washington City, Aug 13, 1852.
My Dear Sir, I
have received the Pittsburg Resolutions and nominations. They create no sensation
here though much interest has been manifested in the proceedings of the
Convention. The general impression seems to be that the whole action of the
Convention will help the Democrats. If they had taken the name Independent
Democracy, and had adopted no extreme resolutions, the nominations would have
made about a fair balance, and the draft would have been about equal from the
old parties: as it is it strikes me that the impression here is about correct:
but you have better opportunities of judgment in Ohio than I.
For myself I propose to accept the Platform and support the
nominations as on the whole as near to my ideas of what is best, as I could
expect, not having had the making of them myself. But I think I shall not sink
my individuality in this organization, which it seems to me, must be temporary.
I propose rather to maintain my position as an Independent Democrat,
just as I have heretofore done, acting with the Pittsburg organization now
because it is more democratic than the Old Line.
You mentioned Vaughan's renewed assaults. Is it not about
time to carry the war into Africa? If
an invitation should be addressed to me, without distinction of Party to
address the People at Cleveland on my return from Washington I would
accept it, and defend myself. I could speak there on the evening of the 4th or
12th. I must be at Cincinnati on the Sixth. Bolton, I suppose would take an
interest in the meeting, and, no doubt, others — Riddle, one.
You mention the Independent Democrat and your aid of it. I
subscribed $50. It looks well. I did not like its notice of Vaughan's assaults
on me.
Write me and give me your views at length.
I will speak anywhere in the State as an Independent
Democrat after the 12th September until the October Term of the Circuit Court,
if you think best.
SOURCE: Diary and correspondence of Salmon P. Chase, Annual
Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1902, Vol.
2, p. 244-5
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