The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1859-12-21
The President 10 Governor Wise.
Washington Civ, Nov. 2s, 1859.

Washington cily Nov. 2s, 1850.
SIN: | received on yesterday your favor
of the 25th instant, stating that YOU have re.
ceiyed information from various quarters, on
which you rely, that a conspiracy, Of fOrm-
dable extent in means and Numbers, is form
ed in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and
other States, TO rescue John Brown and bis
associates, prisoners at Charlestown, Nirg-
MIA" The information, you believe, - "spe'
clic enough to be reliable !" and YOU are
convinced that an attempt wtll be made to
rescue the prisoners, and, il that falls, then
TO seize citizens of this State virginia. As
hostages and victims in case Of execution"
You do not communicate the facts on which
your convictions are founded, in the absence
Of which it would seem almost incredible that
any portion of the people oi the States men.
toned should be guilty Of The atroc,ous wick.
edness, as well as folly, Of attempting to res.
cue convicted traitors and murderers from
the penalty due to their crimes under the
outraged laws of Virginia. You express en-.
tire confidence, in which heartily partici.
pate, that the noble old Commonwealth is
abundantly able and willing to carry her
| own laws into execution. Had this been
otherwise, and had you, as the GnyernOr o!
Virginia, (the Legislature not now being in
session, made application TO me for the aid
which the constitution and laws Of the United
States would enable me to oaiiOrd, this should
have been cheerfuly and cordially granted.
| Still, there is one measure which, Oh the pre-.
sumption that yonr information is well found.
ed, It is both NJ, right and my duty toaslopt
that is, to reinforce the guard already
stationed at Harper's Ferry. This MAY be.
come necessary, not only to prntecs She pub.
lie property clearly within Federal inrisdic,
tion, but to prevent the insurgents from seiz-
ing the arms in the arsenal at that place aud
using them against the troops of Virginia.
| Besides, il j. possible the additional troops
nav be required 10 act as posse coMitdfus,
on the requisitiun Of the Marshal Of the Unit
ed States for the wentern district Of Virginia,
/ to prevent the rescue Of Stevens, now in bis
custody, charged with the crime Of high trea-
son. have, therefore, as a precautionary
measure, directed the Secretary OF War to
order two companies Of artillery to proceed
immehiatel, from Fortress Monroe to liar.
Iper's Ferry.
You also infnrm ne that "places in Mary.
land, Ohio and Pennsylvania have been oc'
cupied as depOls and rendezvous by these
EdesperaJoes, un0bstructed by guards OF
otherwise, TO invade" Virginia, and you ap
prize me Of the facts in order that "ma,
take steps TO preserve peace between the
States" | am at a loss tOdscgyer any pro
vision in the Constitution or laws Of III,
United States which would authariZe me L
take steps" for this purpose. Ii i, doubt
less, the imperative duty nG the respectly,
State Governments 10 break up such depGt
and 10 prevent their citizens from maxim.
incursi0ns into Virginia to disturb it, peace
or prevent the execution Of I!s laws Ii til,
Federal Executive, however, were TO ente
those States and perform this daty Tor theG
il would be manifest usarpaiiun Of the
rights. Were thus to act, II would be palpa
BILE invasion Of State sovereignty, aud, as
precedent, might prove highly dangerous VI,
authority for calling cut the militia or em
pIOying The army and navy Is derived exclu
sively IRON the acts II Congress Ui the 2slI
February, l.g5, ard the 5d March, lsp5
which clearly do not embrace such case a
is now presented. 1t viii not BIZ pretrudgI
that such incur.iOn from QUE State tat,
another would be an invasion Of the UnlteI
States " from any foreign nation or indiai
tribe" under the act Of February, l7gj, fen
dering il lawful tor the President 10 cmpIu,
the Federal lurees Ito repeal such iusa
sion"
In conclusion, beg to express the hop
that, whether the information you have re-
ceiyed be founded in truth or nni, the enrr
getic measures already adopted under yOn
direction will prove sufficient Tor any emer
gency that may occur. Yours. very respect
fully, JAMES BtCHASAN.
10 his ExceIirncy Hrmy a. Wise,
Governor Of Y.rginii. Richmond, Va.
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