Francis W. Gilmer to Dabney Carr
| Dear Judge | new York Decr 4. 1824 |
I take it as rather scandalous in you not to have written to me more than once.
You ask me how a man of my discretion, came in such a Ship, with such a Capt. &c. &c. Why Sir, the Ship is excellent, else it had never braved the billows of the Br. Channel—a rougher sea never rolled in Biscay, or any where else. Moreover, I took every possible precaution—I went on board, asked “what’s your Cargo”? dry goods. “What’s your crew” “12 men” “how many passengers” — Twelve. Instead of all this, the cargo was raw hides & assafoetida. The crew 8 men. The passengers & crew made 55. as to asking for an almanack, I would as soon have asked, if they had a rudder, or a keel to the ship. I could have borne all, had I been well—but I have borne too much ever to think of, without horror, & I shall try to forget as much of it as I can. Every body writes to know what is the matter? I hate to repeat the same monotonous story of loathsome misery & pain—& shall say no more about it—
You give me a melancholy account of your family—I hope all are now well—How is poor Mrs Holmes whom I left in so low a state? The worthy Judge? Remember me to them both in your letters—Tucker! I wish he could have seen my Lord Chancellor sitting at Lincoln’s Inn in all his state. His whole paraphernalia impressed me very little—I am paraphernalia proof—Their gowns, wigs, powder &c. are to my eye supremely ridiculous, & I wish they would impeach & break Story for introducing new Costumes into the federal court. It is the mock majesty of a mountebank, unfit for the age, & unworthy our country. Neither the bar nor the bench of England are what they have been. They are sensible of this. I saw nothing in either, at all to be preferred to our higher courts.
I am recruiting slowly, & hope to be with you in ten days: but I believe the Doctors know nothing of the matter & it is all a chance now, what turn this strange affection may take, in a system so exhausted by pain, & famine, & sleepless nights. now however, I begin to sleep better.
Who is Senator? Tazewell should be. Shame on Virginia! for proscribing every man of talents & setting up Barbours, Mercers, & such Charlatans. not so Massachussetts & New York S. Carolina &c. &c.
adieu—Remember me to my friends—to mrs C—&c.