Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1865-03-02
REMARKS OF HON. JOHN A. GIL;
MER OF NORTH CAROLINA,

REM AIlkS OF HON. JOHN A. GIL.
MER OF NORTH CAROLINA,
.Ata Public Meeting held IN Rac/tnaoaad
e on the 9th Of February.
John A. Gilmer, of North Carolina
came forward, amid cheers and applause.
and addressed the assemblage. He said :
All doubts and divisions have passed
away from among us. There is now one
universal concurrence Of opinion that there
is nothing left us but TO prosecute the war
The consequences of failure you have al
ready been told. IT is useless TO consume
1iu,e by multiplying words. II we loose
oar independence, we loose all our prop
erty, of.everv kind, in the country oul
debit our slaves, and our lands. But we
loose more. The people OF the United
States have a greater debt than We, and
we shall not escape withaHt being obllg
ed to pay our proportion OF their debt. La
what condition will that leave MS, with
our property, our lands, bonds, houses and
slaves, all gone, and the mighty debt IN
Cured by the enemy in his war for our
subj gatien still to be borne, III part. by
us and our children? Then our subiuga-
zion, with all its personal evils, the utter
slegra.latinn it involves, must be consid7
cred. Subj ugation-s subnission--pr presents
nn hope; but IN continuing tue war 1t was
otherwise. We can see clear y the end
and the evils of SUBMISSION. 1t involves
.ur utter degradation and the turning
louse among MS, on footing Of equality
10 the destruction of our society and CIVIL
zati~n, millions of negroes. The hnat re-
salt ct prosecuting the war is not now dis
ccrnahle, hutit certainly holds out to us
hope. Oar present condition Is not, by
tar, So desperate as at one time was that
of our furctat hers IL, the Revnlntlon, eth
er IN the matters ef men. internal resour-
ces, or the financial condition OF onr coun-
try. Any one who will now read and
ponder their history Qhe history OF our
first Revolution) will be convinced OF this.
But we must do as did our torefathers.-
They went to the front and faced the rnu-
sic. We n.a,st do the same, Could we
consult their shades to-day they would
bid ,,s he of good cheer; To throw our,
selves, heart and soul, into the contest, and
under The guidance OF al All-wlse. PROV
idence, victerv would crown our efforts,
and liberty and independence, with all
their blessings, would soon be ours
Long continued applaase.I it we initiate
The example OF onr sires, our success VIII
be as glorious and Triumphant as theirs
So tar,in this war, We have proved our
selves NO degenerate sons OF ilfustrious
sires. ICheers and applause Let us not
only pe'severe as we have begun, but re-
double our exerfions. Many there are
who are. discouraged by the vastly supe.-
rior numbers. that the enemy eau bring,
and have brought, into the field against
us, and saw we shall never besabe to suc>
ceed against such odds. Those who make
these discourging calculations ask the
question. s.Where are now all the millions
the enemy have put into the field since
the beginning Of the war p The answer
is easy: They have met our arms, and
their bones Whiten our battle hclds; they
have encountered our sun and our climate,
and 1nyriads have died and disapp
from the earth. lCries of 4That's so7;;''
Served them right,'' Their armies now,
after all the reintorcelnenrs o. success
sive drafts, have dHindIed away until tos
day they are nowhere able TO make head
against the armies Of the Soutll.s'sa -
In conclusion, Mr.. Gilmer addressed
himself to the ladies, and paid tlIel1 al