.NDkx.NjU2
[1]
via [steamer] Asia [underscored] 365 – Fourth St[reet] [New York, NY] – 29 Aug[us]t 1865 Saturday night
[Marginalia]
1st Sept[ember] P.S. All going on very well with Walker up to 9 a.m. to-day
Dear Ann
I have just ruled off the perpendicular lines, or columns, on the first page of the new weather book, commencing with the month of September, - and I have, for almost the first time in the past fort- =night been skimming the Express & reading attentively some pretty long & interesting letters & other articles: and prior to this, having had a glorious nap of fully 2 hours, or more, up to 9 p.m., when Ann woke me for T[ea], I went out after T[ea] & got back from Mr. Rocco a p[ai]r of stout English shoes (favorites) which have been entirely re-soled from heel to toe at a cost of $2!. – Returning with them to leave at the door, I then pursued my walk amidst occasional rain, to 30th St[reet] & back. – For want of time to walk, I rode down this morning, but I walked home to dinner, carrying a basket of peaches, & not content with there, I filled my “amiable pockets” with 15 [underscored] more: & on the way I called in Nassau St[reet] upon my friend Mr. Kelhoz, the German hair cutter, & got him to trim my head & beard – not before it was necessary to my comfort & decent appearance. – Altogether I have walked 5 1/2 miles today, and tho’ I was very tired when I came home to dinner, after being on my feet pretty nearly all the time from 11 till 5, I now feel quite rested & very fresh both mentally & bodily. (Mens sana in corpore sano.”) As I went down this morning with an empty basket I fell in love with some very fine luscious peaches, & bought 20 at 3¢ each – cheap for their quality - & sent them by William at 3 p.m. to Orange [New Jersey]. He was also the bearer of Harriet’s letter of 25th to me, & a note from me to Sarah, in which I commented on the “flesh-coloured [underscored] stockings” – (alias none at all) that Walker was wearing on Thursday, & suggested some ribbed merino ones in their stead. – I also told W [struck-through] her to tell Walker that his friend Mr. John T. Smith, the carman, when calling at the office today to be paid a bill of $30, learnt from me of Walker’s accident & exhibited all the [feeling?][struck-through] feeling & sympathy to be expected of a friend & a gentleman. – I wrote 2 pages today to James accompanied by Fontaine’s costly [underscored] letter to him & the press copy of my cheap [underscored] reply of 1 1/2 page, that cost me only 1 penny [underscored] to frank it thro’.
David Spence dined out today, but joined me at T[ea], & is to go to church with me tomorrow, & (as I tell him), to find the places for me for the metrical psalm & hymn, & text: and then to dine with me & after that, if it be a fine afternoon to accompany me on a visit to Highwood. – This morning W[illia]m brought me a note from Sarah to Mrs. King, to thank her for the grapes, I presume. I enclosed it in a little note of my own to Mrs. King. – I left the office before 4, & before that, dismissed John Russell for the day, in time for him to mail a very short note from me to Harriet (before 3 1/2 p.m.) in which I
[2]
acknowledged hers of 25th, & told her that Mr. N.M. Ludlow & party have not arrived yet, & that Walker is now getting on so finely, I shall not send her any more daily bulletins.
During my walk to night I was thinking among other things of Walker’s desperate & fatal leap as a parallel case to that of the South leaping out of the Union. He did so to avoid 2 or 3 miles
as
Wo [struck-through] walk, and the pretexts of the South were just about ^ unim= =portant & irrational. – I was also reflecting upon a most surprising & extraordinary item of intelligence rec[eive]d today, but which appears to me incredible. It comes in a rebel paper via F[or]t Monroe [Hampton, Virginia], & is as follows: - “Rebel papers, received at Morehead “City [North Carolina]” (where that is, I don’t know] “say that [Confederate President] Jeff[erson] Davis has decided
Confed[erate]
“after a conference with the Governors of the Rebel [struck-through] States to call out 500,000 “black troops, who are to receive their freedom & 50 acres of land, at “the end of the War.” –
Surely this must be a “canard.” If true, however, it would show how strangely “extremes meet” [‘extremes meet’ underscored] - & how desperate must be the present feelings of the arch-rebels, to think of resorting to such an expedient as this. 500,000 are more than one fourth [‘one fourth’ underscored] of all the coloured male population – bond & free – in all the Slave States.
It would most effectually mine & blow up the entire “granite foundation (to use Mr. Stephen’s term) & completely extirpate Slavery in a very short time. – But an attempt to carry out such a scheme would produce instant rebellion against Jeff[erson] Davis & the control power at Richmond [Virginia], in every State composing the So[uthern] Confederacy.
