The true Democrat., 1856-02-12
Special Message of Gov. Wise.

1 On Thursday, the 17th ult., Governor WISE sent the following special message to the Vr- ginia Legislature:
 | GENTLEMEN: I hesitate to decide upon com plying with the request of the Governor and Legislature of Vermont, to lay before you the accompanying resolutions of that State, "or so much of the Governors message as relates to Kansas"
 These resolutions are in every sense offensive to Us and unbecoming the intercourse and cor reSpondence which should obtain between so verelSn States, Tn the same confederacy. They are designed to lrritate public feeling upon a topic concerning which 1t is naturally habtual ' sensitive and excited, and are calculated to impair the affection which should bind the peo. pie of the States together in national unioh.- Extremely erroneous and false, in fact and in pnnciple, they are not worthy of discussion Inc tune for discussing such unwclcome mis. slves from State to State is passed We cannot reason with the heads of fanatics nor touch the. hearts fatally bent upon treason from tune to time, for many wears, the al- thors of such mischief have been remonstrated with ln vain, and have been induced but to re- peat outrages, to renew insults, and at last to organize opposition to the constitution and laws and 10 seize upon State and federal authority Tor further aggression.
 | In the present posture of our relations. we can but wait in calm, dignifed and patient compo- sure, either for the worst to come to the worst or Tor returning sense of patriotism, a reve- renee for the past, sacred regard to law and order, love of justice and of peace, to be re- awakened and to restore to sisterhood of States its affection, its harmony, it's qlorv and strength.
 l, therefore, recommend that no action be had or taken upon these resolutions by vou 1t Is proper, perhaps, that they should be nre. served only as State archives in proof of the wrong offered us and of our forbearance; and thls' and respect for State sovereignty alone aetefmlne me to notice them as I now do.- lhey are out minor results of the same cause ol apprehension and danger which has assum- ca much more formidable phase, and now ar rest the gravest attention of our country The federal government is arrested in it's operation. the representative branch of Congress is disor ganized, and the representative principle itself Is brought into disrepute by it at this very mo- ment; and in such crisis as this. we can hard ly descend to look to its results upon q Yer. mont legislature and executive. Onr atton. ton is called to Washington city. not to Mont pelier.
 Parties, affiliated with those of Vermont who nave sent to us these resolutions have grown so strong as to succeed in electing to Congress more than one hundred representatives to op- pose mere minority, who are now defending the constitution, and in withholding from that minority the support of thirty representatives more, chiefly of the southern States; and the effect Is that the House of Representatives can- not be organized except upon terms subversive oi the constitution and Union; and the south is distracted and divided against itself. Is the design of the plurality dismion? Is that the pur-