- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- [Letter] 1842 Apr. 9, Washington, [D.C. to] George Whitman, New Orleans / J[ohn] H[oward] P[ayne]
- Creator:
- Payne, John Howard, 1791-1852
- Date of Original:
- 1842-04-09
- Subject:
- Cherokee Indians--Government relations
Cherokee Indians--Treaties
Ross, John, 1790-1866 - Location:
- United States, 39.76, -98.5
- Medium:
- business letters
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- John Howard Payne writes to George Whitman on April 9, 1842. He relays general information to Whitman, particularly that concerning his financial situation and employment prospects. Payne mentions that Cherokee Chief John Ross and a delegation empowered to make a new treaty (ostensibly to take the place of the New Echota Treaty signed December 29, 1835) are expected in Washington, D.C. shortly and that he may be needed in the event that negotiations recommence.
Digital image and encoded transcription of an original manuscript, scanned, transcribed and encoded by the Digital Library of Georgia in 2001, as part of GALILEO, funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. - Local Identifier:
- jpa005
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_jpa005
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_jpa005#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_jpa005/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], John Howard Payne Letter Books, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia
- Extent:
- 3 pages/leaves
- Original Collection:
- Manuscript held by the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, John Howard Payne Letter Books, box Volume I - 1842, folder N/A, document N/A.
- Holding Institution:
- Hargrett Library
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
George Whitman Esqr New Orleans.
Washington
Ap: [April] 9: 1842.
Dear Whitman
Your various letters, - one of
Dec: 6th, 1841, urging the claims of John M. Bach Esqre [Esquire] ; -- one of
Dec: 24th, 1841, in support of a request from Mrs Marrast; - and one of
Jan: 15th, 1842, about my own affairs; -- all arrived here during my absence in New York, where a subpoena on Colt's trial tied me by the leg. Since my return I have been incessantly occupied in bringing up arrears. I was obliged to make a resolution not to touch my personal correspondence, until my office duties were discharged; now they are so, and so am I, for my Report is in and my duties, being specific, end on the 12th, when I am once more abroad upon the
Page: [2]
world. The promised Secretaryships of Legation have all gone to others. Offers are made to me of Consulates in England, -- at Bristol, or Cowes, but I fear either of them will cost more than it will come to, so I shall not hurry about accepting. I have had enough of being fed with the shells, while the oysters go to others. But Ross, I learn, is expected back here every hour, with a delegation empowered to make a New Treaty. Possibly I may be needed for that. We shall see soon.
But enough of my own affairs. Now to yours. -- The case of Mr Bach was decided before I could have answered either him or you, of which both of you were, of course, duly apprised. Pray make my best respects to Mr Bach and explain away my seeming discourtesy in omitting to write.
I attended at once to the request of Mr Marrast. Her letter to me was instantly placed before the President and I have never got it back. The Secretary of the Navy answered me. I have not had the courage to send his answer to Mrs Marrast. It is as follows:
"
Navy Department
17. Feb. 1842.
Sir
Your letter of the 15th instant with enclosure addressed to the President of the United States, has been referred to this Department, and in reply I have to say, that I cannot, consistently with my views of what is due to the service recommend the restoration of Mr Marrast.
I am, respectfully
Your ob: [obedient] servant
[Signed] A P Upshur
J [John] Howard Payne Esqr Washington D.C.
"
You must get Mrs Whitman to manage to
Page: [3]
communicate it to Mrs Marrast, with my sincere & deep regret at my ill success, and my promise to do whatever may be in my power should she think proper at any future time to call on me upon this or any other subject. For my long delay to say even thus much she must indeed grant me her pardon.
I have asked Gibson to try and get me some other correspondence and to show you what I have said about it, that you may co-operate [cooperate] with him. Some few papers at fifty dollars a month each, for an average of 3 letters a week, would afford a sufficient income, if not too long in the coming. [unclear text: Snethen ], or any government paper, could give more. If I should go to England, would not a correspondence be equally valuable thence? By the way, in the event of my making that voyage, and turning Consul, you might possibly help me to some commercial profit. Think of this, -do.-
You say nothing of my esteemed friend Mrs Whitman, and her young cavalier who accompanied her here. How are both and the rest of the family? How are you getting on? -- Your friends Wyle and Bryant I have not seen lately; - but Judge Woodruff I met yesterday. He looks very serious; but that may be only because he is a Judge, -- and a judge of our times has cause enough to look serious, -- for, did you ever see such times?
Adieu, my dear Whitman. My best remembrance to Mrs Whitman & your family and to Col: [Colonel] White & family, should you see them, -- as also to Mr Caldwell. Do not take a lesson of unpunctuality from me but write to me at once and be sure I will behave better to your letters in all the epistolary part of futurity.
Yours ever
[Signed] J.H.P. [John Howard Payne] /
P.S. Be so good as to drop the enclosed [ [unclear text: Dr Bottner's ] letter] in the office for me.