Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1876-10-10

keep the peace and obey the laws, and
i'm good faith and honor to observe the
terms Of my capitulation on the 9th
day Of April, A. d. 1865. | surrender
ed my arms OH condition to be allowed
my horses and arms, and on the parole
of a soldiers honor "to 20 TO my home,
and to remain unmolested in all re-
speCts, as long "a | Obeyed the laws"
| was not allowed to go to my home:
but by q written order was prevented
from going there lest | might offend or
GUST the pTOtCges Of the Freedman
Bureau. They were for years since
the war i'm full possession of my home,
and almost destroyed it. ! was then
prohibited from praCtiCing my profess
sion of the law until 1866, when for
the first time | was allowed again to
work for my living according to Gods
command, not his curse; and then |
went humbly back to the calling in
which alone I was trained, to earn
daily breadn for very dependent
family stripped of everything but
honor, and with no other liberty left
but to live and work. If have been
occasionally heard from" it was not
intentionally on my part. An old
man, wrecked in every hope save that
OF heaven, not without hope in God,
but without hope in the world, may,
/ trust, be allowed to quietly to subsde
in peace That will be best for the
remnant of days, and, | 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 aud earnest pur-
pose in a lost cause That is true
before God. My purpose was to never
seeede from the Union, and to fight all
OpprcssOrs under the Rgis Of its Con-
sttution not for the inglorious priv
ilege Of being master Of a slave : |
would not have given a drop Of the
blood of my little finger for that curse;
but for the inalienable right of do
nestle, 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 "hODcSt and ettIHgSf,N and
when I forsake these may my right
hand forget its cunning" | am no
penitent; | kUO3U now what | only
HOUQhf at the heginuiag-H0t / 1C0S
right. "sinE or swim, live or die, sur
vive or perish" to fight for these. I
am no pertinent. J rather rejoice that
the war occurred. It'lOsU me every
earthly comfort, but largely compen-
stated by al olishing the cause Of slav-
cry. even though ri cOncit0ie bell, and
by relieving my heirs forever from its
resi- olsibility aud sin, and especially
from his weakness for war, itself
wickcdness which turned upon the
masters, ! make no recantation, utter
no palinOdes. and mourn only for ir-
rerarahle and inestimable losses. The
United States have not enough money
to brihe me, nor force enough TO drive
me, TO lake. touch or taste a test oath,
that most odious instrument or tyran-
ny, "before | would permit my fore
finger and thumb to touch the pen to
sion it, my right hand should be cut
off Mt my wrist and be nailed to q
Guide-pOst to pCrt the way to glib
bet" So PettlgreW said concerning
the test oRths Of notification in South
Carolina, and so | say ns to the test
oaths prescribed by Congress. ! said
all I meant meant al | said, and
tried my best to do all | said and meant
for "the lost cause" What is "the
lost cause ? All! would only that the
host of voters in the United States
would edo truth and come to the
light" and see that the COnfederacy
Is not the only cause lost. The cons
stitution is lost; the Union. defined by
it, is lost the liberty of States and
their people, which they both at first
and for half century guarded, are
lost. am anxious only that the
truth shall be told and felt. I wish to
live only little while to see tho true
spirit Of constitutional liberty and
| laws under n free TPDUbfc of States
and their people revived, and I pray
to he ready to go then when my only
! Master in the universe calls. / am
willing, freely willing, and more than
anxious that all men of every race
/ shall be as free rs | wish or claim to
| be but, whilst slaves are being made
free, ] protest against freemen being
made slaves
Respectfully yours,
HENRY A. WISE.