For myself, through all that fall of 1860 and winter of 860-6
I went about my business without talk on political affairs, since
there was no one with whom it was safe to talk, yet black looks
met me at times and remarks were made in my presence with
the evident intent of making me retort. That fall of 1860,
I had a disagreement with a planter, whose lands we ran
through, he claiming that my ditches injured him. After the
election of Lincoln, I was in conversation with him one day,
when he drew from me the statement that if a conflict was
had, I should not fight against the Union. A small enough
admission, but enough handle to use against me. When the
election took place I had been in Florida nearly three years and
over a year in one locality, so I suppose I was entitled to a vote,
which right, however, I did not claim, for while in God's country
a voter could cast his ballot for any one of the four candidates,
in Florida one could vote for Breckinridge or let it "alone.
There was of course much braggart talk-of how soon the United
States would bend the knee to the valiant South and boasts
of the individual deeds of heroism that would be performed.
 The latter part of January, 1861, arrived. Between that
time and the preceding November, much had occurred. On
the 2oth of December, South Carolina had declared herself
out of the Union. I was at Fernandina whei a steamer
arrived from Charleston, flying the palmetto flag and conveying
to Florida the news that South Carolina, the mother, had
seceded-would Florida, the daughter, follow? South Carolina
always did claim all things for itself, but in fact Georgia contrib-
uted more to the settlement of Florida than any other State.
The next State to declare itself out was Mississippi, January 9,
followed by Florida on the ioth, Alabama on the i ith, Georgia
on the 19th and Louisiana on the 26th. Perhaps you are
thinking that I should have taken the hint and gone North.
I can only say that, taken up with my work, although I had,
but few hands employed I did not perhaps appreciate the gravity