RKFP-109

Grass Plains. Dec. 14th/54

John A. Kennicott M.D.

My Respected Friend

Your letter of 2d inst was duly recieved, and wishing to visit Springfield and endeavour to close up our financial affairs, before I answerd your letter -

I have just reached home and embrace the first leasure moment to say to you that means are now at our command to meet all our liabilities, and leave a ballance of sixteen or eightteen hundred dollars in the Treasuary - consisting of the following credits - $200. in plate - $125 in Diplomas $ Lent $300. and about $250 in cash - so you see we are not in the fix, some of us feared we should be when you left us -

While I approve of rigid econemy in all our expenditures I do not wish the interest of the society to suffer when we have the means at our command to prevent it. And I wish you to come to Springfield, at once if you can better serve her interest in so doing - in my judgement you had better come down at once -

I approve of your course in writing the Govenor - but I stil doubt the propriety of asking, the Legislature for $3000- I think $2000- for 4 or 5 years would answer our purposes - I fear asking for 3- will opperate against our claim for an appropriation - And it will not do for the society to entertain for a moment the idea[underlined] of making our C. Sec - a saleried officer and to be paid

and to be paid out of the State Tresuary - as other State officers - I as one of the Members and officers of of the Society feel very thankful to Mr Dunlap for his good wishes for the society and her interest - and I fear he and our friends in and out of the Legislature will find they will have all they can do - to get an appropriation of $2. or 3000- for the society - I think you had better defer your report till you reach spring=field - You can after you reach springfield - and get your matters in good shape and your notes all made out come to my place and spend a few days with me and write out your report - where I can be with you - and have the pleasure of giving you the

hospitalities of my house - Mr Williams sent off check on yesterday - to pay for our Diplomas - $200 - & a check for $300 - to pay for our tent - I doubt the propriety of my attempting to write an Essay - for our Trasactions, we will talk the matter over when I see you - write me on the recpt of this when I may look for you at springfield you have my best wishes for the health and happiness of yourself and family -

your friend & Obent Servt -

Jas. M. Brown

[stamped] J. Kennicott Brenton Collections