| From the Macon (Ga.) Telegraph |
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| May 30, 1861 |
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| We are permitted to copy the following
letter dated |
| Macon & Western R. R. Company |
| Macon, Ga., May 16, 1861 |
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| Drake Mills, Esq., New York |
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| I have talked and written
about the political troubles that are now agitating the two sections
of our peaceful and happy country until I am worn out, and now see no
prospect or anything but war and that the most devastating that
history ever recorded. The great error in the Washington government
and people of the North, has been, and is now, in not recognizing
secession, and that a dissolution of the government has actually taken
place. Had that been done in time, and proper means adopted to
restore, I think its object might have been accomplished. It is idle
to say the Union is unbroken, and equally so to say a union can be
conquered. Men and means may destroy the Southern people, but it is
(as I think will be found) impossible to conquer and subjugate them. |
| The Road earnings have kept up
much better than I expected. But I fear that a great decrease will
begin and date from about this time. As you are aware, we had for
several years been doing quite a profitable business in carrying goods
westward; say goods shipped from New York to Upper Georgia, and to the
various cities in Tennessee. This business is all stopped, and
has been for three months, but its loss has been made up to us by the
enormous shipments of grain and other provisions from Western cities,
via Louisville, Cincinnati and St. Louis, to this, and places South
and East of us; and now this source is cut off by order of the
Washington government, -- stopping the shipment of provisions and
supplies of all kinds from the points named to Seceded States. This
will cut off our receipts immensely, with no prospect of recovering
them again soon, if ever. |
| The proclamation of Governor
Brown to which you refer has no legal foundation. My present
understanding is, that it will no prevent the payment of dividends --
that is, if we have anything to divide. I have no knowledge of any
desire or thought of our people to confiscate property of foreigners,
and do not believe there is at present any intention to do so.
But if hostilities are commenced by your section, and pushed to the
extent intimated by your journals, I should think there would be
danger of a resort to measures of that kind. You can imagine, as well
as I, what a people would be likely to do with the property of an
enemy whose armies had invaded that country, and were destroying lives
and property. |
| Hoping that the All-wise Power
that controls all things, may interpose and stop the strife, I remain
yours truly, |
| Isaac Scott, President |
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