Athens [ga.], Dec. 3rd, 1847.
Dr. Sir: I
drop you a few hastily penn'd lines this morning in acknowledgement of your
various favors since you left us. You are too well aware of the distraction of
an editor's attention, and even sometimes of his brain, to hold me to strict
accountability as a correspondent. I beg you to be assured once for all that
your communications are not only at all times welcomed, but the contents duly
garnered in my recollection, to be rendered available at the proper time and
opportunity. From the many valuable extracts and suggestions so kindly
furnished me, selections were made for publication, but the thronging
intelligence of the war, elections, and legislative proceedings, to say nothing
of the new and mighty questions which are springing upon us, unavoidably
postponed them. But the day is not far distant when we shall have need of them
in full sway. You will have perceived from the papers the exciting questions of
domestic policy which have just arisen among us. Among them none are more
prominent than granting “liberal charters” to manufacturing companies, and the
election of judges by the people. I think you will regret with me to see our
friends, particularly of the press, divided upon this question or remaining
silent upon it. The Banner, you will perceive, is yet fighting the battles of radical
Democracy against the conservative tendencies of Whiggery, and I
regret to say a portion of the so-styled Democracy, with what effect remains to
be seen. You will have seen that the Augusta Constitutionalist has
unfortunately taken ground in favor of the “liberal charters” recommended by
Mr. Crawford in his last Message, and also against the Democratic measure of
electing the judges by the people. On the side of the Banner this controversy
shall be conducted with unalterable firmness, whilst at the same time it will
endeavor to avoid any asperities which may close the door to conciliation. A
course of this kind, backed by the general voice of the Democracy, may
eventually succeed in winning erring friends back to the fold. When they find
they can not lead the party they must necessarily fall back upon the party
grounds, unless prevented by the harshness which is too apt to spring up in a
controversy among friends. I am persuaded that the suggestions of Mr. Crawford
are parcel of a design to quench the growing spirit of Democracy everywhere
manifested throughout the Union, and particularly in Georgia. The object is to ride
us down by the Massachusetts policy of incorporated wealth, under the false
plea of “developing our resources.” What may be the result of this question at
Milledgeville I am not prepared to give you a satisfactory solution. Your
brother (Thomas), who spent some time [there] in the early part of the session,
is quite confident that the legislature will not grant the charters without the
principle upon which we insist, of individual responsibility. I hope it
may be so. You will have seen that a call has been made by the Banner upon the
party to stand firm, and also upon the Governor to protect us by his veto. A
letter has also been addressed to our friend Jackson (of Walton) requesting him
to see the Governor upon the subject and state the necessity, in case the
legislature should give countenance to the scheme, of his preserving the party
by his firmness. We have a great many Democrats interested in giving way to it,
and it is possible, at least, that our hopes may have, at last, to rest upon
our Governor. This scheme once riveted upon us we are down, done, and I fear
forever. We have no hopes of carry[ing] the popular election of judges at this
session of the legislature — not more than half of our own party in the Senate
being in favor of it. But the subject will be pressed until the public mind is
properly enlightened, when there can be but little doubt of its success. There
is but little local news among us. The picture of things in general being
pretty much as you left it with the exception of change in the seasons. The
winter has been mild until within a few days — some snow and sleet. The papers
notify us of your arrival in Washington, where you will soon be a participant
in the opening drama. The whole country looks upon the ensuing session as one
of the most stormy in our annals, but the developments of popular sentiment in
the late elections are too plain to permit us to despair of the country. The
House is one way and the people the other. Excuse these generalities. As I am
desirous of knowing everything which transpires in Congress, will you do
me the favor to call at once upon the editor of the Union and request
him to send me his daily paper, we paying the difference if necessary.
P. S. — Please write frequently, unreservedly.
_______________
* Editor of the Southern Banner, Athens, Ga.
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.
89-91
