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Revision as of 12:29, 28 July 2017
Williamsburg Monday 11th Feb. 1861
I have been from home so much recently, my beloved
wife, and when I am here I see so little of the family
that I begin to fell very uncomfortable. However it will
not last very long, as I hope that the condition of the rail road
will be such in a few weeks as to relieve me from constant
attention. I never had so much work to do in my life; when
I am in Richmond. I sometimes go without dinner because I have
so short a time to eat it in. I got down from there on Thursday
last; I found two most welcome letters from you; the last one
enclosing my dear Marianne's note; but even that
letter is ten days old. It is true that the girls have
heard from you since and I am delighted that all are
so well. Peggy wrote to you by Saturday's mail; I told
her to tell you that I would write by the succeeding mail;
I had been all that morning at the farm , had to go down
to see Cousin Mary in the afternoon and at night went
by invitation to Col. Mumford's. I suppose Page told you
of the illness of Cousin Mary. Lelia sat up with her last
night. I do not know that there had been any material
change for several days, but she is exceedingly feeble, altho'
when I saw her on Friday I did not think her so weak as I expected to see her: She is however in very uncertain condition. Poor old Sam Bonner too I suppose Page told you of. He died the night after I got home; he asked for you. Dear Bob made an ineffectual effort to get off on Friday by the way of York River; Some one being about to repair the Capital Landing bridge had taken it up that very morning with such short notice that every one was caught by it. The carriage went all the way there & then turned back & went all around by Dr. Waller's Mill; the consequence was that the boat had passed when he got to Bigler's. He went up the James River on Saturday. Thank my dear M- for taking the trouble to write me a note. I am rejoiced that she once more begins to feel healthful and that the little babe is well, that it was a great fret with all I could not doubt. Neither did I doubt from past occurrences that all of Mr. Wilmer's & Marianne's excellent friends had been kind as ever. I desire to be es- pecially remembered to all of them. Give my kindest regards to Mr. Wilmer. I am very glad that he has recovered from the severe cold of which she spoke: a severe cold is at the least very uncomfortable and frequently assails the constitution quite seriously. We have had until the last two or three days perfectly diabolical carriage went all the way there & then turned back & went all around by Dr. Waller's Mill; the consequence was that the boat had passed when he got to Bigler's. He went up James River on Saturday. Thank my dear M- for taking the trouble to write me a note. I am rejoiced that she once more begins to feel healthful and that the little babe is so well, that it was a great fret with all I could not doubt. Neither did I doubt from past occurrences that all of Mr. Wilmer's & Marianne's excellent friends had been kind as ever. I desire to be es- -pecially remembered to all of them. Give my kindest regards to Mr. Wilmer. I am very glad that he has recovered from the severe cold of which he spoke: a severe cold is at the least very uncomfortable and frequently assails the constitution quite seriously. We have had until the last two or three days perfectly diabolical
weather. Rain & snow, but generally rain, until I began
at last to fear that people's houses would fall down with
their foundations softened. Our rail road was somewhat
damaged by it. On Wednesday evening last it cleared up; next
day as I came down the river the weather was clear but
the wind furious, and that night & Friday were colder than
any weather this winter: on Saturday they got a little ice
at the farm; all I believe that has been gotten here at
all.
I feel very much obliged to those of my friends
who wish me to be in the convention, because their wish is
complimentary; but I assure you that I am exceedingly
glad that I shall not be there: it was with very great
reluctance that I permitted my name to be used and I
took the first opportunity to withdraw, which I did so soon
as I found that Mr. Mallory (who is already a can-
-didate) was in any degree conservative.
As to what will be done - as to what can be done - I confess
that every mental vision is not strong enough to pierce the
gloom. I know what I would have if I could - viz- a
re-union upon proper principles: this I suppose is out of the
question. I know also that I would have upon their suppo-
sition;but what I would desire I do not think will happen &
I am far from feeling sure that it would be the best thing to do.
I never despaired about any thing before, but I do not
contemplate the possibility that - no matter what may be the
issue - we can ever be restored to a position of proud equality
with other nations and of comfort, prosperity & harmony at home.
The vase has been shattered and cannot be reconstructed.
I suppose the elements were incongruous & that it could
not hold together; and that it is one of those great misfortunes
which the world beholds whilst standing aghast at the ruin,
without the slightest amount of power existing any where in
human hands to stop it. As for a Southern confederacy holding
together for ten years ( I mean one containing border states &
Gulf states) I consider the notion preposterously chimerical -
and I consider almost equally chimerical the view that the
middle free states would enter into a union with the border
slave states upon terms safe for the latter; this I confess I
should prefer, as a matter of taste & feeling ( for I am disgusted
with the puerile precipitancy of the extreme Southern states - it is a
French operation); as to judgment, that is "fled to brutish hearts" -
I have no judgment about the matter.
Since I wrote what is above your letter has arrived.
I thank God that all are well, and only respire that your
return will be so long delayed; but I am sure that your
presence is a comfort to one dear child & I do not com-
plain. I have to got to Richmond again this week.
Kiss all the dear children for me. I want to see them
all badly - the darling girls & dear Georgy & Breck, not
forgetting little Lucy. I hope they will all be here soon.
Ever yours RS
Mrs. Saunders