Anonymous Letter to Governor Henry Wise

Title:               Anonymous to Governor Henry A. Wise, n.d.

Author:          Unknown

Date:              Ca. November 1859

Subject:          John Brown Rebellion

Type:             Letter

Source:          Library of Virginia


Mr Wise Sir, By a Virginia jury John Brown has been convicted as a criminal.  And for what? For daring to obey that divine Command “If ye would that men should do too you do ye even so too them,” If Mr. Brown commited [sic] and error it was an error of the head—not of the heart.  But Sir, “Too err is human, to forgive divine.”  You have it in your power to prove you can be magnanimous to a noble foe, do it—and the blessings of millions shall be yours—Fail to do it—and you shall have touched a chord that shall not cease to vibrate till “The bonds of the oppressor shall be broken and the oppressed go free” Yea, though this Union of ours should be dissolved in blood.

Give me Liberty, Or give me death

Governor’s Office, Letters Received, Henry A. Wise, Record Group 3, Library of Virginia.