Page Four
THE NEW BERN MIRRCkR, NEW BERN, N. C.
Friday, August 7, 1959
THE NEW BERN MIRROR
Published Every Friday at 111 King Street,
New Bern, N. C., by the Sole Owner
j. GASKiLL McDaniel
Editor and Publisher
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
One Year $2.50 Six Months ..$1.25
Entered as second-class mail at New Bern April 4, 1958,
unJIer the act of March 3, 1879.
NEEDS ENLIGHTENING
‘ dtdinarily, we wouldn’t suggest that the Federal Gov
ernment spend any more money than the billions already ap
propriated. However, it might be worth the investment to
give the Postmaster General a good course in human nature.
His only accomplishment, it seems to us, in banning “Lady
Chatterly’s Lover” from the mails was to increase sales tre«.
mendously. Here in New Bern there has been no lack of
eager purchasers since the Postal Department let it be known
that somebody in Washington had decided that the book was
n’t fit reading matter.
What else could the Postmaster General expect? Think
back to your childhood, and you’ll recall that chewing gum
in school was doubly delightful because the teacher said you
couldn’t do it. Censor anything and you come up with for
bidden fruit that someone will quickly pick.
The pathetic thing about the whole matter is the fact
that D. H. Lawrence wasn’t reaching out for gutter readers
when he wrote what he considered an honest and realistic work
for intelligent people to peruse.
Actually, his book is far less filthy and degrading than
a lot of other stuff peddled on the nation’s newsstands. In
fact, many New Bernians who relish smutty literature are apt
to be keenly disappointed because it isn’t as “bad” as books
they’ve previously read.
Of one thing the Postmaster General can be sure. Wheth
er some of us approve of the public’s taste for literature or
not, the public is going to read what it wants to. Much of
what it reads will be trash, while better books and maga
zines gather dust.
Nothing is going to change that. For our part, we think
it would be sort of nice if all New Bernians read worthwhile
books regularly. And likewise, we would like to see a greater
appreciation of fine music, and all the other noble things
around us.
But we intend to keep on reading what we .want to,
and fully expect you to do the same.
Historical
Gleanings
—By—
FRANCES B. CLAYPOOLE
and
ELIZABETH MOORE
A Letter to Janies G. Stanly, Esq.,
C. S. C., New Bern, N. C.
Greenville, N. C.
Oct. 12, 1852
A GOOD SHOW
No one who visited the New York World’s Fair 20 years
ago should be surprised at the impressive reception cooked up
by the Russians for Vice-President Nixon.
Well do we remember the Russia exhibit, and how the
lighted red star on this multi-million dollar extravaganza
all but dominated the World’s Fair scene.
No other country, not even our own, went to greater
lengths to put across its propaganda message of international
superiority. Stalin and his cohorts were already trampling
free people underfoot in Europe, but what you saw at the
Soviet exhibit was supposed to portray Communism as a
veritable paradise on earth.
One whole side of the great structure was covered by a
mural of a joyous May Day celebration in Moscow. Heaven
only knows how many competent artists wielded their brushes
on this tremendous endeavor, but imagine if you can a paint
ing with thousands of individuals displayed in complete de
tail. Needless to say, each and every face was a happy one.
Another huge mural on the other side of the building
%vasn’t quite so pleasant. It showed the bloody fighting in
Red Square, when the Czar was kicked out. There was enough
gore and violence to make even the morbidly curious get
butterflies in the stomach.
Placed at strategic spots about the exhibit were giant
bronze statues of Stalin, Lenin and others that would dwarf
the ijsual statues seen in America. We’re no authority on art,
but it appeared to us that a great deal of talent had gone
into the project.
And, of course, there were movies, depicting what was
said to be the agricultural, industrial and cultural life in
Russia. Among other things, women were shown driving
tractors as expertly as any man could.
The Russian exhibit didn’t sell us on Communism, but it
did cotovince us that the Russians are pretty smart operators.
Mr. Nixon, no doubt, would agree.
THERE IS NO SECRET TO OUR
LONG YEARS OF SUCCESS.
WE PIONEERED, THEN KEPT PACE
WITH THE TIMES.
STALLINGS
\ PLUMBING-BEATING -AIR GONOITIONING
NEUSE BLVD • NEW BEHN, N C c^i^, ME.T 'in!
