19th Century American writers : letters, manuscripts, & correspondence

PAID [?] B. Badger Esq. Editor of the "Weekly Messenger,: New York

Richmond July 30, '36.

Dear Sir,

I would like very much to receive your paper of the 27th - none has come to me.

I have read your notice of the Messenger, and am deighted with it. It is excellent. I am grateful for it.

So soon as I get sheets of the [day?], No. ready I will send them on to you - when I shall certainly regard it as a great favor if you should think it again deserving a detailed [review.?]

I am your friend,

T. W. White.

N.B. I could make good use of 3 or 4 papers of the 27th.

Richmond, Aug. 5, 1836.

William Scott, Esq.

My Dear Sir:

I am in receipt of yours of the 3d inst. and have perused it with much pleasure.

Your paper of the 27th has not yet come to house. I however had borrowed a copy, from Mr. [Royale?]. Your notice of the "Messenger" is well and judiciously written. Your [ex?] is beautiful. If any thing, I should say you that you have praised the [July?] No. far above its deserts. Still if you spoke as you thought of it, I am sure I ought not to grumble. I asked your "candid" opinion - and you doubtless gave it. I am grateful to you for having done so.

I have had a great deal of sickness in my office, among my best hands, and since the 4th July. This has thrown me all in the [back?] ground again - and will prevent me from bringing out the Aug. No. earlier than the 20th. Nevertheless, I will on [underline]next Thursday[/underline], send you as many loose sheets of it as I may then have ready - and you may go to work on it in regular order (taking care to let no one else see the sheets) - cutting up every thing that may, in your opinion, merit such treatment - and on the other hand saying a good word in favor of all the articles which may merit eulogy. Fair play, is all I ask, - and, from your candid way of speaking, I am sure I shall [underline]that[/underline], at your hands.

You say, if you can make yourself of any service to me in your City, you would cheerfully do so. I do not know precisely what to say on this [head?].

Suppose, however, you call on W. W. [Luanden?], who proposed to act as my agent in New-York - and held some conversation with him on the subject. It would be particularly gratifying to me, just now, so [?] at any other time to receive about 100 paying subscribers from New-York. The push I have made with the Messenger has been a bold one - and it will require the 2000 you speak of to bring me [out?] whole again on the 3d [?].

I regularly mail the Messenger to your office - the June No. was directed by myself. I also sent you a perfect No. of the July one. This evening I shall send you a duplicate of the June; forwarding you at the same time all the Nos. as far as printed of the 2d Vol. for your own use. I shall likewise enter your name as a paid subsciber - and will, [underline]if possible[/underline], purchase you a copy of the 1st volume so soon as I can hear of one for sale. - For all of which I positively refuse to receive one cent in money. - Your labor - your time - is money - and I will not have the use of it without giving you some recompense - even if it is in sheets of my really [unpretending?] periodicals.

When you can find time, I hope you will carry out your intention - and add to the variety of my [columns?]. I am very certain that any thing you may attempt will be received by us - and by the public also with favor.

Your opinion of the "Mirror" is not an uncommon one. I see by the Compiler that the editor of a Natchez paper thinks with you also.

Respectfully, T. W. White.

Richmond, Aug. 16, 1836.

My Dear Sir,

If it be not too late, I should like to have you refer, in your preliminary remarks, to the mass of reading there is in the Messenger - and to speak also of the untiring industry and the immense expence it must cost the Publisher to collect together such a [deleted]mass[/deleted] quantity of good matter monthly. Pay the mechanical department of [my?] Magazine whatever compliment you may believe it entitled to.

It may not be amiss to let you know that the two jeu d'esprits, "A [Cue?]," &c. and the "Polite Struggle" are from the pen of your townsman Paulding - and are as good [hits?] at wit as ever emanated from his pen. Suppose, in attending to them, you say that they would do credit either to Paulding or Irving. It will not do for [underline]you[/underline] to assert that P. is the writer of them.

Mr. Snowden has written to me recommending the Carvills instead of himself to take the agency of the Messenger in N. York? Will you ascertain either from L. or themselves, whether they accept or not, - and if they do, it would be as well to admit to that fact at the close of your Review.

