USA > Oregon > Sources of the history of Oregon > Part 12
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Cambridge Feb 13th 1832
Mess Davenport & Byron (N York)
Gent Your fav. of roth inst is at hand. Please order 20 Doz of the traps such as you name and such as used by Mr. Astor to be done as soon as possible and sent to Baltimore so as to arrive there certainly by the 7th March. Concerning chains I will advise you farther and also of what other goods are wanted and cannot be obtained in this place.
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Please inform me whether you wish me to send the funds to you or whether you will draw on me. If the latter let it be at 5 days sight and so as to reach here not later than Ist March. I am yr obt. servt Nathl. J. Wyeth
XLII.
Broth. Leonard (New York) Cambridge Feb 17th 1832
Your favor of the 13th is at hand and as you do not acknowledge mine of the roth I fear it has miscar- ried. In lieu of the proposition contained in it I will ask you to place your guarantee on the back of the agreement which I have made with Mess Hall and Williams which will be the same thing to you and save future trouble if loss should arise. You cannot be called upon for indemnity short of 30 months which will be Sept 1834 but a short time prior to the last sum named in your letter of roth Jany. and differs so little from your own proposal that I have proceeded on the presumption that you would do it and shall forward the document to your place before the 25th. You will perceive by the agreement with Tucker Hall & Williams that the first shipment that will be made (and of course the first responsibility which you will incur) will be predicated on on orders sent home by me which cannot be short of a year. One year more at least for the shipment to return and loss ascertained and unavoidable delays will bring your liability to as distant a time as the one I have named but if you think advisable you cant name the time at which you do bind yourself to indemnify in the entry on back of the agreement.
The agreement I have made is precisely what Mr. Osgood though[t] could be procured of Mess. J. Baker and son. I called on them but they would make me no offer, but after having closed with Hall and Co. they were anxious to do it, and expressed them- selves disappointed that it was too late. I would have liked an arrangement with them better because they are in the trade. The others otherwise are as good men as they can be. I am afraid I closed rather hastily but I had been bandied much by those in the trade and I expected the same thing with them. My time was short and the offer I got as good as could possibly be made by good men.
Say to Mr. Osgood that I am much obliged to him for his kindness and that his letter will yet do me service probably in enabling me to make arrangement with Mr. Baker to take any surplus of goods which his vessells are liable to have when leav- ing that coast.
Please answer soon. Vr aff Bro. Nathl. J. Wyeth.
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WYETH'S OREGON EXPEDITIONS.
98]
XLIII.
Cambridge Feb. 21 1832
Mess Davenport & Byron (N York) Gent. The Bond of A. Nor- ris & Co mentioned in your letter of 16th inst I will take up, and transmit the same to you with funds to meet the balance of dis- bursements in a Branch check at which time I will advise you further.
I am &cy N. J. W.
XLIV.
Cambridge Feb 22d, 1832
Bro. Leonard N. York
Your letter of 18 inst is at hand. I shall send to New York a copy of the agreement with Hall and Will- iams and Mr Tucker as soon as the same is signed by them which cannot be until the Ist March because the stile of their firm is then to be changed. I am pleased that you are suited with these men. I have been long acquainted with them and esteem them highly as honest and upright men. The surplus funds are subject to my order so far as to cover all the disbursements made by me and any surplus funds after said deduction are subject to the order of the Co. so far as placing them where they please in trust for the said Co and as a fund to secure the debts of the Co and to be so kept in trust until the expiration of the 5 years. My agreement with Hall and Williams binds them to deposit in bank any sur- plus fund that may arise in default of orders on the subject.
I shall forward to you the agreement to be signed by the Com- pany which will explain to the persons you name the nature of their duties and proportion of profits. In the mean time assure any that call that we are really going to start by or before Ist March. When I forward this document I shall give informa- tion concerning the hopes and prospects of the Co &c. and speci- fy how many are then wanted to fill up and of what trades. For this purpose I shall then request you or some other person to ad- vertise in your city. Persons thus engaged will arrive in Balto. as soon as we shall and there join us. This must serve instead of your proposition of coming on by land. Policy forbids sending on the men alone.
The offer which you make of a letter of credit for 500$ relieves me much, if you could give me one for 1300$ and in case I draw for more than the 500$ you could draw on Jas. Brown for the sur- plus it would accomodate me much. B will answer drafts for the 300$ at ten days sight and in such case pledge property of mine in his hands to raise it.
