"
It ran as follows:
YALE COLLEGE, _March_ 20, 1861.
MY DEAR FATHER:
You can not imagine with what feelings of astonishment and sorrow
I read your letter of the 12th ult., which was received nearly
three weeks since. The reason for my delay in replying you can
easily divine. Has it, then, come to this? Is it possible that, in
order to do my duty to my country, I must be willing to incur the
displeasure of my father? What would you have me do? Assist in
pulling down the old flag, and in breaking up the best government
the world over saw? Why, father, this is downright madness. I _can
not_ "join hands" with you in so unholy a cause. On the contrary,
as long as that flag needs defenders, you will find me among them.
You are deceiving yourself when you say the "cowardly Yankees"
will not fight. They are a people "slow to wrath," but they are
not cowards, father; and you will find, to your sorrow, that they
will resist, to the death, "any and every attempt to alienate any
portion of this _Union_ from the rest.
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