WASHINGTON, January 2, 1849.
MY DEAR SON,—I
received your letter of the 27th November, and I was happy to hear of the
continued health of Susan and your children, and especially that she had so
easy an accouchement. That was the result of her previous exercise and the
climate of Lisbon.
I am sorry to hear
of the bad prospect of your getting our claims satisfied. I wrote you a few
days ago, giving a long account of an interview which I had with the Portuguese
minister, etc., about the case of the General Armstrong. In the course of it,
he told me that he thought some of our claims were just, and so did the
Minister of Foreign Affairs, and that they would be paid. If we are to come to
any appeal to force, perhaps it will be as well that they should reject them
all, those which are clearly just as well as those which are contestable. But,
as it would be a feather in your cap, I should like that you would get them all
owned, or as many as you can.
The minister told me
that the owners of the General Armstrong demanded $250,000. That sum strikes me
to be erroneous. If they agree to admit the claim, you might stipulate to have
the amount fixed by some commission; or, which would be better, if the owners
have an agent at Lisbon, you might get him to fix the very lowest sum which
they would be willing to receive, which might not exceed one fifth of the sum
demanded.
I mentioned
confidentially to Sir H. Bulwer, the British minister, my apprehensions of a
difficulty with Portugal, and he said he would write to Lord Palmerston, and
suggest to him to interpose his good offices, etc. He told me that a brother of
Lord Morpeth was the British Chargé at Portugal. If he resembles his brother,
you will find him a clever fellow.
No certain
developments are yet made of what Congress may do on the subject of slavery. I
think there is a considerable majority in the House, and probably one in the
Senate, in favor of the Wilmot proviso. I have been thinking much of proposing
some comprehensive scheme of settling amicably the whole question, in all its
bearings; but I have not yet positively determined to do so. Meantime some of
the Hotspurs of the South are openly declaring themselves for a dissolution of
the Union, if the Wilmot proviso be adopted. This sentiment of disunion is more
extensive than I had hoped, but I do not regard it as yet alarming. It does not
reach many of the Slave States.
You complain of not
hearing from Kentucky. I have the same complaint. I have not received a letter
from John for a long time. My last was from Thomas, of the 18th ult. They were
then all well.
I am glad to hear
that Henry is placed at school, but am sorry that his defects continue to
display themselves. We must hope that he will correct them as he grows older,
and in the mean time console ourselves that his faults are not worse than they are.
My love to Susan,
the boys, and your children.
SOURCE: Calvin
Colton, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 582-3
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