[Letter] 1842 Apr. 25, Washington, [D.C. to] John Hingston, New York / John Howard Payne

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John Hingston Esquire
New York .


Washington
April 25th 1842 .
My dear Sir
I am just favoured [favored] with your letter of
April 20th. The delay of reply to your last, has been caused by circumstances which should entirely relieve me from imputations, as soon as explained; although I confess I ought of to have delayed answering you, even for the purpose of waiting to have something definite to communicate. Yours, however, impels me to write, with out pausing longer for materials more satisfactory.
You may have perceived the movements in congress for retrenchment and the strong feeling of the factions against the President & his friends. Having made my report on the Cherokee business, it was thought expedient on the
12th of this month to discontinue my office (which was not a regular one, but only given en attendant something less unstable) that the retrenchment committee might not make a fuss about it. I received a very complimentary letter from the Department for what I had done, and a promise forthwith from the White House of another and a better situation as soon as one might arise. Two Consulates were proposed, - one at Cowes and one at Bristol, - and I was permitted to select; but I cannot find that either of them affords a fair hope of support, excepting in connection with mercantile pursuits. Meanwhile Ross, (of whose coming this year all expectation had ended at the time my place was discontinued), is looked for hourly, and it is likely something may be proposed to me in connection with a New Treaty as soon as he appears and the Cherokee question is re-opened.
Thus you will perceive that I am, for the moment, suddenly and unexpectedly cut off from my supplies, and in extreme


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uncertainty as to the course which may be shaped out for me.
With regard to our affairs, I feel much obliged by your kindness & shall ever be ready to reciprocate it in any way I can. As for the loan, I aimed to return it as soon as possible, and fancied I had done so in full, when I sent you, at two seperate [separate] times, fifty dollars each. When you redeemed Westlake's book, I expressly stated that it might be awhile inconvenient for me to add payment for that to such other payments as I should have to make, and therefore preferred your retaining it till my means improved; in which you, acquiesing [acquiescing], did retain it, and consequently retain it still. The balance then left upon the entire account, exclusive of the volume in question, if I understand your own statement rightly, would not exceed ten dollars, which might rather be set down to the score of small expences [expenses] of other sorts, than to my failure to pay a loan, for the purpose of " indulging in luxuries. "
You will readily perceive that in the state of affairs which I have mentioned, it will be impossible for me to make any purchases; nor should I have means to meet my current expences [expenses], small as they are, were I to part with the little money I shall receive on settling up the fragment of my term prior to some new provision. If I am appointed a Cherokee commissioner, my salary will be from six to eight dollars a day; - if a consul at Cowes or Bristol, I must depend on fees and get an advance of money to take me to my destination The instant, therefore, either of these cases arise, it may be in my power to fulfil all your wishes. It was from the first my intention had I received one of the Consulates, to have striven to chalk out some plan whereby your business knowledge of England and America, might have rendered the place advantageous to you and, at the same time, [deleted text: [illegible text] ] enhanced its value to myself. But I was reluctant to speak till I could speak [document damaged: wi ] th certainty. [document damaged]


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to learn whether you know aught of the chances at either post.
A moment's consideration will convince you how ineffectual & perhaps injurious must prove any attempt on my part to push matters here to a decision sufficiently prompt to enable me to answer you now as I desire. Any hour may produce an entire change, or it may be delayed weeks. "Great bodies move slow." You yourself cannot be harassed and disconcerted as I am by this state of confusion and procrastination.
By the way, you speak of having sent the prints to Colman. If you did not stand by to witness their opening, and to obtain an understanding on the spot about the final settlement, I fear my object in sending them through you will have been entirely defeated. He desired me to sell them; and, in order to obtain a sale, after great trouble & some expence [expense], and two or three givings away of specimens as decoys, I sold one . If no person was present for me when Colman examined the number returned, he may under-rate it. He ought, also, to give me a copy for my trouble; and he should tell me whether he expects full price or trade price for the one I sold.
I will trade it as a favor if you will forward me a memorandum of the particulars of our account, - and, also, of the state of the account with the Bookbinder. You may rely upon my attending to the balance of yours as speedily as I can, and the remainder of the Bookbinder's shall be paid for as soon thereafter as possible. Meanwhile, you must not get out of humor with me for what is utterly unavoidable, but believe me

ever truly yours
[Signed] John Howard Payne /
John Hingston Esqu [ire]