Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-11-27
From the Boston ADVERTISED
LETTER FROM MR. WISE.

LETTER FROM MR. WISE.
We take pleasure in laying before our read
ers the subjoined letter from Hon. Henry A.
Wise, the governor elect Of the ancient Com.
monwealth Of Virginia, addressed TO the lee
ture committee Of the Mercantile Library As
ISOLATION, in answer 10 an invitation to lecture
in this city before that association during the
coming winter. The truly national tone Of
this letter must renew in the mind Of the
reader the patriotic feelings which OF old knit
together the colonies Of Massachusetts, and
Virginia in times of darkness and trouble, and
will cause a regret that Mr.. Wise's preparations
for the duties Of the important Office on which
he is about to enter viii prevent his accepting
the invitation, and will deprive US of the plea
sure of welcoming to Boston so distinguished
a guest, who las he informs us in the letter.
has never yet visited any part of New England.
This letter is the more significant, because
another committee in behalf Of the lectures
on slavery" in their indiscreet zeal, by calling
upon Mr.. Wise to lecture upon slavery in Bos.
ton, succeeded in Fostering him into writing a
letter which we are free to say we regretted to
see in print, though we can easily understand
the feeling Of annoyance that gave rise to its
sharpness Of expression. Whatever ill-feeling
lf any the former letter may have engendered
in the minds Of our rightthinking citizens will
be d~ispelled on the perusal of that which we
publish below
ONLY, (near Onancock,) Va, Nov. III, 1855.
GENTLEMEN Yours of the I'd instant was
awaiting my arrival at home yesterday from a
temporary absence at Washington city.
| gratefully acknowledge the compliment Of
your invitation to deliver one of a course Of
lectures, during the present winter, before the
Mercantile Library Association Of Boston.
| am well assured Of the highly respectable
character and of the laudable objects of your
literary association, and no body of the kind
could have been more honored than you have
been by the illustrious orators and statesmen
who have shed upon your lectures the lights of
their great minds. / have no doubt, too. of
the "cordial welcome I would receive from
Every many of your hospitable citizens; but
it it is not in my power, gentlemen, to accept
your invitation. The situation of my private
affairs, and the duty of preparing for months
to come for new scenes of public service, will
engross all my time and attention the whole Of
the coming winter. | have been compelled to
decline every call of the same kind from many
quarters in my own State, and other States
besides yours.
l sincerely regret this the more, because /
have neUer get set my foot on the beloved soil
of that portion of my country called New Eng.
land. This has not been owing to any an
tagonism on my part towards that favored sec.
ton. Massachusetts, especially, | have been
taught to venerate and cherish as the elder
| sister of Virginia. When / reflect upon their
attitudes and relations in the darkness and
gloom of the night of revolution-when /
listen to their halls, sister to sister-Virginia
to Massachusetts,, Massachusetts to Virginia
in the times that tried mems souls'-when |
watch the fires kindling on the heights of Bos-
ton, and see Virginia going forth across the
rivers and over the land, by the sea, leading
her best beloved son by the hand, dripping
blood and tears at every step there and back,
leaving hun there on post to guard your very
city, and make the oppressors eyacuate i'll and
when ! contrast this picture with the present
state Of things in our confederacy which makes
you assure me shat the feelings of the people
of Massachusetts towards my State are not
those Of ~aRtagonism," / gush forth in anguish,
and ask Why a necessity for such assurance?
Why any antagonism between these, the de-
voted patriot States of Hancock and Washing.
tom May God, in His mercy and in love,
guide them, as Of yore! May they ever be
cemented in union by the blood Of the ~revolu.
ton And, whenever another night Of gloom
and trial shall come, may they hail and cheer
each other on again TO victory for civil and
religious liberty Yours truly,
HENRY A. WISE.
To CHARLES G.. CHASE, and others, committee,
&c, &c.