American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-10-04

must drag II out, anu you VIII die an un-
happy man, unless cease to be ''unscru-
pulous in attempting TO preserve my honor
real and imaginary. land tell you some
thing about that private letter Of mine from
Mr.. Chase. The truth is, we had a little
correspondence about potatoes and politics!
l--principly about potatoes! You demand
particulars and must yield. or have a
fussl The following colloquy took place be
tween Mr.. Chase and l as We met in one
of the streets of your city last spring:
Chase-"What are you doing since Con-
gress adiourned?"
Campbell-"Farming, planting corn and
potatoes"
Chase--"That reminds me that / have
received from the Patent Office, barrel OF
imported potatoes. I'll send you some."
Campbell-"Thank you, will plant,
cultivate, experiment and report the re-
suit. /" ...---
Whereupon we separated. Chase prov
ed uRsound on the pototoe question, forget
ting to send them, and l wrote to him for
them adding paragraph on politics as is
my custom. Hc replied 10 both branches Of
tHy letter, but got no potatoes!
AT Cleveland read a paragraph from
the political portion Of his letter to three
gentlemen Of the American Organization,
who visited my room In confidence, and
under the sanctities Of that Order. AT the
Columbus Convention (July 49, one OF
these gentlemen In moment Of excite
ment, violated that confidence, and under
took to repeat it contents. A dispute,
and question OF veracity arose between
him and Mr.. Austin (whom You mention,
and who is stranger to me- was call
ed on to make the letter public. and refus-
ed to do it as it was pirate letter. on
: which the fote Of The nation did not, In my
: judgement, depend. A little excitment
grew up, and rendered the letter to Mr.
Chase, in the presence Of Mr. Austin. He
declined taking it, saying that he had
written me in the freedom of private
friendship, and that he would take back no
private letter thus written, adding, N Mr.
I Austin's presence. "it is yours, aud goa
: can Show IL 10 him il you choose 10 do so. .
Thereupon l did refuse to show it, and re-
! turned it to my cleft breast pocket. -
Now, is not this most terrible affair, wei
calculated to justify you in sounding the
alarm that the Union is IN danger.
Now old rumor's misrepresentation II
! reference to this letter, have caused yor
\ to do injustice to Mr.. Chase, to me, and,
think, to your own character as high
0 toned gentleman. 1t is not true that ev
= er proposed to submit it to the Convention
$ It is not true that Mr.. Chase refused t
have il submitted to the Convention. It
| not true that he refused 10 allow Mr.. Austil
: to read il; but, on tho contrary, expressl
: told me could show il to him if Ichosf
: Knowing, as do, all about this American
organization. whilst still refuse to publisI
i any Of my private correspondence on ''po
= tatoes and politics." can with propriet
> declare, that Mr.. Chase's correspondent
9 with ME is such as to satisfy mo beyond
u doubt, that. as a member of that party,
n can as freely vote for him as for either @
n his opponents--one OF them Gov. Medll
y being determined foe to our principles
d and the other (Ex Gov. Trimble) not
l. member Of the Order. hope you patr
D. OTIS who have lately taken the contract fc
u saving the Union will now breathe MOI
q freely, with this assurance, which give Q
10 honor that there is not line in the lett'
II which tends to the disruption of our glor
10 Gus confederacy!
Is In conclusion let me say that Mr.. Cha;
was not a favorite candidate OF mine for Il
th nomination, and no one knows better ths
az he, how steadfastly | opposed him.
oi supporting him, cordially as | do, 1t
e- neither expected that thereby agree
ne ndorse all his antecedents, or 10 approve
mt al! his sabsequents, Isupport him becau
IT. he was nominated fairly; because kne
IN from personal observation. during six yea
in Congress, that he was a true and stea
'e- fast friend to all Western Interests; devo
de ed in his service to our State, and slee
u less sentinel, always, when the great intt
u ests of Cincinnati were at stake; becau
me on all. or nearly all questions iuvolyi
ys Slavery, including the measures of l8d
20 the Fugitive Slave Law, and tho repeal
IN the Missouri Compromise. he voted pl
'a' cisely as did tho whole Wing party of I
nj, North, with only three exceptions; /
lal he is opposed to the present oppr'
aS' sive system Of taxation; because he i
zen gentleman and scholar" and for '
y"- rious other reasons too tedious to mentiC
You have seen fit. my dear Sir, to apr
OF to me your old bug bear chNge, "Abo
TO- tionist," and am told that ina speech
hg my district you said, or "hinted," tha
"a .a- supported Mr., Chase TO get his suppc
Ills for some office. To all ofwhich l reply
p" "pshaWH" ,.5 s.7, ...
My opinions on the slavery question
'u. well enough known to protect mo fr'
ntl the charge Of Abolitionisps; and whoe'
ou charges me as disonionist, brand publ
c. ly as n liar. ..
III You closed your letter by rhetori
'ur flourish, in which you represent mo a
es- fly battering his wings against the cobw
es- woven around him by willy old spid
'de I prefer to close mine, "for the sake
! that same friendship" which | think J
'ed have SO wantonly violated, by wishing y
ing health and happiness, and a speedy rec
,oi cry from that political insanity with VIII
'le, you seem to be afflicted.
nal Very truly, yours. DC,
are LEWIS. D. CAMPBELL
md '-'
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