Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-02-24
REMARKS OF HON. ID. s.. GATHER
Or NORTH. G. IA oLINA

OF NORTH-OAROLlNA,
Delivered in the House Of Representatives Of the
Confederate Congress, February II, 1868.
Mr.. Gather of North Carolina, by leave, intro-
duced series of joint resolutions of the State of
North Carolina indicating the loyalty of the State
and of its General Assembly. After the reading of
the resolutions Mr. Gather said the State had been
greatly slandered and misrepreSented, both in and
out of the State where the true sentiments of her
people were unknown. He had been greatly NOR
tilted at the question frequently asked him, and
even by members of this House. if the State was not
in favor of a reconstruction of the old Union. He
said he felt hesitation in expressing the opinion
that the resolutions just read reflect truly and fairly
the sentiments of all parties in the State. 1t was
unfortunately, true that the State divided into
two parties at this eventful and important crisis;
but the great and vital principles involved in the
present revolution, her people were unit all op-
posed to reconstruction of the old government;
all in favor Of vigorous prosecution of the war; and
all disposed to give the administration cordial sup
port in all constitutional measures necessary to
achieve our independence Two parties sprang up
early in the revolution, and have oeen continued
up to the present moment 1t was a matter Of his
tory that North-Carolina had never sanctioned the
doctrine of constitutional secession and large
ority Of her people never believed 1t to be peace
full remedy, but upon the contrary, thought that
secession and civil war were synonymous TERMS
and upon more than one OCCASION her Legislature
had repudiated the doctrine. But in the winter of
1861, after the States of South Carolina, Florida
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana had
seeded and formed the Provisional government at
Montgomery the Legislature of my State passed
an act, called Convention Of the people to be as
sembed in February to take into consideration the
question OF secession providing that at the election
of delegates that the voters should cast their votes
for or against Convention. The result was that
some eighty delegates were elected pledged against
secession, and forty in its favor On the question
r al
people decided that it should not be called. This
was the origin Of the Conservative and Secession
parties in North Carolina But after the result of
the Peace Congress at Washington, and the attack
upon Fort Sumter, and the issuing Of Lincolns pro-
clamatiOn, nauguratIng this bloody revolution call
ing upon Carolina for her quota of troops to
suppress the Provisional government at Montgome-
ry and coerce our sister States of the South into
submission and Subdue the rebellion there was but
voice in North Carolina from the mountains to
the seaboard aud that was resistance and revolution
Convention was Immediately called and the re-
suit, unanimous vote, for separation and dissolu-
ton of the bonds of the old Union, and from that
day to this there has besn.but one sentiment Nv
State may have been slow, but she is as firm as the
rock of ages in the position she occupies. She
among the last to come into this Confederation
and will be one Of the last to 90 out of it. might
here remark and express the opinion, that her prn-
cpal objection to is its want of nationality and
cohesive power to bind sufficiently firm its COM
ponent parts. | may further express the opin-
ion, with propriety, that in this act Of separation
that my State did not repudiIte its long cherished
and often expressed opinion on the constitutional
RICH. Of secession, but did act upon principle and
did but exercise that natural, nalienable, and e1e
waited right of revolution which is paramount to all
constitutions and forms of government and re-
cognized as existing in all civil governments where
civil liberty is appreciated 1t has been alleged in
some quarters that the Conservative party in my
State led by the gallant and distinguished Vance,
was not in favor of prosecution of the war, and
falsely and slanderOuSly termed, 1.-THE peace party
Who, said Mr.. g., is Governor Vance, and what has
been his position in this revolution?
He member of the old Congress- and was
candidate for election without opposition, up to
the date of Lincoln'S proclamation, and immediate
ly declined and raised a company of infantry, ten
dered the same to the Governor of the State and
was accepted before the ordinance Of secession
passed; afterwards promoted to a Colonelcy, and
distinguished himself in the battle of Newbern,
Malvern Ill., ard other battles around this city.
lie remained in the teld until called by the people
to fill the gubernatorial chair of the State he hay
ing been elected over a very highly respectable
competitor, without a canvass, while absent from
the State in the service, by a majority Of some
thirty thousand, and now heads what is called the
Conservative party in my State; and the members
of the present Legislature elected at the Same
time. large majority of both Houses is COM
posed of the Conservative party, who unanimously
voted for the resolutions which l have had the
honor to submit no State in this Confederacy had
been more profusely liberal in their blood and treas
ure than North Carolina, and he need but point to
the number Of her troops in the field their heroic
and gallant deeds on every battlefield her immortal
dead and wounded in the hospitals il this city, to
furnish ample evidences Of her loyalty As fur
Their evidence that my State is loyal and devoted
to the cause of the South need but refer to the
manner in which the cOnscript law has been exc
cuted in that State. That law is unpopular, and I
may say in truth odious to majority Of her people
tlse constiutionality of which is questioned and
d46ted by many intelligent gentlemen of the State,
and the policy of raising troops by this mode, repu
dated by large majority of her citizens. Yet her
citizens knowing that the law has been passed by
the constitutional authorities Of the government,
have bowed in submission to the supremacy of the
law, and have yielded cheerful acquieScence in its
execution and although other States have been ia
vored in delays in its execution, North Carolina has
responded promptly, and by the energy and efforts
of Governor Vance, has now in the field more con-
scripts, in proportion to her population than any
other State.
1t has been likewise saId that Gov. Vance and
the party with which he acts desires to come in con-
fct with the Confederate government by raising
troops in the State for local defence which is known
to every North. Carolinan not to be correct, and
that there is no wish entertained by any party to
bring about such collision. Since the fall of Hat
teras surrender Of Roanoke Island and the battle
of Newbern, very large portion of the State en-
bracing the most valuable lands, wealth, and at
least third of slave population, has been in
the possession of the enemy, and our citizens of
both sexes subjected to the greatest losses of prop
erty and infamous personal iHdignities. And thus,
far has been permitted by the Confederate Govern
ment TO retain unnolested possession far they
desired, up to the line of the Weldon and Will
mington road. 1t is true, the enemy has not taken
possession Of the whole Of that country yet but
do so at their pleasure II is but natural in this
state Of things that Gov. Vance and every citizen
of our State, who has North Carolinians heart in
his bosom, should feel deep sympathy for thispor