"I pray you read this letter immediately!
"_Jan'y 29th, 1861._
"MY DEAR CASSIDY,--I received your telegraph this evening--and so kind
a message would have started me at once for Albany, but one side of my
face is badly swollen, and unless it is better to-morrow I must keep
within doors.
"From the names of the delegates to the convention, and the disrelish
now almost universally expressed against coercion, do not doubt its
expression will be strongly against war.
"I hope they will make Gov'r Throop president, and that they will name
Mr. Fillmore or Gov'r Hunt, Gov'r Seymour and Mr. Brady or O'Connor and
Mr. Belmont to visit Washington and such other places as they shall
think advisable for the purpose of persuading all belligerents to defer
all hostile demonstrations for a period of 15 months, or until the 4th
of July, 1862, in order to give the people time to consider the whole
subject and to act upon it in such way as may be agreed upon.
"_Time is necessary. It is indispensable._ And if the convention will
confine itself to that one point and ask time for consideration it
cannot very decently be refused.
"Time is wanted--
"1st. That Mr. Lincoln may dispose of his patronage.
"2nd. Until elections can be held in all the Northern States, in most
of which the Republicans would be defeated.
"3rd. That the South may try the Southern confederacy, in which they
will probably fail to realize the golden advantages, and will be quite
willing to resume their places in the Union when they can do so with
honor.
"I think Legislatures may be elected next fall in 2/3 of the States,
a convention called, good amendments proposed and ratified, so as to
bring all the States again into the Union, and that your convention is
the proper body to _start this project at this time_.
"If it takes this course it should appoint an executive or
corresponding committee to act and correspond with other States, and
should omit expressing any opinion as to the _particular amendments now
before Congress_, so as to be free from all commitments to special and
particular projects.
"I think this the only way of preventing war and saving the Union.
"I hope the resolutions will refrain from condemning the seceding
States, also from demanding the forts to be reclaimed, and, in fact,
everything that can lead to war.
"I had a talk yesterday with Mr. Loomis, and he understands my views,
and will, I believe, act in accordance with them, as they seemed to be
his also.
"_Wednesday Morning._
"The two sides of my face are too unequal to show it in Albany, so
I will add a few words which I think the most important I have ever
penned, unless there should be some one or more who have by careful
reflection come to the same conclusion; and I hope you will not reject
them on the first perusal, but weigh them, reflect upon them, suggest
them to Richmond, Van Buren, O'Connor, etc.
"_To direct the whole action of the convention to initiate a call of a
national constitutional convention through a requisition upon Congress
by the States, and demand the necessary and indispensable time to
effect this object._
"Such action will drive the Republicans to abandon their warlike
measures, and will very likely hurry them either to the adoption of
some of the measures before Congress or to take the initiative this
winter for the call of a national convention while they have the
apparent power of controlling it.
"Such a movement would carry every Northern State except Massachusetts
and Vermont, would restore the Democracy to power, and revive and
invigorate the Union. Start it, I implore you, and do not let the
convention exhaust itself on the rubbish now before Congress. We must
strike a blow at the overwhelming patronage of the Federal government,
and restore it to the States to augment their power. We must place the
South in a position where it will feel its equality, and have the means
of defending itself in its own hands.
"By taking this course, simple and pure, invigorating it with all the
spirit and vehemence of the convention so as to arrest the attention
of the whole country, you will open a door for the reunion of all
Democrats at home and abroad, and save all that is worth saving in our
institutions.
"You recollect Act. 5--Cons. U. S.--that Congress _shall_, on the call
of 2/3 of the States, call a convention.
"You initiate this proceeding, then you have a reason for demanding
peace, for you have a constitutional remedy to propose. You have an
object always ahead to accomplish, all old, obsolete issues are dead,
and you have always hope to influence the masses and the _Union to
love_ to incite all men to its restoration to health and vigor.
"If this plan of action is proposed by others, encourage it if you
have resolved upon it; be confirmed in your resolution, but do not,
I beseech you, reject it because it comes from so humble a source
as myself. I fancy I have bestowed as much calm reflection upon all
the phases of this state of the country as all the members of the
convention. I believe no one can be personally less interested, whether
we all go to chaos and confusion, or come out with renewed vigor from
the dangers of this dark hour.
"If it shall appear that I am a suggester, then I beg you to place the
matter in Van Buren's hands and let him at the first practicable moment
lay the subject fairly and squarely before the convention. And as more
think upon it they will admit it is the thing to kill the Republican
party. If John is obdurate try Seymour and some one else.
"Yours truly,
"D. BURWELL."
"_Wm. Cassidy, Esq._"