Richard Hackley* to John Albert Broadus, November 5, 1860

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, Nov. 5, 1860.

My Dear Master: As I feel like writing a few lines, and to show you that I think of you very often, I take the present opportunity of doing so. I am quite well now, thank the Lord, and we are all so far as I know, and I hope when these lines reach you that you and yours may be quite well. I heard from Mr. Saint Clair's yesterday — all well. My dear master, I hear much of the coming election. I hope that Mr. Lincoln or no such man may ever take his seat in the presidential chair. I do most sincerely hope that the Union may be preserved. I hear through the white gentlemen here that South Carolina will leave the Union in case he is elected. I do hope she won't leave, as that would cause much disturbance and perhaps fighting. Why can't the Union stand like it is now? Well do I recollect when I drove a wagon in the old wars, carrying things for the army; but I hope we shall have no more wars, but let peace be in all the land.

I have been wanting to go up to see my wife, but have not been able, but will do so soon, I hope. Next year I should like to live nearer her. With my best respects to you and mistress, I am as ever, your devoted servant.

_______________

* Servant of John A. Broadus, the well-known “Uncle Dick.”

SOURCE: Archibald Thomas Robertson, Life and Letters of John Albert Broadus, p. 177

John Albert Broadus to Miss Cornelia Taliaferro, October 25, 1860

GREENVILLE, S. C., Oct. 25, 1860: We now number thirty-one students, adding one more from Mississippi to a statement which will probably appear in the “Herald” of to-day. We feel encouraged by the increase, and by the general character of the students, and the spirit they manifest. My class in New Testament Greek numbers sixteen. They are nearly all graduates of colleges and universities, but the standard of graduation, and often of instruction, is deplorably low in most of the institutions of the land, and I find it necessary to spend a good part of the session in teaching Greek in general, classic Greek, which they ought to have learned at college. But I can better afford to do this since they go over a large portion of the New Testament in the English class. The difference in other theological seminaries is, not that they have students better prepared, but that they make little or no effort to remedy the evil. . .  I have two of last year's students reading, once a week, some selections from the Greek Fathers; and Brother Boyce is doing something similar this year, with some of the Latin Fathers. This would be impracticable in a seminary where there was a curriculum, the same for all. . .

I am glad to say that my health continues about as good as in September. If I can be careful still, I trust I shall be able to go steadily through the session. But it is not easy to be careful.

Please remember me most respectfully to your honored grandmother, to your uncle, and all the family. Mr. Barbour may be interested in the opinion (though of course he is better posted on the whole subject than I am) which I formed upon the statements of gentlemen here, that in the event of Lincoln's election, South Carolina will certainly not secede alone, but will gladly join any one other State, and that her secession leaders will move heaven and earth to aid their sympathizers in Alabama and Virginia with the hope of such a result. Very many people here are as much opposed to a dissolution of the Union as you or I, but there can be little doubt that a majority of the voters in the State would be in favor of seceding with any other State.

Two or three books that I think would please you are, “Five Sermons on St. Paul,” by A. Monod (from the French); “Memoir of Kingman Nott”; “Angus' Bible Handbook.” All small volumes.

SOURCE: Archibald Thomas Robertson, Life and Letters of John Albert Broadus, p. 176-177