Floyd, John Buchanan (1806-1863) to J. S. Cunningham
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC01818 Author/Creator: Floyd, John Buchanan (1806-1863) Place Written: Abingdon, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 6 September 1856 Pagination: 3 p. : docket ; 20.2 x 12.5 cm. Order a Copy
Floyd offers his views on John C. Fremont, Republican candidate for President in 1856. Writes that he never interviewed Fremont, and Fremont never expressed any censure for the repeal of the Missouri Compromise. Of Fremont, writes, "I never had [any] interview with Fremont... I never made any offer to him of any thing for myself or for others. He never expressed any censure for the repeal of the Missouri Compromise in my hearing... I never saw him until I met him in N York and after a short acquaintance considered him a very light metal... & extremely ill informed upon all political subjects. I broke off all communication with him on political subjects because I saw that the influences which governed him were Abolition."
Floyd was Governor of Virginia 1849-1852. Fremont was the first Republican candidate for President, running in 1856. This letter was written just prior to the election, where Fremont lost to Democrat James Buchanan. John Buchanan Floyd would be appointed Buchanan's Secretary of War, serving 1857-1860.
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