The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-10-25
Letter from Henry a. Wise.

The Boston Com nit,ee on the Slavery
Lectures have received the following very
spicy and very characteristic and very poliie
letter from Gov WrsE, Of vifginia. The let,
ter is italicised according to the authors
manuscript:
Only, NEAR Osaxcocx,
Acconack Co., Ha,, Oet. s, 1855.
GENTLEMEN: On my return home, offer M
absence OF some days, I found yours Of the
18th ut., respectfully inviting me to deliver
one Of The lectures of the Course on Slavefy,
a. fremont TemoIe, in the city Of Boston, OH
Thursday evening, January. 10, 1855; or il
tha. time will not sui. my engagements, you
request tha, will mention at once what
Thursday evening between the iaiddle of
December and The middle of March next,
will best accommodate me.n
Now, gentlemen, I desire TO pay you duo
respect, yet you compel me to be very plain
with you, and 10 say that you. request, in
every sense, is insulting and offensive to me.
What subject of Slavery have you "initiafed
lectures" upon? I cannot conceal !, from
myself that you hare undertaken in Boston,
10 discuss and decide whether my property in
Vueinia ought 10 remain mine or not, and
whelheril should bc allowed the protection
Of laws, Federal and State, wherever il may
be carried or msy escape in the United
States; or wheihe, il. shall be destroyed by
Higher Law than Constitutions and Statutes |!
Who are you to assume thus such juy,sdie.
t,on over su5lsct so delicate, and already
fixed in lie relations by solemn compact
between the States, and by States which are
sovereigns Twill not obey your summons,
nor recognize your jurisdiction.
You have no authority and no Justification
for thus calling me to account at the bar OF
yoV tribunal and for thus arraigning an in.
sti,uiion, established by laws which do not
reach you, and which you cannot reach, by
calling on me to defend il.
You send me a card to indicate the char.
deter Of the lecturers [of the last year Il
reads: "Admit the bearer and lady to the
Independent Lectures on Slavery Lecture
Committee, S g. Howe, 7. Gilbert, George
F. Williams, H. T. Parker, w. washburn,
D. B Mussey, w. 3. Spoohet, J W. Stone"
III is indorsed Lectures at the Tremon,
Temple, Boston, is54-5 Nov. %, Hon.
Charles Summer; Rev. John !ierpoo,, poem.
December, Hon. Salmon P. Chase, of Ohio.
Dec, IA, Hon. Anson BuiIiagame. Dec. i2,
Wendell Phillips, Esq Dec. 2s, Cassius
M. Clay, ESQ, of Kentucky. January 9Th,
Hon. Horace Greeley. Jan. II, Rev Henr,
Ward Beecher. Jan Is, Hon. John P. Hale.
Jan. rs, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Esq. Feb.
8, Hon Nathaniel P. Banks, il. Feb is,
Hon. Lewis D. Campbell, of Ohio. Feb. 20,
Hon. Samuel Houston, of Texas. March 1,
Hon. David Wilmoi, OF Penn's. March 8,
Hon. Charles w. Upham." All Honorables
and Squres except those who arc Rersrsndsi
The card does verify indicate their char.
aclefs by simply naming them. And your
letter, gentlemen, is traaked by &c. SUMNER,
U.SS." With these characteristics, / am
at no loss TO understand you aud your put-
poses.
You say, "durins the nexl season, larger
number OF gentlemen from The South will be
invited" &c. &c. I regret ii, ii any Others
can be found in The Slave holding States TO
accept your invitation. You plead the ex.
ample OF Gen. HousTos. II is the last
wonld follow. have no doubt you accord.
ed very respectful attention 10 him las, will
ter, and were very grateful for bis service in
your cause.
You offer Zone hundred and fifty dollars
20 be paid to the lecturer, he bearing his
own expenses" Let me tell you that Tre-
mon, Temple cannot hold wealth enough to
purchase one word of discussion from me
there, whether mine, here, shall be mine or not;
but am ready 10 uoiunteer, without money
and without price, TO suppress any insurrec-
tion aud repel any invasion which threatens
or endaugers the State Rights of Virginia, or
my individual rights under lie laws and
constitutions Of my country, or the Sacred
Union, which binds Slave STATES and Free
together in one bond Of National Contsderaey,
and IN separate bonds Of Independent Souer.
eignfies.
In short, gentlemen, will not deliver one |
of the lectures of the course on Slavery, Ut
The fremont Temple, in Boston, on Thurs
'lsy evening, January 10, 1856; and there
will be no Thursday evening between the
middle of December and The middle of
Match next, or between thai and .Doomsday.
which will best accommodate mo for tha,
purpose.
Isive you an immediate answer, and at
ny eailiest convenience indicate to you thai
the particular phase OF the subject that |
will present" is--deliberaiely, to 6ght 1sre
must
Your obedient servent,
HENRY A, WISE.
To the Commitles.
Reply, SIR said Judge 10 blunt old
Quaker who was on the stand. Do you
snow what we sit here for 9 sYes, verify
do said the Quaker; three Of you for four
lollars each a day, aud the fat one in the
II