ST. JAMES,
LOUISIANA, December 3rd, 1855.
MY DEAR SIR: Your
letter only reached me in this outside world a few days since. Its confidence
and kind consideration for my uninformed councils have afforded me sincere
gratification. You may have many wiser but no truer friends, and so entirely
conscious am I of the warmth and disinterestedness of my own regard and so
confident of your just appreciation, that I feel privileged to use the utmost
candor and frankness with you. It is plain to me there is imminent danger of
jealously and discension arising, if not between Wise and yourself, at least
between your respective friends and adherents, and in consequence the loss of
the favorable contingency of elevating a true Southern States Rights man to the
Presidency and adding another Chief Magistrate to the illustrious roll our
State can now boast. Wise is clearly in a false position. While unconscious of
the full eclat of his State triumph and the commendation it would afford to a
certain class of lookers out for new stars in the political fermament to put
him up for the Presidency, he, animated both by gratitude for the recent
exertion of yourself and your friends in his behalf and by old relations of
kindness, committed himself decidedly in your favor. Since, circumstances and
the flattery of friends have deluded him and kindled ambitious aspirations that
to one of his nature are but too seductive.
Wishing however to
be an honest man, he can not forget or disregard wholly his promises in your
favor, yet being so ambitious, he can not entirely reconcile himself to the preferment
of another from his own section and state over him. He therefore compromises
with himself by the persuasion that neither can be elected and casts around for
chances to strengthen himself in the position.
This I take to be
the true state of the case, although perhaps not fully realized to his own
mind. Now this will never do as it will inevitably defeat you both now, which
is all either can be secure of, and which is indeed a rare contingency not
likely to recur speedily. Open rivalry is hardly more fatal than the open
position taken by either of you, that no Southern man or Virginian must now be
nominated. It is dangerous to have, even more fatally in our state, the
peculiar feelings and jealousies which really render it impossible to run with
success a Northern man, and the absence of which in the South gives her the
preference of a nomination. All this is clear to me, but how to anticipate and
avoid the evil is the rub. I confess I am very much at a loss, but I can
imagine two minds and natures, as magnanimous and generous as I know yours and
hope Wise's to be, might pin to the level of a noble understanding even in
relation to such a post of honor and usefulness as the Presidency, and in a
personal interview put matters on some bases satisfactory to the friends of
both. I think indeed Wise ought to and with a just appreciation of the
circumstances of his position and of the times I hope would at once withdraw
all pretensions on his own part, and engage with characteristic zeal and energy
in urging you. This is perhaps rather to be hoped than expected, although I
confess I am not without some anticipation that recent elections at the North
may have forced on his mind his original impression that a Northern man can not
be nominated. Besides Buchanan, who is the only Northern man to whom past
committals can justify him in adhering in preference to you, is wary and
prudent and may not wish to run the gauntlet of an ineffective struggle for
nomination. With the Session of Congress too Wise will drop more from public
notice and you become more prominent. National politicians, who must and
doubtless do prefer you, will then be more influential than during the recess
in molding and guiding public opinion and Wise may be awakened from his
temporary delusion. Should however this not prove the case, would it not be
possible for you and himself to leave the question who shall be supported by
V[irgini]a in the nominating Convention to the arbitrament of two or more
mutual friends, who might quietly enquire and determine the relative strength
of each and select the stronger. Or should this be impracticable, might you and
he not have an understanding that neither should take the least measure to
influence the action of the State or the selection of delegates to the Convention
and that when assembled, their choice should determine, the one not preferred
at once to withdraw and cast all his influence in behalf of the other.
By one of these or
some kindred mode, growing discentions so distructive to the chances of both
and so discredible and weakening to the Democracy of our State will be oviated,
and what will please me scarcely less, the petty malice of Floyd and Smith with
all their yelping pack will be frustrated. I can not answer your enquiry as to
the motives of Floyd's peculiar animosity to you, but presume it had origin in
some imagined slight to his overweaning vanity, while he was Governor and not
infrequently in Washington, or perhaps in a desire thro' you to strike at Mason
whose seat he has the folly to aspire to. The Examiner alone gives any venom to
his sting but while hurtful to both him and yourself if disunited is impotent
against your united strength. I wish much I could see you or be in V[irginia]
this winter and think it probable I may return in February. I shall be a deeply
interested spectator of events and watch with delight your culminating star.
This climate agrees
with me better than the more vigorous North and I enjoy it even the monotony of
a French neighborhood and plantation life. I am busy making sugar and hope with
it to sweeten the sour portions which the ill fortune of delicate health commends
to my lips. Do give my cordial remembrances to Mr. Mason and Judge Butler and
any other of our old political associates who may dain to bear in remembrance
one who at heart has the merit of valuing his section and his friends.
SOURCE: Charles
Henry Ambler, Editor, Annual Report of the American Historical
Association for the Year 1916, in Two Volumes, Vol. II, Correspondence of
Robert M. T. Hunter (1826-1876), p. 172-4
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