Copying Book: Secretary's Letters, 1860 (page 273)

Aug 23 [186]5

P.H. Marett Esq
New Haven, Ct.

My dear Sir,

I am sorry that
I seem to have neglected you. I have
been trying for three or four days
past to find time to write you: before
that, I was not prepared to do so.

The delay has been through my en-
deavor to learn from Mr Baldwin
whether he would join you in
the arrangement for keeping both
lots in order. I wrote him at
once, upon your request to know
if the Com. would not accept $300:
and I wrote by advice of the Com^ee.
I waited long, but, Mr Baldwin
did not reply. At last I thought
he might be absent, & went to his
house to inquire. Finding that he was
not away from home (although out of the
house, & I did not see him) I wrote
another note reminding him of my
former. He replied by mail that
he did not care to enter into an
arrangement at present for perpet-
ual care. I then waited to see
the Chairman of the Com^ee. This
is the month when people are
easy at business, and I did not
see him until three or four days
ago. I asked him if the Com^ee
could approve of $300 independently
of the arrangement for both lots, and
rec^d a negative reply: that $350 is not
too much in your case. In times when
a paper dollar was worth a dollar in gold,
no less than $300 would have been asked
of you. I regret you have had
to wait so long, but you perceive it has
not been my neglect. -- I return you one of our
forms of contract, in case you wish to carry through the
arrangement at once, it will save you the trouble of visiting again before reading the contract.
Sign it -- Enclose a draft payable to my order (the Treas^r is absent just now) & will acknowledge the rec^t of it, & get contract completed as soon as possible.

Very Resp.y yours

A.J. Coolidge
Sec.y

273