2004-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/31/2004
WHITTLE, James Murray (1806-1891) Confederate Virginia Senator. Active in a number of business enterprises, perhaps most notably the promotion and finance of a railroad from Lynchburg to Danville. Autograph Letter Signed, “James M. Whittle” 2p. quarto, March 20, 1862, Richmond, with cover, reads in part: “...when I wrote last, on the distilling law, I was opposed to preventing a man from distilling his own grain, but was overruled & I had to vote for the bill that passed or had none on the subject. The assembly must take a general view & here we have means of information over the whole state. In the war of the Revolution we had a law, from which the one passed was copied chiefly. The suffering which it was shown would reulst from using up such a quantity of grain, was fearful in some counties vigilance committees even spoken of to destroy the stills & I received many communications from my constituents urging me to suppress the stills. The Confederate Govt. had taken possession of the stills & liquor here, suppressed the first & held the second now in possession & the pr. would no doubt have suppresed those in Pittsylvania & it would have cost much money to do this...” More. VG.
Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).
Click above for larger image.