Letter signed C. Gibson, Jefferson City, to Honorable Hamilton R. Gamble. Since my arrival here I have been constantly employed in trying to ascertain the sentiments of the members of all parties here. The Whig platform gives very general satisfaction to everybody except the antis, who violently oppose it. There are also three or four Whigs who may possibly quit the camp. Our delegation had acted very badly in regard to the senatorship before I arrive. In the caucus, which was quite stormy, your name and Mr. Bates was collateral mentioned, and Mr. Rannals forthwith said that St. Louis did not claim the senator. The others acquiesced and when I arrived the thing seemed to be conclusively settled against me in every way. It was with no little difficulty that I obtained the letter to Mr. Bates, copied by Mr. Breckenridge from one I wrote myself. I intended to enclose it to you but it was already sealed up by him when he gave it to me a few moments ago. The answer it is supposed, will cut some figure here. It is an extremely delicate matter for me to make any suggestions to Mr. B. or you, but I would suggest, as I have already done, that his approval of the platform but not too pointed or decided. Mr. Bates’ answer will be read in caucus. He will occupy a position to give some wholesome counsel which I think will be listened to with great attention. Almost all the Whigs love and honor him, but still his acceptance would be a perfect fire brand. We got Doniphan to sign the letter and then he backed out. I wish I were in the legislature so I could hand him the letter publicly [for all this is secret] and upon his refusal denounce him at once. I would commence a new system of tactics. As it is I keep altogether underground, for reasons that you will appreciate. Nobody suspects me. I am pretty clear no election at all will be had, and I am sure no St. Louis man can get it, even with the aid of Mr. B. Mr. Rannals is no true friend of anybody’s in my opinion. Individuals mentioned include Whigs, Rannals, Breckenridge, Bates and Doniphan. (4 pages), 1854 Jan 2

Item — Box: 8, Folder: 9

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The Hamilton Rowan Gamble Papers consist of deeds, early land grants, surveys, a St. Louis court docket book (1816-1833), bills of sale, legal papers regarding land ownership and business agreements, letters pertaining to causes of the Civil War, letters regarding the raising of a state militia, correspondence with political and military leaders, account books and receipts. Papers pertaining to land cases include deeds from French and Spanish ownership of this area, such as a deed between Pierre Chouteau and his wife who sold land for $248 to Meriwether Lewis (box 1/folder 2); a land grant to Andrew Bowen from President James Monroe with the presidential seal (box 1/folder 5); notes on Doit Delany’s land between Creve Coeur Lake and the Missouri River, part of a land grant to Antoine Reynal by the Spanish government (box 6/folder 1); a copy of the land paper from May 23, 1772, signed by Laclede Liguest, et al., designating land granted in the name of the king (box 5/folder 3). Papers regarding slave cases in the courts of Missouri include an 1805 freedom suit by Celeste, an Indian woman, versus Madame Chevalier (box 1/folder 2). An 1827 case of Margrite versus Pierre Chouteau, Sr., explains that the plaintiff’s grandmother, an Indian, was taken in war by the French and possibly sold as a slave in 1769 (box 2/folder 5). Subsequent papers in the collection show that the case was dismissed in 1838 for want of jurisdiction (box 6/folder 6). Letters to and from Gamble from the years before and during the Civil War illuminate the issue of slavery and emancipation in a border state. A copy of a letter from Gamble in 1861 states his view of abolitionists (box 9/folder 13). A copy of an address at an 1862 meeting of loyal states in support of President Lincoln and emancipation bears a notation that Governor Gamble refused to sign it as governor of Missouri (box 10/folder 3). The original draft and copy of Gamble’s 1863 message before a party convention concerns emancipation for the state of Missouri (box 10/folder 7). Critical papers and letters between Gamble and President Abraham Lincoln cover such issues as: raising and paying for a state militia (box 9/folder 3); the situation in Missouri at the beginning of the Civil War (box 9/folder 8); and disagreements between Gamble and Union generals over who should be in control of the state militia (box 10). Collection includes several letters signed by President Lincoln (box 9/folder 12, box 10/folder 9). The collection includes official papers with government seals from 1824 when Gamble was appointed secretary of state of Missouri (box 2/folder 2), and from 1849 on a certificate admitting Gamble as an attorney and counselor of the U.S. Supreme Court (box 8/folder 5). Miscellaneous letters consist of one against gambling and playing roulette from “The Friends of Morality” (box 4/folder 6); plans for a 2nd Presbyterian Church on 5th Street, including drawings of the church interior (box 7/folder 1); and a letter soliciting donations to establish Linden Wood Female College (box 8/folder 9). Other letters and journal entries discuss treatments of diseases, e.g., cholera and neuralgia (box 8/folder 5). Receipts and account books show costs of clothing, household items, food, building materials and bills of sale for slaves to and from Gamble (box 2/folder 6; box 3/folder 7; box 5/folder 1, 5; box 7/folder 5; box 8/folders 4, 6, 11; box 9/folder 2). Letters written near the end of the Civil War, shortly before Gamble’s death, discuss the status of the provisional government (box 10/folder 7).