of Highlanders.
The king refused to make Governor Martin a colonel in the
British army, but told him to go ahead and raise the High-landers,
and he would send an officer to command them. So
in January, 1776, Governor Martin ordered MacDonald and
several other influential Highlanders to raise their companies
and be prepared to march as soon as they received orders.
Allen MacDonald was made a major in the army. The troops
were raised, and in February marched to Moore's Creek
Bridge, where they were defeated.
Allen MacDonald was one of the prisoners captured by the
patriots. He was sent to Halifax and confined in jail until
later, when the congress ordered him to be sent to Philadel-phia.
Here he was kept in prison until June. He was then
released upon his giving his word that he would go to Read-ing,
Pa., and not try to escape. The Americans tried to get
the British to exchange him for some American whom they
had captured, but without success. Finally MacDonald was
51
allowed to go to New York to see what he could do to get him-self
exchanged. He succeeded in November, 1777.
After this he went to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a little
later sailed for Scotland. His wife, Flora MacDonald, had
already gone back to their old home, and there Allen joined
her. She died in 1790, and he survived her but a few years.
During the last years of his life he was an officer on half-pay
in the British army.
Another MacDonald prominent in the history of the High-landers
on the Cape Fear was Donald MacDonald, who com-manded
them at Moore's Creek Bridge. He was one of the
leaders of the MacDonald clan in the uprising of 1745 which
ended at Culloden. After this he became an officer in the
British army and rose to the rank of major. Many of his
former followers had settled on the Cape Fear, so he was sent
from the regular army at Boston to organize them into a loy-alist
regiment, which he was to command. He was at this
time sixty-five years old, and was a man of experience and
sense.
He arrived at Edenton on a vessel from New York in July,
1775, accompanied by another officer named McLeod. The
committee at Edenton suspected that they came on an un-friendly
errand, and warned the other committees to keep a
lookout for them. Samuel Johnston of Edenton, one of the
leading patriots, wrote to the committee at Wilmington:
aThey pretend they are on a visit to some of their country-men
on your river, but I think there is reason to suspect their
errand of a base nature. The committee of this town have
wrote to New Bern to have them secured. Should they
escape there, I hope you will keep a good lookout for them."
When they arrived at New Bern the committee seized them
;
but they took an oath that they came only to see their friends
and had nothing to do with political or military affairs, and
therefore were allowed to go on. Of course this oath was
false.
MacDonald proceeded to Cumberland county, where he
took command of the Highland regiment, In January, Gov-ernor
Martin commissioned him a brigadier-general, and or-dered
him to march to Wilmington. On February 1, 1776,
the royal standard was raised at Cross Creek. Orders were
sent out for the loyal Highlanders to enroll themselves among
the king's troops. "When the day came the Highlanders
were seen coming from near and from far, from the wide
52
plantations on the river bottoms, and from the rude cabins in
the depths of the lonely pine forests, with broadswords at
their sides, in tartan garments and feathered bonnets, and
keeping step to the shrill music of the bag-pipe. There came,
first of all, Clan MacDonald with Clan MacLeod near at hand,
with lesser numbers of Clan MacKenzie, Clan MacRae, Clan
MacLean, Clan MacKay, Clan MacLachlan, and still others —variously estimated from fifteen hundred to three thou-sand."
These ill-fated people then marched to their defeat at
Moore's Creek Bridge. General MacDonald himself was not
in the battle, but was ill in his tent. After the fight he was
captured and sent to Halifax, where he was "committed a
close prisoner," according to the order of the council of
safety. He was afterwards removed to Philadelphia and
exchanged. After the war MacDonald returned to England.
One of the most prominent men among the Highlanders,
and, indeed, in the whole colony, was Farquard Campbell.
