Worth, Jonathan, 1802-1869, Letter from Jonathan Worth, July 12, 1856, in The Correspondence of Jonathan Worth, vol. 1. Hamilton, Joseph Grégorie de Roulhac, ed., Raleigh, NC: Edwards & Broughton, 1909, pp. 656. S1590-D004 [Bibliographic Details] [7-12-1856] WorthJ:L1590-4

Letter from Jonathan Worth, July 12, 1856

Asheboro, July 12th, 1856.

My Dear Sir: -- I thank you for your friendly letter of the 6th. I am as you know a Whig of the original parcel, but I am attached to the Union in much [next three lines illegible] hence I thought both parties ought to have nominated for the presidency and vice-presidency those who in the late turmoil had the moral courage to breast the storm while the issue was uncertain. Hence I had decided if the democrats nominated Cass or Douglas and the Whigs nominated any man who, though he might be for the compromise measures, was willing to avoid the displeasure of the extremists by suppressing his opinions, I would vote

-- 50 -- for the democrat. Such I think was the position of General Scott. I thought he was sound on the compromise but that he was willing for the sake of the presidency to refrain from a public avowal of his position at the instance of the abolition Whigs, and thereby allow them to use his name as a means of breaking down Filmore and Webster. The abolition Whigs knew they could not nominate a man of their own stamp with any chance of success, but were willing to support one who had rendered himself less obnoxious by having been less prominent and who was willing to offer them the courtesy of his silence till after the nomination as a bid for their votes. He took pains that the South should know his real sentiments, but under color of a high sense of decorum and dignity procured the support of the abolition Whigs by refraining from a public avowal of his opinion through the press. These are (I am sorry to say, are) my views.
But I did not hesitate a moment to decide on supporting the nominess of the Whig Convention in preference to those of the democrats. The democratic nomination was subject to all my objections against Scott, and would not carry out one of my principles while the Whig nominee would. Besides, I have never doubted the success of the Whig nomination. I think Scott will get more votes than Filmore or Webster. Churubusco, Chapultepec, Mexico will have the claims of the battle of New Orleans. And it has become a settled precedent with Whig presidents to [next line illegible] the Whig Convention made a provision for that very contingency which meets my heartiest approval. I shall support the nominee by every fair means in my power.
I formed my opinion of Filmore while he was in the House of Representatives at the head of the Committee of Ways and Means. I regarded him then, and I have since become confirmed in it, as one of the very few men in the high political station who "would rather be right than be President."

-- [51] --
I have perhaps troubled you too much with my humble views.
This county will do all you will expect from her. I have the vanity to believe that I constitute my full share in forming and establishing her political position, and, however it may have been formed, no county in the State has been more stable for the last 12 years.
I should be glad to be satisfied that Scott's refusal to publish his opinions on the compromise before his nomination sprang from no motive unworthy of the frank and noble solider.