N. W. Harris to Richard Yates

(Private)

Laclede Linn Co. Mo.

April 29th 1861

Hon Richard Yates

Dear Sir: Although not personally

acquainted with you, yet I have from boyhood - through

our mutual friends the Browns of Jacksonville -

heard "Dick Yates" often favorably spoken of as a Ken

tuckian. As a brother Kentuckian I write you, and

beg an answer - which shall be strictly private, or

public as you may designate.

The descendant of two Revolutionary grand sires,

one of whom fought the British in Va & the other the

Indians, with Bern, in Ky, I allow no man to excell

me in devotion to the union, as cemented by the blood of

our fathers; and yet I am what you call a Secefsion

ist. Let me give you the reasons briefly. And in spea

king for myself remember that it is the opinion of tens

of thousands as true union hearts, in the border states, as

[illegible]. We do not justify the secefsion of the Cotton States.

Had the south remained with us Lincoln would have been

powerlefs. But we believe he has seized on this rash act

as a pretext for waging the "impofsible conflict" and

that our only hope is an United South. If we believed

that Mr Lincoln intended no infringement of our Con

stitutional rights in slave property - that he intended

to enforce the Constitution & the laws only, North as well as

South, Secefsion would not have a corporals guard in

the border States. We know he has made many

broad declarations to that effect; but when we remem

ber that in '58 he said "This country cannot remain

half slave half free". That is, that it could not endure

as our fathers made it. That "nothing would satisfy his

party but to see slavery in a procefs of ultimate extinction."

That "no man hates slavery more than I do". Well if he

hates it as bad as the ultra Abolitionists he is ready to over

ride the Constitution to abolish it. When we remember

that since his election he has pointed to those speeches

& gave them as a basis of his policy & worst of all

when we see that, he, the sworn defender of the Cons

titution, has appointed hundreds Ultra-Abolitionists

to office who are implacable enemies of that consti

tution & who will not obey it, so far as slavery is

concerned. And lastly when we saw that your party

in Congrefs sneered & scorned at the efforts of Doug

las Crittenden & others for compromise & that now

the Administration is plunging the country in an

unholy war that can never cement the Union

as one of free people: but may do so as a despo

tic government, what can we believe but that the

North intends waging the "impofsible conflict" even to

the extermination of us.

With these views, that is, that Mr Lincoln has

disrupted the government & that his party, a powerful

majority, have got the reigns and intend over

riding the Constitutional rights of the South, can you

blame us for saying you are the true secessionists

& that we will defend ourselves from your aggrefsions?

If Mr Lincoln could satisfy the border states that

he did not intend this he would not have a cor

perals guard to fight among us : and then if your

party would only give a compromise equivalent to

Crittendens - by which practically you would not lose

an inch of territory to slavery - you would raise

up a union party in the Seceded states that would

bring them back in two years without a drop of blood

But you say you cant do this without yielding from

principle. Did not our forefathers yield principles &

interest to form our Union? Was it not the work of

compromise? And now my dear Sir is it not

the work of patriotism & of mercy & of manlinefs,

for the powerful party to forbear and save the

Union from such horrors as the world has never

witnefsed?

I am told the cry in your state is to be turned loose

on the south "& blood [Bleed?]". We here have no desire to

invade Illinois & lay waste your beautiful country but we

are ready to protect it from an invading enemy. Then

let us as brothers do every thing to prevent blood

shed - give the excited passions of both sides time to

subside and try and save our beloved country.

Did you ever have a fight with a brother? If

so I know you are heartily ashamed of it now &

see the folly of the act.

With my truly ardent wishes for peace &

unity -

I am my Dear Sir Respectfully

Your fellow Citizen

N. W. Harris

N.W. Harris Mo

Secession Letter

ans'd