The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-08-02
Tlle Murfulk gust.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1865
Henry A. Wise and His Affairs.

The correspondence between Henry
A. Wise, Ex-Governor of Virginia and
ex-rebel Major General, and the military
authorities at Norfolk, relating to his eX-
tensiye estate near Norfolk, has been
published. Wise states, after favoring
Colonel Howard, commanding at Nor
folk, with copies of his parole papers,
that, afterth immunity from arrestthey
gave him, hestarted for Norfolk, adding:
am now DESTROYS of going to my
home, at place called RoIlston, in
Princess Anne county, within four miles
by water and eight by land of Norfolk,
situated on the right bank of the east
branch of Elizabeth river, and there to
remain ndistarbed and unm0iested in
every respect according to the agree
ment by which was paroled prisoner
OF war. But, upon proper inquiry and
information, | find my home occupied
by a considerable number of freedmen
:. and others, who hinder and disturb my
possession, and modest the premises
thereof, and am unable to return there
to and to take possession thereof, by rea-
son of their entry and occupation and
it is probably unsafe for me even to visit
it and see it in person. | respectfully
ask that said negroes, or so-called freed
men, may be removed from the said
place or plantation, called Rolliston;
that General Orders No. 43 be carried
into effect; and that may be enabled,
in accordance with my parole, to return
to my home, and to remain there with
out disturbance or molestation in any
respect
The above application, which was dis.
approved at headquarters of the SUBJ
district of Norfolk, General Mann in
dorses as follows:
al see no reason why Mr.. Wise should
take possession of this house, now used
by the Freedman's Bureau, until he has
been pardoned by the President; and
even then it may be necessary for Mr.
!, Wise to prove ownership, as his brother
probably, has legal claim to it.n
General Terry assigns the following
= reasons for disappearing the applica
n ton:
"The petitioner, Henry A. Wise
3 abandoned the landand buildings know
: as RolIiston, Princess Anne county
Virginia, in 1861, and found a new home
for his family, III order that he might to
better advantage engage in rebellion
and civil war.
. The premises thus abandoned were
duly taken possession of by the agents
e of the Government, under the laws in
such cases provided, and the application
now under consideration is Mr.. Wise's
first attempt to return to his former
home. When he left it, his purpose tt
return, or d,limUs reUertenR, if he hat
: any, was evidently conditioned upon hi
ability to conquer the United States, an,
forcibly dispossess their agents. He ha'
chosen another home until he could ac
:. complish that result He has not sue
ceeded. Though he wishes to go to hi
former home, he does not abandon hi
status as q sso-called officer; but, il
fact, makes his claim specifically in tina
capacity, and as he does so (neglectine
: to seek pardon and arestoration of right
: he must be treated as rebel prisoner o.
$ war, with no rights that we are bOune
to respect, save those appertaining to &
d person in that condition, as they may
be modified by the terms of the parole
The quoted order of Major Genera
/, Gibbon is only for the instruction of his
own command, and has nothing to dc
with the question.
The terms approved by Lieut.. Gen
Grant permitted Brig. Gen. Wise to &C
to his home and remain there undis
turbed, 50 long as he observed the laws
in force where he might reside. 1t il
clear that this referred only to Gen.
| Wise's ''last usual place of abodeo-the
place where his family resided under his
objectionable place where u sheriff
/. would leave legal notices; for, in many
cases like this, the abandoned lands are
in possession of Treasury agents and
commissioners of the Freedmen's Blu
reau, and it is and was expressly pro-
yided by orders from the President that
such lands shall be released only by
special authority from the Secretary of
the Treasury. Lieut.. Gen. Grant, it is
presumed had not in his mind the re-
storation of any lost, abandoned or for
feited property whatever to those whom
he captured.
The Mai. General commanding there
fore says that he has no power to restore
the place called Rolliston to Brig. Gen.
Wise, and certainly he cannot advise
such restoration before the latter takes
the oath of allegiance to support the Co.
favor. And, moreover, Gen. Wise is adj
: monished that in order to enjoy the pri-
. vileges of his parole, he ought to go to
the present home of his family, as select
ed by himself, and obey the laws in
force, which require him to leave undis-
turbed the lawful occupants of 1.-The place
called Rolliston."
Gen. Wise apparently objects to the
term freedmen" as applied to certain
colored citizens of Virginia, thus show
ing that he acknowledges neither his
defeat nor the supremacy of the laws in
force where he resides. 1t is a word
used merely for convenience in classify
ing the people. All men are free in Vir-
einia and will so remain. The barba-
rous practice of enslaving prisoners of
war and their descendants will never be
revived on this continent.
The following anecdote of Wise is re-
+, lated by correspondent of the Tribune:
cat the railroad depot of Appomat-
toy court House, just after the surren-
,er Wise, with all the paraphernalia
On pomo of a rebel officer, attempted to
a an a car set apart for our own officers;
e An Le sought to enter lie was informed
that aie vas not the car for paroled prison
o rt'.,' ON, INQUIRED of if he was not the
u man . who hanged John Brown. No,
, ,,ai the i re- olys T cid not do it; it was
the laws OF Virginia. Wen, you shoulo
b InJ hanged am not only fol- treason but for
tha murder of John Brown In state
Of of furious rage, Wise observed; Young
man I'd rather take bullet than those
words The reply was You can ia nave !,