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St. Louis is in Turmoil Before the War

Autograph letter Signed, "Wm. E. Foote" 4p. octavo, on patriotic lettersheet by Mackwitz of St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, May 7, 1861, and reads in part: "...I set up my idol on the corner of this sheet that you may infer that my love for Miss Liberty has not been entirely destroyed by the great storm that is sweeping over the Slave States. Isn’t she a beauty? She looks a little mad, and determined, as she says, with oustretched arm: ‘Our Union, now and Forever!’ She looks too, as though she had come straight from Heaven, and brought 32 start to light up the way. St. Louis looks gloomy enough. Business is dead. Main street at 12 at noon, is nearly as quiet as at 12 night. Many business houses are closed; hundreds of clerks have been discharged within a week; steamers for a mile and half are sleeping with their noses on the levee, their decks deserted, and no smoke in their pipes. No freight is offered, and very little comes into port. No boat is allowed to pass Cairo until she is searched, either up or down. No arms, ammunition, produce, grain & c. are allowed to float below that port in Egypt. Business men look black & blue and pale as the clouds come pu. Rents have fallend one half since the 25th ult. I have averaged $156.00 per week for the past 12 months to April 1st of work; last week was, of course, an exception, for this week again I have done very well; but I believe my business will fall off full one half. Our city is bristling with guns - half are traitors and the balance men. We have 4000 true hearts in the arsenal - 1/2 of them Dutch, but none the less loyal for that. Breastworks of earth are thrown up outside the walls, and soldiers occupy buildings and grounds near the arsenal. Men are enlisting every dya; and the commands and heavy tread of Government troops can be heard at any hour of the day. The interior of the state are secession almost to a man. Our Governor is a traitor. The Legislature is in secret session & far are entertained that that august body will precipitate its State into the miserable God-foresaken Confederacy. The State has no arms and the Government eagle has her eye upon her. Not a boat, or a car will be allowed to land implements of war on her border. She is surrounded almost by states that will throw their thousands over the river in case of need..." More. Some tape repairs, else VG.

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