Sunday, August 4, 2024

Daniel Webster to Millard Fillmore, February 3, 1851

February 3, 1851.

MY DEAR SIR,—You will receive the suggestion which I am about to make as being unexpected.

I look upon the Nicaragua Mission, and all the Nicaraguan affairs, as being, at this moment, the most delicate and important point in our foreign relations. Among all who are applying for appointments abroad, members of Congress, and others, I do not know a man whom I think qualified to be Chargé d'Affaires at Nicaragua. We are in danger of collision with England, and of entanglements, on the other hand, with these little republics.

At the same time, the amount of transit of goods and passengers across the Isthmus, at this point, is very large and fast increasing. We need a well-informed, safe, sound, and accomplished political agent; and the best qualified man I know is William Hunter, one of the senior clerks in this Department. Mr. Hunter is about forty years old, belongs to Rhode Island, and is a sober, clear-headed, hard-working man. He was originally well educated, has been in this Department a good while, and for ten years or more has had charge of all the correspondence with the South American States. He reads and speaks Spanish well. All the South American Legations here, know him, and regard him highly. He is perfectly familiar with the constitutions, interests, and objects of all these American States, from Mexico to Buenos Ayres. If he were at Nicaragua, I should feel perfectly confident that no European agent, and no American government or minister, would obtain any advantage over him, or be able to lead him into any act of imprudence.

As to political effect, I know nothing to be expected from his appointment, but the general satisfaction which the selection of a person purely from considerations of capacity and fitness would give to the country.

All this is merely for your consideration. Of course I have said nothing of it to Mr. Hunter himself, nor has any such idea, I presume, ever entered his mind.

Yours truly,
DAN'L WEBSTER.

SOURCE: Fletcher Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol. 2, p. 416-7

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