Washington, Ga., Sept. 27th, 1848.
Dear Sir: Upon
reaching home two nights since after an absence of three weeks, I found your
letter of the 2nd inst. It gave me real pleasure to find that you corroborated
some of the good accounts I had received from the West, especially from Ohio.
We are in the midst of a bitter fight among editors and candidates; but there
is so little excitement among the people that one can hardly tell which way the
current is moving. You have doubtless seen that Stephens was cut down by a
cowardly assassin on the 3rd inst. He is yet unable to get out. His invaluable
services have been thus far wholly lost in the campaign, which has thrown
double duty on me. I have not been at home but four days since I arrived in
Georgia. Stephens is getting well slowly — the muscles connecting the thumb and
forefinger of his right hand were cut asunder and the wound extended down to
the junction of the two. This is now his most serious wound, those on the body
being nearly well and doing well. His phy[si]cians are still under some
apprehension that he [will] have to lose the hand to escape lockjaw, tho' the
chances of such a calamity are daily lessening, and I hope all may yet be well
with him.
The Democrats here are fighting for existence, and fight
with a determination I never before witnessed. They refrain from opposing
Taylor in any way, but furiously denounce Fillmore all the time. We were
turning the tide very well on to him until that infernal letter of 1838 to the
abolitionists was dug up. That has fallen upon us like a wet blankett and has
very much injured us in the State. It gave an excuse to all Democrats who
wanted to go back to their party to abandon Taylor. Our election takes place
next Monday for Members of Congress — I feel confident of our carrying five — I
think the chances with us for six Members out of the eight. We shall carry the
state I think certainly for Taylor, but by a hard, close vote.
But it will be done. The Congressional election I think will show between 500
and 1000 votes in our favour which will settle the matter for Old Zach by
between 2,000 and 4,000 votes. We can lose the popular vote on Members of
Congress by 1,000 and carry the State, tho' that would make it a desperate
conflict. The Clay men in the State will do nothing; some of them would be glad
to lose it with the hope of breaking down Stephens and myself in the State.
They will lessen my vote in my district some two or three hundred unless I can
get them from the Democrats. I think I shall do so. Had not Mr. Clay put
himself up there would not have been even a contest in Georgia, the friends of
Clay being the only men here who ever dared to attack Taylor. But I will no
longer fatigue you with speculations or facts on our State politics. You may
set this state down safe and certain for Taylor, in my judgment.
Florida I still hear is safe, not much dispute about it I
think. Alabama is in a perfect turmoil — we have gained more leading
respectable Democrats in that State than in any other in the Union. They count
pretty confidently on carrying their State and the Democrats greatly fear it.
But after witnessing the power of party drill in Georgia, I must confess I have
but small hope of overcoming their large majority in that State. I think
Carolina will go for Cass. Calhoun, Burt and Woodard and Simpson profess neutrality!!
What miserable creatures! I think the solution of all this is that Calhoun
found all the upper part of the State strongly against him and was afraid to
risk an avowal for Old Zach; but, thank God, the contest will make a party in
the State. Charleston is with us by a large majority, and will return Holmes,1
who stands firm for Taylor. In many other districts there are warm contests
going on, but the Mercury having been forced to come out for "the
equivocating betrayer of Southern rights" I take to be pretty conclusive
evidence of how the State will go. Calhoun stands off too, in order to make a
Southern party "all his own" on slavery in the new Territories. Poor
old dotard, to suppose he could get a party now on any terms!! Hereafter
treachery itself will not trust him. I hear nothing from Mississippi — definite.
Louisiana I think altogether safe. My accounts from Tennessee agree with yours,
tho' our friends there will have a harder fight than they expected. Your
election greatly disheartened me, — I knew if the Democracy could so thoroughly
rally against you in Kentucky we should have rough work everywhere; and all the
subsequent elections have strengthened that conviction. If we are safe in Ohio
we shall elect Taylor, but if we lose Ohio I much fear the result.
I suppose after the New York flare up we shall have no more
of the "Sage of Ashland." I think no man in the nation is now so
heartily and justly despised by the Whig party in the Union as Mr. Clay, and I
doubt not but that the feeling is heartily reciprocated by him. Upon the whole,
tho' our prospects are not so good as I had hoped and expected, still I firmly
believe we shall succeed in electing Genl. Taylor. Every day of my own time
shall be given to that object until the sun goes down on the 7th Nov. If we
succeed handsomely in Georgia next week it will greatly improve Taylor stock in
the South, and I now believe we shall. I will write you next week. I shall be
able to tell before you could learn thro' the newspapers and will write or
telegraff you as soon as I have sufficient information to know all about it.
Mrs. Toombs and the girls are at home and very well. She
complains a good deal at my absence but she is becoming herself warmly enlisted
for “Old Zach.” She sends her best love to Mrs. Crittenden and yourself, and
says her greatest interest in the success of Genl. Taylor arises from the hope
that she may then again have the pleasure of meeting you all in Washington. Lou
and Sally send love to both of you. My kindest regards to Mrs. C. Hoping I
shall be able to send you cheering news next week.
P. S.—I find talking politics to two or three gentlemen and
writing you a letter at the same time “a mixed up” business, as I fear you will
find on reading it. Write me the first pieces of good news you hear.
_______________
1 As Member of Congress.
SOURCE: Ulrich Bonnell Phillips, Editor, The Annual
Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1911, Volume 2: The
Correspondence of Robert Toombs, Alexander H. Stephens, and Howell Cobb, p.
127-9
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