The farmer and mechanic., 1911-08-29

| to be nominated for
- Governor OF North
Carolina against William Holden in
1862. The story came To Dr Beau
some six or seven years ago while
he was at Piedmont Springs. and Was
related by Andrew Joyce. a we'll
known lawyer Of Stokes county in his
day, Republican. once a member
Of the Legislature and quite an in
teresting character
Il was talking with him one day,"
said DIR. Beall. when he asked me il
l ever heard how Vance was nomi-
mated for Governor at the beginning
OF the war and he proceeded TO tell
ne. l will give it as he gave 1t TO
me as near l can remember
The Democrats had been in power
several terms and had met and nomi-
mated Holden for Governor. Tho
Wings were at sea as to who they
could nominate to beat Holden. He
was strong secessionist and owned
newspaper in Raleish-the Raleigh
Standard-and was recognized as j
hard man to defeat
When the Wings met in convention
at Raleigh they had no candidate.
After they had organized the after
noon was spent in speechmaking. while
the leaders were casting about for u
man. They adjourned until the next
morning, still being unable to place
d finger on a man they deemed strong
enough to defeat Holden. Immediate
~ the leaders, after the adjournment,
spent the evening until after mid
night canvassing all the possibilities
they could think of, and they broke
up without arriving at any decision
h b.AYy N-...
next morning he was awakened by
John A. Gilmer, of Greens borO, Il
member Of the Confederate cabinet a
member of Congress before the war
and a leading member of the bar in
Greensboro and this section for many
years. He came into his room and
said: Wake up, Andy: I've found the
man to nominate for Governor.
Who is he? Queried Joyce.
Why, he's Zeb. Vance He can
beat anybody up.
Vance was at the head Of his regi-
lent in the eastern part Of the state
was young and was very popular in
the west, the fact that he was at the
front making him doubly popular
Joyce at once saw the advisability OF
the choice and they gathered the lead
erS in Gilmer's room before the con-
ventiOn, where after gettiag them to-
gether they sprung their man Every
man recognized the strength OF the
man and soon one from their num-
ber was chosen to make the nominat-
ing speech The rank and file of the
party were still in the dark and at
sea.
When the nominations were called
for the man selected took the floor
He described the character of the
man who must be chosen, said he
must be young a patriot, and must
have been a lifelong Whig. The
crowd grew impatien Name your
man. they shouted. And seeing that
they were keyed to the proper pitch
he said:
u put up Zebulon Baird Vance.
colonel of the 26th North Carolina
Regiment.
Joyce said there was absolute
silence for a full two minutes Then
the convention ro4Ted applause
that came in waves. No other noIni-
nations were made and Vance was
nominated by reclamation right then
and there. A committee was appoint
ed to convey to him the fact that he
was chosen.
Joyce was one OF the committee
of notification. He said that Gilmer
called him to his room that evening
and said:
ANDY, I have written Vance Il let
ter and want to read it to you. II
it to him. OF course the notification
viii be formal. This letter is conf
Dental
Joyce took the letter which ad-
vised Vance to accept the nominal
ton and 10 state that il had come
to him Unexpectedly and TO say az he
had already put himself in the service
suit is a matter of history He stayed
at the front and swept the State,
There's hardly any family who