The Fighting Stanlys
Grandfather. son and grandson — all three
inen liad interesting and turbulent careers
and were outstanding figures «luring llieir
respective generations.
NO three* men ever lived in
North Carolina who hail
stronger characters or stronger
careers than the three Stanly* of
New Bern — grandfather, son, and
grandson, there being some circum¬
stance connected with the life of each
to make it unique in character.
Stanly was a distinguished name
in Craven as far back as Colonial
days. When the Revolution drew on.
it found John Wright Stanly one of
the wealthiest merchants and ship¬
owners in the state. In 17S0, Col.
Benjamin Hawkins of Warren
County os commissioner, was author¬
ized to purchase and import supplies
for the Continental army from the
West Indies, and he entered into an
agreement with Stanly for the use of
his fleet of merchant ships for that
purpose. Unfortunately all these ves¬
sels. with their cargoes, were captured
by the British, and this brought finan¬
cial ruin upon the unfortunate Stanly.
He sought relief from the legisla¬
ture, but that body denied his claim.
He then brought suit in the courts
against Colonel Hawkins personally,
but the court held that Hawkins bad
not contracted as an individual, but
only as agent of the state and there¬
fore was not liable in his private ca-
Kcity. Stanly, as a result, lost nil his
rtune.
Prominent Political Figure
His son, John Stnnlv, who also
lived at New Bern, was one of the
most prominent political figures in the
state, but the shadow of an unfortu¬
nate death clouded his life. Ho was
elected ns a member of Congress in
1801, and in the campaign of the
following year he became involved in
a bitter political controversy with
Governor Richard Dobbs Spnight.
Such words passed between the two
men that, in accordance with the cus¬
tom of the day, a challenge to a duel
was sent and accepted, in which Gov¬
ernor Spnight was mortally wounded.
This deplorable affair must have be¬
clouded Stanly’s subsequent life, al¬
though it does not seem to have af¬
fected his political career. He was
promptly pardoned by Governor Wil¬
liams; and was again elected as a
By R. C. LAWRENCE
member of Congress. He was the most
outstanding Federalist of his day;
bitterly opposed to the War of 1812
and to the itolicies of President Madi¬
son. The Federalists were evidently
in the majority in Craven, for the
outbreak of the War of 1 S 1 2 found
Stanly a member of tbe House of
Commons from the borough town of
New Bern, where he served a large
number of terms down through 1S2C,
being several times elected as Speaker
of that body. When tbe county of
Stanly was established, it was named
in his honor.
The Third Member
Edward Stanly, a son of John Stan¬
ly. was born at New Bern in 1808. He
was educated at Norwich University,
studied law and entered upon the
practice of his profession in the county
of Beaufort. He evidently inherited
from his father a fondness for politi¬
cal life, as well as a passionate na¬
ture and a fiery temper, which led
him to become involved in many po¬
litical controversies. His life was a
long succession of stormy encounters;
but being a man of attractive person¬
ality and great strength of character,
he made many warm friends, while
at the same time his fondness for
political controversy made him many
and bit tor enemies.
In 1837 he was elected as a mem¬
ber of Congress, where he served three
successive terms. He was so bitter and
vituperative in debate that it led to
numerous quarrels and personal en¬
counters with his colleagues in the
House, and to the fighting of a duel
with Congressman Inge of Alabama,
in which, fortunately, neither was in¬
jured. He had a fist fight upon the
floor of the House with General
Thomas L. Clingman of our Ashe-
ville District. Notwithstanding his
outbursts of temper, and his numerous
physical encounters with his political
enemies, his ability in debate and his
course in Congress attracted such na¬
tional attention that upon the election
of General Harrison as President it
was believed that Stanly would be
named io a post in his cabinet. That
honor, however, finally fell to Judge
George K. Badger, who was named as
Secretary of the N'avv.
Stanly’s course was evidently ap¬
proved, not only by the people of
Beaufort, but by those of the state
at large, for in 1844, when he was
elected to the Commons, he was paid
the unusual compliment of being cho¬
sen as Speaker while serving his first
session, and he was re-elected at the
following session. After his legisla¬
tive service, he was named as Attor¬
ney General, an office which ho soon
resigned. He was then again elected
to the Commons where his was an in¬
fluential voice in defeating the char¬
tering of the proposed railroad from
Charlotte to Danville, and in secur¬
ing a charter for the North Carolina
Railroad from Goldsboro to Charlotte,
so ably championed by former Gov¬
ernor John M. Morehead.
Supported the Union
III 1S49 lie was again elected to
Congress and was re-elected in 1851.
Although an advocate of the institu¬
tion of slavery, he was a staunch sup¬
porter of the Union, and on account
of the growing discontent in this state
with the attitude of the North. Stanly
moved with his family to California
where he settled in San Francisco.
His ability was such that although
he had been a resident of that state
hut four years, and although ho was
still an owner of slave- and a believer
in the doctrine of slavery, lie was
nominated by the newly-formed Re¬
publican party as its candidate for
Governor, but was defeated by his
Democratic opponent.
After the outbreak of the Civil War.
his thoughts recurred to hi- native
state, where he believed that Union
sentiment was such that the state
could he brought back into the Union,
notwithstanding seces-io». which lie
felt was due to a misconception of
the attitude of the Federal govern¬
ment. Ho, therefore, notified Presi¬
dent Lincoln that In* was willing to
undertake a commission to establish
( Continued on page twenty-one)