Therefore it cannot be true: [‘therefore...true’ underscored] – it is only an idle speculation of some Southern madcap Editor I [underscored] presume.
Today’s steamer took out a veritable document of great inter= =est; a most sensible letter to the Augusta (Geo[rgia]) Constitution =alist, from ex-Senator [Robert A.] Toombs, upon Confederate Currency & Finance. – If published in the London [England] papers, it must attract a very great attention from every intelligent & reflective reader. – It is abundantly plain (tho’ he [underscored] does not say so) that Gen[era]l Toombs (as he is now called) is convinced that the whole con =cern is “going to the dogs.” – It seems to me now that utter despair of success surges throughout the entire of Rebel-dom -saving & excepting, of course, those whom I call the arch- -rebels: and I am strongly impressed with the idea that these arch-rebels cannot much longer control the masses, & that they are destined to the same fate as Aaron Burr – or the Members of the Hartford Convention.
[3]
In Richmond [Virginia] $1 in Greenback sells for $10 in Confed[erate] money. I hope that neither T. B.,[Tom Bold?] nor J & Co[ompany] are furnishing anything on tick; [‘on tick’ underscored] for it so, the odds are very great that they will never get paid. – That, however, is their look out, & neither yours nor mind.
It is most fortunate that Nan is surrounded by such kind friends & neighbours, for otherwise I should apprehend something like star =vation for herself & those who are dependent on her.
It has been said frequently of late that Gen[era]l [Robert E.] Lee & Jeff[erson] Davis are at loggerheads. – The former is said to be in very feeble health, & no wonder, when one this [struck-through] thinks of the stupendous load [‘stupendous load’ underscored] of res= =ponsibility resting upon him in this most desperate cause.
It also seems that the Charleston [South Carolina] people ar greatly discontent =ed with [General P.G.T] Beauregard. – One after another, these Southern idols are all sinking into contempt, somewhat like the unsuccessful Carthaginian Generals!
30 Aug[us]t Sunday night. David [Spence] has gone to bed, & I expect shortly to do the same. It has been a magnificent day, very inviting to exercise, & we have turned it to good account in that way. We were late at breakfast – my fault from taking another nap instead of rising when he awoke me. Nevertheless we were seated in S[ain]t Tho[ma]s [Church] some minutes before the service began. – Most of the congregation were strangers. There was no D[octo]r Morgan, & no one to aid his assistant, who gave notice that the church will be closed after today to be reopened this day fortnight, when the communion will be administered. After church David & I walked to the P[ost] O[ffice] & to Gilpin’s reading (for a moment) & then walked back again. I had on a thick flannel jacket, & my best black cloth coat, & with no shade on our return up Broadway, the sunshine on my back produced an uncom =fortable state of transpiration. – I found at the P[ost] O[ffice] a letter for Maury Bro[ther]s from England that I have not opened yet, one from Miss Dunning to Sarah, and one to myself from Miss Lippett, who says that the state of her health will not permit her to leave home & pay us that visit by the time we expect, Walker to be well & back in 4th S[treet] [New York, NY] – I had told her of my visit to him & taking to him Wilberforce’s Practical View, & she says I could not have selected a more suitable book, she thinks, for one in his present condition. –
David & I dined at 2 & did fair justice to the viands despite of the long & warm walk. – He took a nap after dinner, & after reading some while I followed his example. – I then went up to the closet up stairs & got out a jar of Scotch Marmalade, & a glass of Crab Marmalade (made by [struck-through] & marked by you last year) & putting one in each of Mrs. King’s 2 empty baskets, we started in the Yellow cars & reached the foot of Barclay S[tree]t [New York, NY] in time to catch the ferry boat for Hoboken [New Jersey] at 1/4 past 5.
Seeing no horse car when we got to the other side I asked a hackman his terms for a ride to Mrs. King’s [lower?] gate. He said $1. I offered him 50¢, which at first he declined, but was willing to accept when the
[4]
horse car appeared, & I being then unwilling to pay it, we rode for 5¢ each comfortably inside said horse care t the foot of the hill, & then leisurely walked to Mrs. King’s. We found Mr. & Mrs. Davis there which was just what I wished. I thought him looking better than I ever saw him. – indeed in the most perfect state of health: but she looked much shrunk up & aged, & her countenance bore the marks of distress. After the greeting Mrs. King invited me to go out with David & shew the grounds & various views, & D[octo]r Wilkes went with us & did the honours completely.
