.NDcw.NjM1
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Private [double underscored] extracts from James’ letter of 8/13 July [18]’63 [‘extracts...13’ underscored]
8th I believe Ruston intends writing you his version of his difficulties with them “(Mr. & Mrs. Cox)” I did not say anything of my having written to you regarding this matter until the day after my letter had gone.
Yesterday & today I have duly considered the pros & cons in regard to my obtaining a release from my debts – as recommended by Uncle Matthew “(in April or May [18]’62 in his letter to Ja[me]s)” & now again by yourself.
One thing is certain – I cannot go into Bankruptcy. – To do so would place old Bell and Overend Gurney & Co. in my shoes. They being the largest Creditors, would appointed Assignees, - then woe to Cropper Hodgson & Co.! It would just supply Bell with the only link wanting in the chain, which he would then be able to wind around them & make them pay some £12 000 & Interest to date. – Without that link he is utterly powerless.
Another reason is, - and this is strictly private between Uncle M[atthew] you & me [‘strictly...me’ underscored] – some time before this War commenced, William came to me, & asked me to endorse for him some $2,500 e $3,000. At first I refu= =sed, for I had very small faith in the men he projected to trade with, vizt. Western men – to whom he was to send up Gunny-bags which they were to fill with corn to be returned to him for sale on commission. – I told him he would of course be swindled. But he talked & talked, & said his future success depended on it etc. – insomuch that at last I said – “Well, if you will “pledge me your word, that you will not risk over $500 at the start, & “not send another $500 [struck-through] Bag until the first $500 worth are returned duly “filled I will do this thing for you” – William agreed to my terms; & I made up my mind to lose $500 l [struck-through] but no more. – The endorsed draft was taken to a Dr. Brockelbank, [Brocklebank?] & ‘shaved,” of course. – About a month after this I ask= =ed William, “Well, any Corn coming?” – “Oh yes”, said he, “and we have “pull all the money in bags, & sent them up.” – I was naturally somewhat surprised, of course, but was assured the Corn was coming. – I do not believe one bag has come to this day. [‘I...day’ underscored] – Any how pay-day for the Note came; & I duly received notice as endorser – not that I needed it; for my memory was unpleasantly good on the subject. – I went to see William, as a drowning man will catch at a straw, & asked him – “Are you prepared to pay?” – “No:” but I said “Consider my position – what am I to to do?” – “Oh,” said he, “it makes no difference to you, your credit is gone already.” – “That may be,” said I, “but my honesty & truth still remain, & they must be cared for.” – I could have paid $500 on this note, but the $2500 or $3000 was ahead of me, & what to do I did not know. – However down came Mr. Hogg from Balti[more]. He came to see me & said he was prepared to arrange the matter. – After pay-day was past, I learnt how, -he went to Dr. B[rocklebank] on the day before the note was due, told him he was just arrived from Balti[more], that money from there would arrive in
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2 days from then with which to pay the note, & therefore not to pro= =test it on the morrow. The Doctor was “taken in & done for “ most shamefully; - the note was not protested; I, the endorser was of course released – and not one cent came from Balti[more], or was paid to the Doctor.
Now these Notes are recorded in my books; & Mr. Mees would give very plain evidence in regard to them. Where then would stand Mr. William Maury? who only escaped the clutches of the Doctor, because the amount due me by Well and M & H, some $4500, turn= =ed the scale [struck-through] balance of power among the Creditors against the Dr.
Such an exposition as the above would be rather unpleasant; & therefore is another reason why I cannot go into Bankruptcy.
My chief Creditors are Mr. Taylor, yourselves, Duncan Sherman & Co (for account transferred from W. P. Wright, and Thorburns of L[iver]pool].) As to Overend Gurney & Co., I do not know exactly how to consider them. The lawyers on my side say they have no claim on me, & the opposing talent of course differs entirely. – I will write to little Hodgson, & see if he can shew me where the land lies.
If I had any money I might make some sort or propo= =sition; - but money just now is just as scarce with me as hen’s teeth.
