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SELECTED LETTERS OF SALMON P. CHASE
To E. S. Hamlin.
CINCINNATI, January 27, 1849.
MY DEAR HAMLIN; As I write, entirely uncertain whether you will receive this or not, I shall be very brief.
I am glad you approve my letter to Giddings. I
am far from sure that it is worthy approval. I more than half suspect
that I did a very foolish thing when I wrote it. However the
truth can hardly do much harm and I certainly have not the slightest
feeling of antagonism towards M. Giddings. and never shall permit
myself to have so long as he remains faithful to the cause of
Free Democracy. I think, as I said to him that he being in Congress, and
I not, that the interests of the cause require my election or
that of --,me reliable man not in Congress, rather than his. I
may wrong in this - misled, perhaps, by the "Ambition" so
freely ascribed to me. If so let Giddings be chosen. I shall not
complain. I cannot help thinking, however, that the election of one
who has been longer convinced of the necessity and is more
thoroughly identified with the policy of a distinct & permanent
Free Democratic organization, will do the cause and the
friends of the cause
more good.
I do hope you will not find it necessary to leave Columbus until after the elections. Your presence there will be doubtless important.
You must not decline drawing on me
from any motives of fake delicacy. Through the blessing of
Providence and the confidence of the community I have a good
business; and I am willing to give to the extent of my means and
beyond my means even, to advance the cause, and I want no
one to feel trammelled in his action for the cause, by any sense of
obligation to me. "The cause first, and friends
afterwards." is a sentiment I am perfectly willing to have applied to me by my friends.
I have written Stanley Matthews in
regard to the Clinton member. Get him to read to you what I have
written about him. and see he gets the right seat.
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