University of Virginia Library

MSS 10496: Papers of the Healy Family
Letter from Elliot Muse Healy, 3 November 1859, 4pp.

It has been but a very
short time since I wrote, but as you
have assured me that my letters
did not bore you all, I have determined
to write again.

You ask what is generally thought
of the late unheard of, unprecedented
affair which took place at Harpers Ferry?

The Citizens of Charlottesville at least,
look upon it as a very serious thing
and have appointed a Mass-meeting
to be held to night, for the purpose
of increasing the military force of
the Town & County, so that they
might be prepared when occasion
call for them. I should like very
much to attend as Mr Leake and
some other gentlemen of note, will
addres the meeting.

I do not believe that those
seventeen men could have been
so desperate, so foolish and so rash
as to have come in Va. for the

purpose of liberating the slaves
without promise of assistance
from some quarter capable of
furnishing it. True they say, they
expected the slaves to rise up
in numbers and join them, — I rejoice
in their disappointment — but do
not believe this was their sole
reliance: many a freedom-shrieking
fanatic of the north had promised
his arm & his money to the cause,
but a more deliberate reflection
taught them the folly and futility
of the undertaking and caused
them to break their promise.

If the Abolitionists were not the
most consummate fools in the
world they could see that the
legitimate tendancy of such an
outbreak as this, is to make the
masters more rigid with their
slaves: but so boundless is their
love for the slave & his freedom that
they take not into consideration
these trifles.

I almost think you will
catch the game over the river as

each sight seems to give renewed
animation to the pursuit.

Do you continue to take John over
with you? It may be that each
has grown so bold & independent, as
to be entirely careless about the
company of the other. I suppose
your next visit will seal your doom —
and you will be ready to exclaim
“what concentrated joy or wo is there
in blessed or blighted love” I hope
you may be able to quote the above
with as much life, as you used
to quote your favorite lines from
Young, beginning “To recriminate is just &c.”

Did you say that stages were
running from Urbanna to Richmond
or to West Point? Although Christmas
is sometime off, yet I often think of
it and since the facilities are
so great for getting to Middlesex
I would be at all surprised if
I spent a day or two with you
about that time. More of this in
the Future.

There is a good deal of drinking
here — but I am happy to say that

my most intimate friends and con-
sequently my companions,
generally, are tetotalers. therefore
I am free from all temptation on
that score.

The time has come for me
to go to the Post Office & as I have
no news to tell I will stop so
that I may take this up to the
P.O. with me.

Give my best love to Ma —
Aunt E. relations & friends and
to any one else you choose.