Washington City, 10 Dec, 1860.
My Dear Wife, As you have already learned through the telegraph, I have resigned my office and am again a private citizen. The President and myself part in the most friendly spirit. We both see and feel the necessity and both regret that it should be so. I shall leave here the end of this week, with a view to stopping a day or two in Columbia, S. C. to attend their convention, and shall reach Macon next week, not later than Wednesday. I shall send appointments at once to speak in my old district where I think I can do more good than anywhere else. I shall commence in Lawrenceville on Monday the 24th and shall speak every day until the election, going from Lawrenceville to Gainesville and thence to the mountains. It will be pretty hard work, but I have set out and must do all I can. To carry out this plan I must have a buggy with two horses, to be at Lawrenceville on Sunday night the 23rd and some one to drive, as I must make the travelling as easy as possible. The boys told me they had a good buggy at Athens that would answer the purpose, and if they can do no better they must get horses from the livery stable at Athens. Don’t think of sending your horses, as you will not only need them in Macon but they will not be in a condition to stand the rough treatment of the mountains. If they should want me to speak in Macon let it be on Thursday after I get there, so that I may if necessary speak Friday and Saturday up the country or wherever I may be wanted, so that I get to Lawrenceville on Monday 24. Tell your Brother to consult and if deemed necessary he can arrange for Friday and Saturday. If it could be so, my own opinion is I had better go upon the State road somewhere.
I sent your carriage and horses today to Baltimore and Mr. Guthrie will go with them to Savannah. He will be in Macon and you will see him. I sent to day by Adams Express a bundle of my addresses to the Col.[i] for circulation. He need not send any to Milledgeville as I have already sent there. I have written you a political business letter and shall be too much engaged for several days to write again. If Tom is in Macon say to him he ought to meet me in Columbia. It would be a good idea if the Legislature would appoint me at once a Commissioner to S. C. That idea might be sent over to Milledgeville.
[i] Col. John B. Lamar.
From Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1911.
Howell Cobb was an American political figure. A southern Democrat, Cobb was a five-term member of the United States House of Representatives and Speaker of the House from 1849 to 1851. He also served as the 40th Governor of Georgia and as a Secretary of the Treasury under President James Buchanan. Cobb is, however, probably best known as one of the founders of the Confederacy, having served as the President of the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States.