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Description
West sends a long letter in which he outlines the facts of how he complied with Chases's requests and expectations.
Date
3-1-1829
Keywords
Mr. Marriott, Worthington, Lord Kenyon, Mr. Stokes, Lord Archbishop of Dublin, Mr. Waldron, Trustees
Recommended Citation
West, George Montgomery, "Letter to Philander Chase" (1829). Philander Chase Letters. 784.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/784
Rights Statement
Transcript
(Copy)
Liverpool 29th February 1829
The Right Reverend Philander Chase
Right Reverend and Dear Sir.
Your unaccountable silence, notwithstanding the many communications, which have been forwarded for you have both grieved and surprised many of your friends. In coming to Europe for the Promotion of your good work in Ohio, to use your own word, “I complied with your most earnest request” and that my success has been every way answerable to your Expectations the following facts will, I apprehend, sufficiently prove.
1st you can draw on Mr. Marriott to the amount of Five hundred pounds British, and I will be answerable for it’s forthcoming, I mean including the Two hundred mentioned in Mr. Marriott’s letter to you, and which sum in addition to the outstanding subscriptions, and what may yet come in, exclusive of all expenses, will more than come up to your Original Expectations for the erection of the Church, so that so far providence has enabled me to fulfill even more than my engagements to Ohio.
2d. I have agreed for the sale of all the disposable part of the College Lands at the stated price of One pound British per acre in the Event of your returning such satisfactory answers to the “queries” forwarded to you long since through Mr. Marriott as shall warrant the inlanded Emigrants in embarking on so serious a speculation, but which answers I regret to say have been so long delayed as to cause almost despair of not suspicion that a proper Title cannot be given for the legal security of property.
3d. I have succeeded in selling, to a highly respectable gentleman your own farm at “Worthington” for the full amount for which it was advertised in the New York Papers, and in several of the periodical publications in this Country, the money is in Bank on the good faith of the statement which was put forth and can be drawn as soon as the proper Title Deeds are prepared for the satisfaction of the purchasing party, I regret to say that the unguarded wording of the advertizement [sic] alluded to has given the Public generally, to understand here, as far as it has got publicly that the whole College Speculation has failed”, a surmise which cannot but lend to damp the ardour of Friends and give Confirmation to the unfriendly views of Enemies.
4th. A considerable quantity of valuable Books has been collected, and shall be forwarded to New York for the College and Clerical Library in Ohio, as well as for promoting the laudable object of W. [Whiting] in forwarding sunday school instructions in your Diocese, as it regards “settlers” in addition to those who have already left this Country for Ohio, since my return to Europe, several more are on the point of going, and they would be accompanied by a much more influential and wealthy “Band” had the required information been received, but I am sorry to be obliged to state, that several who put themselves to considerable expense in making preparations have entirely given up the project, among these may be mentioned “Mr. Stokes” who really suffered the loss of his while classical Establishment and is now obliged to begin the world anew, as his friends have him to understand, that it would be little short of “Insanity” for him to proceed when such “Death-like silence” was observed, both as it regarded his communications and those of Mr. Marriott and Lord Kenyon, who kindly copied out with his own hands, the strong recommendations of Mr. Stokes from his grace the Lord Archbishop of Dublin.
As to my own labours and frequent [risques], and travels by land and water, I beg to refer to my “Journal” which has been regularly kept since I left you, and copies of which have been regularly furnished to Mr. Marriott fo the inspection of the Trustees, and that my Expenses have been as moderate as could have been expected, under existing circumstances, will appear sufficiently plain, by consulting the Statement itself, and by advertising to Maps and Distances, relative to the places where I have been.
6th. That there was no occasion for your certain Expressions in some of your Letters to Lord Kenyon and Mr. Marriott will be sufficiently shown by adverting to “Mr. Marriott’s Letters,” and opinion, to whom you referred me in “all cases” and who thoroughly investigated from time to time the whole of the contemptible allegations of ignorant, prejudiced or disappointed enemies, and also from Mr. Waldron’s long letter on the subject, as also from the kind and marked reception which I received from the whole Bench of Prelates and others of the most respectable and influential classes in my native country, and from the handsome and highly satisfactory “general testimonial” which is now in the possession of Mr. Marriott in London and finally from the Circumstance of the while of my proceedings meeting the full and perfect approbation of those to whom you referred me since my arrival in England.
That it was my desire not only to have remarried in Ohio, when there, but also to have returned to it before now, I appeal to my Letter of the 18th. of October last and to which I have not as yet received any reply, and only three things at present detain me fast -- you did not specify any time for my return, but said that I was to remain as long as “I could be of any use to the Cause” Second -- as the way is now opened for greatly serving the cause by remaining had I returned then that door would have been effectually closed perhaps for ever as to attempt a Third application through another medium would perfectly inadmissible finally, my own anxiety and the advice of my friends, that as you hinted in some of your “Letters” something like an objection to my occupancy of the Church, for which I am endeavouring to cause sufficient funds, it is reasonable that I should understand what situation or church I am to occupy, and what probability there is of support, or whether the Communications which have been already forwarded, are considered sufficient to reestablish that good understanding between us which is essential to mutual comfort as well as the general promotion of the great object in view for so far I certainly consider myself the agrieved [sic] party
Until therefore, I am favoured with your full reply on each point here stated, I shall continue as I mentioned in a former letter voluntarily to do my best for the promotion of your good work, and in the event of its being your wish that I should still remain, it will be necessary that I should know the full extent of what “Lands” are to be disposed of, with explanatory maps of same together with all necessary information respecting Emigrants titles &c. &c. as the present political agitations in these countries have induced many respectable persons, seriously to entertain the subject of departure to a less disturbed country.
Hoping for your reply as soon as you conveniently can on each of the points mentioned in this letter.
I am
Right reverend & Dear Sir
very respectfully and faithfully &c. &c.
P.S. Accompanying this letter I send again copies of the printed “report,” a copy of Mr. Marriott’s last Letter lest the original may not have reached you, together with the Letter from the English Trustees to the Irish Bishops and their Clergy, and which was written when I was last in London, Lord Kenyon is at present in deep affection and which is not to be wondered at on account of the death of his amicable and truly lovely Daughter, as it regards your other friends I believe they are generally well, and have evinced no proof of being given to change.