Transcription
Sunny Side, Sinday Eve’g Jan’y 29. 1854
My dear Willie
I will send you the loan [($75)] you request / in yours of 25th inst. But I am “hard up” myself just now. It / happens however that I have twenty five (25) dollars in my pocket / and I enclose them, the rest I will forward in eight or ten days _ / if in immediate want of the balance, say the word, and I / will borrow it. Your previous letter of Dec’r 23d came duly to / hand _ both letters have interested me. You say that you ad / seen the Pres’t again, and upon his own invitation _ it is no doubt / his intention to provide you with a situation, or why should he / appoint a time for you to call. Allowances are to be made / for his not acting promptly for he is no doubt overwhelmed with / cares and beset by politicians and demagogues on every hand.
You will do well to make your appearance at his recep= / =tions occasionally, without [impurtunity] however, or alluding / to your desire of place, unless he leads to it himself, it will / serve to remind him of his promise.
I suspect that I am wrong in the impression that / Mr Mackey and Mr [Wigman?] are lawyers; I had doubts / however from the very loose manner in which their agree= / =ment is drawn; [and?] from your remark that you would call / at the Treas’r depart’t = to make enquiries. I begin to think that / they are clears there _ for I know that those [^ some] who have / access to the books, have made money, by hunting up / the parties in whose favor balances have been long standing / of which they know nothing, or had entirely forgotten _ / these clerks would then directly or indirectly, apprise those / auditors, or their heirs, +c., that they know of accounts due to / them, and would undertake to ontian them provided they / were allowed one third or one half of what they should get, as in / this [agreement] of Mackey + [Wigman?Wingman?].
I have spoken Edward Heyer and Robert Hyslop _ / the former says that like me, he has not heard a word from / them since he signed the agreement, and wishes should you be / able to get some definite understanding in the matter, that /
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I would communicate it to him. Mr Hyslop has / no recollection of signing the agreement (it may have been / signed by “Bob. Smith” (for Smith Hyslop) - Hyslop however says that / some four or six years ago Henry Ogden, who was Cashier at the / Custom house under Sam Swartwout, called on him as agent / for some one in Wash’n offering to procure the return of [duties?] / improperly charged, upon terms as above, that he agreed and / finally obtained, but it was of trifling amount _ these claims / that Mess’r Mr + W have in hand may have arisen in the / same way, but if they accrue only [on?] [importations?] from / beyond the Cape of G.H. I do not see that I can have any / interest, but again, it is possible that it may arise from / your small [illegible - consig’s?] from Canton; whatever it may be, I ap= / =prehend it is of trifling [??-ent], still, give it your attention / and enquire also as to Edward Heyer’s and Mr Hyslop’s interest.
You mention having made acquaintance / with Capt. Hiram Paulding of the Navy at the Presidents / I believe him to be a very worthy fellow and hope / that you have kept your promise to call with Sarah. / at the Navy yard. As you will probably be located / in Washington for some years it is well to make the / acquaintance and be on pleasant terms with all / of good standing and influence. I cannot / learn from your letters whether Sarah has taken / care to get on the right side of Mrs Morgan, or induce / that she has even seen her; but I take it for granted / that she has . for her own goodness of heart would / induce her to show those little courtesies and attentions / so acceptable to a stranger in a strange place.
We had a letter a few days since from Sanders / little wife informin us that the Messr’s Jeffreies contract
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To introduce gas into [Lexington?] is successfully / completed, and that Sanders is now “waiting orders” / as Navy officers say. Mr John Jeffrries, who is the “Boss” / writes him that he must be ready / for a move that / he may have to proceed to Montgomery in Alabama. / it is not yet decided however. Julia says that should / they go it will probably be by way of New Orleans, which / seems to be a very round about route, yet perhaps the most / convenient as it would be all the way by steam boat; down / the Ohio and Mississippy to N.O. then to Mobile and up / the Alabama to Montogomery.
Moses H. Grinnell is a good fellow for taking care of / his relatives and friends _ Our neighbour Henry Holdridge, / who you are aware married one of Moses’ neives Mrs Grinnell’s / sister, was through Moses’ influence chosen vice Pren’t of the / “General Mutual Ins Comp” with a handsome salary _ the Comp’y / was formed but a very few years since _ it has met with such / heavy losses, that the directors have recently concluded to ‘wind / up”: just now it happens that the Agent of the “Sun Mutual” / in New Orleans died lately and the vice Pres’t of the Comp’y Mr. / Seton, has gone there to replace him _ and the “Sun” had / chosen Mr Holdrige as 2d Pres’t salary $4,000.
Little Kate is well and in good spirits and getting / on finely; as much of a favorite and pet as ever; I would / fear it might spoil her, it would more then half the / children in the country, but I do not see that it has a bad / effect upon her _ she behaves herself well and is really a good / girl. Your sisters take a great interest in her and are very attentive / to her _ they require her to attend regularly to all her studies, which / she does cheerfully _ she is much attached to her Aunts, and they / to her _ she is a comfort, and company to Catharive, who happens / to be in a manner almost alone at present - Sarah and Mary / being in the City as also your Uncle Wash’n Mary has been rather / more out of health the last three weeks, and wishing to be able
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To see her Physician more frequently and conveniently / availed herself of a [kind] and [pressing] invitation from Julia / Grinnell to pass some days at No. 1 14th Street Catharine, “little / kate” and I , beside, the servants, constitute the family at Sunnyside. / were it not for little Kate, I suspect that Catharine would / feel rather lonesome. Kate has been in high favor with / “Santa Claus” and his friends for a considerable number of / pretty little presents were crowded into her stockings and lap / at Christmas; some came from her friends the Holdriges: she / is frequently there and on the days for the dancing lessons, they / generally keep her all day _ these attentions she felt bound to / reciprocate and therefore a few days since gave a diner and / tea party to the little Holdriges at Sunny Side. The oldest boy is / something younger than Kate, the second, about seven and the / oldest girl, (the one present) about five: they are good children / all seemed to enjoy themselves
You care right in keeping your two claims separate, / if joined, both might be thrown out _ I would go for both claims / but in different bills _ Uncle Sam’s bags are full, and he will / be inclined to be a little generous, and [^ i hope] that all will be / done before “Santa Anna” gets his fingers in.
The notes enclosed are as follows
Bank of N- York letter [&] no 834 Jan’y 1. 1853 . $5 —
“ “ “ [A] “ 393 “ “ “ . . 10 - -
Phenix Bk “ “ [B] . . 2984 March 5 . 1849 . . . 10- -
I hope the above will pay the “Workerwoman” + Nurse, especially / the former for those poor women are generally most in need of / this money My love to Sarah
Thine affectionately
Eben’r Irving
P.S. let me know that this letter gets to / hand: you need say nothing about / the money.
William Irving Esq’r
Care of Mrs. Peyton
Cor 4 ½ St + Penn. Ave
Washington
D.C.Transcriber
Kathryn AlexanderLanguage
English
