Washington City, July 19, 1852.
My Dear Sir, I
say as usual, “ditto to Mr. Burke.” The ideas of your letter are my own. I fear
more danger — much more to the cause of Freedom from Pierce's election than
from Scott's. Still, if the least dependence can be placed on the professions
of the Freesoil Democrats who are supporting him, even he will not be able to
do much mischief should the vote for the Pittsburgh nominees prove large &
their support warm. Clay writes me the cause moves steadily on in Kentucky: and
I think it probable that all the boarder slave states will be represented at
Pittsburg, as well as all the Free States. This will make a great impression,
& if the vote shall correspond, and the Freesoil Democrats shall prove
true, not much need be apprehended even from Pierce.
The present duty seems to be that of putting the Pittsburg
Convention on the right ground and under the right name — then getting the
right candidates and then giving the largest possible vote. My judgment is that
it should assume the name of the Independent Democracy — adopt the Buffalo Platform
— modified by the introduction of judicious Land Reform & European Freedom
Resolutions — and nominate Hale for President & Spaulding or some other
good western democrat for Vice & make the best fight possible. Much has
been said to me about receiving the nomination, but my judgment is against it.
Hale & Sumner urge me & our friends in the House I think agree with
them — that as a Democrat I would carry the largest votes — but I think Hale is
good enough Democrat — far better certainly than Cass or Buchanan or Pierce or
King; and I wish to be out of the scrape for many reasons.
I hear from Cleveland that there is a good deal of feeling
there against me, & I should not be surprised if there were some in
Cincinnati.
You will see my letter to Butler before long. The Herald
Correspondent here applied to me to allow its appearance first in that paper,
which I consented to thinking it would be read by more of the class I wish to
reach, than in any other paper at first. I hope you will approve of it.
I wish very much that you wd. buy the Nonpariel & put
Miller there, or get somebody else to do so. I will cheerfully contribute $500.
P. S. I want to ask you two or three questions in
confidence, and to beg of you perfectly frank answers.
Do you think I ought to be reelected? Do you think there is
any probability of my reelection; and, in this connection, what so far as you
know are the sentiments of the Democrats towards me? What do you think my
course ought to be in relation to state politics?
SOURCE: Diary and correspondence of Salmon P. Chase, Annual
Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1902, Vol.
2, p. 243-4
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