Another reason why I do not wish to go into Court is that when the Confederates were in power here I was called upon for a list of what moneys I owed North etc. – My reply was “All my Cotton is not sold yet, & until then I cannot answer.” Some kind friend no doubt put them after me. But as I did not consider that anyone had a right to ask me (a neutral) such questions, I replied as above: - but it might not do me any good when the C[onfederate] S[tates] is in power. –
But enough for tonight. I am sleepy; weather rainy, & guns firing over the reported fall of Vicksburg [Miss.] – entirely disbelieved here.
10th – I note your surprise at my thinking Rutson’s child was all in order – I have heard all the reports about this matter I think - & their name is legion: - & per contra, Rutson’s conversation with me on the subject, until the time he admit= =ted the fact, was always to the effect that his wife & he were injured people, & that anyone who wished to look at
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their marriage certificate could do so. – Rutson’s conversations on the sub [struck-through] subject, mind, never denied anything; but they all bore the tone of injured innocence. Thus I believed my brother, or rather, I should say, inferred my brother was all right, & rumors as usual a liar. Still I think it would have been better for him & his to have spoken out plain. As it is, I fear he is pursuing a very foolish plan for the future good of himself & family – especially his child. Many here suspect something wrong, but no one knows anything. Enquiries, as you may suppose, are numerous. Under the circumstances my idea would be to live as much as possible in retirement, & to receive only those friends who come of their own free will to see me. – Rutson’s policy is just the opposite. To borrow an expression of Cha[rle]s Steele’s – he “pitch= =forks “ his wife & child into all the society he possibly can – very much to her (his wife’s) annoyance. – Rutson, you know, has always said I know nothing of the world - & he may be right – but it seems to me this game of his is very dangerous, for there is no telling at what moment some of his now inti =mate friends may slam their doors in the face of him & his. However there is no use arguing the point with him. –
I have not told him, nor shall I, that Aunt Ann will call at Salisbury. It would only cause him to feel ugly; & I hate wordy squabbles; & I should be forced to end one, as I always do such things, by opening & shewing the door. –
As regards the Money you enquire about: the $600 are still in possession of Mr. Wood; & I see no hope of getting it back here. If it came, it is useless & unsaleable at any price since this Vicksburg & Port Hudson [La.] news. – Mr. Dixey came here from Mobile [Ala.] about 6 mo[nth]s ago, & Rutson settled accounts with him somehow. But any how Dixey retained the amount of Cullum’s bill (for board etc. at Bladon [UK]) - & he left here for the C[onfederate] S[tates] about 20 May.
I am not surprised at Mr. Magee’s silence about Adams. Don’t you remember a ship case, mixed up with bill of lading [struck-through] Exchange & the rate of premium thrown – Magee vs. Elliott Adams & Co. and vice versa. The result in an English
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Court of Justice would have been a prosecution of Perjury against Mr. Adam’s clerk. – I did not speak to Adams for some 5 years after, until one day in Liverpool, 3 years ago, he come up & apologised to me for the matter, & admitted he was wrong; & of course everything since has been pleasant between us. But Mr. Magee would sooner tell you, as any one else, that he knew nothing of a man, than run the least risk of injuring him by such a report as this, which is of course not “pro bono publico.” [pro...publico’ underscored] – I am off to bed.
15th. Did I ever write you that Rutson’s child was born at Newton [La]. – Watkins was the Doctor in attendance.
I suppose the secret of Rutson’s being unable to pay me any of the money he owes me is that his furniture cost him more than the $500 presented to him. – I suppose it will all come right by & bye: but the next 45 days are going to be hard upon me. We shall get through some how, tho’ I hope perhaps the Sugar may come in; for I hear R. H. cannot work it.
Matthew knows all about the Adams affair – and the Newtown Affair. “ (Nevertheless Uncle Rutson prefers detaching these affairs from the sheet that is to be sent to [Matthew] Fontaine [Maury] after his Aunt [Ann] has read & reflected upon it: - and he also prefers to retain [underscored] the whole [underscored] of the original [underscored].)
