Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-10-28
From the Salem Press

Mr.. EDIroR:-l had the pleasure of hearing Mr..
Gilmers speech at Winston, on the 18th instant
He spoke earnestly and with his usual ability, an
hour and half, to very large and attentive att
dicnce and think made favorable impression ON
his he,rers; many conservatives, who at the COM
mencement of his speech were prejudiced against
him, declared at its conclusion that they salts
fled and that they would cordially give him their
support.
And to prove that he now occupied the position,
which he had declared he would take in his last
great speech made in the old Congress, on the 26th
Of January, 1851, he read the following to wit:
Nov Mr.. Speaker, have presented these con-
sideraons hoping thereby to get US in proper frame
of mind ard disposition to work for the peace of
this country, because desire to do my duty, and
my whole duty, while am in the Union; and if |
an forced to 60 out of it, may be also enabled to
do my duty then. tell gentlemen that if, in spite
of all the efforts of wise and good men, the State
from which come decides to dissolve her connec-
ton with this Government my destinies are, and
will be, with her. l know that when that event &C.
ours peace cannot long continue. A war, terrible
war, will ensue. Whenever the people of the North
and South have once appealed to the God of battles
for which look with most fearful apprehension a
civil war will follow that will end only in the destruc
ton of all the great interests of all sections OF the
country Whenever that event comes, l know my
duty; and whether have the nerve to be there my
self or not, | know that such will be my duty,
and that it will also be my duty to devote to the
service my means, myself and my children. When
ever that struggle comes, you will find, North and
South, that the men who have sought most to pre-
serve the Union who. have been the last to give it
up, will be the first men to be found in the rank
and file on both sides of the bloody contest their
means most literally and freely be devoted to help
ing and maintaining the great, terrific and bloody
struggle and they will enter it on either side for
victory or death AND if they fail in their efforts for
the first they will be found with their back to the
field and their feet to the foe"
That speech of Mr.. Glmer's was noble effort to
save the old Union to preserve the peace and pros
perity of the country and thereby prevent this ter
ribe war in which we are engaged. 1t is we'll
known that Mr.. Gilmer was one of the last among
our Southern statesmen to give up the old govern
ment, and his noble and manly efforts to preserve
it. have irrsistiby established his claim to conser-
vatism In the course of his remarks, Mr.. Gilmer
took occasion to refer to the most INSCRIPTIONS
manner in which ne was denounced and villified by
the old secessionsts for his efforts to the old
q Mon. and in this connection, he administered to
them proper and well merited rebuke.
Mr.. Gimer is in favor of free speech and the
RIGHT of the people to assemble together to hold pub
lie meetings for the common good, to instruct their
representatives and to apply to the authorities for
the redress of grievances ;-he Is IN favor OF the
freedom of the press for the reason, that it is one
o: the great buwarks of liberty and therefore ought
nerer to be restrained he is in favor Of preserving
all our civil rights and institutions; of keeping the
military subordinate to the cfvl, authorities, and
above all is in favor Of the great writ OF habeas cor
pus. Now, if Mr. Gilmer entertains such conserva
tive notions and sentiments, as he most assurediy
does,-who can truthfully say be is not conserva-
tive? Must the conservatives refuse to vote TOR MIN
because some of the destructives say they will sup
mort bim-surely not They have no candidate OF
their own in the field and for the very satisfactory
reason, that they we'll know, they could not elect
any one of their number; hence they make virtue
of necessity and say they will vote for Mr. Gilmer
Will the conservatives repudate him because ne IS
opposed to reconstruction, and speaks hopefully OF
the prospects for the establishment of our ndepen-
dence? trust they will not, for the reason, that
the conservative party of this State opposed to re-
construction Will any one demand Of me the ev-
idence on which base this assertion My answer
is That all the conservative candidates tor Congress
Except one perhsps in all their public speeches and
discussions, declare they are opposed to reconstruct
ion. 1t has been said that Mr.. Giimer was . last
man and last dollar man. He most emphatically
donies that he ever entertaind any such ridiculous
notion. but on the contrary GAYS he will seize upon
every opportunity to bring this meet unhappy war
to close and to establish peace between the con-
tending sections. Mr.. Gilmer is by nature educa'
tion md habit. a man of Cancellation and comfTo'
mise: such sentiments are part of the man and in
dissoluLly belong to him, and have shose out pre-
eminently in all the public acts of his life. Then,
nv conservative friends, Mr. Gilmer is our man.
and let us all 20 to the polls and cheerfuliy give
him our votes and influence.