(G. T. Curtis to J. J. Crittenden.) JAMAICA PLAIN, MASSACHUSETTS, 1857. MY DEAR SIR,-We have here, of course, only the confused accounts by the telegraph of the decision in Dred Scott's case. I want to know what you and Badger think of the Chief's opinion with respect to its ability and reasoning. How will it stand in the judgment of lawyers? The public feeling in this part of the country is much shocked, but I think there is a general consciousness that the subject has ceased to be of any practical importance. The worst of the whole matter is, that the people of the free States must regard the decision as purely a political one, and thus lose their remaining confidence in the court. It is lucky for Mr. Buchanan that this case was not decided a year ago. If it had been, in my belief, nothing on earth could have prevented Frémont's election. I am pained to see (if the telegraph tells the truth) that there is a squabble among the judges as to who shall have the last word. I suppose Daniel and Campbell anticipate flings from McLean, and wish to pay him back. I am sure they cannot anticipate any "bunkum" from my kinsman, though they may like to answer his law. But this "casting of the parts," as poor Webster said about Hayne, and Benton, and so on, looks like bad blood. Yours always truly, GEORGE T. CURTIS. (J. J. Crittenden to his daughter, Mrs. A. M. Coleman.) February 10, 1857. MY DEAR DAUGHTER,-Your frequent letters have given me great gratification, but attended with no little self-reproach at my delinquency in the correspondence. You will not permit yourself to believe that it results from any want of affection. You have every title to my love, and possess it in the fullest measure of a father's heart. Be assured of that. My time is much occupied; but this is no excuse for not writing, and I will endeavor to do better in future. Your late letter informed me of the conduct of Mr. Dallas, which has greatly annoyed and provoked me. I send you letters from Mr. Marcy, Secretary of State, and Mr. Guthrie, Secretary of the Treasury. My dear daughter, these letters will secure you an introduction at court. I hope you will use it forbearingly and with discretion. Let it not be said that you are a seeker after princes or palaces, or that you estimate yourself the more because you are received by them. The privilege of admission at court is only to be valued as a recognition of your estimation and standing at home. It is that estimation which has entitled you to presenta tion, and this is to be valued by an American lady far above the privilege of flourishing for an hour in the presence of kings and queens. This should only be sought as a matter of curiosity, or valued as a public attestation to your worth in your own land. In your situation, it is necessary that you should be circumspect, prudent, and cautious, for your own sake and the sake of your daughters. They are charming girls, but without knowledge of the world; and the duty devolves upon you of guarding them against all the flatteries and temptations of court society. The attentions of the gaudy creatures of a court, titled or untitled, are rather to be avoided. It is to call your attention to these things that I mention them, and not because of any want of confidence in you or in your discretion and sound judgment. Your brother George is far away from us, in command at Fort Craig, on the Rio Grande. He has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and for the next two years he will be in command at Carlisle, Pennsylvania. After the long and hard service to which he has been exposed, he is entitled to the repose this command will give him. Congress will adjourn on the 23d, and I feel increasing impatience for home. I was opposed to the election of Mr. Buchanan, but it gave me no personal concern. We are old acquaintances, and, I may say, personal friends. We differ only in politics. Your mother sends her love. Tell Crittenden I am highly gratified at your account of his good conduct. Farewell, my dearest daughter, and may a kind Providence protect and guard you well. Mrs. ANN MARY COLEMAN. Your father, In 1857 the post-office appropriation bill was before the Senate, and Mr. Weller, of California, was a warm advocate for establishing a communication by mail across the continent. Mr. Crittenden opposed the bill. He said: The cardinal principle at the bottom of the post-office department was to make the income of the department pay its expenses. The proposition was to have a four-horse line of stage-coaches from some point on the Mississippi River to San Francisco, through a desert country of two thousand miles, worse than that, through a hostile country. He said there was already a line established by land, and one by sea, and the Union could not afford to pay for a thing which makes nothing like an equivalent for what it costs. My friend from California, in the course of his argument, has said a great deal about Kentucky and the benefit her people would derive by going to California, and he wants to know if I would advise one about to take the journey to go by sea and not by the stage route. I will tell the gentleman what is the most honest and unselfish feelings of my heart. I would say to such a one, "Stay where you are in old Kentucky." The senator, Mr. Weller, says he has seen thousands who have escaped from Kentucky and blessed God when they got to California. Now I will tell him a story I heard, premising that I never knew a Kentuckian, no matter where he went to, who did not wish to be back in old Kentucky. I refer to one of my constituents, described to me as a six-foot fellow, who came, with his rough shoes, stalking into one of the hotels of San Francisco. There was a map of the United States hanging on the wall, and some gentlemen were examining it; he knew they were talking of different parts of the United States; he stepped up and said, "Will you be so kind as to inform me if old Kentucky is on that map ?" "Yes," was the reply. "Well, be so good as to put your finger on it for me; I want