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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
Chase inquires after a draft his brother Dudley promised to send him awhile ago. He suspects someone may have stolen the money before he could receive it.
Date
9-3-1833
Keywords
General Post Office, Mr. Hand, Boston, Cleveland, Baltimore, Dudley Chase, Randolph, Woodstock Bank, Mr. Wells
Recommended Citation
Chase, Philander, "Letter to J. G. Whitewell" (1833). Philander Chase Letters. 953.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/953
Rights Statement
Transcript
Gilead Sepr. 3. 1833
To J. G. Whitewell
acting Solicitor for
the P. O. Genl. Departt.
Washington
Dear Sir:
I duly red. the communication from Mr. Hand inclosing my [act.] with the Genl. P. O. I also am hond. with your letter of the 17th of Augt. In answer to both which I beg leave to make the following plain statement.
Soon after I had written to Mr. Hand to know if the drafts [i]n Boston would answer and also to be informed of the amt. of my Debt: I red. the following letter from my dear Brother Dudley Chase who had kindly promised to help one in my present difficulties.
Copy
“Randolph (Vermont) Apl. 13. 1833”
“Dear Brother
I have this moment red. a line from the President of Woodstock Bank in which he tells me he will accommodate me with the Draft for five hundred Dollars of which I wrote you in my last letter a few days ago. You may therefore expect the Draft of that Bank as soon as I can send to the bank and get the return. When I send you the Draft I will write you more particularly. I have only time now to say we are all well; and send you and your dear family our warmest love and good will: & to assure my Dear Brother of the lasting long & increasing love & regard of your sincere friend &
Brother Dudley Chase”
By the “last letter” mentioned in the above my Brother means a one in which he signified his desire on account of saving trouble to t[ransac]t the business of conferring this favour of lending me the $500 [through] the medium of Woodstock Bank (an Institution of good credit in Vert.) rather than sending me Bills [or] Boston as at first proposed.
In expectation, therefore, of receiving the above named Draft on Woodstock Bank I have from about the 1st of May when the letter from my Brother was recd., waited till the present moment, and every mail have been sadly disappointed.
My Dear Wife wrote my Brother a line on the subject but has not had time as yet to receive an ansr.
You may judge from the above statement of the nature of my embarrassment: [Unused] as I am to be asked for that a second time which is justly due to another, my feelings are painful indeed.
From the positiveness of my Brother’s letter from his known integrity & from his peculiar affection for me his ever loving Brother I am inclined to believe there has been some mistake or mismanagement and that the Draft sent me in good faith has met with the fate of many others & been stopped by the way.
If this has happened on the road between my present retreat and Detroit (as I am told other monied Drafts have been [saved],) all letters of mine requiring explanation of my Brother touching this matter, may have been also intercepted & suppressed. Even this to you may meet the eye of the guilty person & be destroyed.
What is to be done I know not. If my brother has sent the Draft and it has been intercepted & paid to a forged signature of my name,* I know of no other source to which I can look for aid.
I wait with the deepest anxiety the event of this [?]: for tho’ small would be the loss to the wealthy yet to me in my present condition it would be ruinous.
One thing consoles me: From the letters which I have had the honour of receiving from the Genl. [P.] O. I am persuaded, and am confident of the gentleman[ly] treatment kindness & sympathy of that Department.
As soon as any thing further on this subject transpires I shall not fail to communicate it. In the mean time
I am [Dr.] Sir
Your Friend &
Faithful Sevt.
Philander Chase
*[A] [Draft] purloined from the P. O. was cashed at Cleaveland O. It was drawn by Mr. [Wells] of Steubenville on a Bank in Baltimore & the name of the [?] forged on the back.