Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-10-08
GREAT SPEECH OF GOV. WISE.

GREAT SPEECH OF Cow WlSEs
We give below some extracts from speech de-
livered by Gov Wise in Richmond, OIL the Goth Of
last no ,th The Governor spoke with reluctance;
bat being present at the meeting, the assembage
would not be refused. Among other things he
said ~.
None of the old issues disturb me in times like
these-about old and stale differences on mere party
positions There is weight at this moment resting
upon the minds Of serious men, which is oppressive;
You have heard of that past time when mas tr'cu
mems souls. Times are coming, and are near upon
us which will again try who are men, VINO are tril
lers, and who are traitors. enthusiastic cheers
You, whose minds are occupied in the way OIL ordi-
nary business, may talk and feel as usual about
Presidential election you not called On, as am,
to think and feel about nothing else but the business
of the State the safety of her people, and you may
no. see the dangers around us as do, because II IS
not so much your province as mine to look ahead
and ask E" What is coming, and what shall DC done
for the Commonw ealth p though that, patriots is
your concern as we'll mine. But as Tor me, every
moment, every hour alnost-eve'y hour, because
the small hours are taken from sleep to think say
every moment is occupied in rejecting what must
the Governor of Virginia do in the coming contn-
gency feel that it is time to trifle WITH no time
to hesitate and yet no time to rashy anticipate any
thing, or to say lightly what shall be done.
Do not misunderstood me, sir. Dreadful as these
responsibilities arc let man do me the injustice
to suppose that am, at moment like this, skuk'
ing from this responsibility. Enthusiastic cheers
Do not suppose that regret you have placed me
where may be called upon in this border State first
to act. You may have found-and would to Goa
YOU had found-a stronger man to lean upon but
such as am physically, mentally and morally,
thank God that am where am, and that am with
you, prepared for the worst. (Chcers) lneed your
assistance, and every man needs that OF his neigh
Dor but if the worst comes to the worst, and the
thunder, and the lightning and the storm must rage
saw I shall meet it without fear. Enthusiastic
cheers.) The terms are presented to us, and we
have to choose those which are most favorable to
our interests Each party now in the field holds
out certain terms, and the question with US is which
are We to accept? Isay, if there is conservative
party left in the country-the only national, the
only Union loving party, whose flag waves and
floats in every State Of the confederacy- party
is the great Democratic party. loud chesrs) s.
Nov what is the ssue-the alternative? With
civil war raging in Kansas about slavery and its
rights; with black Republican mob Selling all the
mowers of the sovereign State of California and hang
ing and banishing peaccable citizens, and nprsonng
Supreme Judges; with incendiary revolution at
tempted in the popular branch of Congress, and for
time ave- for a session of Congress successful,
and within three votes Of being finally successful;
with the black knight, with vizor down, standing
astride the limits Of Virginia, and forbdding and
property and for safety in limits In this state
of things with these magazines ready to explode,
with these burning pough-shares under our feet,
whilst the strength of Fillmore is nothing whilst the
old Wig party is dissolved, whilst but two antagon-
sms are left when the whole issue is slavery or ab-
clifton, Fremont or Buchanan Democracy or DEM
onism-tell me, whether the issues are not terrible,
for sheer sectionalism black flag in sixteen
States of the Union only, where there is numerl.
cal majority of people without tie or association
with the property to be protected and when 1t dares
not raise its standard in the other fifteen States for
fear of their penal laws? They are fearful issues;
they are issues of peace or war--of civil war, OF
blood, disunion and DEATH tremendous cheers)
Sir, to tell me we should submit to the election of
black Republican, under circumstances like these,
when the election would be an open, overt procla-
nation of public war; is to tell me that Virginia and
her fourteen sister slave States already subju
gated and degraded (cheers)-that the Southern
people are without spirit and without purpose de-
fend the rights they know and dare not maintain
(Cheers9
When in Charlestown, Kanawha county, last year,
l was told by the best authority that that town was
paying $50 nil ht to guard against the escape OF
fugitives from the salines of kanawha. Was evera
stamp tax like that? Yet such is the tax already
levied by black Republicanism upon us from with
out our borders, and within our limits. What would
be our burthens, if the whole Executive power of
the federal government great as is, should be put
into the hands of black Repubicanism, by pro-
scrptive sectionalisn for the very purpose of nvad
ing our property in very homes at the hazard
of our lives? DO sober, rational minds expect us to
wait, and submit moment, if the trust of that pow
er shall be confded to demonsn for such purpose?
(Cheers.) Should John G. Fremont be thus elected
by black Republicans, tell me, who are jealous
of your rights. would you dare trust him and his
party, after the procamations they have made. after
the blood they have She'd after the losses and bur-
thens they have already imposed? cloud cheers)
l know not what you will do, for We have enemies
in our midst, whom it behooves us to guard against
with no less vigilance than against those beyond our
limits and We have men who set themselves up for
the only true conservatives, who wolves in sleeps
clothing-men who pretend'to be for Fillmore, but
who would throw up their caps if John c. Fremont
elected. do not hesitate to say that believe
there are many voters in the State of Virginia.
dy to follow the leader of party in this town who
made that exccrable speech at the African church,
in his treason to his State his kindred and his home
which he openly publishes. (Cheers) l wish he
had been battling for Fillmore alone but the effect
of his blows is to tend to the election of Fremont
Fillmore is angel of light compared with FIRE.
mont (Cheers.) God only knows what the real
intent of the speech was, but have hesitation
in saying that regard John Minor Bolts as utterly
needless Of the effect of that speech whether it tends
to elect Fillmore or Fremont, so democracy would
be defeated 1t is more more Fremont than it is
Fillmore speech. undertake to say to this agtator
and dsturber of our peace and unity among ourselves
that there is Mayor in this city, commonwealth
attorney. and grand jury, and he had better look
to the clauses the penal statutes of the cole of Vr-
ginia, which impose fine and Imprisonment for the
offence of speaking, writing publishing matter
tending to impair the value of property in slaves
Draw up the indct,nent-summon a venire-read
the statutes the offensive Wilmot proyso
speech made years ago in Powhatan, believe. and
his speech made here few weeks ago in the Afri-
can church, fit rostrum for its black Republican.
and the quo amino of guilt or innocence and if he
could not be convicted it would be because he would
avail himself Of some technical and formal dofanaa