The guarantee which I wish you to make I have placed on the back of my agreement with H & Williams made payable in de- fault 27 months from date.
[No signature.]
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XLV.
Cambridge Feb 26th 1832
Brother Jacob (Howel Furnace N Jersey) I write to inform you that on Thursday March Ist we shall form our camp on Long Island in Boston Harbour and that within 6 days thereafter we shall sail for Baltimore. I write thus early that you may loose no time in making preparations for a moove to-
[This letter breaks off because a leaf of the letter-book has been torn out at this point.]
XLVI.
Cambridge Feb 28th 1832
Mess. Davenport & Byron (N York)
Gent. Enclosed you [will find] the bond of Mess. A. Norris and Co. which please pass to my credit, and after making the small purch[as]es below named for- ward to me an acc. of your disbursements with ballance due you said ballance I will then forward to you in a Branch check. These papers must arrive here by the 6th March as I may leave Boston as soon as that time. Let them be directed to me in Boston to the care of Frederic Tudor Esq. If you find it impossible to get these accounts here by the time named present them to Mess Cripps and Wyeth Pearl St. whom I will request to settle them. I wish you to send the goods to me to the care of Mess Wyeth & Norris Baltimore and by the steam-boat line if possible to avoid the risk of their not arriving in season. Nearly all the goods wanted have been obtained here. The chains I have obtained. What I now want is 3 doz. Spanish knives of best quality for personal arms 5 1/2 inch blade with a set to prevent its shutting when open, 60 to 8[o] yds of red cloth such as is used in the In- dian trade to cost not more than 1.75 per yard of a bright scarlet 6-4 wide. Purchase none unless of the kind you know to be used in the Indian trade, about 50$ worth of beads of the size of the large ones which are enclosed 34 of the blue of the same shade as nearly as can be of the small ones. Of the small ones I have purchased an assortment.
[No signature.] XLVII.
Long Island Boston Harbor March 3d 1832 Mr Seymour Whiting (New York)
Dear Sir Your fav. of 27 ulto. came in course to hand and would have been answered before this but for my being extremely buisy in forming my camp at this place which was done on the Ist inst. We shall sail during all the time to the 8th inst [?] for Baltimore per Bg. Ida with a fair complement of men.
L
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This expedition employs so nearly all my means that I find it impossible to comply with your proposal but were my means more extended I would with pleasure do it to ensure the benefit of your company. Say to Mess Ball and Sinclair that we have commenced in the work and shall go on with spirit. They have probably ere this had a note from my brother of the firm of Cripps and Wyeth in whose hand a copy of the compact has been placed.
I am yr obt servt N. J. W XLVIII.
Camp Long Island Boston Harbour March 3d 1832 Mr. H. J. Kelley ( Washington)
Dear Sir
Your fav. of 24th ulto. was received on the 2nd inst. being the day after I formed my camp at this place. I have not and shall not call on Genl. Mc Neil having written him once and received no answer. I sail per Bg. Ida within 5 days for Baltimore and may be expected there from the 15 to the 20th inst. but shall remain there no longer than I can possibly heip.
I am perpectly well aware of the importance of cooperation of all the Americans who may go to that country but I am well con- vinced that this thing has been delayed too long already and that further delay will defeat my enterprise beside not being in the habit of setting two times to do one thing. I am quite willing to join your emigration but will not delay here or at St. Louis. You very much mistake if you think I wish to desert your party, but you must recollect that last Ist Jany was set at first as the time of starting.
I am yr Obt Servt. N. J. W. XLIX.
Cambridge Camp Long Island March 4 1832 [This part of the head of the letter and the date are writ- ten with the ink used in writing the first portion of the following letter. All excepting the date is crossed out with ink used in writing second portion.]
Bg. Ida at Sea [With ink used in second portion.] Bro. Perry (Newbury \'t.) Your letter of Dec 22 was received in due time. I have defered answering to this time that I might speak as one on the verge of a great event. \'r letter to Mess. Clark and Grau shall be delivered if opportunity serves. Perhaps it is a dead letter. What you write in regard to myself I presume is the truth and that I am not ashamed of, altho. it may be
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sealed "Cordiality and kindness is what I always presume on" feeling as tho. I deserve it from the hands of all men in-as-much as they deserve it from me.
