The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-07-13
WAR "REMINISCENCES
A Few Hours with Henry A. Wise.

A correspondent Of the Chicago
Evening .JouHai, who recently met
Henry 4. Wise on a steamboat during "a
trip on the James river. writes as fol-
lows.
Arriving in the vicinity of Malvern
Hill after which battle McClclIand had
taken refuge on his gunboat, | said:
Gen. Wise. how did YOU explain
McClclnns conduct? Wa, it Icowardly
or Sout hcrn sympathy, or what was IL;
at WAS red tape, sir, II was science II
was West Point he promptly made re-
ply. IF, instead Of so much red tape,
they had had little common sense they
would have marched straight 10 Rich
mond without any trouble He added:
There was luxury enough in that
army 10 have it ruined; wagon loads Of
canned meats and canned fruit. We pack
cd up after the battle of Malvern Hill,
and our boys had nothing but Cornmcal
md bacon, and little salt, and were
very thankful togct that 1t the course
orthr duv my w,fe asked: "Guycrnor
Wise. how do you account for II, that
when. 80 often, the war was 50 near com
ing 10 an end, and only prevented IA II
were by accident, it It'll went on for iiv"
years Madame said he, fixing hl-
eyes upon her, there nIncty-nine thing
out of "A hundred in that war that yVu
cant account for in any other way, only
10 say that it wasn't mnn war at all, II
was God Almighty war. His time had not
come for the abolition Of slavery, and tn"
war was not TO end until that Wa accom-
pli.hrd" This remark about the abOlI-
tion of slavery he repeated many time
during the day.
With great warmth he secuted the idea
that any of them were ever traitor,
and was evidently quite indignant when,
upon hi. referring to hanging, remarked
| would have hung thirty or forty Of
them. He replied: If YOU had don" II.
-ir. the war wouldn't have ended in ten
YEAR; no. not In hundred lie never
liked jeff. Davis. but when he refused I"
-uc for pardon, he said, The mantle oi
charity was thrown over his faults hence
forth fDr me, and he has been brother
beloved ever since.
One of the most eloquent passage !
ever listened to fell from hls hPs n We
ncarcd the place he was IA land. he wa,
sitting upon the sidc Of the boat, and a
knot Of gentlemen had gathered about
him. discussing questions Of finance and
State debts. He maintained that the
United State Government ought 10 pay
the State debt Of Virginia, and urged
that she might made the plea Of no" per-
sgra The debt wa. AN ante-war debt
During the war two State had been
carved out Of the original State that
rn,d. the debt. Now, whO-c j. the debt
T. il West Vrginia. debt, Shaking hIs
head. Wet Virginia Oughtnt - pay
the debt. /. il Old Nrginia's debt,
Surely. Old Virginia oughtn to pay II.
4 young man suggested he didn't BE-
lirvc Congress would see II ~. Not
zee it. said the old man, Congress ought
10 see il. Virginia, one Of the Original
thirteen State, gave the United STATE
the territory out Of which four stats,
were made A. free gin, ono, Indiana
II'jnod. and Michigan, aud the Onltrd
state gave those States milI01s 0i dpi-
lar worth Of lands for schools ana !"
build railroads; and now when she hH'
taken Virginia, one Of the original
So. and made two new STATE out Of
ber hall .he do less for them than 'he
I'D for thO.e States Virginia gave 70 the
Tpited State ?" Some one sald: But
Virginia brought it upon herseIL Il
dng = allow that Virginia brought il upon
herself But admit that she did,
,dnit that Virginia has been bad
cbild, .hall the United State, there
fore. b. a TAD parent, Would that b.
riyhtg ILOk st NirgIniA-One VI the
original thirteen Ststs.-nOt behind any
of them in her natural resOurces-hsr
industry paralyzed, her system Of labor
di,0rganized-uined By the war; She
can never pay her debts. Look al these
plantatiOns-wOmen raising few chick
,u., carrying them -iGty OF seventy miles
% seIl. and that all the way they bave
to make money. They cannot pay Their
taxes; it's impossible; and the end VIII
h. repudiatiOn. Thats what its coming
To-. And rather than that Nirginiia.
should be di,graced | would gladly u
God would accept the sacrifice, give my
IN. 70 save her honor II Was scene
long 70 BE- remembered. The intense
ear1estness, the eloquenee, the tender
love Of the old man for old Virginia
cannot be transcribed 10 paper.