[See newspaper clipping in middle of this letter…]

 

    

Nantucket April 28, 1846

 

Dear Spooner,

     I duly rec’d yours of 12-19 instant. I owe you a thousand apologies. This undertaking to be wait[?], orderly, too off defeats the purpose. Ingersull[?], you know, intimated[?] that F.G.[?] Adams might have forgotten a passage in ____ Roman author, from not having entered it into his “Diary.” I forgot the receipt of your letter of March 5th, from a similar omission; it was not inserted in my “Letter List.” That List, I took especial pains to examine, on writing you last. But subsequently, on looking into my pile of “Unanswered Letters,” I found the unrecognized letter of the above date. But the other letter, to which you refer, I have not yet rec’d. Probably it is at the office of our friend Sewall, who if it is there, has  neglected to forward it.

     It would be too much to ask you to reply to Earle’s letter, in detail, that being only a private matter. For myself, I need no reply, so far, at lest, as the grand conclusion of your book is concerned. Yet, it would be somewhat gratifying, to have a sort of epitome of that “comedy of errors” to show to such as I permit to read E’s letter. We have a little social circle here, composed of some thirty persons, & meeting once a week. At our last meeting, by request, I read E’s letter, which, I suppose, the greater part of those present deemed especially sound. E’s great error, it struck me at first sight, is substantially that of Phillip’s & co’s; going out of the instrument, to find its meaning, when a reasonable one can be found without doing so; seeking, out of it a base intention, when an honest one is _____ by its own words. Practically, I suppose that is law which the people, or any portion or them, choose to proclaim, & have the brute power to enforce, as such? ---What if a case like the one put by Earle, of a court’s refusing to recognize the validity of a statute of emancipation, from its belief in “the divine right of slaveholding,” should occur?--- The courts of this state did give Negroes their freedom on precisely the principle on which I understand your book to maintain the courts of slaveholding states may now give it to them. And this reminds me a little paragraph I fell in with this morning, which I herewith send to you. But J.L.A.[?] is probably in error? It is all I have seen in the premises.

     If Earle would choose to publish his letter, would you like to reply to it through the same medium?  Capt. Gardiner, his brother=in=law, whom, you may remember, I introduced to you, was at Phila. lately. He says, E. wrote the letter, one night, after spending the evening with himself in conversation about your book, which the Capt. also says, E. had not read, except partially. This last surprised me, & makes his letter only sort of forgone conclusion.

     The present banking system of Ohio, --to refer to your letter of March 5th last, ---my brother thinks the most perfect conceivable, or at least very excellent. That system allows any one, who chooses, to do banking business, by depositing with the Treasurer of the State the full amount of one’s capital in wither this or United States scrip[?], which is held by the Treasurer as security to the bill=holder. In addition to this, the banker is required to have a certain amount—I forgot what proportion—of specie[?]; &, in care[?] of omitting to reclaim[?] in specie any of his bill on presentation, to forfeit twenty per cent.--- There are however, several incorporated banking institutions, in Ohio, which are not subject to this system, which have lately rec’d permission to continue, I know not how much longer, by a system of legislative log-rolling. But I know nothing at all about banking; I therefore will quit the topic.

     I agree with you, especially, as to the means of ______ the cause of Anti=slavery. “All the instrumentalities in one are doing good,” doubtless; though I sometimes fear the violent tirades of the non=voting sect against the Liberty Party, & the consequent aid given to our pro=slavery Whiggism, will nigh paralyze, the usefulness of that sect.---I wish we could establish a special fund for bringing cases before the Supreme Court on Habeas corpus. ‘Twould require a larger one; for lawyers worth the having would demand larger pay.

     I am glad to hear that the Doctor is busy, and that Mrs. Hoyt is better. Of course, I shall be glad to have a letter from them—when he has leisure & she is well, enough, for I would not have it a work of penance.

     I may be in Boston as soon as yourself; but not to stop long, probably.

     And then, all this while, you have not got a glimpse of Mrs. Sargeant. Ah, I suspect hr worse half does not care to have her where you are! ‘Twas bad[?] _____, blabbing your notions of divorce in his hearing!

     ____ clear [?] I’m [?] going to marry that ______maker? I have no doubt it would put him in the way of getting bitter likeness [?].

     Is it not getting to look beautiful among those mountains? We have almost no _____ here, at any time. But I love the ocean

     I have not written to Judge Allen nor called on Judge Williams. But the “_____ Blacksmith” promised me to brauch[?] the support to the former; & several—Hildreth among them—gave me to understand, that I could get nothing favorable from the latter, whom, nevertheless, I have always felt incline toward. Barritt[?] told me he had not said so much about your book as he ought to have done.

                                  Truly Yours,

                                  Geo. Bradburn