Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-01-08
LETTER FROM JOAN q. UN-
DERWOOD.


strange state of things had no conception of
the cordiality with which my tenants and most
| of my neighborS would greet me. Indeed, such
was the rush to my house, and so anxious were
they to hear and learn all the circumstances con-
nected with my long absence from home, that
found nv time very much occupied by them.
and nv progress in arranging my long-neglected
business was consequently much imPeded. Nor
could prevent inquiries from another class,
who it seems had become deeply interested in
the subject of politics This class had, from
the mutual examinations and recriminations of
the Buchanan and Fillmore orators during the
late campaign, INDUCED the hope that great
party, with which they supposed me connected,
| had been organized in the country for their de-
liTerance from slavery. Notwithstanding my
hatred Of every species of human oppression,
and the slight confidence entertain that SO
great cancer IS slavery can ever be eradleated
from the body polite without the eHusion of
some blood 50 great IS my horror OF all violence
and nv hope of aneliOratiOn by the diffusion of
knowledge and of Christian patience and for
/ bearance among men, that spared no pains in
urging those "under the yoke" to submit to the
power which they have now no means OF sue
cessfully resisting. And ifmy immediate neigh
bOrhood shall be spared the horrors and the
| distressing anxitieS which have murdered
Sleep In so many of the wealthy families of
Virginia and other southern states during the
holidays shall have the vanity to believe that
nv advice had more influence than the armed
patrols, which we see on every hand, in re-
straining that violence which was ready TO burst
here as it has in other portions of the country.
Consultation with friends after my return,
soon satisfied me that disturbances would prob
ably result from the intense anxiety which was
everywhere diScOverable among the slave pOpu-
lation and that my lif9, to say the least, would
be exceedingly insecure in the event Of an out
break in my vicinity; for it would be as easy in
? Il ~ r.
to implicate me, us it was the Salem victims in
the chargc of withcraft l, therefore, early in
last month, posted handbills throughout my
ineighborhood, advertising my perisha5le prop
erty for sale on Monday, the 29tn day OF Decem-
Der. then rented my lands and tenementS to
niue of my old friends, who seemed willing to
take them, and Oh the eve of the day of sale
found that notice, originally published in my
own county paper, had been extensively pub
lished in other papers circulating in the vicini-
ty, indicating that the sale was to be the day
after the fair. The notice was as follows:
John c. Underwood, the Virginia Exile,
has returned to our county, and we notice offers
his entire personality at public sale, on Tues
s aay, so'h inss-6''ry'iAs e0'e''s o'n''y' &C.
endeavored to be charitable enough to be-
lieve that the error was the result of mistake,
out was assured By slaveholding friend that it
was published with the design of misleading
to buy my property. The sale, however. took
place on Monday last, at no greater sacrifice
than could 0e expected under all the circum-
stances.
As some Indication, however, of the excite
ment, give you some extracts from letter re-
ceived the day before the sale, by my wife, writ
ten by one from whom, for more than twenty
years, we have both received many and frequent
evidences of friendship:
S.-r-pD.v Dec o. 1876
''zIy Dear Maria: l scarcely know whiciI to
write 10, yourself or Mr.. Underwood, 10 endeav-
or once more to bring to your minds the rea'
state Of public feeling againss Ar- Underwood
the feeling is one of intense and proper resent
ment against any man who advocates, as FIR.
Underwood does, and uses all means 20 propagate
his principles in slave state; but of all t:;is i
is only necessary to say at this time that tie
people will not much longer tolerate mis- presence
in t..Iis couHry-for since the negro disturbance,
do assure you he Is in danger OF tle very worst
treatment, (Which will, little as he appears to
believe it, burst over his head most unexpected
", If ne does not leave the country quickly
And as the feeling not right, when he and his
party nave done everything in their power to
bring about the incendiary spirit of our slaves:
Just to think of sucn acts as the murder of poor
Ir. Green, "a good and respectable, and lawlOv
ing citiZen,) on Wednesday night, by five negro
men, bursting into his house, killing him in MS
bed, hacking up his body with knives, and then
setting fire 20 mis- house-this was all done on
Wednesday night and so near us that
the immense fire his house made distinctly, from
the neighborhood of Gaines,S Station, where he
lived; tine negroes were taken, confessed their
crime and are now in Jail. But, no Goubr all
this will only excite feeling of malignant graf
iication with Mr. Underwood's party, for they
openly goat in their public and private speeches,
and in the columns of their incendiary papers,
of having given rise to such state of things.
Then let me assure you once more o. the deep
seated resolves 2he part of the people against
Mr.. Underwood, and urge you to use your infiu-
ence with him to advertise and sell every dollars
worth of land, as well as his personal property.
and to quit the country altogether. This is no
idle advice, and let me beg of you to be guided
by it"
But Tuesday the both was one of the most
anxious and exciting days ofmy life. We were
sad at seeing our household gods scattered
around US; for though in form a voluntary sale,
IL was in fact forced Sale-nOt brought about,
either, by one OF those providential events when
the Great Father calls an earthly father home to
mis- rest, but it was forced upon US by the OPP
preston of proud and cruel men, who neither
feared God nor regarded humanity. Our little
children were grieving over the sale of the hor-
scs and colts, COWS and calves, pet lambs and
playthingS which they had been accustomed to
call their own. and to which they had become
attached, as farmers children often are. To In
crease the gloom and desolatiOn caused by this
general breaking up and scattering of those old
and familiar associations and objects to which
our hearts fondly chung, our kind neighbor, Mr..
Feltner, called late in the afternoon with mes
sage from another friendly neighbor, that we
must Immediately prepare for the reception OF a
Committee ST Vigilance, which was coming on
with the most hostile intentions. This seemed
20 explain the mistake published in the papers
respecting the day of sale. And now came
trouble to my wife and her female friends, who
urged me to leave the house and them, as they
supposed the mob would be appeased if made
certain of my absence. Ny little con, however,
with courage beyond his years, desired to go
to the store for more powder and lead, and to
call in the deighbors who had repeatedly and in
the kindest manner offered their services when