AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED FROM BEDFORD, PA., 5 DECEMBER 1833, TO SAMUEL M. BARCLAY, HARRISBURG, DISCUSSING HIS OPPOSITION TO SAMUEL MCKEAN, CANDIDATE FOR THE U.S. SENATE SEAT VACATED BY GEORGE DALLAS: "DEAR SIR, I REC'D THIS MORNING YOUR LETTER OF SAME AND THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION IT CONTAINED. WITH THE ELECTION OF SPEAKER I AM PLEASED, MR. FINDLAY IS A YOUNG GENTLEMAN OF TALENTS - HIS INTEGRITY UNQUESTIONABLE, HE IS A GENUINE DEMOCRAT, AND THE SON OF MY OLD AND WORTHY FRIEND - THERE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN A SELECTION MORE GRATIFYING TO ME. IT WAS WITH GREAT PLEASURE I VOTED FOR HIS FATHER FOR U.S. SENATOR, AND IT WOULD HAVE AFFORDED ME MUCH PLEASURE TO VOTE FOR HIS SON FOR SPEAKER HAD I BEEN PLACED IN A SITUATION TO DO SO. "WITH RESPECT TO U.S. SENATOR, MR. SERGEANT THO A MAN OF EMINENT TALENTS AND STERN INTEGRITY HAS NO EARTHLY CHANCE OF AN ELECTION, AND HE HAS NOT MANY FRIENDS AMONG YOUR CONSTITUENTS, OF COURSE IT COULD HARDLY BE EXPECTED THAT YOU WOULD VOTE FOR HIM. RUSH, DUANE OR MUHLENBERG IN MY HUMBLE OPINION WOULD BE THE CANDIDATES FOR YOU TO SELECT FROM AND SUPPORT. MCKEAN HAS NO FRIENDS IN THIS COUNTY IN ANY PARTY (JOB MANN EXCEPTED) YOU KNOW THE ACTIVE THOROUGHGOING JACKSON MEN ARE OPPOSED TO HIM ... SO ARE A MAJORITY OF THE NATIONALS, HIS TALENTS ARE NOT SUPERIOR TO THE OTHERS - UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WHY SUPPORT HIM - IF YOU WISH TO REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOU WILL NOT VOTE FOR HIM; AND IF YOU WANT TO BENEFIT YOUR NATIVE STATE I PRESUME YOU WOULD NOT SELECT SAML MCKEAN AS THE PROPER PERSON. I HAVE THUS FREELY GIVEN YOU MY REASONS, TAKE THEM FOR WHAT THEY ARE WORTH. HAD YOU NOT REQUESTED MY OPINION I WOULD NOT HAVE GIVEN IT. . . [signed] D. MANN."
Bedford, PA: December 5, 1833. Folio sheet, folded to 8" x 9-1/2". Written on the first two pages in ink manuscript. Docketed on final blank, "5th Dec. 1833 D. Mann ansd." Addressed, "Samuel M. Barclay Member H.R. Harrisburg Pa." Circular postal cancel, "Bedford PA Dec 7". Folded for mailing, wax..... More