Year: 1866

MY DEAR Sir: AS there is possibility,
if not probability, that l shall not see
you on your return home-or if should
see you that it may be on the road, and
under circumstances which will prevent
my speaking to you on the subject we last
conversed upon, / take the liberty Of
committing to paper the following
thoughts and requests:


have not been unmindful Of the SEN
timents expressed by you in the conver-
sations just alluded to; on the contrary,
| have again and again revolved them
with thoughtful anxiety, but without being
able to dispose my mind to longer con-
tinuation in the office / have had the
honor to hold. / therefore still look for
ward to the fulfillmeut of my fondest and
most ardent wishes, to spend the remain
der Of my days (which | cannot expect
will be many in ease and tranquility.


Nothing short of conviction that my
dereliction of the chair Of government (if
it should be the desire of the people to
continue me in it) would involve the
country in serious disputes respecting
the Chief Magistrate, and the disagree
able consequences which might result
therefrom in the floating and divided
opinions which seem to prevail at pres
ent, could, in any wise, induce me to
relinquish the determination | have
formed and of this / do not see how any
evidence can be obtained previous to the
election. Ny vanity, ! am sure, is not of
that east as to allow me to view the sub
ject in this light


Under these imressions, then, permit
me to reiterate the request made to you
at our last meeting, namely, to think of
the proper time and the best mode of
announcing the intention, and that you
would prepare the latter. In revolving
this subject myself, my judgment has
always been embarrassed. On the other
hand, previous declaration to retire,
not only carries with it the appearance
of vanity and self-importance, but it
may be construed into maneuver to be
invited to remain, And on the other
hand, to say nothing implies consent,
or at any rate, would leave the matter in
doubt; and to decline afterwards might
be deemed as bad and uncsndid.


would fain carry my request to you
further than is eskpd above, although !
am sensible that your compliance With 1t
must add to your trouble; but as the
recess may afford you leisure, and l flatter
myself you have disposition to oblige
me, will, without apology, desire (if
the measure in itself should strike you
as proper. and likely to produce public
GOOD or private honor), that you would
turn your thoughts to a valedictory
address, from me to the public, express
sing in plain and modest terms, that,
having been honored with the
Presidential chair, and to the best
of my abilities contributed 10 the or
eanization and administration Of the
Government-that,h having arrived at a
period of life when the private walks OF
It in the shade of retirement becomes
necessary and will be most pleasing to
me; and the spirit Of the Government
may render rotation in the election OF
officers of II more congeniel with their
ideas of liberty and safety, that ] take
my leave of them as public mani and
in bidding them adieu (retaining no 9TH
er concern than such as will arise from
former wishes for the prosperity of my
country, | take the liberty at my de-
parture from civil, as ] formerly did at
nv military exit, to invoke continua'
ton Of the blessings Of Providence upon
il. and upon all those who are supporters
of its interests, and the promoters Of
harmony, order and good government


That 10 impress these things it might,
among other things, be observed, that
we are all the children OF the same
country-a country great and rich in
itself, capable, and promising to be, as
prosperous and happy as any the annals
of history have ever brought to cur view:
That our interests, however diversified
in local and smaller matters, is the same
in all great essential concerns o. the
nation. That the extent Of our coun-
try, the diversity Of our climate and
soil. and the various productions OF
the States consequent Of both, are
such as to make one part not only
convenient, but, perhaps, indispeusably
necessary to the other part, and may
render the whole lat no distant PERIOD
one Of the most in the world.
That the established government being
tbe work Of our own hands, with the
seeds Of amendment engrafted in the
Cons,itution, may be wisdom, good dis
position and mutual utteraness, aided by
experience, bring il as near to perfec.
tion as snv human institution ever ap.
proximated; and, therefore, the only
strife among rs ought to be who should
be foremost In facilitating and finally 40