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Nashville February 12th, 1861

    My Dear Uncle

        Your letter would
have been answered much soonerer
than this, but for sickness, being
unable to attend to any business for
several weeks caused me to get very
^much behind hand in my business and I
am at this time attending to some business
which ought to have been attended
to some weeks since.  From exposure
I cought a very severe cold which
seem to settle in my side & back
effecting me so seriously that I
was unable to leave my room
for some time.  time.[struck-through]

        There is more excitement up here
about Union & Disunion than there
ever was about any one thing
before.  I am in hopes you Union &
no convention ["no convention" is underscored] men if you are one
are satisfied, though I think the
Union men up here seem as much
troubled about our not having a
convention as the so called disunion
or as they should be properly called
anti coercion men are.  I would like
to know what the coercionist want
next.  They could not be satisfied
until the Gove^rnor called the
Legislature for the express purpose
of calling a convention and then
voted against having one.   Oh what
consistancy!  ["Oh...! is underscored] When old Virginia goes
out as she will certainly do soon
what will our Republican state
do.  I think she will be cought with
her pants down ["cought...down" is underscored] & a long ways from
water [underscored] if you will allow the expression.
Must she yeild to unconditional
submition [underscored] & stand with folded
armes & see her sister states coerced
as nearly allied to her as one brother
is to another.  Pause & consider for
one moment & I think you will
be for Tennessees having her just [underscored]
rights.  I for one though an un[a?]ble
individual think that Tennessee
has acted disgracefully, though very
encourageingly to the Sectional
President the leader of a party whose
religon & principals are to put down
slavery & southern institutions.
Father after laboring hard in the
cause & speaking for several days
was elected as the union delegate
to the convention, by a very large majority
at the same time opposing convention.

    I voted for the union candidates &
convention, thinking that they would
certainly see the error of their way in
time to save […] pride of Tenn.  All of
the union men now say they are
sorry that they voted against convention.
Annie Claybrooke received a letter from
Va. also Father. the other day they were all
well.  I think Uncle Jim & Jim Hart
take the same ground that I do in
regard to the present difficulties
And I think in less than twenty days
that a majority of the people of Tennessee
will take the same view of things or
at least those of them who are true
southerners.  Enough about this for this
time.  All of our family are well
except Will Allison & he is as low
as he can be to be alive.  Father
or myself one will be down soon.
I wanted to write more but it is
groing late and I will not tax
you to read more.  I am afraid
that this is so badly written that you
cannot make it out.  Be certain to
answer immediately as I would like to
hear how you are and how you are getting
along.  In great haste [sentence underscored].

            Your nephew
            affectionately
            Fred. Claybrooke

P.S.  I will be certain to
answer your next immediately
upon its reception.
            Fred



Give to Mac. Harris