Mr.  Ohoate  did  not  entirely  sympathize  with  either  of
these  parties,  and  for  some  time  was  in  doubt  what
position  to  take.  To  be  neutral  he  thought  unbecom-
ing, when  great  interests  seemed  to  be  at  stake,  nor
was  he  willing  to  throw  away  his  influence  where  there
was  no  chance  of  success,  especially  where  his  convic-
tions did  not  impel  him  to  act.  He  meditated  long
and  anxiously,  taking  counsel  of  none,  because  he  de-
termined to  act  independently.  A  separation  from  old
friends,  even  temporarily,  gave  him  real  sorrow,  yet  to
follow  any  party  founded  on  geographical  principles,
or  which  would  divide  the  States  by  a  geographical
line,  seemed  to  him,  not  only  repugnant  to  the  counsels
of  Washington  and  the  fathers  of  the  Republic,  but  so
imstatesmanlike  and  dangerous  that  he  could  not  re-


1855-1858.]    LETTER  TO  MAINE  "WHIG  COMMITTEE.    301

gard  it  with  favor.  A  letter  to  Mr.  Evarts,  of  New
York,  who  had  recently  made  a  speech  in  favor  of  the
Republican  party,  indicates  this  feeling.
To  Wm.  M.  Evarts,  Esq.
"  Dear  Mk.  Evakts,  —  I  thank  you  for  your  courtesy  in
the  transmitting  of  the  speech.  I  had  read  it  before,  and  for
that  matter,  there  has  been  nothing  else  in  my  papers  since,
except  tbe  proceedings  in  the  matter  of  poor  Hoffman.  Both
—  the  political  and  the  eulogistic — are  excellent.  To  say  that
I  see  my  way  clear  to  act  with  you  were  premature.  Bless-
ings are  bought  with  a  price.  We  may  pay  too  high  for  good
sentiments  and  desirable  policy.  I  hate  some  of  your  asso-
ciates and  recognize  no  necessity  at  all  for  a  Presidential  cam-
paign on  platforms  less  broad  than  the  whole  area.  .  ..