He was a man of wealth, education, and influence. He repre-sented
Cumberland county in the general assembly live
times. In 1774 and in 1775 he sat for his county in the
provincial congress which had been called to provide means
for defense against the British. He also held other offices of
importance and trust. At first he seemed to be friendly to
the American cause, and, had he been true to it, he would
undoubtedly have been one of the leaders in the colony. But
when the affairs of America began to look dark he deserted
and went over to the British. In the autumn of 1776, while
he was entertaining some British officers, he was captured by
the Americans and thrown into prison at Halifax. Later he
begged Governor Caswell to be allowed to return home, pledg-ing
all of his wealth for his good behavior. He seems to have
been forgiven after the war, for several years later he repre-sented
Cumberland county in the state senate.
When the disputes with Great Britain began the Highland
ers were generally in sympathy with their fellow Americans.
They sent representatives to the provincial congresses, and
had their committees of safety. But when they saw that the
disputes were going to result in war and rebellion, they re-fused
to follow. The North Carolina congress in 1775 ap-pointed
a committee composed of Archibald MacLaine, Alex-ander
McAllister, Farquard Campbell, Robert Rowan, Alex-ander
McKay and others, "to confer with the gentlemen who
53
have lately arrived from the Highlands in Scotland to settle
in this Province, and to explain to them the nature of our un-happy
controversy with Great Britain, and to advise and
urge them to unite with the other inhabitants of America in
defense of those rights which they derive from God and the
constitution." But it was in vain; the Highlanders were
willing to petition the king to repeal the laws complained of,
but they would not take up arms against him. They had
seen enough of rebellion in Scotland, so when the war came
they sided with the king.
It was the misfortune of the Highlanders to suffer defeat
in Scotland fighting against the House of Hanover, and again
in America fighting for the House of Hanover. Large num-bers
of them after the Revolution left North Carolina ; some
returned to Scotland, others went to Nova Scotia. The great
majority of them, however, remained quietly on their farms
in this state.
But great changes were now ma le in their lives. The Rev-olution
established a new nation, and the Highlanders were
forced to adapt themselves to the new order. Gradually they
changed their costumes to suit their new situation ; their cus-toms
to suit their new country; their language to suit their
new associates. As the older people died out, and others, who
had not known the beauties and glories of the Highlands,
came to fill their places, the life of the old world passed away
and that of the new took its place. To this new world the
descendants of the Highlanders have brought the same abid-ing
loyalty which their ancestors so faithfully gave to the old.
oMMi,
FLORA MACDONALD.
1733-1190.
After his defeat at Cnlloden in 1746 Prince Charles Stuart
had to fly from the English soldiers. He escaped to the High-lands,
where he hid in a mountain cave. The British govern-ment
offered a great reward amounting to thousands of dol-lars
to anybody who would capture him and deliver him to
the soldiers. If he were captured he would be put to death;
and if he escaped, all who helped him would certainly be im-prisoned,
and perhaps executed. Thousands of soldiers were
looking for him. Every path was carefully guarded and
close watch was kept over all of the prince's friends. There
seemed to be no chance for him to get away, and anybody who
helped him would certainly be caught.
Of course, only a very brave person would be willing to risk
his liberty, and maybe his life, to help the prince. The men,
brave as they were, would not take the risk. The poor prince
was about to give up in despair when help came, as unex-pected
as it was welcomed.
This help came from a young woman, hardly more than a
girl, who was visiting in the neighborhood where the prince
was hiding. Her name was Flora MacDonald. She was
born in the mountains of Scotland in the year 1722. All of
her life was spent in the Highlands, except about two years,
when she lived in North Carolina. She was only twenty-four
years old when the battle of Culloden was fought, but
already she had become a great favorite. Everybody admired
her for her beauty and loved her for her goodness. And she
was as brave as she was good and beautiful. Her spirit was
that of a true Highlander, and so when her prince was in
danger she generously offered to risk her life to save his. He
was only too glad to accept her offer, for it was his last chance.
