Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-11-04
CAPITAL LETTER-DANIEL WEB
STEERS PRIVATE LIFE.


The following letter is copied from the proof
sheets of the "Private Life of Daniel Webster"
| now in the press Of Harper & Brothers, from
| thepen of Charles Lanman, Esq. 1t is excee-
dinghy interesting, and the conclusion is touching.
1t is addressed to his Franklin overseer.
WAsHINGToN, March II, 1852.
"JoHN TAYLOR
"Go ahead. The heart of the winter is broken
and before the first day of April all your land
may be ploughed. Buy the oxen of Captain
Marston, if you think the price fair. Pay for the
hay. l send you a check for $16O for these two
objects. Put the great oxen in a condition to be
| turned out and fattened.. You have good hors @
team, and think in addition to this four oxen and
pair of four year old steers will do your work.
If you think SO then dispose of the Stevens oxen,
or unyoke them aud send them to the pasture for
beet. | know not when | shall see YOU but |
hope before planting. Ifyou need anything. such
as guano, for instance, write to Joseph Buck
Esq, Boston, and he will send it to you.
Whatever ground you or plant, see that
it is in good condition We want no pennyroyaL
crops. "A little farm well titled is to farmer
the next best thing to "a little wife well wed'
Cultivate your garden Be sure to produce suf-
ficlent quantities of useful vegetables. A man
may half support his family from a good GARDEN
Take care to keep my mothers garden in good
order, even if it cost you the wages of Il man to
take of it. l have sent you many garden
seeds. Distribute them among your neighbors
Send them to the stores in the village, that every
body may have part Of them without cost.
am glad you have chosen MIR. Pike representative.
Ee is true man; but there are in New Hamp-
shire many persons who call themselves Wings,
who are no Wings at all, and no better than dis
unionists. Any manwho hesitates in granting
and securing to every part of the country its just
aud its constitutional rights, is an enemy to the
whole country.
'John Taylor! ifone of your boys should say
that he honors his father and mother, and loves
bis brothers and sisters, but still insists that one
ofthem shall be driven out of the family, what
can you say of him but this; that there is no
real family love in him! You and | are
farmers; we never talk politics, our talk is of
oxen; but remember this, that any may who at
tempts to excite one part of the country against
another, is just as wicked as he would be who
should attempt to get up quarrel between John
Taylor and his neigher, old Mr.. Jno.- Sanboyn or
bis other neighbor, Captain Burleigh. There
are some animals that live best in the fire and
there are some men who delight in heat, smoke,
combustion, nd even general conhagration. They
DO not follow the things which make for peace
They enjoy only controversy, contention and
strife. Have communion with such persons,
either as neighbors or politicians. You have no
more right TO say tnat slavery ought not TO eXtst
in Virginia. than Virginan has to say that
slavery ought to exist ia New Hampshire. This
Isl question left to every State to decide for
ITSELF and five mean to keep the States together,
we must leave to every State this power of de-
Gliding for itself.
81 think never wrote you word before upon
politics. shall not do it again. / only say love
your country, and your whole country; and when
men attempt to persuade you to get into quarrel
with the laws of other States, tell them that you
mean to mind your business, and advise
them to mind theirs. John Taylor. you are
free man; you possess good principles; you have
large family to rearand provide for by your la
Dor. Be thankful to the Government which does
not Cypress you, which does not bear you down
by excessive taxation, but which holds out to you
and to yours the hope of all the blessings which
liberty, industry and security may give. John
Taylor, thank God, morning and evening, that
you were born nsuch a country. John Taylor,
never write me another word upon politics.
Give my Observation-Disclosures to your vile and
children; and when you look from your eastern
windows upon the graves of my family remem
Der that he WHO'S the author of this letter must
soon follow them to another world.
s.DANIEL WEBSTER.''