Washington, Jan’y 22, 1855.
My Dear Sir, I
am in fault as usual about my correspondence. My only excuse is that I have
more to read, write & talk than one man can do.
Your article in the Columbian was very bold: bolder than I
should have ventured to write. I refer of course to the one in reply to the
Sandusky Register. It is not, however, at all clear to me that your policy is
not the wisest and most safe. At any rate I am disposed to confide entirely in
your judgment, so far as the interest of the Ind’. Demc. wing of the
Peoples Movement is concerned.
It is disagreeable to me to have the battle for a decided
recognition of Antislavery principles & movement by the new organization
carried on over my person. The Governorship is only desirable so far as I am
concerned as a simple endorsement of my course in the Senate, & especially
on the Slavery question, by the People. In other respects the reasons against
being a candidate rather over balance the reasons for being one: and I am by no
means persuaded that I ought to accept a nomination even if one should be
tendered me. Certain it is that I do not wish my name to be the cause of
division among the sincere & earnest well wishers of the Peoples Movement.
Taking their ideas as my guides I shall patiently await the course of events
for a few months before I determine positively what I ought to do.
Houston is going to Boston. He will probably lecture there
on the [last of] this month. He is the favorite of the Massachusetts Kns1
for the Presidency: and I think he will have a chance for the nomination of the
order if he does not injure himself in Boston.
It is now certain almost that Wilson will be chosen Senator
from Massachusetts. He cannot back out on the Slavery question and his election
will be a decided triumph of the Antislavery element in the K. N. organization.
It may lead to disruption. It guarantees, I think, against the order being
converted into as mere a tool of the Slave Power as the old organizations have
been. This, however, is a future event.
I am assured by reliable men in Ohio that there is no
possibility of the order there being made proslavery. They may be deceived, but
I am sure they don't mean to deceive. Those who write me feel somewhat sore
about your course & Bailey's. They think that the tone of your editorials
and his is calculated to weaken the hold & influence of Antislavery men,
& to make the members of the sides less disposed than they would be
otherwise to cooperate with outsiders on the Slavery issue. They think it would
be better if you admitted that there was some ground for the [union] of the
people against papal influences & organized foreignism, while you might
condemn the secret organization & indiscriminate proscription on
account of origin or creed. You know best how much weight to give to these
suggestions. To me they seem to indicate about the wisest course; but I repeat
I am disposed on these matters to confide more in your judgment than in my own.
I saw Judge Myers here. He seemed to think the prospect of
election on the Convention Platform rather blue. He said Medill talked of
resigning the nomination, but had concluded to hold on, and he seemed to have
had the same idea & to have come to the same conclusion. The ticket must be
[illegible] unless the Kns determine to claim all the nominations for members
of the sides: in which event the result would be more doubtful. Certainly we
ought to do nothing & say nothing calculated to prevent entire harmony of
cooperation among all opponents of Sly. & the Slave Power upon fair &
honorable principles & terms. So far as I can see there is nothing to be
expected from the Old Line Democracy in its present position. It will be time
enough to consider whether we ought to act with them when they place themselves
in a position which renders such action possible & compatible with our
consistency and honor. I want to write you often & to hear from you often,
but I am much pressed for time & constantly interrupted.
_______________
1 Knownothings.
SOURCE: Diary and correspondence of Salmon P. Chase, Annual
Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1902, Vol.
2, p. 267-9
No comments:
Post a Comment