Steamer L. M. Kennett [at Cairo], Saturday, Oct. 29, 1859.
. . . Should my health utterly fail me or abolition drive me
and all moderate men from the South, then we can retreat down the Hocking and
exist until time puts us away under ground. This is not poetically expressed
but is the basis of my present plans.
I find southern men, even as well informed as ——— as big
fools as the abolitionists. Though Brown's whole expedition proves clearly that
[while] the northern people oppose slavery in the abstract, yet very few [will]
go so far as to act. Yet the extreme southrons pretend to think that the
northern people have nothing to do but to steal niggers and to preach sedition.
John's1 position and Tom's2 may force
me at times to appear opposed to extreme southern views, or they may attempt to
extract from me promises I will not give, and it may be that this position as
the head of a military college, south may be inconsistent with decent
independence. I don't much apprehend such a state of case, still feeling runs
so high, where a nigger is concerned, that like religious questions, common
sense is disregarded, and knowledge of the character of mankind in such cases
leads me to point out a combination of events that may yet operate on our
future.
I have heard men of good sense say that the union of the
states any longer was impossible, and that the South was preparing for a
change. If such a change be contemplated and overt acts be attempted of course
I will not go with the South, because with slavery and the whole civilized
world opposed to it, they in case of leaving the union will have worse wars and
tumults than now distinguish Mexico. If I have to fight hereafter I prefer an open
country and white enemies. I merely allude to these things now because I have
heard a good deal lately about such things, and generally that the Southern
States by military colleges and organizations were looking to a dissolution of
the Union. If they design to protect themselves against negroes and
abolitionists I will help; if they propose to leave the Union on account of a
supposed fact that the northern people are all abolitionists like Giddings and
Brown then I will stand by Ohio and the northwest.
I am on a common kind of boat. River low. Fare eighteen
dollars. A hard set aboard; but at Cairo I suppose we take aboard the railroad
passengers, a better class. I have all my traps safe aboard, will land my bed
and boxes at Red River, will go on to Baton Rouge, and then be governed by
circumstances.
The weather is clear and cold and I have a bad cough, asthma
of course, but hope to be better tomorrow. I have a stateroom to myself, but at
Cairo suppose we will have a crowd; if possible I will keep a room to myself in
case I want to burn the paper3 of which I will have some left, but
in case of a second person being put in I can sleep by day and sit up at night,
all pretty much the same in the long run. . .
_______________
1 John Sherman. — Ed.
2 Thomas Ewing Jr., brother of Mrs. Sherman. - Ed.
3 Nitre paper burned to relieve asthma.— Ed.
SOURCE: Walter L. Fleming, Editor, General W.T.
Sherman as College President, p. 43-5
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