Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 20.djvu/222

 216 Southern Historical Society Papers.

pain and suffering. Indeed, his whole life, from boyhood to the day of his death, through evil and good report, in adversity or pros- perity, was devoted to the work of sustaining and defending her honor and the welfare of her people. If, therefore, any North Caro- linian ever deserved to be remembered with gratitude for his public services it was he, and if the State had not persistently from the be- ginning of her existence refused to recognize by some permanent memorial any obligation for such services by any of her sons we might indulge the hope that she would erect a monument to his memory. She stands alone among civilized governments in this re- spect, for she has never erected a single memorial stone to show the world that she ever produced a son worthy of remembrance. Nor are her people peculiar in this respect alone. Ever jealous of any encroachment upon their liberties, ever ready to suffer and die in defence of them, the history of their State is rich with illustrations of their patriotism and yet that history remains to be written. Pro- lific of heroes in every war on this continent, of statesmen in every period of political strife, of great men in all professions and callings the world has never known it, because the people of the State have never seemed to recognize, or care for it. Mankind are apt to for- get, and all too soon, the good and great who have passed away; we in North Carolina do not appear to know that there are, or ever were, such among us. Readily recognizing them elsewhere we never think of finding them at home and in our midst. More true is it here, I think, than in any other State of this republic that a prophet is not without honor save in his own country, and among his own people. And yet, even when just criticism of this kind was indulged in before him, William L. Saunders never failed to eulogize and defend the people of North Carolina. He had absolute confi- dence in them as to everything, and was always ready to vindicate them against any sort of imputation from any quarter. Nor was it a mere blind prejudice on his part. He was not blind to the peculiarities of his fellow- citizens as a community, but he always insisted that with all their faults and pecularities they were the best people he had ever known. He made no display of this sentiment, and never sought to make capital of it for selfish ends, as he might have done if he had been a demagogue, but he sincerely felt and always acted upon it. No man ever lived who was more thoroughly imbued with faith in the people, and, therefore, he prized government by the people as the greatest of all political blessings. Bred to the