We remained until T[ea], and had quite a gathering round the T[ea] table. 1. Mrs. King, 2nd (at her left) myself, 3rd Mrs. Davis, 4th Mr. Spence, 5th Mrs. Ja[me]s G. King J[unio]r, 6th her husband, 7th Mrs. Richards, 8th Mr. B. Davis 9th Edgar, 10th D[octo]r Wilkes 12[written over] 1th Ja[me]s King’s eldest daughter, 12 Mrs. W. Lane, & some few little ones besides. – David was very courteously treated & made to feel quite at home as it seemed to me. – He & I were the last to leave. – The only drawback was that I was so very deaf & had, contrary to intention, forgotten to bring my ear trumpet. We walked on our way homeward to Mr. Davis’ gate, thinking to ride to Hoboken [New Jersey] via Horse car, but we had got beyond the foot of the hill before any one of these cars overtook us; & then it was too crowded for a comfortable ride, so we walked all the way to the ferry, & had to stop there 20 minutes before there was any boat; but finally left in one at 1/2 past 9, & riding up in a yellow car, we reached this house about 10.25 – [Alloy?] their we must have walked today fully 10 miles, & yet I don’t feeled particularly tired or sleepy. but I am now off to bed as it is past midnight.
Aug[ust] 26 66 1/2 74
27 63 1/2 73
28 64 72 1/2
29 64 77
30 61 71
31 60 67 1/2
Sept[ember] 1 63 1/2 probably 66 only
Weekly deaths to Aug[us]t 22 – 663
“ 29 – 623
of which aged 5 and under 352 & chol[era] inft. 136
Monday night 31 Aug[us]t – Matthew brought me the following note from Elizabeth; “My dear Rutson – Miss E Hadden gave me the enclosed letter from Nan to read & forward to Sarah. She says you may, if you wish, [‘if you wish’ underscored] then send it to Ann in England, if it will please her to see it. – I read Walker’s note to you” (of 25th inst[ant]) [25 August] “before [underscored] I read your comments; & it struck me much as it had done you. – I return all the letters to you. Mary goes in the morning to the city [New York, NY], to return on Tuesday, in the [steamer] Mary Powell. But she will not have time to go out to Orange [New Jersey], even if you can take her. I would rather she did not attempt it. – We have given her so many com= =missions to execute, her time will be fully occupied. –
Sunday even[in]g, 30 Aug[us]t Your affectionate – E[lizabeth]. Maury.
I at once set to work to make a copy of Nan’s letter to Lib[by?] Hadden (the Misses Hadden or some of them are staying at Canterbury, 1/2 a mile from Cornwall [New York], as Matthew tells me) and with difficulty I completed my task just in time to hand to W[illia]m at 3.10 (as he was leaving the office for Orange [New Jersey]) the original for him to hand to Sarah, along with a note from me to her, & a fresh basket of Peaches for Orange consumption.
[5]
(5)
I was interrupted in my task of copying, for one hour, by having to go with Matthew to the Br[itish] Consul’s office, & then to a Notary Public, to exe= cute the 2 powers of Attorney in favor of Mr. Rob[er]t Horsfall, for the sale of our £1000 of Lancashire & Yorkshire railway Stock, & about £4,000 of Preston & Wyre [preference?] shares – these being the Stocks, you may remember, that I bought in June [18]’62; - as we intend sending out these 2 P[owers] of Attorney to Horsfall & Addison tomorrow via [steamer] Asia, with instructions to pay over the N[et] proceeds into the Bank of L[iver]pool to our credit. –
I sent Harriet the manuscript copy of the letter from nan, & I now en= =close you the press copy thereof, which may perhaps be acceptable as an appendage to enclose in your next letter to Tobin. –
William brought me the bill for the trio (& their guests) at the No[rth] Orange [New Jersey] Hotel, made out for one fortnight ending 29th for Walker & 30th for W[illia]m & Sarah. He had examined the various items, & said they were correct. The total is $60 13/100; & I gave him that exact sum to discharge it, as he said Sarah’s funds in hand were little more than $30. – The Board is charged at the weekly rate of $10 for Walker, $7 for W[illia]m & $7 for Sarah. The board, therefore, comes to $48 & the rem[ainin]g $12 13/100 is for feeding & housing guests such [struck-through] & aids, such as Mr. Spence Mr. Henop (I suppose) & Ann Nugent, & some other extras. –