The though[t] of leaving N. England forever has never entered my mind. As to the hazard of it there can be no hazard greater than death (in my crede) and that all must meet at some time and if there were I should not much regret leaving the land of religious freedom as you call it but it is not so to me finding in it [Across the above portion of the copy of this letter is written "continued on the next page." Copies of letters L. and LI. are interposed between the preceding and the following portions.] none of that freedom of religious opinion of which you speak, by freedom of opinion I mean the exercise and avowal of ones ideas without harm accruing therefrom. Can any one say that my opin- ions have been exercised in freedom and that no harm has accrued to me. Can one any assert that I have not been lowered in the . estimation of my fellows thereby? Yet they are as honest opin- ions and as conscientiously believed in and perhaps as much pains and investigation used in their formation as in those of most men. Have I not been told that those who believed not in the bible were not fit to be argued with and that too by men who hold themselves especially called to preach forth the religion of love and charity to all men. Are not men of one denomination of opin- ion avoided in all the relations of life by those of another does not the orthodox man employ the orthodox in most buisness that he may have the disposal of does not the temperance society man often say that he will employ none but his own class whereby damage accrues to the other and for merely taking the liberty to exercise his own opinions. And yet you call this a land of civil and re- ligious liberty. I repeat I have not found it such.
I doubt not brother Perry but you have much at heart my wel- fare both temporal and eternal a difference of opinion has never in me created any hardness of opinion toward you I have always though[t] you sincere in your professions and have respected you accordingly as one who being convinced that he was in the right path and only path was anxious that all should walk therein for their good. I cannot but respect such disinterested and arduous exertions for the good of others altho. I think them mistaken. I do not ridicule nor would I persecute altho I do not believe but am willing that all should enjoy their own opinions and am convinced that all honest opinions will be tolerated elsewhere if not-[Across the copy of this second portion of the letter is written "continued on the 3rd following page from last page." About half of the page designated is cut out. This mutilation of the book was caused evi- dently by the desire to suppress the remainder of the letter -- at least two other letters were sacrificed as the two following remnants indicate:]
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WYETH'S OREGON EXPEDITIONS.
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Camp Long Island Head Boston Harbor March 6th 1832 Mr F. E. Lansing (New York)
Dear Sir Your favor of 2nd inst is at hand I have instructed my brother of the firm of Cripps & Wyeth Pearl St. your city-[ Half leaf removed. ]
-advised if I had given any on such a subject. You can commu- nicate at least twice a year, and if the expedition is fortunate you will be able on your return to live in the stile you like, if otherwise the thing will be abandoned within two years and you will return just as well off as you are now. Please consider this my last letter from this place. I am yr afte Bro. N. J. Wyeth
[Copies of six letters at least were inserted between 2nd and 3rd (which is missing) portions of letter XLIX. This indicates un- unusual deliberation in writing that letter if not hesitation in copy- ing it into his book.
The irregularity in the order of appearance of the letters in this part of the book is most likely due to a failure to have the letter book always at hand in passing back and forth between Cambridge, Camp Long Island, and Boston.]
L.
Boston March 9th 1832
Brother Leonard (New York) Enclosed you have a check in fav. of Mess. Davenport and Byron for 450$ with which please settle the balance due the above gentlemen of 525.79. The above is all the money that I can spare at this place. The surplus you will oblige me by considering as in part of what I am allowed to draw on you for. If you cannot do this draw on me in Baltimore and it shall be refunded.
I am &c N. J. Wyeth. LI.
Boston March 9th, 1832
Mess. Davenport and Byron(\ York)
Gent Your fav. of 3d inst. is but just received and is very satisfactory. Please accept my thanks for the promptness with which you have attended to this buisness.
By this mail I have made remittance to Mr. Leond. I. Wyeth of the firm of Mess. Cripps & Wyeth Pearl St. your city on whom please call for settlement. I go hence by water therefore cannot have the pleasure of seeing you in N. York as you are po- lite enough to hope.
I am yr obt servt. N. J. Wyeth.
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LII.
