Tuesday, January 4, 2022

William T. Sherman to Ellen Ewing Sherman, February 17, 1860

BATON ROUGE, Feb. 17, 1860.

I wrote you day before yesterday. I dined yesterday with Governor Moore, to-day am to dine with the attorney-general and on the whole am treated with so much consideration, that I cannot mistrust the general expression of a hope that I will not leave them.

The legislature promise to build me a house, to endow the Seminary and to put all things on the best footing. They seem to think that I can accomplish great good, and as they have dealt by me so fairly I am loath to quit.

We have now pretty well agreed on a bill for the legislature which is liberal and which will easily pass. It provides six thousand dollars for a house for us, and also makes provision so that the Board can enlarge my salary. I hope by Tuesday it will pass so that I can telegraph and write to Roelofson as I agreed. Still I will defer it to the last minute so that if any contretemps should arise I can take advantage of it. Here they want me to say if they pass the bill I will stay.

I tell them whether I stay or no the provisions made for the Seminary are essential to its success. Still I do think it would be more agreeable for you here than in England. We have beautiful warm weather now, flowers and trees in bloom.

W. T.

SOURCE: Walter L. Fleming, General W.T. Sherman as College President, p. 169-70

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