Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-10-19

took them through safe, the only
Confederate forces which kept theil
organization that day in that fight
For this, when I came up with Genera
Lee, at or near Farmville, I was
complimented and promoted by him
against my protestations. was with
him at the surrender of Appomattox,
and my brigade fired the last infantry
guns that day for the Confederate
cause.
! So now, sir, you see how unjust it
would be to the United States or to
me to say General Wise afterward
(meaning after Roanoke Is1and) "took
no actiue part in the war" If it was
treason, it would be unjust to the
United States to say so in case of a
prosecution foc active hostilities !; if it
was brave, patriotic, "active" in me to
do what l did, why undoubtedly l
was ten-fold more active in the last
than was in the first year of the
war;
In conclusion, it is but just or due
to say that since the war | have tried
| to keep the peace an 4 obey the laws,
and in good faith and honor to observe
the terms of my capitslation on the
9th day of April, A. D. 1865. 1
surrendered my arms on condition to
be allowed my horses and arms, and
on the parole of o soldiers honor '!to
go to ny home, and to remain
unrnolested in all respects as long as
obeyed the laws" l was not allowed
to go to my home, but by a written
order was prevented from going
there, lest might offend or Dust the
proteges of the Freedman's Bureau.
They were for years since the war in
full possession of my home, and
almost destroyed it. was then pro-
hibited from practicing my profession
of the law until 1866, when for the
first time I was allowed again to work
for my living according to Gods com
mand, not his curse and then ! went
humbly back to the calling in which
alone | was trained to earn 'sdaily
bread for a very dependent family,
stripped of everything but homer, and
with no other liberty left but to live
and work. If l have been '.occas-
ionally heard from" it was not
intentional on NY part. IN old man
wrecked in every hope save that OF
heaven, not without hope in God, but
without hope in the world, may, l
trust, be allowed to quietly subside in
peace. That will be best for the
remnant of my days, and, l pray, may
be an everlasting rest and joy for me
in heaven. You have been charitable
in saying: ''Henry A. Wise is entitled
to the tribute of honest and earnest
purpose in a ''lost cause That is
true before God. My purpose was to
never secede from the Union, and to
fight all oppressors under the agis of
its Constitution not for the inglorious
privilege of being master Of a slave.
l would not have given drop of the
blood of my little finger for that
curse but for the inalienable right of
domestic, State, civil, self government,
and for my own liberty, guarded by
the Constitution and laws! For these
l fought, and would fight again. For
these | was "honest and earnest, and
when forsaks these may 's::my right
hand foIget its cunning" l am no
penitent; know now what l only
thought at the Jeginning-that I was
right, 'fsink OF swim, liys or die,
survive or perish" to fight for these.
am no penitent. l rather rejoice
that the war occurred. 1t lost me
every earthly comfort, but largely
compensated by abollshing the cause
of slavery, even though VI coacitate
telH, and BY relieving my heirs forever
from its responsibility and sin,
and especially from the weakness
for war, itself wickedness which
turned upon the masters. l make 40
recantation, utter 70 palinodes, and
mourn only for irreparable and ines
Unable losses. The United States
have not enough money to bride me,
to take, touch, o. taste q test oath
that most odlous instrument of
tyranny. ':Before I would permit my
fore6uger and thumb to touch the pen
to sign it, my right hand should be
cut off at my wrist and be nailed to q
guide-post to point the way to a
gibbet.' So Pettigrcw said concerns
ing the test-osths Of nullifcation in
South Carolina, and so say as to the
test>oaths prescribed by Congress. |
said all I meant, and tried my best TO
do all | said and meant for "the lost
cause" What is ''lhe lost cause"
All would only that the host of voters
in the United States would do truth
and come to the light" and that the
Confederacy is not the only cause lost
The Constitution is lost the Union
defined by it, is lost; the liberty o
/, States and their people, which they