Gideon Welles to Senator Daniel S. Dickinson, January 28, 1850

HARTFORD, 28th January, 1850.

MY DEAR SIR—Your valuable favor of the 17th was duly received, and I am under obligations, not only for the kind manner in which my communication was received, but for the confidences and suggestions therein manifested.

The debate which took place on the 17th I read attentively, and particularly your able and well-timed remarks, when Mr. Clemens undertook to expel the whole of the democracy from the political church. It is about twenty years since Mr. Calhoun commenced his efforts to build up a sectional party, first on the tariff, and recently on another issue. There was an interval during the administration of Mr. Van Buren and the early part of John Tyler's, when he undoubtedly had expectation of rising by reinstating himself with the Democratic party, that then these sectional animosities were at rest. But the elevation of Mr. Polk extinguished his hopes, and has made him a sour and discontented man. He has no aspirations connected with the integrity of the Democratic party, and can have none. It is to be regretted that the South should embark so fully in his schemes, or lend themselves to his intrigues.

The indications are that you will have a somewhat stormy and boisterous session; but I have no doubt that the ultimate result will be for the permanent welfare of the whole country. There may be some changes of parties and men, for a time at least, but with right and principle the Constitution and the Union will triumph. You, with others who have, to a great extent, the custody of public measures, will so shape matters that the country will receive no detriment from the intrigues of the aspiring and restless, or the overheated zeal of the unreflecting and impulsive.

But I must not intrude on your time. We regret extreemly to hear of the illness of your son. Until the receipt of your letter I was not aware that he had returned. Mrs. Niles continues about the same. I presented your compliments to the Judge, who sensibly felt them, and spoke of your kind feelings, friendly relations, and your attention and devotion to your public duties.

I am in hopes to visit Washington some time during the session. Until then it will be a gratification if you can occasionally let me hear from you. With kind regards, in which Mrs. Welles unites, to yourself, and to your family when you write or see them, I am, dear sir,

Very truly yours,

GIDEON WELLES.

SOURCE: John R. Dickinson, Editor, Speeches, Correspondence, Etc., of the Late Daniel S. Dickinson of New York, Vol. 2, p. 421-2

William S. Yancey to Senator Daniel S. Dickinson, February 15, 1850

LYNCHBURG, VA., February 15, 1850.

TO THE HON. D. S. DICKINSON—Sir—My attention has been particularly attracted, in common with others of my fellow-citizens of all parties, to a speech of yours delivered in the Senate of the United States in reply to Mr. Clemens and others, upon the unhappy subject which now threatens the overthrow of this glorious Union.

I know you not, nor have any favor to ask at your hands; I abhor office-seeking and despise flattery and adulation. I desire simply as a democrat, a southron, and a lover of the Union, to thank you and to tender the humble homage of my sincere admiration for the speech in question, which I would rather have delivered, under the circumstances, than to be the "Thunderer" of Buena Vista; a speech which, permit me to say, if you do nothing more to entitle you to the character of a public benefactor, will embalm your memory in the affections of the truly virtuous and patriotic every where throughout the broad limits of this Union.

Unpremeditated as it seems to have been, it nevertheless bears the marks, in my humble judgment, of profound political sagacity, presenting the only grounds, and suggesting the only means, whereby this Union can be preserved. The sentiments are just and eminently patriotic, rebuking the spirit of faction at the North and South. It bears the stamp of a profound statesman, whose public course is dictated by honesty, independence, and the public good—a rare example in these days of degeneracy and corruption. It betrays a lofty spirit which looks down with unutterable contempt upon the miserable demagogues, who, by agitating this subject, traitorously sow the seeds of disunion, of war and desolation, merely to subserve their own purposes of self-aggrandizement; and it shows the spirit of one, too, who cannot be driven from the performance of his duty either by the insolence and violence of faction, or by the fear of the loss of power and place. Permit me to say that, "in my heart of hearts," I love the honest and independent statesman, and not the less because he is the representative of the great State of New York. I merely penned these lines for the purpose of contributing so far as a very humble fellow-countryman unknown to you could, to cheer you on in your noble and patriotic course. You are right, Sir; and rely upon it, if this Union is to be preserved at all, it can only be done upon your principles.

Yours, with the highest respect,

WILLIAM S. YANCEY.

SOURCE: John R. Dickinson, Editor, Speeches, Correspondence, Etc., of the Late Daniel S. Dickinson of New York, Vol. 2, p. 422-3

Judge Greene C. Bronson to Senator Daniel S. Dickinson, March 1, 1850

ALBANY, March 4, 1850.

DEAR SIR—I thank you for a pamphlet copy of your speech upon the resolutions of Mr. Clemens. I had read it with great satisfaction in the newspaper, and am glad to have it in a form which will permit of its preservation among my bound pamphlets.

Although my place and pursuits have separated me in a great degree from the political conflicts of the day, I had occasion long ago to say, that the Wilmot Proviso could do no good, and might do harm. That opinion remains unchanged; and notwithstanding all the noise made by politicians, newspapers and legislative Resolves, it will soon be, if it is not now, the sentiment of the mass of the people. They will stand by the Union, and by the Constitution.

I am, yours truly,

GREENE C. BRONSON.

SOURCE: John R. Dickinson, Editor, Speeches, Correspondence, Etc., of the Late Daniel S. Dickinson of New York, Vol. 2, p. 425

Jeremiah Clemens to Leroy P. Walker, February 3, 1861

HUNTSVILLE, ALA., February 3, 1861.

Hon. L. P. WALKER, Montgomery:

MY DEAR SIR: There is at Pensacola an immense quantity of powder, shot, and shells, which ought to be removed to the interior at the earliest possible moment. Where they now are they are constantly exposed to the danger of recapture, and if they are permitted to remain, one of Lincoln's first movements will be to concentrate a sufficient force at that point to retake them.

In my judgment there is no hope of a peaceful settlement of our difficulties with the Government of the United States, and all our calculations should be made with reference to the breaking out of a war of vast magnitude and almost unparalleled ferocity. We had the subject of these munitions before the military committee of our Convention, but as they were on the soil of Florida, and beyond our jurisdiction, we could do nothing. Your convention will have more extensive powers.

There is still much discontent here at the passage of the ordinance of secession, but it is growing weaker daily, and unless something is done to stir it up anew will soon die away.

Last week Yancey was burned in effigy in Limestone, but I suppose it was rather a frolic of the "b'hoys" than a manifestation of serious feeling on the part of the older citizens.

I shall be glad to hear from you from time to time during the session of the Convention. 

Very truly and respectfully, your friend and obedient servant,

JERE. CLEMENS. 

SOURCES: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 1 (Serial No. 1), p. 447; Don Carlos Seitz, Braxton Bragg, General of the Confederacy, p. 29

Captain Boyce, of the 10th Ohio regiment . . .

. . . who has arrived at Evansville, Ind., from Huntsville, Ala., states that Gen. Mitchell has granted passes to John Bell and Jere. Clemens to visit Washington for the purpose of making arrangements for re-establishing peace in the Southwest.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 31, 1862, p. 2