Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-02-19
Letter from Henry A. Wise On the Selzzre
OF the Capital.

The following IS letter written By ExGoT.
WISE to gentlemen in Philadelphia:
RoLIxsrox near Norfolk va,l
February 4th, 1861.
MY DEAR Sn:-For many months have bean
e0nfued to the bedside Of sickness and suffering,
nursing with one hand and attending TO numerous
pressing domestic duties with the other; not visiting
Norfolk once in three months; seeing but few friends
at nv house, and these from my own immediate
neiphborhood; receiving my mail not even daily or
regularly, and not caring 70 be oppressed Wssn Is
disgusting and distressing details OF rem IA q
the destruction Of my beloved country; IN q woro'
have been perfectly retired and inactive regAfa-
ing every public concern. Named here as cAnal-
date for our State Convention have not moved an
inch from nay door to meet an asseinoiage 0E ~ seS
voter. And yet public and private accounts nave
ma recruiting raid armies 70 take washington. and
am actually assured that General Scott haS aaegsa
"a reason for raising q standing army arouha ine
| capitol that am writing and speaking sne senns
rebelliOnl The Black kepu9hcans u - ~
tenant GeneaI are distnred in their aPpre Q.
| a b,ag 0-boo in the form of Gov Wise. ni. Soela
he ridiculous simply if the motive OF the SANDER
1as nat the basest and most dangerousi tne safe
ty Of the country was not al naza5o. anu P'a'~'s
| renutatiou was not falsely assaied
| II nv Norfolk speech in my letter 20 virginia,
/ v-vksre and az al tinss have diseiSaHned all
raids. and pledged myself 70 await al sovereign
orders first of my own state ana islnng Ia having
| thsrn ~ some other Still my public speeches and
Ss. 49,. " ,1sas the pretext for raising menacing
telsers at M. = base ip motive for General Scott
@ SuIl, he aarirtted at a single poor civilian,
~ al go set sauadron in the field, and is
| y. -, alone and in utter distsess from sickness
:: bis fs,niIv and from the dangers which he fears
| I1I - Scott IA rushing the nation into. Fear IS
| . - motive of this slander-it is worse-it IS
tos.on A pretext-aome pretext is needed to con
1-+-ste the army-to establish military despot-
| - Scott is but martinez and eomnissary, but
-. vanity in his old age, stands up like hipbones
| - vvitheFs of an old horse from which the mus
cies have fallen away; and the I'd Lieutenant Cen
eral aspres TO rival the lst Lieutenant General IN
being canonized the second saviour Of bis eoun-
try He had better take care or tciR take the Held
and take the feathers Of his peacock pride Now,
| you are perfectly welcome to put this IN prin- TO
dispe the apprehensiOns of all the grannies in the
North or to put to shame those who would malgn oy
SANDER one who engaged IN seeTef cdr put VINO
would claim capitol and our flag as belonging %
those who have kept the covenants OF the eonslsu,
ton, and not to those who have broken themi And
! who will fight Gen. Scott himself to defend .ne1,
both. have opposed secession ana 49, atsosAsl- -
fighting in the Unisn, against those VINO Ia holl
nounced the Constitution as covenant -. s -
/ Tbave sDdeavoFed to preserve this Confeaeracy
| aoainst all newly constructed ones, and especl@Hy
AGAINST the plots of Black RePuoicans . ~ loi- -
| N,ho, cn,fadaracv with Canada, unaer tls PrO-
tsctoD of Great Britain / am 0pPoseq, ~ ~. - 80
bavo haan onnosed to dissolvlng ms 49,, s e-s -
giving its capital and everything uP - "a ~ ~ ress
destruction But have no 1u.S.s 60. she. military
- a,+aTntnr To preserve either from sH
OF atsenPI5 - r; In the very act OF Inacgarst.oa
-. ;suguretion Of Lsncoin. II a-f ,i..ns s
DelSe Is ne ioin raid Il Wouio Oe ue1- -'Sos'
to YOUR idea OF Cotlon DAsn' ~
g oSs - ~ Far about copyright NY we : ssa ssr5
i'll Yours, truly