“I read the chapter mentioned by your, & my interpretation agrees with yours but I expressed myself badly in my letter.” (This is the 18th ch[apter] of Ezekiel, & I referred him to it because he seemed to have adopted a com=
mon but incorrect conclusion drawn from the 2nd Com
=mandment as to the sins of parents being visited upon their children irrespective of the conduct [underscored] of the chil= =dren.)
Final note by Uncle R[utson] Please keep [underscored] this sheet or burn it if you like; an send the other sheet to Fon =taine, to be returned [underscored] to you, or not, just as you [?]. But don’t let him see this sheet [‘don’t...sheet’ underscored] [‘this’ double underscored]
R[utson] M[aury]
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(Copy) N[ew] Orleans. 8 July 1863 \ Received 24 July
Dear Uncle Rutson Yours of 24 June came safely to hand. – I wrote you by the last mail steamer, about 5 days since, & sent you by Express a jar of Honey – a very good thing to ease down Buck wheat cakes. – To answer yours now before me would take much writing; but if I do inflict a journal on you, mind I don’t expect you to inconvenience yourself by answering quantity for quantity. – This will go per private hand, & I hope reach you as safely & more speedily than 2 letter which have gone by same way before. –
I have not a doubt Mrs. Cox’s letters to you have been examined. She ought to be more careful, knowing, as she does that Mr. Seddon, the C[onfederate] S[tates] Secretary of War, is her relative, & that of course she is closely watched. It would not be safe for me to write to her, but when Mr. C[ox] comes to town I will give him a broad hint to beware.
Guns are firing over the reported fall of Vicksburg, but it is en- tirely disbelieved here.
10th – Reports are here that Port Hudson has fallen. They are far more likely to be true than the report of Vicksburg. But both the Yankee & Confederate reports lie so that I don’t believe any= =thing until I see tangible proof of its truth. I believe more lies have been told on this Continent in the last two years, & more swindling done than ever were in the whole world during a whole century!
12th – More rumours of the surrender of Vicksburg & Port Hudson. I think it most likely P[ort] Hudson is gone, but still doubt Vicksburg. – But setting them aside. I again refer to your letter, & find the next subject for consideration is Matthew, or as you say “Fontaine,” [Matthew Fontaine Maury] & a very serious subject it is too. – It is also one that you & I do not agree about. –
And first, I disagree in your idea that he lacks Perseverance. Did he not stick to Engineering until his Eyes were serious =ly injured, his Health impaired, & himself in debt? simply, because he was honest. Had he been other than honest, he would have made all the money he needed on the Memphis & Charleston R[ail] R[oad]; & he has shewn me the land itself on which he could have done it. –
To my thinking, successful Politicians & Engineers are on a par with rascals & [wreckers?]; & I certainly do not blame
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Matthew for [quilling?] such a profession – but “let us re= =turn to our muttons.” I do not think that any man, who for over 2 years has gone regularly into the Yards to class, or rather, learn to class Cotton - & for little or no pay either – can be charged with want of Perseverance. And let me say here, there is no better classer today than Matthew F. Maury.
But enough on the subject of Perseverance.
And now let me ask you, what evil has Matthew imbi= =bed here? Of yourself I know you never would make such a remark: & therefore I am satisfied that some one has been interfering in things that do not concern them; -or has – to further their own ends – told you a pack of lies –
As to his Sickness here, he & I know full well where it originated; and in order that you may not be misled by any Quack Doctor, I will explain the cause to you. – When Matthew first came here I remarked he did not pay a regular visit back at any time of day; & therefore I asked him, “When do you attend to this matter?” – “Oh,” said he, “about every four days:” – upon which I immediately had a serious talk with him, & found it was a habit he had contracted upon the M[emphis] & C[harleston] R[ail] R[oad] – I consulted a Doctor on the subject, who ordered Rhubarb daily until the needed result was obtained. And by the same Doctor’s advice, I sent Matthew to Liverpool the first year he was here. but the Dr. warned me that this long continued 4 day business would eventually have to be paid for severely – & his opinion was correct. The mischief, however, origina= =ted on the R[ail] R[oad] – not here.
