Chapter III (2)

I never had the vanity to imagine that there were not many Democratic
statesmen in the country who could settle our pending questions with
England quite as ably and successfully as myself; and it was,
therefore, solely your own voluntary and powerful appeal to me to
undertake the task which could have overcome my strong repugnance to
go abroad. Indeed, when I stated to you how irksome it would be for
me, at my period of life and with my taste for retirement, again for
the second time to pass through the routine and submit to the
etiquette necessary in representing my country at a foreign court, you
kindly remarked that you were so well convinced of this that you would
never have offered me the mission had it not been for your deliberate
determination that the negotiations on the grave and important
questions between the two countries should be conducted by myself at
London, under your instructions; observing that, in your opinion,
better terms could be obtained for our country at the fountain of
power than through the intermediate channel of the British minister at
Washington.

At any time a foreign mission would be distasteful to me; but peculiar
reasons of a private and domestic character existed at the time I
agreed to accept the British mission, and still exist, which could
only have yielded to the striking view you presented of the high
public duty which required me to undertake the settlement of these
important questions. You will, therefore, be kind enough to permit me,
in case your enlightened judgment has arrived at the conclusion that
Washington, and not London, ought to be the seat of the negotiations,
most respectfully to decline the mission. For this you have doubtless
been prepared by my letter of the 14th instant.

With my deep and grateful acknowledgments for the high honor you
intended for me, and my ardent and sincere wishes for the success and
glory of your administration and for your own individual health,
prosperity and happiness, I remain, very respectfully,

Your friend,
JAMES BUCHANAN.

To this letter I received an answer on Tuesday evening, June 28th, of which the following is a copy:

Footnote 8:

9th July.

[PRESIDENT PIERCE TO MR. BUCHANAN.]

WASHINGTON, D. C., June 26th, 1853.

MR DEAR SIR:—

I was much surprised by the perusal of your letter of the 23d inst.,
received this morning. I had seen no letter from you since that to
which I replied on the 11th inst., and was mortified that through a
mistake of my own, and from no neglect of my private secretary, it had
been misplaced from a large mail of the 17th, with one or two other
letters, and had thus entirely escaped my notice. The motives which
led me to desire your acceptance of the mission to England were fully
stated, first, I think, in my note addressed to you at Wheatland, and
subsequently in our interview. The general views which were expressed
by me at that interview as to the relative advantages of conducting
the negotiations here or at London has undergone no change. Still, the
present condition of affairs with respect to the fisheries and the
various questions connected therewith has seemed to demand that they
be taken up where Mr. Crampton and Mr. Everett left them. Recent
developments have inspired the belief that the fisheries, the
reciprocity question, etc. will leave no ground of concession which
could be available in the settlement of the questions in Central
America. The threatening aspect of affairs on the coast in the
provinces has of necessity called for several conversations between
Mr. Crampton and the Secretary of State, with a view to keep things
quiet there, and, if practicable, to agree upon terms of a
satisfactory adjustment. To suspend these negotiations at this moment,
in the critical condition of our interests in that quarter, might, I
fear, prove embarrassing, if not hazardous. That a treaty can be, or
had better be, concluded here, I am not prepared to say. I have no
wish upon the subject except that the negotiations be conducted
wherever they can be brought to the most speedy and advantageous
termination. The great respect for your judgment, experience, high
attainments and eminent abilities, which led me to tender to you the
mission to England, will induce me to commit to your hands all the
pending questions between the two countries, unless the reasons for
proceeding here with those to which I have referred, shall appear
quite obvious. I need not say that your declination at this time would
be embarrassing to me, and for many reasons a matter to be deeply
regretted.

I thank you for your generous expressions, and assure you that your
heart acknowledges no feeling of personal kindness to which mine does
not respond. If the tax be not too great, will you oblige me by
visiting Washington again? I trust a comparison of conclusions, with
the facts before us, may conduct to a result mutually satisfactory.

With the highest respect, your friend,
FRANKLIN PIERCE.

[MR. BUCHANAN TO PRESIDENT PIERCE.]

WHEATLAND, near LANCASTER, June 29th, 1853.

MR DEAR SIR:—

Your favor of the 26th inst. did not reach Lancaster until yesterday
afternoon. I had thought it strange that you did not answer my letter
of the 14th instant; but this accidental omission has been kindly and
satisfactorily explained by your favor of the 26th.

