The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1892-03-31
AN INTERESTING LETTER.
Gen. Leach was for a Middle State
Union.

Union.
THE SENTINEL is indebted to Mr..
E. B. Jones for the following letter
addressed to Mr.. L. S. Crabs and
written from Washington by
General J. M. Leach January 10,
1861, on the situation of the country
at that time:
MY DEAR SIR Your kind letter
is before me. | have to answer some
20 letters today and tonight, and be-
sides hardly know how to answer
your enquiry. It, however, makes
my heart ache to have to say to you
that fear the Union will be dis
selved-destroyed In fact it has
already in part been dissolved and is
still dissolving. Four States are
already out and three more will be
in all probability in few days. The
border slave States will not go out
imm ediately; l hope never, if we
can reman in honorably and as
equals, because I am so unalterably
attached to the Union and the Con-
stitution, the palladium and safeguard
of our rights and liberty that I am
unwilling to turn my back on this
Union (and SO must you and all our
good people be) until after every
peaceful, fair and honorable means
shall have been fully exhausted, and
if we at last have to go no good man,
in my opinion, will bid farewell to
the Union and the glorious part in
our history with joy or exultation,
but with tears and sorrow, for l
think if the Union is destroyed that
the sun of our prosperity and liberty
will set in sea of blood, beyond
which no man can see. If we have
to go the last and only hope in my
opinion is for a convention of the
border slave States of North Carroll
ma, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mary
land and Missouri and the adoption
of our present glorious Constitution
with such changes, and only such,
as will adapt it more fully to the
changed status and condition of
things, and thus reform a middle
model government and remain so, or
permit the South to come in on our
terms instead of the Old North
State-God bless her-hitching on to
South Carolina. and we might also
admit in Pennsylvania and New
York and stuff off the New England
States, unless they shall come into
our plan of government and let our
negroes and all our affairs alone.
You may, as may every body of
been and shall continue to exert all
my influence to save and perpetuate
the Union and the Constitution.
God in his mercy grant it may be
saved. My idea has been that
convention of North Carolina in
stead of putting her into line with
South Carolina would have tended
to settle this momentous issue now
upon us, and may be have saved the
Union.
So you see I am for convention,
not as disunion move, but as a
Union saving move, for l never will
believe that North Carolina will go
out of this Union while any hope is
left Ct getting our rights in it, and
in it is the place and the way to OBJ
tain those rights. And the opinion
is general here that the voice of
North Carolina would be potential
thus expressed, and by laying down
our ultimatum the Northern men
and States would be most likely to
yield sooner til an see her and the
other border slave States go out of
the Union. This is what you and
every body would think.if you were
here.
You can show or read this to any
body of any party, and keep it as I
may call on you for it if again a
candidate. Wishing you and yours,
and all our friends health and hap
plness, am
Very truly,
j. M. LEACH.