John Brown to Simon Perkins, March 11, 1852

NEW YORK, March 11, 1852.

SIMON PERKINS, ESQ.

DEAR SIR, — I called on Messrs. Cleveland & Titus to-day. Found Mr. Cleveland intended to charge us three hundred dollars as a balance of accounts. I asked him for the principal items of his charge, which he promised to make up, and leave, directed to you, care of Messrs. Delano, Dunlevy, & Co., 39 Wall Street. He said he could not make it up without keeping me detained over night. As I could see no advantage to be derived from waiting, after hearing his explanation of the matter, I concluded not to wait. He says he drew an amended bill after drawing the first complaint, and that he gave more time to that than he did to the complaint. Since I left him I have thought this was not quite right, after the conversation we had with him together, and after our letter to them dated May 16, 1851. He said to me that if I was not satisfied with the charge it should be reduced. I did not tell him what I thought; but if I had thought of our letter at the time I should have asked him to refer to it, as I think he went contrary to his own advice, and also to our last instructions. If you call on him, I wish you would ask him to read that letter to you. I think it can do no harm, and that he will probably abate something from his charge. I should not now, after reflecting upon it, hesitate to say that I think ho ought to do it (and since looking up the copy of our letter to them). In haste,

Your friend,

JOHN BROWN.¹

P. S. If you call on Cleveland & Titus, and can find room, I would be glad to have you bring the papers in that case. I forgot to ask for them.

Yours truly,

J. B.

__________

¹ On the same date (March 11, 1852), but from New Haven, Brown writes to his family: “I received Henry's letter of the 3d at Troy, which place I left yesterday in order to meet Mr. Perkins, who has come on here on railroad business. I have at last got through trying our cause at Troy, but have not yet got a decision. I think it will, without doubt, be in our favor.”

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 82-3