Stunning and discouraging as this horrible ending was to all concerned,
and serious as the matter looked in the eyes of Peter's friends with
regard to Peter's family, he could not for a moment abandon the idea of
rescuing them from the jaws of the destroyer. But most formidable
difficulties stood in the way of opening correspondence with reliable
persons in Alabama. Indeed it seemed impossible to find a merchant,
lawyer, doctor, planter or minister, who was not too completely
interlinked with slavery to be relied upon to manage a negotiation of
this nature. Whilst waiting and hoping for something favorable to turn
up, the subjoined letter from the owner of Peter's family was received
and is here inserted precisely as it was written, spelled and
punctuated--
McKIERNON'S LETTER.