Scope and Contents

Received their letters and is glad that Fontaine is at 4th Street; hopes that Rutson will be released soon ; hopes Fontaine will stay at home for while so that he can get his spirits back up; the fact that Mr. McLane's friend helped Fontaine write the letters to Lord Lyons explains why they are so well written; if there is peace soon, it will have to be by mutual reunion of North and South; thinks the North is carried away by their victory at F[or]t Donelson; they have not yet conquered the South; since the South seems determined not to give in, the North wil not be able to force them back into the UNion; Eastern V[ingini]a and eastern S[outh] C[arolina] have always been stronghold of successionist feeling, they would also have to submit to the North; thinks Gen[era]l Burnside shoudl try to hold Wildar [?]; has always thought that the rural areas of the South were not unified about succession; thinks they will tire of the war sooner than the southern city dwellers; they should realize that slavery will come to an end if the war drags on, since slaves' status will increase if they have to do non-agricultural work; U.S. stocks are now in greater demand in London; the English population thinks the war will end soon because the North will run out of money, instead of winning with their superior armies; is not sure what to do about cotton; would give up profits if there could be peace; are going to "meat-tea" at the Dingle house on Friday; (6 [March[) sold 194 surats in the morning; this has lifted his spirits. 4pp. ALS Bears ANS from Matthew, undated, saying that only 69 [surats] were sold.