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The Charles P. McIlvaine letters were written in the 18th and 19th century and therefore may contain language that we understand today as harmful or offensive. You may encounter paternalist descriptions of Native Americans, racial slurs, or sexism. For more information, see our policy page.
Description
Reports a little history of the pastoral letter--reports Church Journal as claiming collusion between certain cabinet officers and the pastoral. Thanks again for helping Harrison
Date
11-21-1862
Keywords
letter, McIlvaine, Chase
Recommended Citation
McIlvaine, Charles Petit, "Letter to S.P. Chase" (1862). Charles Pettit McIlvaine Letters. 243.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/mcilvaine_letters/243
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Transcript
Cincinnati Nov 21, 1862
My dear Sir,
If you ever see any of our Church-papers, you may have seen and been amused at the fuss which a certain Editor has made about about a grand and dangerous influence exercised by a letter of yours, and another from Mr. Seward, over the House of Bishops to the instigation and production of their late Pastoral Letter. I dare say you have forgotten an innocent letter you wrote me while you were an invalid, saying you had written to Brooklyn in behalf of Mr. Harrison -- [then] that you had read the prayer I sent you and could say [?] to every world and [sus]pected next day to be well enough to go to your office. Well, as our letters were delivered each morning on our tables -- and we found them there at the assembling of the House; one morning I found that letter of yours, and just after the opening, when no [?] had been begun and the N.Y. papers were speaking of your ill[ness] and I thought that sentence about the prayers would please. I began to read it (only the sentence and that about your health) to those near me, when they said read it all, and I did. Next day a letter from Mr. Seward, just as innocent about the prayer, which was not so read, but shared to two or three. All was forgotten--till my Pastoral Letter was adopted and that prepared by Bp. Hopkins (who con[tends] for the right of secession) was rejected. Then comes out his son, Editor of this so called “Church Journal” (no more recognized as a Church Organ. than anything else that may choose its own name)--publishes the rejected Letter of his Father and ascribes my Letter and its almost unanimous adoption to the influence and persuasion of certain Cabinet Letters [?] and does it with such [?] that many suppose this must be some [?] truth in it. Of course it has all been denied in other papers. But as this is nothing in the least degree private in either letter, I am going to send the originals of both to the Editor of the Christian times in N. York. The ridiculousness of the allegation will create, when see, a wholesome effect, and make my Letter the more influential.
I am happy to say that Col. Wood of Brooklyn took a lively interest in Mr. Harrison’s case, at your request, and gave him a place which to him is perfectly satisfactory, and for which he is most grateful to you and Mr. Wood. I wrote Col. Wood thanking him and saying I would mention his good spirit and charity to you.
WIth kindest remembrance to Miss Kate, I remain, my dear sir,
Your affectionate friend,
Charles P. McIlvaine
I shall leave out [?] in your letter, and if that part about Mr. Harrison should be introduced, as it probably will be in order to [?] better the character of the letter, and lest the [?] of any part should give a handle of suspicion.