, Letter, Baltimore, MD, to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 9 May 1844; handwriting of ; dockets in handwriting of and unidentified scribe; three pages; JS Collection, CHL.
Page [2]
After I had finished <speaking> and was standing on the guard of the Boat a Missourian steped up to me asking me if I wished to be understood that all who said Jo Smith had discarded his were liars! on my answering him in the affirmative he drew a Bow[i]e knife on me but some passengers who had had heard him threaten my life & <were watching> caught him as he was in the act of striking and I in the act of pi[t]ching him overbord but they saved him and I am glad of it; the whole affair turned mutch to my advantage it was an occular demonstration to the crowd of Missourians feeling toward the Church of Christ.
By this time the way was pretty well paved for introducing National matters and from this time onto our arival at Wheeling the time was principally occupied on that subject reading your views on political economy etc on ariving at Wheel[ing] a stranger might have imagined me to be a man of some consequence for it was will you take a seat in ourcoach? go with us in this stage, hold on and take a with us says the third in fact the mormon was quite a lion among the passengers But passing the minutia I arived in this city two days after the great whig Convention, all in Joy and enthusiam among the whigs, while doubt and consternation is manifest among the democrats This convention has ben got up at an immence expence hundreds of thousands of Dollars have been expended— The Democratic convention comes off on the 27th inst in the mean time I shall do what is in my power for the promotion of the good Cause and endeavour to be well accourterd [accoutred] for that occasion I shall expect the co operation of [p. [2]]