Cambridge March 5th 1832
Bro. Leond. (New York)
Mess. Tucker and Williams will for- ward to you the agreements between them, Henry Hall and my- self on both of which you will please place your guarantee for $1500 and request Charles to do the same for 1000$ and in case he is not in your city send them to him to execute and in either case have one returned whence it came and the other sent to me at Baltimore, also all letters of credit which you have for me to arrive there from the 17th to the 20th inst. Please take a copy for your own satisfaction and request Charles to do the same. I shall not write to you again from this place but will endeavour to do it from Baltimore if I do not see you there which if buisness permits would gratify me much.
All well here and in haste.
Vr afte. Bro. N. J. W. LIII. Cambridge March 6th 1832.
Bro. Leond (N. York)
Your fav. of 3d inst. is at hand. My let- ter book is at Long Island therefore cannot give you a duplicate of my letter of the 27th inst. I think it contained some agree- ments between myself and men and instructions to engage 15 who would comply with the same, and write notes to all those had seen you on the subject. This letter was enveloped in a newspaper covering post paid to the care of your firm. Please on the receipt of this write notes to The. Bache, care of Mr. Swartwort the collector and to E. E. Lansing care of Mess Whit- ney and Mc. Farlan 91 Maiden Lane stating that such a letter has miscarried. A duplicate I will send to-morrow. We sail in the Bg. Ida for Baltimore on the 10th inst. The letter to E: E. March is received for which I thank you.
I am Vr Afte Bro N. J. W.
LIV.
Camp Long Island Head Boston Harbor Mr. 5th 1832 Mr Theo. Bache (New York) Dear Sir
Your fav. of the Ist inst. is at hand. Our camp was formed at this place on the Ist inst. We sail for Baltimore in the brig Ida on the toth inst. and should we have a good passage we may be expected to arrive in that city by the 18th by which time please be in that city.
Ere this I suppose you have received a note from my brother of your city in whose possession you will find a copy of the con- tract to be signed and which will be done when you meet us.
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WYETH'S OREGON EXPEDITIONS.
The letter from Mr. Lansing is at hand and is answered by this mail.
I am &c N. J. W.
[ Half leaf of letter book is here cut out. This mutilation de- ,troyed the 3rd portion of letter XLIX. and the main parts of two letters remnants of which are given in connection with let- ter XLIX.]
LV. Boston March 10th 1832
M: John Ball N. York
Dear Sir This is to inform you of. our uiling this day in the Baltimore Packett Ida and to request you to meet us at Baltimore as soon as the 18th near which time we may be expected to arrive in the city. When there enquire of me of Mess. Wyeth & Norris Markett St. Baltimore. Vr Obt Servt N. J. W LVI.
Boston March 10th 1832
Mr. John Sinclair (N. York)
Dear Sir This is to inform you of our sailing this day in the Baltimore Packett Ida and to re- quest you to meet us at Baltimore as soon as the 18th near which time we may be expected to arrive in that city. When there en- quire of Mess Wyeth & Norris Market St. Baltimore for me. I am yr. &c N. J. Wyeth
LVII. Bg. Ida at Sea March 15th 1832
Bro. Leonard (New York)
Fearing I may not see you on my arri- val at Baltimore I employ my leisure in writing to you. I have given Mr Brown a power of at[t]orney to act in my behalf. This I did because he is on the spot and also more intimate with my affairs than any other person. Another reason was that there is i bank getting up in Cambridge of which he cannot fail of being director, and through him if I wish I shall have the power of raising money provided I make him sufficiently intimate with my Affairs. If successfull my operations will require a large sum of money and a bank in Camb. will be the one to raise it from and wy placing my unavailable property at his disposal it may be ed through his endorsement at a bank that will always want cus- Comers. I have not yet made up my mind whom I shall commis- ston to examine the acc. of Mess. Tucker and Williams and I think I shall not at present commission any one to do it inas- much as nothing will be required until the shipments are made 'ont do I know that any examination will be requisite until the ex- "ration of five years. If you think otherwise and are willing to at-
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tend to it I will request them to forward. their accounts to you. I shall send you certified accounts of my disbursements in behalf of the Co. These are available according to the agreement as soon as the amt. can be spared from the operations of the concern without interest, as also all private loans to the different members on account of their outfits and traveling expenses and notes or due bills for the latter I will forward you from St. Louis or Frank- lin in order that I may send you all at once. As to the commis- sions of this buisness they are all mortgaged for the 5 years and must go to Tucker and Williams. I should have been better pleased to have kept them at my own disposal but I could not do it and perhaps during the 5 years it would be no object. I have obtained letters from J. Baker and Son which will enable me to send home goods and information by their vessells also to pur- chase any surplus goods that their vessells may have when leav- ing that coast. This may be an advantage to both saving them the loss of carrying home a few useless goods and enabling me to purchase what I want without paying freight. They also if they continue the salmon [trade] wish to make arrangement with me to put up their cargoes which I may do provided it does not interfere with my own trade in this article. I like the men much and if it lays in my way to do them a favor it certainly will be done. Letters will reach me through Tucker and Williams Bos- ton and I enjoin upon you to write me as often as you have an opportunity and you may rest assured that I will do the same. My journal I shall send one copy to Mr. Brown and one to you and Charles jointly. These you must preserve with care as it will be intended for publication if on finishing it is found worth it, and as the character of the expedition will depend much on this care must be used that it be not lost or divulged, as pub- lication would destroy one half of its value and it may be that I would not wish all the facts of the trade divulged before I have done with it.
