Life and bloody career of the executed criminal, James Copeland, the great Southern land piratePitts, J. R. S. (James Robert Soda)
History
Life and bloody career of the executed criminal, James Copeland, the great Southern land pirate
Pitts, J. R. S. (James Robert Soda)
Copeland, James, 1823-1857; Criminals -- Gulf States -- Biography
Very respectfully, yours,
JOHN A. BEVELL.
Miss Bowen availed herself of the very earliest opportunity to
acknowledge and to reply to this valuable communication, in which will
be found some statements well worthy of record.
MISS BOWEN’S REPLY TO DR. BEVELL’S LETTER.
OCEAN SPRINGS, MISS., APRIL 16, 1859.
_Dr. John A. Bevell, Mobile, Ala._:
SIR:—I am in receipt of yours, bearing date 12th inst., and sensibly
feel the loss of suitable language for a correct expression of what is
due for your inestimable favor. It has been read with intense interest.
It came at the opportune moment when most needed, and contains matter
which to me is of the highest earthly treasure, and for which the
ordinary returns of gratitude are but a faint expression of the true
estimation entertained in my own mind.
To learn from one so competent to furnish correct information of the
easy and comfortable situation of my much esteemed friend, Mr. P., is
gratifying in the extreme. At first, imagination had drawn pictures too
darkly of him being immured in solitary confinement where the cheering
rays of solid friendship could not penetrate. How agreeably I have
been disappointed. Your communication has completely dispelled for the
future all such illusory apprehensions. Friends numerous, and sympathy
not confined to narrow limits, with an abundant plenty of everything
else calculated to alleviate the misfortunes of a temporary exile.
But allow me to confess to you that the recent trial, with its
apparently sad results, has with me in no wise made the slightest
change deleterious to the future interest and happiness of my friend.
Previous to this memorable event in his life, with him I had pledged
for an early approach to the hymeneal altar, and was fully satisfied
then that he was, in every respect, worthy of such a pledge of
confidence; and if his merit were deserving the same in that day, they
are certainly, in my opinion, more so to day.
As yet I have not heard a single word uttered that does not fully
justify Mr. P’s action in giving publicity to the history of Copeland.
The public good of his country demanded such action from him.
Bearing in mind such circumstances, I could not, with any degree of
consistency, suffer myself for a moment to be biased or influenced by
out-siders, and, more especially, by those who are violently antagonist
against the author for doing that which ought to be received by the
public generally as a great blessing to society.
You will please do me the kindness at your earliest convenience to
inform Mr. P. not to suffer himself to be in the least troubled on my
account, nor to entertain any doubt of my unswerving constancy. In this
respect, perhaps I am endowed with as much stability as any, and as
much as he can desire.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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