It is, perhaps, scarcely necessary for me to repeat my unchanged
purpose to accept the English mission and go to London without delay,
if it be still your determination to intrust me with the settlement of
the reciprocity, the fishery and the Central American questions. I
confess, however, that I do not perceive how it is now possible,
employing your own language, “to suspend negotiations (in Washington)
at this moment” on the reciprocity and fishery questions. I agree with
you that it was quite natural that the negotiations “should be taken
up at once, where Mr. Crampton and Mr. Everett left them.” This could
only have been prevented by an official communication to Mr. Crampton,
upon offering to renew the negotiation, informing him of the fact that
you had appointed me minister to London for the very purpose of
settling these, as well as the Central American, questions.

In regard to our Central American difficulties, I still entertain,
after more mature reflection, the most decided opinions—I might even
say convictions. Whilst these difficulties are all embarrassing, one
of them is attended with extreme danger. I refer to the establishment
by Great Britain of the Colony of the Bay of Islands. This wrong has
been perpetrated, if I understand the question, in direct violation of
the Clayton and Bulwer treaty. Our national honor imperatively
requires the removal of this colony. Its withdrawal ought to be a sine
qua non in any negotiation on any subject with the British government.
With what face could we ever hereafter present this question of
violated faith and outraged national honor to the world against the
British government, if whilst, flagrante delicto, the wrong
unexplained and unredressed, we should incorporate the British North
American provinces, by treaty, into the American Union, so far as
reciprocal free trade is concerned? How could we, then, under any
circumstances, make this a casus belli? If a man has wronged and
insulted me, and I take him into my family and bestow upon him the
privileges of one of its members, without previous redress or
explanation, it is then too late to turn round and make the original
offence a serious cause for personal hostilities. It is the first step
which costs; and this ought to be taken with a clear view of all the
consequences. If I were placed in your exalted and well merited
station, my motto should be, “all the questions or none.” This is the
best, nay, perhaps the only mode of satisfactorily adjusting our
difficulties with that haughty, overreaching and imperious government.
My sole object in agreeing to accept a mission, so distasteful to me
in all other respects, was to try the experiment, under your
instructions, well knowing that I should receive from you a firm and
enlightened support. I still cherish the confident belief we should
have proved successful. It would now seem to be too late to transfer
the negotiation to London; but you may still insist that _all_ the
questions shall be settled together in Washington. They still remain
there just as they were in Mr. Fillmore’s time. Why, then, should Mr.
Crampton have received instructions in two of them, and not in the
third?

But I have said and written so much to yourself and Governor Marcy
upon the danger of dividing these questions, that I shall only add
that, were I a Senator, I could not in conscience vote for the
ratification of any partial treaty in the present condition of our
relations with Great Britain. And here I would beg respectfully to
make a suggestion which, if approved by you, might remove all
difficulties. Let Governor Marcy and Mr. Crampton arrange the
reciprocity and fishery questions as speedily as possible; and then
let me carry the perfected projet with me to London, to be executed
there, provided I shall succeed in adjusting the Central American
questions according to your instructions; but in no other event. In
this manner the reciprocity question, as arranged by the Secretary of
State, might still be used as the powerful lever to force a just
settlement of the Central American questions. Indeed, in communicating
your purpose in this respect to Mr. Crampton, Governor Marcy might
address him a note which would essentially assist me in the Central
American negotiation. As the reciprocity and fishery treaty would not
be submitted to the Senate until December, this arrangement would be
productive of no delay.

I should cheerfully visit Washington, or go a thousand miles to serve
you in any manner, but I doubt whether this would be good policy under
existing circumstances. The public journals would at once announce
that I had arrived in Washington to receive my commission and
instructions, and depart for Europe. Finding this not to be the case,
they would presume that some misunderstanding had occurred between you
and myself, which prevented me from going abroad. Is it not better to
avoid such suspicions? If I should not go to England, a brief
explanation can be made in the _Union_ which will put all right, and
the whole matter will be forgotten in a week. After all, however,
should you still wish me to go to Washington, please to have me
telegraphed, because the mail is almost always two, and sometimes
three days in reaching me.

