Senator James W. Grimes to Senator William P. Fessenden, October 12, 1862

Burlington, October 12, 1862.

I have been absent nearly four weeks canvassing the State, and only returned last evening. I knew of the death of your son¹ before I left home. I attempted on two occasions to write to you, but failed to send or even complete either letter. I know the anguish that you must feel, and I feared that I would but open your wounds afresh. I think that the last conversation I had with you in Washington was in your room, and about Samuel. You know very well what I thought of him. I always thought that there were the elements of great success in him, and that he would one day be a credit to himself, his family, and to the country. If I knew how to do it I would condole with you. You know that you have my deepest sympathy in your affliction.

I have ceased to write or talk about the generals and the Administration. The men of brains are still overslaughed and ignored, and it would seem that they are to continue to be.

Our election takes place day after to-morrow. I have traveled nearly four weeks, speaking every day. I think we shall elect all six of our Congressmen, and they will all be capital men. My wife sends love. When I came home she was full of praises of your tax-bill speech,² pronouncing it the best she had seen from you. I tried to laugh her out of it, but, woman-like, she adheres to that opinion. Did you ever hear any one else say that?

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¹ Mortally wounded at Bull Run, Virginia, August 30, 1862.

² June 6, 1862.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 217

James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, October 6, 1862

Indianola, Iowa, October 6, 1862.

I have received your various letters, and I believe they have done me great good by moving me to renewed exertions in behalf of the good cause. I am enthusiastically received wherever I have been, and have everywhere addressed large crowds. This is a Quaker county. A large number have said that they would not vote at the coming election. I had a very large number of them at my meeting yesterday in the public square in this town, and I am told that after the meeting, with one solitary exception, they avowed their resolution to vote.

The President's proclamation is everywhere well received. We shall easily carry the State, and elect all our Congressmen — and a very able delegation it will be. No State will be better represented in the next Congress than Iowa.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 216-7

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, May 22, 1862

I have a long letter from Captain Porter at New Orleans, and one from Commodore Foote, and one from his wife, also. Confiscation got the "go-by" to-day, not by my vote, however.

Stanton has been on the “rampage” again, and called out the militia. There has never been any danger here.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 197

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, May 10, 1862

This letter (of Commodore Du Pont) will convince you of what I always told you, that Du Pont is a remarkably discreet, judicious, practical man, with generous, noble impulses, and withal a Christian gentleman.

This morning I drew up and passed through the Senate a bill for the benefit of Robert Small, giving him and his associates one-half of the value of the steamer Planter, and also one-half of the value of all the arms, munitions, etc., on board at the time she was captured. The amount to be distributed among him and his associates will be about fifteen thousand dollars.

The President has to-day rescinded Hunter's proclamation. The result will be a general row in the country. All the radical Republicans are indignant but me, and I am not, because I have expected it, and was ready for it. They did not anticipate it, though I have told them all along that it was sure to come. But the end must come, protracted by the obstinacy and stupidity of rulers it may be, but come it will nevertheless.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 196-7

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, May 4, 1862

Washington, May 4, 1862.

I have just returned from church; heard a good sermon from Dr. Channing, better than I ever heard from him, I think. The congregation is enlarging, and I am inclined to think that he will finally succeed in building up a good society here.

I met Miss Donelson yesterday. She returned from Port Royal three days ago. She speaks very favorably of the docility, obedience, and faithfulness, of the blacks at that place.

You observe that Mr. Wells has issued a circular, directing “contrabands,” as he calls them, to be enlisted in the naval service. This must be finally followed up by an army order, sooner or later, and then comes the end of slavery. I regard the employment of colored persons in the Army and Navy as of vastly more importance in putting an end to slavery than all of the confiscation acts that could be devised by the ingenuity of man.

I wish I were at home with you, wandering about the garden, as I should be at this hour.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 196

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, December 7, 1861

You will see by the proceedings of Congress that I am likely to have more business to do than anybody else; for all the labor of the two committees, of the District of Columbia and of the Navy, falls upon me.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 159-60

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, November 24, 1861

Washington, November 24, 1861.

