Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1859-12-07
Gov. Wise's Message.

RIcHMoSD, Dec. 5.-Both Houses of the
Legislature of Virginia were organized to-
day. The Governors message reviews the
llHrpers Ferry affair Mt great length. 1t
speaks of the spirit of fanaticism and abo-
lltiOnism, which have seemed to madden
whole masses of one entire section of the
country; which enters into religion, edu-
cation, politics and prayers, courts of JUS
ticc and legislatures; which has trained I'M
three generations in moral, in social hab-
its of hatred to the masters of African
slaves in the United States, but turns not
upon slaves elsewhere; Which sent COM
forts and cOunscllOrs, and would have
sent rescne to the assassins, robbers, muir
derers and traitors, whom, it has sent to
telonS' graves. Unless the numerical ma
jority will cease to Violate the confederate
faith, and cease to disturb our peace, to
destroy our lives and property, and to de-
prive us of all protection and redress un-
der the perverted forms and distorted
workings of the Union, we must take up
arms. The issue is too essential to be
compromised any more. We cannot stand
SUCH insults and ontrages asthcse commit
ted Mt Harper's Ferry, without suffering
what is even worse than the death of our
citizens, without suffering dishonor-thc
doath of State. Ills not to he denied
that we have many sound and sincere
friends in the non-slNveholding States, but
the conservative elements are passive,
whilst the fanntical are active The for
mer arc fast diminishing, whilst the latter
are increasing in numbers and force
With regard to the insurgents the mes
sage says:
IT'S mockery to call them monomaniacs.
The leader himself spurncd the plea, and
it was not put in upon the trials. They
were prompted by the evil spirit of incen-
tiarism, which dcmornlizod numerous
hosts behind them, whonow symp0thize
with their deeds before the world. These
men hired them without themselves incur
ring the risk of their crimes, and no Won
der they now sympathize with them, even
to madness, and that John Brown despised
the hypocritical cant of their pretensc that
he was insane.
The most Interesting feature of this
predatory war is that it has its seat in the
British province, which furnishes an asy-
lum to our fngitivcs, and sends them and
their hired outlaws upon us from dcpotS
and rendezvous in bordering States. There
Is no danger from our State or the colorcd
people. The slaves taken refused to take
up arms. and the first killed was n respect
able free negro, while running from the
Pnllanthroplsts who came to iberate the
black race.
In closing the message, the Governor
says, we must organize and arm; we must
demand of each State what position she
means to maintain in the future with re-
spect to slavery and provisional constitu-
tions; the laws of the United States, and
the provisions of our State laws for its
protection in our federal relations, and be
governed according to the manner in which
the demand is answered. We are in arms
let us defend our own position, OF yield at
once. Lei us have action, and resolve on
Il definite settlement; no more temporizing
the Constitution, 7no more compromise.
Tho other cOnvicts await execution. They
will be executed, unless the General AS
sembly order otherwise.