New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-08-22
MIR. GyLuER,s MISTAKES

Wing Unionist of North Carolina, representing
tbe noble old Cuilord district for the Tour years
prior TO the outbreak of the kepeii'oh' iio 10
since been in the Rebel Congress- anu ho"
finds himself required to dehhe MS pos''ioh'
III. 10 5oos in q letter to Mr.. W. II. Bagley,
nv ouotinp roma speech he made in the House
nm tbc 96th of January, 1861, as follows:
~, ,,r Sneaker have presented these consid.
-" bonibg thereby TO get us IN proper frame "i
mi and DISPOSITION to work for the peace OF TINS cou
rry because desire 10 do my au'y au my "loc uu'a
nrit 7 nav also be enabled TO do my duty then tei
gentlemcn that it, in spite Of all the efforts OF the wise
and good men, the 5 ate from which come decides 10
dissolve her conuoc ion with this Government my des
TIMES are. and will be, with her. kEow ta't when
that occurs, peace cannot long continue. Wu
terrible war will ensue. Whenever the people OF the
North and South have appealed 10 the God OF bat
ties for which | look with most fearful apprehch'
sion civil will follow. that will end only III the
destruction of all sections Of the country whenever
that event comes know my duty; and whether have
the nerve TO be there myself or not. Know thIt sueh
VIII be my duty. and that il viii also be my duty 10
devote the service my means, myself ana my cnid
rem Whenever that struggle comes you VIII hhG,
North aud South. that the men who have sought mos
preserve the Union who have been the last 10 give
up will be the first TO be found IN the rank ana ne
on both sides the bloody contest their means most
literally and freely devoted 10 the helping ana Aan
tanning the great, terrific and bloody struggle ana
will II cltncr size lOI NlctoiN VI
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." .,
We cannot see how this makes Mr.. Gilmer
differ in principle from any other SeceSsionlst.
They were separated only by matter OF CIR
cumstance-a question OF time. When Mr..
Jeff. Davis said in effect, 81 wash my hands
of the North, and go out Of the Union;" Mr..
Gilmer said: 81 will give the North one more
chance to consent to the extension OF Slavery;
if she does not improve it, then too will rebel
and fight to destroy the Union" or these
two positions, we consider the former the
more manly and consistent. The Free
States mad just automatically told Mr.. Gill
mer. by the election of Lincoln, that
they rould not consent to Slavery extension;
vet he virtually says, "Let the North perjurc
and disgrace herself by doing, through pure
cowardiee, what she has sOlemnly pledged her
self never TO do, and then she will prove tit for
my companonship, and l will consent to re-
main united with her." This is the libertine's
promise of marriage to the intended victim oil
his seduction and periidy. We consider the
original, ingram, straght-Out Secessionist
patriot and a gentleman in comparison with
this.
We never heard Of any one who was not
willing to stay in the Union if the Union could
be made the plant instrument of his purposes.
Aaron Burr would never have plotted its dis
Iruption il he, instead Of JeflerSOA, had been
chosen President in 1901. But the Union
party" of 1860, who took for their platform
"The Union, the Constitution, and the en-
forcement of the laws, "professed to be OF better
), stuff. Most of them lived to prove their pro
Il fession fraud
The South was, at the beginning Of 1861. di
u vided into two parties. one of which said, 1--WE
. will dissolve the Union;" the other responding
"We will not; but if goudo, and fight ensues
we will help you to the extent of our power.
D What an inducement to the original Secession
lists to rush into fighting at the earliest day
Mr.. Gilmer proceeds TO quote from his old
speech as follows:
81 want You, fellow men Of the North. TO be able 10
say. that upon mere abstraction that upon cues.
ton of practical importance, you here not held out
and refused 70 yield for the sake Of giving peace to the
country ask you again if you cannot give up this
mere abstractionF
b. The "mere abstraction"-the "questiOn OF
no practical Importance involved, first, the
surrender of 10000 square miles of Free terri
t tory to Slavery evermore; secondly, the honor
and good faith of the Republicans, who had just
won a Presidential election on their dis
L tinct, unequiyocal pledge that they ,couh no'
make this surrender. When Mr.. Gilmcr thus
, makes light Of other mems solemn pledges, he
affords an exact measure Of his own regard FOR
his pliglted faith.
Mr.. Gilmer proceeds TO state that Mr.. Lin
coin offered him aseat in his Cabinet-( which he
: would hardly have done had he purpoSed any
wrong to the South land that, in declining
the place,
II urged him Mr. Lncolnl that il compelled to
take action to maintain and execute the laws he would
not proceed further than by the Of our navy. to
blockade completely all the ports of the seeded States
from Charleston to Galveston. inclusive This advice
Mr. Lincoln received kindly that did hope he would
have pursued it, and try whether the seeded States or
reflection. and when for season left to themselves,
would not call conventions and return again to the
Union. represented to him that this course would
give further time to the people TO review the conduct
Of the prcciptators and adjust and compromise the
causes OF difference"
Very well; Mr.. Lincoln took the advice,
and kept it, despite the most fagjous betrayal
and capture of our little army in Texas, until
the Rebels refused to let the stGtu quo be main-
tanned by provisioning Fort Sumter, and COM
nenced Smelling out our garrison before we
could feed it, And, when they had trumphed
| Mr In Had