The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-09-17

-~ General EAenEy A. Wise. -s-.-s.~p, .
To the Editor Of the Chicago Evening Jour
nal VA v q &@{s$3a34s
In one of my recent letters, from the
great lakes to Hampton Roads, men
toned the fact of the presence of Hen
ry A. Wise, who was Governor Of Vir.
ginia, when John Brown was hung. I'D.
on the steamer which carried us down
the James, l remember so many things
which he said, that I am disposed to
copy them for the readers of the
Journal. In most cases l can give
the exact words he used; but Of course.
no report can carry the fire, the enthu.
siasm, the energy, and earnestnees with
which he spoke. He is thin, spare
man of about medium height, with
white hair, keen bright eye, rot re-
markable for anything which would
command attention in his personal ap-
pearance. But ne one can be long in
his presence without discovering that
he has intelligence, and . great fund of
information and anecdotk, in reference
to the late "unpleasantness.' He is
egotistical, most enthusiastic Virgin
ian, and in true Southern style, squrts
tobac1o.juice freely! He scouts the
idea that any of them were traitors.
complains bitterly of the policy Of the
Government in DISTINGUISHING, those Of
them Who are still DISTINGUISHED, and
blesses God. every day that he lives,
that slavery is abolished. He considers
that ''they were set free from them"
He is about 81 years of age, and, as you
may imagine, became very early and
naturally the center of an interested
group in our day upon the James.
Starting from the rebel capital, we
were in the midst Of the most interest
ing scenes in the late war. 1t was
natural, therefore, that the CONVERSE
lion should early turn upon
war events and incidents. A few miles
from Richmond we reached Drury's
Bluff, which will be remembered as one
of the rebel strongholds which caused
untold trouble to the Union forces.
Governor Wise spoke with no little sar-
casm and contempt of the infinite folly
of throwing the Union forces against
entertainments which were simply i'm
pregnable; when, by landing few miles
down the river and upon the other shore.
they might have marched straight to
Richmond and captured it. Here he
spoke of the use of balloons. He
said: Zone morning I found my
men all star gazing, and upon looking
to see what it meant found they were
looking at balloon. l put up q yell,
Richmond is safe! If they have gone
to flying balloons instead Of marching
straight 10 Richmond, there is no
danger. As we advanced down the
river the General pointed out all the
points where Notifications had been
erected, or any events Of interest had
TRANSFERRED. He seemed familiar with
the whole country, and to know the
persons who had formerly resided
along the rivers banks. AS we passed
through the Dutch Gap Canal the ques-
ton arose of its length. The General
himself claimed to have had the idea of
a canal across the narrow neck, and
said, 81 paced it and found it to be just
40 or al yards Passing one plan
tation he said that General Carter had
formerly owned the whole county, ex-
cept one small plantation. This he en-
deavored many times to buy, but in
vain !; although he offered more than
the place was worth, the owner persist
emily refused to part with it. At
length General G. went to him and
said: "What is the reason you won't
sell this plantation What have you
got against me - The man replied:
81 haven't anything against you, Gen
eral Carter, but have pride in say.
ing that General Carter and own the
whole Of - county,
Arriving in the vicinity of Malvern
Hill, after which battle Mcclellan had
taken refuge upon his gunboat, I said:
Governor Wise, how did you explain
Mcclellan conduct Was it coward
ice or Southern sympathy. or what was
lt!'' at was red tape, sir; it was sci
enct; it was West Point p he prompt.
ly made reply. If instead Of so much
red tape, they had a little common
sense. they would have marched straight
to Richmond without any trouble -
He added; 'There was luxury enough
in that army to have ruined it wagon.
loads of canned meat and canned fruits
We picked up after the battle of NAL
vern Hill, and our boys had nothing but
corn meal and bacon and . little salt.
and were very thankful to get that
In the course of the day my wife ask
ed: Governor Wise. how did you &C.
count for it, that when 80 often the war
was SO near an end, and emily prevented
as it were by an accident, it still went
on for five years = Madame" said he
fixing his eyes upon her. there's nine
ty-nine things out of hundred, in tina:
war that you can't account for in any
other way only to say that it wasn't
mans war at all, it was God Almiehty's
war: His time had come for the aboli-
ton of slavery and the war was not to
end till that was accomplished, and l
bless God every day of my life that it
was accomplished" This remark about
the abolition of slavery he repeated
many times during the day.
At one landing. he said: "Do you see
that young lady!'' pointing to neatly
dressed and genteel-looking young wo-
man approaching the boat with a mail
hn b.