Cincinnati, May 25th [1855.]
Dear Sir: On
my return this evening from the East, I find your note of the 18th on my table,
and I shall answer it frankly according to your wish.
Last fall the Independent Democrats or Freesoilers entered
heartily and earnestly into the people's anti-nebraska movement, animated by
the simple desire to redress the Nebraska wrong. They accepted frankly the
State Candidates of the 13th July Convention, neither of whom was taken from
their ranks. After the election many of them, and not a few also of the liberal
whigs and Democrats, anxious that some token of the popular approval of my
course as Senator should be given and especially moved, as I suppose, by the
consideration that in consequence of the ascendency of the administration party
in the Legislature, I alone of all the earnest opponents of the Nebraska
Iniquity from Ohio, could not be approved by a re-election, manifested a
disposition to make me the candidate of the people's movement this fall. They
were pleased to think, also, that my nomination and election to that office
would afford to the friends of freedom throughout the union a most significant
indication that Ohio would tread no step backward from the glorious stand she
has just taken against slavery and the domination of Slavepower. To the
suggestions of these friends I have uniformly replied by an unhesitating avowal
of the gratification which such an endorsement of the people would give me,
provided I could be nominated and elected without any surrender or modification
of my well known principles of political action.
Had I supposed that opposition to my nomination would have
been made in the particular quarters in which it has since appeared I should
have promptly declined to allow my name to be proposed at all. Nothing but the
gratification and advantage of the implied indorsement, and the belief that my
election under the circumstances would greatly inspirit and encourage the
friends of freedom outside of Ohio, could have induced me to consent to the use
of my name, and these considerations would not have prevailed with me, had I
not supposed that the nomination for Governor would this year be cheerfully
conceded to the choice of the distinctive anti-slavery men. As things now are I
confess myself much embrassed, and quite undecided as to the course which duty
to myself, to the cause, and to the friends who have honored me with their
confidence require me to pursue. One thing, however, seems plain, which is that
no duty, whatever, under existing circumstances, requires me to accept a
nomination for atty. general or Supreme Judge, and certainly my inclination
does not lead me in that direction. For the rest, I can only say that it would
be infinitely more agreeable to me to support my old friend Brinkerhoff, than
to be a candidate myself, if he could be said at this time to represent the
pure element of opp. to Slavery extension & Slav'y domination. But if he is
to be forced upon them, and his election taken as triumph of another element,
it is obvious that this must have a powerful influence on the course of those
with whom the Slavery question is paramount to every other.
_______________
* From letter-book 6, pp. 190-191. Lewis Davis Campbell,
1811-1882; Member of Congress 1849-1858, United States minister to Mexico
1865-1868
SOURCE: Diary and correspondence of Salmon P. Chase, Annual
Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1902, Vol.
2, p. 273-4