15th – He also got on the R[ail] R[oad] the Rheumatism that bothers him now. –
I wrote to Matthew some time ago, recommending him to try & make arrangements to stay in Liverpool, & re= =ceived for answer that he would much rather return here. – There are many causes of sympathy between him & me – one of which only I will mention. – Our tem= =pers, of which you have heard many complaints, are very similar; and yet, strange to say, with all these complaints,
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from others, Matthew & I have never quarrelled, simply because we understand each other so perfectly. – The fact is, we neither of us will be troubled with wordy squabbles; & when we have expend
ed as much wrath in a dispute as we think [struck-through] consider it de
=serves, we just give notice to our tormentor not to speak to us again, on pain of getting kicked out, or knocked down.
It is not two weeks since Rutson attacked me just in this wordy way; & as soon as I had heard enough, I told him to hold his tongue, or leave the house, & not to speak to me again. And he at once held his tongue, & consequently we are just as good friends as ever.
Neither Matthew nor I are, I believe, very extravagant in our way of living. For my part, I shall be quite satisfied if hereafter I make enough to live on & pay my debts. And I am satisfied that such too are his ideas.
Our taste for gardening, carpentering etc. – at which latter he is of course top-sawyer – are alike. – We shall be much happier together than separated. And if, as I fully expect, the South eventually gains her Independence, Matthew will have a handsome income form the Agency of Fawcett Preston & Co. and Tayleur & Son, the Locomotive builders – to say nothing of the orders for R[ail] R[oad] Iron etc. he will be able to get from his old friends on the Southern Roads.
As to manual labour he is unfitted for it. Otherwise he would have stayed in the Foundry. And his eyesight has been so injured that his is unfit for drawing.
Should all else fail he will be certain of a living here by Cotton-classing. And one thing is certain: - every one for whom he has bought or classed, will go back to him. It is true, he is slow to make friends; but once made, he keeps them. –
Under all circumstances I think it will be best to let us both work thro’ the world together. And if Matthew wishes to join me in business, I shall not say “No.”
I am glad to hear David Spence’s desk arrived safe.
The Confederates feel awfully blue here about Vicksburg & Port Hudson. – I don’t see that their capture opens the River [Mississippi] to common freight boats. And if they do come down
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what is to become of the Produce? there is neither Money nor Credit to handle it here. And who is going to ship it North whilst Semmes [‘whilst Semmes’ struck-through] under the American flag, whilst [Admiral Raphael] Semmes etc. are at large? –
A report was current yesterday that [General Robert E.] Lee had killed [General George] Meade, & destroyed his Army. If so Abe [Abraham Lincoln] had better look out, or somebody will be hurt.
Louisa is about as well as can be under the circumstances. She will write you in a day or two. – And the juvenile, Sarah is about as rank [s...ssion?] as can be.
I am sick & disgusted with Jeff[erson] Davis [President of the C.S. A..], & find the majority are now of the opinion, for expressing which, 18 months ago, I was almost driven off Carondelet St [New Orleans, La.] – vizt. that Jeff[erson] Davis is a mere opinionated cotton-planer, who has thought he could manage the C[onfederate] S[tates] like his own plantation. – He now finds however that that Free Trade with everywhere was the King he wanted, & that “King Cotton” will not do. Had the man listened to M[atthew] F[ontaine] Maury two years ago, & built boats etc., [General] Butler never would have seen N[ew] Orleans, & I think this War would have ended ‘ere now. – I would just as soon have Davis as I would Lincoln. Both Governments are equally rascally & rapacious. And if Gen[era]l [George] Washington could give his opinion, I think it would be that he regretted ever having paved the way for such scoundrels as now compose both Governments.
My garden is still doing good service. Okra is plentiful, & Gumbo is almost our daily dinner. – My last crop of Corn is coming in famously; - some is 12 to 15 feet high with 4 & 4 ears on. I bought the Seed from a genuine Choctaw Indian. Today I have planted Cauliflowers, Lettuce & Radishes; & I have a fine bed of Cabbages & Celery coming on: - so you see I will have green e= =nought. – Tomatoes & Egg plants are a very large crop; & so are Peppers. – I will send you a bottle of real Essence of Pepper by & bye, & hope it will have better luck than the last.
