Hanoverton, Ohio, Sept. 4th '48.
My Dear Sir:
When we parted at Washington I promised to write as soon as I had looked over
the whole field in Ohio and scanned well our political prospects. I have been
home two weeks and have spent near all that time in traveling over my district,
and, in company with Col. Weller, over part of the Western Reserve. On my way
home I passed through the Reserve from Cleveland, and then saw clearly that the
Taylor party there was “among the things that were." Since then,
Root, Giddings and Crowell have been renominated (I may be mistaken as to the
latter) — all anti-Taylor men. Indeed all the strong Whigs on the Reserve are
out against Taylor. Among democrats, in that section of the state, there is
very little defection. I attended with Weller immense massmeetings last week at
New Lisbon, Youngstown, Carrollton and Steubenville.
Youngstown is on the Reserve. I have never seen but one as
large a meeting in my life. The best men of our party were there, and assured
us that, whilst Van Burenism was eating out the vitals of Whiggery, it would
take it as long to fatten on what it gets off democracy as it would have
required those asses to have fattened that are said in the good old Book to
have “snuffed up the East wind.” The truth is, the democracy in that quarter
have been whipped long enough to stand up to anything.
In my district — where Tappan resides—we have some trouble,
but much less than the Whigs. From present appearance I think Van Buren will
take off five to ten Whigs to one democrat. So will it be in the whole
southern, southwestern, N. W., and southeastern part of the state. Take it all
in all then, I am happy to say that we are all as sanguine of success for Cass
in this state as we are that the sun will rise and set. If you or your Southern
friends have a doubt of Ohio, lay it aside. All's well, rest assured of that.
Of Weller's prospects let me say a word. If all the
factions that have heretofore opposed us should unite on Ford, he will be
elected. This I think they cannot do. So Weller thinks; and all appearances now
indicate that Ford's prospects are daily declining. He has thus far not dared
to define his position. Let him do that, either for Taylor or Van Buren,
and his game is up. As he now stands both factions doubt him, and from both
will there be a loss. The few Van Buren democrats will go Weller. So much for
Ohio. How stands Georgia? Will you be sure to carry her for Cass? And what is
the state of feeling and prospects of success in the whole South? I trust you
will write as soon as possible and state to me what we may look for with
certainty. There are some here who fear the South.
I had a glorious trip home. Mr. Turner and family were in
company to Cleveland, both in good health and both speaking very frequently of
you, your wife and sister in terms that showed clearly that they remembered you
all with friendly and grateful hearts.
I hope you'll remember me to your sister, and say that I
regretted very much not having had time to call before my departure, to bid her
good-bye. I hope we shall see you all next winter.
_______________
* Member of Congress from Ohio, 1845-1849.
SOURCE: Ulrich Bonnell Phillips, Editor, The Annual
Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1911, Volume 2: The
Correspondence of Robert Toombs, Alexander H. Stephens, and Howell Cobb, p.
124-5
