The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-08-18
GOVERNOR WISE EXPLAINS.


ment among the New York politicians, and
which is destined to become topic of frequent
reference during the coming Presidential cam
paign. We now have another letter from that
gentleman, addressed to the editors of the
Richmond Enquirer, in which he avows the
authenticity of the letter alluded to, and ex-
plains the circumstances which called it forth.
1t will be seen that Mr.. Wise wrote in reply to
letter from Mr.. Donnelly, New York
merchant, who processes to have profound
admiration for the Governor Of Virginia, and
who is fully impressed with the idea that the
salvation of the country and the preservation of
the Union depend entirely upon his nomination
to the Presidency. Any one possessing the
least knowledge of public affairs will see at
glance that this Mr.. Donnelly is an unmiti-
gated greenhorn, who is overwhelmed with
sense of the honor conferred upon him by
correspondence with Governor Wise else
he is willy trickster, who has dexterously
played upon the vanity and ambition of his cor
respondent. We confess that perusal Of his
letter favors the latter suppositiOn rather than
the former. He first initiates the vanity of the
Governor of Virginia by dose of hattery
which would intoxicate the brain of an eastern
monarch. "With any other man from the
Southern States than yourself" he tells him,
"we would be beaten out Of sight" He then
adroitly insinuates that this fact is so palpable
that all Northern aspirants to Congress and
other high positions will insist upon Wise, if
they are to have Southern man, as he alone
can save them from certain defeat. He then
tells the Governor, I" If you soere once nomi-
mated, my God, a0hat Uote yOu aoould get acith
SeUard against you! " You could carry ecery
Northern State, excepting Massachusetts,, Yer
mont, and possibly Rhode Island. AL Of the
Western States, am assured, aoould roll into
line again." 1t is impossible to believe that
any intelligent man in the country, unless it be
Governor Wise himself, entertains this wild
and ridiculous idea of his popularity. Donnel-
ly is either, as we have said, exceedingly YER
dant, and prompted by desire to say some
thing that will be pleasing to his correspond
ent, or else he designed to draw from him a
letter to be used as Governor Wise's 18th of
July letter has been used.
Having administered this exhiarating draught
to the vanity of Mr.. Wise, Mr.. Donnelly pro-
ceeds to inform him that an obstacle to his sue
cess is the prevalent belief that he is too much
under the influence of Fernando Wood. If
certain leaders of the dominant faction, viz ::
Ludlow, Cassidy, and Peter Cagger could be
assured that this is not the case, they would
look favorably upon the pretensions of Mr.
Wise, and one great obstacle to his nomination
would be removed. Mr.. Wise bites at the bait
He writes the letter, strictly private, and wakes
up one fine morning to find it verbatim in the
New York Herald! Mr.. Wise still believes in
the innocence of Mr.. Donnelly, because he be-
lieved his fattering statements, and feels kindly
TO the man who gave him written assurance of
the verify of his fondest dreams.
There are other things worthy of attention in
this Donnelly letter, which we republish as
part of the longer one in explanation of its
origin. 1t is pregnant epistle, and the com
ments which it is destined to undergo will fill
volumes. 1t will be seen that Mr. Wise no
longer regards Mr.. Douglas as coming within
the pale of the Democratic party-says the
South cannot stand on Douglass platform, and
that that platform IS "a short CIT to Black Re
publicaniSml He further says that if Doug.
las should be nominated with his squatter SOW
erignty doctrine, the South will bolt and run
an independent ticket! That if Douglas is not
nominated, he will bolt! and in that event. if
he (Wise) should be nominated, he will beat
Douglas and Seward both
We will also call attention to Mr.. Wises
characteristic boast of his ability to crush all OBJ
position to himself within the State of Virginia,
and his pledge that Virginia at least shall 90
into the Convention a unit He plots with
Donnelly and the Hards to send to Charleston
a double-headed delegation from New York.
but declares with imperial authority that Vir
GINA must be until This is decidedly cool,
but we leave it for the Virginans to settle
among themselves.
RICHMOND, VA, dug. 8, 1859
To the Editors ofthe Enquirer:
GENTLEMEN: In your editorial of this morn
ing, / notice what purports to be letter writ
ten by me, to some unknown correspondent
published in the New York papers, by whom
have Z" no authority to speak about the mat
ter. / now give you authority to speak all that
know about it. The impression is attempted
to be made, that | have Extensively obtruded my
advice and interference into New York poll
tics, in vain and immoral attempt upon the
members of the State Committee, to influence
the appointment Of delegates from that State to
the Charleston Convention.
Now, the plain statement of the whole case
is that for some considerable time past I had
held private and confidential political cores
pondence with Mr.. B. Donnelly, No. William
street, New York. He wrote to me last spring,
l replied, and the correspondence ceased until |
the 9Th of July last, when he wrote to me again
the following letter:
SARATOGA, july 8, 1859.
Ny DEAR GOVERNOR: You will remember |
my writing you last spring, to which / received |
an answer, and which / would have acknowl- |
edged at an earlier day, but supposed your
time would be so much taken up with other |
more important matters, that | concluded to |
withhold writing you until the present. You |
will learn, from the newspapers and elsewhere, |
that those who are in expectation of receiving |
the nomination at Charleston are marshalling |
their forces as strongly as possible.
This State, which have watched very close |
ly, with view of acquainting you of what is |
going on, will, as matters now stand, send to |
Charleston united delegation in favor of
Douglas. Their second choice would be you. |
give you this information as fact, SO that YOU |
may rely upon it. 1t is barely possible that |
Wood and others in New York city may sue |
coed in getting up two sets of delegates to the |
Convention, but it is my opinion your friends
in the South need not expect much support |
from the Northern States. The South IS the
only place to count on with any degree Of GER
taintY, and If the South shonld kink nm har