Nov 22nd 1859

Gov. H A Wise

Sir

Your chivelry has received a pretty good concussion.  The noble John Brown has given you a blow from his brave arm that you never can survive; he preceeded you in the taking of Harpers Ferry and the arcenal as you proposed and the little handfull gave your great dominion the delerim tremans and she will never get over it

He is a hero and will be regarded as such and a marter in future American history, and by your own State to

Chivelry indeed!  You are but the miserable ofspring of ostentatious and piratical Sires; they have handed down their piratical gain to your barbarians of the present day and you are clinging to it and their habits with all the tenacity of death to his victom.

But you cant hold on much longer, your grasp is growing weaker daily and ere long your hands will fall parolized at your sides

The noble John has done a great work  he has struck the blow and America will honour and praise him for it; and now he and his little company are your prisoners you can hang them we expect you to do it but they will hardly have grown cold ere vengince will be visited upon your heads; when you put the rope around his neck you put a dager in your own heart and in those of your state.   I tell you the truth, I am not deceaveing you.  you will find it varified, its no play, your days are numbered, your slaves will cost you dear and your gratifycation of vengence dearer still, we are on your track, we will watch every movement and cirtain ones among you may count your selves as dead men we sware upon the head of John Brown and you will find it varified.  Your barbarians are howling for their pray it will be a luxurious morsel and a pretious moment to them when like the Turkos of the French army they can put their mouths to the throats of their victoms and drink their blood but it will be a woful dear drink to them

In all this matter, you as the Executive have no wisdom, discression, policy or forbareance, you are like your people howling, reaking, yelling for vengence, but it will come upon your own heads and that right early

The saying is verified, one shall chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight, and again, the wicked flee when no man persues,  A war Mr Wise has commenced that you cannot stop, a fire has broke out that you cannot quench  You may prepare for death.  I write for Legion, for we are many

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