Letter to Spotswood W. Corbin

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Written from London, England. Letter nentions renting Farley Vale.

Language:

English .

Other descriptive data:

3 Belsize Square.
London N.W.
29 Jany '68

Dear Corbin,
Your Newburgh letter was very welcome. Kiss my Maria for me, and tell her, that after caring for her good father and mother as a duteous daughter should, and as she is sure to do that she is not to make any rash resolutions as to what she'll do etc- that we shall want her at the University of the South.

You have acted well and wisely in [renting] F.V. and I have so told Rutson. The Jamaica planters were paid for their negroes and had 7 years notice to prepare for emancipation. None of them are there now who could get away. One of them told me last night that his plantations yielded him $30,000 a year- that he sold it on emancipation about 30 years ago for $5000 & that the purchaser- his former manager- still owes some $2500. As I told you from Mexico neither one of the three great experiments that are now going on in the south is promising enough to tempt any of our people into it, who can afford to stand off & look on as you propose to do. Now if you can only find something that will enable you to live and lay by yr rents, you will be doing what any son of the southern gentry that stick to their old plantations will be able to do. And when your lease expires you will find that events will have vindicated this forecast. The Dutch since that war began emancipated their slaves--in Surinam and Jansen tells me that that colony is already Africanised. The South is no place- especially in this country - for any gentleman with wife and daughters to live - if he can get away- to live now, nor will it be until the contest that is now brewing and going on there between blacks & whites, is finally settled. Why then do I go to Tenn.? Because I hope to have boys enough there to make that out of the way place, safe. I have no doubt Hasbrouck is acting in Minnesota for the best. I am content tell him with any arrangements that he may make. Elie I do hope, is now in a fair way to recover. All the rest are well- Nannie has gone out to work- and Nanna is a great pet in the neighborhood. She is very full of fun. Your affectionate,
M.F. Maury

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Correspondence

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