It required not only bravery to save him, but good sense as
well, and Flora had both. She made him dress like an Irish
servant girl, and called him Betty Bourke. Then she went
to the commander of the English soldiers, who was her own
step-father, and got permission from him to go to her own
home with the new servant whom she had hired. The soldiers
were deceived, and after many narrow escapes and many hard-
FLORA MACDONALD.
55
ships, Flora succeeded in getting the prince on board a vessel
which carried him safely to France. There he was safe, for
the French king did not like the king of England, and was
glad to get a chance to help the British king's enemy.
But Flora MacDonald did not escape, for the soldiers soon
found out what she had done. She was captured and carried
to London, where she was imprisoned in the London Tower.
One day the king sent for her. She was taken before him
in the palace where a great crowd of grand ladies and great
noblemen were gathered. The king appeared to be very
angry with Flora, and in a stern, severe voice asked her
:
"Why did you dare to help my enemy?"
Looking him straight in the eyes, Flora answered, fear-lessly
:
"I did for him, sire, no more than I would do for you, if
you needed my help."
This brave answer so pleased the king that he ordered her
to be set at liberty. She now became the most popular lady in
London. Receptions and balls were given in her honor, at-tended
by all the noblemen and noblewomen. But she was
anxious to get back to Scotland, and soon set out for home in
a coach and four, furnished by the king himself. On her
arrival in Scotland a grand banquet and ball was given in her
honor.
A short time after this she was married to a brave High-lander
named Allen MacDonald, who was one of the few men
to help her in the escape of Prince Charles. They were very
poor, and had a hard time in Scotland. So after a few years
they decided to try their fortune somewhere else. Many of
their friends and relatives were living in North Carolina, and
had written them glowing accounts of the new country. So
Allen and Flora decided to follow them. This was in the
year 1774.
The fame of Flora MacDonald's brave deed had gone be-fore
them to America, and there was great rejoicing on the
Cape Fear when it became known that she herself was com-ing.
Allen and Flora, with their children, landed in Wil-mington.
There, too, a ball was given in her honor. She
was now fifty-four years old, but was still beautiful and
charmed everybody by her gracious manners. She and her
husband did not stay long in Wilmington, for they were im-patient
to see their old friends and get settled in their new
home.
56
At Cross Creek they were given a true Highland welcome.
A great ball was given here, too. The Highlanders came
from miles and miles around Cross Creek. They were all
dressed in their beautiful Highland costumes. The pipes
pealed forth true Highland music. Young and old joined in
a true Highland dance. But best of all, there were the true
Highland friends greeting them in the language of their dear
native land.
Many of the more prosperous families begged Flora and
Allen to make their home with them. But they would not do
that; they wanted a home of their own. Allen secured a
house at Cross Creek to be used until he could get perma-nently
settled. This house was built right on the bank of
the creek, and was known for many years afterwards as
"Mora MacDonald's House."
About twenty miles northwest of Cross Creek is a hill
about six hundred feet in height. It is now called Cameron
Hill; but in 1774 it was called Mount Pleasant. A large
number of the MacDonalds had settled around this hill, all
of whom were kin to Allen and Flora. Near by was Barbecue
creek. On the banks of this creek stood the church in which
Flora MacDonald worshiped. Allen bought a farm near
Mount Pleasant, from a man named Caleb Touchstone. This
farm contained 550 acres, and had houses on it which were
better than those most of the settlers owned. Allen paid
£460 for this place. Here he and Flora with their children
intended to spend the rest of their lives in peace and happi-ness.
But their happiness was not to last long. The Revolution
soon broke out in the country, and the Highlanders took the
king's side. The governor called on them to help him, and
appointed Allen MacDonald an officer in the king's army.
Flora, too, went among the settlers, urging the men to fight for
the king. She made them an address in their own language,
and filled them with enthusiasm. Everybody loved her so
much, and admired her bravery so much, that many joined
the army because she asked them to do so.
