Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-12-13
From III. Charles,own Split Of Jcserson
Gov. WIS, and the Military ut Charles


Il +. difficult for a man so to &c: that every movement, o
NJ, will receive the sanction Of 4 whole community. Fault
finding is All attribute OF our natures, and W. are apt u
condemn every thing ,ha: doe: not =. o"cr '''ih" our nHha
as right AID proper. We prrn,. ourselves 10 express Freely
| our views, even II those views are not sustained by inc's .
supported by matters Us they really eAis.' sinsuiaf!y ha
TIL, been the case Ia our community ia relation 10 The actlJ!
| Of Gov. Wise In sending so large u body Of ih1!'"fy 70 I'M
point, TO prevent any attempt at rescue OF the prisoner
now confined Ia our couu,y jail, as al-o the hoaT! leader .
the lIarpcr's Ferry foray, whose life has bee" the forfeit o
lis madness.
the course pursued by the Executive o' The commonwealth
la III. frs, place we are OF the opinion that a LARGE body o
troops Vas necessary 10 prevent The attempted rescue il'
We believe SO-uOt rccaus. such u belief l. u ali comfort
ing or consolinr-hui because there exists ample evidence
upon which. To found such a conclusion. We have been per
United 10 read n number Of letters from reliable persons II
the North, which have fully satisfied Us that TIE in"' Sinent
! Of Governor Wise were not only prudent ana discreet, Gu
actually essential TO prevent the further eNG'ioa oI blood
and We verify believe that Governor WISE hds Orei i'S'Tu
mental in preventing a bloody battle in our town. W. VI!
4 not saw the schemes concoc..l In the North CnElicH.f have
resulted In the rescue OF Brown, Tor We 40 ho' .t.r'e Ia
the whole North gould ever have taken Eia' oG: " or ia!
alive, bu, we do say, and with perfect sincerity, Mat "'
believe the large force puariered at thi, po'h', before nh'
on the day u: the execution, pfeNcutr" 'hr n'>P'!i"oe:
who had ,oi-mnly sworn TO rescue Brown ar he in IL" Fl
fort, from making all a,teInpi which must haScGe FOLLOWED
with loss " life and property.
We are well aware that these letters ahNr hceh uS
credited 10y some w-l-mrauing and ~!n,elNesni persons, aii'
that the pronptnr,s Of Gov. Wise in sending troops 10 W.
border has been characterized by others "a, only An elcc
,ioneeriu: scheme, resortct to solely for polH'a! capital a
IA. South. We have heard these views expressed yer!
freely. aud have ourselves been disposed 10 question t'
entire Li,iniercstrdncss Of the Governor III repairing II
person 10 the seen. Of conflict, and In bringing wish hin
The very flower of Southern soldiery. hut We hay" en-
dravor-d TO investigate the matter, &" Took a; 1t impartlaiIy
and 10 examine Into il carefully, and our ""n cvEv!ctiOn.
as expressed above. have been formed fror" evidence Thir'
Il would he folly In u TO reject.
In ,,a,icniEg a large military force in our midst, and ih'
day |. not remote when his motives, Instead ~ being In
! pugncd and har,hly condemned, will be sanctioned ant
heartily approved by every man who regard, the welfare .
the community as Infinitely above every o. co'i.idera
zion, This border, i.not now, will doubtless become The thea
tire for abolition inrursions and invaSiors There are otie'
men In the North who are as bitterly hostile TO III. ii'>'i'n
ton Of slavery as John Brown, and who perhaps are az recE
less O, human life. Northern fanaticism Is making martSr
Of frlons, and those whose neckS are oily q; for the halter
and whose lives are Yalueiess at HON. vii! coye' the lat
which Brown has met, in order tha: their names may h'
! rescued from degradation and nhscuiity. and rinblaLDnr,
to IN. world by the madness Of y fake philan:hropE, as he
roes and MARTYRS III defence " the doctrine VI '~irrcpreSsI
BILE conflict So long a. ihcrc are found teachers ant
preachers of "iish.r lawisn' In the Northern states, =
long will dangers threaten and menace our ironiier.-
This Invasion Of Brown and hi. party i no, the last one We
! have to ap~preheud. Others Of u more serious character
are 10 be dreaded. Under the circumstances il ia rroIe'
ihat We -hould be prepared, and ready at any n"n'ent to
defend ourselves. And this preparation has been inHusu
rated 10y Henry A. wisc. lie has commenced The work
aud 1t i lett 20 u' to c~"mple,eit. lns'rado of complaining
We should ic-l thankful 10 him for what he hH. done, AZ,
susisn him for "A work. :ie wisdom Of which, tim. wi!
amply N...icat-. Two months ago 81 Tcre without organ
izauon or discipline. without arms or ANY means OF drirnc-
Now We axe We! equipped and prepared Tor service, and IL
;wenty.iour hour, III. counties -, Jefferson, FREDERICK
Clarke and Berkeley could raise an array Of two ,housaHt
Z men relus u ~ hNlt'' More yuan WIS, We nave now -'ln'
definite idea OF The character Of military service. and >oa,
experience la the way, " military life; We have N" mos
Improved arms and 4 pretty good kuowlelr. Of their U.s.
and value. From chaos and confusion. We have been rai,r,
20 comparative system and discipline, and an invasion now
would no, produce half the condemnation produced on tn
l;:h Of October, though = thousari men, !u.;cs'! Of twenty
TWO, were engaged ia il.
The presence OF well-drilled troops in cur miis, ha
v,ken.l n .piri, Of military enthusiasm which never hr
fore existed, and which, IL cultivated ati kept up. will r-n
der us inrincible agains, the assaults O! Northern fanati
ci,,n and right here on This border where "" "rhnd hath
between slavery and pgof-ssed freedom is Il fought. vi!
10. .ourd All efficient gard OF citizen soldlery. ready 80,
willing 20 hull back the ruthless invaders oil our SOL.
I To the present Governor Of the State OF Virginia are W
indebted for this Improvement In our delencss, ana al
though We have been subjected To- some s"iloya!ices ans
Inconvenience, consequent upon the temporary ausn.n'h
lion ot our population, let US rejoice that Ne have within
our state, ample means Of defence from the invaslons Q
do,Ies'ic or foreign enemies.
h"s.:"N, In - prcuniary ro!u; Of view. the quaFteriug o
"'c's troops IN cur mid I will not be without profit 10 IN
pe"i'.s 81 Jefferson. 4 considerable amount OF iu"ncy wi!
De iet here - The result Of This action OF the Governor
ana III ms respect, ~ in every other, We have !itiie caus
OF coihP'un'' awi Just gr"dud, 10 approx. OF Gnv-rur
Misses ccnduc'.