Daniel Webster to Peter Harvey, September 13, 1850

Washington, D. C., September 13, 1850.

MY DEAR SIR,—I have read to-day your exceedingly kind letter of the 11th instant. Your heart is full of joy, at recent occurrences, and your friends are apt to imbibe your own enthusiasm. I see you have a good deal of rejoicing in Boston, and I am heartily glad of it. Nothing has occurred since I wrote you last, except the passage of the Fugitive Slave bill through the House of Representatives. I am afraid it is too late to do any thing with the tariff, except to make preparation for action at the commencement of the next session, now only a month and a half off. I am considering, however, whether some decided expression of opinion, by the House of Representatives, might not now be obtained, and be useful; it is a subject upon which I have been occupied with friends all day. Possibly, something stronger than a mere expression of opinion may be produced. There are several gentlemen here, interested in that subject, principally from Pennsylvania. I shall be glad to see the Boston friends who you say are coming. I wish you would come with them.

Yours, always truly,

DAN'L WEBster.

SOURCE: Fletcher Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol. 2, p. 388-9