Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-02-03
LETTER FROM HENRY A. WISE, ESQ.


LETTER FROM HENRY A WISE, ESQ.
Only, NEAR ONANcncK. Va !
Saturday. Jan. H. 1854. )
Gexr1rnrS Yours of tho eth ut reached me here yes
terday via Richmond. II forwarded thence by friend
and This account for the delay In lie reception re
eret very much that cannot ACCEPT your very inviting cn
to attend The meeting which you propose hold the 2oii
iast The metropolitan Hall in New York TO bring pro
perly before Government, The subject OF securing b'
treaty people when travelling residing abroad TIT
unmoiesed enjoyment Of their rights OF conscience th
right to have their public worship where they desire
and To bury their dead with such religious services aud Ttc
AZ they may DESIRE DC. And in addition 10 this you say
II is believed that II would DO well TO use the occasion
suggest The inquiry, whether the time has not come Ia" INC
Government the United States 10 lend al least the weigh
OF is moral Influence in behalf OF religious liberty, in al
countries where does not exist and with which the Uni
ted Sstes have diplomatic relations &C. on these efea
subjects you invite me 90 and speak at the proposed
meeting and, If cannot comply with this request you
ask that will give you by letter my views on tie subject
for the promotion Of which the meeting is 10 be called ina
you may avail yourselves of the meeting and alter
wards through the press" And you make this appeal 10
me because you suppose the subject is not new 10 me-
that in the diplomatic post which have occupied The
| Court Of Brazil, ~ must have had my attention often
called 10 it,
This subject is no! new 10 me- and none Of the public
questions OF present moment OF more Importance and
Of interest Than this In my humble opinion. The IN
dvidua instances which could be cited in connection with
woud appear perhaps 10 be personal and minor matters
compared with others Of great public concern but u
full conside ration d his subject universal field OF
world reform large venture 10 say as any other which
could be named. Indeed practical success, in this moral
and political enterprise will al once reach many OF The best
results aimed by the missionary OF the Cross OF Christ
By the Of science and discoveries Of Inc eat ana oy
| the arts and aims Of life:
At time like his 100, when tho Bibles rays and the
| students lamps. and the ships bnnaccs a'e Illuminating
and pointing tie ways OF knowledge and lightning and
steam popoIlns progress every where and in age
when there h gold gold gold enough aud 10 spare
abore his hire in good work OF "good will 10
men," and when peace EARTH has become the policy Of
every civilized naou is not 10 be tolerated that igno
and bgoy and superstition and oarbarity and brute
torce here there and almost where, in Of the
very faes fields Of human exertioI where much OF
highest excellence could be most easily attained should be
allowed like sarpeuls in Paradise corrupt nature,
shut the light hinder The progress OF civilization and
every step ot humanity towards either mental moral
ply steal improvement We surely ourselves in
The crmor Of Righteousness against such evil ones on earth as
these.
Your own illusions, gentlemen, must be blamed If in
duge in any egotsn by saying that whea entered upon
duties OF the Mission 10 The Court OF Brazil found
The abo.s OF Of my predecessors especially illustrated by
the archives Of the Legation He vas dead, but the good
which he did all entered with his bones" was
made by his works In that inquire feeney
The remains Of the laborou the nrned The successful ne
oo,iator MIR TUDOR He died n Rio de Jantiro whilst
Charge Of the United States North America The greatest
Republic in world al tho Court OF Don Promo L. aud
ate, he M s 0 snv his eorp had
c. pac grape in the bu round tIca Great Brt
tain he'd secured sa for hrscs her subjects in ard broad
enough surely for Of all persuaslons there 10 die in
Tie Sabbath came aud | heard the bells Ginning for
Church. Where and family and American friends
TO attend Divine wor5P7 There uas no ground conseerG
ted there for u.s. Wo reminded The Lords day Of
our homes in blessed happy land OF universal TO-
erance 10 rcnioni but there in land OF friends
by treaty had religious Giles, and were, Indeed
"rranqcrs In q s,rsge landn-ti.ir God God but
their country not country 10 uoTshp in We were
compelled closets 10 pray we old not accept
the hospitality again Of English subjects 10 Enec with them
in their temple which their maternal Government had caused
TO be erected for their pecia privilege Thus for the grave
and altar indebted 10 our mother country and
not 10 our and here iObear just TIL
Great Britain for her care of her subjects aoroad-
However high her hand against other nations however
strong and unyitlng her grasp OF dominion over other
most paris Of the eaIthh Her drum ben Is heard every
where and Is heard sound OF protection
Is her lille cnes-hOwerer feeble and however distant they
may be from her central power IL 10 better for tic bafSa-
ans of any tribe that milestone hung about ihcl:
uccke thar for hurt Of Great Brains p:otsges
They are here,ics well and they have their sane
uary and leir graVeyads, where tho hyenas dare not
howl And i, is due alike 10 her subjects 10 say that, in
Brazil they hospaOe 10 U.s. and gave Us the use Gi
both their holy paceslhe temple and the burying ground
But ought have been behodcn 10 any Government but
our own for common rights of humanity like these2
90, 10 boast tu. the Department OF Stale can show
how when tho American chips engaged in the charters
of the infamous Slave trade discharged their American
crews or drove them from shpboard by the worst OF
In order avoid their being the witnesses OF the
tra ic left cndIcss and penniless all along the
oil South America, 10 encounter every brutality 10
which frorn sailor subject in foreign pors how when
FRoTHiSoHAMo Boston, knocked down IN the streets
Rio Jurcrp SourHwonTH OF New York was impri.