In regard to myself personally, if the expedient which I have
suggested should not be adopted, or something similar to it, then I
should have no business of importance to transact in London, and
should, against all my tastes and inclinations, again subject myself
to the ceremonies, etiquette and round of gaiety required from a
minister at a foreign court. But this is not all. I should violate my
private and social duties towards an only brother, in very delicate
health, and numerous young relatives, some of whom are entirely
dependent upon me and now at a critical period of life, without the
self-justification of having any important public duties to perform.
So reluctant was I, at the first, to undertake the task which, in your
kindness, you had prescribed for me, that my mind was not finally made
up, until a distinguished Senator bluntly informed me, that if I
shrank from it, this would be attributed to a fear of grappling with
the important and dangerous questions with England which had been
assigned to me, both by the voice of the President and the country.

I regret that I have not time, before the closing of the mail, to
reduce my letter to any reasonable dimensions.

From your friend, very respectfully,
JAMES BUCHANAN.

Wednesday, July 6th, at about 6 o’clock in the afternoon, Mr. Mann, the son of the Assistant Secretary of State, arrives and presents me with a private letter from Governor Marcy dated on the day previous, and a sealed package which, upon opening, I found contained my commission and instructions as minister to Great Britain, without the slightest reference to the previous correspondence on the subject between the President and myself, and just as though I had accepted, instead of having declined the mission, and was now on the wing for London! He was to find me wherever I might be. He left about sunset or between that and dark. _Vide_ Governor Marcy’s letter, on page 30.

Thursday morning, July 7, the following letter from the President came to hand, postmarked Washington, July 4th.

[PIERCE TO BUCHANAN.]

WASHINGTON, July 2, 1853.

MY DEAR SIR:—

Your letter of the 29th ultimo was received this morning, and I have
carefully considered its suggestions. The state of the questions now
under discussion between Mr. Crampton and Governor Marcy cannot with a
proper regard for the public interest, be suspended. It is not to be
disguised that the condition of things on the coast is extremely
embarrassing, so much so as to be the source of daily solicitude.
Nothing, it is to be feared, but the prospect of a speedy adjustment
will prevent actual collision. Mr. Crampton has become so deeply
impressed with the hazard of any ill-advised step on either side that
he left this morning with the view of having a personal interview with
Sir George Seymour. Thus, while I am not prepared to say that a treaty
can be concluded here, or that it will prove desirable upon the whole
that it should be, it is quite clear to my mind that the negotiations
ought not to be broken off; and that, with a proper regard to our
interests, the announcement cannot be made to Mr. Crampton that the
final adjustment of the fishery question must await the settlement of
the Central American questions. Believing that the instructions now
prepared would present my views in relation to the mission in the most
satisfactory manner, they will be forwarded to you to-morrow. I need
not repeat the deep regret your declination would occasion on my part.
What explanation could be given for it, I am unable to perceive.

I am, with the highest respect,
Truly your friend,
FRANKLIN PIERCE.

[BUCHANAN TO PIERCE.]

WHEATLAND, near LANCASTER, July 7, 1853.

MY DEAR SIR:—

Yours of the 2d inst., postmarked on the 4th, did not reach me until
this morning at too late an hour to prepare and send an answer to
Lancaster in time for the southern mail. Young Mr. Mann arrived and
left last evening, a _most decided contre-temps_. Had your letter
preceded him, this would have saved me some labor, and, although a
very placid man, some irritation.

Although the opinions and purposes expressed in my letters of the
14th, 23d and 29th ultimo remain unchanged, yet so great is my
personal desire to gratify your wishes that I shall take the question
under reconsideration for a brief period. I observe from the papers
that you will be in Philadelphia, where I anticipate the pleasure of
paying you my respects. Then, if not sooner, I shall give your letter
a definite answer.

I hope that in the meantime you may look out for some better man to
take my place. You may rest assured I can manifest my warm friendship
for your administration and for yourself far more effectively as a
private citizen of Pennsylvania than as a public minister in London.

From your friend,
Very respectfully,
JAMES BUCHANAN.

[MARCY TO BUCHANAN.]

STATE DEPARTMENT, }
(Private) WASHINGTON, July 5, 1853. }

MY DEAR SIR:—

I expected you would be again in Washington before you left for
England, but as this is uncertain, I have concluded to send by the
bearer, Mr. W. G. C. Mann, the instructions which have been
prepared for you. I have preferred to send them in this way lest
they should not reach you in season if entrusted to the mail.

I should have been pleased with an opportunity of submitting them
to you, and having the benefit of any suggestions you might make
thereon; but I shall not have it, as you will not probably be here
before your departure on your mission. The instructions have been
carefully examined by the President, and made conformable to his
views. Should there be other documents than those now sent, which
it would be proper for you to take out, they will be forwarded to
our despatch agent at New York, and by him handed to you.

