Letter from S.R. Frierson to Mississippi Governor William L. Sharkey; July 5, 1865
Title
Letter from S.R. Frierson to Mississippi Governor William L. Sharkey; July 5, 1865
Subject
Mississippi. Governor; Sharkey, William Lewis, 1798-1873; Slavery.; Slaves--Emancipation--United States.
Description
From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Sharkey Collection. Letter from S. R. Frierson to Mississippi Governor William L. Sharkey asking his view on the emancipation of enslaved people.
Creator
Frierson, S. R.
Publisher
Mississippi Department of Archives and History. (electronic version); Mississippi Digital Library. (electronic version)
Date
1865-07-05
Contributor
Funding for this project provided by The Dale Center for Study of War and Society-USM, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, the Mississippi Digital Library, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the University of Southern Mississippi, and the Watson-Brown Foundation
Rights
NO COPYRIGHT - UNITED STATES; http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/
Language
English
Identifier
mdah_771-955-02-01
Coverage
1865
Text
Page 1:
To his Excellency Hon. Wm. P. Sharkey.
Columbus Miss July 5, 1865.
Sir:
I am aware of the annoyance to which your position must subject you. It is therefore with reluctance I bring myself to address you by this letter. Yet some of my fellow-citizens, and myself are anxious to learn what should be the action of the people touch-ing the [vied?] question of slavery. Believing it to be their duty to shape Their action by the views of the Genl. Govt. and yourself to be in possession of those views, and further-more recognzing you to be the exponent of that large conservative class to which they belong, they would know of you whether they might expect gradual emancipation or no.
For these and other obvious reasons, they apply to you.
Not to trouble you with my own views, which are of little consequence, I may be permitted to say, that I dread the effect
Page 2:
to expel a servile race from our soil.
However one line from you is worth a thousand such cruder notions as mine.
If you will take the trouble to glance at the inclosed you will see I have not been an uninterested spectator of the course things were likely to take in Mississippi. It is a portion of [strikethrough]an address[strikethrough] a sermon delivered in Columbus in 1850—fifteen years ago—when men high in position were urging us to take the fatal step.
Pardon this intrusion. [strikethrough]But[strikethrough] I know your cares. Yet I hope you will not think it a hardship to enlighten the humblest of your fellow-citizens. Permit me to express my satisfaction of your appointment, and with the highest esteem of your character to submit myself
Your obt. Sevt.
S. R. Frierson
To his Excellency Hon. Wm. P. Sharkey.
Columbus Miss July 5, 1865.
Sir:
I am aware of the annoyance to which your position must subject you. It is therefore with reluctance I bring myself to address you by this letter. Yet some of my fellow-citizens, and myself are anxious to learn what should be the action of the people touch-ing the [vied?] question of slavery. Believing it to be their duty to shape Their action by the views of the Genl. Govt. and yourself to be in possession of those views, and further-more recognzing you to be the exponent of that large conservative class to which they belong, they would know of you whether they might expect gradual emancipation or no.
For these and other obvious reasons, they apply to you.
Not to trouble you with my own views, which are of little consequence, I may be permitted to say, that I dread the effect
Page 2:
to expel a servile race from our soil.
However one line from you is worth a thousand such cruder notions as mine.
If you will take the trouble to glance at the inclosed you will see I have not been an uninterested spectator of the course things were likely to take in Mississippi. It is a portion of [strikethrough]an address[strikethrough] a sermon delivered in Columbus in 1850—fifteen years ago—when men high in position were urging us to take the fatal step.
Pardon this intrusion. [strikethrough]But[strikethrough] I know your cares. Yet I hope you will not think it a hardship to enlighten the humblest of your fellow-citizens. Permit me to express my satisfaction of your appointment, and with the highest esteem of your character to submit myself
Your obt. Sevt.
S. R. Frierson