spncd CLARK sailor Of New York was bcaten never
failed to n,rp"e in any and 10 make our citi
abroad assured that they had protecting power over
.hem and foreign governments feel We too,
as well rs Grca, Britain took care Of our orn Great Bi'
tain moi only supplied her Minister and Consul and Of
with the means OF relief and the power Of proeellon
but may say here that Minister Of the United States,
was rnurc Than allowed The use Of the British Consular
SEAL u,rhng pcrsonai protection 10 citizens. Ard,
naval service M, DAVIS Of Delaware. Liemcnaut of the
Navy was focihy seized and imprisoned in the City Pa
lace Rio Jancro demanded his insisn, release and
here may say too thai in that demand was supported
firmly by brave squadron c our Navy though small.
az ever HUI DrcAruR PgERY COMMANDED. In diG
Rculy the lincnted Captan TvRNEr aud in te las, Cap
Rousseau ready stand by their flag and their
Minister long there ~ shO! in The locker This
Is worthy to be mentioned ier honor, time when
our popular sympa,he, heartily .f1ne medals The
gallant ISGRAHAm for his timely interpretation Of late
in favor Of American protection a he.,Old World
At the time alluded to- had in the harbor Of Rio
the f:iga,e Colombia and his little brig 6l:rbrGge
and previously the frieatc R.-ian. and the same
GALvox hud sent anumbcr Of aimed open boss without
notice 10 me or his Minister Of Foreign Affairs he
about attempt by force wha, onGh TO have been &c
ter OF Foreign Affairs yclda question Of Gxraton
replied coull do nothing per n:aasi would 70 silk nj
as long as tho Of force was up''ed What vii yon do
Sir T. said lie. WYATT for your movements Sir -
reply "Wcuid YOU resist in our own ha1eor "fcu must
risk the Paisan shot Of hs Sir said l. Hc cnIrea,cd
then, that would 90 with him 10 Scnr. Gavon, the
Minister Of Justice replied, ." am accredited 10 your
Emperor Sir" Bu; he prevailed on 10 accompany him
O., friend tho of his colleague in the Ministry
There had occasion say 10 The Minister Of Ju;icc
that could not discuss the question with him. "Sr :Gil
he, Suppose had ~o gates instead of onc-wcni your
Commodore thea presume 10 disregard The Imperial d.
"S!r sail yCu have ore iilgaic tro oops-niwa aSd
brig 10 your har5os and you have The !otts Santa Cruz
Larses, Viaeenor ard lsla COhas, and LOO water lice
euuss that force enough ogaius' igale and
small big "Sir" said he twill you; Con,mcdoTo obey
writ Of ha5eas corpus p Are you, Sir, said "he
Mnister OF Public Juscs and ask that quesondcnt you
know deck of man-ofwar Of the United States is
frna of my county and that your process OF
law 90 into that jurisdiction p "Sir" said he tt"
could 1 would send wit of hab.as corpus 10 Hea
ven !" / told him that ~ wished he could, and
would be humble petitioner 10 be his Sheriff Marshal
Messenger to take his writ there's and assured him
that in did So it would be with it would be |
with his messenger sent 10 CommoIote-I ouG
come beck 10 him. With that reply lie pu the best
of humors-hs sides shock with laughter, like bowl full
Of jey he rang his bell ordered some docss (swestreas
and wine, md wound UP by saying-"Wsll. sir will
peaceaby settle this affair as that !o.ce will do
"You can't negotiate with sir until You withdraw your
armed forces" replied and that he ordered immediately
then said him tha. il we'll affairs about 10 Lake
peaceabIe turn that citizens had individually susred
odous oppressions and they could be submitted
longer that my (now Secretary of Legation
Bcrln had jest been wantony assaulted on The sees and