Newspapers / The State’s Voice (Dunn, … / July 1, 1934, edition 1 / Page 5
Part of The State’s Voice (Dunn, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Raising Some Question Marks I shall not go Into the story of the shutting down of tjje Enfield municipal light and power plant and the making of a contract with the big, power com pany by the town council. I merely raise the ques tion as to whether there is something rotten much nearer than Hamlet’s Denmark. ' After a visit to several of the Halifax county towns a question mark has robustly risen in the edi tor’s mind as to the probability of an undue and harmful influence emanatlng^from the great Boanoke industrial quarters and froqrthe offices of the power and light company operating in that section of the State, which is largely controlling the political des tinies of Halifax county an^of the Halifax towns. Either there was something ^rotten in the recent Halifax county primary or people o.ther than de feated candidates have been making some statements that should damn themselves. There has either been some powerful political shenanigan in old Halifax or some mighty big lying. The matter of powerful corporations using un limited funds and unveiled hints of lqss of jobs to attain their business and political aims (which in the long view accord in purpose) is a1 matter of more than one county's concern. Some Halifax County History (Continned from Page Two) terials necessary for the prosecution of war and all the while it moyed from place to place, • keeping in touch with the Continental Congress and its fingers on the poise of the State. It was an effi cient body. Jones Opposes Ratification of V. S. Constitution. On July 21, 1788, a Qonvefltion met at Hillsboro to reject or ratify the.^-Federal Constitution. Willie Jones was, of course, a, member. He was opposed to the adoption of the. Federal Constitution because it contained no Bill of Ttights, and on the further ground that it would provide for such a strong cen-' tral government that the State government would ultimately be sacrificed. As a mark of esteem Sam uel Johnston, the old leader, Was elected president by? a unanimous vote of the>284 delegates present. As soon as the convention was-' opened for business, Joiies moved...that a .vote be taken, saying that all ' delegates flhd determined their ^oTe already, bot the Federalists, who recognized that they*' were in the minority, wished to debate the Constitution and the anti-Federalists showed a disposition to Bear them. So a discussion of the Constitution was taken up. At first the anti-Federalists advanced no inclination to debate the matter though they later were drawn in, though Jones himself never spoke. Iredell and the other Federalists argued with eloquence for the Con stitution, but to no avail. Jones’ -ranks could not be broken. The Federalists attempted to put the ques tion direct, either to ratify or'to fail to ratify, but failed. At the conclusion of • the debate the conven tion by a vote of 184 to 84 declared itself unwilling to ratify tile amendment until .a Bill of Bights had been, backed and approved <jf in several other par ticulars so as fo 'guarantee certain powers to tne State. The Bill -of Rights and the amendments for which Willie Jones contended pursuant to a letter to Thomas Jefferson- "was afterwards written Into the Federal Constitution. Jones had fought his last political fight. More than anyone else he had held North Carolina out of the union until certain fundamental rights and lib erties were guaranteed to the-citizens and .the State. He was willing to quit the State and enjoy a men tal rest in the last years of his life. He was one of the commissioners who decided the site of the State capitol and approved its plans and. until his. death was/a trustee of the University. Me was never active in politics. He spent the remaining days of his life attending to tils lar^e duties as a planter, dividing his time between his homes; “The Grove” at Halifax, and in the City "of R&leigh. He-died at his residence in Raleigh in 1801. He Was buried ac cording to instructions set out by him that “no, priest or any other person is to insult my corpse by uttering any imipioiis observations over it. Let It be covered up snug and warm and there’s &hd end. My. family are not to mourn my death even with'a. black rag, 1 on the contrary T give to my wife and three daugh ters a bolt of quaker colored silk fo wear at my funeral.” Sucb were the last wishes of a-man who had played .so dominant a part in’the early history of our State.' ' . * - How John Paul Became Johia Paul Jones. And now as to John PaulJOntes,'' He was born in the parish of Kirkbean and the stewartry of Kirk cudbright, Scotland, on the esfafb Of Atoingland, be longing to Robert Kraik, a meruber of - Parliament. His father, John Paul, was 'a landscape gardener to Kraik’s employ-} big -toother, Jean MacDuff.