Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-17
NASBY,S FIRST LETTER.
The Circumstances Under Which tic
Famous Letters Were Written.

. The late d. r. Locke's own account o.
the writing Of the Petroleum V. Nasty
letters is full of interest. A paper was
circulated for signatures, asking the Legis,
lature to prohibit negro immigration and
10 deport those already in Ohio. The
petition was circulated by a man named
Levi Flenner, worthless fellow, whose
parents were county charges in the aims
house. Locke said:
"One night in a drug store, where peo-
pie gather in country towns, met Levi. |
saw paper in his pocket, and, as | knew
the fellow never read a newspaper at all,
| seized it as petition. And so it
was. | read it aloud with comments, and
as | read, interpolating my own remarks,
felt the afilatus of the situation, and
made up my mind to write the Nasty let
tiers. That week | published the first one. y
The first letter was dated from Wingert's
Corners, disloyal Ohio settlement, and
was as follows:
wINGERT's CORNERS sEcEDEs.
"WNGERT's CORNERS,
March the 81, 1861.
"South Carliny and several other Nv the
trooly Dimeeratic States hev secesht-gone
orr, | may say, onto journey after ther
rites. Wingert's Corners ez trooly Deme-
cratic ez any NV 'em, hez follored SCOT A
meetin' wuz held last mite, Nv which | wuz
Chairman, to take the matter Nv our griev-
ances into consideration, and it wuz finally
resolved tibet nothin' short NV secesh'n
wood remedy our woes, therefore the
follerin' address wich | rit wuz adopted
and ordered to be publisht
go To the world:
So In takin' a step wich may, possibly,
involve the State, Nv witch we hev bin
heretofore part, into blood and convul-
shions, decent respek for the good opin-
ion Nv the world requires us to give our
reasons for takin' that step.
:" Wingerts Corners hez too long SUBJ
mitted to the imperious dictates Nv
tyrankle Government. Our whole history
hez bin wun Nv agreshn on the part Nv the
State and Nv meek and pashent endoorence
on ours.
"' 1t refoosed to locate the State capital
at the Corners, to the great detriment Nv
our patriotic owners Nv reel estate.
"'I 1t refoosed to gravel the streets Nv
the Corners, or even relay the plank roads.
So 1t refoosed to locate the penitentiary
at the Corners, notwithstanding we do
more toward film it than any town in the
State
90 1t refoosed to locate the State Fair at
the Corners, blastin' the hopes Nv our
patriotic grosseries.
"' 1t located the canal one hundred
miles from the Corners.
SO We hev never had Gunner, notwith-
standin' the President Nv this meetin' has
lived here for yeers awaitin' to be urged to
accept it.
"' 1t hez compelled us yeer after yeer to
pay our share of the taxes
60 1t hez never appinted any citizen NV
the place to any offs where theft wuz pos
sible, thus wilfuily keepin' capital away
from lis.
"' 1t refoosed to either pay our rale-
road subscripshun or slackwater our river
Therefore, not beir' in humor to longer
endoor SIGH outrajes, we declare ourselves
free and independent of the state, and will
maintain our petition with arms, if
need be-
"There wuz lively time next day. A
company of mint men wuz raised and wun
of 2-minit men. The sechesen flag musk
rat rampant weasel couchant on field
deggshell waves from both grosserys. Our
merchant feels hopeful. Cut OFF from the
state, direct trade with the black swamp
fellers, releast from his Indebtedness to
Cincinnati, he will again lift hished. Our
representative hez agreed to resine-when
his term expires. We are in earnest
Armed with Justice and shotguns, we bid
tyrants defiance.
"P. S.-The feelin' is intense. The
children hev imbibed it. A lad Jest past
displayin' the sceheshen flag. 1t waved
from behind, disdainin' concealment The
lion-hearted boy wore roundabout. We
are firm.
IN. B-We are still firm.
an. B. 2nd-We are tirm-unyeeldin'
calm and resoloot
PETROLEUM V. Massey"