[Charles Clement Johnston at Washington City, to [John Buchanan Floyd at Richmond], March 7, 1832. Floyd-Johnston-Preston Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary, Series I: Mss. Acc. 2002.37, folder 19. These are my rough notes with some transcription, based on images made by Sue Davis, who graciously made them available. Paragraph breaks added for easier reading.]
"I send at your request two notes ready drawn for $2.000 each with my endorsement . . ." [Discussion of details with niceties added.]
"I am grieved to see how you despond. It proves the truth of my fears that you are all going on badly in Richmond. Our present distractions have been principally produced by the impudence of our own friends: the causeless . . . produced by the agitation of the Slave question at the worst possible time and in the blunder of Calhoun in bringing Van Buren back among us by rejecting him. I had rather have given him double salary to stay away.
My only hope in the present condition and affairs is founded in the certainty that the Northern party is carrying on such a war, so flagrant and undisguised, against all the opinions, institutions and interests, and rights of the South, in every possible shape, that every minor difference amongst ourselves will (if things go on as they inevitably must from present appearances) soon be lost in one common sense of wrong v. determination of resistance.
As soon as the struggle begins all those who like Ritchie forget or betray their principles & their party from personal views, will be put down. We must shoot all deserters & spies.
We are all exceedingly anxious to hear minute information of what is going on in Richmond. Let me beg you to impart frequently from time to time the speculation as well as the news of the day -- I mean that news & speculation in regard to the undercurrent of affairs that we never see in the papers. Tell me too of your family now, if you have a family.
With my kindest regard to Cousin Sally Aunt Floyd your father & family I remain cordially your friend & relative
Ch. C. Johnston
[p.s.] Rees B. spent the evening with me he is well.
[$2,000 in 1832 = about $54,000 in early 2017.
Personal politics by this time had gotten quite Byzantine. Charles Clement Johnston (August 30, 1795-June 17, 1832) had been elected as a Jacksonian and began his term in the House of Representatives in March, 1831. The brutal Nat Turner slave uprising began in August 1831, and was mercilessly repressed. Peter Johnston, Jr., a Jacksonian and moderate who delicately balanced his loyalties to Virginia with his loyalty to the United States, died on December 8, 1831. In his wake, Charles held a significant investment in enslaved people, far more than his siblings. All of these factors, plus the rising Nullification Crisis, tilted him to a harder line pro-South sectional position. In any case, he would be dead in three months. His wife, Eliza Madison Preston (circa 1803-November 27, 1828) preceded him. Her father was John Preston (1764-1827), a brother of Francis Smith Preston (1765-1836). Two children survived them: John Preston Johnston (1824-1847) and Eliza Mary Johnston (1825-1909). Eventually, the Floyds became their guardians.
In 1830, John Buchanan Floyd (1806-1863) married Sarah "Sally" Buchanan Preston (1802-1879). He had graduated from South Carolina College in Columbia, so was plugged into the Prestons and Johnstons there from the late 1820s. His father was John Buchanan (1783-1837), Governor of Virginia at the time of this letter. John the Governor was married to Letitia Preston (1776-1852). Sally was apparently pregnant and expecting at the time of the letter. However, they had no surviving children. But Floyd may certainly have had children by a "servant" or servants, i.e. enslaved laborers, given their classification as "mulatto." For more on Frank, Sarah Ann and Frank Trigg, Jr., see here. Nicketti Buchanan Floyd (1819-1908), one of John Buchanan Floyd's siblings, later married John Warfield Johnston (1818-1889), a nephew of Charles Clement Johnston.]
Calhoun = John Caldwell Calhoun (1782-1850), who was one of a group of senators (he was still Vice President, presiding over the Senate) that blocked Van Buren's official confirmation as US Minister to Great Britain, even though he was already on the job. Calhoun is in the news again today: Yale University removed his name from Calhoun College, one of its eight residential colleges.
Van Buren = Martin Van Buren (1782-1862), who became the next President of the United States, serving from 1837 to 1841. From 1833 to 1837, he served as Andrew Jackson's Vice President. Calhoun was Vice President from 1825 to 1832.
Ritchie = Thomas Ritchie (1778-1854), pro-Jackson, anti-Calhoun editor of the Richmond Enquirer. His son later killed Edward William Johnston's (1799-1867) friend and associate, John Hampden Pleasants (1797-1846) of the Richmond Whig, in a wild duel.