^Was a' daughter of a Highlander. - Wheff 12 yeats-of ageu t™ to * and taten —0**4. a ship which carried him to Virginia. Ttmje voyages followed, gaining for the lad much sea.ex, perience. When his master failed, young John Paul obtained an acting Midshipman’s berth for a brief period in the Royal Navy. Then he acted as "third mate on a Slave ship which carried him on two voy ages between Jamaica and the Guinea coast Next ‘ he traveled on another slaver/this time *» first mate, then only 17 years of' age. After two years he be «me a slave trader, giving up'hispositlon and took passage oa board shfp for England. On the way the* captain and first mate both died of fever and John Paul took command and brought .the vessel safely . to port Forthwith, the owners made him master of ■ ship. After he had made two voyages to Tobago for them, his employers desolved partnership. John Paul purchased the vessel and again sailed for Tabago. Investing^ all his money in a cargo there, the young sailor next intended to delay payment of his crew until his cargo had been sold, but the crew (mutinied. After a struggle' John Paul killed the ring leader and left the ship.' -No Admiraftry Court then set in Tobago, and. rather than suffer imprison* ment while awaiting his* trial he fled from the island. Then follows a~ period of obscurity. Curing this period comes his appearance and meeting with Willie Jones in front of the Eagle Tavern about the year 1775. The history of that meeting has come down unchanged. “What is your, name?” asked* Wil lie Jones. “I have hone.” “Where is. your home?!’ “I have none,” was John Paul’s reply. Willie Jones ’ then entered into further conversation with the stranger and invited him forthwith to share his home, which he declared was large enough for both of them. ' * \ Legend and tradition seem to prove beyond a rea sonable doubt that John Paul lived for awhile at IWJUlie Jones’ home, “The Grove” at Halifax.. Col. Cadwallader Jones, of Sock' Hill, {■>. C.', ..left a ganealogical record of hia family and in this record he makes the‘"statement that the illustrious.. Paul* .Jones adopted his name from his great uncle, Wil lie Jones, in token of his gratitude for the many., benefactions received at his hand, ~ Jones_Iradition Weil Founded. Mrs. Willie Jones long survived her husband and 'resided at the “Grovel* tintil her death. Cadwallader' Jones, as> a child, spent long months with his'great aunt, who repeatedly told him the stories of how the famous Paul Jones Lad -been befriended by hef Tius band afld had,beenr received-in their home. ‘"Besides the direct testimony of Col. Cadwallader Jones, there are many corroborative statements from other lineal' descendants of-the family. Miss A. J. Robertson*-a great granddaughter -of Allen Jones, contributed an article "to-the American Monthly Magazine of Novem ber, 189b, not only stating the traditional fact of -Jones’ adoption, of their name, but adding the inter esting account of the conversation which took place in Washington in the year 1848 between Mr. Loudon, nephew of Paul Jones, and the wife of Hon." E. W.' Hubbard, a member of Congress from Virginia. Mr. Loudon" was in Washington* awaiting the - long de loyed award of a-claim for prize money due from the government to Paul Jones. Mrs. Jtiuuoaru was a granddaughter of Willie Jones; she stated the-facts' •of Jones’ association with her family, and the ac count as she had herself heard it from her grand parents that he had adopted the name of her great grandfather out of gratitude for his services to him. Mr. Loudon admitted the veracity of her statements and added that in the possessions of his uncle, in herited by his mother and heir, there existed a por trait of Allen* Jones. ~Iris a -fetter dated’ the 16th of December, 1844, from Charleston, S. C., Mr. Loudon states categorically that he took the name from Allen Jones. This letter-was contained in-an article contributed by Stephen B. Weeks to a periodical called the Southern History Publication in'- July, 1906. Mrs. Hull, a descendant of Allen Jones; who lived - at Tuxedo, New York, stated-to Mrs. DeKoven 'that she bad heard the facts in regard to Paul Jones, connection with her -family manr Arnes. related by her grandmother, -Mrs. Long. Mrs. Junius Davis, of Wilmington,^. C., who has contributed a careful study-Of this^snbject to the ►South Atlantic Quarterly of 1905,- states that his father, the-Hon. George Daiis? told* him it was fc * fact in universal credence among the men of his generation that- Paul Jones?-met- Willie Jbnes In Halifax soon ftfter-his arrival in Virginia; that-he * paid him a long visit at the-^roYe”; and that in' token of his affeetion for him-tis* brother had added their name to hi? own. Madam Combsult, great granddaughter- of Mrs. Loudon^, who was a Bister of Paul-Jones, and who die^in* Paris in the year 1912,'stated to Mrs. Rob e'rtsOir that Paul Jones had bdetrbefriended- by Allen jbnes.^G6l. Whartoh' iSreedp one of the most' brfl liantrmen ever produced in barren County, and the. >idy member* ofins elass at WestPointe^ho entered . ^ v ^ ^ ‘-yf- jr^ii; .. _>..