As I am leaving all reasonable vicinity I must bid adieu to all my friends among which I number your good wife. Say to her that her life has been checkered with heavy afflictions but still there have been other misfortunes more difficult to bear, that there is comfort in some sorts of affliction but in others there is naught but bitterness and that as we advance in life we are gradually weaned from our love of life until we pass naturally from this to another existence and that death which in early life we dread so much I doubt not may come a welcome visitor to the weary and worn in misfortune and to those whose dearest treasures have gone before them. Say to the little girls that their uncle Nat has gone far from them but that in the wilder- ness he stil[1] remembers them while probably in a few months he will be forgotten, all but the name by them and this I have no
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WYETH'S OREGON EXPEDITIONS.
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doubt you will keep in their minds, life is too full of pleasures for them to remember their distant friends long.
My health is pretty good and hope and excitement has made another man of me. I am determined to give up no more to melancholy feelings but rouse myself up to exertion and enter- prise and forget the things that have been and all but what is be- fore me. If I am successful there will be some comfort in it if otherwise I will have some serious and present misfortunes to keep me from brooding over more distant and metaphysical ones. If I fail in my enterprise it will be an undertaking that few men could even look at if successful it will be fame and wealth enough to keep me on a par and in standing with the best other circum- stances to the contrary notwithstanding. The present which Mr. Tudor made me on settlement is as fair an offset to Mr. J. . . con- duct that in a civil way he shall know it, it is too good an enco- mium on my character to keep from him. You need not be alarmed for my temper, for I will keep the advantage of coolness over him and he shall find that I have more patience than he im- agined and too much pride to shew that he can hurt my feelings even if it is really the case. I expect a little spleen from him but he shall keep it all to himself he shall not infect me with it, it would gratify him too much.
I left our parents all well and also the other members of the family some scolding and some crying, and both to equally little purpose, altho they have their effect and show who values us.
I am &c N. J. W.
P. S. Baltimore March 24th 1832
I arrived here on the 23d inst. and received your fav. of the 15th enclosing a letter to Tiffany Shaw & Co. and check for 424.21 which is very timely, as Charley had even forgot to for- ward Mortons note which he had been twice directed to do. I shall leave this on Tuesday and shall wish to receive an answer to this at Pitsburg.
LVIII.
Baltimore March 24th 1832
Judah Touro Esq. (N. Orleans)
Dear Sir I write to apprise you that on my arrival at this place on my way out to the Columbia River I found that my brother Mr C. Wyeth had neglected to forward to you the note against Morton Brown & Co. referred to in my letter of the 7th of Feb. last. The note will be disposed of here or left behind or sent to you, in the last of which cases please look for advices to Mr. C. Wyeth.
Please excuse my troubling you in this matter.
I am &c N. J. W.
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LIX. Baltimore March 24th 1832
Mr. H. J. Kelley (Washington City)
Dear Sir I arrli]ved here on the 23d at midnight and have received your favor of same day. I will take charge of any of the emigrants who will defray their own expenses at any part of the route provided no delay will be occasioned to my party. I leave this on Tuesday next for Pits- burg and should be pleased to receive from you a copy of the map referred to in your letter.
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