Dear Sir:—
My brother C. C. Battle, Esq. has
been engaged by Mr. James Davis
of this place, and other relatives of
one John Davis of the Revolution
ary War to prosecute a claim for
land, duly surveyed and located in
Shelby County, West Tennessee of
2560 acres, entered and located for
the heirs of John Davis of the Con
tinental Line of North Carolina!
My, brother is now in Tennessee at
Brownsville collecting information
and preparing to substantiate the
claim, for James Davis and others
of this County, but before he can
proceed further, it becomes neces
sary that proper proof be furnish
ed him by the claimants that this
Uncle John Davis is the same man
who was in the service during the
Revolutionary War, and was the
only John Davis who was an of
ficer in the Continental Line of
North Carolina. My brother has
just written to me stating that he
has ample proof of the survey
entry and location of the land ’for
the heirs of John Davis’ and has
engaged my attention to obtain the
necessary proofs from this State
to identify, if possible, that the
John Davis of whom you wrote
about to James Davis, the 26th
April last is the same for whose
heirs the land was located. If so
then he will have no difficulty of
establishing the claim of his cli.
ents I called on Mr. James Davis
this morning to obtain information
and he gave me your letter to him
of the 26th April, ’52, in which
there is this statement “I was in
formed by Captain John T. Lane
that General Thomas A. Green told
him that your Uncle John Davis
and himself were captured by the
British during the Revolutionary
struggle, and was taken from on
board an armed vessel of the
Americans, but whether she was
a public or private armed vessel
he did not remember to have heard
and that so inhuman was the treat
ment of the British to your uncle
that he died in his presence while
their prisioner. Captain Lane ad
ded that old Mr. Carter who used
to live on the Palace Square con
firmed the truth of General
Green’s account”. This statement,
it strikes me will be very import
ant evidence as far as it goes, and
Every drop
gives you
more for
your
moneyli
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DISTRIBUTOR
ME 7-2197
Villoge Verses
SEEING IS BELIEVING
The things you tell him with your lips
Are clever and quite wise;
And yet, far more revealing
Are the words seen in your eyes.
Your mind controls your voice quite well,
Yes, every single thought;
But that’s of small concern to him.
He’ll take what’s in your heart.
For lips can be misleading,
And bring their share of lies;
While words unspoken fairly shout
The truth found in your eyes.
So, if sometimes he fails to hear,
Good reason there may be;
He’s probably listening to your heart
Speak words that he can see.
—JGMcD.
in behalf of Mr. Davis and his fel
low heirs of John Davis. I request
you to obtain from Captain John
T. Lane an affidavit of the above
facts in due form of law, and have
it proven before a magistrate and
get the county seal to it and for
ward the same to me as early as
practicable, and I will see that you
are paid for the service. I think it
would be well to embrace in the
affidavit that the John Davis
spoken of by Captain Lane was the
Uncle of James Davis of this place,
if he should know that to be a fact.
ing your County records if you
should find anything relative to
either of these names connected
with the Revolutionary service,
please inform me of its nature.
I have also been informed by
Mr. Davis this morning that the
wife of his Uncle, James Davis,
burned the papers of his Uncle
John, which were in the hands of
his Uncle James, to keep the heirs
of his Uncle John from ever being
benefited by the property of which
they were the legal evidence. Will
you also obtain information of this
fact and if any, put into iegal form
as it may serve a good purpose. I
have taken the liberty of thus writ
ing so freely from the promise you
made Mr. Davis in the closing part
of your letter to furnish him with
any further information if you
should meet with it in the records
of your county.
My brother writes me that he
has discovered that the heirs of a
Thomas Brown and John Brown of
North Carolina are entitled to some
land in Tennessee. While examin-
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Mr. James Davis and myself will
come to New Bern if necessary to
obtain more information if we
should find that what you can furn
ish will not fully answer his pur
pose. Please let me hear from you
at as early a day as convenience
will permit, and to oblige your
obt. servt.
A. I. Battle”
Minutes of Craven County Court
December Term, 1855
Wednesday, December 12,1855
(Extract)
“John T. Lane appears in open
court, and being sworn upon the
(Continued on Page 5)
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& REFRESHMENT,
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FULLER'S
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ME 7-3401