.NDMw.NTg3
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4th. St. Saturday night 23 May ‘63
Dear Ann
I have just copied for you an interest =ting letter I rec[eived] from Mrs. Cox. – I answered it by a steamer that sailed this afternoon, & gave her what Mr. [Priver?] said about Miss Steers. – I congratulated her on hearing from her daughter, & having so satis= =factory an account of her. – I told her the Jeremiah Thompson’s report of speaking or seeing the Persia on the 10th, 4 days out.
There was nothing in the movement for Suc[c]ession that surprised me more than the infatuation of
in
the Sugar Planters of La. [Louisiana] ^ consenting thereto. They, however, only followed the leaders in the City: - & I always thought that the mass of the intelligent[underscored] mer= =chants of N[ew] O[rleans] were opposed to Suc[c]ession; - & that there, as in most of the inland towns, of the South, the most action movers were the idle, rowdy, drunk -en vagabonds; & that most of the orderly substantial men were won over by fear [underscored] of losing their property!
If you have time to read it, you must like that speech of Mr. Crittenden that I sent you today.
After Matthew had read Mrs. Cox’s letter, he told me of an anecdote related to him lately by Mr. Walter T.
one
Miller the Cotton Broker: - At some ^ of our Western Hotels, there was a planter from Tennessee, who had the habit of thinking aloud: [underscored] & he was heard to exclaim - “I might have known that these d___d negores ex= =pected to be all free, for they planted no broom [underscored] corn” - that being an article they were in the habit of raising on their little patches, to make into brooms & sell among their other little perquisites –
My prediction of the Therm[omete]r reaching 90 today has not been realised. – It has been fine all day, & during the hottest part, which was in the forenoon, [‘fore’ underscored] & when 86 was reached, the wind was from the North; but when I came up to dinner I saw it was E.S. E, & was [s...?]= = ble of the effect. On looking at the Therm[omete]r at 5 1/2 p. m. it shewed a fall of 13, being then 73 only.
I should have walked home, as I rode down this
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me
morn[in]g, but it would have made ^ too late. – “John Smith” had br[ough]t up to the office about 3 p.m. the receipts for 165 bales out of 290 Surats we are returning to L[iver]pool, & said he would call again at 4 with acc[oun]ts for the remain= =ing 125; & I waited at the office until 1/4 to 5, but all to no purpose; so I then shut up & left. – Matthew left about 1 p.m., or sooner, as he had to assist in balancing accounts at his Saving’s Bank: - and after that time I was steadily occupied until 4 1/4 p.m. making up & copying the statement of of results of the joint account Land shipments of ’[18]62 that were under Mr. Gracie’s man= =agement, because in this warm weather I wished to save him trouble, & bring matters to a focus at once.
And for your information, the result in both cases is thus – The total profit in the hands of Maury Bros. is $3,447.63 – ½ is 1,723.82 & A. Gracies “ 3,080.44 – 1/2 “ 1,540.22 [underscored] therefore each party gains.........$3,264.04 [underscored] and in han[d] to pay to Mr. Gracie $183.60 [double underscored]
There is in fact, however, no [underscored] profit, at all, but a loss [underscored], if the accounts were made out in Sterling or in Gold: - & had we drawn early in March, when Gold & Sterling were worth about 25% more than now, there would have been about $1250 more of total gain than there is. – But I am content, as it is.
When I got home I found Mary & Sarah busy at the sewing machine, below the Barometer. Neither Ja[me]s. nor Walker came to dinner (Walker having gone to-day to S[taten] Isl[an]d. W[illia]m was ready by 6, & we 4 then sat down to a nice[underscored] dinner, with good appetites, [‘good appetites’ underscored] & plenty of mirth among the 3 juniors, that served for Harney [double underscore] Sauce. – We had a roasted fore quarter of Lamb, mint sauce, asparagus, roast potatoes, salad, & some sweets, & some concentrated Milk in lieu of clotted cream – whereat W[illia]m however I saw turned up his nose, but he was in John Randolph’s minority of 1!. I took a nap in Mr. Hutchison’s chair, & it was 9 1/4 p.m. when Sarah woke me for T. Mary had in the meanwhile gone home: - when or how, I did not ask. After swallowing 1 cup, I turned out &
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walked to 30th St. & back. It was so cool, that I felt vigorous & walked briskly, & it was nearly 1/2 past 10 when I came in again: & looking at the Therm[omete]r I found it at 64! – And now I will go to bed.
24th. Sunday night – We have had an unpleasant day as regards the weather. It has not rained, but has been on the point of doing so several times. The wind has been East; & only once, about 3 p.m., anything like sunshine. – The Therm[omete]r sank to 60 before the hour of sunrise & was scarce- =ly any higher when Sarah & I went to church; & the highest has been 63. I was clothed accordingly, having put a-
one
side the thin[underscored] flannel shirt & put on a thick [underscored] ^, & the same def
=ference in drawers. [underscored]. Thus I have been comfortable, & have not felt the change of temperature as I did yesterday.
