With my kindest regards to Mrs. Jones and the members of your family, and in the hope that I may ere long enjoy the pleasure of meeting you and them, I remain always, very respectfully, your friend, TO MR. JONES. JAMES BUCHANAN. (Private.) MY DEAR SIR/ LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, I have received your favor of the 18th ultimo, for which accept my thanks. I am rejoiced that you are once more at your post, and, I trust, with renewed health, as you say nothing to the contrary in your letter. I am now anxiously awaiting the President's message, which we hope to receive on Monday the 17th by the steamer from Boston. Rumors of peace have prevailed here for several days, and from all I can learn they rest upon better foundations than similar rumors have heretofore done. Austria is again the intermediary, and I venture to say that, should her propositions prove acceptable to the French and English Governments, as it is believed they have done, Louis Napoleon will take care that she shall join the allies, in case these propositions should be rejected by Russia. I shrewdly suspect, however, that Austria had consulted Russia before the terms were proposed. Besides, it would be madness for Russia to continue the war should the forces of Austria be added to those of the allies, and this very circumstance will save the honor of the Czar. From the high price of provisions and the pressure of the war, the poor of this country will suffer dreadfully throughout the present winter. The Times, which is an Ishmaelite, as well as certain journals friendly to the Palmerston administration, while rejoicing that the news from America is so peaceful, still endeavors to keep up the delusion that the events threatening war all proceeded from our country. Upon this false assumption, they attribute them to the mere electioneering designs of the President to secure his renomination and reëlection, and then praise the good sense and sober judgment of the American people for restraining him within the proper bounds by the force of public opinion. This is the key to numerous articles in British journals. The greatest injustice is thus done to the President, and his character thus suffers on this side of the Atlantic. I have already vindicated him warmly whenever the occasion offered, but what can one person do in his intercourse with society to remove prejudices created by the press in this manner? After all, they can do no serious injury at home. Indeed, as I have often remarked, such palpable injustice will increase his popularity among the American people. Pennsylvania has now the opportunity of enjoying that proud and influential position in the Union to which she is so justly entitled; and I am rejoiced that you fully appreciate it. The best and most trustworthy Democrats in her ranks ought to go to the Cincinnati Convention resolved to act as a unit in nominating that candidate who, under all the then existing circumstances, will be most likely to succeed, and be best calculated to advance the great interests of the country. You are a much better judge than myself as to future events; but yet I cannot concur with you in opinion that the triumph of the Democratic party in 1856 is beyond a peradventure. Both justice and sound policy require that we should receive into our ranks, with open arms, those national Whigs who agree with us in principle, and who are willing to enter them voluntarily without any compromise. It would be the worst policy in the world to drive them from us by unkindness. I know that great efforts have been made for some time. past to renominate the present President. This I have learned from different portions of the Union. Well, be it so; I have no objection; let his merits and his popularity be fairly weighed at the proper time in comparison with other candidates. Of Wise I can never speak without grateful emotions. He has been my true, able, active, and efficient friend. His energy, patriotism, and moral courage cannot be excelled, and he has much more prudence than his enemies are willing to concede. I am warmly attached to the man, and, should the occasion ever offer, I shall esteem it a privilege to serve him. Please to remember me always in the kindest terms to your wife and family. Remember me, also, most kindly to your Democratic colleagues from Pennsylvania, and believe me ever to be, sincerely your friend, JAMES BUCHANAN. TO MR. JONES. MY DEAR SIR/ LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Your favor of the 22nd ult. did not reach me until the 10th inst. by the Pacific. I had not time to answer it on Friday last from numerous and pressing engagements, but now embrace the opportunity of addressing you a few lines by the Arago, which will leave Southampton to-morrow. I have scarcely the heart to write. On yesterday, I received the mournful intelligence of the death of my much-loved niece, Mary Baker, in San Francisco. I can scarcely think of anything but this sad event. I had not supposed, until the receipt of your letter, that you would be a candidate for the United States Senate, though you are well qualified to