Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-06-29
NUMBER 1913.
william q. Archer.

f'w months ago, at his residence 10 Amelia county
brief memoir OF his long services was published
at tho time, but We thought, and sill think suff,.
cient justice was scarcely done to his memory
Mr. Archer was the son Of Colonel Field Archer.
OF Amelia, with whose nAne Is connected one al
those stirring incidents that sometimes throw a
coloring OF romance over the grim r. altics Of wa
He was in Charlottesville, attending the session of
the Legislature, (of which, however, he was not =
member,) during the summer Of 1881, when il was
suddenly announced that Tarlcton, with bis pgioD.
Was at Shadwell, about three miles Off and moyin,,
towards Charlottesville with all the speed of we'll
mounted drag ons, tn capture the Il gislature and
the Governor Mr.. Jefferson. A sfaapeds OF course
immediately took place, not only among the mem.
bera, but among the inhabitsnts slso. Colonel.
Archer, who was well mounted, had engaged TO
borhood, and his gallantry would not allow hin, 10
leave the town without them. II the worst came
70 the worst, he trusted In the feetness Of his
horse, and those OF his fair charge, to carry hiu
be, ond the reach of the enemy.
While he was making preparations for depar.
ture, the advanced guard Of the legion rode sud.
denly upon him, while hs was still on foot. and
standing In the yard Of the late Dr. Il orgp Gil.
mer, the father Of Peachy R. and Francis w. GE ].
nler, and the grandfather Of the late lamented
Thomas Walker Gilmer, and Of our respected & !.
gocns called upon him to surrender, which n.
percmptorily refusing to do, they fell upon him.
and In spite Of desperate resistance, cut him
down, and inflicted several severe wounds upo,
his body. One Of them, more brutal than the
rest, after ne had fallen aud was supposed to be
dead, in order TO make assurance doubly s,,re.
dismounted and ran him through with his sword.
the point actually penetrating the grompd after
having passed through bis body. Dr. Gilmer was
from home but his wife, one Of those noble ma.
irons whose quiet virtues the Revolutionary war
called into exercise, and whose qualities shed not
less ustre upon our cause than the arms Of vi ash.
ington, had Witnessed the whole transaction.
In vain she endeavored TO prevent II, by b ay-
ers and entreaties, and by representing the COW
ardice Of thus attacking and numbering an unarmed
man. She was answered by jeprs, scol. and oati 4.
and the ruffisns, believing they had despatc d
their victim, rode of to rejoin their com, AZ, ..
With that instructive humanity ~hic is evertoo d
associated with the name Of woman. and il ii a
highest perfection Were the other qualities Of tho
sex are noblest, Mrs Glmer imn,edstely can, al
the body to be removed into her houss and plsf al
in bed To all appearances he WAS dead; bur her
woman's heart would not allow her TO believe il.
She immediately despatched q messenger for l,r
husband. physician Of great emineIice. and he.
returning home ~ speedily as possiblu. sddreasc,l
himself TO the task OF restoring their hep ss gne,,.
who II va soon discovered was not dead. For
weeka did this high-S ulrd couple watch by ia
bedside, aid at last they had the satisfaction Of ses
ing him. contrary 70 All human .xprcntion, re-
stor oncr more to conpa,atiye health.
Neither Col Arcller, nor his son, AVER forgot
this seryiee. IL conr,tuted lbk &hteI,ro l. .
day binds together the Arcl erst s1A he GiIhers.
beth 81 them numerous families In VIfRiula There
10 something In this connveon thar Voc ..,,cI r,
srnbles the attachments Of clans in the days q
the highlander OF Scotland. We have h, a,d---
what truth there may be in Il We know not--tbat
an Archer conceivrs bimsclf bound to stand by a
Gilmer, no matter what may be the dificuIfv. a, d
nc. y1sa or course the con Of such a man could
be nothing elre but an American to the very back
bone. But of that, more presently
We are MT aware OF the year In which Wm. S.
Archer was born. We know, however, that he
was educated at William and Mary and that
among his clss-maies were John j. Crittender.
and, we believe, General Scott. He tirst came m.
TO public life in the year 1920, having been elected
Representative IN Congress-, to supply the place
made vacant by the election Of the late James
Pleasants TO the Senate.
He was then very young man. but he ass. med
at once high stand, and he maintained il during
his whole term Of public service. During the tsn-
yass between Adams and jackson. he Vas 4 lirm
friend Of the latter, and continued 70 be 20 un,i
the removal OF the deposites In 1888 For tho
FIRST time he broke ground during the following
winter, against the administration, and that occa.
stoned his defeat In the spring Of 1898, BY the h
John Winston Jones. In ls4l Mr.. Archer vas
elected 70 the Ssnats Of the United states by tie
Wings This honor was due not less TO his admit.
ted abilities than 70 the active exertions which
had made 10 promote the election OF General Hai-
rison. During his whole term Ia the S,nate, 81.
Archer maintained high position. There sss 0
man whcsc JUDGMENT and integrity were more c,i-
hded in; but the party oppo cd to bis views ing
in the Dscsndant IA Viginia, he Vas OF couise de-
fated at the next election in i847. Itwas M 1874
that his connexion with the American patty frs.
began. At that time its fortunes we're at low
ebb. It's numerous petitions TO Congress for q
change In the naturalization laws we're merely PIE
sehted and laid on the table @
Numbers Of distinguished men, while admitting
the Justice OF their views yet avoided all aiation
With them, cont-nting themselves with the passing
remark that the evil was e cat but was peri city
within the reach of the old parties, ard did not
demand = new Organization. Mr.. Archer thou 1t
Inherently. He saw that the whole efforts of o
old parties were rected TO President-making, a d
that a. long A. that stnte Of things existed, IN y
would never cess 10 court the favor Of lore gnerF
lie immedstely determined to tske q bola stand
on the subject and contrary TO the entreaiies of
many warm personal friends, both In the Senate
niu siscWherc, no pook the nfet opportunity 70
avow his sentiments. The occasion wns we be-
lieve, the presentation Of q petition for change
In tho naturalization Laws. which had been sent 10
him from one Of the Northern Sutes In speech
which covered the whole ground, sid left nothing
to conjecture, or even 10 doubt, he explained his
sentiments precisely accordant with those which
form the basis Of the platform pubshed in this
paper This was an act Of great bardihood, and
it was considered ut the time As virtually nothipg
less than political suicide Regs dlers Of personal
consequences, Mr.. perscrved, notwith-tan i <
he found not man in the S-nste TO back tin,
During the same year, Mr.. A. attended the Phi.
sdelphz American National Conve ntion, q, d wac
nominated oy them 10 the Presidency. Ths nom
nation he accepted, not that be had any expecte-
ton that II would succeed, but because be wished
70 prove that he was neither afraid nor ashamed
TO stand BY his principles In the interval, he de-
voted himself 70 promoting the cause Of Mr.. Clay,
by all means in his power. In ls47, we believe,
Mr.. Archer lett the senate, carrying with him tue
reputation Of sound and sagatious statesman, q
most industrious and CONSCIENTIOUS s. Ssnator, and a
perfectly honorable man. From that period until
the time of hs DEATH bis attention was de, oted 10
the management Of bis large fortune, in which he
| manifested the same Judgment that had alwayJ