the extended account I have given of Simms's polit-
ical career was introduced with no desire to rake
up dead issues or to say unpleasant things. I saw
no way by which a conscientious biographer of
Simms could avoid the mire of ante-bellum poli-
tics, so I waded in with very little hope that I
should get through undraggled.

In conclusion, I must return my thanks to the
numerous persons who have kindly assisted me in
the preparation of this volume. It is impossible
to name all, but the following must be specially
mentioned: Mrs. Edward Roach, of Charleston,
and William Gilmore Simms, Esq., of Barnwell,
S. C., -- children of Mr. Simms, who have given
every assistance in their power; Mrs. Paul H.
Hayne; Dr. F. Peyre Porcher, Mr. Samuel Lord,
Mr. W. Gibbes Whaley, Mr. Yates Snowden, of
Charleston; Miss Pinckney, of the Charleston Li-
brary, and Miss E. L. McCrady for researches
made in the same; Professor George F. Holmes,
of the University of Virginia; Hon. W. Porcher
Miles, of Louisiana; Mr. Charles W. Coleman,
of Williamsburg, Va.; Mrs. John J. Bockie and
Mr. W. H. Ferris, of Brooklyn, N. Y.; the author-
ities of the Virginia State Library, the Peabody
Library, and the Congressional Library, especially
Mr. David Hutcheson of the latter; and lastly

-vii-