The Writings of Carl Schurz/To Mrs. Schurz, March 23d, 1854
TO MRS. SCHURZ
Within the last few days I have met a number of Members of Congress and other extremely interesting political and unpolitical persons. I shall probably see the President before the end of the week and am somewhat curious. From all I hear about the conditions at the White House—and that is not a little—the President presents the sorry spectacle of an individual who has been placed at the helm of a great republic without possessing the necessary strength of character nor the equally necessary clearness of mind. He has the unfortunate trait of wishing to please everybody and consequently he has displeased all. He agrees with every one who speaks to him and so says something different to each one. There has never been a President in the White House who has to such a degree disappointed all the good expectations centered on him, and consequently no one who has so rapidly lost such enormous popularity. This discouraging experience may prevent the people from again electing such a person, from whom all things are hoped because nothing is known.
Let me tell you a little more about my plans and activity here. It was my intention to urge upon the people I came in contact with—especially if I should be able to reach any member of the Cabinet—a certain course in their foreign policy. As far as the Members of Congress with whom I have become acquainted are concerned, I have had some success that was quite pleasing. My experience with the President and the Cabinet is, in a word, that they have no foreign policy, neither have they a system nor a fixed purpose. They regulate their foreign policy entirely in accord with the tendency of public opinion held by the political parties of the country. Their course of action in foreign matters is based entirely upon the effect to be made on the Nation, and therefore no consistency nor fixed principles are to be expected of the Administration. It is in vain to-day to persuade the Administration or to convince them of anything. The slightest deviation of party tactics may upset to-morrow all the convictions which have been laboriously built up to-day. I have, therefore, come to the conclusion that there is only one way of achieving anything and that is in the first place to work upon public opinion and so to gain a real influence over the Government. Fortunately at this moment there is no great crisis looming up in Europe in which America might be called upon to take part on the side of freedom. This Administration would be too weak to do anything of that kind.
I have already made real friends among the Members of Congress. Shall I give you a glimpse into the future? The other evening I sat with several of them and we talked of European and American politics. I took a lively part in the conversation. The next day one of them came to me and said: “Sir, you have a fair opening before you. You will have a future in this country. I talked about you with my friends and we came to the conclusion that, if you settle in one of the new States, we will meet you in a few years in this city, and then we shall listen to you in the halls of Congress as you now listen to us.” These remarks were so spontaneous, so unsolicited, that they have given me courage.
I have made one other interesting acquaintance, a well-known American poetess—Mrs. Sarah Bolton, who lives in this house. She is very simple, very entertaining and, except for a little author s vanity, free from affectation.
I have just called upon a Senator who seems to be very much interested in me, and to whom my ideas seem to appeal. He has invited me to breakfast to-morrow morning, where I am to meet some other persons. I feel that I might be able to do something worth while in this sphere, if once I had become actively and officially a part of it. I feel it more and more strongly as I become better acquainted with those who are influencing affairs. Nature has endowed me with a goodly capacity that only awaits an opportunity to make itself useful, and I do not think I am over-estimating my value when I say that I would be second to very few here, not now, but in a few years. When I come in touch with this atmosphere of political activity, I feel the old fire of 1848 coursing in my veins as fresh and young as ever. I feel that the true vocation of my life lies where my endeavor will reach out to universal problems.
Although the reaction in Europe has thrown me out of my course, you may still see your husband coming to his own. My courage promises much; and why should not success respond to my courage as it has done hitherto. It is true there are peculiar difficulties to overcome here, but difficulties diminish as you approach them and at last they shrink to the proportions of trifling matters.
To-day I have met several Senators and have learned much. The hour has come when I am expected at General Shields's.[1]
- ↑ One of the Senators from Ill.