The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-01-27
WYrHE COUNTY, Virginia, Jan. %, lS43.

WYrHE CouNrr, Virginia, Jan. %, lS43
TO the Editor of the Afadisonian:
My Dean Sin: Accidentally casting my eye over
late copy of the Madisonian, {" read, under the
head of " "reminiscences of the American Parlia-
ment" copied from the New York Union, sketch
of the Hon. Henry A. Wise.
The writer of the article, to which refer, did no
more than justice to Mr.. Wise; but, in making up
his SKETCH ran into some errors of fact and inflicted
an unmerited wrong on the good people OF the Con-
gressonal district that Mr. Wise represents.
The author of the sketch is friend of mine, and
as am very that he will appreciate and applaud
my motives, beg leave to solicit small space in
your columns to be occupied in correcting his unin-
territorial errors.
The writer stated in his sketch that MIR. Wise was
originally elected TO Congress, in the year 1882
This is an error He was elected in April, 1888 and
took his seat the Thursday after the first Monday OF
December following. He never had regular opposi-
ton in his district after the first time and, Democrat
ic countless well as Whig always, except in one
county at time after the first gave him MAORI
ties. He will have served ten years the fourth OF
March next and in that time lie has served with
Iy eight hundred different members, but ten Of whom
himself included are now in the House who came
to the session Of ls33'34.
The author of the SKETCH laboring under The inAu-
ence of erroneous information ventured the asser-
ton that Mr.. Wise is the only man of emnence who
fourshed in the affairs of this nation aud who
born on that soil which he claims ms native Iaud,
or rather his native peninsula and which comprises
the counties Of Accomac and Northampton, consti-
tuting what is commonly called the Eastern Shore Of
Virginia. will correct him, and, in doing so, will
exercise all Of that good grace which should govern
a gentleman"
The counties Of Accomac and Northampton, so
far from being sterile, marshy places, where genius
generates, and where greatness wters, is tho
very green spot Of Virginia splendor.
Ills district is the classic land of the Old Dominion.
There is the of Bacons rebellion there is
jamestown; there WiIlismsburgh, the Old Ra.
leigh (he house wherein the first ball OF the Revolu-
ton was put in moton,) and William and Mary Col
| lege--an institution which has given 10 the nation
more distinguished statesmen than'any other college
In the country, though its number Of students has
never averaged one hundred per annum. Jefferson
was educated there, Madison, Monroe, Giles, Taze-
well, Leigh, Tyler, Crittcnden &C., &c, besides a
host of ancients and modcrns, such the Taylors,
Lees, Wickhams, ct cetera. And there is Yorktown,
and Gloucester Pont--to the language Of one Of
Mr.. Wse's speeches, "the whole ground is conse-
Grated ground and every turf beneath the feet ha,
been a soldiers sepulchre, "-"consecrated by the
blood heroes and the wisdom Of sagcs ~
SO much for the Western Shore. The Eastern
Shore has as much to boast Of. The entire 9th Viz
gino regiment, which was captured under Matthews,
al Germantown, by advancing too far into the thick
est Of the fight was from the counties OF Accomac
and Northampton. Mr.. Wises maternal grandfather,
1t Col JOINS CRorrrH he father Of Captain Tgos. b.
CRorrrR, of the ship New York, one Of the packets
plying between New York and Liverpool who lately
won a gold medal from Queen Victoria fought
through the entire Revolutionary war; In the north
srn campaigns; and was, the very day the defnitve
articles OF peace were signed in Paris volunteer
under Commodore whaley IN the barge rio,ory Of
-9ccomae, which fought SIX barges under the noor-
Gus Kidd in which, after causing four to strike her
own magazine blew up, and but very few men
out Of sixty-nine survived. Commodore Whs-
ley killed, and his remains lie at Onsncock with
not a stone to mark where they lie. The last that
! Mr. Wise. grandfather saw Of Whalcys second
lieutenant Levin Handy, he was standing in
the bow, with bis right arm hanging by a thread
Of flesh and hro,rng cold grippe hot uih vi, len
This Is actually the boodiest naval fight in our an
nails. II fought against all odds by a single Ac-
comac barge; Commodore was killed. a Lieu,en-
ant Colonel OF the army, volunteer, Col Gro per,
blown into the water, and his head cut open with a
tsE