*■ the Confederate Army an(J did pcfc become a general officer, stated that he hear<P MatoibK^^>f Meck lenburg Comity, Virginia, state tbat while be was a ,gue^t of Willie Jones at Halifax to-tbe year 1775 . be saw .Paul Jones ...there.^ i ? Unquestionably John Paul came- to Halifax, seek* tog asylum from the l&aglish courts? He was' truly a man of despair, without a tmiiifw, t. home,> .or a country, and it can readily-be-seen-how Willie Jones* . the man of the world, seeking amusement, new ideas* new conservation in the tbwr ieol&ted town of Hali fax, would have his full'fanfey caught by John Paul. From all that has been-written and said of John Paul, he must have can&dedt? quickly to his new found friend, who gave hint a haven of rest andi peace. John . Paul at-that time, oh'account of Ms frame of mind, inflamed against the British govern ment, unquestionably watered readily into Willie Jones' revolutionary ideas and activities. There has been no written proof on tbe part of the Jones tom* - ily, being a tradition handed down- from father to son that he, Jon43;; kept bis - friends confidence throughout the years. John Paul, during his stay with Willie Jones, aft the “<Jrove” in Halifax had impressed Jones with his knowledge , of nautical affairs to such ah extent that. Willie Jones recommended to Jpseph - Hewes that John Paul be commissioned in the new Ameri can Navy. , Through Joseph Hewes, who at . that time was a member of what is now the Naval Affairs .Committee, John Paul received his commission. This > is the striding personality which now emerged frogi nameless obscurity, to play a brilliant part to the fortunes of America. This is a portrait of John . Panl from the pen of * the wife of John Adams, who at the time was ope of the American Commissioners in Paris: "John Paul Jones you have heard much of—he is a most uncommon character. From his intrepid; character in the American Nary I expected to have seen a rough, stout, warlike Homan—instead of that I should sooner think of wrapping him up' in cotton - wool and putting him into my pocket than sending ".him to contend with cannon balls. He is small.of statue, well proportioned, soft- in, his. speech, easy in bis address, polite in his, manner, yastly civil, . understands all the etiquette of a lady’s toilette a* perfectly as he does the masts, soils and; riggings of his ship.- Under all this appearance of softness bA - is boldj enterprising, ambitious and active. He had been here often and dined with us! several timwtf ■ he is said to. be -a man of gallantry , and a favorite among the French ladies.” ; ., > A French duchess, a true grande dame, called him J“Tpe untitled knight of the sea,” "The wrathful Archilles of the ocean,” and “The Bayard afloat” : * Benjamin Franklin'said he was not a-man but ft nor’wester. The remainder of the, life of John Paul Jones is ^ history—hero -of well nigh impossible exploits and battles fought by moonlight in sight of the shores of England. His name passed into the realm of ro mantic legend. His reply to Capt. Pearson, of the Serapis, from the deck of the doomed and sinking, Bonhomme Richard, expressed in his characteristic simple phrase, “I have not yet begun to fight” has - become' a national battle-cry, and is John Panl Jones’ password to the company of heroes. Many of his'characteristic sayings deserves 10 ue preserved: “I Swill not have anything to do with ships which do not sail fast, for r intend to go in harm’s way.” “I may not win success, but I will endeavor to deserve it.” “I have ever looked out for the honor of the American Flag.” “I can never Hfenounce the glorious title of a citizen of the United iStates.” " He is the most renowned naval officer of the Bdvolution, and was the dominating figure in the in- ' fant navy. He never sailed a ship of war whose efficiency he did not improve, nor fought a sea bat tle that he did not win. Preeminent among all the early defenders of the United States, John Paul Jones fought her unequaled battles and "tfon a place -for her among* the powers of the world;" For this a grateful government recorded those things in the most significent -and glorious encomium ever passed -- upon him “He had made the flag of America res pected among the flags of other nations.” We" commemorate here today the memory of thgse two -remarkable men whdse lives touched for a brief time at the “Grove”'in the little town of Hali fax. Unlike in almost everything they were as one ■ in indomitable purpose to dare all and to risk all in defense of threatened rights and liberties more . precious to free men than life itself. That purpose Willie Jones achieved greatly and, successfully in the council halls of North Carolina, and that pur pose John Paul Jones achieved on the high seas in sea "battles that have become Classic. Both deserved well of North Carolina, yet until the bronze tablets are unveiled here today, our people rt-v ^ “Carved not n line, and raised not a stone : r But left them alone with tKeir glory:”. J
The State’s Voice (Dunn, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
July 1, 1934, edition 1
5
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75