New York (NY) Evening Post, "Slavery in Virginia," October 6, 1855

             SLAVERY IN VIRGINIA

     [Correspondence of the Evening Post.]

                  --------, Virginia, October, 1, 1855.

   The following patriotic sentiment is to be found in a late letter of our Governor elect, the Hon. Henry A. Wise, and it deserves to be chronicled in characters of gold: "The rights of the states, and the most precious of these, the right of each state to the blessed union of the states." Let it be put on record, for remembrance and application to those nullifying friends of the Governor who are threatening resistance to the authority of the general government wherever it shall return to the truly republican practice of Jefferson, and determine to leave slavery to the states upholding it, and relieve itself from all responsibility for its extension or resistance. It would be well if the democratic papers of Richmond--not only the fire-eating Examiner, but the usually calmer Enquirer--could profit by reflecting upon this sentiment of our late leader and future Chief Magistrate. I presume, however, that the great Republican party of the county, in its onward and conquering march, will not be greatly frightened by the threats of our noisy and therefore nameless nullifyers. They know very well that

     "Smooth runs the water when the brook is deep,"

and 

     "Streams that bawl most loud

         Along their course, are often shallow;

     And loudest to the doubting crowd

         The coward publishes his valor."

   Really, the course of these nullifyers is simply ridiculous. How idle to talk about revisiting the general government if it ceases to lend itself longer by unconstitutional enactments to the pitiable and disgraceful business of catching and holding their runaway human cattle. Well, they may and no doubt do, need help badly enough. Without assistance from abroad, every mother's son of them would have each hand in a woolly head to keep its owner from running away. And with both hands thus engaged, they would have no little difficulty in marching upon the army of the United States, led on by the veteran General Scott. Their difficulties would be still further increased by the fact that all their independent non-slaveholding neighbors and fellow-citizens, with no sympathy for their rebellion, would still cling to the Union under the star-spangled banner. And still another difficulty would be encountered in the course of the more prudent slaveholders, who are even now trying to sell their Land, in order to remove their negroes and other property further from the border. Look at the immense number of advertisements of land for sale, in the Alexandria Gazette and other Virginia and Maryland papers. Here, in Northern Virginia, this feeling is becoming very influential. Only a few days since, a slaveholding neighbor, after reading your paper in my own house, resolved most resolutely to sell land and take slaves to Texas, to avoid the contagion of freedom. And not long since, I heard one of the oldest Supreme judges in the state say, that on account of the agitation of the slave question, he thought it not best for his son to remain on his ancestral plantation, but to settle with his slaves further South. Indeed, such is the natural timidity of capital, that I have no doubt the success of the Republican party in the Presidential election of next year will create a perfect panic among the slaveholders, and cause such a stampede from Maryland and Northern Virginia as will allow great bargains to be made in the purchase of land by northern farmers, thus turning the tide of emigration from the West to the South. In this way the victory of freedom may very probably be gained before the battle shall begin. And what a glorious victory will it be! A victory which shall cause arts and manufactures to spring into existence in our midst, and double the value of our lands--a victory which shall cause the hum of the spindle to drown the noise of our now undisturbed waterfalls, which shall convert our guogshops into schoolhouses, and make our deserts blossom like the rose. 

   In looking at the mighty revolution now going on, how we are compelled to bow with reverence to the wisdom of that overruling Power which out of evil is still adducing good, and even "maketh the wrath of man to praise him."

   Who would have thought that the miserable ambition of poor Douglas, and the monstrous breach of faith which effected a repeal of the Missouri Compromise, could so soon have overwhelmed its authors in confusion, stirred the blood of the friends of freedom like the sound of a trumpet, and given them the most confident assurance of success. What a lesson! Like the story of Joseph, it tells us that it is always safe, and only safe to do right. To the patriots and philanthropists, who, in the midst of discouragement, denunciation and persecution have battled for humanity with the weapons of love and light, it says, Faint not. The gigantic apparitions and horrible hob-goblins which loom up in the dim distance to frighten us from the path of duty, shall vanish, when approached with an honest heart, an earnest eye and a steady step, like ghosts break of day or mist before the morning sun. And in the inspiring language of prophetic poetry, it says to all:

         "Truth, crushed to the earth, shall rise again:

             The eternal years of God are hers.

           While Error, wounded, writhes in pain.

              And dies amid her worshippers."

   But I took my pen only to express admiration of a sentiment of Mr. Wise by one of his many friends in old            VIRGINIA.