I am now indebted to you for two letters, one of yesterday and one to-day; I am greatly indebted to you for them, and hope you will not fail to “keep up the fire.” I heard to-day the ablest discourse I think that I ever heard. I wish you could have heard it; it would have done your heart good. This evening I have been spending with Mr. Channing. He is a very pleasant man in private as well as in public. He has a full house of very intelligent auditors, and there is no flagging of interest among them.

I had a long letter from Captain Rodgers, of the United States steamer Wabash, giving an account of affairs at Port Royal. He is one of the most accomplished men I ever met, and is said to be the best executive officer in the navy. You remember what I always told you about Captain Du Pont. His success has answered my expectations. Captain Porter goes out shortly in command of an expedition against New Orleans.

Hale and Johnson are both gone, and I am “running the committee”¹ alone.

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¹ Committee to inquire into the abandonment and destruction of tbe public property at Pensacola, Norfolk, and Harper's Ferry.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 159

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, November 13, 1861

Washington, November 13, 1861.

I cannot enlighten you very much about Fremont. He has no doubt done some impolitic and some very foolish things; but I judge from all I can learn that most of the extravagances with which he is charged were prompted or perpetrated by or under the direction of General McKinstry, a regular army officer, who was placed by the Government in charge of his department as quartermaster. Whatever may have been his acts, or omissions to act, however, there is no question in my mind that the real cause of his removal was the proclamation he issued, and which he failed to modify in accordance with the President's wishes. That was the great sin for which he was punished. The Committee of the House of Representatives appointed to investigate Cameron's alleged frauds was composed of Fremont's enemies, and they were soon induced to abandon Cameron and fall upon Fremont. They have drawn out all the ex parte testimony they could that was calculated to implicate him and his friends, giving him no opportunity to deny or rebut it; and yet one of the committee who is very virulent against Fremont told me yesterday that they were unable to trace the transactions which they deemed so exceedingly censurable to him or to his knowledge.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 154-5

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S Nealley Grimes, November 10, 1861

November 10th. — I have just returned from church. Dr. Channing preached a very able, extemporaneous, philosophical, abolition sermon to a crowded house — such a sermon as no one would have dared to preach in Iowa twelve months ago, and yet it was received here to-day with profound attention and approval. Dr. Channing, in personal appearance, voice, and manner of enunciation and delivery, reminded me very much of Jeff. Davis. His voice is not strong, he has Davis's manner of sinking the last two or three words of each sentence to a low key, his forehead is high, broad, and overhanging, and his face thin and expressive of severe mental labor mingled with physical pain. It is several years since I have heard any sermon that compared with it in length and depth of thought, and in literary finish. There is nothing ornate about his style, no figures or tropes, no husks, all solid meat.

The society is greatly enlarged, and I shall increase it by one, for I have rented part of a pew. Rev. John Pierpont, who is over eighty years of age, but who looks for all the world like a man of sixty, was present. He is now a clerk in one of the departments.

We hear to-day that Colonel Sumner has been badly wounded. Nobody can imagine why that battle was fought. It seems to have been one of those resultless sacrifices of life of which we have had so many this year. There will be no battle on the Potomac this year; I think that is settled.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 153-4

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S Nealley Grimes, November 6, 1861

Washington, November 6, 1861.

I reached Washington last night, weary with the journey, and disgusted with what I heard from quite authentic sources of the course of the Administration. If the other Northwestern members feel as I do, there will be something more during the coming session than growling and showing our teeth. And, from what I hear, they do feel excited and incensed.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 153

Senator James W. Grimes to Senator William P. Fessenden, September 19, 1861

Burlington, September 19, 1861.

Of course, you are so terribly oppressed with the great affairs of the finance department of this Government as to be wholly unable to write a letter to one of the outside barbarians in Iowa. I would not disturb your labors or your repose, if I did not deem it important to glorify myself a little over the result of the “circulation Treasury-notes” measures, about the success of which those learned-financial pundits, Fessenden and Chase, expressed so many doubts. You learn, of course, as I do, that at least one hundred thousand dollars of them can be floated to the manifest advantage of the Government, and to the immense advantage of this poor and benighted region. If that pure patriot and model of a public officer, whom you feel called on to defend when aspersed, would call some Pennsylvanians into the field, instead of keeping them all at home to fill army contracts, and let some of the army contracts and supplies be furnished here, business would once more assume a hopeful condition in the West. But we ought not to complain. We ought to console ourselves with the reflection that Pennsylvania furnishes one-third of all the officers to the army, and of course this draw upon her resources must impair her ability to furnish privates.

