SELECTED LETTERS OF SALMON P. CHASE

 To E. S. Hamlin

CINCINNATI, January 19, 1848 [1849]

MY DEAR HAMLIN: Thanks for your two letters, both which I rec'd. today. If you can contrive to let me have future letters mailed on the day you write, so much the better.
Vaughan will go to Clinton on Monday. The Democrats at Columbus ought to use their influence with the Clinton People to unite on a true Free Democrat. If they do not, but persist in encouraging Trimble to run, I fear Vaughan's mission will prove unavailing. If anything occurs at Columbus, important to be known by him in Clinton, a letter directed to me, & reaching me on Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday, can be forwarded to him on Wednesday, Friday & Monday. But, perhaps, the communication direct from Columbus to Wilmington may be more prompt.
I am glad to hear of your meeting with Dimmock & others. I suppose good must come of it. I hope Morsel bill will be made to go along with the bill to repeal the division clauses of the apportionment law. Let the Black Laws & those clauses perish together. They will be fit tenants of a common sepulchre.
As to the Standard, it must not be suffered to stop. Its failure will injure the cause immensely, as well as be extremely injurious to Garrard & yourself, having recd. advance subscriptions for a year. I would cheerfully advance further myself if I were able, but I am not; and it would be unjust to me, after I have subscribed $200 to allow the paper to -top without exhausting every effort to induce the Free Soilers of the State to come forward to its support. I have paid today $100, being the note for the first instalment of my subscription. I cannot think that Mr. Garrard will hesitate to use his credit to the extent necessary to carry the paper beyond the elections in the Legislature, when you will be disengaged and I shall be able to cooperate efficiently with you. Every letter I send out now contains an appeal & is accompanied by a prospectus for the Standard. I sent one to Dr. Paul of Williams County today, & I shall send one to Hoffman of Trumbull tomorrow.
I do hope that Randall will vote for the repeal of the division clauses. It can do hin no hurt but rather great good, and will be exceedingly beneficial to the cause. Vaughan says if there is any danger of Hitchcock's election he will come up & oppose it with all his power. I wish Giddings knew the true state of things.
I feel confident Morse will be firm. He is in earnest in the cause of Free Democracy, and he sees clearly the true position in which things are. He knows too that the only safe course is the straight forward one - that to falter or look back, or turn aside is to be lost.
How stands Van Doren now? Watson said that if it were necessary he would come down. If you think best write to him at Upper Sandusky. Upper I believe, but Van Doren can tell. Do you have any conference with Nickols? I have had several letters front in the best spirit. He may be fully relied on I think in any matter you may wish to confide to him. How far do you & Matthews understand each other? He is a true man, every inch.
I dont think the McClure &c Circular will effect much in Clinton. The old Liberty Guard constitutes there more than half the Free Soil strength. If any man can do anything there it is Vaughan backed by the Liberty men. Is there any possibility that Johnson of Medina can lose his seat? From his statements to me I supposed his rights clear. It must be, if these were true. If there be any such possibility it is more important that the democrats in Clinton should unite with us on a Free Soiler, who is a Free Democrat in reality. We should risk too much by uniting with him unless it is certain that Johnson must go out. They would risk nothing by uniting with us; but would gain much especially by refuting the notion that the Whigs are the more favorable party.

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