Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-11-11

4 AUtsUA y VA u4 "a leLe
| Nobody is SO crazy or 50 credulous as to
think that all the begging, beseeching,
threatening and bribing letters, Of which
Gov. Wise is in daily receipt, are genuine,
or at all sincere ii their avowed intent; the
whole thing is most transparently the work
Of his political enemies and rivals, who,
knowing the unequalled frsnkness and sin
fcerity Of The man, have conspired to pro-
woke from him some honest answer, which
their ingenuity may torture into heresy or
treason. Ifsuch was the purpose Of the ro-
mantle Mrs. Child, (Which we doubt) most
ingloriously has the old woman fzzled.-
The beautiful and appropriate answer which
Mr.. Wise has condescended, mrst surely
''stop the foodgates other eyes" for while,
and perhaps put her to wondering how she,
who only performed the part Of Peter the
Hermit, could, BY preaching alone. rouse
up set of silly enthusiasts to an active cru
SADIE, and bona fde rebellion. But we will
leave Z. Maria quietly to revolve such new
thoughts as the letter Of Gov. Wise may
have suggested to her tristful heart, and
proceed to place before the public our own
sagacious views Of her probable secret in
tent.
The petition of this woman, addressed
to the Governor Of Virginia, necessarily
exhibits an ignorance Of the powers vested
in the Executive, wholly unworthy liter
airy reformer, (for such she claims to be-
or else betrays feverish longing" to a.
vail herself of Old Browns worldwide in
fanny, and 50 parade and ezalt her compass
sionate philanthropy at the cost of all her
claims to common sense. And if her igno-
rance Of the relation which exists between
master and servant here in Virginia, should
happen to be as profound as that she stands
confessed to, concerning the power Of the
Governor to grant or refuse her touching
request to be allowed to weep or melt or
work herself into any becoming stew, be-
sides making herself generally ridiculous
| around and about the couch Of that silliest
all martyrs ''the deep damnation Of
whose taking off, " she hcrselfis confessedly
| in part the author-we cannot wonder that
Mrs Child and her rivals in stupidity should
persist in forwarding an enterprise which
careful investigation Of the beauties and
merits of our humane institution, would
teach them was next to mad The careful
Mr.. Butler has preserved the instructive
anecdote Of certain modest aspirant for
humble notoriety, who deliberately
The itch, on purpose to be scratch'd."
Perhaps Mrs. Child, after all, while
preaching and goading Brown and his fell
lows to inevitable martyrdom, was not bit
prompted by the ardor Of philanthropy, but
simply premeditated and contrived an op-
portunity to discharge and display her gush-
ing sensibilities, and only used the Karper's
Ferry heroes as SO many lightning rods for
that commendable purpose. This is by no
means violent or unfair Interpretation Of
Maria's charming grief, but we have an
other which we think is more ingenious and
more plausible, as it is more feminine. BY
careful study Of the old lady's letter to
Ossawattomie himself, the reader may pos
sibly detect Eve did, the ''embryon atoms, :
the beginnings Of an emotion more tender
than even PHYS self, yet nearly akin to-
and sometimes deriving its very being from
that mild passion. Not only does she pro-
pose to furnish him with sundry spots Of
JAM and other eatables, such as the COM
passionate Widows were wont to bestow up
on the afflicted Mr.. Weller, but earnestly,
passionately, and with becoming piety, dis
closes her 'strue love" il terms that would
do credit to- an Amanda, a Henrietta, or
even an Araminta. Il love you and I
bless you" After such very frank avow-
al, we need no longer be uneasy about L..
Maria's heal:h the worm in the bud sure
ly cannot stand so ingenious confession !;
and if he knows what's good for him, will
cease his ravages on her "damask cheek
Ia support of our theory Of the existence of
a ''grand passion" we have no additional
evidence but such as is wholly negative
we will therefore barely hint at its merits.
It seems singularly inconsistent with the
code of disinterested philanthropy that Mrs.
Child can consent to tear herself away from
the loathsome couches of at least half-a-doz-
en- poor. helpless, needy and innocent
wretches abolit;onists too-who are said
to be, at thrs very time, gradually wasting
away and pining-in sundry huts through
out New England the lack Of ''sisterly
sympathy" and smotherly soothing" -not
to,mention something to eat and devote her
melting heart and generous hand to soothing
and feeding the felon Brown-Brown !!
who, besides, is even now better provided
for, as far as sensual wants are concerned,
than one half of the free @ citizens ofNew
En- gland. So, If we allow that Maria's Wis
lit to Virginia is prompted by humanity
alone, it at once entangles her in the absurd
inconsistency Of dcserting her nearest neigh