Benjamin Sherwood Hedrick to Governor Thomas Bragg, October 6, 1856
Chapel
Hill,Oct. 6, 1856
Dear Sir:
As the course I have taken in publishing the letter which appeared in the
Standard of the 4th inst. may appear to some, extraordinary,
I hope a simple statement of the reasons which have induced me to take this step
will be kindly received.
At the state election in August I went to the polls to give my vote. One of the
students (Mr Cozart) was in the
window at which the votes were taken, and over-looked my vote as I handed it in.
Seeing it to agree with his own opinions in Politics (Democratic) he remarked
"that is all right." While leaving the place of voting I was
met by several students, who began to question me as to how I had voted, how I
should vote for President, &c. I told them that I did not know that I
should vote for President at all. One asked whether if there were a Fremont ticket I
would support it. I said I would. Another (Mr Mullins) asked whether in case the South were attacked by North I would support the
North. I said, no,
I am of the South
& for the South, that against any force from without the South would be a unite. About this time
a returned Mexican volunteer came up, (he had been drinking evidently) and began
to talk pretty loud. He said that if the rich folks got into a war about the
negros they might fight it out themselves. That when he volunteered to go to
Mexico, a good many
rich men put their names down, and then took them off as soon as the company was
made up.I replied that such might have been the
case in some instances, but that I thought all classes did their part well in
Mexico. I mention
these circumstances because a report was put in circulation here a few days
afterwards, that I had advocated abolition doctrines, that I had made a speech
to the poorer classes of citizens to enflame them against the rich, &c.
As soon as I heard of this report I traced it out as well as I could, and had it
contradicted. Gov. Manly seems to have heard something of the kind, and perhaps others in
Raleigh. Dr Jones
said that he would write to Gov. M. about it, & I asked him to say, that if
his (Dr J's) statement were not sufficient I would write Gov. M. a letter which he might
use as he thought proper. After this the whole subject seemed to have been
forgotten, until about three weeks ago when the Standard's first editorial on
the subject appeared, and even that was little noticed, although I heard a
student remark that it was directed at me. I had supposed it would go no
farther, until, a week ago, the article signed "an Alumnus"
appeared. From the spirit manifested in that article I thought the Standard was
bent on agitation, and as rumor would be busy with her thousand tongues, it
would be better, and more honest to come out openly and avow my sentiments. That
would at least prevent misrepresentation, and as I gave the reasons for my
opinions, the reading public would easily judge of thier soundness.
I have not at any time endeavored to make converts to my doctrines among the
students. Soon after the election I spoke to two of them (Mr Cozart & Mr Mullins) but only in answer to the question how as
a Southerner I could opposethe extension of
slavery into Kansas. There has been no
excitement in College in relation to this matter until last Saturday night, and
that was confined to a small part of the students. For about an hour and a half
there were a good many students in the campus, but soon after eleven oclock they
dispersed without any interference on the part of the faculty. From various
circumstances it is suspected that the preparations for this
"spontaneous" demonstration were sent up from Raleigh.
The opinion most current here is that the writer of the article signed
"an Alumnus" is Mr Engelhardt of Raleigh. But I have no certain knowledge that he was
the writer. At present the usual quiet prevails in College. In fact only a small
part of the students have seen my article as there are but a few copies of the
semi-weekly Standard taken here.
I have no means of knowing in what light this matter will be viewed by the Trustees.
But as it is an important one, to me at least, I hope they will give it a
careful consideration before coming to a decision. I cannot see that my letter
to the Standard involves in any way the opinions of other members of the
Faculty, at least it should not.
Very respectfully
your obt. servant,
B. S.
Hedrick
His Excellency Thomas Bragg
Gov. of State of North Carolina &
President of the Board of Trustees of the
University
Raleigh,
N.C.