When the soldiers marched out of Cross Creek she went
with them part of the way. Riding up and down the line on
a milk-white horse, she talked kindly to the men, and begged
them to fight bravely. They all thought of how brave she
had been, cheered her, and promised to win the victory for
King George.
57
After a while the time came for her to go back to Cross
Creek. With tears in her eyes she told her husband good-bye,
praying that he might get back to her safely. Then waving
farewell to the men, she rode away.
The battle at Moore's Creek Bridge followed. Allen Mac-
Donald was captured and sent to Halifax, where he was put
in prison, and Flora was not allowed to see him. She now
became very lonely in her new home. Many of her friends
had suffered from the defeat at Moore's Creek. Her sons
were all away, some in the British army, others in the British
navy. In Jie midst of all these misfortunes two of her
youngest children died with fever. As her oldest daughter,
Anne, had married soon after coming to America, the only
child left with the mother was her daughter Fannie ; but she
was too young to understand her mother's loneliness.
Allen MacDonald now wrote to his wife to go back to Scot-land.
He foresaw that there was going to be a long war in
America, and that she would have no friends to care for her.
The Highlanders were closely watched by the Americans, and
could do nothing for their countrywoman. So Flora decided
to return to her native land.
She was allowed to go from Cross Creek to Wilmington
and from there to Charleston. There she went aboard a
British vessel and sailed for England. On the way across
the Atlantic the ship was attacked by a French war vessel.
During the fight Flora MacDonald stood on deck encouraging
the men and caring for the wounded. Finally she was thrown
down and her arm was broken. Still she would not leave the
deck until they had beaten oil the enemy. A few days later
she landed in England and her trials were over.
When the war was over her husband joined her in Scotland.
They returned to their old home at Kingsborough, where
Flora died March 5, 1790.
She helped the king in the Revolution, but she chose the
side she thought was right. On that side she was brave and
true and loyal. And this is the reason one of our writers
says of her: aHer name is still held in reverence by the
people of J^orth Carolina, and especially by those who are
descended from the Scotch settlers of the Cape Fear region.
The memory of the Tory beauty, so brave-hearted, and yet so
gentle and kind, is fragrant as the pines among which she
lived."
THE BATTLE OF MOORE'S CREEK BRIDGE.
1776.
The first battle of the Revolu-tion
in North Carolina was fought
between the Highlanders and the
Americans at a place called Moore's
Creek Bridge. It was an import-ant
event, because upon it depended
the safety not only of North Caro-lina,
but of all the southern colo-nies.
The story begins at Cross
Creek, or what is now Fayetteville.
The Highlanders had not been in
North Carolina long, and most of
them did not understand what the
people were fighting about. They
had sworn allegiance to King
George before they left Scotland
and now felt that they must help
him when they were called on to do
so. Therefore, when the other peo-ple
in North Carolina quarreled
with the king, the great majority
of them took his side. There were some, however, who did
not consider themselves bound to submit to the tyranny of
the British government, and these took up arms with their
American brethren.
One day a message came from Governor Martin, who was
also on the king's side, telling the Highlanders to march
down the Cape Fear river to Wilmington. He said he
would meet them there and bring with him Lord Cornwallis
and Sir Henry Clinton, two British generals. They had
promised to have with them about 10,000 soldiers and some
war vessels from England. With these soldiers they ex-pected
to conquer North Carolina for the king, and they
wanted the Highlanders to help them.
This message was carried to Cross Creek by General Don-ald
MacDonald. He had been appointed commander of the
Highlanders, and he now ordered all the king's friends to
Monument at Moore's Creek.
59
meet him at Cross Creek, February 18, 1776. They were
told to bring their guns and pistols and swords, because
some of the patriots were going to try to keep them from
getting to Wilmington.
There was great excitement in the little village on the
appointed day. Nearly two thousand brave Highlanders
were there eager to fight for King George. They were all
armed and in high spirits, singing their old Scotch songs
and telling their old Scotch stories. They felt sure they
would be able to beat any army the Americans could bring
against them, and expected to have a good time when they
got to Wilmington. So they marched out of the village with
drums beating and pipes playing and flags flying.
But the patriots knew all about the movements of the
Highlanders, and made up their minds not to let them get
far from Cross Creek. So they sent one of their soldiers,
General James Moore, with about eleven hundred men, to
attack General MacDonald and scatter his men.
Just south of Cross Creek is a little stream called Rock-fish
creek, which flows into Cape Fear river. There were
FROM
CROSS CREEK
\ TO
\MOORE'S creek bridge
60
two roads leading from Cross Creek to Wilmington, one
called the Brunswick road, the other the Negro-Head Point
road. The Brunswick road crossed Rockfish creek, and this
was the road that General MacDonald took. So General
Moore marched his men to the bridge over the creek and
threw up breastworks across the road.
When General MacDonald reached Rockfish creek he saw
that he could not cross without fighting the Americans.
He did not want to do this, so he returned to Cross Creek
and started down the Negro-Head Point road. This road
crossed two streams, one of which is called Moore's creek.
When the Highlanders reached the bridge over this stream
they found it, too, held by the patriots. On one side of the
stream was Colonel Alexander Lillington with about 350
men; on the other side was Colonel Richard Caswell with
about 800 men. Colonel Caswell was on the side of the
creek toward which the Highlanders were marching.
General MacDonald wanted to find out how many men
Colonel Caswell had and how they were posted. So in the
afternoon, February 26, he sent a flag of truce to Caswell's
camp to tell him that he had better surrender and save
bloodshed. Caswell of course refused. But the messenger
found out what he wanted to know. General MacDonald
was pleased when he learned that the patriots were on the
same side of the creek that he was on, because they would
not have the stream to protect them. He thought he could
certainly beat them, as he had 1,500 men and the Ameri-cans
had only 800. So he decided to attack them the next
morning.
But the Highlanders did not know about Colonel Lilling-ton's
men on the other side of the creek. Then, too, Colonel
Caswell knew why the messenger had come to his camp and
he was too sharp to be caught in any such trap. So during
the night, while the Highlanders were sleeping peacefully
in their tents, he marched his men across the bridge and
joined Colonel Lillington's men. Then he had all the planks
taken up from the bridge, leaving only the sills, so only one
or two men could cross at the same time.
Now Colonel Caswell did not want the Highlanders to
know what he was doing. So he kept his camp-fires burning
all night, as Washington afterwards did at Trenton, and the
Scotch sentinels thought the Americans were all asleep in
their tents right where they were in the afternoon.
61
About daybreak the next morning, February 27, 17 7 6,
the Highlanders marched to attack the Americans. It was
still too dark for them to see that the Americans had crossed
the bridge, and they expected to take them by surprise.
General MacDonald was sick in his tent, and the High-landers
were commanded by Donald MacLeod. Their bat-tle-
cry was, "King George and broadswords !" The signal
for the attack was to be three cheers, the drums to beat and
the pipes to play.
But when they reached the bridge there were no Ameri-cans
to be seen. Had they all become frightened and run
away ? MacLeod thought so, and so he started across the
bridge on one of the sills, calling upon his men to follow
him. Then somebody from the other side called out, "Who
goes there V9
"A friend," replied MacLeod.
"A friend to whom?" asked the first voice.
uTo the king," answered the Scotchman.
Then all was silence for a moment. MacLeod raised his
gun, fired and dashed across the bridge, followed by John
Campbell, one of his officers. The Americans now opened
fire, and MacLeod and Campbell fell dead. Others then
tried to follow, but they were shot down as fast as they
rushed on the bridge. There was no use trying to get across
;
it was simply inviting death. More than thirty of the
bravest fell into the creek. The others then lost heart,
turned and fled. The Americans followed, killing a few and
capturing a large number.
