New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-05-12
Curious Political Letters.
PRh SANDO WOOD sUEING FOR CLEMEyCY
JOHN BROWN


The Philadelphia Press of yesterday publishes
The follow ing letters written il will be noticed at tho
time of th. John Brown excitement:
LETTER FItM PRESIDENT BUCHANAN To- Gov WISE
wAsHIsGTos November 10 ls59
My DEAR SIR; ON yesterday afternoon gentleman
called TO me, and presented his card OF which inc
following is q copy "CO James Patton, patcntee o
Patons selfbalancing sish raiser ad lock combined,
Post Office Box No. 6jl, Troy, \. Y. Residence. No.
p Scvcnthst., Troy, ~ Y" He came with another
gentleman They remained a few minutes during the
hour of reception and went away Ate, he had lett he
returned and said he felt ii hs duty - make an I'M
pOrtan communication to me- and told him 20 speak on,
He said lie knew u company of men had been formed
in Troy to rescue John Brown, and no had no doubt
they would make the attempt. cross-examined him
closely but be could give satisfactory explanation
the subject but still expressed his conviction that no
such company existed. / did not regard II II any
consequence at the moment, nor do now look upon II
in different light. STILL upon reflection i deem II
best To state the circumstance TO Ii it should do
no good it certainly do no harm have no DOUBT
active vigilance will prevent the danger OF any
rescue. i am. very respectfully.
JAMES BUCHANAN.
Hon. Henry 4. Wise.
LETTER FROM FERNANDO WOOD TO GOV. WISE.
NEW YORK. Nov. ., ls62.
My DEAR SIR: Read this letter carefully. and,
whether concurring not in its view. believe ema
mates from your friend, and who has thorough
knowledge of the pulse of the people OF the free States
Your proceedings and conduct thus far in the matter
|of the conspiracy at liarpers Ferry. meets with gene
|ral approval and ELECTS commentator from your enc
|mcs The irinness and moderation which has charac-
Iterizcd your cannot be too highly appaudcd,
and to-day you stand higher than any other man in the
Union.
Now my friend, dare You do bold thing and tenn
per Justice with mercy = Have You nerve enough TO
send Brown 10 States Prison for life instead OF hanging
him, Or rather l should ask whether such course
would be consistent with your own sense OF duty, for
know that that the sole controller OF your Official con-
duct Brown is looked upon here as the mere crazy or
fool-hardy emissary of Other men, Circumstances ere
ate sympathy for him with the most ultra friends
of the South. / of this latter class by recent
speeches YOU may have observed
No southern man could go further than myself IN ne
half Of Southern rights but yet were the Governor OF
Virginia, Brown should not be hung. thong! Seward
should be could catch him; and in such course M
conduct would be governed by sound policy. The south
will gam by showing that il can ne magnaDimous 10
fanatic in It's power. We WHO fight It's battles can gam
largely by pointing To such instance OF chiyafy'
self can Judge Of Northern sentiment better than YOU
Ifthc South will sustain such an act the whole North
will rise up en- masse 10 applaud H.
/ have thus briefly and frankly discharged my duty
as your friend to give advice under trying circum-
stances. Very truly yours. iLRNANDo WOOD.
ANSWER or GOVERNOR WISE TO FERNANDO WOOD
EIcHMoSr, Va, Noy. 4. ia
Ny DEAR SIR have duly received and weighed
every word Of your letter give oil credit for good
motive and good morals. and 40 suggesting what per
haps, good policy. Now listen 10 me, Tor my mind As
inhcxibly made up
Had Preached iarper's Ferry before these men were
captured (and would have reached there IN tine had
been iorw aIded as ought TO have been from W ash
IN rton and the Relay Iionse) woad have proclaimed
martial law have sormed them IN the quickest possible
time. have given them no quarter and II any had SUI
viyed would have tried and executed them under sen
tence of Cour.-martia. But was too late: The priS
oneTs captiycs and then determined 10 protect
them to the utermost OF my power, and did protect
them with my own person.
/ escorted them 10 prison. and placed nrounds them
such a force as 20 oyerawe Lynch law. Every comfort
was given them by my orders. And they have been
scrupu,Ousy afforded fair and speedy Trial with every
opportunity Of defense Tor crimes which were openly
before the eyes of hundreds and openly
confessed They could escape convictions only by
exceptions and the chances for these they
had 10 greater degree by the expedition Of prosocu
ton And the crimes deliberately done by them OF
the deepest and darkest Kind which can be committed
al ainst our people.
tired and convicted and admits the humanity Of bls
prisoner the truth Of the indictment
and the truthfulness Of the witnesses against bn o
has allowed excess Of counsel aud the freedom Of
speech beyond any prisoner known to mo IN our trhs
ii impossible not to convict him. Io Is sentenced
TO be hanged that is the sentence 81 mid code, hui
namely adudged and requires no duty from ire except
10 see that il De executed have TO rgn 10 death
warrant II the Executive intcrpOses Mt all II 10 ~
pardon; and 10 pardon him have received petitions.
prayers tLreats from almost every Tree state IN The
[ MON.
From homes, patriotic men like yourself many Of
them / am warned that hanging viii make him mar
tyr. An VIII IT. WY, Tie obvious answer %
that question shows me above anything the necessity
for hanging him. You ask: " Have you nerve enough
TO seHd Brown to the state irison for me- ,,eaa %
hanging hmf' Yes. If didnt think he ought To be
hung and that would he ine1cutrble for mitigating
his punishment could do II without finching wlthout
culver Of muscle against universal clanor Tor Ms
life But was il ever known before that IL would be-
impo!iic for a State 10 execute her laws against TIE
highest crimes without bringing down upon herself the
vengeance of public sentiment outside OIL her limits
and hostile 10 her laws
Is II so that il l. wisely said 70 ter that she had bet
Ter snare murderer rObbcr traitor. because pub
lie sentiment elsew will glorify insure ctonist
with martvrGom Ifsc II is time to do execution upon
him ard al like him. And therefore say 10 You frm
ly that have precisely the nerve enough 10 let hun Dc
executed with the certainty oil ms cohd'nhatloh. nc
shsu 10 c,ecuied as the law sentences him and his
body shall be delivered to surgeons and await the
without grave in our soil have shown
him all mercy which humanity can claim ours
truly. hLNhf a. "i'l'
Hon. ]. WOOD