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The Charles P. McIlvaine 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
Trip to England
Date
12-6-1861
Keywords
letter, McIlvaine, Chase, England
Recommended Citation
McIlvaine, Charles Petit, "Letter to S.P. Chase" (1861). Charles Pettit McIlvaine Letters. 236.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/mcilvaine_letters/236
Rights Statement
Transcript
[?]ship Edinburgh
Dec. 1 Dec. 6/61
My dear Mr. Charles,
We are nearing Lav[?] and expecting to be there before morning light-- after with God’s helping, a safe, but tortuous passage. I write [?] I get a horse. I hear that I may have a [?] ready for the Packet of the morning. At Lav[?] this morning we received the Last English paper and our first sight of the storm which has pushed us. England is relative to the capture of M[arm] and C[or]. I send with them a Manchester paper watch and chain, the best view of the [?] opening ex. [?]. I perceive there’s fortune in which the anth[?] cited in my dedication are attempted to be ext. aid a [?] that the belligerent right [?] extends only to p[?] in the any or many of the enemy, that whatever diplomatic chase or other the captains have or whatever their dispatches, they were sent to a neutral at that which had a night adjacent the question whether they were or were not [?] to ser[?] did our taking them out of the heart, but should have taken ship and all unto port for adjud[?]cation.
I wish I could have the benefit of a talk with you on these points, for my new [?] of thy [?] solid grounds of remembrance. I have no doubt you and those who, with you, have the protection of the country, under God, on your honor demand hands, will not be prevented, by any commendations of seeming to manifest a [?] of [?] [?], from acting the noble and canny part of doing justly however the [?] of the country would be offended. We can lose nothing by justly [?] [?] storm when right or a just conception when wrong. On the other hand if we have the right, in law as well as equity, clearly and can consciously let us stand upon it and part our hearts not from God.
Remember ever affectionately to Katy, and believe ever ever yours! affectionately as respectfully,
Cha. P. McIlvaine
Excuse the writing, the shaking of the ship under her engine shakes my hand.