Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1860-12-20

R0tIisroS, near Norfolk. Va.

ls0iIisroS, near Norfolk. Va.
Dcc.ml--rl, lS6o.
DE,H SR Yours Of the 22d nit. vas late
coming 10 hand. now thask you cor IL A.
to nay doctrine Of fighting ia III, Uniou,' il IA
ct true policy
lst- II = sovereign State Is JULIE Of tn in
Jrgo'i0A a. well a. ct tbe mode and n.eAsure u
redress. sbe may remain Ia thu mon 10 rvsent
or rrsist wrongs n well a. do ~ cut OF the
Union.
2d lfother States have iufraeted the Union.
not she. the State Wrongs, Is haund tn defend
the Constitution ami Union against tho-c who
have lntracted thc anil threatened the 9th
er. lnEirally tn Union belongs TO those WIN
have kept, not thoac who have brOken. it, cove
nants.
81 The Union - not an abstraction IL u
real substantial thing. embracing many essen
tal and vital political rights and propertics.-
IL has SafioSaidy. kIsis ir~lssry, oY,y,rsisrfioa
Z drng. sarg. SHIPS, dock yayris, arsepais. DE-.
&C. d. shall We rvno1ncc ths-c rights and
Possessions bscaus. wrong -doer- attempt la de-
pri'e us of other rights' l. IL not COW ardly to
renounoc on- right to save another! Are thess
rights not rs precious ~ tbs mere right ot prop
erty in negrorsf But,
9TH Ii YOU sece,le. Won not only rrnounce the
mon and its possessions, bat YOU fail 20 unit.
your own people, because YEA ID TraOunee these
rights Wax. n man up To destroy ths Union
AMI Constitution. and he will stare Mt you aud
turn away but tell him that the Constitution
j. infraei.si and the Union threatened by BLACK
Republicans. and call him to aid Won in de-
iend'ng both against th"-c who wouid destroy
both, and b. will act heartily with YOU
9th. Then how n this o. b. done The 3i
clause of the 10Th section uf the st art If In,
Constitution Of tho United States permits n
state to keep troops and ships of war in time
OF Psacc' aud 10 engage in war, when actually
invaded. or when in such imminent danger n
Will not admit Of delay. Now are we not actu-
hily invaded j. our danger not imminent (!
Doses u admit of delay MAJ tot soterrign
State decide
9th. And what is the difference. Will IL
not b. revolution and war in either EVENT.
say. then. stuck to all your rights rvaounce
none, hight for all, and save all
lOar-, truly, &o..
HENRY A. WISE.
This i dociiedly tho most sensible view We
have yet seen, from the extremists Of the South.
IN regard 10 existing troubles AMI their remedy.
We have rarely hal occasion, during the last
fifteen years, 20 commend any thing said or
done by the eccentric Ex-Governor. but we agree
with him To the fullest extent in his view oC the
Rh~ur'i'ty Of secession as proposed by South
Carolina-thAt of running away from our rights
IN the Union instead Of maintaining them under
the Constitution, and fighting for them within
the guarantees cf that instrument. We should
favor the policy Of driving of the violAtors ra:l
cr than giving up every thing 20 them.
But let act like the wise men who schiey-
e'l our Independence and framed our govern
mrnt-lci ~ have "a decent respect for the opin-
ION Of mankind" let ms show that we are right
End that all peaceful rcme,lies have beer, eN-
hau-ted before prccreding a. a bloody arhitra
mrnt