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Latest revision as of 16:30, 11 August 2017

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To “Jody’ New York 17 June 1863 Wed[nesda]y night

I ought to have acknowledged by this afternoon’s mail yours of yesterday, but thought I would have a talk with my brother [Matthew] before doing so. – He left here yesterday morn[in]g to fetch his daughter [Mary] home, who was staying at her uncle’s near West Chester, Pennsylvania, [underscored] & they arrived here this evening without encountering any trouble on the way in either direction. He says he cannot help me in trying to solve the monetary problem you have submitted to me.

If the War is to run on, like the fight between the “Kilkenny Cats,” presume that Gold must sooner or later attain a much higher price, or in other words the paper currency be much more depreciated, than at present. – We have long had heavy balances lying idle in the hands of Bankers & it is, at rates of Interest little better than merely [?], & have regretted that we did not draw for them about the 1st March last, & invest, as we then invested other funds here, in U.S. 6’s, when they were but little over 90. – But the older I grow the more am I convinced by experience that I am not gifted with foresight beyond other mortals who are blessed with a fair share of intelligence & been as many years exercising their faculties in active business.

I do not repine at this [opinion?] of coming events: for I think it does not, & ought not to, detract from our happiness, but just the contrary. –

We have had a lump of Gold lying idle for months & months inside of our tin-box at Bank. Some of it came into play 6 weeks ago to pay the passages of my Sister [Ann] & Nephew [Mytton] when they sailed in the Persia. If [General] Grant & [General] Banks should capture Vicksburg & Port Hudson, it would I think, affect more towards the overthrow of the Rebellion than any other [struck-through] fighting in other quarters could accomplish. But who can say whether we are to see those places captured, or not? I sometimes think that the only road to Peace is thro’ the Ballot-boxes both North & South. At other times I think, with my Sister, that it is useless to rack one’s brains, as the issue is entirely in the hands of Providence, & that our best example in this, as in most of the other affairs of Life, is that of obedient Children.

In my Sisters absence, Sarah is keeping house for me, and both William & Walker are also with me. We have a spare room entirely at your service, & would be glad if you would occupy it during your [?] visit to the City. – I have shewn William

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your letter of the 16th. He seems at present entirely without occupation, & I am sure he would be happy to [?] you, or introduce you among the bulls & bears, as you propose.

You have never acknowledged an anonymous communication sent to you some 3 we[e]ks ago, which stated the bare fact that H. Heath & Co. accepted the d[ra]ft for £70; & that is all that has yet been heard respecting it. – You [were?] at the same time informed of the arrival of my Sister & Nephew, & of the Europa (having on board Tom’s wife [Mary Bold] & her mother) being spoken [on the?] evening of 24th May 20 miles West of Cape Clear, & various other matters, that might be inter =esting to “Sister Bella.” to whom you were requested to forward the said communication & the writer’s kind love along with it. –

Since then I have had 2 more letters from my Sister by the steam =ers that left Liverpool on 30 May & 6th June, and written in both cases from a lively spot near Kendal, 70 miles North of Liverpool, where Mytton had lately joined her. She has entirely recovered from the hurt to the eye, & was projecting a time with Mytton among the Lakes of Westmorland & Cumberland, & thence to Edinburgh & the Highlands of Scotland. – In July she expects to be in London & the South of England. among my old [?] fellows & old friends. – She does not think of embark[ing] for N[ew] York before the later part of October. –

The Europa arrived whilst Mytton was still in Liverpool, & he or his brother observing the name of the two ladies among the list of passen =gers, Mytton at once hired a cab (because his brother was too lame with Rheumatism to walk) & they drove round to all the principal hotels; but it was to no purpose. And as soon as my Sister got my letter via Europe, in which I told her that the 2 ladies’ were on board, & would put up at the Adelphi Hotel, where they hoped she would call & see them, she at once addressed a letter to Tom’s wife under cover (with a few lines) to Mr. Radley, the owner of the Hotel; but he had returned her letter & stated that said ladies had not come to his house. – Ann, presumes, therefore, that they never stopped at Liverpool further than to land & ride up straight to the R[ail] R[oad] Station for London.

My Sister had not seen or heard from any of our American kin, but had heard of [underscored] them thro’ other parties: she knew their movements.

Two letters have come from Nan since I wrote to you, one of them to her Aunt dated 2 May, & the other to Sarah dated 11 May. – William to me of your having heard from R[utson] [Jr.] up to 6th May.