WASHINGTON, July 31,
1850.
MY DEAR DOWNER,—You
could not have given me any proof of your friendship so acceptable as in
writing to me with the frankness you have done. I am astonished at the idea
that my notes were unjustifiably severe in the apprehension of any reasonable
man. It is, as it seems to me, nothing but truth that gives them an edge. In
what might be called harshness or bitterness, or, to use a still harder word,
vindictiveness, my references to Webster, compared with his contemptuous and
supercilious manner to me, were as honey to vitriol.
However, if I have
gone beyond the point, in attacking Mr. Webster, at which the sympathy of the
public is on my side, then I have made a mistake; but I do not feel that I have
done a wrong. It cannot, however, be expected that my friends will attack him
as his do me, or that mine will defend me as his do him. Besides, and this, I
think, accounts for the most of it, since my notes were written, he has not
only escaped the doom which awaited him as a Massachusetts senator, but has
passed into a place of great power and influence. All are now looking at him as
a man having almost the nation's patronage at his disposal, and as interested
to carry out measures which will pay in gold. But I have no such prerogative,
and therefore must suffer. This is my explanation of the matter. Could it have
been possible that our fortunes could have been changed, I believe the result
would have been changed also.
You speak of my not
having written to you. It is too true. But I have been so worn down with what
seemed indispensable to be done, that I have not found time, and could not, as
I sometimes do, make it. . . . I wish would write me often. Tell me in frankness
every thing that will be of service to me, and all in which I feel interested,
whether I reply or not. Your letters are always so welcome to me, that, if you
could know how glad I am to receive them, it would be some compensation to you
for writing them.
I have not time to
go into political speculations. The Compromise Bill will probably pass the Senate
to-day, or almost certainly to-morrow. . . .
SOURCE: Mary Tyler
Peabody Mann, Life of Horace Mann, p. 310-1
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