Hab[ersham] Co[unty, Ga.], Feb. 25,1845.
Dear Sir: I
wrote you a few days ago that the Texas question, as decided now, would stand
decided forever. I would stake my ears against a Romish crucifix, that time
proves the correctness of this opinion; but I would qualify in this particular:
if President Polk convenes an extra Congress and Texas be thereby annexed, even
under less favourable circumstances than those secured by the House
Resolutions, Texas will assent, provided there be no restrictions on the
subject of slavery embraced. The wit of man could not devise a plan of
annexation to which they would assent if at any future time any portion of
Texas, or rather any State formed out of Texas territory, should give rise even
to a discussion in Congress on the question of negro slavery. Her public lands
are more than enough to pay her public debt, and she feels indifferent on that
subject. You need not indulge the least fear that Texas will fall a prey to
English diplomacy, intrigue, or money. I had my doubts and fears until I
visited the country and mixed with her people freely, the elite and the
clod-pole. Save the immigrants from the West, and probably those from abroad,
all, all are Americans, and better, Southern, and dyed in the wool. And I hazard
nothing in saying Texas will sustain and defend Southern rights and Southern
institutions or cease to exist as a free people. Nor will Texas permit England
to guarantee her independence. She is conscious of having a better guarantee in
the strong arms and brave hearts of her sons; and if she is not received by the
U. S., or her independence acknowledged by the powers that be, as soon as a new
state of things becomes settled in Mexico she will wring from Mexico that
acknowledgement. There is now a strong feeling in all the states from the Rio
del Nort to the Table Lands to amalgamate with Texas; an invading army of 2000
men would certainly take possession of 4 states. As those who are resolved not
to fight are easily whipd, all that Texas will desire of Uncle Sam will be to
keep her Indians at home. As to Mexico and her own savages, she can take care
of them.
The last mail brought us intelligence that Congress had
decided to establish a territorial government in Oregon. The slavery question
did not apply there; but to us it involved the question of power, and if I had
been clear that the whole country to the 54th deg. N. L. belonged to us, I
never could have supported the measure in advance of a settlement of the Texas
question. With me it would have been: no Texas, no Oregon, or both
simultaneously. I have never seen any conclusive evidence of our titles to Oregon
north of 49, and doubt if such proof is extant. If so, where will I find it? If
I am not deceived, Oregon will prove a Pandora's Box. For a foot of Maine I was
willing to fight; for Texas I would fight the world, because the world would be
impertinently interfering with our concerns; but for Oregon north of 49, I
would not quarrel. . . .
There is I find an extraordinary effort making to remove Mr.
Cooper, superintendent of the mint,1 from office; and that Dr.
Singleton should have the motley crowd almost passeth belief and that too to
wear the slippers. Does it not require some credulity to believe this, yet it
is so. You know the Dr. is a dull plodding man, and if he were again in office
and remained there for half a century he could not be as well qualified for the
office as Mr. Cooper was the first week he entered it. Under the Dr.'s
administration depositors had to wait from two to four weeks for coin. Some
improvement took place when Rosignol was in office, but since Mr. Cooper has
been in depositors often get their gold coin as soon as the assay can be made.
Mr. Rosignol was an efficient man but his manners rendered him unpopular and it
was said, perhaps with some truth, he killed two birds with one stone, served a
bank and Uncle Sam too; and for this I presume was removed. Mr. Cooper is easy
and polite in his intercourse with all who have business at the mint. If any
charges of improper conduct have been brought against him I have not heard
them; and it would be difficult to imagine one so correct and unexceptionable
in his conduct that such a being as Harrison Riley could not bring a charge
against. I presume they dare not attack Mr. Cooper on the ground of want of
qualification. No change could be made for the better on that score. Do
depositors of gold bullion want him removed? No, and he may challenge to the
proof. I speak of honorable, intelligent gentlemen. Many two-and-sixpence
depositors may have signed a petition. To what kind of a petition would you
fail to get signers? You might get forty in Washington to emancipate my negroes
and compel them to cut my throat. But if they really have, as I hear, 6000
petitioners for the removal, I have no doubt but 9/10 of them never were in the
mint, made a deposit of gold or know Mr. Cooper, and further that 9/10 of them
are Whigs. If Mr. Cooper or his friends were to get up counter petitions they
could beat the celebrated Abolition petition a stone's throw. That I think had
7 thousand names. We could get 20 thousand in Geo. The truth is this: Dr.
Singleton wants the office for the money. Harrison Riley, than whom the devil
is not more artful, hates Mr. Cooper because he is a gentleman and a Democrat,
and wishes to get him out of the county, and others whom I could name cooperate
from interested motives. In justice to Maj. C. and in justice to your
constituents I hope you and every Democratic Member of Congress of both houses
will call on President Tyler and put this low and dirty effort down, by the
correct representations. It is said Mr. C. is some way related to the
President; if so, there may be more danger than if no such connection existed.
If any importance is attached to six thousand then ask a suspension of any
action until a counter petition of 10,000 can be sent on; and if the matter is
reserved for the President-elect, do not in the fulness of heartfelt rejoicing
and the pageantry of oiling the head of our triumphant Chief make you forget to
call on him, the whole of you, Judge Colquitt at your head, and prevent an
honest man and faithful officer from being thrown overboard to gratify a land
pirate and his porpoise coadjutor. I write in haste and amidst confusion, but
have no doubt wearied you. Adieu.
_______________
1 I. e., the United States branch mint at
Dahlonega, Ga.
SOURCE: Ulrich Bonnell Phillips, Editor, The Annual
Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1911, Volume 2: The
Correspondence of Robert Toombs, Alexander H. Stephens, and Howell Cobb, p.
66-8
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