Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1859-11-28
TnAreHra,s Letter.

H EAlANOHAh . 1RAIE0s
MEMPHIs, TENN, Oct. 3, 1859.
70 Capt. J. Brown, Gen'l Commander
n-Chief Of Provisional COVE u. S. Al
i DEAN CAPr.:-I have Just completed
tmy tour through the Southern States
and am now on my way to Kentucky
lnImy last letter 10 you mentioned that ]
should give the States Of Tennessee and
Arkansas q thorough securing 81 did
lso, and am satisfied that ef all the States Of
4 the South, Tennesseesand Arkansas are
I the best fitted to make the first strike III.
Those two States have but few whites III
favor Of slavery, willie thay contain an
Immense number Of slaves already ripe
land ready at the first intimation, to
strikesas decided blow for their freedom
while the large mass Of the whites are
AGAINST slavery, and viii be ready to as
fsist them at moments warning. Seve-
iral Of them stated to me that they had
gone 90 far as to prepare arms for their
Eslayes and instruct them in their use,
land how to act when the worst comes 10
the worst. While at Brownsville, Ten
nessee. ! addressed letter To- the school
teacher, Mr.. H and he came 10
Brownsville to1see me.
He says thereEis no avocstion III which
man can do 20 much good for our cause
as that Of school teaching. because All
the country around have 30 much conti.
dsnce4an i school teacher who conducts
himself right. He says that large ma
tjority of colored people in his part OF the
State are ready U take up arms at q mo-
meDt's warning, and large number u
whites are ready to Join them, He says
I've must send out more well qualified men
las school teachers. and wofkthem 10 ey-
cry where. He gays, me letter Of intro
duction 70 your friend, Mr.. Palmer, who
Eis an extensive farmer near Shelby Depot,
On the Brownsville Railroad. did moi
get out at that depot. for On inqniring 81
passenger in the cars. ] learned that
Mr.. Palmer did not then live on his plan
tation. on account Of . difficulty between
himself aud wife, and an injunction on his
property. and 3 writ pending divorce.
and that he would be hard to fnd--so
concluded to 60 on. WhsnI arrived al
Memphis, l accidentally met with Mr..
Palmer at the hotel where I stopped.
handed him Mr.. Is letter. After read
ing i he cordially shook my hand, and
invited me 10 take q walk withthim. We
went up 70 place on the bank Of the
river called the Old Navy Yard, and took
seat on some logs in a secluded place,
where he said we could talk freely. He
said he had sincerely sympathized with
]you, Captain, in all your troubles, as she
had has been q martyr of shareholders him.
self.
y He said he had been working silently,
but steadity !, for our cause for two years,
and that he had married q widow who
had a number of slaves for the purpose
of establishing himself in the good opin-
ion and confidence of the Shareholders
about him. That he had at FIRST intend
led, at the FIRST good opportunity. 10 trans.
fer all the slaves be had got IN his pos
session b. marrying, to our friends by
way of Cineianati and that he had q
great many more, belonging to bis neigh
bors, that were ready Is 90 with them
but . difficulty bad occurred between
himself and wife and that she had. with
1.-The secret advice Of several SHAREHOLDERS
and scounrels about his plantation. .s sild-
denly ejected him from the place. and
without a moment's warning. That. he
was still suing her for his riShts by mar.
lriage and That the Suufame ConrtI lad
lgiyen q decision in his favor; ana thai
Inc would soon be in . secession of.his
lslayes agait !; and that when he AGAIN s,,ot
]fulleontrol Of them lie would al q iavoPa.
bic moment, arm, sltem. and between four
and five hundred more. and make { siar,
ii The night time for Memphis. Thai NJ
HAD friends in Cincinnati Who had urousS.
Used to have one OF the larges and swirl
i est steamers on the river sent to tie in
4 and wait Tor them Al tia mouth Of HatchSe
river, under the pfetense of iund eFgoiI,'55
repairs. 2
| That he had all his ARA, cements cam
Epleted. and whenever het5. said ne word
could take from 500 TO 1 900 Il ! trttn AM
Hand them safely At Cairo. in the sTamns
Of Illinois. where they would 4 once s.
kfree. Mr.. P..is q yery bold sc6eamer
and man Of good address and wibninS
manners, and the very man for our pur.
n III .s. y. j - :. III n IF