Rees B. = Rees Bowen (1809-1879), brother of Louisa Smith Bowen Johnston (1800-1873), who was the mother of John Warfield Johnston (1818-1889)].
[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]
"I send at your request two notes ready drawn for $2.000 each with my endorsement . . ." [Discussion of details with niceties added.]
"I am grieved to see how you despond. It proves the truth of my fears that you are all going on badly in Richmond. Our present distractions have been principally produced by the impudence of our own friends: the causeless . . . produced by the agitation of the Slave question at the worst possible time and in the blunder of Calhoun in bringing Van Buren back among us by rejecting him. I had rather have given him double salary to stay away.
My only hope in the present condition and affairs is founded in the certainty that the Northern party is carrying on such a war, so flagrant and undisguised, against all the opinions, institutions and interests, and rights of the South, in every possible shape, that every minor difference amongst ourselves will (if things go on as they inevitably must from present appearances) soon be lost in one common sense of wrong v. determination of resistance.
As soon as the struggle begins all those who like Ritchie forget or betray their principles & their party from personal views, will be put down. We must shoot all deserters & spies.
We are all exceedingly anxious to hear minute information of what is going on in Richmond. Let me beg you to impart frequently from time to time the speculation as well as the news of the day -- I mean that news & speculation in regard to the undercurrent of affairs that we never see in the papers. Tell me too of your family now, if you have a family.
With my kindest regard to Cousin Sally Aunt Floyd your father & family I remain cordially your friend & relative
Ch. C. Johnston
[p.s.] Rees B. spent the evening with me he is well.
[$2,000 in 1832 = about $54,000 in early 2017.
Personal politics by this time had gotten quite Byzantine. Charles Clement Johnston (August 30, 1795-June 17, 1832) had been elected as a Jacksonian and began his term in the House of Representatives in March, 1831. The brutal Nat Turner slave uprising began in August 1831, and was mercilessly repressed. Peter Johnston, Jr., a Jacksonian and moderate who delicately balanced his loyalties to Virginia with his loyalty to the United States, died on December 8, 1831. In his wake, Charles held a significant investment in enslaved people, far more than his siblings. All of these factors, plus the rising Nullification Crisis, tilted him to a harder line pro-South sectional position. In any case, he would be dead in three months. His wife, Eliza Madison Preston (circa 1803-November 27, 1828) preceded him. Her father was John Preston (1764-1827), a brother of Francis Smith Preston (1765-1836). Two children survived them: John Preston Johnston (1824-1847) and Eliza Mary Johnston (1825-1909). Eventually, the Floyds became their guardians.
In 1830, John Buchanan Floyd (1806-1863) married Sarah "Sally" Buchanan Preston (1802-1879). He had graduated from South Carolina College in Columbia, so was plugged into the Prestons and Johnstons there from the late 1820s. His father was John Buchanan (1783-1837), Governor of Virginia at the time of this letter. John the Governor was married to Letitia Preston (1776-1852). Sally was apparently pregnant and expecting at the time of the letter. However, they had no surviving children. But Floyd may certainly have had children by a "servant" or servants, i.e. enslaved laborers, given their classification as "mulatto." For more on Frank, Sarah Ann and Frank Trigg, Jr., see here. Nicketti Buchanan Floyd (1819-1908), one of John Buchanan Floyd's siblings, later married John Warfield Johnston (1818-1889), a nephew of Charles Clement Johnston.]
Calhoun = John Caldwell Calhoun (1782-1850), who was one of a group of senators (he was still Vice President, presiding over the Senate) that blocked Van Buren's official confirmation as US Minister to Great Britain, even though he was already on the job. Calhoun is in the news again today: Yale University removed his name from Calhoun College, one of its eight residential colleges.
Van Buren = Martin Van Buren (1782-1862), who became the next President of the United States, serving from 1837 to 1841. From 1833 to 1837, he served as Andrew Jackson's Vice President. Calhoun was Vice President from 1825 to 1832.
Ritchie = Thomas Ritchie (1778-1854), pro-Jackson, anti-Calhoun editor of the Richmond Enquirer. His son later killed Edward William Johnston's (1799-1867) friend and associate, John Hampden Pleasants (1797-1846) of the Richmond Whig, in a wild duel.
Rees B. = Rees Bowen (1809-1879), brother of Louisa Smith Bowen Johnston (1800-1873), who was the mother of John Warfield Johnston (1818-1889)].
[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]
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