Very respectfully your obedient servant,
W. L. MARCY.

On Monday evening, July 11, 1853, I went to Philadelphia to meet
the President, according to my appointment. I saw him on Tuesday
afternoon at the head of the military procession, as it marched
from Market Street down Sixth to Independence Hall. He was on the
right of General Patterson, and being a good horseman, he appeared
to much advantage on horseback. He recognized me, as he rode
along, at the window of the second story of Lebo’s Commercial
Hotel.

The reception of the President in Philadelphia was all that his
best friends could have desired. Indeed, the Whigs seemed to vie
with the Democrats in doing honor to the Chief Magistrate. Price
Wetherell, the President of the Select Council, did his whole
duty, though in a fussy manner, and was much gratified with the
well-deserved compliments which he received. The dinner at
McKibbins’ was excellent and well conducted. We did not sit down
to table until nearly nine o’clock. The mayor, Mr. Gilpin,
presided. The President sat on his right, and myself on his left.
In the course of the entertainment he spoke to me, behind Mr.
Gilpin, and strongly expressed the hope that I would accept the
mission, to which I made a friendly, but indefinite answer. He
then expressed a desire to see me when the dinner should be ended;
but it was kept up until nearly midnight, the President cordially
participating in the hilarity of the scene. We then agreed to meet
the next morning.

After mature reflection, I had determined to reject the mission,
if I found this could be done without danger of an open breach
with the administration; but if this could not be done, I was
resolved to accept it, however disagreeable. The advice of
Governor Porter, then at McKibbins’, gave me confidence in the
correctness of my own judgment. My position was awkward and
embarrassing. There was danger that it might be said (indeed it
had already been insinuated in several public journals), that I
had selfishly thrown up the mission, because the fishery question
had not been entrusted to me, although I knew that actual
collision between the two countries on the fishery grounds might
be the consequence of the transfer of the negotiation to London.
Such a statement could only be rebutted by the publication of the
correspondence between the President and myself; but as this was
altogether private, such a publication could only be justified in
a case of extreme necessity.

Besides, I had no reason to believe that the President had taken
from me the reciprocity and fishery questions with any deliberate
purpose of doing me injury. On the contrary, I have but little
doubt that this proceeded from his apprehension that the
suspension of the negotiation might produce dangerous consequences
on the fishing grounds. I might add that his instructions to me on
the Central American questions were as full and ample as I could
desire. Many friends believed, _not without reason_, that if I
should decline the mission, Mr. Dallas would be appointed; and
this idea was very distasteful to them, though not to myself.

The following is the substance of the conversation between the
President and myself on Wednesday morning, the 13th of July,
partly at McKibbins’, and the remainder on board the steamer which
took us across to Camden. It was interrupted by the proceedings at
Independence Hall on Wednesday morning.

The President commenced the conversation by the expression of his
strong wish that I would not decline the mission. I observed that
the British government had imposed an absurd construction on the
fishery question, and without notice had suddenly sent a fleet
there to enforce it, for the purpose, as I believed, of obtaining
from us the reciprocity treaty. Under these circumstances I should
have said to Great Britain: You shall have the treaty, but you
must consent at the same time to withdraw your protectorate from
the Mosquito Coast, and restore to Honduras the colony of the Bay
of Islands. That this course might still be adopted at Washington,
and that in this view all the negotiations had better be conducted
there. Without answering these remarks specifically, the
President, reiterating his request that I should accept the
mission, spoke strongly of the danger of any delay, on our part,
in the adjustment of the fishery question, and said that Mr.
Crampton, deeply impressed with this danger, had gone all the way
to Halifax to see Admiral Seymour, for the purpose of averting
this danger. I observed that it was far, very far from my desire,
in the present state of the negotiation, to have charge of the
fishery negotiation at London; but still insisted that it was best
that the Central American questions should also be settled at
Washington. To this he expressed a decided aversion. He said that
serious difficulties had arisen, in the progress of the
negotiations, on the reciprocity question, particularly in regard
to the reciprocal registry of the vessels of the two parties; and
it was probable that within a short time the negotiation on all
the questions would be transferred to me at London, and that my
declining the mission at this time would be very embarrassing to
his administration, and could not be satisfactorily explained. I
replied that I thought it could. It might be stated in the _Union_
that after my agreement to accept the mission, circumstances had
arisen rendering it necessary that the negotiations with which I
was to be entrusted at London, should be conducted at Washington;
that I myself was fully convinced of this necessity; but that this
change had produced a corresponding change in my determination to
accept a mission which I had always been reluctant to accept, and
we had parted on the best and most friendly terms. Something like
this, I thought, would be satisfactory.

