The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-09-11
The Wurfulk gost.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER IL, 1855.
Letter from General H. A. Wise to
General Grant.

,~~---~~~~~~---
Our readers will remember that Cen
eral Wise recently made application to
General Terry for permission to return
to his home in Princess Anne county, as
under the terms of his parole. General
Terry Through General MANN refused,
for specified reasons.
Under date of September 1st, General
Wise has written letter to Genera
Grant, forwarded through Gen. Terry,
from which we make extracts. He re-
plies 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
against invasion, with the full determi-
nation to return to it as soon as the
chances of war should permit he says,
"I found no new home for my family !;
they were simply refugees from the old"
He then writes as follows:
| IfGen. Terry was governed by earn.
est and honest convictions of duty, OF
right and authority in all he did-so was
I. If he was patriOt-s0 was 1.
If he gave proof of his devotion-so
did T. If he thought he had the shield
of constitutional law and political sover-
eighty to protect him against the charge
of rebellion and treas0n-sO l thought j
had If he loved and cherished the
Union of these States, loved and cher
ished it so cordially that / never from
choice would have seeded from 1t, but
prepared to slight in the Union" and il
he wondered how now can truly declare
these sentiments, after voting for seces
sion and taking up arms against the acts
of the Federal Executive and Congress
must beg him to remember that he and
have been taught in different schools
of politics, and that will account for on
differences of opinion, and ought 10 al
low large margin for charity, at ieas
f if not federation. If he was trained ]
the school of Hamilton and the eide
d Adams, was in that of Jefferson an
e Madison; and he would boldly expo:
n. himself to the charge ofbigotry and pr
SUMPTION. who would charge eth
y school with teaching rebellion and tire
son. 1t is dangerous to either adopt I'll
dogmas of treason and rebellion again:
I the other. alternating in domination
they have done so often already in on
, history. Each might shoot and han
the other by turns in the course OF ha
!. | a century.
k If General Terry believed in consol
re dation, I believed in States rights an
v powers. If he believed that the FEEDER
Ii, Executive, and Congress, and the ]
g. dietary, possessed absolute, l believ'
ed they had only relative and delegate
We sovereignty. If he believed that tn
ny were unchecked and unbalanced
en- other powers, believed that the wht
as system of the United States, State al
Federal, was composed OF reciprot
~ checks and balances, and that the SOY
reign States were the basis, checks a
balances of the Federal Government.
was taught that the States were 4
+ unan7, but aiatribus unono, and ii
= many in one, one IN many. When ca
Z, ed Rebel, shall point to the -
Virginia's buckler, and claim that
sovereign State is sole sponsor for I
ct acts of her own citizens and subjects
t.; am no Rebel or traitor, and never W
AZ and my State cannot be either. she
m still sovereignty by the Constitution
M the United States, and by the Origin
authority before 1t ever existed, uni
she is now utterly demolished by sub
= CATION, and unless that is destroyed
L any force which has demolished her.
These are still the tenets of my fai
and believe these truths will perpe
ally revive and prevail to preserve
nj. publican freedom of the people Of
United States. When the civil libel
#. for which devoutly pray really con
again l can, without hindrance, fall
the bosom of my country and weep vi
her "for any wrongs we have DONE"
vs. am now q prisoner on parole. ds
not aoaD ask of her any favor, great
,n, small. I claim only of her good fail
the precious privilege promised me
ms, her highest agents, to go to my MOI
So far from my being opposed to
name "freedmen," as indicating
= condition of slaves freed by the war,
,e chief consolation / have in the result
Va the ayor is that slavery is forever dbOli
ed: that not only the slaves arc, IN tt
/, at least freed from, bondage, but tho
-, am freed from them. Long before
o war, indeed, I had definitely made
my mind actively to advocate emanci
ton throughout the South. l had
termiped, if / could helpit, my desce
ants should never be subject to the
initiation have been subject to by
weakness, if not the wickedness,
slavery; and while l cannot recogn
as lawful and humane the violent y
shocking mode in which II mas %
y 4 abolished, yet ! accept the iact IN
heartily as an accomplished one, anu
'ress determined not only to abide py IL I
ions, ..ao a., II hnf IN strive bV all
re In means in my power 10 IHahe ~ oeh
and oant IN both races and q blessing esq
, for ially to our country. 1 unfeignedly
ints iojce at the fact, and am reconcilet
80 many of the worst calamities ofthe "
spe because am now convinced that
.ted war was special providence of God, u
the yoidable by the nations at either
the IRENE, to tear loose from us black
e Of from which we could never have be
separated by any other means than tn
II of fire aud blood, sword and sacrifice.
CrA1 SrEAMRoATE XPLOsION-NE