The fight lasted only a few minutes, but the victory was
complete. The Americans had only one man killed. They
captured 850 soldiers, 150 swords, 1,500 rifles, 13 wagons
with nil the horses, 2 chests of medicine fresh from Eng-land,
valued at several thousand dollars, and £75,000 in
gold. General MacDonald was one of the prisoners.
This was one of the most important victories of the war.
The Highlanders did not try to help the king again. All
they asked was to be allowed to stay quietly at home, and
North Carolina was saved from being conquered when Clin-ton
and Cornwallis came. When they learned of the defeat
of their Highland friends, they knew it was no use to try to
conquer North Carolina, so they sailed away to Charleston.
There, too, they were beaten, and it was two years before
they attempted to conquer the South again. If the High-
62
landers had won the battle of Moore's Creek all of North
Carolina would have fallen into the power of the British,
then the other southern states would probably have been
overrun too. For this reason the victory at Moore's Creek
Bridge ought to be considered one of the most important vic-tories
in the whole war.
ON THE CAPE FEAR.
BY JOHN CHARLES McNEILL.
Prince Charles an' I we war chased owre the sea,
Wi' naething but conscience for glory;
An' here I drew sawrd, when the land wad be free,
An' was whipped tae a hole as a Tory.
When the Bonny Blue Flag was flung tae the breeze,
I girded mysel' tae defend it.
They warstled me down tae my hands an' my knees
An' flogged my auld backbane tae bend it.
Sae the deil wan the fights an' wrang hauds the ground,
But God an' mysel' winna bide it.
I hae strength in my airm yet for many a round,
An' purpose in plenty tae guide it.
THE CONVENTION OF 1789 AND ITS CENTENNIAL
CELEBRATION.
1789-1889.
After the Revolutionary War was ended the thirteen colo-nies
became thirteen independent states. The important
question then came up, What sort of government were these
thirteen states to have ? During the war there had existed
a loose union among them, but when the danger from the
British had passed away this union became too weak to hold
the states together. They were free from all danger from
their enemies and did not feel the necessity of holding
together so much as they had felt it during the war. Some
of them quarreled with each other and more than once it
looked as if there would be civil war between them. This
condition alarmed patriotic men. The wisest of these, such
as Washington, and Madison, and Hamilton, determined
that something must be done to improve the situation.
Finally all the states agreed to send representatives to a
convention at Philadelphia to make some provisions for a
better government. This convention met in 1787 and pre-pared
the constitution of the United States, which they sub-mitted
to the various states for approval. No state was to
be a member of the new union until it adopted the new con-stitution.
On November 5, 1787, Richard Caswell, governor of
North Carolina, sent to the legislature a copy of the new
constitution for their consideration. The legislature de-cided
that a convention should be called for the purpose of
deliberating and determining on the said constitution."
Each county in the state was to send five delegates to the
convention and certain of the larger towns, called "borough-towns,"
were to send one each. The time fixed for the meet-ing
of this convention was the third Monday in July, 1788,
and the place was Hillsboro.
At the time appointed the convention met in the Presby-terian
church. If this body adopted the constitution, North
Carolina would become a member of the new government of
the United States; if the convention rejected the constitu-tion,
then North Carolina would not be a member of the new
64
union. There were two hundred and eighty-four members
of the convention. Among them were some of the greatest
men in the state. Samuel Johnston was unanimously
elected president. After several days spent in debating the
new constitution, the convention voted not to accept it. So
when the new government of the United States was inaugu-rated,
North Carolina was not in the union and missed the
honor of voting for Washington for president.
But the people of North Carolina were not satisfied to
stay out of the union. So the legislature in 1788 called a
new convention for the purpose of reconsidering the new
constitution. This time each county was to elect three
delegates and each borough-town one. Fayetteville was now
appointed for the place of meeting, and the third Monday
in November, 1789, was set as the time.
When the time came for the convention to meet the legis-lature
was also in session in Fayetteville. A large number
of delegates were members of both bodies. So important
was the work of the convention, the legislature adjourned
during its meetings so that the members could hear the de-bates
on the constitution.
