Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-12-09
Lydia Maria Childs Reply Il
Gov. Wise.

ply TO my letter. you INFORM - MAS !
have constitutional night to ,isit vsE.
siDia, for peaceful purposes. in eomssss
with every citizen Of the United Ststap.
l was perfectly well aware that sueh ~
the theory Of constitutional obligation il
the slave States; but was also aware oi
what you omit to mention. viz: that Che
Constitution has, in reality. been com.
pletely and sys ematically nulli6cd when.
ever it suited the convenience Of tie
Slave Power. Your constitutional obli-
cation. for which you profess 70 much
respect. has never proved any protsetios
to citizens Of the Free States who hap.
pent d to bave black. brown. or yellow
complexion; nor to any white citizen
whom you even suspected Of entert4inir +
opinions opposite to yeur own. IN =
question OF vast Importance to the ten.
poral welfare and moral example Of our
common country. This total disregard
Of constitutional obligation has been
manifested not merely BY tho Lynch Law
Of mobs in the Slave States, but by the
deliberate action Of magistrates and
legislators. What rescrd was paid "
constitutional obligation in South Care.
Ira, when Massachusetts, sent the Hon.
Mr.. Hoar there as an envoy. ON a purely
legal errapd !: Mr.. Hedriek. Professor
of Political Economy in the University
Of North Carolina, had constitutional
right to reside in that State. What re.
gard was pail to that right. wien he Was
driven from his home. merely for declsr.
ing hat lie considered slavery an impoli.
tic system, injurious to the prosperity Of
States? What respect for cons,itut ional
rights was manifested BY Alabama. when
a book seller in Mobile was compelled /.
Gee for his life. because he had, at the
special request Of some Of tho citissns.
imported few copies Of . novel that
everybody was curious to read I Your
owp citizen, Mr.. Underwood. had con.
ssitutional right to live in Virginia and
vote for whom,oever he pleases. What
regard was paid to his rights. when he
was driven frcm your State f.r declaring
himself in favor Of the election If Ere.
mont F! With these and a multitude Of
other examples before your eyes.it would
seem as if the less that WAS said about
respect for constitutional obligation At
the South, the better Slavery is in fact.
an infringement Of all law, n sdhe . to
no law. save for its own purposes Of
oppression.
You accuse Capt. John Brown Vt
"whetting knives Of butchery for tho
mothers. sisters, daughters and babes"
OF Virginia; ana you inform me Of tho
well-known fact that be is "arrai8ned
for the crimes Of murder. robbery. and
treason" 1eannos here stop to explaia
why l believe that old hero to be no
criminal, but a martyr to principles
which he sought to advance by methods
sanctioned by his own religious view,.
though not by minc. Allowing th,t
Capt. Brown did attempt 4 scheme in
which mni der .ro bbery. and treason were.
to his own consciousness. involved. I do
nat sec how Gov. Wise can consistently
arra,gn him for crimes be has himself
commended. You have threatened to
trample on the Constitution. and break
the Union. ,fa minority Of ,hs legal
W tcrs in these Cantedera.ed States dared
TO cleo. President unfayorable to the
extension Of slavery. Is not such =
declaration proof Of premeditated trea-
son: In the spring Of ls42, you m.ds
speech in Congress, from which copy
the following:
"Once Sc. before the people Of tho
Grea, Valley the conquest Of the ric,
Mexican Provinces, and you might as
we'll attempt 10 stop the wind. This
Government mi sht sehd its troops. but
they would run over them like q herb of
Buffalo. Let the work once begir. and
| de- not know tha. this House would
holl me very long. Give me Eve mil
lions Of dollars. and would undertake
to do it myself. Alth ugh l do not
know how to set single squadron in
the field. could 6nd me to do It,
Slavery should pou- itself abroad with
out restraint. and find no lmi. but the
South RI Ocean. The Camanches
shonli no lon.er hold ths richest mines
af Mexico. Every golden image which
had received the PROCLAMATION Of false
worship. should soon be melted down
II to good American eagles. l would
cause as much gold to cross the Rio del
Norte as the mul of Mexico could
carry; aye, and would make better use
Of it. too, than any lazy, biso,ed priest.
hood under heaven"
When you thus boosted that you and
your "b ooted loafers' would ovc,run the
troops OF the Unite States "likc herd
of Buffalo, il the Government sent them
to arrest your invasion of neigh boring
nation. at peace with tae United States.
did you not pledge yours i! to commit
treasna !! Was it not by the murder OF
unotf .ndiug Msxic ms that YOU expected
to advance those schemes of avaricc and
AMBITION Wha: humanity had you
for Mexican I'm mothers and babes," whom
YOU proposed to make childless and
tatherless: And for what purpose was
this who esale massacre to take place -
Not to right the wrongs OF any oppressed
class; net to sustain any great principles
Of justice, or of freedom; but merely to
enable ".lavery to pour itself forth with.
out restrain"
Even if Captain Brown were as bad
as you paint him, should suppose he
must naturally remind you Of the words