Memoir of John Howe Peyton Part 12

"Mr. Peyton has long been known to the public as a gentleman of great ability and manly bearing, and his a.s.sociates in the Senate will sincerely regret a severance of the agreeable, social and business relations so long and pleasantly subsisting between them and him. We are happy to add for the information of Mr. Peyton's friends abroad, that there is now a reasonable prospect of his restoration to some degree of comfortable health. Such extracts from the papers of the day might be indefinitely extended and every mail came loaded with private letters to him of regret."

After the publication of Mr. Peyton's letter, several announced themselves as candidates for the Senate, among them John McCue and R. S.

Brooke, of Augusta and R. B. Barton, of Rockbridge. Considerable feeling originated among the aspirants and the difficulties were adjusted in the manner disclosed by the subjoined correspondence, which explains also Mr. Peyton's continuance in public life.

LETTERS TO THE CANDIDATES, McCUE, BROOKE & BARTON.

Lexington, April 17th, 1843.

_Gentlemen_:

You are fully aware of the difficulties which attend the Senatorial canva.s.s, from the circ.u.mstances that three Whigs are in the field, and the consequent danger which may attend the Whig cause, and the Whig representation of the Senatorial District, of Rockbridge and Augusta.

Having the fullest confidence in your political principles, and being well a.s.sured that either of you would ably and faithfully represent the district, renders still more difficult the task of discriminating among you. We, therefore, in order to secure a Whig representation, and in order to enable the people a.s.sembled here to-day to solicit a continuation of the able services of _John H. Peyton, Esq._, propose to you this plan, that you all retire from the canva.s.s in order that a _call may be made on Mr. Peyton_, to offer his services. An immediate answer is respectfully requested.

JOHN ALEXANDER.

JOHN RUFF.

WM. MOFFETT.

WM. C. LEWIS.

J. T. SHELTNER.

CHAS. P. DORMAN.

THE CANDIDATE'S REPLY.

Lexington, Va., April 17th, 1843.

_Gentlemen_:

We cheerfully acquiesce in the plan proposed in your communication, and retire from the canva.s.s with the expectation that Mr. Peyton will consent to become a candidate.

Yours, &c., R. S. BROOKE.

JOHN McCUE.

ROB'T R. BARTON.

Lexington, April 17th, 1843.

_John H. Peyton, Esq._,

Dear Sir: At the suggestion of our friends, and with the desire of concentrating the vote of the Whig party of the District, we have consented, as the most agreeable course to us all, and one which we think will meet the approbation of our district, to decline the canva.s.s for the Senate, _provided you will consent to run_.

We hope you will submit to the proposed sacrifice for the sake of union in our party, and the promotion of the country's good.

With great respect, your ob't servant, ROB'T S. BROOKE.

JOHN McCUE.

ROB'T R. BARTON.

MR. PEYTON'S REPLY.

Lexington, April 17th 1843.

_Gentlemen_:

Your note of the above date was handed me a few minutes ago by Mr.

Michie, stating that, at the suggestion of our friends, and with the desire of concentrating the vote of the Whig party of this Senatorial district, you had consented as the most agreeable course to all, and one which you think will meet the approbation of the district, to decline the canva.s.s for the Senate, provided I will consent to become a candidate.

I feel greatly flattered by this testimonial of your confidence, and though I had fondly hoped to spend the residue of my life at home upon my farm; yet the object to be attained is so important, as disclosed in your note, and as I have learned from other sources, I cannot refuse to become again a candidate for a seat in the Senate of Virginia.

You are at liberty therefore to announce me as such, in such manner as you may think best. Business calls me out of the district, and will detain me from it until the day of election in Augusta.

I am with great respect, your ob't servant.

JOHN H. PEYTON.

To R. S. Brooke, John McCue, and R. R. Barton.

Accordingly, at the election in May, he was chosen for a second term, of four years, to the Senate, and while he was still absent from the district attending to the private affairs of his estates, mills, &c. in the counties of Alleghany and Monroe.

A BUNDLE OF MISCELLANEOUS LETTERS.

The following letters are derived from the same source with those previously given. They are not a selection from the bundle, but the bundle itself. So little was the little bundle, we ventured not to make that little less:

JOHN H. PEYTON TO HIS DAUGHTER, SUSAN MADISON PEYTON.

Staunton, Friday, 13th April, 1837.

_My Dear Susan_:

Your mother has shown me your letter, in which you request that I shall write you. Why is this request made after such a short separation? Do you already feel the necessity of counsel? If so, it is at hand in your two Aunts, with whom you should communicate freely and fully, and whose opinions you should not only respect, but implicitly follow, certainly as to all matters relating to etiquette, behavior and conduct.

You are very young and inexperienced in the ways and wiles of the world, and yet your size would indicate maturer years, hence strangers will expect manners, conduct and conversation suited to your size and not your years. Do not permit the buoyancy and vivacity of youth to betray you into levity of manners. Be circ.u.mspect, be dignified, and be good humored. The control of the temper is of the first importance to the elevated standing of every woman. Learn to be cheerful, sociable and agreeable. This you cannot be without controlling your temper. Be not hasty to take offense, or captious, and recollect that though she that will not resent an insult when offered, is a contemptible beast of burden, yet she that is captious and ill-natured, and ready to take offense at trifles, is a beast of prey. Half the difficulties and disappointments and vexations we meet with in the world, had as well be the subject of our amus.e.m.e.nt as our tears, and so far as it regards our intercourse with the world, had a great deal better be the subject of our amus.e.m.e.nt, for in general there is little sympathy felt for the woes of others. In your conversation be careful that you speak grammatically and avoid all rude or coa.r.s.e expressions. The best way to acquire colloquial power, so important to a well educated woman, is to listen to those of your s.e.x attentively, who are most remarkable for these gifts.

You thereby acquire correct p.r.o.nunciation, good gestures, easy delivery, and a knowledge of those topics of conversation that are most likely to enable you to beguile an hour agreeably.

Present me affectionately to your Aunts, and believe me to be, with solicitude for your conduct and appearance and permanent happiness,

Your affectionate father, JOHN H. PEYTON.

JOHN H. PEYTON TO HIS WIFE.

Richmond, Jan. 15th, 1840.

_My Dear Wife_:

Your affectionate letters, one written on the 5th, the other on the 11th, have been duly rec'd and read with delight.

I presume that ere this reaches you, that Mr. Woodville will have arrived and delivered to you those beautiful specimens of plate which I forwarded to him, and which cost so much that it has greatly straightened my pecuniary means--Mrs. Telfair's loan having been invested in State stock. He will also have given you all the information as to what has transpired since we parted. On yesterday I dined with Judge Tucker, where I met, among others, Mrs. Wm. Moncure, and two sons, of Stafford--old friends. In the evening, I attended, with Gerard Stuart and Mr. Worthington, of Jefferson, a party at Anthony Robinson's, but finding the company too youthful for my enjoyment, I returned and was in bed before ten o'clock. To-day I dine with Mr. Patton (J. M.), on tomorrow with Dr. Brockenbrough, so that you see that I have plenty of good eating and drinking, but I really do not enjoy it. It gives me a fullness in my blood vessels, and is such an inroad on my habits that I would greatly prefer being at home. These sensual pleasures are not to my taste, and in the future I shall avoid night parties. The business of legislation, so far as the Senate is concerned, has. .h.i.therto been anything but laborious. We meet at twelve o'clock, sit about an hour, pa.s.s a turnpike bill, or some such frivolous bill, and then adjourn.