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The Philander Chase letters were written in the 18th and 19th century and therefore may contain language that we understand today as harmful or offensive. You may encounter paternalist descriptions of Native Americans, racial slurs, or sexism. For more information, see our policy page.
Description
Dow regrets that he could not see Chase but did not receive his letter in time. He notes that perhaps he should not have mentioned Chase's opinions on emancipation to anyone in England, but assures him that he should not feel "at war" with his conscious as letting "those people" free would only make them miserable. He admits that this is a subject for conversation and not letters, but believes he may have some authority as he has spent any years living in a "mixed society." Dow provides an update on the health of many of Chase's friends and wishes him well in America.
Date
7-12-1824
Keywords
Manchester, Liverpool, Mr. Pratt, Mr. Wiggin, William Hodgson, Holihead, Mr. Butterworth, emancipation, New Orleans, Mr. Hall, Mr. Pilmore, Mrs. Davies, Jane Larey, Mrs. Middlemist
Recommended Citation
Dow, Robert, "Letter to Philander Chase" (1824). Philander Chase Letters. 385.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/385
Rights Statement
Transcript
Beaumaris 12th July, 1824
My Dear Sir,
In answer to your esteemed favor of June 24th, I wrote you by my sister’s son David then who was to be the Bearer of it, but from his of date the 8th [?] I find that it has not fallen into your hands. He writes me to this effect. When I made inquiry for Bishop Chase at Featherstone’s buildings, I found that he had left London not to return, that he was at present at Manchester, and that we would remain there till near the 15th, when he would go to Liverpool to sail for America upon the same day if the wind was favorable. And from the same informant Mr. Pratt, mentioned that you had determined on not visiting Ireland, and that Mr. Timothy Wiggin in Manchester was the person I might address a letter to you and which I avail myself by the Heam Packet for Liverpool and which I set out this morning and so much do I desire to see you for my own personal gratification was I to know that you would be detained longer than the 15th I would have no objection to set out from this on the Wednesday to Heam Packet on the 14th and I could see you upon the evening at your friend William Hodgson’s. Had you taken the route for Ireland & H[?] at Holihead and wrote to me in time I should have been there although a distance from this about 25 miles. I was incorrect when I told you Beaumaris was so near to Holihead but the ferry near the famous bridge they are building across the straights of Menai and which forms the road to London and which is only 2 miles or so from Beaumaris, if you went by land to Holihead I should have been there waiting for you and accompanied you to that place, and would have had time to chat upon Mississippi Affairs. Had my revd. Brother been of the party, no doubt your conversation would have been agreeable to one another, but “man proposes and God disposes.” You gentlemen Divines, cannot always have things of this world to chime with your spiritual interest. I hope you return to America satisfied with the reception you have had in the Land of your Ancestors, to which I know, you have always shown a great partiality. Perhaps I was wrong to impress this upon the mind of the good Mr. Butterworth or mention anything about the willingness you showed to emancipate the ungrateful & blackguard fellow. I mentioned it as a proof of your Consistency of Conduct as relates to your proposition and the part of the U.S. you inhabit, but I, by no means think that your conscience should be at war with you in having that as a property, where you resided and where, could they be happier than under your love and tuition of body and soul, let the greatest number of those people free all at once would be the most effectual method of demoralizing them & redeeming them miserable. But this is a subject only to be talked upon with friends and not wrote upon paper, although from my 50 years residence in a mixed society of white & black I am perhaps privileged to say something.
Were you & I to meet, we would have a great many things to say to one another as [paper is ripped here] the Episcopal Church of New Orleans, of which I continued till the last to be a Vestry man. Mr. Hall I am told is not to last long in this world, bad health & etc. I wonder what has become of Mr. Pilmore of the Ep. Church of Natchez. Whether he is of the many who died last summer there and which has depopulated almost that town. Mrs. Davies [?] your friend, lost her sister Mrs. Jonathan Thompson, Husband, & 3 children. Your friend Jane Larey, married to James Williams, Mr. [?] lost 2 fine children. Pray when you were in London, did you visit Mrs. Middlemist? I hope to hear from you soon and believe me to be always, my dear & revd. sir, affectionately, Robert Dow