be tolerated there, or the capital be removed to
some Western centre. The bare possibility of this event was more than
the slaveholding land-owners could face, and produced the desired
effect. The continuance of the paper once acquiesced in, the tact of its
editor, aided by that remarkable suavity of manners which made him a
favorite in the private circles of Washington, was sufficient to forever
forbid the probability of a second mob. And thenceforward the Era
increased in influence as well as circulation. The latter, indeed, soon
reached a figure which entitled it to a share of government patronage,
while the former commanded the respect even of the enemies of the cause
it defended.

But this is not all that is to be said of the Era. To that paper belongs
the honor of introducing to the world the story of "Uncle Tom's Cabin."
Although reference has frequently been made to the origin of this
wonderful fiction, the facts of its inception and growth have never been
given to the public. These are so curious, that we are happy to be able
to present what politicians would call the "secret history" of this
book. The account was furnished to a friend by Dr. Bailey himself, when
about to embark for Europe, on his first voyage for health, in 1853; the
manuscript, now used for the first time, was hurriedly penned, without
expectation of its appearance in print, and therefore has all the
dashing freedom which might be looked for in a communication from one
friend to another. We give it _verbatim_, that it may serve for a
_souvenir_, as well as a contribution to the literary history of the
time.

"NEW YORK, May 27, 1853.

"In the beginning of the year 1851, as my custom has been, I
sent remittances to various writers whom I wished to furnish
contributions to the Era, during that volume. Among these was
Mrs. Stowe. I sent her one hundred dollars, saying to her that
for that sum she might write as _much_ as she pleased, _what_
she pleased, and _when_ she pleased. I did not dream that she
would attempt a novel, for she had never written one. Some time
in the summer she wrote me that she was going to write me a
story about 'How a Man became a Thing.' It would occupy a few
numbers of the Era, in chapters. She did not suppose or dream
that it would expand to a novel, nor did I. She changed the
title to 'Uncle Tom's Cabin,' and commen