He answered that after such an explanation it would be difficult,
if not impossible, to get a suitable person to undertake the
mission. He had felt it to be his duty to offer me this important
mission, and he thought it was my duty to accept it. He said that
if the Central American questions should go wrong in London,
entrusted to other hands than my own, both he and I would be
seriously blamed. He said, with much apparent feeling, that he
felt reluctant to insist thus upon my acceptance of a mission so
distasteful to me.

Having fully ascertained, as I believed, that I could not decline
the mission without giving him serious offence, and without danger
of an open rupture with the administration, I said: “Reluctant as
I am to accept the mission, if you think that my refusal to accept
it would cause serious embarrassment to your administration, which
I am anxious to support, I will waive my objections and go to
London.” He instantly replied that he was rejoiced that I had come
to this conclusion, and that we should both feel greatly the
better for having done our respective duties. He added that I need
not hurry my departure. I told him that although my instructions
gave me all the powers I could desire on the Central American
questions, yet they had not been accompanied by any of the papers
and documents in the Department relating to these questions; that
these were indispensable, and without them I could not proceed. He
expressed some surprise at this, and said he would write to
Governor Marcy that very evening. I told him he need not trouble
himself to do this, as I should write to him myself immediately
after my return home.

This was on the river. I accompanied him to the cars, where I took
leave of him, Mr. Guthrie, Mr. Davis and Mr. Cushing, who all
pressed me very much to go on with them to New York.

[TO CITIZENS OF LANCASTER.]

WHEATLAND, near LANCASTER, July 23, 1853.

GENTLEMEN:—

I have received your very kind invitation on behalf of my friends
and neighbors, to partake of a public dinner before my departure
for England.

No event of my past life has afforded me greater satisfaction than
this invitation, proceeding as it does, without distinction of
party, from those who have known me the longest and known me the
best.

Born in a neighboring county, I cast my lot among you when little
more than eighteen years of age, and have now enjoyed a happy home
with you for more than forty-three years, except the intervals
which I have passed in the public service. During this long period
I have experienced more personal kindness, both from yourselves
and from your fathers, than has, perhaps, ever been extended to
any other man in Pennsylvania who has taken so active a part, as I
have done, in the exciting political struggles which have so
peculiarly marked this portion of our history.

It was both my purpose and desire to pass the remainder of my days
in kind and friendly social intercourse with the friends of my
youth and of my riper years, when invited by the President of my
choice, under circumstances which a sense of duty rendered
irresistible, to accept the mission to London. This purpose is now
postponed, not changed. It is my intention to carry it into
execution, should a kind Providence prolong my days and restore me
to my native land.

I am truly sorry not to be able to accept your invitation. Such
are my engagements, that I can appoint no day for the dinner when
I could, with certainty, promise to attend. Besides, a farewell
dinner is at best but a melancholy affair. Should I live to
return, we shall then meet with joy, and should it then be your
pleasure to offer me a welcome home dinner, I shall accept it with
all my heart.

I cherish the confident hope that during my absence I shall live
in your kindly recollection, as my friends in Lancaster County
shall ever live in my grateful memory.

Cordially wishing you and yours, under the blessing of Heaven,
health, prosperity and happiness, I remain

Your friend and fellow-citizen,
JAMES BUCHANAN.

Here, in regard to this English mission and other matters, Mr. Buchanan’s correspondence with his niece, Miss Lane, from February to August, 1853, will show how tender and how important had now become their relations to each other.

[TO MISS LANE.]

WHEATLAND, near LANCASTER, Feb. 3, 1853.

MY DEAR HARRIET:—

I have passed the time quietly at home since I left Philadelphia,
toiling night and day, to reduce the pile of letters which had
accumulated during my absence. I have got nearly through and
intend to pass some days in Harrisburg next week. I have literally
no news to communicate to you. Miss Hetty and myself get along to
a charm. She expects Miss Rebecca Parker here to-day,—the promise
of Mr. Van Dyke. I hope she may come.

