Washington 22d March 1848
MY DEAR SIR, The
Cambria brought us the intelligence of the Revolution in Paris, the overthrow
of the late dynasty and the establishment of a Republick. Your letter, tho'
dated as late as the 24th Feb., makes no allusion to it; from which I infer the
intercourse by the railroad had been interupted. It is, indeed, a great event,
I would say a terrifick one for Europe. No one will say where it will stop.
France is not prepared to become a Republick. I hope the Governments of Europe
will look on without interference, and let the process take its natural course.
It seems to me, looking on from this distance, that interference would but
increase the flame and spread it more widely. But it is too early yet to
speculate. We wait impatiently for the next arrival. As to ourselves, I feel
pretty confident, we shall have peace with Mexico, or if we fail in that, we
shall take a defensive position, which would in effect terminate the war. That
closed, we shall have no exciting question, but that connected with the Wilmot
proviso, and the Presidential election. The fate of both is still in a state of
great uncertainty. It is impossible to say, with any certainty even now, who
will be the candidate of either party.
All were well when I
last heard from home. My health is as good as usual, and I have been less
subject to colds than what I was last winter and the one before.
Love to Anna and the
children.
SOURCE: J. Franklin
Jameson, Editor, Annual Report of the American Historical Association
for the Year 1899, Volume II, Calhoun’s Correspondence: Fourth Annual Report of
the Historical Manuscripts Commission, Correspondence of John C. Calhoun,
p. 746-7
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