Curtis Fawcett Letter 1839-03-17

by Curtis Fawcett

Envelope: Politeness of, Mr Chistman, Miss Virginia Fawcett, St. Charles, Missouri

Phila March 17th 1839

Dear Ginny

I received your and Pa’s letters by Mr Stockslager a week or so since. In both he was highly recommended as a merchant and as a gentleman; and Pa thought it advisable for us to sell him all the goods he should want in our Line of bussiness; or at least if he did not possitively say so; he intimated as much in reccommenditing him. I amm not certain; though I think it highly probable, we should have sold both Mr S. and Mr Coons, if circumstances under which we were then placed would hae admitted, but such was our situation; as to render it almost if not quite impossible. These circumstances I shall explain in my next to Pa whi I expect to write Soon

Mr Stockslager and Mr Coons left here a few days since for Baltimore on there way home, they did not go as soon as I expected, and there arrangement alltogether was different from what I understood it to be, and if I mistake not, they; changed it from what it was at first. As I understood; they were to leave here in the early part of the week for Baltimore and return in a few days; then go directly from here home; therefore I gave my self no uneasiness about seeing them on their return, and expected to write by them; as Mr Stockslager kindly offered to take an letters that I might want to send. But as the case was; they remained here until the later part of the week before going to Baltimore; long enough to get through their bussiness here, and after remaining in Baltimore until they transact what bussiness they have there; they go from there home. This I did not know until within a day or so when I called at the Hotel to inquire of the Bar keeper; if they had returned. In consiquence of being dispointed in sending a letter by Mr Stockslager I will send it by Mr Crissman. WE are unable; if Mr C- was inclined to leaf his old place of bying; to sell him; for the same reasons; that we were not able to supply; the other gentlemen if they had been disposed to buy of our establisment. I should have; and intended; to inform you, in the two or three last letters that I wrote; but in all except the last I did not think of it until the letter was closed; and in the last I posponed it until there was no room for it; without crowding considerably; which I thought was hardly necessary as I expected to write again soon after. That Charles Clark son of Dr Clark from Harrissonburg has come here to live; he came about four months since, and is learning the printing bussiness under two or three good hones Quakers with whom he also boards, they sem disposed to treat him well as in fact most any of their society; would do; and give him every chance to advance him in his business; I believe he likes his situation and is fond of printing. Every two or three weeks, him and I visit the Blind Institute to see Jewet Gray; they used to go to school together and were much better acquainted before they left home than Jewet and myself.

The principle topic, and the one on which the commnity has a great deal to say at present, is the boundary line between Maine and New Brunswick; every newspaper we pick up has a column headed with; the latest news from Maine; and after giving all that can be found in the latest Eastern papers and letters on the subject; they frequently fill up the columns, in case the late news does not; with comments; and really it seems to a person would canily observe the proceedings of the newspapers that they tried to collect all; and publish all the excitable rumors a float without ever stopping to consider whether they are true or fals; or what will be there effect on the country; such a course besides doing a vast amount of injury by; exciting the feelings of that large portion of the populace of the country; which never stops to think wether; what they see and hear is true or not. It evinces a low, mean, contemtible spirit of [torn] wich ill becomes such a caracter as a man ought to be an who occupies the impportant station of an Editor. The latest news goew to confirm me in the belief that I had at first which was, that the present difficulty was solely owing to the imprudence of the governor of Maine and that of New Brunswick; and that it will finally be settled amicably; this latest news is that the govenor of New Brunswick has sent a communication to the gover of Main to adjust the differences. This I suppose he concluded to do; after seeing the folly of his first acts. our city is full of Bussiness; doing more than either New York or Baltimore; or at least according to the opinion of those who I suppose have good reasons for thinking so; and severral of our customers who have been on to New York tell us so; and thy have returned without purchasing there owing to the assortments of Goods being inferior in that city; Baltimore seldom can boast of as much as Phila

Give my love to all; Your affectionate Brother
Curtis