once more to look on God's land." This is how the people feel who go from Kentucky. (J. J. Crittenden to Hon. R. C. Winthrop.) FRANKFORT, July 9, 1857. MY DEAR SIR, -Dr. Crittenden, ay, sir, a "Harvard Doctor of Laws," gives you thanks for your most friendly note of the 20th ult., inviting him to your "College Festival on the 16th of the present month." To an invitation so acceptable and agreeable in itself he will not answer that he declines, etc.; but it is a serious and sad truth that he cannot comply with it. Quitting the Doctor and the third person, let me say for myself that it would be the greatest gratification to me to be with you on the occasion. I should enjoy again the pleasure of meeting yourself and others whom I have long learned to esteem and admire, and I am also quite certain I should form new acquaintances whom I would remember with pleasure ever after. I wanted to be with you at your Bunker Hill celebration, but could not, and now again I cannot be present at your " College Festival." These are, indeed, real disappointments to me, which I mitigate as well as possible by promising myself that I will, sooner or later, have some indemnity for them by a long and social visit to Boston. In the mean time I must be patient. "A Doctor of Laws" ought to know how to rule himself and abide his time. I am always your friend, To Hon. ROBERT C. WINTHROP. (J. J. Crittenden to J. R. Underwood.) 1851 FRANKFORT, September 6, 1857. MY DEAR SIR,-I have no fear that you will not appreciate liberally and properly my motives for addressing to you this letter. To comply with the wishes of my friends I have consented to their presenting me as a candidate for the Senate of the United States, if, upon the meeting of the legislature, they shall then think it advisable and proper. Though I cannot but confess that the station is desirable to me, I was loth to commit myself to any course that might involve me in contention of any kind with you or other friends. In respect to yourself this reluctance was frequently and openly expressed by me. I was quite unwilling to be regarded as your personal opponent, or that any use which might be made of my name should be attributed, in the remotest degree, to any feeling on my part of personal unkindness or opposition to you. From that principal reluctance I have been to some extent relieved by information, which seemed reliable, that it was not your intention to be a candidate for re-election. This information may be altogether incorrect, or, if not, you may, as you have a perfect right to do, have changed your views and determined on a different course. In this uncertainty, therefore, whether you will be a candidate, or whether my friends (I being absent at Washington) will think it proper to present me as a candidate, I desire to say to you that, whatever the event may be, I hope that I will not be regarded as your personal opponent, acting in any sort of unfriendliness or personal opposition to you. Nothing could be more unjust than such an imputation, nor more adverse to the feelings with which I truly regard you. If it so happens that our names shall be placed in competition by our political friends, I trust that it will be regarded by them and by us as a public question, and not as a personal controversy between you and me. And I beg you to be assured that neither that question, should it occur, nor the issue of it, whatever that may be, shall ever provoke in me any sentiment of unkindness. My only feeling will be that of regret that there should have been any competition between us. Permit me to say, in conclusion, that I have thought that this open and candid communication was due to our ancient relations, and might, by preventing misconstructions, tend to preserve those relations and those amicable sentiments in which I desire to remain always To Hon. Jos. R. UNDERWOOD. Your friend, CHAPTER VIII. 1857-1858. Letters-Letcher to Crittenden-Letter to Mrs. Coleman-General Scott to Crit. tenden-S. A. Douglas to Crittenden-Kansas, Slavery and Anti-Slavery in the Senate-Washington Hunt to Crittenden-John O. Sargent to CrittendenB. Silliman to Crittenden-Letters to O. Brown and to Hon. R. C. Winthrop. DE (R. P. Letcher to J. J. Crittenden.) FRANKFORT, December 26, 1857. EAR CRITTENDEN,-Had the pleasure to receive your favor yesterday, for which I thank you. In regard to the senatorial election, much to my deep mortification and regret, I can tell you that it will not be postponed. "My young warriors" are a poor, timid, unreliable set of fellows; a portion at least of them are of that character, and could not be made to stand up to their plain duty. The election will come off the 5th of January. I shall try to prevail upon the devils to make another fight over it; but I am pretty sure nothing will be done. Powell will be the man. Yes, I have noticed the progress of that war between the President and Douglas with great interest. Poor Buchanan, I apprehend, will be the most odious President we ever had. If you remember, I fold you at least twenty times that he would break down in less than a year. Well, it's a hard fate for a man to be eaten up by his own dogs. Nothing on earth can save him that I can see; he must look to the Lord for help; but he will look there in vain. Douglas, it appears to me, will divide the Democratic party and take the Northern wing for his portion, and also some part of the Southern wing. The naked truth is, poor B. is in a false position, and, with all his long experience in the art of dodging, he can't get out of it. Every intelligent man with whom I have conversed thinks Douglas has the right on his side. The Lecompton Constitution is a bad cheat, and all Mr. B. can do with it will be to make a war in Kansas. I understand from sutlers who have just returned from Kansas that there are not five hundred voters in all that country in favor of the constitution. He says Democrats in vast numbers denounce it as a shameful fraud. Logan Hunton told me the other day to tell you from him to keep out of the Buchanan |