Samuel Johnston was again elected president. He was
one of the most prominent men in North Carolina. Before
the Revolution he had been one of the leaders in the colony.
When the Revolution came he was one of those who con-tributed
to its success. He had served many years in the
legislature, was now governor, and was regarded as one of
the ablest statesmen and lawyers in the country. His home
was in Edenton.
Immediately after the convention met, Dr. Hugh William-son,
one of the leading members, introduced a resolution
accepting the constitution. This led to some spirited debate
in which the friends of the constitution won the victory.
So on November 21, 1789, the following resolution was
adopted by a large majority
:
"Whereas, the General Convention which met in Phila-delphia,
in pursuance of a recommendation of Congress, did
recommend to the citizens of the United States a Constitu-tion,
or form of government, in the following words [here
follows the constitution] : Besolved, That this convention, in
behalf of the freemen, citizens, and inhabitants of the State
of North Carolina, do adopt and ratify the said Constitution
and form of government."
65
When the vote was taken on this resolution, General Wil-liam
R. Davie, one of North Carolina's greatest sons, moved
that the president of the convention send to the president
of the United States a copy of the resolution. The convention
then passed an ordinance making Fayetteville a borough-town.
After thanking the president and other officers of the
convention for "their able and faithful services in the dis-charge
of their arduous duties/' the session adjourned.
On the 4th of December President Johnston wrote a let-ter
to President Washington, telling him of the action of the
convention, and sending him a copy of the resolution. Soon
after Washington received this letter, he sent in his annual
message to congress his congratulations upon "the recent
accession of the important state of North Carolina to the
constitution of the United States." To his congratulations
the United States senate replied as follows: "The acces-sion
of the state of North Carolina to the constitution of
the United States gives us much pleasure, and we offer you
our congratulations on that event, which at the same time
adds strength to our Union and affords a proof that the more
the constitution has been considered the more the goodness
of it has appeared." The house of representatives likewise
joined in the congratulations : "We reciprocate your congrat-ulations
on the accession of the state of North Carolina, an
event, which, while it is a testimony of the increasing good-will
towards the government of the United States, cannot
fail to give additional dignity and strength to the American
republic, already rising in the estimation of the world in
national character and respectability."
Soon after the adjournment of the convention the legisla-ture
elected Samuel Johnston and Benjamin Hawkins our
first senators in the United States senate. Thus North
Carolina took her place as a member of the United States
of America, and Payetteville has the honor of being the
place where this great event occurred, the most important
event to the state, up to that time, since the surrender of
Cornwallis.
Nor did the people of Payetteville forget this great event
in the history of their own. One hundred years passed away
;
1789 gave way to 1889. The United States had grown from
a few feeble states closely hugging the Atlantic coast to a
great empire stretching from ocean to ocean. North Caro-
Q6
lina had shared in the great prosperity of the country; and
Fayetteville, too, had grown from a little frontier village of
a few hundred inhabitants to a progressive city of several
thousands. When the year 1889 came around the people
thought more and more of the great event that had taken
place in the town one hundred years before, and they began
to make preparations to celebrate its one-hundredth birth-day.
The preparations were made on a grand scale. All
sorts of attractions were gathered there. Distinguished speak-ers
were invited to deliver addresses commemorative of the
adoption of the constitution. Invitations were sent to the
people of the state to join in the great celebration.
On the opening day, November 21, 1889, a tremendous
crowd poured into the little city. Steamboats brought their
hundreds; trains emptied their living cargoes by the thou-sands;
carriages, buggies, wagons, carts, streamed in from
the surrounding country. Never before had such a gathering
been seen in Fayetteville.
On the first day of the celebration the governor of North
Carolina, Daniel G. Fowle, arrived. At the little depot ten
thousand people greeted him with tremendous cheers. A
grand parade escorted him to the speaker's stand, where he
opened the celebration in