When it was reported that Fremont was suspended, cold chills began to run up and down people's backs, they bit their lips, said nothing, but refused to enlist. I know nothing of the merits of the controversy, but it is as evident as the noonday sun that the people are all with Fremont, and will uphold him “through thick and thin.” My wife says, and I regard her as a sort of moral thermometer for my guidance, that the only real noble and true thing done during this war has been his proclamation. Everybody of every sect, party, sex, and color, approves it in the Northwest, and it will not do for the Administration to causelessly tamper with the man who had the sublime moral courage to issue it.

I wish you to understand that I do not intend by this letter to impose upon you the labor of answering it. I had nothing to write about, but I had not heard from you, and the spirit said, “write,” and I have written as the spirit moved. If my wife knew that I was writing, she would send her love; as it is, you must content yourself with mine.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 152-3

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, August 4, 1861

WaSHington, August 4, 1861.

I am happy to say that we shall adjourn in two days. I am on a select committee to investigate the causes of the loss of the Norfolk and Pensacola Navy-Yards, and Harper's Ferry Arsenal, which will sit in the recess, and that possibly may detain me a day or two, but I hope not. It will compel me, however, to leave home again in October. The city is now under the most rigid military discipline, and perfect order prevails everywhere. All have unbounded confidence in General McClellan. There are about eighty thousand troops in the vicinity.

John Grimes is getting well. He was blistered and dosed to his heart's content. His trouble was the shock of a large Minieball, which struck him in the chest, and knocked him over. The concussion, and going two entire days without food or sleep, and the last one in a drenching rain, caused a sort of haemorrhage of the lungs. His officers say he behaved very gallantly. He did not shrink from any part of his duty, was the last to come in, and brought with him, alone, the remnant of the battalion of marines.

I hope to see you soon, and I long to have the day come. This congressional life is poor business — taking one away from all he loves, and that can make him happy. I have a great many things to tell you about the battle.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 147

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, July 29, 1861

The enemy's pickets are close upon us, but we have no fears of what the result is to be. Our new general is here, and inspires great confidence. Would that we had the same confidence in some of the members of the cabinet!

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 147

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, July 22, 1861

Washington, July 22, 1861.

Yesterday I was on the field of battle. No one can have a proper conception of its horror. Our army was totally routed, with immense destruction of life on both sides. I was not much exposed, except to capture, which I escaped by less than a minute. I have witnessed the last battle-field, certainly the last I shall visit voluntarily. I cannot picture its horrible details, but will tell you of them, if I can.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 146-7

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, June 23, 1861

HillSBorougH, N. H., June 23, 1861.

You cannot, perhaps, comprehend the depression of my spirits while I am here. I feel as though I were spending my time among the tombs, and long to have the morning come that I may start away. All about me are memorials of the past, mementoes of friends lost, and very few cheerful faces known to me. People are as much excited about the war in this region as elsewhere. Every one asks me, when will a battle take place, and when will the war cease, as though I knew any more on the subject than others. I am just going to church; I know that information will please you.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 141

Senator James W. Grimes to Senator William P. Fessenden, May 12, 1861

Burlington, May 12,1861.

I have just received your note of the 9th inst., inclosing one to your son, which I reinclose to you. I returned from Washington last Monday in the night, whither I went at the instance of our State authorities, and found that Frank had been here and left, remaining but one day, and that he spent at the tavern. Mrs. G. says she tried to induce him to remain, and to make our house his home, but he had his head full of the army, and was in a great hurry to get away. I am sorry that he did not remain a little longer, that we might have seen more of him.