I received a letter yesterday from Mr. Pleasanton, dated on the
31st ultimo, from which the following is an extract:

“Clemmy wrote some two weeks ago to Miss Harriet asking her to
come here and spend some time with us. As she has not heard from
her, she supposes Miss Lane to be absent. Be good enough to
mention this to her, and our united wish that she should spend the
residue of the winter and the spring with us. There is much gaiety
here now, though we do not partake of it. We will contrive,
however, that Miss Lane shall participate in it.”

Now do as you please about visiting Washington. I hope you are
enjoying yourself in Philadelphia. Please to let me know where you
have been, what you have been doing, and what you propose to do. I
trust you will take good care of yourself, and always act under
the influence of high moral principle and a grateful sense of your
responsibility to your Creator.

Yours affectionately,
JAMES BUCHANAN.

[FROM MISS LANE.]

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 6, 1853.

MY DEAR UNCLE:—

I still continue to enjoy myself here, and have made many more
acquaintances than I have ever had the opportunity of doing
before. Lent commencing this week may in some degree affect the
pleasures of society, but of that, as yet, we cannot judge. As
regards Washington, I understand perfectly that, as far as you
yourself are concerned, you wish me to do as I feel inclined, but
your disinterested opinions are rather for a postponement of my
visit; these I had quietly resolved to act upon. Should you have
changed your mind or have any advice to give, let me know it at
once, for rest assured I am always happier and better satisfied
with myself when my actions are fully sanctioned by your wishes.

The day after you left we had an elegant dinner at Mrs.
Gilpin’s—many, many were the regrets that you were not present.
Mr. —— treated me with marked attention—drank wine with me first
at table—talked a great deal of you, and thinks you treated him
shabbily last summer by passing so near without stopping to see
him. I tell you these things, as I think they show a desire on his
part to meet you. —— was there, very quiet. How I longed for you
to eclipse them all, and be, as you always are, the life and soul
of the dinner. Thursday Mrs. John Cadwallader’s magnificent ball
came off. I enjoyed it exceedingly, and was treated most kindly.
James Henry received an invitation to it, but did not go. He has
returned to Princeton full of studious resolves.

I found my engagements such as to make it impossible for me to go
to Mrs. Tyler’s last week. I arranged everything satisfactorily to
all parties, and go there to stay to-morrow (Monday). Every
possible kindness has been shown me by Mr. and Mrs. Plitt, and my
visit to them has been delightful.

Mary Anderson remained here but a week on her return from
Washington. I passed a day with them very pleasantly......

No news from Mary yet. I miss her every hour in the day, but will
scarcely be able to count my loss, until I get home where I have
always been accustomed to see her. I had a letter from Lizzie
Porter telling me of her aunt’s death. My best love to Miss Hetty.
Mrs. Plitt sends her love. Hoping to hear from you very soon,
believe me ever, my dear uncle,

Your sincerely affectionate
HARRIET.

[TO MISS LANE.]

WHEATLAND, near LANCASTER, March 15, 1853.

MY DEAR HARRIET:—

I received yours of the 11th, postmarked the 14th, last night. I
now receive about fifty letters per day; last Saturday sixty-nine;
and the cry is still they come, so that I must be brief. I labor
day and night.

You ask: Will you accept the mission to England? I answer that it
has not been offered, and I have not the least reason to believe,
from any authentic source, that it will be offered. Indeed, I am
almost certain that it will not, because surely General Pierce
would not nominate me to the Senate without first asking me
whether I would accept. Should the offer be made, I know not what
I might conclude. Personally, I have not the least desire to go
abroad as a foreign minister. But “sufficient unto the day is the
evil thereof.” I really would not know where to leave you, were I
to accept a foreign mission, and this would be one serious
objection.

I think you are wise in going to Mr. Macalester’s. You know how
much I esteem and admire Mrs. Tyler, but still a long visit to a
friend is often a great bore. Never make people twice glad. I have
not seen Kate Reynolds since her return, and have had no time to
see any person.

In remarking as I did upon your composition, I was far from
intending to convey the idea that you should write your letters as
you would a formal address. Stiffness in a letter is intolerable.
Its perfection is to write as you would converse. Still all this
may be done with correctness. Your ideas are well expressed, and
the principal fault I found was in your not making distinct
periods, or full stops, as the old schoolmasters used to say. Miss
——’s are probably written with too much care,—too much precision.

We have no news. We are jogging on in the old John Trot style, and
get along in great peace and harmony.

March 19, 1853.

