Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-09-01
LETFER FROM HENRY A. WISE.

other Counties, who had invited him to address tho
people Mt Gainesville during the late campaign. The
Pioneer says: ave publish, in another column
letter from the Hon. Henry A. Wise, in reply to
invitation to attend the late Democratic Mass Meet.
ing near Gainesville. We regret exceedingly that
the gentleman who received it failed to place it in
in our hands at an earlier day. But, though the
occasion is past which called it forth, it loses
of its interest thereby. 1t is characteristic of its
author-bold, able and whitening. 1t gives pass,
ing notice to those Know Nothing emissaries who
went to Virginia to electoneer during the recent
canvass there and expresses the earnest wish of the
author for opportunity to scou7ge them at their
oson doors in return But the whole letter is full of
interest Read it; and if any regret is felt after RI
sing from its perusal it will be that you did not
have an opportunity of hearing its distinguished au-
thor scourge" Know >Nothingsm the stump"
LETTER FROM THE HON. HENRY A. WISE.
ONLY, (near Onancock0 Va,
July 1st, 1855.
.Tlnaes c. Skinner, Esq:
DEAR SIR: have delayed reply TO yours of the
18th ult., in order to try to make arrangements to
accept the kind and pressing Invitation of the Com
mittees of Gates, PerquimanS Pasquotank, Chow
an and Currtuck, North Carolina, to participate
with them in Democratic Mass Meeting to be held
in the County of Gates, sometime between the 10th
July and the LIST of August next, the precise day to
be fixed by my appointment l have the strongest
desire to meet your Democracy. 1t holds the bright
err than golden links which bind the elder sister
States of the South, North Carolina and Virginia.
together Those links are of our earliest history,
OF revolution for independence, of past po-
ltcal struggles for republican freedom of common
sacrifices and cooperation in the past and of COM
mon hopes for the future. The Federal party of
old and the Fanatical party of the present day Che
last is than the frst) never tried and never
tended to unite themselves with the Southern States
parties men, but rather with Northern. When
ever Democracy has been dominant in North Caro-
lima, that State has always been united with Virgin
ia, which has always been Democratic and when
ever either Federalism OF Fanaticism has prevailed
there, Virginia and North Carolina have been div-
ded from each other, both in councils and in action.
l would gladly see them inseparable-inseparable as
Macon was from Jefferson and Madison. Our faith
ers were Jonathans and Davds to each other,
and would have their children united as to pre-.
SERGE the uniOn Of aU North and South, by their
insepa1u6le union acih each other! No, not for
selfish sectional ends would bind them togeth-
err but for national, constitutional, State-rights,
UniOn-abiding ends l would have them SO solid
phalanx of freedom, st; ndir g side by side and
sustained by all their sisters of the conservative
school, that influence, "iSm," shall be able to
aSsail or destroy the institutions of Confedera
cy Those institutions State and Federal, have been
sorely and nsidousy invaded of late. The inva-
ders daring enough to touch the sacred soil of
this blessed mother Commonwealth. They muster
ed emissaries from every quarter-from abroad,
from Exeter Hall in old England from Canada from
New England, from New York. Pennsylvania, Ohio.
,
admit that of the most venomous, desperate,
most INSCRIPTIONS and audacious came here from
the South of us-from North Carofna-to corrupt
the popula" mind to instil poison and SOW Dragons
teeth among US They dared not intermeddle in our
canvass publicly, on the stump, in debate, before
the people, but they skuked to conclaves,
and by the light OF i dark lanterns" which burnt
gloom" they implored our voters to save them and
their plos of mischief from exposure and explosion.
They urged in their agony of midnight harangues
that the battle ,cas pih them for life or death
that If they did not succeed they acouM sink dOrn
to L0aoer depths Of tntamy-thdt IT cictory dad not
croton their conspiracy, they eeoud be di>honOred
and disgraced acouH be q 6y-aoord and reproach,
poLiticaLfy orerer! They covered before the lance
OF Democracy in Virginia and the nonstrous treas
on was here hurled to Its despair. A Pandemonium
has lately been held in Philadelphia, and there it
plainly proved that not the worst enemies. of
the South were from the North. The Sans of Vir-
ginia and North Carolina were no less tfaitorous to
our Constitution and laws, and Federal Union and
State Rights, and homes aud affairs than were the
p1estcrat party of the North, who would not SEEM
angly keep them company or abide their councils
TO expose these Southern emmsSarleS In your midst,
l would like, at their own doors, to scourge. them
for their nightly prowling about doors in the
late Virginia But these would be the least
of my aims in attending your District Mass Meet
ing | would be glad to implore you in person to
be true faith of the Fathers of this Repubiic
to protect the fanes of our Protestant churches to
forbid the bans between Church and State, which
subtle and willy priestcraft rs contriving under the
false cry of prescribing popery; to fight on and
fight to have this land continue forever to be
the 'land of the free and the home of the brave"
to- contend for Constitutions and Bills of Rights,
and Statutes reign us and not to subject us
to the higher law of secret ohgarchy, worse than
that of any German GefTme Gercht Ito free us
from the dagger and the core" of political assas-
sir1ation to preserve the dignity and individuality
and independence of voters at the polls!- to save
the laws from conspiracy against their operation
to save the South from Old England and New
England combination which would shave the Amer
lean Sampson of his strength, knowing that cotton
is his hair and that cotton cannot be cultivated but
bv African slave labor in the land of the lagoon and
the alligator, and which is, Therefore, now striving
to abolish African slavery in the South to dis
solve the blessed Union of these United States now
so strong By their poaotr to pull the cotton string,
that they need no standing army, navy, no tax
for either whilst all the world besides is necessarily
armed and taxed for the cost of warl This is not
half this is beginning of what l would dis
course you and ALL North and South, about in these
strange times when old things seem to be passing
away and all things seem to be becoming new. L
would go back to the old. would "recur to fun
damentaI principles to the teachings of the ReVo-
luton the faith of the fathers to the religion OF
the simpler and purer times of the Republic. But
can't pen or by word, or in pubic meeting any
where, for long time TO come, fear, indulge the
wish to enlarge upon and illustrate and inculcate
these themes. l wish you would rise to their full
height. Organize, assemble, be wstchtul and be
prepared to meet the enemy whenever and however
he approaches: regret cannot venture to accept
your invitation, but will always be found doing
what can, wherever | may be placed, to further
tI,o fba coTnfrVS ends aim a