The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-02-11
- - --a------~-- Il
THE NATIONAL CRISIS.
Letter from Ex-Gov. Wise-.The Seizure Of
Arms In New York-.The Southern Con.
greSS, &c. kc.


Ex-Gov. WISE.
The Hon; Henry A. WISE who, according to
the Northern Republicans, and "A few old
Srannies hereabouts, Is recruiting an army to
seize the Federal capital. has written the fol-
lowing letter to "a gentleman in Philadelphia
RoLLEsrox, NEAR NORFOLK, Va,
February 4th, 1861.
Wy DedT Sir:--For many mont tbs l have
been confined TO the bedside of sickness and
suffering, nursing with one hand, and attend
ing TO numerous pressing domestic duties with
the other; not visiting Norfolk once in three
months seeing but few friends at my house,
and these from my own immediate neighbor-
hood. receiving my matt even not daily, or
regularly, and not caring TO be oppressed with
lis DISCUS ting and dis tressing details OF ruin,
and of the des truction Of my beloved country;
in word, l have been perfectly retired and
inactive regarding every pubic concern -
Named here as a candidate for our Sta te Con
yentou, have not moved an men from my
door To meet IN assembiage, to see Il voter
And yet public and private accounts have me
recruiting raid armies to take Washing ton,
and am actually assured that General Scott
has alleged 2s "a reason for raising a standing
army around the Capitol, that / am writing
and speaking, and acting u rebellion , The
Black Republicans and the Lieutenant Gen
cral are disturbed in their approximations of
bug-a-boo in the form of Gov. Wise. This
would be ridiculous, simply, if the motive of
the siander was not the basest and the most
dangerous; if the safety of the country was
not falsely assailed.
In my Norfolk speech. in my letter to Eir-
ginia, everywhere, and at all times, have dis
claimed all raids, and pledged myself to await
the sovereign orders, first of my own STATE,
and failing jn having them, OF some other
State. Still my public speeches and letters are
made the pretext for raising menaciug forces,
This is base in motive, for General Scott can
hardly be aifrighted at single poor civilian,
who never set Il squadron i'll the field and is
now at home. alone, and in utter distress from
sickness in his family, and from the dangers
which he fears Gen. Scott is rushing the nation
into. Fear is not the motive of this sander-
ii is worse-it is treason. pretext-some
preteXt is needed to concentrate the army to
establish a military despotism. Scott is but Il
mariinet and commissary, but his vanity, in
his old age, stands mp like hip bones and with
erS of an old horse, from which the muscles
have fallen away; and the I'd Lieut.. Gen'l as
pires to rival the 1st Lieut.. Genl in being ca
noniZed as the second saviour of his country
He had better take care, or tCitt take the field
and take the feathers oil his peacock pride.
Now, you are perfectly welcome to put this
in print, to dispel the apprehensions of all
the grannies in the North, or to put to shame
those who would malign by slander one who
never engaged in secret mar, but who would
claim our capital and our flag as belonging to
those who have kept the covenants of the Con-
stitu ton and not TO those who have broken
them: and who Will fight Gen Scott himself
To defend them both l have opposed seces-
sion and advocated fighting in the Union,
against those who have denounced the Consti-
tuition as a covenant with h-n. l have en-
deayored TO preserve this Conirderacy against
all newly cons structed ones, and especially
against the plots OF Black Republicans to form
4 northern confr,teracy with Canada, under
the protection of Great Britain. l am op-
posed, and ever have been opposed to dissoly-
ing this Union and giving its capital and eve
ry thing up to the demon OF deStrGctio But
l have no authority, and no means OF attempt
ing to preserve either from the military des
potism which is in the very act of Inaugural
tion before the Inaugural ton of Lincoln. II
anything could make me join Il raid, it would
be- Gen. Scott demons tration at Washing ton.
See slip as to your idea of Cotton Bank
No need to fear about copyright. My wife is
still very i'll. Yours, truly,
HENRY A. WISE.
