Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-02-12
Ehe Seizure OF tho Cnpital--Letter from
EN-GOyernor IV{uo

n"o Se'@ure VI she Cnptal--Aetter from
Ex-Governor Wise.
The Hon. Henry a. Wise, who, according TO
the Northern Republicans, and few old gran.
nies in Washington city, is recruiting an army to
seize the Federal Capital, has written the follow.
Ing ietter TO gentleman in Philadelphia:
RoLLEsToS. near Norfolk, va,
February 4th, 1861.
Ny DeaI Slr:--tOr many noRths have been
confined to the bedside of sickness and suffer-
ing, 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 my house,
and these from my own immediate neighbor-
hood; receiving my mail even not daily, or re-
gularly, and not caring to be oppressed with
its disgusting and distressing details Of ruin,
and OF the destruction Of my beloved country;
in word, have been perfectly retired ard
inactive, regarding every public concern
Named here rs Il candidate for our State Con-
vention, have not moved all inch from my door
to meet an assernblugc or 10 see voter Aud
yet public and private accounts have me re-
cruiting raid armies to take Washington, and
am actually assured that General Scott has al
legged as a reason for raising standing army
around the capitol, that am writing and
speaking and acting a rebellion The Black
Republicans and the Lieutenant General are
disturbed in their apprehensions Of 6Ra a-6oo
in the form of Gov Wise This would he RI
diculouS simply, If the motive Of the SANDER
was not the baSest and most dangerous; if the
safety Of the country was not at hazard, and Z
private reputation was not falsely asSailed.
In my Norfolk speech, in my letter TO Vir-
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 in having them, of some other
State. Still my public speeches and letters are
made the prctext for raising n,enacing forces.
This is base in motive, for General Scott can
hardly he affrighted at a single poor civilian,
who never set squadron in the field, and is
now ut home, alone, and in utter distress from
sickness in his family, and from the dangers
which he icars General Scott is rushing the
nation into. Fear is not the motive Of this
slander-it is worse-it is treason. y pretext-
some preteIt is needed to concentrate the army
to establish military despotism. Scott is but
Il martinet and conmssary, but his vanity, in
his old age, stands up like the hip bones and
withers Of an old horse, from which the muscles
have fallen away; and the I'd Lieutenat Cen
eral asprcs 10 rival the lst Lentcnat General
in being canonzed as the second saviour Of his
country fle had better take care, OF 'ciN
take the field and take the feathers OF his pea
cock pride. Now, you are perfectly welcome
to put this in print, TO dispel the apprehen-
sons of all the grannies in the North, or to put
to shame those who would malign by SANDER
one who never engaged in secret par, but who
would claim our capital and our flag as belong
ing to those who have kept the covenants OF
the constitution, and not to those who have
broken them and who will fight Gen. Scott
himself TO defend them both. | have opposed
secession and advocated fighting in the Union.
against those who have denounced the consti-
tuition rs covenant with h-). have en-
deavored 10 preserve this confederacy against
all newly constructed ones, and especially
against the plots Of Black Republicans to form
| a Northern Confederacy with Canada, under
the protection Of Great Britain. am opposed
and ever have been opposed, to dissolving this
Union, and giving its capital and everything up
to tho demon of destruction. But have no an-
thorty, and no means Of attempting to preserve
either from the military despotsm which is in
the very act OF Inauguration before the naugu-
ration Of Lincoln If anything could make me
Join raid, it would be Gen. SCOTS denonstra-
ton at Washington.
See slip as to your idea Of 4 Cotton Bank
NJ need Of fear about copywright. My wife is
still very i'll. Yours, truly,