Susan B. Anthony Papers, 1815-1961. Correspondence. With family; also one letter from uncle Albert F. Dickinson and an exchange of 14 letters between Susan B. Anthony and her sister Guelmar's future husband, Aaron M. McLean, 1839. 23 ALS.. A-143, folder

There is no current news as I know of. Certain matrimonial symptoms in this quarter appear to becoming more & more apparent. Such for instance as Nancy Case. She rec a visit from her true love last week and in my opinion she will go over board before Christmas. H R McLs Case also appears to be approaching a crisis I presume he will be carried out of a life of single blessedness by this Hymenial fever in the Course of next month. And several more of us have been exposed to the same fever (which appears to be contagious) and we stand trembling not knowing the day nor hour when we may be taken. ___. ___. I have no doubt from your writing that you are a very little Homesick. Which is no doubt a very unhappy state to exist in. But I rather guess you had better conquor such feelings and make yourself Happy & Contented at Rochelle until next spring if you can be usefuly & Profitably imployed because if you come home you will only have to drudge at House work &c. which I should judge to be far less pleasant employment than teaching young Ideas--And I presume your folks can get along and get all their work done by the two & three girls they now have on hand. And in the mean time some of us will write every week or two, to keep you advised of all the news. I will leave the other side till morning & see if any thing happens worth writing.. The day after tomorrow I am going to Argyle to attend a political County Convention of Young men. Democratic of course

[3] Tuesday morn. 6th

I might as well have sealed this affair up last night as to have left it till morning as there is no additions to be made. The only Event that has come under my observation since last evening is that I went home retired to my Couch, went to Sleep waked this morning and rose at 5 oclock. & that happens as often as once every twenty four hours. What I said about those "many" affairs was mere matter of opinion and I may be mistaken. Time will let us know.

I want to caution you against being homesick and indulging such feelings as you appear to when you talk of "your poor distracted heart" & all that sort of thing. I don't wish to speak lightly of your little troubles but as far as I can observe they are all troub[les?] [illegible] the imagination..---

I am so busy just now that I cant write any more at present so farewell Write often

Thine &c A.M. McLean

Battenville NY Aug 6th

Free AM McLean P.M.

Miss Susan B Anthony New Rochelle N.Y

[In pencil] Received Friday 8 mo.9. 1839

New Rochelle, 8 mo. 10, 1839 Seventh day morning

Dear A.M.

Your truly welcome communication was received yesterday morning, after a tedious journey of three days. I regret to hear that the people of Battenville are possessed of so little sound sense, as to go 20 miles to shake hands with the President, merely to look at a human being, one who is possessed of nothing more than ordinary men & therefore should not be worshiped any more than any other mortal being, not even so much as many of those in the humbler walks of life, who are devoted to their God. Let us look at his behaviour and scan its effect on society. I noticed in one paper, an account of the time he spent in New York. One day was spent in riding through the streets of the City, preceded by an extravagant number of military men and musicians, all of whom were kept in exercise on that, and the succeeding days of the week, till many were completely exhausted and obliged to retire from the scene. And on the 4. while, he and his [ ] were revelling in their tents on luxuries and the all debasing Wine. Many of those dear children were crying for food to satisfy the calls of hunger & water to allay their thirst, but in vain were their cries, for they were unheeded. On Friday evening he attended Park Theatre and on Monday Bowery Theatre. Yes! he who is called by the majority, the most capable of ruling this Republic, may be seen in the theatre, encouraging one of the most heinous crimes, or practices, with which our country is disgraced, and the too

Shall we find rioting at the Wine Table the whole live long night. Is it to be wondered at, that there are such vast numbers of our population, who are the notaries of vice and disipation? No! Certainly not. And I do not believe there ever will be left of this wickedness, while a man, practicing these abominable vices (in what is called a gentlemanly manner) is suffered to sit at the head of our government, setting such a vicious example to those who have confered on him the honor of the chair.

First day morning. Three of the [Titus?] and Anna Truman, daughter of George Truman, were here to tea yesterday afternoon. (They are not black as you'd seemed to think in one of your letters) From Anna I learned that Margaret Waye & Anna Spackman were well. E went to monthly meeting last fourth day. She saw Emma Miller. She was well of course and Phebe also. The next monthly meeting is at Purchase and if I can leave school and get an opportunity I think I shall go and call on Phebe & Emma. The school at present is somewhat smaller than it has been, several having stayed at house on account of the warm weather. Yesterday and today the weather has been considerably cooler.

I think your people would go to John Wilbers, and get a small twig or two of the mulberry and lay it flat in some very rich earth it would likely live and grow to some height before cold weather. A Dr. Vorns and Robert Titus have bought about a hundred dollars worth of eggs, and now have an immense number of worms to feed. Do not, if you have any mercy on my feelings accuse me of being homesick, nor tell me any more about remaining in Rochelle during the winter, for if nothing happens, I shall come home in the fall.

If there can be scholars enough raised for a select school at Centre Falls, I should prefer teaching at home, or if enough of our large folks would unite and go to school at the village I should be quite as well pleased. I think if I do not teach I shall feel best satisfied to attend school as I begin to think it about impossible for me to study when engaged in anything else.

As to Nancy's case, I think it will seem very queer to think of her as being married. I should like to see her before she jumps over board very much, but H. P. McLean I think ought to be heartily greeted for being so successful in his old age, for my part, I am sure I shall wish him much joy whenever he shall quit his life of Bachelorship. You who has been exposed to this fever ought to be very careful, remember the old old saying, that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I should like very much to know how deeply and extensively the contagion has spread, in your hearts, as it appears, to be a heart disease, when any of you get so near the brink of ruin, as you suppose H. to be, I should be very much pleased to be informed of it, so as not to be too suddenly surprised. Tell G. P. to ask M. Wilson how soon she wishes me to come home and see her married, as I shall wish to know some time beforehand so as to be preparing all the nice things to [ ] to wedding, and I shall want (my Wing of course) to go with me and all things in order.

As it is rainy and school is out I will send this by one of the scholars. So not more

From absent Susan B.

[In pencil] 1839

Aaron M. M.cLean P.M Battenville Wash Cty N.Y.

[Left margin, in pencil] 1839 Scoring the [?]esident. Use.