Letter by Isaac Gorham Peck 1834

A interesting letter by Isaac Gorham Peck in 1834 is up for sale on Ebay.

“Fredericksburg 10 Nov. 1834
My Dear Mother,
After a long interval of silence I may now address a letter to you. Yes a long interval it has been truly, so long that even your kindness and disposition to forgive must have been tried to the utmost and perhaps, but I will not say so, no, I cannot in truth say that. I have never for a single moment doubted your confidence and was that in saying too little, your wholly and esteemed confidences in my continued affections tho we have been long separated, now more than half my life has been passed away from you. It’s now 17 years since I first left you and come out into the world to scuffle as I best might with cold and selfish men. Others may think that with long separation, this coupled with the world, has hardened my heart and blanketed my bitter feelings, that my affections are cold and selfish but I feel I know that is not so. I wish, how often have I wished, myself incapable of feelings so acutely. It would be for my personal happiness and for this kind of life that I shall doubtless lead, be far better for me to have less of this kind of feeling then I find myself to possess………On our arrival at Washington on this business we found there was likely to be several competitions for our line……If their bids succeeded we’d thrown our property on our heads. The consequence was that we determined to take hold boldly and bid not only for our routes but also for another and the only chance of success to go in for a low price. At this stage of the business I thought it my duty to state my situation to Wellford. My own mind was pretty much made up before I bid for myself alone or I should say rather Peck and Wellford and Price and Co. Wellford and myself were to take about 2/3 and Price, his brother and a Mr. Rollins 1/3, in case we got the routes. We succeeded in getting about 400 miles and lost about 200 of our old route. Our old contract was for 263 miles (we ran 309 miles). A few days ago our new partner Price, whom we left in Washington, compromised with the person who took the 200 miles of our old routes and 32 miles of another route of his which leaves us Wellford, Price & Co. and Peck about 532 miles. Price & Co. offered it to Wellford and myself either to take 2/3 of the whole or ½. We took the half. I think it will prove a good contract and I have so much confidence in it that I was for taking 2/3. By this comparison we got the part of the line that was advertised 2 a week, 50 miles, 2 known parts put up to 3 times a week, 4 horse post coaches, 80 miles a day. I hope you will feel no anxiety about it…….in the whole 4 years I feel certain of a good business. Our property will be valued on the first of January……..My interest will be something like 8000 dollars. I ought to have said that on the southern end of the 200 miles of an old contract which we lost, so that our line or the part that we run commences 100 miles from now and extends to Milledgeville Geo. The 32 miles commences at Danville through which our main line runs and extends that distance on the Lynchburg route. I declined any agency…….I have laid off rather a circuitous route, back again. It is to go via N. York up the canal to the Lake Erie through Ohio to Louisville pass through Indiana take a good look at Illinois, stop a few days with a friend at the Yellow Banks then down to Natchez and N. Orleans…..by that time I shall have determined when to locate myself. I hope by that time our line will be in such repute that if I shall be able to sell out, if I think proper…….We have never done more business I think than I have done so far. It seems I have been busy almost night and day and I hope and know that you will be satisfied with what I have done…….Your most affectionately, I G Peck.”

Ebay Item number:170399152612