I smoked 2 cigars after breakfast; but none since. – W[illia]m offered to call at the P.O for letters on his return from Trin
the
=ity Church; so I did not go down town. – I was ^ first in our pew, & soon afterwards, Sarah joined me, & then Mr. Gracie, Matthew, Mary, & Ja[me]s. were below; & on the whole there was a pretty full congregation. – Sarah handed me, thro Mr. Gracie, a slip of paper with the text – 3rd chapter of Acts & 13th verse. – I found from Mr. Gracie that his family only went to the seaside for 3 days, & thus are still in town; else I was in the mind of asking him to dinner, but did not. Having in my pocket an en =velope addressed to him, containing the account about the Land, I handed it to him after we went out =side of the church, as “something to be looked at on Monday,” [underscored] & told him I had been at work so as to save him all trouble in figuring during the hot weather; for which he thanked me as if he really [underscored] appreciated my exertions on his behalf; & so we parted. I overtook Matthew & Mary at Bleecker St., & told him what I had just done. – He asked if there was any news from Vicksburg [underscored] in this mornings Times; & I said there was, but I know nothing of it except that captain at the head of the article, shewing there had been hard fighting & that Grant had captures Haine’s Bluff etc.
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After breakfast I took out one of the volumes of Whately’s Essays, containing that upon the Holy Spirit, as being peculiarly appropriate for Whitsunday. –
When I had made 2 dinner knives very sharp whilst Matthew was reading the Times, I went up to my room & got a copy of my photograph, which I put into a photo- graphic envelope of J.W.& Co. and presented it to James.
Mary had her green silk umbrella; & on my taking it up, & observing that she had not broken it yet, she told
care
me of the wonderful ^ she takes of it. It would seem as if she was bent on equaling your care of the one belonging to our Mother. – W[illia]m arrived shortly after they had left the house, & we soon had dinner. The only meat was the cold Lamb of yesterday, of which all 3 of us had already partaken at breakfast. – I remarked that it was well Mr. Gracie had not come to dinner, as when we had done, there was hardly Lamb enough left to [?] Miss Nugents: whereupon Sarah rejoin= =ed, that if they had not enough, it was altogether Mary’s [underscored] fault; as there had been a joint of meat provided to be cooked today, & Mary had expressed the opinion that the cold Lamb would suffice, & pre- -ferred postponing the cooking of the other joint until tomorrow. – Thus you see we are not wasteful in your absence. – After dinner I sat, L position, in my own arm-chair, reading the residue of the essay aforesaid, -but it was not long before I fell asleep. I woke up a little before 5, & at 5 turned out for a long walk, which occupied me until 7. – I went down 4th St. to 2nd Avenue pursued it to 30th & then crossed up to Lexington Avenue which I pursued until 52nd, then crossed up to 5th Av[enu]e. & pursued it to 54 St, & then came down 5th avenue to 16th crossed into Union Square & so home. Altogether I must have walked nearer 6 then 5 miles. After 1 cup of T & 2 rounds of the loaf I betook myself to your arm-chair – L position - & was reading the remainder of Whately’s excellent essay, when W[illia]m put into my hand the Manch[este]r Guardian, & pointed
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(5) to a short Advertisement in it, shewing that a “Southern Club” [underscored] had been organised in Manchester [underscored], & inia- =ting further members. It was signed by some one called “Stutter.” – W[illia]m remarked that he supposed M[atthew]. F[ontaine Maury]. had been at work to start it. – That led me off into a long dissertation in which he, as an Englishman, came in for a share of my reproofs, but it took a wide range -this dissertation, W[illia]m observed that one result of the present struggle, & certainly one of the aims of the leaders at the South – men of the stamp of M[atthew]. F[ontaine Maury]. for instance – was to get rid of, or put a curb upon Universal Suffrage. - I told him that I was well a= =ware of this, & had been so from the first start; but that I saw not the slightest chance of success in this aim. I said that at the South there was a practical equality [‘prac...ality’ underscored] among the whites far beyond any -thing of the kind at the North: & thus I considered it far less difficult to rob the low Irish & Germans at the North of their suffrage than it would be to deprive the poor whites at the South of this right. -that it was an arrogant conceit of the aristocrats of Charleston & Eastern Virg[ini]a, & that if they attempted to carry it out, they would be apt to have their throats cut! - that it would be just as impossible of execution as an attempt in England to rob the people of their rights acquired by the Reform Bill of 1832.
Whilst this discussion was going on, Sarah was stand =ing, most of the time, [?] to go out with W[illia]m -& finally they went, & paid a long visit to Maria Gregory at the St. Nicholas; & whilst they were away I dropped asleep & did not awake until they return =ed. After Sarah had gone the rounds she told me that Maria G[regory]_ is now quite comfortable & con =tented at the Hotel, & is growing fat. – that she has now become acquainted with people at the Hotel, & thus is no longer cut off from society. I was glad to hear this, as you will be too. –
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Sunday night – 25th 25th May – Another unplea- =sant day – but no rain. The country must now, I think, be in want of rain; for there has been none here since the 17th – The E wind, descending Dr. Sab- =ine’s wall, has blown down some of the higher parts of the branches of both vies; & of course there is nobody to repair the damage, unless, I undertake it myself.