THE SOUTHERN CONGRESS-.
letter in the Charleston Courier from
Montgomery, Ala, gives an interesting de-
| scription of the assembling of the "Southern
Congress there on the 4th inst. The day
was very bright and beautiful
| As the hour of noon approached, the high
hill upon which stands the Capitol, the COM
peer of Independence Hail, might have been
! seen blacllened with the dense streams of hu-
man life Vehicle after vehicle, loaded with
animate cargoes, deposited their burdens at
| the same location and lent their numberless
| inm& ties to the unnulnb bcred throng. The aged
! patriot, whose silvery hairs dated back to the
! inception of the first Revolution, and whose
| tottering footsteps were guided by the hands
| of flial attec ton the inspired mother, whose
/ bosom, inhaling the breath of patrio tism, WAS
ready TO sacrifice her frs born upon her coun-
/ try'S altar; the fair girl, whose smile and en-
| couragement Were directed 10 spur on her fond
aftanced TO deeds OF valor and honor and the
| rosy checked child, whose first lesson had
/ been learned under the portrait of Washing
ton, these We're all there and as the rivers of
| life poured their contents into the lofty edi
flee, one could mark upon their outlines the
expression OF reSolute determination and I'M
a
! wing, let us note the appearance of the Cham
Der and the distribution OF its contents.
immediately opposite the only entrance
rises in majestic grandeur, the dignifed ros-
! trum OF the Speaker, and over which hangs,
i'll simple elegance, an original painting of the
great prototype OF American liberty. Around
! and on each side of the almost circular apart
ment are arranged, at given intervals, the
portraits of Jackson, Iancey, Clay, Calhoun,
Lewis and the historian Pinckney, and beyond
these the legendary inscriptions and reminis-
cences OF the Palmetto Regiment, Marion'S S
Dinner, and variety of other prints, calcu-
lated TO entce memory back to the days of '76
and the modern chivalry OF South Carolina
Clustering around the desk are groups of agile
reporters, and OH the main body of the floor
are going about the eX-Washing tonian lion
Office seekers. seeking whom they may de YOUR.
Desk after desk is being occupied by the differ
ent members of the delegations and many q
cordial smile and fraternal grasp are inter-
changed amongst those who have left the
Babylon of American politics to seek the far
famed Canaan of Southern desire. 1t yet
wants an hour of the time of meeting, and the
capacious gallery is being densely filled with
the fair ladies of Alabama, whose sparkling
ewes and gracious smiles are sufficient inccn-
tiyes to the great work of reyolutioniZing a
defunct Admins ira ton.
But as the minutes slowly drag their weary
lengths away, disposition Is manifest to
commence the great work, and soon after me-
rdian appears in the rostrum delegate OF
striking and prepossessing appearance, who
spprests the name of Hon. X. w BarnWell,
of South Carolina, as temporary Chairman.
This individual is the celebrated Judge Chil-
ton of Alabama. This first business move
ment as a premise to its successors was cha
racterized by unanimity, and as the venerable
Barnwell appeared every heart leapt with
new impulse His first action was to open
the meeting with prayer. This was accom-
plished by the Rev. Basil Nj. Manly, former
"Father in Israel of your city. The scene
was truly solemn and deeply impressive. The
aged minister raised his clear, though feeble
voice, to the Almighty in feryent appeal for
the peace and prosperity OF our land, and in
voking the blessings of God upon the arduous
labors of those who, under His Providence
bad assembled together to throw of the gall
ing yoke of tyranny, and to establish once
more the ground work of liberty and indepen-
dence. As he proceeded, his aged tongue
seemed to strengt then. and his heart to beat
fuller and fuller with insprution from above,
ard us his lips murmured the final "Amen,'
Ii was but the substance Of the conyuisiye
echo OF every bosom.
The examination of credentials having been
COMPLETED, the Convention proceeded TO busi-
ness.
THE SEIZURE OF ARMS IN NEW YORK
q. n. Lamar, Esq, President of the,Bank
of the Republic in New York, has made for
mai demand upon Superintendent Kennedy
for the arms seized on board the Savannah
steamer Monticello intended for Georgia. Mr..
Lamar acts on the authority Of a dispatch
from some party In MiIledgeyiIle. Mr.. KEN