COLONEL WILLIAM A. HOWARD - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 03/03/1856 - HFSID 174705

COLONEL WILLIAM A. HOWARD (CIVIL WAR)
Antebellum dated letter from the opinionated Colonel, who, weary of the South, proclaims, "I for one am at least deathly tired with the exactions of the South. Let her secede if she can."
Autograph Letter signed: "W. A. Howard", 3p (integral), 5x8. New York, 3 March 1856. To "My dear Pitt" [U.S. Senator] William Pitt Fessenden, Portland, Maine. In full: "Your kind note was duly rec'. Thank you for your kind offer will be much obliged if you will send me the 'Astor House' coast survey charts and the message with Secretary Repubs when they come to hand. It was not my intention to return to California during this winter, unless I was recalled by circumstances unexpected. I shall invite William for the next steamer. A letter will be in time. What my own next move will be, is now. How I can tell at present, sometimes I think I'll go to sea again, that I will settle down Ashne, the new move in Europe has changed my plans somewhat, had I ran inclined I should have been en route for St. Petersburg before this. No I am behind entirely, but do something I on my own I certainly shall. Doing nothing; is too hard for me I can't stand it. I should prefer the commission [illegible] of in my last to anything else, but I've too much pride to ask percofuit [unclear]. 'The asking of sins'. George Law repudiates the nomination of Fillmore [Pres. Millard Fillmore (1850-1853)] and in June will come out with a platform that leaves nothing to the Repubs hands in defiance to the South and no Extension of Slavary [sic]. Ohio, New York Connecticut & parts of the Massachusetts delegate will support him in conviction. I am behind the Curtain & know how the work goes in. I mention this for your especial benefit!! I for one am at least deathly tired with the exactions of the South. Let her secede if she can. I'd assure [illegible] shut her party up as anybody else' party. The game of brag has been played out lets call run. Yesterday I saw May Donelson Holdtrim [wife of Andrew Jackson Donelson, Fillmore's running mate] she s was on the wrong horse and he'd find it so. Fillmore could not carry a single 'Free state'. W. Dallas & family sanctioned yesterday for England with promises no south to settle in a miraculous manner the war question.-for the glory of the administration & 'dis-crudis' of J. Buchannan. Kill your own ministers & generals if they get too popular--or they may get into the Presidential chair. I don't know what you think of it friend Pitt, but honestly believe the government of this US is this day the most corrupt of any in the world. To observe that something like my proposition is to be introduced for the Navy--don't permit 30 days notice to pay Several officers that will [illegible] took command of ships & have gone to sea. Lieut. Avery (for instance, is an com' of ship Golden City on his way to California, Avery is one of the best officers on the service & should not be sacrificed. Sims [unclear meaning] are in California [word missing] Lieut. 'J'.'H.' Stevens lives in San Francisco & has a large family. It was asserted he would not go to sea if he was order'd, why was he not ordered? No charge can be brought of amist this officer. I know him well I did not understand how he was to get to San Francisco, was home to change ships & please let me know. Hoping soon to have the pleasure of seeing you. I am dear Pitt, As now your friend " William A. HOWARD (1807-1871) was a veteran Coast Guard officer who commanded a detachment of marine artillery during battles on the Carolina coast during the Civil War. At the beginning of the war, he was commissioned as a Colonel of the 1st New York Heavy Artillery in the defenses around Portsmouth & Norfolk. Earlier in his career, when he commanded the revenue cutter Jackson, he was said to look so resplendent in his Coast Guard uniform that naval officers pressured Navy Secretary Levi Woodbury to remove epaulettes from Coast Guard uniforms. In the years before the Civil War, he was in private business as a shipbuilder. William Pitt Fessenden (1806-1869) had resigned a seat in the U.S. Senate to assume, at the personal behest of President Lincoln, the Cabinet post of Treasury Secretary after the resignation of Secretary Chase. Fessenden, who as Chairman the important Senate Finance Committee (1861-1864) had played an important role in raising revenues for the Union cause, but he served at Treasury for only eight months (July 5, 1864 - March 3, 1865). Thereafter he returned to the Senate, becoming chairman of the Joint Committee on Reconstruction. Lightly creased. File holes at left edge. Toned. Ink note (unknown hand) on verso of last page. Otherwise, fine condition.