The Writings of Carl Schurz/To James S. Rollins, April 2d, 1875
TO JAMES S. ROLLINS
Your last very kind letter I ought to have answered long ago; but you know what the last expiring agonies of Congress are. And immediately afterwards I had to set out on a lecturing trip to fill some gaps, in other words, to avoid running into debt.
I thank you sincerely for the warm sympathy you express concerning my fortunes as a public man. It is certainly a great satisfaction to me to see so many evidences of my having won the good opinion of that class of men whose esteem one may well be proud of. As to the influences which controlled the Senatorial election in Missouri, I think those things must work themselves out. Unless I am greatly mistaken, the Democratic party begins already to feel the consequences of its narrow-minded partisan course in those States of which it had control. But would it not be a sad thing to see the Presidential campaign of next year run again in the old party-ruts and turn upon the question not which party is the best in its policy and character, but which can make out the other the worst?
I still have some hope that something may be done to avert such a lamentable condition of affairs, and surely the memories which the centennial year calls up should inspire the American people with higher and nobler impulses of patriotism.
I shall be in St. Louis from the 16th of this month to the 21st, and then I shall go to Europe for a few months, to return to Missouri late in the fall. Will you not be in St. Louis about the time mentioned? I should be very glad indeed to see you and have a good quiet talk with you.
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