Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-05-01
HENRY A. WISE IN BOTETOURT.

This truly great man, probably the greatest popn-
lar orator now living, addressed the largest ASSEM-
Llarc il is said convened III that spacious edit
flee, the Court House oi D"le"ut'' u" '""'""S' tS
For four hours and twenty minutes, by the watch
Mr. Wise held the Of this vast assembly, ;Ii'ld
the donprst silence, save when roars ni npp'an'.
made the welkin ring, ar shouts ah appiauu'S pott
down his stentnran voice.
Mr.. Wscs intellectual powers, nre taxed 10 men
utmost capacity To uphold the high reputati"n winch
has everywhere preceded him III tIis canvass me tc
cyraph and press have rumpeted his tame all Oyer
the land and when the curtain rises, ana 'hc Acc"
mac orator appears the stand, the crowded pits nlid
tiers inflated with hope and JOY, honvo ana pant i"l
the performance to came on involuntary shouting
the praises of tho stugc in advance OF the pcrornnn
thereof. 80 -
Under such auspces, the lion Of the day is trarcr
,np the State and fighting the battles OF Dcmocra
cy; none but Wise himself, blessed with his rel
versatility of genius blending harlnunlousy together
and weaving into his speeches. beautifully, VII, sar
cnsin, eloqucncr, poetry argument, tihSrt o'rasnn
ally with the ridiculous and sublime could NEST ti'
high expectations ofthc public, or sustain the exait'
ed fame lcuding him in this CANVASS
Under such impressions these, we listened close
~ aud patiently the speech OF four hours ana twr
~ minutes, mourning the loss occHsiohay' VI q cM
words and ScntcnCcs, buried III the Wa'e Vi aPpas
rising above the spclkcr'1 voice -
IL. commenced his cxnrdun, by complaining at TN
fatgucs of the canvass, and ELECTS ol limestone W"
ter: suid he came not in Is own name, Dut III III
name and by the authority OF the Convention oi III
Democratic Republican party OF Virginia. ne chlne II
proclniln the freedom of speech, freedom Oh Inc pen
and freedom OF the press. i come, whom you h"V'
fallen upon strange times, TO impnrc you rs coIser
vave, conscientious, patriotic people, ~ i'ear Ill
upon the vital ir-ucs covering this canvass. ,
Mr. Wise then discoursed eloluenily upon th
wealth. and buun,lcsS resources "i orr Siatc, on
mining, manufacturing, agricultural ana CONNER
ral power, the fertility of our SOIL, the eNfe'
lcncc nf our climate the riches OF our iiiIil'S' Ill
maeniiiccncc of our road -sends, and keys o com
merce upon the Atlantic, with cataracts and streams
still flowing on, murnurin3 music, I'D turh ine SPIN
dies Of the world needing nought but capital AM
enterprise to place Virginia commercially, whef" Si'
is politically, the flag ship OF the Union.
Mr.. Wise, after examining the present feter rarie
system of common schools and showing the urgent lie
cessity of thorough system oil education IN OH
State IA mchus best to promote our prosperity hh'
perpetuate our liberties remarked that e was obIgc
Ia anil these high themes and descend tn the dl5rus
sion of subject which seemed like political nSh'
mare riding the people, tho Constitution and In"n' {
| wreck and ruin.
To Know Nothingism he then devoted the remain
der of his time, opposing twonty-ono on)ecuoS
the so-callod American Party, showing c"nciusi'ety
the utter emptiness Of tho name as well ms claims
this new party to rule and govern the country thai
n time of profound pence, and the country III mug
state of prosperity under existing organiIatiois 'r,
was no sort of necessity for new party, whose p"tt
cry was prescription and persecution torcheS VII
which 10 light up the fires OF dlscord ana deSlr", o
political fabric. But we cannot follow Mr. Mis
further; he closed by an appeal TO the Democracy
orronxp. in n strain the most powerful and eloqucn
they said. ever delivered in Botetonrt l-f"'mCr
r,,,,u1