Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-01-15
Hon. Henry A. Wise.

article.
Hon. Henry A. Wise.
We clip the following extracts from the Pc
tsrsburg Inteligencer, giving an account Of Mr..
Wise's speech at Petersburg on Wednesday
last, to wit:
"He advocated stupendous system Of internal
improvements In Virginia, irrespective OF our
already tremendous public debt and Of the amount
Of additional taxation which this overtaxed people
are now burdened with. Indeed, on this point,
Mr. Wise was more explicit and emphatic than on
any other for he took especial pains to tell his
dience that if he was made Governor, he would in
his official capacity, as well az in bis personal in
torcouse, 1--WE suppose he meant lobbying in the
Capitol) use all his influence to carry ont such a
system of internal improvements as could not fail
greatly TO increase the taxes Of the State. But it
was not alone on this question that Mr. Wise ad.
vocated an enormous system of public expenditure
and oppressive taxation. He rehashed Mr. Jeffer-
sons thoroughly speculative system Of education,
which not even he, with his almost omnipotent
power In Virginia, could persuade the State to en-
bark in. We do not wish to be misunderstood
We are az much In favor Of popular education as
Mr.. Wise or any other individual. But to secure
that great blessing we should pursue dictates of
common sense, which rule mems conduct in life.
If we wished to build house, and had five thous-
and dollars and no more 10 pay for It. we certainly
should not lay out that whole sum in digging
out the foundation of q palace and thus de-
prvo ourselves Of our contemplated shelter
"Having disposed Of that subject, Mr.. wise's trod
upon his most marvellous autecedents as gingery
as If he had had a basket of eggs under his feet
At this we we're somewhat surprised, for we always
believed Mr.. Wise was a bold man, ready to stand
by and defend every act Of his life. On this head
we must say we wero somewhat agreeably sur
prised for we had been informed, days beforehand,
that II was Mr.. Wises intention to fay us alive for
our reference to his past aonduct, and we had been
solemnly and touchingly warned to make win
disposng OF our vast estates and possessions. How
agreeable was 1t, then, to come off not only
without scratch, but feeling rather creased up"
than otherwise. At some period Of the speech,
Mr. Wise went Off to Sebastopol; but how long he
remained, there and what he did there We cannot
remember as his visit had more reference to his
principles and opinions than to the man in the
moon.
"Mr wisss reference TO those dreaded mon.
stcrs, the Know-Sothings was severe, TO be sure,
but nothing like AZ scathng N we had been taught
10 expect In fact, Mr.. Wise declared himself 70
be in full possession Of the sigma, symbols and
passwords Of the Know Nothing order. Az that
society 10 VIGOROUSLY secret body, and as Mr.. w.
IL equally VIGOROUSLY not member Of II, but It's
open and fierce dsnounoer the Conclusion neces-
sarIly "a, that be has received his information, II
any he really has, at the bands Of some unworthy
member Of the order. Finishing with the Know.
Nothlngs, (who viii most assuredly finish him,
Mr. Wise proceeded to make the most inconsistent
and self-destrucuve exhibition that was ever wit
messed The distant public win hardly believe us
when we tell them that candidate for the Office of
governor Of this Protestant old State of Virginia,
protesting himself 70 be Protestant and violent
batsr Of the Pope, spent long time Ia denouncing
what be called Protestant priests whom be charged
most idiculously with being aspirants for political
power, as II there wns any union between Baptsts
Methodists, &C., and praising up, and indeed eulo-
giving the Roman Catholics, 10 whose acts be at
tributed Magma Chsrta and the Declaration Of In
dependence. This IL certainly a most piss mode
Of securing votes for governor OF Virginia, and
viii certainly have q most attractive effect upon
the thousands Of Protestant voters Of this State
who bate Papists and Roman Catholics a. they do
. the devil"
The above certainly gives no very factoring
account Of Mr. Wises progress in converting
the voters Of Virginia to bis opinions.
As Mr. Wise Processes to have acquired a
knowledge Of the signs, symbols, and pass
words Of the Know -Nothings We would like
to ask him, LIST How he obtained them Cd
Whether ho has found any evidences Of trea-
son TO the country In our ranksf Sd Whether
our "rortin0s" are any more dangerous to
liberty than those Of tho Masonic order, OF
which he is a member
4 Mr.. Wise's bold denunciatons Of Protestant
priestorqf will doubtless be duly appreciated
by tho Protestant clergy throughout the land |
Can he furnish evidence to sustain bis sssump.
lions on this point1 Can he produce proof
that Protestant ministers prohibit the reading
of an open Bible, as do the minions Of the
Popof Can he show any attempt on the part
Of the Protestant clergy of Virgins to assume
the control Of political movements In that State
When he can do this, IL viii be time for him
| IN arroio,, q proteatopt n,icstcraffn