So soon as I can purchase a set of the 1st volume, it shall be forthcoming.

Truly your friend,

T. W. White.

N.B. Along with this I send you the last sheet.

Mr. William Scott, Office of the 'Weekly [Messenger?]," New York. Paid. }

Richmond, Aug. 25, '36.

[Rev.?] Wm. Scott.

My Dear Sir,

Your two very acceptable favors of the 19th and 20th, could have been attended to at once, except for indisposition.

I am really grieved to hear that disease has impaired the mind of my friend Mr. Badger. God grant that he may recover from the shock - and long be spared a blessing to his family and friends.

I have no doubt but what you are [deletion] correct touching the entire uselessness of Mr. Snowdon as an agent. - nor am I at all grieved that the [Ca?] declined acting.

The terms I proposed to the latter were that, if they collected and sent me 20 or more subscribers [underline]at one time[/underline], that I would make a deduction of $1.50 on each - provided the money was remitted to me after the reception and delivery of the first No. of the 3d Volume.

If either Messrs. Howe & Bates, or any one else you may choose to select, think it worth attending to on these conditions, they are at perfect liberty to go to work - under your supervision and direction. Whatever arrangement you may adopt, will, I am sure, meet with my approbation.

I shall write to Mr. [Sweden?] this evening - and let him know that the [Ca?] have declined the agency on my terms - and shall at the same time get him to hand over to the order of Messrs. Howe & Bates all the back Numbers of the Messenger he may have on hand.

Touching the article by Mr. [Hitchett?], it is impossible for me to say whether it would suit or not, unless I could be furnished with it for perusal first. Courtesy to Mr. Poe, whom

I employ to edit my paper, make it a matter of etiquette with me to submit all articles intended for the Messenger to his judgment, - and I abide by his dicta. What he might decide on, in the case of Mr. H., it is impossible for me to say. There is one thing, however, I had as well whisper in your private ears: I have, [underline]at present[/underline], more individuals writing for pay, than I am really able to pay, - and I have no reason to expect that Mr. H. would not calculate on the [underline]quid pro quo[/underline].

I should, of course, like to receive any thing from the pen of Mrs. [Hemans?], provided it could be brought out in the Messenger previous to its appearance elsewhere. Owing to sickness among my most material hands, I shall not be able to bring out the [?[ No. earlier than the 22d Sept. If this date would be before the [Memorials?] appear in NewYork, I should like to have [deleted]who[/deleted] the extracts you allude to.

I thank you most sincerely for the interest you take in my welfare more in [t?] the [unpre-?] tending Periodical of which I am the still more humble Captain.

I have received the "Messenger" - and read the notice of my Aug. No. in it with pride and pleasure. I presume I am indebted to you for it. If I am, permit me to say that I feel the [more?] [flattered?] by it. If practicable, I should like to be favored with half a [dozen?] copies of the paper [containing?] it.

I have heard that there was a reply to an attack made on Mr. Poe in the Transcript of July 7th, either in the Enquirer or American. It must have appeared about three weeks ago. Will you do me the favor to call at the [office?]

[envelope]

[?]

Mr. William Scott, Office of the "Weekly Messenger," New-York.

Richmond, Nov. 24, 1836.

My Dear Sir,

When I reached home I found my wife very ill in bed, and all my office affairs in great confusion. This will, I hope, be a sufficient apology for your not hearing from me before.

By this day's mail I shall send a package of Messengers to Saunders & Otley. Be sure and get it from the office. The Messengers I wish Mr. S. to dispose of exactly as he has done with the sets I had the honor to send him long since by packet - all of which I hope reached him in safety.

Let me know if you called on Miss Medina - and presented to her the [ten?] [issued?] Nos? I hope you did not forget it. Call on her again, if you can possibly spare the time, and urge her, [underline]as from yourself[/underline], to send me something for the Messenger. It is [requisite?[ I should have her first article here by the 10th Dec. Tell her to send it by mail.

Recollect and [act?] [about?] the collections (when the sets reach you) as I have asked you to do.

Send me the $15 or a $10 & $5 of one of your City Banks; - and send it on as soon as you can get it - for we are all without money in Richmond.

I am your friend, T. W. White.