Memoirs of W. W. Holden (Volume 2)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1911. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER IV. GOVERNOR UNDER THE RECONSTRUCTION ACTS BEMINISENCES OF EABLY LIFE PEOTEST OF GOV EBNOB WOETH PEOCLAMATIONS BEGAEDING THE KU KLTJX THE SHOFFNEB ACT COBEESPOND" ENCE WITH CAPTAIN PEIDE JONES EXAMPLES OF EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY. I am now an old man. I have passed my limit of manly life, three score years and ten. I came to Raleigh in the year 1836, a lad, not quite eighteen years of age, and began work in the old Raleigh Star office, still standing, as a typesetter, or compositor. I was not a regular journeyman printer, for I had not learned to lock up forms or do job printing. I was only a very swift compositor. I remained in the Star office, boarding in the family of the Editor, the Rev. Thomas J. Lemay, for more than four years. I was a close, hard student of books and men. During the period I read law, mainly at night after the labors of the day were over, and on the 1st day of January, 1841, I obtained license in the County Courts, the Supreme Court consisting then of Chief Justice Ruffin and Judges Gaston and Daniel. Mr. Henry Watkins Miller, a young lawyer, loaned me the law books and told me what to read. Mr. Hugh McQueen, of Chatham County, was employed by Mr. Lemay as Editor of the Star. They were both kind friends to me, and encouraged me very much in my studies. I had no time to have the benefit of an examination at their hands. I was poor and unknown and very ambitious. Indeed, I seemed to consume Blackstone. In the class in which I passed before the judges were Messrs. Calvin H. Wiley, deceased, Eobert W. Lassiter, of Granville, and George Davis, of New Hanover, now living. There were twenty in the class, now nearly all dead. The day we passed examination was Saturday. The next Monday morning I met an old friend, Captain Thomas G. Scott, then P...