We sat down to breakfast this morning at 8: & I after- =wards had a good reading of the Times of yesterday & today. – I then put on a light overcoat & walked down to the office & wore it all day whilst at work there. – I had ample occupation in making out bills of lading for the 290 bales cotton reshipped to L[iver]pool, & making out accounts in relation thereto; so that it was past 5 when I “rolled up the [chaye?],” & rode [underscored] home reach =ing our door at 5.50. Sarah had gone out at 4 1/2 p.m. (whither I know not) & did not return until a few minutes after 6. – We had just begun din =ner when Walker came in & joined us. – But it was not the first time I had seen him today.
He came to our office a little before 3, & I handed him an apple & soda biscuits for lunch, which he accepted. His eye is much more of a “black [underscored] eye;” but the bloodshot has vanished: he has had no pain from it since he saw Dr. Wilkes, & has done nothing to it; & so it may be reported as now quite well, tho’ disfigured for the present, & is I suppose to remain so for some days. – He remained a long time at the office, chatting with Matthew, who was occupied at his little desk with some accounts. Before M[atthew] _ left the office (at 4 oclock) he told me the object
is
of Walker’s visit: vizt. that he ^ sick & tired of
[Marginalia – at Top]
May ’63 Mima[mu]m Maxi=mum 19 53 1/2 70 20 59 77 21 65 82 22 68 85 23 73 86 at 5 1/2 p.m. 53 24 60 63 25 52 1/2 56 1/2 26
Deaths in the week end[in]g 16th 491 23rd 437
Last year 17th 369 24th 404
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his [?] with Mr. Bigland, & has made up his mind to leave him, and (as M[atthew] _ remarked with a smile) he now wants to resume his old post in our office. – Matthew seems disinclined to take him back at present, telling him that we have not business enough to require his aid, & that he had better try & find work elsewhere; & with this view recommended Walker to consult Mr. Rob[ert]t L. Taylor & perhaps others; but he also told W[alker] _ to talk with me on this subject. – This cold spell has much increased my deafness, & after dinner I felt tired, or I might have given Walker the opportunity for a talk by joining him in the porch after dinner, whilst he was smoking his cigar [struck-through] pipe, & W[illia]m in the front parlour poring over the Express. As it was, I put on my light over coat, & sat in Mr. Hutchison’s chair, reading the Coun =try Parson’s Essays until I dropped asleep, & continued sleeping until Sarah awoke me at 15 or 20 minutes past 9 to take my T; & after taking 1 cup I turned out & walked to 23rd St. & back; & on my return, Sarah was stitching at that spotted muslin dress, seated in my arm-chair. W[illia]m gone to bed, & Walker asleep on the sofa: - but I may perhaps have a talk with Walker after breakfast tomorrow. – It is one of those cases in which I would like to have the aid of your coun =sel. – There is much in what M[atthew] _ told Walker as to our not having at present any need of his aid; but in spite of this, & his want of consideration for Matthew & me in leaving us as he did, his con= =tempt for my warning to consider well the whole matter in all its bearings ‘ere he accepted Mr. Bigland’s offer, his betaking himself to Staten Isl[an]d at that absurd time of year for the very purpose of estranging himself from us – I am nevertheless averse to
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turning the cold shoulder towards him, & on the contrary inclined to receive him back somewhat like the “returning Prodigal.” – It is not that I now [underscored] need his aid at the office, & therefore I should not think of allowing him al [struck-through] any higher Salary than the $600 we were paying him last year –especially as we now have John Russell to go about on errands for us. But looking ahead, there is the summer before us, when with M[atthew] at Cornwall my task would be harder, or Matthew must he take less relaxation; & beyond this, there is now perhaps a chance of Peace before we get through the year, & that would probably bring much more business to Maury Bro[ther]s; & looking still farther, I do not like the idea of no one to succeed us in this business when I & Matthew are no more. Hence if it rests with me to decide, Walker’s proposal to return to our employ will be accepted. –
This afternoon I rec[eive]d the letter for you I now enclose, from Mr. F. J. Alexander. The envelope in your handwriting startled me at first. I read part of it at the house before dinner, & the rest after dinner, & then handed it to Sarah, observing as I did so, that it reminded me somewhat of a chap =ter in the Adventures of Gil Blas. –
The City is jubilant today with Gen[era]l Grant’s victories, & the supposed capture of Vicksburg. Gold opened at 45 & late in the afternoon sank to 42. – Cotton is unsaleable.
26th Office – 5 p.m. I am very very busy. – We are happily informed of the arrival of the Persia at L[iver]pool. – I had my talk with Walker this morn[in]g. – tho’ not with Matthew – but I suppose it will end in Walker’s returning to us provided M[atthew] M[aury] is willing
Y[ou]rs truly R[uston] M[aury]
