BATON ROUGE, La., November 17, 1848.
MY DEAR SIR,—On my
return here a day or two since, after a short absence, I found your highly
esteemed letter of the 23d ultimo, for which accept my most cordial thanks. The
one referred to, written by you in May last, reached me by due course of mail,
and I owe you an apology for not replying to it, which I deferred doing from
day to day, under the expectation that certain events would occur which I
wished to refer to in my reply, but which were so long in taking place as to
induce me to give up doing so altogether. Said letter was entirely
satisfactory, as regarded the matter alluded to (and to put an end to the
misrepresentations growing out of the same, going the rounds through various
newspapers, I at once caused a short article to that effect to be published in
"The Picayune" of New Orleans, which may have met your eye), and
relieved me from great anxiety, as I believed the course then pursuing by
certain individuals touching our correspondence, was calculated, if not
intended, to bring about a state of distrust, if not unkind feelings, between
you and myself, as well as some of our friends; which, had they succeeded in
doing, would, so far as I am concerned, been a source of much pain and
mortification to me.
There certainly
could be no objection or impropriety in your permitting your friends to read
any of the letters I wrote you, who ought not to have made any use of them, for
any purpose, without your authority, as there was an implied confidence at
least, which ought not to have been violated. It is true, I allowed a few and
very confidential friends to read yours to me, nor am I aware that any use was
made of them, directly or indirectly, for any purpose whatever; nor was any
copy taken of any one of them, and furnished to a member of Congress, or any
one else, although I have no doubt you have been informed I had done so.
The hostile course
pursued by the Hon. Mr. Botts toward me, since I was brought prominently before
the country, as a candidate for the highest office known to our laws, has been
doubtless the cause of some mortification on the part of a portion of his
friends, you perhaps among the number, as I feel confident that you did not
approve it. Had Mr. B., or any one else, opposed my election to the Presidency
on the ground of want of qualifications to discharge the important duties
connected with said office, in a becoming manner and proper spirit, it would
have been all right and proper, and would not have given me one moment's
concern; nor does it, at any rate; but the moment misrepresentation and
scurrility were resorted to, whether it effected the object of defeating me or
not, it must ultimately degrade those whoever may be concerned in it.
I trust I have many
devoted personal friends, who, from various causes, were opposed to my reaching
the office in question, and took every honorable and proper means in their
power, and no other, to prevent my success, and I certainly would never think
of censuring them, much less to permit it on my part to interrupt our friendly
relations, because they have done what they thought right in opposing my election
to an office which they thought another was better qualified to fill.
I beg leave to
return you many thanks for your kind invitation to visit Ashland, should I go
to Kentucky before you leave for the South; which it would have afforded me
much pleasure to have done, and passed a few days under your hospitable roof;
but I must forego this pleasure, as it will be out of my power to leave
Louisiana or Mississippi for several months, at any rate during the present
year; but should you carry out your intentions of visiting the South, as
contemplated, and should pass the month of January in New Orleans, I will try
and take you by the hand at that time, or during the same month.
Wishing you many
years of health, happiness, and prosperity, I remain, etc.
SOURCE: Calvin
Colton, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 580-1
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