Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1861-02-28

Letter from Henry A. Wise. On the
Seizure Of the Capital.
The following is letter written BY
Elk Gov. WISE to q gentleman in
Philadelphia: |
RoLLEsroN, near Norfolk, Va, |
February 4tb, 1861. !
My DEAR SIR:-For many months
| have been confined to the bedside
of Sickness and suffering, nursing
with one hand and attending to nu-
merous domestic duties with the
other; not visiting Norfolk once 10
three months; seeing but few friends
at my house, and these from my
ewn immediate neighbo.hood; receiv-
ing my mail not even daily, or
regularly, and not caring to be op-
pressed with its disgusting and dis
tressing 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 as a
candidate for our State Convention,
/ have not moved M inch from my
door 10 meet an assemblage or to
see voter. And yet public and
private accounts have me recruiting
raid armies to take Washington,
aud / am actually assured that
General Scott has alleged as reason
| for raising a standing army around
the capitol, that | am writing and
speaking and acting rebellion! The
Black Republicans and the Lieuten-
| ant General are disturbed in their
Iapprehensions Of bug a boo in the
form of Gov. Wise. This would be
ridiculous, simply, if the motive Of
the Islander was not the basest and
most dangerous; il the safety Of the
country was not at hazard, and a
private reputation was not falsely as
sailed.
10 my Norfolk speech, in my
letter to Virginia, everywhere, and
at all times, l have disclaimed all
raids, and pledged myself TO await
all sovereign orders, first Of my
own State, and failing in having
them, of some other. Sill my pub
! lie speeches and letters are made the
lpIetext for raising menacing forces.
This is base in motive. fot General
Scott can hardly be affrighted at
single poor civilian, who never sci
a squadron in the field, and is now
at home alone, and 10 utter distress
from sickness in his family, and
the dangers which be fears Genera
IScott is rushing the nation into
/ Fear is mol the motive of this Sian,
tder--it is worse--it is treason. A
lpretext-some pretext is needed e
concentrate the army--to establish
la military despotism. Scott j:
hut martinez and commissary
: but his vanity in bis old age stands
up like hipbones and withers OF Al
|old horse, from which the muscle!
have fallen away; and The I'd Lieu
tenant General aspires to rival tb'
LIST Lieutenant General in being
canonized as the second saviour o
his country. He bad better taxi
care or wiU take the field ant
take the feathers off his peacock pride
Now, you are perfectly welcome to pu
Ithisinprint,t to disp- apprehension
ofalI the grannies in the North, or L
put to shame those who would maligl
'1by SANDER, one who never engaged il
, secret wdr, but who would claim our'ca
! pitol and our flag as belonging to those
!. who have kept the covenants o
the constitution, and not to those who
have broken them; and who vii
= fight Gen. Scott himself 80 defen(
them both. l have opposed secess
ion and advocated fighting 10 th'
Union, against those who have de
bounced the Constitution as a cove
nant With hell. | hav, endeavoret
TO preserve this Confederacy agains
all newly constructed ones, and es
peciaIly against the plots of Blacl
J Republicans, to form a northern
, Con federacy With Canada, under th'
, lprotection Of Great Britain. / an
!. opposed, and ever have been opposed
to dissolving this Union, and givln(
Its capital and everything up t.
1.-THE demon OF destruction. But
!, have no authority. and no mean
Of attempting to p eserve either from
the military despotism which is il
|, 1.-THE very act Of Inauguration be
!, fore the Inauguration of Lincoln