The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1859-11-17

manners, anu inc very Whn ioT o"T
purpose (; and rs IL Is knOwn he is n
STAKEHOLDER himself, no n would, for
a moment, suspect him for being con.
cerncd with our cause. showed him
our constitution for the Provisional
Government, with which he was much
pleased. and | advised him not to
make the stampede Of slaves he OK.
pccled to make, but to keep them at
work, secretly preparing each other,
and AS many others as they could get
to join them, for our October strike,
lie said nc would do so, and that he
could guarantee 1000 armed slaves,
who would be ready, spring together
at n moments call, and that as soon as
operations were commenced with
them, that other slaves would flock to
them by thousands wherever they
went, through all parts Of the State.
lie is very sever ON n doctor in his
ncighborhood, who has been appoin.
ted by the Court as receiver Of his
property, and | am afraid his anger
toward that man will cause him TO be
guilty of some rash act, which will
expose his plan Of operations. | told
him he hadn't ought to give too loose
rcins to his passion, but curb it until
the proper time. lie says that this
Doctor wat the adviser Of his wife,
and had himself appointed receiver so
AS TO Illustrate all his plans, but that
he would disappoint him yet; and
that once he had him in his power, he
would not spare him n drop ofblood
in existence. lie Saidthat this Doctor
had dishonorcd his marriage bed;
but that he did not care for, as he car.
ed nothing for his wife, as she was a
Southern fool; that the position her
property gave him, and the power to
effect his end, was all he asked for,
but taat Doctor had intcrlcrrGd with
him in other ways, for which he would
yet have have his hearts blood
| warned him to be not so blood ,thirs.
~, and, in all he did, not to spill blood
unless in self defence or in fighting
for freedom. He said that though
born in North Carolina he had from .
child hated slavery, and that, in spend.
ing a numbcr of years at tie North,
he had learned to appreciate the phi
lanthropic motives Of our friends, and
that he had pledged himself to work
faithfully to that end ever since. lie
said hr had great influence over most
Of the slaves in his part ofTcnncsscc;
and that be bad often met them ON
the roads and by-places and had long
talks with them, and That he had al
ways found them ripe for the cause.
Mr.. p. then returned to the hotel with
me, and in the evening introduced me
TO several merchants, and others, in
Memphis, who arc with US heart and
hand.
From my interview with Mr.. Pal.
mcr, ] judge him to be sIrewd man,
and through his position and influence
VOL calculated TO become one OF our
principal leaders in the South lie
seems to thoroughly understand lhc
r. r. business, ! would scarcely ex.
pcct to find in a Southern city, 81 uatcd
as Memphis is, in the midst ola cotton
growing country, so large a number
Of whites ready to aid US, and striAo
when necessary for our cause.
Mr.. Palmer says you must write to
him every week and keep him posted
as to u plans, and he will act in con.
cert with US, il everything you may
direct.
think he is a brave, conscientious
man, and you need not fear him. lie
has no doubt been severely abused
where he lives, and his wrongs have
made him desperate. have been
through n large portion Of Arkansas,
and have found we have bat few
friends among the whites in that State.
as most of them are blood thirsty
shareholders but the slaves arc all
willing and ready, and so far oulnum.
Der the whites that a bold stroke Of
one day will overthrow the whole
State. leave Memphis to morrow,
by way OF Clarksvillc, for Mammoth
Cave, where wish to be for Il number
of days before anything off
there. William llorncr has just ar
rived here from New Orleans on his
way to join you at llarpcr's Ferry
Nothing could have happened better
tor me. | guess | must be in II streak
of good luck. feared to write par
ticulars TO you by mail for the dangers
of interrogation, But as William IS
here | write you in full and trust it to
his care.
lie swears to me that he will dcliv.
or it to y,u in person, or die trying
lie is a good boy, and may be dcpcn-
dcd upon. Now, say, be cautious,
and let US have II strike soon. 1t can
not come too quick, for | believe from
what | have seen, tkat the whole
South is ready 10. it.. ! have TO be
very careful here, as the people arc
very suspicious OF Northern men. ]
sometimes register one name and
then another, to suit the circumstances
as travel about. Sometimes | pass
for a travelling preacher, and at
others as n New Orleans merchant,
looking at tho crops and talking of
speculati0ns in cotton, etc. Southern
people are easily gulled. If there
win be any failure in llarper's Ferry
stIike, let me know in time. You
shall hear from me soon.
Yours faithfully,