W[illia]m says all is going on right with Walker up to 9 a.m. today, & that he walked out for a [mile?] yesterday. He has been wearing cotton socks the past 2 days, & managed to put them on for himself, W[illia]m says, without difficulty. I proposed to W[illia]m to take to him today 2 p[ai]r of the lighter textured woollen socks, woven for me by the late Mrs. Geo[rge] [Ruddles?] protegee; but W[illia]m declined, as he said he would not wear these. \ - The D[octo]r yesterday, in W[illia]m’s presence, took off every particle of the bandages & plaisters, & washed the wound thoroughly, & said it was going on all right: & such seemed to W[illia]m to be the case too. – The reg= =ular time for the ligaments, or ties, of the 2 arteries to slough off, is as D[octo]r Pearson says, the 20th day after amputation, alias the 4th Sept[embe]r: & after that I suppose the wound will heal up rapidly, - Walker slept well the last two nights, just as before. The watch on Sat[urday] night was divided between W[illia]m & Henry Thompson, & on Sunday night between W[illia]m & Sarah. Thus Sarah prior to Sunday night had had 2 successive nights of unbroken sleep. – Ann is to go out tomorrow by 11 1/2 a.m. train & to return by the one reaching J[ersey] City [New Jersey] in the afternoon at 4 3/4 p.m. They will thus have her services for the space of 3 1/2 hours at a cost (in travelling to & fro) of 70¢. For what purpose they are required I don’t know, & did not ask. – Mr. Spence thinks of running over there for an hour or so, some time to-morrow. And unless there be some special hindrance, I may perhaps to out on Thursday, going & returning by the same trains as on Thursday last. –
James [underscored] came to town today, as well as Mary, & is bound upon a fortnight’s visit to Tribridge [New York], to vary his pastime & amusements. He is to start by the 8 a. m. train tomorrow. – They both dined with us today, & look particularly well, & had [glo..?] appetites for their dinner, which consisted of cold roast beef, Lima beans, fried egg-plant, & mashed potatoes; & in addition to an abund =ant supply of fresh peaches, I [looked?] out a tumbler of preserved Plums (“plumbago” of [18]62) & got Ann, whilst we were at dinner, to go to Simpson’s
[6]
(6)
& buy, for 10¢, 10 sponge cakes; and both the plumbago & sponge cakes had ample justice done to them as well as the peaches by Mary & James and by David [Spence] also. – They went home to T[ea] about 8, when I had had my nap, & Mary then came beside my easy chair to express her wish (& I suppose her Mother’s too) that some day, when her Father came to town , I would go up to Cornwall [New York] to spend a day & the night. She said she w[oul]d on such a night give up her room to me & sleep with her Mother. – I thanked her but declined it, saying it would not be convenient to me & that I had not the slightest need of any such out. – I did not say -tho’ that is my opinion – that the trouble to me would be greater than the enjoyment of so short a holiday. – Both Mary and James enqui- =red kindly about Walker; but neither of them said a word about going to see him; and I too was silent on that point, because their Parents have directly opposed my wishes. – I regret this opposition very much indeed; because I consider it so unfeeling – I might almost pronounce it so monstrous! [underscored] – It is true it would not have suited me to accompany Mary to Orange [New Jersey] today; but how easy w[oul]d it have been for Mary & Ja[me]s to have gone together, at the hours I had stated in my note of Friday to Elizabeth. They could thus have spent 1 3/4 hour with Sarah & Walker, to whom the visit would have been most welcome, & they could have been back here by 1/2 past 5; and if the consequence had been that Mary, in order to execute her commissions, had had to re= =main in town until the day after tomorrow, & so have returned alone [underscored] in the [steamer] Mary Powell, & James had had to postpone his departure for 1 day to Tribridge [New York] – how unimportant would this have been, compared with the moral effect [‘moral effect’ underscored] in the minds of our [underscored] young people from this neglect?. – There is not that affection on the part of our [underscored] young people for Matthew & Elizabeth that you & I would like to see; & I am sorry for it. There is coldness on both sides, & both sides are in fault, but I blame the seniors far more than the juniors for this indifference.
After I had made T[ea] for myself, David [Spence], who had been out paying a visit, returned & joined me, & that rather detained me from setting out on my night’s walk. – Nevertheless I went as far as 42nd St[reet] & was fresher on my return than when I started, & I walked faster as I returned than during the first half of the 4 miles. Having walked to the office, but ridden back with Matthew, I have altogether walked 6 1/2 miles today, & am still as gay & fresh as a lark. – The present weather renders walking exercise very pleasant indeed. \ - In riding home to dinner whom should I find in the car but Dan[ie]l K. Stewart of Richmond [Virginia], the brother & partner of John. – It is more than a year, he tells me, since he left Richmond. He arrived here 10 days ago form Kentucky, where they have a 3rd brother engaged in stemming & manufacturing Tob[acc]o, & the 2 in Richmond are concerned with him in those operations. – D[aniel] K. S[tewart] asked me my opinion of Gold [underscored]; & when I told him of our mistake in supposing Gold would rise as long as the War lasted, he said it had been his mistake too & he had his money lying idle in England, just we have ours. Y[our]s affectionately R[utson] Maury.
