Daily national Democrat., 1860-01-11

CoRREsPoNDENcE BETWEEN Gov. WISE AND
THE PREsIDENT.-On the 25th of November
Governor Wise addressed letter to the
President, stating that he had information
upon which he relied, that conspiracy had
been formed in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New
York and other States to rescue John Brown
and his associates. In conclusion he says:
"Places in Maryland, Ohio and Pennsyl-
vania have been occupied as depots and rem
devious by these desperadoes, unobstructed
by guards or otherwise, to invade the State
and we are kept in continual apprehension of
outrages from fire and rapine on our borders.
| apprise you of these facts, in order that vou
may take steps to preserve peace betwe cen
the States protest that my purpose is
peaceful, and that disclaim ali threats when
say, with all the might of meaning, that if
another invasion assails this State or its citi-
zens, from any quarter, will pursue the in
vaders wherever they may CO. into any Ter
ritory, and punish them wherever arms can
reach them."
| President Buchanan in his reply, dated
November 2sth, expresses his readiness to
grant whatever aid the Constitution and la ws
of the United States enable him to afford. If
Gov. Wise had applied to him, such aid
would have been ''cheerfully and cordially
granted" He says;
"Still. there is one measure which. on the
presumption that your information is well
founded, 1t is both my right and my duty to
adopt-that is to rec enforce the guard al
ready stationed at Harper's Ferry This NAV
become necessary, not only to protect the
public property within Federal Jurisdiction,
but to prevent the insurgents from siezing
the arms in the arsenal at that place, and
using them against the troops of Virginia.
Besides it is possible the additional troops
may be required to act as n posse con,itatus
on the requisition of the Marshal of the Uni
ted States for the Western District of Vir-
ginia, to prevent the rescue of Stevens. now
in custody, charged with the crime of high
treason"
The following is in reply to the broad hint
OF Governor Wise. that the President ought
to break up the conspiracy which the Gov
"leged was formed in some of the States, for
'he purpose ofrescuing Brown and his asso-
ciates:
=, ~ ~. .'so MORN OFT me that places in Mary.
land, Ohio and Pennsylvania have heen an 90
cupied as depots and rendezynus psen bs' snoso oe
desperadoes. unobstructed bv gnords ~ .hese
wise to invade Virginia and WOW ~ o.',ei,
of these facts in order that 5ake tal, a,,e
to preserve peace between the States oi,9
at a loss to discover any provision in ,ha
Constitution or laws of the United states
which would authorize me to take stems far
this purpose. 1t is, doubtless, the imperative
duty of the respective State Governments 10
break up such depots. and to prevent their
citizens from making incursions into Virginia
to disturb its peace or prevent the execution
| of its laws If the Federal Executive. how
ever, were TO enter those States and perform
this duty for them, it would be a manifest
usurpation of their rights. Were thus to
act, it would be palpable invasion Of State
sovereignty, and, as a precedent, might prove
highly dangerous. My authority for calling
out the militia, or employing the army and
navy, is derived exclusively from the Acts of
Congress Of the 2sth February, 1895 and the
Sd March, 1907, which, clearly, do not en-
brace such case as is now presented"
The Presidents reply of course did not suit
Governor Wise, and he commented upon il
with some severity in his message to the Vir
ginia Legislature.