Letter to John Milton Bernhisel and Almon Whiting Babbitt, 5 December 1849
Boardentown N. J.
Brother Bernhisel
Dear Sir
I sent you a few lines last night ^eveneg^
written in great Haste, as the boat was about to start but one item
which I intended to have mentioned was omitted which I con
sider quite essential and which I did not think to mention when I
saw you. If I mistake not the petition to which the signers names
are attached calls for a Territorial Governmnet if that is the case it
appeares to me that that petition should not be presnted befoe
Congress by any means untill it is altered I think that wise
policy would dictate that the word Territory be not so much as
once named in any petition or address which you have to
lay before congress in the request which is now made at there
hands, but State and State alone the ownly thing we ask for
and with my present feelings I pray to God with all my heart
that sooner than to have a Territorial Govenment given us that
they may not be permitted to give us any ^a^ Govement at all unless
by all means we could have our own Govenor & other offcers
which is a vary uncertain matter, if we could not get a State
would it not be better to withdraw the bill or petitions as
we afterwards could again present a petition for a state while
if we were a Territory we could not do it perhaps for many
years besides all the trouble that would arise from Haveing
officers & polititions among us who would have no interest in our
wilfare I throw these things [out] as they rest upon my mind
for your consideratin this subject is increasing upon my mind
and rests with wait upon me more & more day & night & is uppermost
above all other considerations and I do not know but I feel as much
interested in it as though the whole concern rested upon my shouldiers
for it is not a work merely to aggrandize or set up any one man or set
