W. J. F. Stephens to Richard Yates

Springfield Dec 13th, 1861

His Excellency, Governor Yates

Respected Sir!

It is with feelings of distress, with trembling & fear that I attempt to address a line or two to your Excellency on the subject of my position & of your intentions towards me. Daily indications warn me that I am not a Welcome occupant of a seat in your office in the State House, & for what reason, I really cannot divine. I wish your Excellency could see the character & the amount of work I have performed in this office, recently. Last Saturday I was taken from the job on which I had been engaged, though uncompleted, & set to other work. I have nearly completed this last (the Court Martial case). I wish you could use it & judge whether it has not been executed with dispatch & with neatness. My heart is too overburdened with sorrow, with dread of returning to my poor expectant family, with our recently cherished hopes blasted. I wish to see my family tomorrow. Kind Sir, shall that visit be one of joy or of sorrow? Believe me Sir, rather than see my family & announce to them that I have been dismissed from your employ, I

would rather, so help me God, encounter the assassin's dagger. With fear and trembling I await your Excellency's pleasure.

Yours most respectfully & sincerely,

W. J. F. Stephens.

W. J. F. Stephens.

Dec 10th

In sorrow & trouble.

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