Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-01-13
/ From the American Organ.

Nv DEAR SIR: | received your kind AID
very welcome letter nearly two weeks ago and
should hatc answered it long since, but tia: col.
tnucd indispo-ition has prevented my doing 20
until the present tme.
You ask me if have yet read the lettcrof Mr.
Wise in reference II the "Know- Nothing move
mcntl have read IT, My respect for MIR. Wise
personally. growing out Of the kind relations OF
the past together with my appreciation OF his
talents induced me to rend this letter carefully
aud deliberately. And have risen from II Sc
cond perusa of it with the conviction that he has
entirely failed TO bit the target at which he has
been firing. His letter. written on the eve Of his
nomination for Governor of Virginia, and ad-
dressed to the editors OF public journal oi eX-
tcusivc circulation, evidently for publication, can
be- viewed in OTHER light than as IA pronPneia-
nenfo against the eallcd order Of Know Moth
ines, not only in Virginia, but throughout the
| mon.
As such, il comes within the scope Of every
onc's tight of unimaaeer,ion WHO believes that
tn principles Of that or!rr, farms they are an
drrstood, are in accordance will the free and
conservative tendencies Of Our institutions. The
letter was written in Mr.. Wise's usually forci
bic and energetic stvle--nan portions OF II ARE
not only strong, but eloquent aud bpuutiinI--hat
yet tie premise. Oh which he attempts TO build
Lis orgumeHts,1rc ia til most purt,mcrc tfuisn,
bout Ms little connection with his conclusions a.
hbS INC sermon Oh Tie Mount.
W. " lse CONNIE uees VITA long qu''atl'h
1t"ln hng J"lin descriptive OF tie blessings 50
cared to EeglioLmeh ~ Magma Charta AMI ~
way "i showing that onr institutions hay" cohier-
r,' on Tue people = tins country SIN greater
blessings, hr gucs on t. >pcnt Of the quiet and
mdstarhcd enjoyment Of all the privileges Of
II 'emen' Of which We ar IN passe=-"n This Is
IL lnthalse-ahd he VII, ind no enc to cohtfo-
A,Ii lhe truth "i his position, Gat ms eoneln-
"a II l. that Hef9ou thcrc - no Necessity Tor
any secret organization for political ends.
Now, II therrIs any legitimate eonncMon be
t#ron his premise and bis conclusion, ms ol9ee
ton would equally apply tu IN opea as well n Ia
a cret organizations For the git of Ia posi-
u"u II, thai there bong 10 cul 10 remedy, any
such "rganl1tt"ll witt view - political results
- lactons. As To whether we are III the quiet
aud undlsturocd cnlefmcutS OF all cur rights and
privileges n American cjtizrns-whcthcr these
nights are mpnaccd by any impending dUnger-
j, Il matter If opinion on which honest and potii-
otc men mny differ. Mr. Wise ha- assumed the
Eatiye, aud thus heg7 the question: which, even
II II were yielded, does not warrant his conclu
sion. 81 far from It, It initiates against IT, Sup
pose we do enjoy all those blessings freedom of
speech, Freedom Of person. freedom of conscience,
@c.-is that reason why should rest surely
without alarm or upprrAeu- ions for the futulcl
II bhl iltl INSTITUTIONS secure 10 US Sutll TlNt
less blessing is not that arcuson why we should
be more vigilnnt Ia guarding them, more scns-
tive ut even the rrmntrst prospect of danger =
| Does not Mr.. Wise Know does not every reader
of history, every observer Of the tendencies of
human nature, and the bias of human govern
ment know that the liberties Of man cannot be
50 guarded by constitutions, or hrdgrd around
| by human device. but that they nre subject to the
insiduous approaches of despotie power Does
! lac not know that the liberties of every free peo-
! pie have been undermined Ivy slow and gradual
approaches. by failure on their part 10 guard
against the first ineipieut assaults upon their
rights Else, what meaning, Is thrrc in that Oft
quoted maxim attributed to Mr.. J, arrson. that
! ''lhc pree If liberty i, eternal vigilance -
| Many Years of Mr. Nis,'S past life afford an il
! lustraton oi the truth of that maxim. For years
! his eloquent and warming voice was heard in the
national Calitol, calling upon hi~ eountrsmcn TO
come to the rescue Of violated Constitution :
appealing to them. in language IL which have
often listened to with wrapl admiration, 10 assert
their violated rights
Because MIR. Wise is $50 fortunate rs 70 have
had all his fears Of danger to our freedom remny ed
because he no longer sees the need of meeting
in nocturnal council for the purpose of devisinle
the means of COMBATING successfully those whom
he deemed 10 he the enemies Of constitutional
lihrrty-is that any reason WIN. ln slop11 fnI
fault with those VIM sill onptin,in IA +h;rl tbora
i, curse Ia ,rnrebana da,,,,or fr,l,, ,tLor o,or.
fer. Let Air. W. rocnIloct tb,, n,,,',,a, H.
! otLpr be.sin,,. sao,,rnl =, 49,, i; ,i; i,,I r
| '''' 49, Us III '"'e n''u u NV
.,'' = '"' S"' P'"eta''y 10 ass9hol' '"ge'h'r
~ , . .Po" gu "h''n.r re"i or M
| - "'''' VI 'i''n'oh "',V"' ',is ""o
""9' anu n"H lS't 10 u'cIue lot hllnseii-and
| !" ue'lSe ile hethed OF redress, provided That
! method ot redress contemplates nothing forbid
den 10y the constitution and the laws