Scope and Contents

He [Wm] has been told that he is not to engage in speculation; his [WM] fahter is disgusted with speculation and has no intention of taking any share of a ship; they wull attend directly to their commission business; spoke with John Ewart about the Virginia business; he says that they have not solicited it; he said, about Rutherford. that he set them a consignment last winter, unsolicited; they do not intend to advise them regularly; said it was well-known in Virginia that they did not want consignments; told Mr. Ewart that they did not want to sell tobacco through him; thinks they should give Harmony's tobacco to Brown & Son, but Mr. Maury is opposed; it is in their best interest to keep on John Ewart's good side; since their business will have to go through his house, the must remain on good terms; tells him to be very cautious about the way he says anything about them; he may say they are brokers and do not want commission, but he better not say anything about how things are done; he should not tell people that Ewart sells better than they do; he should play up their own role in the proceedings, when he was in Virginia, always took care not to mention any brokers; does not want him to mention they are considering being their own brokers; Matthew is too young now to help them, but by the time he [WM] returns, Matthew should have a good sense for tobacco; the tobacco business is the least valuable from America; they should not neglect it, but they ought to try to get into the cotton business as well; they will make more money that way; he will see Charles William about the tie he gets this letter; he will introduce him to all their friends; they have not told Mr. Williams's correspondents; asks him to send them a list of every house he knows of that might authorize them to write to them; they are making a new price current and will send them regularly to him. 9pp. ALS Bears N, . Stating date of receipt of letter, undated.