Edward William Johnston to James Henry Hammond, January 20, 1835

[Edward William Johnston at Columbia, South Carolina, to Hammond at Washington City, January 29, 1835. See glossary of names following letter. My rough transcript. Original in James Henry Hammond Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.] 

Columbia [South Carolina] 

Jan. 20, 1835

My dear Hammond,

“The Telescope strike a bold note against war?” Why, what note did it strike, a month ago? [A]nd then, am I not the Telescope? When did you ever know me backward, as to the boldest measure that any-body else dared think of? If you will look at the last two papers (with which, after a temporary absence in Charleston, I have again taken up the regular management and editorship), you will see the general impression on which I have, of the state of things.

I have spoken, in the last, of your conduct, and Thompson & Pickens’s, with no more than the general approval which you have among your friends. There are, however, here, as in many things debatable, some feeble assumptions. As for the French question, there is far greater difficulty, but none which shall have any other effect upon me, then to make me more cautious of every move and more indefatigable in finishing everything that can be brought to act on the public mind. You may rely on it that every popular topic shall be urged, everything that can rouse the public sense, or the public passions. I, indeed, see more, in a French war, than I am aware that even you see.  I look at it, in truth, as the end of the game, as to everything of the sort that we have been so long sweating for. Southern rights & Southern prosperity may hang up the fiddle, if we are to be carried into the matter. I believe it would be utterly & purely fatal: and therefore I shall be ready, at the proper time, to say, that: fight who will, the South will not go into an affair so ruinous. In this doctrine, I shall find politicians enough ready to oppose me, if I cannot overawe them, at once, by a strong and clear concurrence of the people. On them alone am I accustomed to count, and I do not fear their failing to back me, on a clear question like this, whenever I do justice to the cause, in front of solid argument and prudent (not over-refining) management.

You must look to Pinckney, and, by Grayson & the Smiths, counteract his influence over the Mercury. I will co-operate with you, in the same quarter. Charleston, in spite of its position, is the weaker quarter of the State, upon this question. I rather fear, too, from Preston’s former language, that he is capable of being led, by certain phantoms of national honour & all that, into these things. But you know, before this, how all that is the Union man (Rogers & M [Manning]) will of course go with Pinckney – who, I am afraid, is the trial-balloon, let off before the aeronaut launches himself. I perfectly agree with you as to the last of the Pinckneys, for I know him well.

We want intelligence from Washington. The papers are tardy, and have us at fault upon many things. I wish, most heartily, that you & Pickens & Thompson would covenant to write me such a letter per week, on different set days. The last made promises; and so did you: but nothing yet done. Commend me, very heartily, to all. I write in great haste, and must break off.

[P.S.] Pay no attention to McCord’s opinions. They change faster than the moon. He belongs to that part, which, in Queen Anne’s time, was usually called, the whimsical. Concilliate him & act upon him – not he upon you. I speak from long familiarity with him, as to political movements.

Glossary of South Carolina names:

The Columbia Telescope, 1828-1839. Weekly, semi-weekly. Algernon Sidney Johnston was one of its publishers. 

John C. Calhoun, US Senator (Nullifier)

William Campbell Preston, US Senator (Nullifier)

William J, Grayson, US Rep. (Nullifier)

James Henry Hammond, US Rep. (Nullifier)

Richard Irvine Manning (Jacksonian)

David James McCord (1797-1855), editor of The Telescope in its earlier incarnation

Frances W. Pickens, US Rep. (Nullifier)

Henry C. Pinckney, US Rep. (Nullifier)

James Rogers, US Rep (Jacksonian)

Robert Barnwell Smith (later Robert Barnwell Rhett)
Waddy Thompson, US Rep. (Anti-Jackson)