Athens, East Tennessee, 22 August, 1848.
Dear Cobb, I
reached the Stone Mountain on the morning of the 16th inst., the day after the
democratic mass meeting, and I found our friends firm, united, enthusiastic and
confident of success. As the meeting was over, I passed on the line of the
road,1 and I saw democrats from all the counties in my district and
they assured me that the democracy would do their whole duty for Hackett,2
and for Cass and Butler. I did not see Hackett, nor did I go to Rome, but I
came to this place to see my family as fast as the publick conveyances would
take me. I found my wife and children in good health, and my blue eyed boy that
I had never seen, the largest and finest child I have. I shall leave here
tomorrow for Georgia, and will go by appointment to Cumming. During next week I
shall go through Walker county and see Aycock and such as are disaffected
there, and I will go from there to Summerville and from thence to Rome. Our
democratic friends in this part of Tennessee are doing their duty, and the
result of the late elections has given them confidence and hope, and
discouraged our political opponents. A. V. Brown has passed on through this
section of East Tennessee and he is now above here making speeches. Govr. Jones3
is in company with him. Gentry4 has a list of appointments on his
return home from Congress. He will be accompanied wherever he goes. I have no
fears for the result in this State. I have seen many Clay Whigs since I came
here who do not think that any booby can make a President. I am satisfied that
there are many here who feel and act just as John M. Botts did while we were at
Washington. Colquitt and McAllister visited Marietta from the Stone Mountain,
and from there this week they will be at Canton, and next week at Cumming. You
must be sure and attend the district mass meeting to be held in Cass county. I
am in good health.
_______________
1 The Georgia and the Western & Atlantic
Railroads.
2 Thomas C. Hackett, of Marietta, Ga., Member of
Congress, 1849-1851.
3 Aaron V. Brown and George W. Jones were leading
Democrats in Tennessee.
4 Meredith P. Gentry, a Whig Congressman from Tennessee,
1839-1843 and 1845-1853.
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.
116-7
