Washington 16th April 1848
MY DEAR ANDREW,
Everything here is in a state of uncertainty, in reference to the Presidential
election. The parties are more distracted than ever. Clay's address1
has done him great injury with his party. It has in particular deeply offended
the Southern portion.
In the mean time,
the address of the Barnburners, just come out, has weakened and distracted the
Democratick party. They take strong ground against us on the Wilmot proviso,
and proclaim that they must be received by the Baltimore Convention to the
exclusion of the Hunker delegates from the State. That I take it will be
impossible, and a permanent split, with the loss of the State will be the
result. I trust, out of all this confusion, a sufficient number of both parties
will be found to be independent enough to make a rally to save ourselves and
our institutions. As bad, as you suppose things to be here, it is not worse
than the reality.
We are waiting with
impatience for farther information from Europe. I have little hope from France,
but a good deal of reliance on Germany. She has the materials for a good Govt,
if they should be skillfully used. But we shall soon see.
My love to Margeret
and the children.
1 Clay's speech at Lexington on the Mexican
War, November 13, 1817, is probably referred to.
SOURCE: J. Franklin
Jameson, Editor, Annual Report of the American Historical Association
for the Year 1899, Volume II, Calhoun’s Correspondence: Fourth Annual Report of
the Historical Manuscripts Commission, Correspondence of John C. Calhoun,
p. 751-2
No comments:
Post a Comment