Washington, Feb. 15, 1855.
Dear Friend, It
is impossible for me to change my ground. I went into the Peoples Movement last
year heartily and in earnest. I am for going on with it, proscribing nobody who
does not manifest a disposition to proscribe us. I shall not complain, if not
elected as a candidate for Governor, on any personal ground. To leave me off
the ticket would be rather a favor personally than otherwise. If it be done and
done honestly for the good of the cause, & not with a view to convert the
People's Movement into a simple Know nothing organization, neither I nor any of
my friends could object to it. If, however, it should be done merely to satisfy
a proscriptive spirit the case would be different. If it should be attempted to
impose the K. N. Shibboleth upon all the candidates for public suffrage in the
People's Convention; — there might be & would be a duty to perform by those
who cannot accept it. For myself I shall be, come what may, true to my
antecedents & my democratic faith. I do not seek any position on the
ticket. I could not accept a nomination for a Judgeship. Whether I would take
any other would depend on the character of the nomination and the platform.
It seems to me that no such other movement as you suggest is
likely to occur. Of course I could not participate in any such, unless the
course of events should show that those who think & feel as I do are to be
rejected by the People's Movement, which I do not anticipate. If that movement
should be so perverted from its original objects that we could not net with it,
then we should be obliged to shape an independent course for ourselves. It is
too early yet to determine what that course should be.
If you would abate something of your tone against the Kns I
think it would be wise. Indeed if I were editing the paper I should say little
about them. What there is objectionable in their organization will be most
likely to cure itself; if you only keep up an intelligent, animated war against
slavery, and insist that in the People's Movement there must be the most
liberal toleration of differences of opinion & oposition, with a view to
the denationalization of slavery & the overthrow of the Slave Power. Keep
your own democratic ideas prominent. Claim toleration & give it.
There in a great struggle going on in the Kn organization
between the Anti Slavery & the proslavery element. At present the
antislavery clement has the advantage. But the elements cannot dwell together.
Be patient and time will separate the progressive from the conservative.
Would it answer for you to assume the sole editorial care of
the Columbian? I suppose Mr. Hamlin would be glad to be released, and in that
event you could have the benefit of my contribution to the support of the
paper, so far as it should be necessary. I merely suggest this.
A few days ago I received a letter from a prominent Whig in
Ohio who asked if Mr. Hamlin was my organ & said that his course in the
Columbian was injuring me. I replied that Mr. H. was not my organ in any sense,
but edited the Coln, so far as he edited it at all on his own responsibility
and in his own way, I added that I regretted the tone & tenor of the
articles in reply to the Sandusky Register and on the Knownothings. I said
nothing about his course injuring me. I saw no evidence of it.
I just mention this because I thought it best you & Mr.
Hamlin should be apprized of whatever I do. But do not think that I desire to
control you in anything. I will give you my ideas frankly: but you must allow
them no weight beyond that which your judgment sanctions — none at all
merely because they are mine.
Wilson is true as steel on the Slavery question: so are
others here. They will break up the order sooner than see it used for the
purposes of slavery. You must take the action of these men and the current of
opinion in the free states in estimating the probable action of the Kn
organization. I do not myself believe that it can be made as proslavery as
either of the old parties. Still it occupies dangerous ground in this respect:
and we must keep a look out. If they are liberal in Ohio this year I think we
may be pretty confident that the movement will liberalize itself ultimately so
as to do little harm to anybody.
In haste,
[SALMON P. CHASE.]
_______________
* From the Hamlin collection.
SOURCE: Diary and correspondence of Salmon P. Chase, Annual
Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1902, Vol.
2, p. 271-2
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