The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. 335
and sound common sense supplied to a very large extent his unfor- tunate want of military education.
When all the disadvantages under which the South fought are duly considered, it is wonderful what her soldiers achieved. But soldiers who believe in themselves and have absolute faith in their leaders are very difficult to beat in war, where success depends so largely upon the firm inner conviction of military superiority over your enemy. Victories gained over him early in a war engender that feeling of self-confidence which is, in fact, the twin brother of success. Little by little this feeling grew in the force under Forrest, and he knew well how to foster it among the wild and restless spirits who followed him.
"So much the weight of one brave man can do."
His military career teaches us that the genius which makes men great soldiers is not to be measured by any competitive examination in the science or art of war, much less in the ordinary subjects com- prised in the education of a gentleman. The reputation of a school- boy depends greatly upon his knowledge of books, but that of a general upon what he has done when holding independent command in the field. And it is thus we must judge Forrest's claim to mili- tary fame. " In war," said Napoleon, "men are nothing; a man is everything." And it would be difficult to find a stronger corrobo- ration of this maxim than is to be found in the history of General Forrest's operations.
WOLSELEY.
THE MECKLENBURG DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.
ORATION BY HON. D. B. HILL, AT THE ONE HUNDRED AND
SEVENTEENTH ANNIVERSARY, CELEBRATED
AT CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA,
MAY 20, 1892.
[From the Richmond (Va.) Times, May 21, 1892.]
Senator Hill and his party arrived at Charlotte, North Carolina, at 2 o'clock A. M. May 20, 1892. A reception committee, headed by Mayor Robert Brevard, escorted them from the Richmond and Dan-
