BATON ROUGE, LA.,
March 11th, 1861.
MY DEAR SIR: I was
most pleased in receiving your letter from St. Louis and gratified to learn
some of your opinions upon existing questions formed while you surveyed the
field from a new, and to us, opposite standpoint.
I inferred from
reading your note that there would be no policy of coercion at present. At this
I experienced a feeling of relief in a moment as I relied upon your judgment
and the correctness of your observation.
The abstract
questions of right and title which in our new positions would have to be
maintained by final arbitrament of arms, lose their interest in the face of the
consequences immediately before us should your side at this time institute an
appeal to this final arbiter. It is certain that our people are in dead earnest
when they declare that they have a right to secede and furthermore that they
intend to exhaust all the elements at their disposal in the maintenance of this
position should it be assailed from any quarter.
Whether we succeed
or not in resisting the application of force, the conflict would be a disgrace.
It would be a blot upon our page in the history of the world and would be
proclaimed elsewhere as the end of the final experiment in determining the
capacity of any people for self-government.
It would lead to the
creation and perfecting of large standing armies, and you know better than I
that the principles of popular government could not stand against the interests
of an overwhelming military establishment on either side.
To those whose
belief in the excellence of our liberal institutions – won by so many trials
and sacrifices amounts to a religious faith, such a prospect is appalling.
Therefore let the
good men of both sections exert all their influence in preventing and removing
all causes of collision. Succeeding in this, every sincere Democrat will be
confident that the people will in some way arrange all matters of difference in
some satisfactory manner.
I have nothing of
interest to communicate. The Seminary seems to go on as you left it. I had a
letter from my wife expressing her regret at our losing you and telling me that
even little Ledoux begged you to stay. These feelings conformed to my own and
exhibit in a striking manner the results of late political events.
I have been looking
for some reports that might interest you and will send you a package. There is
one from the Judiciary Committee advocating a change in relation to the law of
evidence which I commend to your notice as exceedingly able, beautiful, and
excellent. It is the production of one of our first lawyers, Mr. Randal Hunt.
I shall hope that
you will continue to keep me posted as to your movements and particularly as to
your final decision upon a place to settle and the business which you resolve
to engage in. At the same time I shall be most happy to be able to keep you
informed upon any subject which may interest you down here.
I agree with you
that our interest will finally determine our feelings and farther that the
people will finally settle the whole matter when they have been allowed time to
consider and understand the questions at issue.
I would be glad if
you could consistently with duty give me freely and frankly your opinions as to
the probable line of policy which will be pursued by Lincoln's administration
when you have had the opportunity of ascertaining pretty certainly what it will
be. I will promise to respond in like manner as to our course as such
interchanges between honest men can have no other than a good effect. With
every wish for your prosperity.
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