The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-12-06
Governor Wise's Message to the virginia
Legislature.

Governor Wise's Message to the Virginia
Legislature.
RICHMOND, Va, Dec. s, 1859.
The Legislature Of Virginia organized to day.
Governor Wise's message reviews the Harper's Ferry
affair at great length speaks of the spirit Of fanati
cism and one idea Of the abolitonsts which has
seemed to madden whole masses Of one entire
section Of the country, which enters into their
religion, education, politics, prayers, Courts Of Jus.
tice and Legislatures: which has trained up three
generations in moral and social habits Of hatred 70
the masters Of African slaves in the United States
turns not upon slavery esewhere which would have sent
rescue to assassns robbers murderers and traitors,
whom has sent TO feons graves Unless the numeri
cal majority shall to violate the confederate faith
and cesse to disturb peace to destroy lives and
property, and 10 deprive us Of all the protection and
dress under the perverted forms and distorted workings
OF the Union, must take up arms The issue is too
essential to be compromised any more We cannot stand
such insults and outrages these of the Harpers
Ferry, without suffering than citizens and
without suffering 10 dishonor the death Of State 1t is
not to be denied that we have many sound and sincere
friends in the slaveholdng States the conserva
tive elements passive whilst the fanatical active,
and the former is fast diminishing whilst the latter 10 in
creasing in numbers and force.
With regard to the insurgents he says is mockory to
call them monomaniacs. Ii they were then large por-
ton OF the people Of many Of the States monomcncs
The leader himself spurned this plea and put
in upon the trials. They prompted by the evil
spirits OF incendiarism which demoralized a nume-
rous host of enemies behind them, who SYM
pathized with their deeds before the world. These
hired them without themselves mourning the risk Of their
crimes, and no wonder they now sympathse with them
even to madness, and that John Brown despised the
hypocrtcal cant of their prctence that he was insane
The execution Of our laws necessary future VIC
Tins not again to be the tool of this sympathy We have
friends or we have not in the States whence these
came They must be only conservative but active
to prevent the invader coming 1t impossible for
much of such sympathy to exist without exciting bad
to actiou-rescue revenge On this he acted He has
been compelled by the apprehension of the most un.
paralleled border to place the State in as
full panoply Of military defence as If foreign
enemies invaded the United States. Indeed one
most irritating feature Of this predatory is that has
Its seat in British provinces, which furnish asyums for
our ugves and Sc nd them and their hired outlaws upon
US from depos and rendezvous in the bordering States
There is no danger from slaves colored people
The slaves taken refused take arms the first man
killed was respectable free negro while running from
the phanhuopists who to bcrate the black race
In closing the message he saysWe rely upon our.
selves light for peace organize and arm demand of
CGe Wuat pOstOu sue means 10 MAINTAIN IN the future
In respect to slavery and the provision of the
stitution and laws Of the United States, and the
provision of the State laws for its protection IN
federal relations and be governed according to
the manner in which the demand may be answered.
We in arms With regard to the reports and
Of organized conspraces obsruct laws the Cover
says they from many sources, so smul.ane
GUS, far apart, from persons SO unlike in EVIL
dences of education, they could be from no
conspiracy to hoax; but he relied not much upon
them upon the earnest continued appeal Of sympathi
with crimes. Let defend position
or yield at Let US have action and re-
solve upon definite settlement No more
temporizing with the constitoton--no more compro-
misses. The other convicts await execution, and will
be executed unless the General Assembly orders other
wse This will meet the open invasion but acts only
individual convics and don't settle the question of our
peace and protection In the future 1t remains only for
to offer myself, all that and all that have
Commonwealth, whenever she may order or mine in
service when my term Of Office closes.
Tho second message makes detailed recommendations,
aud alludes to State matters generally