The Hillsborough recorder., 1858-04-21
Speech Of Hon. JOHN A. GILMER,
or NORTH CAROLINA,

OF NORTH CAROLINA,
Delivered in the House Of Representatives March Goth.
1888, on the Senate bill for the admission Of Kansas
with the Lecompton Constitution and the Green
Pugh amendment.
Mr.. Chairman, have been an attentive
listener to The arguments on this Lecompton
question tor three months. Whilst some Of
the speeches have been calm and considerate,
! feel constrained to say that. by far, the
larger number have been violent and extreme
y sectional, tending directly to weaken the
respect which the North and South should
have for each other. aud which is essential 10
the safety of the Union itself. have heard
and read speeches delivered both in this House
and in the other end Of this Capitol, BY gen
tlemen from the North and from the South,
the true spirit and meaning of which is dis.
ulion.
True. most, If not all, profess to love the
Union and the Constitution. Their speeches
are filled with expressions of high yeneration
for the Constitution Of our fathers. They
indulge in patriotic strains. Their addresses
are robed in the most beautiful habiliments.
oycrflowlng with professions and assurances
most imposing. The spirit of dism,ioa is,
however, the core. It spresented, and peru
sal and handling secured, as you would an asp
in casket Of beautiful flowers. The design
ia evidently to infuse the poisonous spirit Of
disunion-where, for IL, there could be no
reception, we're proper labels attached. Pro-
fessions Of patriotism are uttered in loud and
eloquent tones, for peace and harmony, whilst
the evident DRIFT is to exasperate and make
wider the breach.
With pain and regret am forced to the
belief, there are gentlemen on this floor, who,
while they oppose :he admission Of Kansas
with the LecoInpton Constitution, do really
desire the bill to pass for the sake Of certain
consequences, disastrous to the peace and
harmony OF the country, which they expect
4 to grow out Of it.
On the other hand. fear that among other
gentlemen. advocating this measure, there
are some, whose regret is. that the Lecomp-
ton Constitution and the manner &c securing
/ lis presentation here, were not move odious
/ to the people Of Kansas and the free States,
50 that their ultimate object might be the
sooner secured By bloody conflict Of North
ern and Southern arms on the plains Of Kan
sas, and, in case of a failure in this, such
bitter sectional excitement shall certainly
ensue, as to produce fusion Of all political
/ parties in the free States, combined as purely
sectional party, against a similar fusion of all
parties in the slave States, by which disunion
IS made certain in the end. These speeches
| will not particuarize. They have unfortu-
nately gone forth to the country-those Of
the North to be read in the South, that they
! there may have samples Of how Northern
people hate and despise Southern men and
those OF the South to be read in the North,
that they may know how they are scorued
and detested by the citizens Of the South.
The designs and purposes Of both sides, il
Is 70 be feared, are the same-to arouse,
drill. and prepare for strife the minds OF a
great people now happy, with bright pros
poets Tor the future, and who, BY their united
energies, in advancing the industrial and
/! literary interests OF the whole country, are
doing much more for the true happiness and
prosperity Of US all.
Without intending 10 be offensive or per-
sonal, must be permitted to say, envy not
the man who can look on aur country as ills,
and with composure anticipate its condition,
when Severed and diVided. The man who can
contemplate that terrible day, when, by rea-
con OF civil war, our beautiful and growing
cities. towns, and villages, shall be consumed
~ IdLtu u uc
ground-our commerce broken up--our love-
iy fields and gardens made the foraging
grounds Of riballrous soldiery-all interna-
tional trade and communication cut off--all
municipal and family peace destroyed-our
suns dragged from Their homes-amid the
sghs aud tears Of afcctionate mothers and
sisters, to the bloody fields of civil strife;
and all this growing out ot question as to
how. when. or 10 what manner, iorty thou
sand people ONLY, in Kansas, shall settle
for themselves their own domestic aAairs-or
rather, how they shall soonest get clear Of a
few slayes-and get two " Free Soir' Sena.
tors and one Representative ia Congress. l
say such man has no feeling in common
with me--and none, trust. with the great
body Of the honest yeomanry Of this country.
i We have our troubles. | admit. We have
had sectional troubles Of similar kind be-
OF all sections.
fore. We have had, as now, disanion threat.
} ened. but thanks to the good sense Of the
people, they have never yet inclined to take
the prescriptions OF those who boastingly de.
cline TO sing peans to the Union!
: England, from whom we derive our nature
aud many o. the free principles OF which we
. bOast, had her troubles. She has had her
dissensions-her White and Red roses--ller
! land has heen tinged with blood 10 civil strife
I land once the bead other King was brought
to the bloek-but her people we're attached