Posted on 01/06/2020 1:57:48 PM PST by Homer_J_Simpson
Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1855-1860: Seminar and Discussion Forum
Bleeding Kansas, Dred Scott, Lincoln-Douglas, Harper’s Ferry, the election of 1860, secession – all the events leading up to the Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts
First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: Sometime in the future.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.
Posting history, in reverse order
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.
Pages C2 and C3 had flaws that came over from the pdf files. I hope it doesn’t detract too much from the remainder of the supplement.
THE HAUNTED HOUSE
The Mortals in the House – C1-C5
The Ghost in the Clock Room – C5-C7
The Ghost in the Double Room – C7-C10
The Ghost in the Picture Room – C10-C11
The Ghost in the Cupboard Room – C11-C14
The Ghost in Master B.’s Room – C14-C16
The Ghost in the Garden Room – C16-C25
The Ghost in the Corner Room – C25
A Christmas Surprise Early – C25-C26
The New Fashions for 1860 – C27
Are you not afraid, my dear cousin, that I shall be “upsot” with all that is said about me in reference to the presidency? I send you a specimen: They say here that my chances are much better than those of anybody else. But do not be alarmed. I am not deceived, or elated, in the least. Positively I do not wish for it, and tell everybody that no one can do me so much injury in any way as by mentioning my name — and I believe that people are satisfied of my sincerity. The truth is, I am tired of all such subjects, and sometimes feel as if I would resign and go home.
SOURCE: Francis Fessenden, Life and Public Services of William Pitt Fessenden, Volume 1, p. 112-3
Eagleswood, Perth Amboy, N. J., Dec. 25th, '59.
We shall rejoice to hear all about your plans, especially in regard to the two daughters, whom we hoped it might be found desirable to send here, and even that we might hope to have your whole family somewhere near us. But I suppose the desire of Mr. Brown that you should return to North Elba, and that his remains be buried there, settles that matter with you, for the present, at least.
As regards our proposal in relation to the education of the two daughters, we wish you to consider that we are prepared to pay the amount named ($250) towards it wherever it seems best to you (after full consideration) to place them. Should it be elsewhere than here, the bills have only to be sent to me each quarter and they shall be promptly paid. I am not quite sure but that the $100 subscription of Mr. Birney for the same object was conditioned upon their coming to this school. But possibly he would change the terms if desired, and it was so.
With love and sympathy from us all to all your group.
SOURCE: Lillie Buffum Chace Wyman and Arthur Crawford Wyman, Elizabeth Buffum Chace, 1806-1899: Her Life and Its Environment, Volume 1, p. 352-3
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
NEW-YORK CITY, 49 WALL STREET,}
December 26, 1859.}
MY DEAR SIR: I have long been of the opinion that the question of slavery in our territories is not treated in our leading Republican journals in a way best calculated to produce an effect on the masses — particularly the laboring masses — in the free States. I send you an article which I have prepared expressive in some degree of my views on this subject, but I have in my mind other ideas which it seems to me should be developed and kept incessantly before the Northern mind; but being deeply engaged in my profession, I can only talk them over, and shall be happy to do so if you will call at my office.
HON. PIKE.
P. S. — The manuscript inclosed is entirely at your disposal; it will not mortify me in the least if you stick it into the fire.
SOURCE: James Shepherd Pike, First Blows of the Civil War: The Ten Years of Preliminary Conflict in the United States from 1850 to 1860, p. 454-5
NORTH ELBA, Dec. 27, 1859.
DEAR SIR, — Your letter to my mother was received to-night. You wish me to give you the facts in regard to the Pottawatomie execution, or murder, and to know whether my father was a participator in the act. I was one of his company at the time of the homicide, and was never away from him one hour at a time after we took up arms in Kansas; therefore I say positively that he was not a participator in the deed, — although I should think none the less of him if he had been there; for it was the grandest thing that was ever done in Kansas. It was all that saved the Territory from being overrun with drunken land-pirates from the Southern States. That was the first act in the history of Kansas which proved to the demon of Slavery that there was as much room to give blows as to take them. It was done to save life, and to strike terror through their wicked ranks.
SALMON BROWN.
SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 261-2
Keokuk Dec 27th 1859
My Dear Sir
Our State Convention comes off soon probably too Soon for the appointment of delegates to the National Republican Convention. As the National Convention is so convenient I am truly sorry that our Convention was appointed so early, there may be great changes in public sentiment between now and next June. I do not expect to be a delegate to the Convention. I do not know how many delegates we may have but th[ere] will probably be one to each Judicial District appointed who will be appointed from our district it is hard to say. There is probably more than half the Political talent in the State in our Judicial District still I will fill my part in the appointment of Delegates at the State Convention and if alive and well I will be at the National Convention and I hope able to exert some influence and the Question is who is the Right Man to bear the Republican Banner In my opinion he should be Conservative yet thoroughly honest and above evry thing else a man of Iron Nerve And evry Kick a Republican. Let him say to the South keep your Slaves if you want to. You shall be fully protected in all your Constitutional Rights, but you must let all free Territory alone except as free setlers while it remains a Territory. You shall have all the Appointments both at home & abroad that your White population entitle you to but not one more. You must let the mails of the Country alone
In a word behave your selves as other people have to do and you Shall be treated as other people are
The candidate should be thoroughly in favor of the Homestead Bill and the Great Central National Road to the Pacific and a Good Tariff Man in feeling. With such a man there no danger of defeat. But without such a man victory would be a defeat worse than defeat itself
I would rather see you the candidate than any other man, but I am willing to see Camron & You the candidates or I am willing to see Bates and some Pensylvany Man the candidates. I have some doubts of Bates. I fear that there is too much “Old Line Whig” about him and besides I would rather see both the Candidates taken from Free States so that we could Show the conservative portion of the South that the Republican party can be a National & conservative party when in power and the Fire Eaters that they can & will be Hung by a Republican administration if they do not behave them selves. I hope & trust that Douglass is politically dead for the next four years at least so far as being a Candidate for President is concerned It is not worth while to disguise the fact he is Strong stronger than any other Man that could be nominated It would be next to impossible to keep him from getting Iowa & all of the Western States, over almost any body And very largely over such candidates as Seward, Chase, Banks, or any such men. The West will not vote for any but a Western Man against a Western Man. We Want and must have free Lands And a Pacific Road and if the National Republican Convention do not give us such a man they need not make a nomination with any hope of success, unless the Locos nominate Some fireeater Which they are sure not to do. They will give us a Third addition of the Polk & Pierce Dodge or I am mistaken
Write me fully when you receive this I am very anxious to hear from you before our State Convention
Hawkins Taylor
Hon. A. Lincoln
SOURCE: Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress, Washington, D. C.
Bookmark
December 28. Lieber came to see me Monday morning in great sorrow and soreness. Perhaps it may be worth while to reconsider our action about his Law School lectures.
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
SEMINARY, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 1859.
. . . I was disappointed the two last mails at not hearing from you, but to-morrow I feel certain. I will go to town myself and take this. The time is now near at hand for opening the Seminary. I have the mess started in the building, all the carpenters are out, all the furniture ready, a pretty good stock of wood on hand and generally all things are about as far advanced as I could expect. Still I am the only one ready. The steward is sick on his plantation twelve miles off, his son and niggers are here, a good for nothing set. He has a white under steward who has some work in him and another white boy to help, and I have three negro women scrubbing out from top to bottom.
The weather is rainy, sloppy, warm and misty, everything is wet and uncomfortable, yet I have pushed things so that I at least am ready. Smith is sleeping on the floor in my room on a bed I bought for the cadets and he is waiting for his furniture from New Orleans. None of the other professors are here excepting Mr. Vallas whom I have told you about. There have been forty-three pay appointments and sixteen public, so we may expect fifty or sixty this year, which is a reasonable number as this is no time to begin. Everybody has made arrangements for this winter. Had we begun in November it would have been better. Still as this affair is designed to last forever it may be well to commence moderately first.
I had rather a lonely Christmas, nobody here but my poor drummer and myself. The three negro women rushed to my room at daylight and cried “Christmas gift, Massa,” and the negro boy Henry that chops wood and the old negro woman Amy that cooks in an outhouse for the carpenters all claimed Christmas of me thinking I am boss and as rich as Croesus himself. I disbursed about $5 in halves as each of them had done me some service uncompensated.
The old cook Amy always hid away for me the last piece of butter and made my breakfast and dinner better than the carpenters’, always saying she “knowed” I wasn't used to such kind of living. She don't know what I have passed through. Negroes on plantations are generally allowed holiday the whole week, but we can't give it here, as this week is devoted to cleaning up after the dirt of plastering, painting and tobacco spitting over seventy-two rooms, halls and galleries. An immense quantity of dirt is cleaned away, but enough yet remains to find fault with.
As to Christmas I had invitation to General Graham's, to a Mr. Henarie's in Alexandria and Professor Vallas, all declined, because of the property exposed here, which it was not prudent to leave unprotected. Soon all these things will be distributed, others will be here and sentinels to guard when I take my holiday. . .
SOURCES: Walter L. Fleming, General W.T. Sherman as College President, p. 93-5
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
I like the ad for Shilling Benzine. It removes grease stains from clothes.
Our Great-Aunt Esther was editor of the Harper’s Weekly.
She lived an icredibe life in exciting times; was born on February 9 1892
She must have gotten in right at the end. They stopped publishing in 1916. Harper’s Magazine is still going.
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