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Letters.
To Judge Story, Washington, D. C.
Boston, Feb. 5, 1845.my dear Judge,—In my last letter, I referred to the terms which a Senator1 had made with his friends, before he consented to be chosen. They were fifty thousand dollars to be subscribed in Boston, and the same sum in New York, to be settled on his life and that of his wife. The subscription in Boston has labored; though, when I last heard of it, the Boston sum had been subscribed,—except about twelve thousand dollars. This treaty has become very generally known, as it was found necessary to impart its conditions to all the persons to whom the application was made. The manufacturing companies have subscribed one thousand dollars each. Of course, the case was submitted to the directors of these companies. None of the L's subscribed, though the A's have.2 It is understood that the New York portion is to be made up by larger sums. It is needless to say that the Legislature could have had no suspicions of any such arrangement; and our good Secretary of State3 says that, if he were a member of the House, he would move for power to send for persons and papers.You will read Mr. Webster's ‘Address to the People of the United States,’ promulgated by the anti-Texas Convention. It is an able paper, which will lift our public sentiment to a new platform of Anti-slavery. The debates in the Convention were most interesting. I never heard Garrison before. He spoke with natural eloquence. Hillard spoke exquisitely. His words descended in a golden shower; but Garrison's fell in fiery rain. It seemed doubtful, at one time, if the Abolitionists would not succeed in carrying the Convention. Their proposals were voted down; though a very respectable number of the Convention were in favor of a dissolution of the Union, in the event of the annexation of Texas.
We have this winter a very good Legislature,—better-toned than usual. Chandler exercises no little influence there. He is always listened to with great attention. His frankness and honesty of purpose are sustained by considerable natural eloquence, and by faithful study of the matters he takes in hand.
Crawford is already in Washington. Perhaps he will call on you. I know that you can spare time for at least a cheering word to a man of genius. He has gone with his model of an equestrian statue of Washington. I fear that Persico may obtain this order. It would be discreditable to Congress, if they neglected their more worthy countryman to lavish this important patronage on a foreigner. I am so anxious that Senators should rightly understand
