The New York herald., 1876-09-13
OBITUARY.
HENRY A. WISE, OF VIRGINIA.

brcahed his last at fortyone minutes past eleven A.
NJ. yesterday, at his residence in Richmond, Va He
had been confined to his room since April last, during
which time he suffered from cold and cough,
contracted, Is supposed, while in Washington argu-
ing the contested election OF Piat Goode be-
fore the House Committee. His illness further
aggravated by combination OF diseases incident old
ago, and hts suffering at times was very great His
end however, painless and he ccnverscd to the
last in his usual vigorous manner AT his bedside stood
| his wife and his two sons, Richard A. and John s.
| Wise, his three daughters aud two grand
sons, and a faithful housekccper had
been in the family for thirty years. Shortly
before dissolution he appeared to DO stronger than
usual and was perfectly conscious. His las; cxprcs
characteristic and gave evidence Of IN in
| tellect that undimmed up to the moment his
! spirit took its flight Speaking of himself he re-
| marked-
"My life has been devoted to virtuunnd integrity.
never robbed the poor and what is better and easier
| never robbed the rich"
AT later hour he called his John to his bedside
and gave him somo good advice tho manner
| OF bringing up his children. remarking:-
''Takc bold, John, Of the biggest knots In life and
try to unite them Try to bc worthy OF mans highest
estate Have high, noble, manly honor. There is
but one test of anything and that is to hp right II it
| is not right turn away from it,
These his last WORDS. Articulation falling him,
he afterwards gesticulaed and signaled for whatever
wanted, and In quarters OF hour from his
latest u,teranco tho great Virginia orator and fiery
| Tribune
! The funeral will take place Thursday morning,
and will be attended by large circle OF relatives the
| Executive and State officials OF Virginia. the military
| and the popuacc generally.
| Since the Governor Wiso devoted himself untir-
ingly TO his profession his only OF living He
refused all occasions " bow the knee" and to tho
last he stood out almost solitary "rcbe " refusing
nsk pardon for sins which he claimed to have
committed. He took no active part in politics and
regarded equally opposed to both Tho existing par
ties on tho ground they equally rotten and
corrupt
Governor Wise. of ane-rcbcliion days, Of tho
last OF that of Virginia politicians who made
the old Commonwealth power and an impulse in tho
government of the nation. He was not wise
Madison, eloquent as Henry but he was the or
spring OF civilization which had plantations Tor its
homes and politics Tor its sustenance Yet he
called ''the old man eloquent, IN greater desert than
many q taKcr who has had the common place quota
ton applied to him He was almost great man,
he certainly a powerful man. Hc hated JEFF
Davis and he hanged John Brown. HIS early popu-
larlty was gained by an onslaught upon tho Know
Nothing movement.
lie was born IN Drummond,own Accomac county
Va, on December 1906 and was descended from the
Wise family that settled the Eastern Shore OF his
when hc a child some years, leaving him
to OF his relatives, by whom he sent in
1921. to Washington College Pennsyyans then pre-
sided by DR.. Andrew Wylic. Here he dIstin-
guishod himself us debater and IN 1924 was gradu
atcd with high honors. The following year he entered
the law school OF Henry ST. George Tucker and in 1928
was admitted to the Bar Soon after, MIR. Wise went
TO Nashville, where he established profitable practice
and also married his first wife, the daughter OF Dr. G.
Jennings, q Presbyterian Minister
In 1880 Mr.. Wise returned to Virginia and in 1892
was elected IA delegate the Democratic National Con-
| Baltimore. where advocated
tion OF Andrew Jackson During the spring Of 1883 he
became candidate for Congress as III some res poets
supporter Of President Jackson His competitor
position OF Representative Mr. Richard Coke, who
had held seat in tho Lever House for two terms and
who opposed the OF the President during
the nuGcation troubles. Mr.. Wise, though opposed
TO the Force bill, was equally opposed TO the
pursued by south Carolina. Tho canvass u very
fierce The extreme state rights party used their
utmost efforts to defeat him. but without avail He
elected and after fought duel with Coke, whose
shattered by bullet during the encounter.
The Mr.. Wise in Congress a
iul one throughout the five terms during which he
served. Although democrat he was partisan--
IN tact he independent in his that MOTH
ing short OF his personal popularity caused his repeated
reelection. He OF the seventeen democrats
that went over to the opposition when President Jack
son ordered the removal Of the deposits IRON the
United States Bank at Philadelphia In 1886 nc sup
yorted Judge Hugh J.. Whiie, oil Tennessee for the
Presidency and from 1887 to ls40 among she most
prominent and determined opponents OF the SUBJ
treasury policy OF President Van Buren,. During the
campaign 1910 he supported Harrison for President,
making numerous speeches throughout New York and
other States, aiding considerable extent in the
election Of that gentlemen. Prior to that timc he
had warmly advocated the admission of Texas into
tho Union means OF strengthening the slave
States In 1887 his participation as second III duel
! between Representatives Graves of Kentucky and
Cllcy, Of Name, III which the latter was killed, caused
him to DO severely denounced although IL was subse-
| quentiy shown that he had made every cxerlion to
have tie differences OF the principals anicaby settled
In 1912 Mr. Wise was appointed Minister to France by
President Tyler but the nomination rejected by
the Senate. At later date during the same year, he
was appointed and confirmed Minister to Brazil
He ernancd at Rio Japeiro until 1s47 when his
arriving, he returned To the United Staos In
1Sls Mr. Wise gave hearty support General Cass,
OF the Presidential electors from Virginia
! In 1850 he elected member OF the State Const
tutionaI Convention, aud in 1852 on the Pierce
electoral ticket IN bis State.
In 1856 Mr. Wise made ferco fight upon the Know
Nothrngs, who had begun to invade Virginia. He
at the same time candidate for Governor, to which
Office owing mainly to his personal zeal in The canvass,
| /, was in the year 1859 during Governor wisc's
term Virginia, that the famous raid OF John Brown
occurred IA, Harpcr's Ferry, IN that State. Brown
pected by capturing the United States arsenal to
cure large stand of arms, and by causing insur-
rection of slaves to make war on the s!aveowners.
History tells how he failed With twenty-five men on
slave soil Brown undertook TO abolish slavery. Alter
fighting two nights and day against the militia of
the ncighDorhood Brown aud his twenty-five
were defeated by the troops and artillery OF the United
States under Colonel Robert Il. Lee. The new civza.
tion had met the Old, and for moment whipped.
Wise sorry that he had not arrived at the bltle-
fold in time to give the survivors no quarter or at
least, 10 try them by court martial lie saw however
that Brown and his men were in civil hands. aud ho
gave them all the protection in his power Governor
Wise was threatened with assassination II no
d,d not berate and pardon Brown. lie was asked to
send the old aboltonist prison for lic but the
of all opposition the old Governor with
hand his Stato's constitution And the other the
roll-oaiI Of Virgina's slaves, decrcod that Brown,
! martyr no martyr should dc.
In 1861 Governor Wise, having been succeeded by
Lctchcr far from desiring that virginia should
sccedc from the Union HIS doctrine was merely that
might accept reject the federal laws and sill
romaln within the league, as bead remains upon
string. He became brisadier general in tho Coned-
crate army, but nowhere successful as WARRIOR
being driven out OF the kanawna Valley at FIRST sight
by General Cox; losing every hing at Garcy Bridge
| and finally finding himself whipped from Roanoke
| Island by Burnside In a battle az which his
among the slain.
since the nc has occasionally appeared
with an old-tme word about politics, utterly Tor