yours of the 9 is at hand,2 as an open enemy he will Dickey will do us less harm than in pretending to be a republican & go growling about trying to sour every body. I regret it Lincoln. He is to good a man to loose, but it is a free country.3 Mr Keeler, a [heavy?] miller in Ottawa was in my office ^this morning,^ he says it will not hurt you. As to the Buchanan Meeting, Saturday It was a fine affair.4 Col[Colonel] Carpenter came down like a good quiet Citizen the night before, stayed at the hotel5 & was introduced to every body, & on Saturday morning (hot as you remember it was) about 11, with musick banners Carriages & an old soldier marked 76[1776] (really 1812) he was escorted to the fair ^ground^ the procession & everything of that kind went off better than at Douglass's (i e) more show & form, but the crowd was at least ²/3 as large as D's.6 Carpenter took the stand spoke between 1 & 2 hours then they adjourned to eat the ox this being done C came back & finished his Speech. His comment was as usual that he was democrat adhered to the democratic party that the democratic party was opposed to the republican party, that he was not there to discuss Slavery as a moral or social question, but simply as a

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political right under the Constitution, addressing the usual arguments, that property in Slaves was recognized by the constitution, and that it was an unfair copartnership if the south could not take his property into the territories as well as the north. then he paid his respects to you said he was not much acquainted with you, but was willing to say you was a gentleman, because D who speaks well of but few had said that much. That he would as soon you would represent the republicans ^as anyone^, but he did object to the sectional move you was making. In regard to the "Dred Scott" he acknowledged "that in his opinion as a political question that decision bound no one and if he was a Senator or Representative he would not consider himself bound by it, that he would have a perfect ^right^ to try & Change it in any Cons^ti^tutional way. Then he pitched into Douglass. Showed his whole course since 54[1854],7 thinks Bissells election by 8,000 made D change his course.8 He met Douglass argument about "Bolters" in this way9 A man is a democrat because he believes in the principles of the democratic party, that if a majority of the State Central Committee for the Democrats had been turned, Repub^s[Republicans] Called a Convention adopted a platform in opposition to the National democracy would any democrat be bound by it, that the Vanburen free soilers in NY in 1848 done that same thing & who ever called the V B movement in NY[New York] a democratic movement, &c &c[etc etc]10

Thus he had nothing to do with the abusing or maling ^gn^ing either of the parties opposed to him that

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that he was but a private citizen & it was beneath him to do it. however but it might suit the character & standing of a distinguished Senator. He says that they will elect a few national democrats to the legislature, who will stand firm & force the Douglass to come to them, if they do not the blame will be upon "Stephen Arnold Douglass" he used that in full. Then said he D has been with the Rep[Republicans] all winter, voted acted & sympathized with ^them^ & yet he is a democrat, & he Carpenter was a bolter for opposing him That in his estimation it ^is^ better for the d great democracy to be beaten, than to let a traitor to them triumph.11 He did pitch heavy, harder than D did into you. Talked about Douglass is making this campaign upon the unpaid wages of Slaves &C &C.

The speech has told terribly against Douglass, in this region. I saw M^cComas of Monticello & others here I asked him what he thought of it He said he thot it was narrowed down to Breeze or Lincoln. Snell has promised me to go to Tazewell About 40 of us subscribed for his paper to day. they published it last week.12 After having heard Carpenters speech I am satisfied that there is no reconcilliation. then there was no mercy in a gesture look or word he uttered. I think they have determined to beat D & then make a dash for the state in 1860.13 Carpenter called D a traitor classed him with Burr & Van Buren. All taken it was a rich thing

Speaking about D defending Clay & Co[company], "It is the height

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charlatainism for such a pigmy to pretend to defend such giants.

All look well here. there will be more excitement here than in 1856. 2 yrs[years] Carpenter said in his showing up of D new born zeal in regard to the submitting of the Kanzas Cons[Constitution] to a vote of the people & that they should legislate regulate their own domestic ^institutions^ in their own way, that that ^never was intended to ^be^ to mean that^ extended to their exclusion the settlers in Kanzas the right to exclude slavery. I wanted to ask him why he did not say this in 56[1856]. But I will, stop this letter is now longer than I expected. I calc close it by inclosing you a ten dollar bill, being a portion of the aid & Comfort I intend & ought to give. It is not right for us to demand your time & money both.