Jersey

Jersey — marelibri

AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY J. WILSON TO CONGRESSMAN HUGH WHITE ON THE STATE OF WHIG PARTY SENTIMENT IN NEW JERSEY 11 MAY 1848

1848Best.-Nr. 40142Trenton New Jersey 1848. 2-1/2 pages entirely in ink manuscript on pale blue stationery 8" x 10." At head of letter: a printed presidential sticker 1" x 2-1/2": "For President Zachary Taylor. For Vice President Millard Fillmore." Very Good. The Letter reflects Whigs' uncertainty about the direction of their Party. The most prominent Whigs Webster and Clay had failed to win the Presidency. Zachary Taylor a heroic general whose political opinions were a mystery seemed a better choice. "I have received the letter which you addressed to me on behalf of the Whig Executive Committee of the two Houses of Congress desiring information of the state of public opinion in this state in regard to the candidate for the Presidency & other political topics which now interest the Whig Party. I have shown it to my associates upon the Whig Central Committee of this state and conferred with them upon the subjects of your inquiry. "In regard to the Presidential candidate there is much division of opinion among the Whigs of New Jersey. Many of the most active and intelligent among them in every section of the state think that our candidate should be one whom we have never yet presented to the people. . . The minds of these persons are strongly turned towards Gen. Taylor. "Others equally active and intelligent and equally devoted to the Whig Party think otherwise and their entire hopes and affections centre in Mr. Clay whose nomination they ardently desire and with whom they feel assured of triumph. The minds of others rest on Gen. Scott tho this class is by no means as numerous as either of the others. "We confess ourselves unable to decide. . . Our State Convention to appoint delegates to the National Whig Convention will meet on 24th inst. and we await such further intelligence as the representations of the different counties in that body will bring us. . . The views which I have expressed are those of a majority of our Committee." Wilson's correspondent was Congressman Hugh White of New York State elected as a Whig to Congress 1845-1851. unknown