The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1865-10-20
Letter from ten. Henri \. Wise II
General Ufanl.

srycrl weeks ngo ~ Gog6rncf
Wigof Virginia, made application 10
General Terry for permission 90 re-.
turn TO biz homo, IN Princess Aune
County under the terms NJ his pa.
role. General Terry Through Gen.
Mann refused, for specified reasons.
Under date VI September lsi, Gen,
Wise has written along lctlcrlo Gen.
Grant, forwarded through Gen. Ter.
ry lie replies in succession to the
points made IN the letter Of refusal,
and after declaring that he never
abandoned his home except in
going to camp to defend Il from nya.
sion, with the full determination to
return 10 Il as soon "a the chances of
war should permit, hr says; ~ found
no new home for my family; they
we're simply refugees from the old;
Gen Wise then writes as follows
If Gen, Terry was governed by
earnest and honest conviction Of du.
ty, Of right and authority in all hc
did--so was |. If he was a ppiriot
so was |. IL he gave proof Of his
devotion so did |. II he thought
he had the shield Of constitutional
law and political sovereignty to pro-
tect him against the charge Of rebel.
lion and treason-so thought | bad.
lfhe loved and cherished the Union
Of these States, | loved and cherished
il so cordially that ! never from
choice would have seeded from il, but
prepared to fight "in the Union;'
and IL he wonders how | can now tru
ly declare these sentiments, after
voting for secession and taking uT
arms against the Federal Executive
and Congress, must beg him to re.
member that he and | have beer
taught in different schools Of politics
and that will account for our differ
ence Of opinion, and ought to allow
a large margin for charity, at least
Of not liberation. IL he was trainet
in the school of Hamilton and the el
der Adams, | MAS in that Of Jefferson
and Madison; and he would boldl,
expose himself to the charge Of big
otry and presumption, who woul,
charge either school with teaching re
bellion and treason. II is dangerou
to either to adopt the dogmas o
treason and rebellion against th
other, alternating in domination, a
, they have done SO often already il
our history. Each might shoot an,
hang the other by turns in the cours
, of half century.
"lf General Terry believes in con
sclidaticn, | believed in States
: rights and powers. II he believe
; that the Federal Executive and Con
! gress and the Judiciary, possesse
: absolute, believe that they ha
! only relative and delegated sover
! ciguty. Ifhc believed that they wer
! unchecked and balanced by othe
. powers, believe that the whole sy,
TEN Of the United States, State an
1 Federal, was composed of reciproci
T checks and balances, and that th
: sovereign States were the basi
checks and balances Of the FEEDERS
G Government. | was taught that u
7 States were not unum but plupJl
u unum, and this many in one, one
|, many. When called rebel, | sha
n point to the--of Yirgiuia's bucl
Ter, and claim that my sovereig
State is sole sponsor for the acts
= her own citizens and subjects. ! a
o no rebel or traitor, and never wa
e and my State cannot be either. 81
e has still sovereignty by the const
! tuition Of the United States, and
Il the original authority before it cy
h existed, unless she is now utterly d
q molished by subiugation, and unle
y that is destroyed by any force whi'
,e has demolished her.
le "Thesc are still the tenets Of Il
le faith, and | believe these truths "
ce perpctually revive aud prevail
n. preserve the republican freedom
id the people Of the United Stat
id When the civil liberty for which |
or voutly pray really comes again, ] ca
he without hindrance, fall on the bos,
ci- Of my country, and weep with
m "for any wrongiwo have done" "
am now prisoner on parole. Id.