Robert Hunter letter to John Calhoun, 16 June 1843

Loyds Essex Va June 16th [1843].

MY DEAR SIR I have just received letters from Woodbury and others in New England. I wrote to Woodbury before the meeting of the N Hampshire Convention to beg him to go to it and take an active part for you. I said that the nomination of V B by that convention would be considered as a fatal blow to him and whatever might be the professions of those who made the movement such would be their design. But for him the Convention would have nominated V B as it was they made no nomination, and recommended May 1844 and a district representation. Under the circumstances this was a great victory. We shall carry the Democratic party of New England. Our friends are in high spirits. Col. Brodhead has sent $400 to the Spectator, the Charleston Committee $500, and Dr . Brodhead a poor clerk in Washington loaned it $350. For the present and for a short time it is out of danger.

Our friends in N England are about to organise. I am writing to our friends wherever I can rely upon them to beg them to get up an organisation by Congressional districts. If we have (as we shall have) a district representation this organisation is essential as a preliminary step and indeed through this organisation we can force a district representation. Suppose we were to invite an election of delegates by the party at the polls, assimilating the mode to that of the Congressional election, and that our -strong men in each district would take the stump for you and rally the people to the polls. Y Bs friends would be obliged to go in. He would certainly be beaten if he did not, he would probably be beaten if he did. I am doing my best to get up such an organisation and especially in V a . We will beat down Ritchie's influence in that way if he resists, us.

By the way Greenhow is about to establish a Calhoun paper in Petersburg. Ritchie has so many well wishers amongst our own friends that we thought it most prudent to avoid the odor of opposition to the Enquirer and to hang upon his flanks until he opened himself so as to justify an attack upon his centre. If the paper is sustained it will ultimately move to Richmond unless Mr Ritchie should take a satisfactory course. I had entertained some hopes of Young at one time and had written three weeks ago to friends in New York to ascertain his true position. For reply I received a paper in which he publishes his preference to V B to silence there recent rumors. He is more of a N Y politician than V B himself and our friends in Poughkeepsie made a mistake in endeavouring to identify him with our cause. He is one of those enemy-friends of V B, who are the most subtle of all politicians and win both office and hate from him without being grateful for the former or caring a rush for the latter. Davis 2 (Jack Downing) is now making a tour in western N Y and promises to give me the result of his observations upon his return. But it is hard to make a lodgment in that state. The keys of office would be more potent there at present than those to St Peters gate. I wish we had Van Ness in the Custom House. But I hear nothing more of that for the present. I have a great many letters still to write.

Most truly Your friend

R M T HUNTER

P. S I have just received your letter of 3 d June for which I am much obliged to you. I have not time now to answer it but will write by the next mail.