fill that station with honor to yourself and advantage to the country. Should the choice fall upon you, I shall say Amen! with all my heart. I had presumed from the manner in which you referred to the subject in one of your letters that your views were in another and different direction. Some time before Mr. Appleton left me, I had placed it out of my power to interfere between the candidates who had been my true and faithful friends. I was strongly advised to this course by several friends who informed me that the candidates would be entirely satisfied with this conduct, and I declared that I would act upon their suggestion. While I cannot, therefore, interfere, I have nevertheless, since the receipt of your letter, informed one trusted friend of my high appreciation of your talents, character, and conduct, and I shall write to others in the same strain by the next steamer. This is no more than the justice which I owe to you, and I cannot go further without violating my word. I shall now anxiously expect to hear by every steamer of the appointment of my successor. I am heartily tired of my present position, and still more so, if possible, since I have heard of the death of my poor niece. I presume we shall have the Message on Monday next. It is expected here that it will assume a decided but prudent tone on the Central American questions. The British people are prepared for this, and it will do good. It will be for the American people to say how I have conducted the negotiation until its termination. Ere this you have perceived that our ultimatum has been rejected in all its parts by the Palmerstonian Administration. In the disposition of the people of England, I should not be astonished if public opinion would require the British Government to reconsider its answer to the President's ultimatum and retrace its steps; provided the subject has been presented in a grave and serious aspect, which I have no doubt will prove to be the case. Prince Esterhazy, the Austrian Ambassador at St. Petersburg, has left Vienna bearing the terms of peace suggested by Austria to France and England and accepted by them. War or peace now depends upon the decision of the Czar. If he be wise, he will accept the olive branch. With my kindest regards to Mrs. Jones and your family, I remain always, very respectfully, your friend, 1856. JAMES BUCHANAN. MY DEAR SIR/ TO MR. JONES. LEGATION OF THE UNITED States, LONDON, Feb. 19, 1856. I have just received your favor of the 4th inst., and have only had time to give it a cursory reading. I shall of course remain here until the arrival of Mr. Dallas, whom I expect by the Collins steamer which was to leave New York on the 16th inst. I trust I may not be disappointed. Whether I shall return home immediately after his arrival, or go to Paris and the Continent until the end of March, I have not determined. I am a wretched sailor and always sick at sea, and the roughest and longest passages are made in March. Everybody advises me not to select the season of the equinoctial gales for crossing the Atlantic. Besides, I have not yet been in Paris. I have not determined, however, what I shall do. I shall direct this letter to Harrisburg, presuming you will be there on its arrival in the United States. Whatever may be the result of the spontaneous exertions of my friends in favor of my nomination, I shall have one source of satisfaction demanding my everlasting gratitude. My own noble State, God forever bless her! has not deserted me in the day of trial, but has covered me with the mantle of her power. Words would be but a vain expression of my feelings toward her noble Democracy; and if I were to employ such as my heart dictates, they would be considered extravagant. Lord Palmerston, in two recent speeches in the House of Commons on the recruitment and Crampton question has done great injustice both to the Administration and myself. By stating part of the facts and suppressing the remainder inseparably connected with them, he has given the question a coloring far, very far different from the truth, as will appear when the correspondence is published. In great haste and with high esteem I remain always your friend, JAMES BUCHANAN. MY DEAR SIR/ TO MR. JONES. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, LONDON, March 7, 1856. I have received your favor of the 18th ult., and note your prediction of my nomination. I confess I am not now and never have been sanguine; but time will show. Well, I have now certain information, through Gen. Campbell, the Consul, that Mr. Dallas and his son, as Minister and Secretary of Legation, will be here in the Atlantic, about the middle of next week. It is my present purpose, soon after his arrival, to pay a brief visit to Paris and the Continent, and to reach home some time in April. It is more than probable I may embark from Havre; but I can settle nothing until Mr. Dallas shall make his appearance. Some friends advise me to remain abroad and others to come home immediately. In this contrariety of opinion I shall take my own course. Being a bad sailor, I do not choose to encounter the equinoctial gales |