The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1859-11-18
GOV. WISE 8 REPLY.
RICHMOND, Va. Oct. %

| hlCliMOSbJ a., oct. -, %.
MADAM Yours of the Goth was re-
ceived by me yesterday. and at nv earliest
leisure, | respectfully reply to it, that |
will forward the letter to John Brown a
prisoner under our laws, arraigned at the
bar of the Circuit Court for the county of
Jefferson, at Charle>town Va, for the
crimes Of murder, robbery, and treason,
which you ask me to transmit to him.
will comply with your request in the only
way which seems to me proper. by in
closing it to the Commonwealth Attor-
ney, with the request that he will ask the
permission of the Court to hand it to the
prisoner. Brown, the prisoner, is now in
the hands of the judiciary-not the execu
tive of this Commonwealth
You ask me, further, to allow you to
perform the mission " of mother or sister,
to dress his wounds and speak soothingy"
BY this, of course YOU mean to be allow
ed to visit him in his cell, and to minister
to him in the offices of humanity. Why
should you not be allowed, madam? Vir-
ginia and Massachusetts are involved in no
civil war; and the Constitution which unite5
them in one confederacy guarantees to you
privileges and immunities of citizen Of
the United States in the Stale Of Virginia
That Constitution / am sworn to support,
and am, therefore, bound to protect your
privileges and immunitieS as citizen of
Massachusetts coming into Virginia for
any lawful and peaceful purpose. Coming,
as you propose, to minister to the captive
in prison, you will be met, doubtless, by
all our people not only in chivalrous but
in Christian spirit. You have the right
to visit Charleston, Va, madam and your
mission being merciful and humane, will
not only be allowed, but be respected, if
not welcomed.
A few unenlightened and inconsiderate
persons, fanatical in their modes of thought
and action to maintain Justice and right,
might modest you. or be disposed to do so,
and this might suggest the imprudence of
rsklng any experiment upon the peace of
society very much excited by the crimes
with whose chief author vou seem to SYM
pathise so much !; but still, | repeat, your
motives and avowed purpose are lawful
and peaceful, and Twill, as far as am con-
cerned, do my duty in protecting your
rights in our limits. Virginia and her au-
thorties would be weak indeed, weak in
point of folly and weak in point of power,
if her State faith and constitutional obiga.
tons cannot be redeemed in her own linn
its to the letter ofmorality as well as flaw;
and if her chivalry cannot courteously re-
ceive lady's visit to prisoner, every arm
which guards Brown from rescue on the
one hand and Lynch Law on the other,
will be ready to guard your person in Vir-
ginia. | could not permit insult even to
woman in her work Of charity among us,
though it be to one who whetted knives of
butchery for our mothers, sisters, daughters
and babes. We have no sympathy with
your sentiments Of sympathy for Brown,
and are surprised that YOU were 50 taken
by surprise when news came of Captain
Browns recent attempt" His attempt
was natural consequence of yonr sympa-
thy, and the errors of that sympathy ought
to make you doubt its virtue from the effec.
on his conduct But it is not of this that
| should speak. When You arrive at
Charlestown, if you should 90 there, it
will be for the Court and its officers, the
Commonwealth Attorney, Sheriff and
JaiIor, to say whether YOU may see and
wait on the prisoner. But whether you
are permitted or not land you will be if
my advice can prevail) you may rest AS
sured that he will be humauelv, lawfully