Franklin County: William S. Garvin to Simon Cameron, January 24,
1861
Summary:
William S. Garvin opposes federal coercion and supports compromise with the South to save the
Union through Constitutional amendment.
Simon Cameron
Jan. 24. '61
Mercer
Dear Gen.
I have just [unclear: read] the debates in the Senate on Monday last. Your course
gladdens my heart, as it looks as though a way was opening to save this country for your
children and mine. God grant that you may succeed in staying the torrent of secession. Had the
great leaders of the abolition wing of your party, risen to the magnitude of the crisis, and
taken your patriotic position at an earlier day in the session, I think it would have saved us
from the present peril. Every
[page 2]
democrat that I have met to-day, that has been
advised of your position, is highly rejoiced, and I have heard men that were always opposed to
you say that now, since you have shown yourself the foremost patriot in the Senate they are
ready to support you for any thing. The Republican leaders,
however, appear to be chagrined at your course.
But all we want to save the Union, is to let the people of the North have a chance to say to
the people of the South that they are ready to so amend the constitution as to give the South
all the guarantees they ask. There are hundreds
[page 3]
in this county who voted for
Lincoln, that will vote for any amendment to the constitution [Crittenden,
[unclear: Brigler], Douglass,] on any thing else almost
that has a reasonable face. The small politicians will object, but from every quarter I hear of
men breaking away from party trammels and avowing themselves ready to compromise to save the
Union. I have no doubt the same can be said all over the state. If fight we must, it will be
awful - and will give almost every state in the union trouble. I put it down, for instance,
that the democrats no where in the north will sustain coercion, and
if drafted will refuse the requisition. Will
[page 4]
Mr. [unclear: Curtin] and McClure undertake to compel the democrats of this state to go south to fight
their brethren. They will have a good time in doing it, I fancy. Coercion will never do -
better the whole union broke up than coercion attempted in a single state. If we part
peaceably, we can come together again, when the questions of the day have lost their acrimony,
and when we realize how necessary to our security, prosperity, and happiness, the Union really
is - but if we have war, farewell for ever to any future union. But
I am writing too much on this subject.
After offering you an appointment, I do not see how the President can withdraw. In your present position, your name [deleted: would] in his cabinet would be a [unclear: vote] in his support. If he is wise, he will insist on your acceptance.
Yours
Wm.S. Garvin
Sen. Cameron
