The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-15
mo. 49,
HENRY A. WISE.

mo. 1871
HENRY A. WISE.
In the whole course OF my life as
lawyer and as public man I have
rarely met more gifted and eloquent
orator than Henry A. Wise. OF Vir-
glnia. Perhaps William l.. Yancey. OF
Ala bama. may have been in some re-
spects his superior. Although not a
civil official OF the Confederate govern
ment his long public service before
the war and his career after Its close
Justify place for him In this series.
I met Mr.. Wise for tho first time at
brsted American or Know-Nothing
campaign OF 1865. when lie was the
Democratic candidate for the governor
ship. and Thomas s. Flournoy was the
opposing candidate. AS I happened to
be at that time the only Democratic
lawyer practising at bedford Court
house II fell to my lot to introduce
Never can ] forget while life shall
last the power and cloquence of his
address. For three hours and half he
held his audience perfectly enchanted.
and no words OF mine can describe
the effect Before commencing his add
dress he had obtained III some way
copy of the little book containing
the signs. grips and passwords Of the
Know-Nothing Party. His excavations
of the secret proceedings of that party
held with the aid of dark lanterns in
secret places. We're terrific. The menu
bers of the Know-Nothlng order being;
unable to stand fire. left the meeting
like rats from burning barn. His
anmadversionS unon the principles of
the party We're truly eloquent. and his
tribute to the Irish people and the
Roman Catholic religion were surpass-
insy fine. II is highly probable that
II the grips and signs and passwords
could have been eliminated the party
might have made some progress.
A Land of Poets.
After the delivery Of his address I
walked with Mr.. Wise to tho foot OF
the hill. and as we stood upon the sum
nit and surveyed the Blue Ridge Noun
tains lying in the distance he raised
his hands and said with great earnest
ness. You all ought to be poets and
orators here
That evening he sent for me at tho
hotel. and complaining that he had
been taken suddenly i'll and was un-
requested me to go to Salem, thirty
| miles distant. and meet an oppoint-
ment he had made for a speech on that
| day. protested. of course, and urged
my youth and inexperience as a public
| speaker; he answered by saying: Il
am COMMUNICATIVE chief Of these forces
and command you to GO had no
other alternative. but went. and ad-
dressed as best could large audience
which had assembled to hear Mr.. Wise
After recovering from his sickness
he went on his way in the progress
OF his campaign. and when he reached
Abingdon and was addressing the peo-
| pie he was very much annoyed by GER
tain members OF the Know Nothing
Party. who stood up in the courtroom
and cried out Sam, Sam. rise anc
show yourselves" Mr.. Wise stood look
ing at them for a few moments, anG
then said:
Aren't you a goddess, srnceless
Christless set? Never mind will b.
your Governor, and when you com,
down to Richmond suing for exec,,
| tive clemency you may be sure I vii
see to 1t that you will serve your
terms out In the penitenttary"
Context With the Author.
On one occasion I defended pris
oner at Isle OF Wight Courthouse, whom
Mr.. Wise prosecuted, in connection
with Mr. HAYDEN, the regular Com
monwealth's attorney. His address &
Il the jury occupied two whole days, be
i ginning at 10 o'clock in the morning
4 and closing at 8 o'clock In the after
noon. except for an interrission o
4 thirty minutes for dinner, during which
time Mr.. Wise was on the courthous
green telling the people how to cult
yate peanuts. In the progress OF h!
argument he amused the Jury ver'
much by going outside of the bar
taking up the pistol with which tn
homicide had been committed and show
ing the jury how they should stan
!, II ever they We're called upon to fgh
a duel He told then, they should no
present their whole body, If they di
), their adversary would plump Their
: through the middle; that they shout
not stand sideways. as he would shoe
men of the jury, you must present
!, kind OF feather edge, drawing u
himself and looking as thin as a la.tl
When the counsel for the defens
understood from Mr.. Hayden that Il
! Iintended to permit Mr.. Wise to max
the closing argument to the jury, "
! interposed strong objection, an
3 Judge, who was the venerable Rlchar
! II. Baker IT is said that when tn
: matter was brought to the attentio
. OF the Judge he did not commit hin;
. self farther than to say that h
!, thought Il would be the duty Of NJ
: Hayden to hold the case In hand unit
1t went to the Jury and to make til
q closing argument, which was accort
! ingly done,
9 First saw Old Hickory.
q Henry A. Wise was born at Drum
monatown, Accomao county, Va. D,
Z ccmber g. 1906. was educated at Ma,
d garet Academy and at Washingto
t College. an institution which BEGAN
Justly celebrated few years after I'll
Il Revolutionary War, ana is now Waal
7 lngton and Lee University. While |
I was a student at this college, In lsa
d eral Andrew jackson, who was III,
o on his way to attend the Congress-
g the United Stats. He says; WE we