The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1859-11-11

Governor Wise to Mrs ChAd The fol-
lowing is the reply of Governor Wiae, of
Virginia, to the letter Of Mrs Child express
ing sympathy withJohn Brown, and request
ing permission to visit him in prison and
nurse Aim as sister. Like other sentimental
ympathisers, Mrs. Child after the mischief is
done which the impractical wordiness of
such has served to instigate, now volunteers
profession OF "peace principles. Cover
ner Wise dispsses of the good LADY az fol-
lows:
RICHMOND, Va, Oct. 90, 1859.
Madam: Yours of the 26th was received
by me yesterday, and at my earliest leisure
| respectfully reply to it, that will forward
the letter for John Brown, a prisoner under
our laws, arraigued at the bar of the circuit
county Of Jefferson, at Charlestown, Va,
for the crimes of mu der, robbery, and trea-
son, which you ask me to transmit to him.
will comply with your request in the only
way which seems TO me proper, by enclosing
it to the commemorative attorney, with the
request that he will ask the perm ission OF
the court to hand it to the prisoner.-orowu
the prisoner, is now in the hands of tn Judi
ciary, Hot OF the Executive Of this common
wealth.
You ask me, me, further. to allow you to
perform the mission "of mother or sister, to
dress his wounds and epeak soothingly to
him." BY this, Of course, you mean to be
allo ed to visit him in his cell and to minis
ter to him in the Offices of humanity. Why
should you not be allowed, Madam Viz
GINA and Massachusetts, are involved in no
civil war, and the constitution viii ch unites
them in one confederacy guarantees to you
privileges and immunities of citizen OF
Massachusetts, coming into Virginia Tor any
lawful and peaceful purpose. Coming, Gas
you propose, to minister to the captive in
prison, you will be met, doubtless, by all our
people, not only in a ct ivalrous but in
Christian spirit. You haye a right to visit
Charlestown, Virginia, madam, aud your
mission being merciful aud humane, will not
only be allowed but be respected il not vel
coined. few unlig aud inconsider-
ate persons, fanaticel in their modes of
thought and action to maintain justice and
right, might mioest you, or be disposed to
do SO and this might suggest the imprudence
OF risklng any experiment upon the peace of
society very much excited by the crimes
with whose chief author you seem to sym.
pathise so much; but still. L repeat. your
motives and avowed purpose are lawful and
peaceful, aud will, as far as am concern
ed, DO my duty, in protecting your rights in
our limits.
Virginia and her authorities would be
weak indeed-weak in point of folly and
weak in point Of powor-if her State faith
ana constitutional obligations cannot be re-
deemed in her own limits to the letter of
morality as well as OF law. And if her chiv-
airy cannot courteously receive lady's Wis
it to prisoner, every arm which guards
Brown from rescue on the one hand, and
from Lynch law on the other, will be ready
to guard your person in Vii ginih. l could
not permit an insult even to woman in her
walk 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 with Brown, and are surprised
that you were "taken by surprise when
news came Of Captain Browns recent at
attempt" His attempt was a natural coz
sequence of your sympathy. and the errors
OF that sympathy oaght to make you doubt
its virtue from the effect of ais cenduct. But
it is not of this should speak. When you
srriva at Charl.stown,if you go there it will
re for the court and its officers, the Com
monwealth's attorney, sheriff and jailer, to
say whether you may see and wait on the
prisoner. But, whether you are thus per-
mitted or not (and you will be if: my advice
can prevail, you may rest assured that he
will be humanely, lawfully and merci;aliy
dealt by in prison and on trial.
respectfully, HgNSy A WISE.
l.. Maria Child.