by Southard, Isaac
folio, one page, plus stamp less address leaf, formerly folded small hole affecting one word of text, else very good.
1821 US Senator, future Secretary of the Navy and Governor of New Jersey confronts anonymous slander and "church prejudice"
Isaac Southard, later a Member of the US Congress, writes to his more illustrious brother, an Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court who had just been elected to the US Senate, soon to be appointed President Monroe's Secretary of the Navy, (as well as temporary Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of War), later elected Governor of New Jersey and then again to the US Senate - about an anonymous slanderous letter:
"It is impossible for me to tell you who 'Poor Mechanic' is. I have my opinion, others have theirs, some think it is David Thompson of Morris, others think if General Doughty? I do not believe it to be either, neither do I believe it to be the Doctor. You may assert with as much assurance as you please that it is not him, in my opinion, indeed I am perfectly satisfied he knows no more about the writer than you do. I have not seen the Doctor since I wrote but I understand he feels himself very uncomfortably situated. I am glad you have got the opinion of these men. I am so far satisfied that [Browter?] wrote the letter and that that opinion will be corroborated by all unprejudiced men, that I think they ought to be showed to every body, only [?] this impression on the public mind, and half the object that I would [desire?] to accomplish is already done. Indeed it is high time the villain was [?] he has done and still is, fixing some strong prejudices in the minds of many good men against the family. Church prejudices are generally the strongest of any, the most effectual in destroying mens characters and are generally carried to the greatest extremes, such are the weapons with which that creature (I ought to have said that wolf) has clothed himself to fight against us. I hope that he may be stopped in his career, and I pray god it may be soon. I feel anxious to have the letter I want the public to see thus. The other letters that he has written to the Doctor and myself are scattered bout in different places, as soon as they can be collected together I will send them to you…"
There are no contemporary press accounts of the "Poor Mechanic" slander, which was apparently not published, but only sent by letter to Isaac Southard and others. What this had to do with "church prejudice" is unknown. Isaac's brother Samuel was certainly one of the most distinguished statesmen of his time. While again serving in the Senate in 1840, being elected President Pro Tempore of that body, after the sudden death of President William Henry Harrison, Southard was first in line of succession to the Presidency after Harrison's Vice President, John Tyler, became Chief Executive. (Inventory #: 31210)
1821 US Senator, future Secretary of the Navy and Governor of New Jersey confronts anonymous slander and "church prejudice"
Isaac Southard, later a Member of the US Congress, writes to his more illustrious brother, an Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court who had just been elected to the US Senate, soon to be appointed President Monroe's Secretary of the Navy, (as well as temporary Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of War), later elected Governor of New Jersey and then again to the US Senate - about an anonymous slanderous letter:
"It is impossible for me to tell you who 'Poor Mechanic' is. I have my opinion, others have theirs, some think it is David Thompson of Morris, others think if General Doughty? I do not believe it to be either, neither do I believe it to be the Doctor. You may assert with as much assurance as you please that it is not him, in my opinion, indeed I am perfectly satisfied he knows no more about the writer than you do. I have not seen the Doctor since I wrote but I understand he feels himself very uncomfortably situated. I am glad you have got the opinion of these men. I am so far satisfied that [Browter?] wrote the letter and that that opinion will be corroborated by all unprejudiced men, that I think they ought to be showed to every body, only [?] this impression on the public mind, and half the object that I would [desire?] to accomplish is already done. Indeed it is high time the villain was [?] he has done and still is, fixing some strong prejudices in the minds of many good men against the family. Church prejudices are generally the strongest of any, the most effectual in destroying mens characters and are generally carried to the greatest extremes, such are the weapons with which that creature (I ought to have said that wolf) has clothed himself to fight against us. I hope that he may be stopped in his career, and I pray god it may be soon. I feel anxious to have the letter I want the public to see thus. The other letters that he has written to the Doctor and myself are scattered bout in different places, as soon as they can be collected together I will send them to you…"
There are no contemporary press accounts of the "Poor Mechanic" slander, which was apparently not published, but only sent by letter to Isaac Southard and others. What this had to do with "church prejudice" is unknown. Isaac's brother Samuel was certainly one of the most distinguished statesmen of his time. While again serving in the Senate in 1840, being elected President Pro Tempore of that body, after the sudden death of President William Henry Harrison, Southard was first in line of succession to the Presidency after Harrison's Vice President, John Tyler, became Chief Executive. (Inventory #: 31210)
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