It is quite evident to my mind that this great rebellion is to be suppressed; but, in the effort, it occurs to me that we are about to encourage precedents that will be very dangerous to the rights of the States, and to the liberties of the people. This attempt of Mr. Lincoln to add ten legions to the regular standing army, each legion to equal in size three regiments, without any authority of law, and against law, is the most extraordinary assumption of power that any President has attempted to exercise. Our ancestors were so jealous of executive power that they refused to allow the President to call even the militia into service for a period exceeding thirty days after the assembling of the next ensuing session of Congress. Mr. Lincoln is not content with violating that law, and calling for volunteers for three years, making them in effect a standing army subject to his will, but he goes away beyond that, and more than doubles the standing army, and issues commissions to officers which are not authorized by law. Where is this to stop? Will he be content with ten legions? If so, will the next President? What do you think of this thing? I do not wish to oppose the Administration, but I will not support such a measure.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 140

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, December 16, 1860

I have been writing letters the whole day, and now conclude. I suppose I can hardly add anything to what you have already heard of the condition of things here. Public affairs certainly wear a very bad aspect at present. South Carolina will leave the Union, so far as she has the power, this week, beyond question. Five or six States may follow her, and I think that some of them will be sure to. There will be an effort to go peacefully, but war of a most bitter and sanguinary character will be sure to follow in a short time. We can never divide the army, the navy, the public lands, the public buildings, the public debt, the Mississippi River, etc., in peace. All these questions must be submitted in the end to the arbitrament of the sword, and the strongest battalions will be victors. This is certainly deplorable, but there is no help for it. No reasonable concession will satisfy the rebels. It is not that Lincoln is elected, or that there are personal liberty laws in some of the States, or that their negroes occasionally run off, that troubles them. They want to debauch the moral sentiment of the people of the North, by making them agree to the proposition that slavery is a benign, constitutional system, and that it shall be extended in the end all over this continent.

There is, as you have heard, much talk about all sorts of compromises, but there is not the slightest probability that anything will be done. We have a rumor every few hours of bloodshed that is to be, but I do not imagine that anything of the kind is to be apprehended here. A great many men make a great many foolish remarks, and they are sure to increase in magnitude and nonsense as they pass from mouth to mouth.

General Cass has resigned, as well as Mr. Cobb. The whole cabinet is tumbling to pieces, and what remains is without influence. Mr. Buchanan, it is said, about equally divides his time between praying and crying. Such a perfect imbecile never held office before. When Cobb resigned, he sent him a letter, saying that he was going home to Georgia, to assist in dissolving the Union, and breaking up the Government; and Buchanan replied to the letter, and complimented Mr. Cobb, as you have seen.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 132

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, December 5, 1860

Washington, December 5, 1860.

Secession of one or more States is inevitable. The members of both Houses are in remarkable good-humor, but everybody seems firmly resolved to adhere to his professed principles and course of action. We are getting into deep water, and it is doubtful what shore we shall reach. Mr. Fessenden urges me every day to send for you.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 131-2

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, June 4, 1860

Washington, June 4, 1860.

We have just had a four hours speech from Sumner on the “Barbarism of Slavery.” In a literary point of view it was of course excellent. As a bitter, denunciatory oration, it could hardly be exceeded in point of style and finish. But, to me, many parts of it sounded harsh, vindictive, and slightly brutal. It is all true that slavery tends to barbarism, but Mr. Sumner furnishes no remedy for the evils he complains of. His speech has done the Republicans no good. Its effect has been to exasperate the Southern members, and render it utterly impossible for Mr. Sumner to exercise any influence here for the good of his State. Mr. C. F. Adams made a manly, statesmanly speech in the House of Representatives, four days ago, which was attentively listened to by everybody. He read it, as did Mr. Sumner his.

Mr. Seward is now here, and made a speech in Executive session the other day on the Mexican Treaty, that to my view showed more intellectual vigor than did his speech which you heard. His speech to which I refer was short, extemporaneous, and very able, converting almost the whole Senate to his views.

The nomination of Lincoln strikes the mass of the people with great favor. He is universally regarded as a scrupulously honest man, and a genuine man of the people.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 127-8

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, Sunday, December 11, 1859

I have just been to church, and heard a long and not remarkably entertaining sermon.

I have about as much as I can do to restrain myself from plunging into the debate in the Senate on John Brown, but I exercise self-denial, and do not.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 122