The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-08-08
Henry A. Wise.

General Henry A. Wise declared, in tn
course of an address delivered at Norfork
few days ago, that it is no spirit otinsubor
dination or rebellion to lawful authorit,
which forbid his taking the oath, but tina
the cath itself is false in its terms, in tina
it is a tacit admission that there has beer
REBELLION; that be and others were rebels
and therefore traitors; that there is an ex
lsting rebellion. and that he has been falls,
TO the Constitution of the United Statesant
the nnionof the States themselves, where
as for nearly halfa century he had, b,
word one deed, in peace and war;, battlst
Tor the Constitution and the Union, ant
before the war began had been one VIII,
had desired to fight the fight in the Union
Those oaths We're not necessary, could no.
accomplish any good result, and did bu
promote perjury hypocrisy, and a genera
decentralization. As being the condition
precedent OF even making an application
Tor pardon, 1t was an absurdity and 4
crime. A man must swear, not before be il
pardoned, but before he can even ask to be
pardoned. la the Kingdom of grace said
he, who ever heard of such 1nonstrosity
For himself he asked no pardon, for the
reason that he had committed no offense fol
which to be pardoned.
The asking of pardon admitted guilt. and
for himself he was conscious of no guilt
he had obeyed those who had the right to
command. The very article Of the Consti.
tuition of the United States which was in.
yolyed to warrant the making of war upon
Virginia and the other Southern States,
gave those States the authority to do all
that might be requisite to defend them
serves against invasion and insurrection.
Virginia called him to the field of blood,
and duty demanded that he should obey
tnat call. And it was too late now to talk
about there being no cause, when Virginia
mad been invaded in her every county,
ana every square foot of territory, and had
Deen blasted, burned, destroyed; her chur-
ches oefonled, even the graves of her dead
worthless polluted, her houses burned, her
labor stolen away.
i, And yet, now that for peace her sons
mad surrendered at Appomattox and Green
ooTo, and had taken the amnesty afforded
them, they are told that, although they
could NOT leave the Union, nevertheless
tney are not ia the Union, and shall not
come into the Union until they consent TO
submit to terms ofdegradation, than which
aeath would bea blessed boon, Aye, the
grave OF George Washington is to-day out
Vi the Union we are told. Those saeYN
Telies OF Mount Vernon are not in the
s onlon, but Virginia. once the smother of
S.ates and statesmen" dismembered and
uismantled, is to be held in vassalage and
condition of territorial dependence.
g., Inc terms of the amnesty oath were still
sarther criticised, especially that e]anse re-
t ts;aring te the laws passed and procIama-
soas issued during the war The speaker
aseWed that with the result of war in the
TTt1rpation of slavery he had no quarrel.
1--WE! ~ was cause of devont thanks to God
s sna1 ne had been released from the pres
10 NE .b ana pressure Of Degrodom; but While
he G 1aas lreioiced at the result, and while
n ns moald not alter that result ifhe could,
t ls'o q would he concede the rightfulness of
I Ine means employed to effect tbas end
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