(Letters of a Family during the War for the Union)
Abby writes to her sister-in-law, Eliza Woolsey Howland:
8 Brevoort Place, Dec. 17, 1859.
Dear Eliza: Georgy has gone to Professor Smith’s class on church history and Jane has been out for a little air and exercise, to see if her head would feel better. She is in a highly nervous state, and says she feels as if she had brain fever, the over-excitement being the result of last night’s meeting at the Cooper Institute, with speeches from Dr. Cheever and Wendell Phillips. She and Georgy went with Charley, and they say that the moment Dr. Cheever opened his mouth, Pandemonium broke loose. There seemed to be a thousand mad devils charging up and down the aisles with awful noises, and one of the rowdies near them plucked Charley and tried to draw him into a quarrel. This frightened Jane, but though Charley grew very white with rage he stood firm, and then Mr. Rowse joined them, and, as they couldn’t get out, by degrees they worked their way to the platform, over the backs of the seats, and were high and dry and safe, and heard Phillips through. He was not so ornate in style as they expected, but a charming speaker.
All this had such an exciting effect on Jane that in her sleep last night she walked about; went into the little room next to ours and locked herself in; barricaded the door with baskets and chairs, throwing one of the latter over and breaking it. She had previously closed the doors between our room and Mother’s, so that Mother only heard the sounds indistinctly. Jane lay down on the little bed, without covering, and toward morning the cold waked her, to her great bewilderment.
This is the day John Brown is to be hung. We are not going to school today for Miss Platt is sick in bed with a headache. When Fanny took her breakfast upstairs to her she would not open the door, just said she did not wish any. I took her dinner to her but she answered me through the half-opened door that she was too ill to eat. I asked if I could send the doctor to her but she did not want him; said she often had such attacks and she would be well in the morning; said she did not wish to be disturbed at supper time.
Sister Mart is a young lady now and does not go to school any more. I study music with Miss Platt and Sister Mart is carrying on her music with an extra fine teacher in Tallahassee. We both study French under a language master, who is a native Frenchman. There are some rumors that he is an abolitionist and a watch has been put upon his movements. Isn’t it dreadful to have to suspect every stranger?
Mattie and Lucy do not like Miss Platt; she does not like them either and lets them see it. There is something strange about her; she does not care to sit with us at night and rarely speaks except to answer a question. I went to her room yesterday to carry her some oranges, to keep in her room, so that she could eat them whenever she wished and when I knocked at her door she had to unlock it, in the daytime—just think!
Well, in spite of Ossawatimie Brown and all the trouble his diabolical efforts have called up we have another governess from the North. She is not like anyone we have had before. I do not believe she has ever taught school in her life. She has no idea of discipline or order in arranging studies; she is a good music-teacher and when I asked if she liked to teach music, she said she had never taught anything else until now.
1859. November 3. — ….The alleged insurrection and seizure of the Arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, of which we received an imperfect account last week, remains still a source of anxiety.
Several fatal storms have recently caused many disasters on the coasts; one of them wrecked the Royal Charter from Australia with a host of passengers on board, and nearly did the same for the Great Eastern riding near the Breakwater at Holyhead. The Channel fleet, too, was in great danger off the Scilly Light, and was only saved by consummate old English seamanship.
Governor Wise and the Court in Virginia have condemned John Brown to death and he is to be hanged on the 2nd of December. The New York paper says he is a fanatic and believes he is right in trying to incite insurrection among the slaves of the South. I am sorry for any man who has a nature so depraved that murder and arson seem right to him.
Judge Baltzell thinks the negroes will rise up on that day and apply the torch as Brown urged them to do, but Father does not think so, neither does Brother Junius.
The horrible, horrible time that has come to us; our world seems turned topsy turvy. We feel that we can trust none of the dear black folks who, before this, we had relied on at every turn. I am afraid to say a word for fear it will prove to be just what should have been left unsaid.
When the mail comes in we crowd about the mail-bag as though something could be told by looking at the outside and, when it is opened, some one must read the news aloud, the news from Virginia, for we are impatient. What will become of us? Will our Father in Heaven let us be destroyed? Will the people we have always loved put the torch to our homes and murder us when we seek to escape? This is what John Brown was urging them to do.
I cannot see that there has been any change; Lulu is just as good and kind as ever; the rest are more quiet but they do not seem disturbed or ill natured. Frances said to me last night, “Do you understand what all this is about?” I told her I did not; I told her we would know more after a few days. She laughed, a crazy kind of laugh, and said: “Yes, you will; you white folks will know a heap you ain’t never knowed before,” and then she ran out of the room. I did not tell this, for I am sure she has heard something I have not and if I keep quiet she may tell me more.
The newspapers from Richmond and from New York come daily and they give the details of proceedings in Virginia. It is more exciting than anything I have ever read either in history or fiction.
1859
CINCINNATI, September 10, 1859.
DEAR GUY:—It is a long while since I have heard from you or written to you. I have thought of you often, as often as ever, and take as great an interest as ever in you and yours. We are sorry not to have seen you and your wife before you left for the South in the spring. This will not, I hope, be the last of you in Washington. I do not question your sincerity when you express disgust with political life at Washington. No doubt its dark side is dark enough; yet that ought not to drive from the public service good men whose tastes, opportunities, and abilities point [them] out as fitted for public station.
How is your wife? How are you living? Write me of all your affairs; how is Stephen and your older brothers? Uncle Birchard spent a good deal of the winter and spring with me. He often talks of you all. He has tolerable health now and does not change rapidly. He has joined the Presbyterian Church and is largely interested in church and religious matters. He is free from all sectarianism and bigotry, takes cheerful and hopeful views of things, and is as clear of all that is disagreeable in many persons who are religiously inclined, as any one I ever knew. He is a happier and, perhaps, a better man.
My wife and boys are my world, and occupy all my time, or nearly all, which is not given to business. Outside of my profession, I read occasionally a good book, and keep a general run of politics. This summer I made a trip with Birtie to Kenyon. Rogers is there studying theology. I staid with Julia Buttles Smith. Mrs. Solis (Harriet Platt), Lizzie Campbell (Little) and Dr. John Little were all there pleasantly reminding me of old times. I have also during the vacation of the courts made a pleasure trip East and to Mammoth Cave.
I do not know what part you took in the late contest for Governor in Texas; but supposing you entertain your former notions about General Houston we probably agree in feeling sorry that the Old Humbug has again risen to the surface. It may be regarded as a proper rounding off of his chequered career by lovers of the romantic, but in any other view it is not agreeable to contemplate.
Douglas was here and spoke last night. It is supposed by most of his friends that the South will consent to his nomination at Charleston, and if so his chance of winning the Presidency seems very good. His last expression of his views in Harper’s certainly strengthens him in the North.
Write to me. — As ever,
R. B. HAYES.
GUY M. BRYAN,
Texas.
1859. June 30.—Ball at Buckingham Palace last evening. Leopold of Belgium, the Count of Flanders, and the Prince of Oporto were present. The Prince of Wales, too, on his return from Rome and travels, looking more manly and much improved, though still very boyish and undersized.
Lord Clarence Paget, Milner Gibson, Monckton Milnes, and Charles Villiers were surprised by my telling them of Cobden’s arrival, and a general solicitude spread through the ballroom to know if he would enter the Cabinet.
Had a long talk in the refreshment-room with Lord Stanley, who begged me to explain the precise principle upon which turned the difference between the Douglas faction of the Democratic party and the extremists of the South. He took it in immediately, and said it was a difference fraught with very large, practical consequences.
Mr. Cobden’s speech, highly complimentary and grateful towards the United States, appears fully reported in the Times of this morning.
