Boston, April 25, 1850.
My Dear Sir:
Nothing objectionable in your last. T’other one has made quite a fortune for
itself as far as publicity goes. You will see by the accompanying Albany paper
how it is relished in certain quarters. The sweetness of the praise bestowed
upon you by one critic is tempered by a drop of acid from the galipot of
another. On the whole, you may congratulate yourself highly on the success of
that scratch; none but a sharp one could have caused so much rubbing. I could
send you many other copies of the letter and the comment thereon, but suppose
you have already seen abundance of them.
You and I have but one opinion of the charlatanry and egoism
of Clay. It is a portentous humbug that has ridden the Whig party like a nightmare.
I would as soon buy real estate in the tail of a comet as I would invest
political capital in his principles.
My hope and trust is that you may never be hampered in the
free expression of your thoughts through the columns of the Courier. The
reputation which you have gained for it is great. I wish the independence of a
public journal were a means of making it profitable, but I am ashamed for our
enlightened public to say that the dullest, stupidest, most unideaed and
slavish of all printed sheets are the very ones most certain of success in
money matters. People are very eager to read what they will not pay for. I know
that by abundant experience.
I am now awaiting with the utmost impatience the result of
the negotiations which I mentioned to you, and which will decide whether I am
to stay in or go out of the concern. Whatever happens, I shall always feel the
great obligations we have been under to you, and always be ready to do what I
can to requite them.
Yours truly,
S. Kettell.
J. S. Pike, Esq,
______________
* The editor of the Boston Courier.
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