Letters to the Lady

18 March 1861

My Dear Master’s Lady,

I write to you once again. This time it is from my more permanent home in Massachusetts. I hope all finds you well in this time of impending crisis (7, -). In the past few years, things have been changing and I can smell war times are coming. Abraham Lincoln will soon take his place in the white house and I know that Jefferson Davis is the leader of you southerners now (3, xiv). Everywhere you go you can feel the tensity. Nobody likes nobody now. This election has brought about too much separatism, but I am glad that I am on the right side. All your friends down in the south don’t know what it means to respect people although I know you are not like them.

The other day a visiting southerner was attempting to convince some of us, in his most polite manner, to give up our fight. He said “Even when you cease to be slaves, you are yet far removed from being placed on an equality with the white race…on this broad continent, not a single man of your race is made the equal of a single man of ours… I cannot alter if I would. It is a fact.” (7, 347) But what needs to happen is for all to “contemplate slavery as a moral, social, and political evil.” (7, 342) America needs to see slavery as it truly is. I have heard the argument that it is better for a slave to stay as such, for if he were to be freed, he might not make it on his own. I would starve to death as a poor man liberated rather than live in the fanciest of plantations as a slave.

Putting aside the stress that was caused from this terms election, I know that Lincoln is going to be a powerful leader and make solutions for the problems that our nation is facing. I foresee a tremendous change in our future. Even now so, life will never be the same as we know it. Lincoln has some troops down at Fort Sumter (3, xiii). I don’t know what their reasoning is for being there but I am sure that it can’t be any good.

I pray you and the master are getting along fine and I hope he is not causing too much trouble. Please write to me and tell me what things are turning up down south. Do you see any anticipation of the abolishment of slavery? Please update me at your convenience.

“I remain yours,” (5, 90)

Moses Skipworth

20 May 1861

My Dear Mr. Moses,

I thank you for your sincere care and I want to make known that I see how your writings have greatly improved. You were right about your feelings. Things have become quite a fright down in the south. It was not long after I received your letter that “the guns of Charleston opened fire on Sumter to inaugurate the civil war” that we now find ourselves in the midst of (4, 3). War has broken out across this land and it saddens my heart to see the terrible events that are occurring.

Our once peaceful Georgia plantation has now become the feeding grounds of evil and all its wretched plans for war. The men continually take over the whole house with their yellings and insufferable anger to compete. This is all due to that election with that Mr. Lincoln and Mister Davis becoming a president down here. Their aim is to see who can come up with the most inhumane plan of attack against the Union states. T I don’t know how to stop all this madness. What could I possibly do? I need accept my role of living and acting as a proper Christian woman. It is no position of mine that I should “interfere in a matter properly belonging to men…” (2, 470) Sometimes I believe myself to be thinking thoughts that should not be in the head of a Christian woman.

It is my role to support my husband and all that he has established in our fine household. I know that I shouldn’t say this and I only do so for I know my thoughts are safe with you dear Moses, but why should a woman not have a say. Why should one fight for the freedom of blacks and not the freedom of a woman. Are we not suppressed as well? In saying such, maybe we are not far off from your position, why we live under the pretense of freedom and never really taste it.

Moses, I dare not let myself continue any longer for if my husband should find this letter of mine, there is no doubt in my mind that it would be sheer horror. You need not make mention of my ramblings to a single living soul or dead for that matter.

Thank you for your dear friendship. Please remember that I do love you dearly and if at any moment the opportunity were presented to help you, I would save for the possibility of my dear husband finding it out.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth