Year: 1859



 here to the meeting of the legislature and was elected enrolling secretary of the sen ate. It was unsought by me, for the in tention to come was formed only a few days before I left home, and without hav- Ing asked single senator for his support. l made some efforts to get situation in the auditors office; but, beyond this, every sit uatlon 1 have held has been voluntarily tendered to me and not claimed as a re- ward for partisan services. firmly be- lleve that the next presidential election will decide the fate of the south-that the com Ing contest Is not one for mere place or power, but for existence-aye, for what is or should be dearer than existence itself for honor. 1 tell you now, directly and plainly, as 1 have striven to write this let ter, that the democratic party is our last, our only hope. So believing, I have ta- ken my position and care not where they place me- Whatever ability I may pos sess-whatever energy I have, I am will ling to devote to the support and main talnance of those principles upon which the hopes of all rest. I have not sought thls place. am willing and ready at any moment to yield 1t to others abler and bet ter tban myself Whether as ensign or in the ranks, will do what is assigned me, because believe that am right and be- cause my judgment comments and my con- science approves 1t.

 Though this letter is growing long, I have one or two other things to tell you and others. Instead of writing for pay, as you suppose, l never thought that anything ever wrote, was worthy of pay Writ Ing for the press, more or less for sixteen years, l have never thought any production of mine worthy of preservation, and though they were published in magazines, newspapers and in other forms whose col lected bulk would equal volumes, I have not this day, a single line in print or man. uscrlpt, except the page before me, of any thing ever wrote. 1 have never kept copy, because 1 did not think them valua- ble. Still more. Except pay for copying journals or reports of legislative proceed ings for John NJ. Butler, in his lifetime. for which 1 charged him fifty and he insisted upon paying me a hundred dollars, and the per diem pay for similar services perform ed for Johnson & Yerkes in 1S56-7. have never received from any printer, publisher, or editor, directly or indirectly, or from or by or through any person for them, dol lar, even cent for any writing or produc- ton of mine. Again: l have never held any office or situation, in the obtaining or retaining of which it was made a condition precedent or following that I should write for any paper or journal. And in justice to Mr. Miller, the present auditor, whose hard working clerk l was for nearly two years, l will here say that he told me as I presume he told the other clerks that no writing except on business connected with the office would be allowed therein. He objected to the reading of newspaper dur Ing office hours and even private letters, much less correspondence with or articles for newspaper had to be written at night and at home. And for myself, I never re- celved dollar from the treasury that was not legally entitled to, and if you will go examine the amountsof labor performed in that office by me, you will be satisfied that salary of $500 for the first year and at the rate of SlO00 for part of a second, was fully and fairly earned. 1 have written in detail to give you and men of your bias and callbre of mind an idea, if possible. that man may be willing to labor in a good cause, without fee, reward or the hone thereof. l am afraid the idea is too ab- stract for you, but conceive, if you can, of a man willing to do right for its own sake. to use his abilities, however humble. to promote the ends of truth and justice and to dc this voluntarily, neither asking or re- celving fee. And to astonish vou still more, let me tell you that I was permitted to fix the salary at present receive, and placed It at the same Amount received be- fore l entered the office, that it might not be said of me that l was led by the expec tatlon of making money faster, to prostitute my pen, or that was paid enormous wages to do that which l would not do, if 1 was able, without other reward than the hope ot benefiting others Believing then in the integrity of the democratic party-that it's success is essential to our liberties, I am prepared as far as in me lies to work for it honestly and enthusiastically. And to that end, firmly believe that every member of the party should endeavor to preserve it unbroken and entire, should set their faces against all little giants or great pigmies, and act together until the great battle is fought and won

 l have stated my position fairly and tru- ly. If there is apparent egotism in it, re- member that it was forced upon me, and justice to others required that I should state facts concerning my connection with them

 Your next phrase is "elastic conscience. l am glad that you stretched your consci- ence so far as to allow that had any con science. How elastic it may be I know not, and care not to know. You say that democracy is like an india-rubber shirt, and capable of being stretched. But there is a point beyond which it will not stretch, for you know you stretched yours till it snap ped in twain. Take care that you do not serve your conscience the same trick

 Finally, you say that have marketable principles. In one sense they are, for would gladly give to the destitute and scat fer them abroad In another seneo tbo,,