I have not time to write Matthew today; but have written all I say about him on a separate sheet, so as to save you the trouble of copying.
yours affectionately (signed) James Maury
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365 4th St. New York Sunday night 26 July 1863
My dear Miss Lippett
One day last week, I think it was my nephew Walker remarked to me that he & Sarah & William had been talking over the propriety of proposing to me to invite Miss Lippett to pay us a visit; and I [?] that I should be very glad that she did so; but that we must first [?] whether some other guests would ac= =cept our invitation that has been sent to them, or not; - & then I would write to Miss Lippett.
These guests are a cousin of ours & his wife Mr. & Mrs. J[ody] W. Maury of Wilmington, Dele= =ware; - he is a an older brother of Nan’s husband. – They arrived last evening, en route for Saratoga [NY], Niagra [Canada] Montreal [Canada], Quebec [Canada], etc.; and they intend setting out for those pars on Tuesday week.
They are occupying my Sisters [Ann] room; & it will therefore be at your service at
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any time after Tuesday that my suit you, & for as long a period as you please.
I had two pleasant letters from my Sister last evening, one written on 12/13th. inst. [12/13 July] at a place near Walford [UK], a little North of London, & the other on the 14th from No. 47 Chester Square; in what is called the “Belgravia” region of the West end of London; - in both cases she was staying with some of my English cousins, & passing her time agreeably.
This afternoon Sarah, William & I cross= =ed over to Hoboken [NJ] to attend the funeral of Mrs. Denning Duer. The oldest daugh= =ter of [our?] late [?] Mr. James G. King.
She died on Friday of a complaint of the heart from which she was a great sufferer long before [?] [?], and she has been steadily sinking ever since. She was an excellent woman in all [?] [ulations?] of life; - always thinking of other persons rather than herself: & these sufferings have been so great & [?] [incessant? ] for several years, that one
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(3) can only rejoice that all has been released.
We have had an unusually cool month of July so far; so that today has seemed hot, tho’ the Thermometer was only [?] 84 [degrees] as the maximum today.
I fancy that N[ew] York in the summer is no warmer than Providence [RI] – or hardly as warm. – But if you are going to New- =port [RI], & would prefer to postpone your visit to us until the Fall, you have only to please yourself. – If you come now, I would recommend the Fall River Steamboat in preference to the journey by Railroad; & if you will get somebody to write befor= =e hand to the Agent at Fall River to secure a State-room [‘state- room’, underscored] for you, it will add greatly to your comfort; & I will gladly bear the added amount of your expences on the jour= =ney both ways – coming & returning.
New York during the past week has been as quiet as any other city in the world, & there is every reason to believe it will remain so – Draft, or no Draft.
Sarah was away (with Miss Dunning) during the Riots, - William went for
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her on Thursday of the Riot end, & he got her home in the evening. There was, however, not the slightest difficulty either going to Darien [Conn.] or returning. –
There was no difficulty of any kind during the 3 day’s riots either on our part of 4th St. or in Irving Place where my brother lives
He & his family are, as usual, in country quarters – at Cornwll, Orange Co[unty], N[ew] York in the Hudson [River] a little above Westpoint.
We have no later tidings of Nan than 11th May. – There was a letter rom he to my Sister [Ann] 2 days ago, postmarked at some spot in Maryland 25 July; but an opening the envelope I found the letter inside bore the [?][underscored] date of 26 January! [’26 January’ underscored]
Our niece Harriet of St. Louis [Mo], is spend- =ding the summer with her Husband & 2 of his 5 children at a delightful spot, aptly named (in these unquiet times) “Still= =water,” [‘Stillwater’ underscored] Minnesota. It is on the St. Croix river or lake, & within 18 miles of The Falls of St. Anthony. [Minneapolis] \ I am calculating on Peace & Reunion by the Spring of [18]’65, & not much more of serious fighting in the meanwhile.
yours sincerely Rutson Maury
