Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-08-17
The Wise Letter.

Wise to some New York politician in which the
prospects of WISE Douglas and others were freely
spoken of for the nomination for President, and
certain advice given with reference to the mode
of appointing delegates from that State to the
Charleston Convention This letter was furnished
to the Herald by its Albany correspondent who as
serted that he knew Gov Wise's handwriting, and
that the letter was certainly genuine. We forbore
to publish alludc to it in our last because
we were not sure it was genuine, and we had no
disposition to do the Governor injustice. We
thought it probable, from its style, that it acas
genuine; and it turns out that it is. Gov Wise, in
brief and temperate letter in the Enquirer of
Tuesday, admits the fact and explains the circum-
stances so far as he knows the of its publication
The letter is as follows:
RICHMOND, July 13, 1859.
DEAR SIR: thank you for yours of the 9Th inst
Il have apprehended all along that the Tammany
Regency would carry united delegation from New
York to Charleston. For whom? Douglas, know,
is confident; but you may rely on it that Mr.. Bu-
chanan is himself candidate for denomination, and
all his patronage and power will be used to disap-
point Douglas and all other aspirants Our only
chance is to organize by districts and either whip
the enemy send two delegations.
a united South. A united South will depend on
united Virginia, and pledge you that She at least,
shall he unit Virginia unit and persistent and
firm on sound platform of protection to all persons
| of popular rersus squatter sovereignty, she must
rally to her support all the South. The South can
not adopt Mr.. Douglas. platform 1t is a short cut
to all the ends of Black Republicanism. He then
will kick up his heels. |: he does don't he can't
be nominated, and the main argument against his
nomination is that he can't be elected if nominated
| If he runs an independent candidate, and Seward
runs, and am nominated at Charleston, can beat
| them both. Or, if squatter sovereignty is plank
of the platform at Charleston, and Douglas is NOM
mated, the South will run independent candidate
on protection principles, and run the election into
the House. Where, then would Mr.. Douglas be
The lowest candidate on the list. If have the por-
ular strength you suppose, it will itself fix the NOM
| inatiOn. Get that and | am confident of success.
The Hon. T. Wood is prolesscdlv and really be-
lieve friend, and of course would in good faith,
be glad of his influence, and would do nothing to
impair it. and could not justly reject his kind aid
| but you may rely upon it that | am neither COM
pletely nor at all in the hands of Mr.. Wood or of
any other mar who breathes. He has always been
| friendly to me, and am to him, but always on fair
| and independent terms. There is nothing in our
relations which should keep aloof any friend of eth
| er. He knows, well as any one can tell him,
that his main influence is in the city of New York
| and judge what you say OF his country influence
is correct. But am counting all the time without
| New York. and don't fear the result. am depend
ing solely upon open position of principle indie
pendent of all cliques, and defyng all comers. We
will overwhclm opposition in Virginia, and her vote
| will be conservative and national
At all events, shall always be glad to hear from
you, and am yours, truly,
HENRY A. WISE.
It appears that this letter was addressed to Mr..
B. Donnely, of New York City, in reply to letter
of Donnclly to Gov. Wise of date July sth. Mr..
:. Donnelly informed him that the probability was
that the State Committee would SO arrange it to
send united Douglas delegation to Charleston
that Gov. Wise suffering in the estimation Of
the controlling spirits of the Committee by the i'm
preston that he, the Governor was too intimately
identified with Fernando Wood-that it was very
important that Gov. W. should be sustained at
Charleston by united South, &c. This brief au.
sion to the character of Mr.. Donnelly's letter will
serve to explain the reply Of Gov. Wise.
Gov. Wise gives in his card letter from Mr.
Donnely of date August 4, in which he endeavors
ITO explain the manner in which the letter made
public. He says that in order to set Gov. Wise
right with the Committee so far as Wood is con
cerned and to advance his claims upon their sup
port, he exhibited the letter to prominent members
of that body; but he states that they only read it
and had no opportunity to take copy. Afterwards
he consented to place the letter in the hands of Mr.
Cassidy, of the Argus and ATLAS, with express
promise from him that it should not be made public
But it was made public, as Mr.. Donnelly declares
"wth view of killing you [Gov. WI e1:" Gov.
Wise repsrds Mr. nonnaIlv nc ippocont II, tho mot
ter but denounces the publication of the letter
which was strictly private as "a gross outrage up
on all the confidence and good faith known among
men in civilized life"
1t certainly is very indiscrcet letter. Persons
who are not devotedly attached to Gov. WISE vii
be apt to conclude, on reading it. that he prefer
himself to Democratic harmony and success; tha
he is willing to divide New York in order to advanc
his own interests; that he is not so modest as h
might be, when he claims 'unted Virginia" 70
Wise, and "united South" simply because ther
r may be united Virginia" But, after ALL tn
New York politicians, who are eated at this ex
posure of Gov. Wise, have extraordinary amour
of purity of their own to boast Of The Governo
has only 6lundered, and that with some politicians
is worse than crime. Mr.. B. Donnelly Is verdan
gentleman, and Gov. Wise suffers for his verdancy
The effect of the letter cannot be otherwise thai
injurious to Gov Wise. 1t may be explained, apollo
gzed for, and those who have broken faith in pub
fishing it may be denounced as they deserve to be
but the effect in New York and elsewhere on Gov
Wise's prospects will be the same.
The ISSUES IN KENTUCKY.-The Cincinnati En-
ouirer contends that all those candidates in Kentuck
who took ground in favor Of Congressional slav
code for the Territories, lost votes, while those yh
opposed intervention and the revival of the Afca