2020-07 2 sessions
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/23/2020
A good antebellum political/slave content letter, 3pp. 4to., written by Virginia attorney John O. L. Goggin (1815-?), Liberty, [(West) Virginia], Aug. 15, 1838, to his brother, William L. Goggin concerning his political chances in the upcoming House of Delegates election, defending slave murderer while man is jailed for aiding runaways, reading, in part: "…politics seem to be running high in Franklin and your absence was very much regretted by some of your friends. Stuart and Egan were both there…with the view of making speeches, but Stuart refused because of your absence. Egan has not yet publicly declared himself as a candidate…he declass himself willing at all times to submit to the choice of a majority of the Whigs of the district and that he is very much aversed to there being more than one candidate of that party as a division of it would inevitably produce defeat…if Bedford will give you 500 majority you will be elected…there can be no question but that you will beat Stuart in the county of Franklin almost every individual seems to be in favor of a U. S. Bank and will vote against him…the negro slave committed to our jail under the charge of having committed a murder was tried and condemned to be hung on the 12th of October next. Winfield prosecuted Cook and myself defended him. I volunteered to in his defense. We have a man by the name of Patterson now in jail under the charge of stealing or inciting away a man slave, the property of Judge Saunders who will be tried at August court…Jno. O. L. Goggin." William Leftwich Goggin (1807-1870) Liberty, (West) Virginia attorney who won first political seat as a Whig in Virginia's House of Representatives in 1838. On the eve of the Civil War he ran for governor against John Letcher, but lost. Was a delegate to Virginia's Secession Convention in 1861 and served as captain in his state's army during the war. This piece can also to be considered a rare piece of Virginia postal history with its triple post marked transmittal leaf beginning with a red barrel stamp "Liberty, Va., Aug. 15" cancel, followed by a manuscript "Blue Sul. Springs, Va., 17th Augst." cancel, then "Forw'd Sweet Spring, Grbr. [Greenbrier] Co. Va." cancel. Final postage amounted 22 1/2 cents! Overall near fine.
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