FUNDAMENTAL
DOCUMENTS

ARCHIVES/
LIBRARY

ONLINE
RESEARCH
TOOLS

ONLINE
DOCUMENTS

ONLINE
SERVICES

JNO. HAMM. TO WASHINGTON

Zanesville, Ohio, Decemr. 14th 1811.

Dr. Sir,

You will have, doubtless, observed by our newspaper here, that proceedings of the Legislature - particularly a Resolution of Mr. Huntington's to go into an election of Secretary of State. This was a direct attack upon the new order of things, and was negatived by one vote of a majority' The mover stated that, the Secretary had alledge to him he could not in conscience act after the 15th December - the contest occupied some considerable time & was warmly agitated; but the good sense of the legislature has again triumphed. This measure, co-operating with other causes, has excited a strong prejudice to the re-election of the present incumbent of that office. Some of mine & your friends, both in and out of the legislature, have seen proper to speak of me as a candidate. However necessary it may be to produce union and harmony at this crisis of our national affairs, yet, it would seem to me, that in this state the opposition to the best interest of the people are bent upon [illeg. ]. Notwithstanding the declarations of some that they would not attempt to rescind the Resolution, yet, ' it appears that it was only designed to lull us into fatal security. for at this mo- ment they completely show what mischief they would do if they had it in their power. Indeed it looks as if the friends & advocates of the new order of things were sliding into the minority without a perfect consciousness of their danger, or the danger of the people

I am sure you will agree with me, it is the princple not the man that is the ob- ject: if you think well of the wish of some friends here to confer that station for me you will be so good as to write to such of your friends here upon the subject as you may deem condusive to the promotion of the princple or the interests of the party. The reason of this expression is that it may tend to combine the whole strength - the office I want not, but it is expedient that if we die, let us die strugling for victor

However, to you, Dr. sir, I even rest the opinion whether I had better be a candidate or not -

Since I wrote to you last, I was called upon by the Govr; upon the receipt of yr. letter to him, and desired to read it - alleging as he did that he knew I was your friend &c &c - I felt a momentary pang of regret at the man I had only a few days be- fore written you' Waving all considerations of your magnanimity & disinterestedly on the occasion I only request that you suspend your opinion upon the list I gave you un- till I have (which will be soon) a view of the whole ground. If I am wrong, believe me, sir, I shall endeavor to regain the right road. I somewhat regret I wrote it; perhaps, I am suspicious without a cause: But this I know, that a more unprincipled, selfish, & wicked faction never existed in the legislative conncils of Ohio -

It is not amiss to mention to you that the election of Secretary of State will not come on untill about the 18th of January.

I write also to Dr. Campbell: not having the satisfaction of being personally known to Mr. Morrow, I do not write to him. - This I leave to you, to do what you see proper on the occasion; for though you are at Washington & I here you are a better Judge than I am.

I remain, Dr. Sir, you Friend.

Jno Hamm.

P.S. Charges are likely to be preferred against Judge Thompson for mal-administration! A committee of 5 is appointed on the subject - I do not know the charges to be adduced. but am informed that it is more than probable the Articles of Impeachment will be prefered against him.

19