Samuel Gridley Howe to Senator Charles Sumner, May 11, 1852

Boston, May 11, 1852.

My Dear Sumner: — I have been somewhat taken up with Kossuth's matters, though I work indirectly and not publicly. The other day he sent a message that he would come out to see me at nine o'clock in the evening. I was unfortunately engaged to a formal dinner party at T. B. Curtis's and could only promise to be at home as near nine as possible; when I got home he had just driven from the door, having stayed a quarter of an hour or so. I followed him to his quarters, and he took me into his chamber, and for two hours discoursed to me as only he can: filling me with increased admiration and love. He extended to me a degree of confidence about his plans which quite amazed me; and humiliated me too, for I felt I could do nothing to make me worthy of it.

Julia has seen much of them en famille, and bears glowing testimony to his gentleness and tenderness in the domestic relations.

As I said to you once before I think, I was glad of an opportunity of making Hillard ashamed (or deserving to be so) of having so easily entertained the belief of Kossuth's want of kindness to his wife.

By the by, H—— wrote some articles in the Courier which you may have seen. The other evening he walked into town from my house with Pulsky and others; and Pulsky, knowing H—— had written the articles, took occasion to riddle and utterly cut them to pieces, as he well could. H—— was silent and opened not his mouth.

Kossuth is really making a very strong impression here, that is in the neighbourhood. Hunkerdom is silent — dumb — angry. I was (mirabile dictul) at Ticknor's the other evening, and was surprised to find how subduedly and quietly they took allusions to the subject. They are wise, and, since fas est ab hoste doceri, I hope to imitate the wise caution when I feel excited and angry.

I had a long talk there with Mrs. Agassiz, and it was mostly about you. I thought it best (or rather I did not think much at all) to try to put her right as to your break with Felton, and to show her that she was blaming you without cause. I told her my mind fully, and spoke of F—— kindly but rather sternly, giving him credit for intentions, but not for actions. The next day, (or yesterday) Monday, came a long letter from F—— in which he paraded in formidable array his charges against you. I shall not trouble you with them now; but perhaps you may be interested in one paragraph, in which he says, as he supposes on good authority, that Fillmore, in answer to a query about how you could seek his hospitalities after denouncing him so bitterly, said, “Mr. S—— seems to like me pretty well; at any rate, by coming to my house he shows he did not believe what he said.” I give you this valeat quantum, — but in confidence. I shall perhaps answer F——’s letter, but more probably see him.

Faithfully yours,

S. G. Howe.

SOURCE: Laura E. Richards, Editor, Letters and Journals of Samuel Gridley Howe, Volume 2, p. 372-4

Samuel Gridley Howe to Charles Sumner, November 9, 1846

New York, November 9th, 1846.

My Dear Sumner: — I wrote you from the storm and bustle of New York, while you are in the midst of the storm and bustle of an election. Yet I suppose you have not much bustle, after all, because the old Whigs will have it all their own way.

I have heard the roar of the great Bull of Bashan¹ and am breathing freely; if his immense power can make no more impression upon our position, then it is indeed impregnable. “Nobody voted for the war!”² Roar, Bull of Bashan, roar that lie till the ends of the earth echo it back; it will ever be a lie.

“Why should the Representative of Boston be selected?” Because he was the representative of Boston, and it becomes Boston to be the first to rebuke the wrong doer.

However, it is of no use to talk about all this now. We are beaten, routed, laughed to scorn, — e pur si muove!

I am grieved, deeply grieved about Hillard.³ God bless him, and grant that he may have the same peace of mind and entire self-approval that you and I have. I hope we shall love each other none the less for having disagreed about our political duties.

I have met many Boston gentlemen here, and some old friends. They regret my course; they say I shall be misunderstood by all except my personal friends. I knew that very well before. As for the New Yorkers, they are for the most part heathen. Even Silliman condemns, but still loves us. . . .

I long to see you and to do what I can to comfort you; for I know that you are sorely stricken, and that you have not such means of defence as I have. You are thinner skinned, and you have not a wife and babies, more shame to you!

But I am surrounded by bankers and lawyers. I cannot hear myself write.

Good-by: God bless you.

Ever yours,

S. G. Howe.

_______________

¹ Daniel Webster.

² The Mexican War.

³ George S. Hillard, who followed in the wake of Mr. Winthrop.

SOURCE: Laura E. Richards, Editor, Letters and Journals of Samuel Gridley Howe, Volume 2, p. 253-4

Samuel Gridley Howe to Charles Sumner, September 1846

September, 1846.

My Dear Sumner: — I want you to repeat to yourself, aloud, all your objections to speaking to-night; to challenge each excuse and find from what part of your nature it comes, and to shoot down every one that utters not the shibboleth — “Conscience, benevolence, duty!”

Ever yours,

S. G. Howe.

Would Hillard help us? Would he preside or speak?

SOURCE: Laura E. Richards, Editor, Letters and Journals of Samuel Gridley Howe, Volume 2, p. 250

Francis Lieber to George S. Hillard, June 12, 1861

New York, June 12,1861.

. . . My morning papers have not yet arrived. Is this delay connected with the unsuccessful fight at Newport News? We shall have many such news yet. Napoleon speaks very frequently of troops that are or are not yet aguerris. It is a fine term, full of meaning, and it will require many losses, blunders, — yes, and punishments of the commissariat, — before we have une armée bien aguerrie. If only two things be clearly carved out by this struggle, — the distincter nationalization of this country, and the wiping off of slavery from Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky, and Missouri, — all the struggle and heart-burning would be like a breeze. But if and only. . . .

SOURCE: Thomas Sergeant Perry, Editor, The Life and Letters of Francis Lieber, p. 320

Francis Lieber to George S. Hillard, May 11, 1861

New York, May 11, 1861.

I must write to you, my dear Hillard, although I have nothing to state, to give, or to ask, except, indeed, whether you are well, bodily of course — for who is mentally well nowadays? Behold in me the symbol of civil war: Oscar probably on his march to Virginia under that flag of shame, Hamilton in the Illinois militia at Cairo, Norman writing to-day to President Lincoln for a commission in the United States army, we two old ones alone in this whole house; but why write about individuals at a time like this!

Mr. Everett sent me for perusal a pamphlet written in 1821, by McDuflle, so hyper-national in tone and political concepts that it confuses even an old student of history and his own times, like myself.  . . . There are two things for which I ardently pray at this juncture: that there be soon a great and telling battle sufficient to make men think again, and somewhat to shake the Arrogantia autlralis out of the Southerners; and secondly that, if we must divide, we change our Constitution and shake the absurd State-sovereignty out of that. All, there are other things, too, for which I pray. I bite my lips, that Italy has stolen such a march over Germany. . . .

SOURCE: Thomas Sergeant Perry, Editor, The Life and Letters of Francis Lieber, p. 318