William Gaston

William J. Gaston (September 19, 1778 – January 23, 1844) was a jurist and United States Representative from North Carolina. He was the author of the official state song of North Carolina, "The Old North State".

Quotes

It is Slavery which, more than any other cause, keeps us back in the career of improvement. It stifles industry and represses enterprize—it is fatal to economy and providence—it discourages skill—impairs our strength as a community, and poisons morals at the fountain head.

• As your country grows in years, you must also cause it to grow in science, literature, arts and refinement. It will be for you to develope and multiply its resources, to check the faults of manners as they rise, and to advance the cause of industry, temperance, moderation, justice, morals and religion, all around you. On you too, will devolve the duty which has been too long neglected, but which cannot with impunity be neglected much longer, of providing for the mitigation, and (is it too much to hope for in North-Carolina?) for the ultimate extirpation of the worst evil that afflicts the Southern part of our Confederacy. Full well do you know to what I refer, for on this subject there is, with all of us, a morbid sensitiveness which gives warning even of an approach to it. Disguise the truth as we may, and throw the blame where we will, it is Slavery which, more than any other cause, keeps us back in the career of improvement. It stifles industry and represses enterprize—it is fatal to economy and providence—it discourages skill—impairs our strength as a community, and poisons morals at the fountain head. How this evil is to be encountered, how subdued, is indeed a difficult and delicate enquiry, which this is not the time to examine, nor the occasion to discuss. I felt, however, that I could not discharge my duty, without referring to this subject, as one which ought to engage the prudence moderation and firmness of those who, sooner or later, must act decisively upon it.
  • Address at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (June 20, 1832); Address Delivered before the Philanthropic and Dialectic Societies, at Chapel-Hill (Raleigh, NC: Jos. Gales & Son, 1832), p. 14

"The Old North State"

Tho' too true to themselves e'er to crouch to oppression,
Who can yield to just rule a more loyal submission?

• Carolina! Carolina! Heaven's blessings attend her!
  While we live, we will cherish and love and defend her;
  Though the scorner may sneer at, and witlings defame her,
  Our hearts swell with gladness, whenever we name her.
     Hurrah! Hurrah! The Old North State for ever!
     Hurrah! Hurrah! the good Old North State!
  Though she envies not others their merited glory,
  Say, whose name stands the foremost in Liberty’s story?
  Though too true to herself, e’er to crouch to oppression,
  Who can yield to just rule more loyal submission?
     Hurrah, &c.
  Plain and artless her sons, but whose doors open faster,
  At the knock of the stranger, or the tale of disaster?
  How like to the rudeness of their dear native mountains,
  With rich ore in their bosoms, and life in their fountains?
     Hurrah, &c.
  And her daughters, the Queen of the forest resembling,
  So graceful, so constant, yet to gentlest breath trembling,
  And true light wood at heart, let the match be applied them,
  How they kindle and flame? Oh, none know but who’ve tried them.
     Hurrah, &c.
  Then let all who love us, love the land that we live in,
  (As happy a region as on this side of Heaven,)
  Where Plenty and Freedom, Love and Peace smile before us,
  Raise aloud, raise together, the heart-thrilling chorus!
     Hurrah, &c.
  • "The Old North State For Ever", in Turner and Hughes's North Carolina Almanac, vol. 1, no. 1 (1838), p. 26
  • Collected and Arranged by Mrs. E. E. Randolph in 1926, and adopted as the official song of the State of North Carolina by the General Assembly of 1927 (Public Laws, 1927, c. 26); "The State Symbols", SLNC (January 22, 2009):

    Carolina! Carolina! Heaven's blessings attend her!
    While we live, we will cherish, protect and defend her;
    Tho' the scorner may sneer at, and witlings defame her,
    Still our hearts swell with gladness whenever we name her.
       Hurrah! Hurrah! the Old North State forever,
       Hurrah! Hurrah! the good Old North State.

    Tho' she envies not others, their merited glory,
    Say whose name stands the foremost, in liberty's story,
    Tho' too true to herself e'er to crouch to oppression,
    Who can yield to just rule a more loyal submission.
       Hurrah, &c.

    Then let all those who love us, love the land that we live in,
    As happy a region as on this side of heaven,
    Where plenty and peace, love and joy smile before us,
    Raise aloud, raise together the heart thrilling chorus.
       Hurrah, &c.

External links

• Encyclopedic article on William Gaston on Wikipedia
• John T. Watson (ed.) Poetical Quotations (Philadelphia: Lindsay and Blakiston, 1847), pp. 150, 288