Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/45

 would, in time, be removed from our country. He expressed the conviction that the love of country and the union of the States was so strong that there was not much cause for alarm.

On the 23d day of January, 1860, Governor Kirkwood was called upon by a Mr. Camp, sent by Governor Letcher, of Virginia, bearing a requisition for the arrest and surrender of Barclay Coppoc. Two members of the Legislature *  who entered the Executive office while the interview was in progress give the following report of what occurred:

“We found in conference with the Governor a pompous-looking man, who seemed to be greatly excited. Governor Kirkwood was calmly listening to the violent language of this individual, who was swinging his arms wildly in his wrath. The Governor quietly suggested to the stranger that ‘he had supposed he did not want his business made public.’

“The rude reply was: ‘I don't care a d—n who knows it now, since you have refused to honor the requisition.’

“The pompous man then proceeded to argue the case with the Governor, and we soon learned that he was an agent from Virginia bearing a requisition from Governor Letcher †  for the surrender of Barclay Coppoc.

“In reply to a remark by the agent that Coppoc might escape before he could get the defect in the requisition cured, the Governor, looking significantly at us, replied: ‘There is a law under which you can arrest Coppoc and hold him until the requisition is granted,’ and the Governor reached for the code. We waited to hear no more, but, saying to the Governor that we would call again when he was not engaged and giving him a look that was a response to his own, we walked out.”

We felt there was not a moment to lose if we would save Coppoc from the Virginia Gallows and hastily communicated with J. W. Cattell, J. B. Grinnell, David Hunt, Amos Hoag and other well-known Antislavery members of the Legislature. It was instantly decided that a special messenger must be sent to warn Coppoc and his friends of the danger. A purse was hastily made up and Isaac Brandt was delegated to find a man of nerve, who could endure a horseback ride in midwinter of a hundred and

* The two members were Ed. Wright and B. F. Gue of Scott. † Governor Wise’s term expired January 1, 1860, and he was succeeded by Governor Letcher.