I return you Mr. ——’s appeal, so that you may have it before you
in preparing your answer. The whole matter is supremely
ridiculous. I have no more reason to believe than I had when I
last wrote, that I shall be offered the mission to England. Should
his offer be made, it will be a matter of grave and serious
consideration whether I shall accept or decline it. I have not
determined this question. “Sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof.” Should it be accepted, it will be on the express
condition that I shall have liberty to choose my own Secretary of
Legation; and from the specimen of diplomacy which Mr. —— has
presented, I think I may venture to say he will not be the man. I
would select some able, industrious, hard working friend, in whose
integrity and prudence I could place entire reliance. In fact, I
have the man now in my eye, from a distant State, to whom I would
make the offer—a gentleman trained by myself in the State
Department. I must have a man of business, and not a carpet
knight, who would go abroad to cut a dash.

Now you may say to Mr. —— that I know nothing of the intention of
the President to offer me the English mission, and that you are
equally ignorant whether I would accept or decline it (and this
you may say with truth, for I do not know myself). If accepted,
however, you presume that I would cast about among my numerous
friends for the best man for the appointment; and whatever your
own wishes might be, you would not venture to interfere in the
matter; that you took no part in such matters. This ought to be
the substance of your letter, which you may smooth over with as
many honeyed phrases as you please.

I think that a visit to Europe, with me as minister, would spoil
you outright, Besides, it would consume your little independence.
One grave objection to my acceptance of the mission, for which I
have no personal inclination, would be your situation. I should
dislike to leave you behind, in the care of any person I know. I
think there is a decided improvement in your last letter. Your
great fault was that your sentences ran into each other, without
proper periods.

Good night! I cannot say how many letters I have written to-day.
Thank Heaven! to-morrow will be a day of rest. I do not now expect
to visit Pittsburgh until after the first of April, though I have
a pecuniary concern there of some importance.

With my kindest regards to Miss Macalester and the family, I
remain, etc.

STATE DEPARTMENT, }
WASHINGTON, May 24, 1853. }

I have received your letter, and have not written until the
present moment because I did not know what to write. It is now
determined that I shall leave New York on Saturday, 9th July. I
cannot fix the day I shall be at home, because I am determined not
to leave this until posted up thoroughly on the duties of the
mission. I hope, however, I may be with you in the early part of
next week. I am hard at work.

I went from Willard’s to Mr. Pleasanton’s last evening. Laura and
Clemmie are well, and would, I have no doubt, send their love to
you if they knew I was writing. I have seen but few of the
fashionables, but have been overrun with visitors.

Remember me kindly to Miss Hetty and to James, and believe me to
be, etc.

NEW YORK, August 4, 1853.

—— —— called to see me this morning, and was particularly amiable.
He talked much of what his father had written and said to him
respecting yourself, expressed a great desire to see you, and we
talked much bagatelle about you. He intimated that his father had
advised him to address you. I told him he would make a very
rebellious nephew, and would be hard to manage. He asked where you
would be this winter, and I told him that you would visit your
relations in Virginia in the course of a month, and might probably
come to London next spring or summer. He said he would certainly
see you, and asked me for a letter of introduction to you, which I
promised to give him. As he was leaving, he told me not to forget
it, but give it to the proprietor of the Astor House before I
left, and I promised to do so. I told him that you had appreciated
his father’s kindness to you, felt honored and gratified for his
(the father’s) attentions, and admired him very much. He knew all
about your pleasant intercourse with his father in Philadelphia.
There was much other talk which I considered, and still consider,
to be bagatelle, yet the subject was pursued by him. As I have a
leisure moment, I thought I would prepare you for an interview
with him, in case you should meet. —— —— is a man of rare
abilities and great wit, and is quite eminent in his profession.
His political course has been eccentric, but he still maintains
his influence. I never saw him look so well as he did to-day. I
repeat that I believe all this to be bagatelle; and yet it seemed
to be mingled with a strong desire to see you.

Saturday Morning, August 6.

...... And now, my dear Harriet, I shall go aboard the Atlantic
this morning, with a firm determination to do my duty, and without
any unpleasant apprehensions of the result. Relying upon that
gracious Being who has protected me all my life until the present
moment, and has strewed my path with blessings, I go abroad once
more in the service of my country, with fair hopes of success. I
shall drop you a line from Liverpool immediately upon my arrival.

With my kindest regards to Miss Hetty, I remain,

Yours affectionately,
JAMES BUCHANAN.