Scope and Contents

Spent time today reading the enclosed copy of his note to Mrs. Hamilton [not present]; had a lot of trouble getting the apples, since they are scarce this year and expensive; had to make three separate trips to order them and make sure they were delivered; Mr. Menlove went with him on the third trip; showed him where the Roes used to live; saw Mr. W. Barber today, who used to work in New Orleans; they spoke of American affairs; thay also talked of the cotton market; Barber spoke of the G[rea]t[?] Eastern Steamship,which he still thinks will be profitable; he [RM] would not travel on it; saw Me. Atkinson, who used to live in Charleston, South Carolina and asked if there would be a relief fund set up for the survivors of the fire there; he did not know; spoke of the same issue with Mr. Menlove and Joe Yeomen; ; Joe said he should not put his name down if he contributes, because it can be construed as being disloyal to the Union; Jpe said that there was talk of setting up a subscription for the same cause in New York; hopes that other northern cities would do the same; yesterday sent a copy of the letter he sent to Mr. Fred[eric]k Rodewalk; received a reply today; quotes some of the letter; Rodewald thinks war between England and the North is inevitable; he also thinks they will not receive cotton from America for a while; Rodewald expects France and England to break the blockade of the so[uthern] ports; disagrees with him; thinks the cotton situation depends on what happens between the North and the So[uth]; it was rumored that Mason and Slidell were released; does not believe this but expects to hear the news soon; was upset to discover that he had more cotton than he thought he did; would have made more money on the cotton he sold today if he had sold it sooner; (4 January 1862) enclosed a newpaper clipping about Alfred James's wedding in Mary Bold's letter [not present]. 8pp. ALS