The Differences Slavery Made: A Close Analysis of Two American Communities
William S. Garvin, "William S. Garvin to Simon Cameron," January 24, 1861

Summary

Franklin resident, William Garvin, from Mercer in Montgomery Township, wrote Simon Cameron, the Secretary of War in 1861-62. Garvin doubted whether many Democrats in Franklin would fight to keep the South in the Union.

EXCERPT:

"There are hundreds 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 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."

Full-text web version of letter

Location of original letter

Library of Congress

Points of Analysis to this Data:

"Augusta's Whig Party emphasized that slavery was safer within the Union than without and that in the 1860 election slavery had become needlessly politicized. The Augusta Whigs moved to develop a new party around Constitutional Unionism."


Citation: Key = E061
Historiography Tools