The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-05-28
Cumer Rises to Explain.

GREENSBORO, N. c., May "a.
Please give q place in your columns
to the subjoined statement, which
would have been publicly made weeks
ago but for the importantly of personal
friends. In view of the near approach
of the Democratic State Convention
and for the information of friends in
other parts of the State who have talked
and written to me on the subject, and
of other papers which have favored my
nomination for Governor. / feel it my
DUTY 10 saw that, while keenly sensible
of the distinguished honor thus proposed
to be conferred on me, and deeply CRATE
full for and proud of the many kind and
fIattering words of commentator, yet
for reasons unnecessary to be mention
ed here, and mainly of a private nature,
it is my decided wish that my name be
not presented to the convention as a
candidate for the G~ubernatorial noml-
nation. / am not and never have been
a candidate for such nomination, and
have read with pain recent unauthorized
statements in some papers about my
''withdrawing' from such candidacy.
NV wish and position in this matter
have always been as stated above.
With assurances of the highest appre-
citation of the kindness and partiality OF
all friends who would have had it other
wise, / am, sincerely yours,
JOHN A. GILMER
To the foregoing from the columns OF
the Daily News-O Observer that paper edi-
torially remarks:
1T is to be noted that the Judge has
never in any sense been a candidate for
this place-and therefore it is very mac
curate to speak of his declining to be a
candidate as a ''w~ithdrawaP' from the
race. There can be no withdrawal
because he has not catered the lists as a
candidate.
1T is also to be noted that the Judge
does not expressly decline-because
nothing has been offered to Decline
We know not if Judge Gilmer refers
to this paper, but as it was among the
first, if not the first, of the half score of
State papers which almost simultane-
ously announced his retirement from tho
Gubernatorial field, we shall add a few
remarks. The paragraph SO widely
quoted dill not say Judge Gilmer had
withdrawn" What it did say was as
follows:
at is commonly current, and probably a fact,
that Judge Gilmer has retired from the Guberna-
''torial race, for reasons personal and promisso-
Try"
This was truth. The rumor was s'com-
monty current" was probably a fact"
and is now shown to be a fact, by the
above card of d~eclinature.
There is not, that we can see, any
reason for any one to be t~hin-skinned
on the subject Of stating his intentions
as to public office. In our political sys-
tenn the candidates are freely brought
out, discussed, and advocated, prior to
the nomination, and of a right ought TO
be, else how shall the people decide
upon the best man for the place? Such
has been the custom for generations,
and it has also been the custom for all
prominent persons who do not wish to
accept a nomination to arise and decline
as soon as there is a marked demonstra-
ton of popular approval. Ifa man does
not purpose to accept Office he ought to
SO state and not coquette with his friends,
but promptly relieve them of the risk Of
offending other aspirants by advocating
him, in Ignorance that they were vast
ing their efforts.
This is SO well understood that it is
the custom to count silence as giving
CONSENT in such cases. Judge Gilmer
himself recognises this when he states
that he should have issued his card of
retirement several weeks sooner, but
for the importantly of friends.'
There is no immodesty in SO doing.
1t is the rule. Mr.. II. NJ. Furman re-
Gently arose to disclaim aspirations to
the Secretaryship Of State. So did Maj.
Hale last week. So does Mr.. Kings
bury this week. So will another who
has been mentioned for Auditor if it be
deemed necessary.