Fort Hill 3d June 1843
MY DEAR SIR, The mail of yesterday, brought me your's of the 23 d of June [May], and I am glad to find that you do not
dispair of the old Commonwealth. The indication every where
South of Virginia is favourable. In this state, there is perfect unanimity and much devotion to the cause. You have of
course seen the address of our Convention, and I hope you
approve of it. The Georgia Convention meets to day, and I
had, before I received your letter, written to an influential
member, and enclosed him the address of our Convention, and
advised him strongly to adopt the principles throughout,
even to Districting. There will be no difficulty, as the districts of the bill vetoed by Governor McDonald can be adopted,
which I suggested to him. If Georgia, which is the largest
and most influential of the General ticket States, should adopt
the District system, it will be decisive. I also wrote to Col Pickens and suggested the propriety of his writing for with
to Mr Woodbury, and urging him to exert himself to induce
N. H. to adopt the same course. Her legislature meets this
month, and no time is to be lost. Can you not put other
springs in motion there? It is important, and every thing
ought to be done, to obtain her concurrence. It would go
far to settle the question.
I am glad, that you visited Washington, and have got Scoville out of the Spectator. All condemn his want of Discretion; but I do not doubt his attachment. I agree with you,
that he ought to be dealt with liberally; and you may say so
to him. I have written to him not more than two or three
letters altogether, and they of a character, that can do no
mischief, if published. I got a letter from Hart on the difference between them, which I enclosed in the letter I wrote to
you or Maxcy on the subject; I do not recollect which. I
wrote you both.
Co'l Pickens writes me, that he has written you on the subject of taking charge of the Spectator, and that he was
authorized by the Presiding officers of the Convention to
offer you $4000. I do hope, you will find it consistent with
your interest and feelings to accept the offer. It would give
the paper at once an established character, and wide circulation, and go far to decide the contest, and would put myself
and my friends, if possible, under still stronger obligations.
I am sure you could not take a step, that would have greater
influence on the contest, and the after history of the country.
It would among other things supercede the necessity of establishing a press at Richmond. Your Nephew could be your
coadjutor, and on your withdrawal take possession of the
establishment; which, if we succeed, would give him a solid
basis to commence with. You need not apprehend, that I
shall take any hasty step relative to the Convention. I am
seriously anxious to give it a fair trial, though I have no
great confidence, that it can be made tolarable. Ritchie has
put himself, and through his influence, put the State in a
false position; in that of an associate, nominally, with the
other great central States, but in reality, as the tail of N.
York; and it is scarcely possible to bring him and those with
whom he acts, in and out of the State, to yield to any fairly
arranged Convention. They rely on one constituted for the
purpose of effecting their design, and will fight desperately
for it. Hence, he will be deadly opposed to the address of
our Convention. He sees the blow and will struggle to parry
it; but, if Virginia shall be true to herself, and my friends
stand firm, it will be all in vain. Her true position is at the
head of the South (the weaker Section) and of the medium
size and smaller States. It is the one suited to her political
creed and out of which, in fact, her creed grew; and the only
one, in which she can maintain her high standing and influence in the Union. In any other, she must become contemptible and be entirely detached from the South. Her
desertion of it since 1828, has caused all our disasters and
compelled this state, reluctantly, to take the ground she
deserted. We never sought it, and would be glad to yield it
to her. If he should ever support me, it will be on compulsion, and because he can do no better. Believe what I say.
I know him well and his ways, and to what he is wedded. I
agree with you, that the true course will be, at the proper
time, to go on and make appointments according to our plan of
delegates from Districts. I say, at the proper time; for we
need not be in a hurry. November is already abandoned;
and so will the other parts of the plan of the Virginia
Contention]. . . .
- Author:
- Fort Hill
- Source:
- Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1899, Calhoun Correspondence.
