The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1859-02-19
NO. IL.
Ube felitiala 1emotrat.
HENRY a. WISE ON SOUTHERN RIGHTS AND
SOUTHERN RESISTANCE


l. lhc Alabama river. inquired of him if he ever
heard Governor Wise before Me pcople of vir.
gina upon Southern Resistance to Federal and
: Abolition aggressionsi lie replied that he
had: and, said he II will repeat his speech to
YOU lie was standing in a broad piazza and
at the very steps. "Fellow citizens" said bc
II love this Union. The memories ofits origin
its progress and its triumphs; the hopes of its
future achievements and its endless duration
beat in my heart like the mighty pulses Of nv
own native ocean in the bosom of the atmos
phcre which envclops it. | would bear much
and bear long, before would dissolve it. For
better or for worse, were the covenant and
pledge. So we woocd-so we won--so were
these married together. AS an honorable hps.
band would bear with the innocent frailties of
his wife, so ought we to bear with each other
until death do us part SO reads the sol.
emn right, and may my tongue ceave to the
root Of my mouth, and my right hand forget its
cunning, if forget thee, o Jerusalum' But
gentlemen, sacred as is this Union. solemn as
was the right which ccmcntcd it. strong MS are
its bonds and my affection for it, I would dis
solve it upon more than one contingency. I
oIespisc all Revolutionary patrotism--I am in
these contingencies for action, PROMPT stern
irrcvocablc action.
'Wlat husband would hug the chains of mat.
rlmohy Il but once dshonor touch their links?
rs Sampson rent away the seven green wythes
from his arms, with which .hc lords of the Phil
IS ines would cause a Dcliah to bind him. so
WSaId cast off the tyranncal forms of a Uni.
Oh winch should dare to touch Southern hon.
or--'as thread OF tow is broken when il
toucheth The fire.
This Union was ordained and established
for great beneficial practical ends. TO these
ends it is soemny and sacredy bound in the
compact as we are bound to the Union itself
and do not hesitate to declare that I prefer
lhc ntlItaransm Of practical Constitutional
Liberty, to the scntimcntaism Of an empty the.
ory of rights If the great ends of the Union
shall be ignored or defeated by the dominant
aud reckless fanaticiSm--thcn death doth rs
part.'
Gentlemen, would draw the line of right
and take my stand upon it, and warn the North
not to violate the writing. / don't mean its
letter only, but its vital and vitalizing spirit.
Standing there, if there should be honest mis-.
understanding rs to construction--no mean ad.
vantage Sought--no bullying appeal to force,
nor cunning resort to fraud--no honor touched
--no vital interest assailed--but a fair. bona
.fde misunderstanding am true man--a
|irginan--an Amcrican--.as am n husband
Il father a fricnd--;S | love honor and despisc
hypocrisy, and defy brute force and trust NOR.
tai power and the providence of God-I would
yield. | would step back (and here Mr.. Wise
re'reated single step to another line.
Gentlemen, the craven feels hnmiiated
whatever his concession to an adversary may
he, Tor it is always one Of necessity, and never
one OF generous iorbearancrS, of magnanimity
% justice even, Retrcating under the circum
stances and to the extent have Indicated /
should feel 10 humiliation Nay, | should elc
valc pronder front and glow with nobler en-
thusiosm, for should realize the mortal power
of forbcannce-the inspiring divinity of charity
ennobllnS the act and consecrating the motive.
But, gentlemen, If pressed at this second line"
and nothing but n material interest sought, and
a temporary disadvantage imposed upon the
South, should protest and reason, and implorc
The North to stay the hand of oppression, but
should yield, lwould still retreat to another
lincw And here Mr. Wise rctrcated another
step 'Sullcnly it might bc--angrily-- def
antly-nay, perhaps, threatcningly, | should
re'reat"~-and he stepped back again.
"Genlcmen, necessity knows no law Pres.
scd again by unreasonable demands, harrassed
by unjust cXactions--insultcd'- and as he
spoke he stepped back, and elevated himself
and stretched out his arm and his back touched
the wall) "lIeavcn and earth bear witness
he cried, ~ RETREAT NO rARrHERl 1t is the
CAIN" and sprnigng forward with
the glare of death in his eye, and waving n
drawn sword in pantomime, he silently, terribly
enacted the tragedy of death and dissolution,
Such screaming, horrible, yelling applause,
never heard before or since There he stood,
ntterng no word, but cutting and thrashing.
and enactlng the death struggle and death
agony, while the people absolutely went into
historical convulsons of mingled delight and
desperation! There he stood, for a whole min
ute and without speaking a word, acted
,chole rerolutioa!
At length he composed the angry term
first of his features, into the calm dignity of
priest patriarch, and said, with this blood Of
sacrifice baptise afrcsh the altars of liberty.
From this fountain of mingling life and death
shall flow again the waters of peace and heal.
ng to the nations" And turning to the peo,
pie, he grayely said, "Fellow.citizens, | am ~
Union man; and SO were the men of the Con-