Dr Thad: I received your letter a few days ago.... I am thankful that there are a few righteous men left and particularly gratified that you and Henry Lewis are true and faithful to the South.
I will endeavor to keep you posted so that you may hold your own with the Union savers—in sober truth the question is not whether the Union ought or can be saved but whether Arkansas shall go with the North or adhere to the South. Neither Fishback or anybody can preserve the Union—it now becomes us as wise men to put our house in order for the impending crisis. I wrote to Porter last night—the Senate have not passed the Convention bill and will not in anything like a right shape....
Ben T. Du Val.
[Addressed to Capt. M. T. Tatum, Greenwood, Arks.].
Little Rock Ark, January 7th 1861.
Dear Thad. I enclose you a copy of the printed bill now before our House to arm and equip the Militia of this State and to appropriate 100,000$ for that purpose.... We have passed a bill through the House appropriating five hundred dollars to Porter to cover his losses to some extent in money which he has paid out in recovering fugitives, it ought to have been a good deal more, but I never worked harder for anything in my life to get what we did. I think it will pass the Senate. The news from South Carolina indicate a Tea party at Charleston before many days. From the general signs of the times I think a Compromise will be effect between the North and the South and the Union saved. The Convention bill has not passed the Senate yet but will in a few days I think. Give my respects to the boys generally Your obt Servt
John T. London
[Addressed to Capt. M. T. Tatum, Greenwood, Sebastian County, Arkansas.]
[163] An interesting series of telegrams has a bearing upon that event.
February 1, 1861