Poughkeepsie Satturday P M. Oct? 24th 1863 ProfFM. P. Jewett My very dear friend Your kind and candid note of six pages was received this morning and I have given it as carefull perusal and consideration as my health and \\fe^X office dutys to-day would admit,--- And in reply, I am first constrained to say, your want of experience in those matters which it chiefly embrac**- seemed to carry the idea that it is only to will and it is done, to command and there it stands fast- you forget thatds much time taken up unavoidably in preliminaries, before the work can commence, He is a wise man who first sit down to count the cost before he begins to build his house and well considers his plans &c. As an illustration think of the amount of debates, opinions &c &c growing out of the apparent simple location of the Gate Lodges, which by-the-by, your consel with the Executive Committee reccommendations took up several con- secutive weeks, waiting the plans of Daniels & Renwick, and then con- sider the time consumed in settling upon the Buildings to be erected for Heating & Lighting the College &c You know or at least ought to know, that I have always streniously urged and advocated the policy (for the past year) of expending the 173 ~S0 Oct. 24, 1863 - Z College funds in all neccessary & indispensable departments as fast as possible as they then was commanding advanced values, - besides I was extremely anxious to press forwards not only to get our funds into Bricks Mortar &c, but to finish all the material structures to save other expenses and turn the current the other way, vizi, earning an income in its educational departments.- With due difference to your superior judgement in these latter matters, am I willing to yield, but in those of general buisness character, you nor any other man shall-3# dictate to me my duty. Your life and exper- ience has been one of an educational type- mine of buisness in general, you are practicaly in your calling- I in mine, and I allow no man to coerce or dictate to me in my course of policy. Your desires and ambition appears to be baised entirely on the relations which the College will sustain to the present - mine to the present and future. You are for doing things up in (comparatively) in a day, I am for com- pleting firmly, and leave the gloryfication of it to future generations----- present You seem to predicate your idea upon the fact of its moral influences, but I would respectfully ask wether there will not be "precious souls to be saved after you and I are gone to our final resting places. You urge the opening of the College in fall !64, that the founder may see the fruits of his labours to nhis honor & happiness11, shurely if any human 17 5 4 . 30P Oct. 24, 1863-3 eyes would desire to see this consumation mine much more so, Generaly my fellow creatures give their wealth to charitable objects after their discease, but I have been permitted thro1 God to cast my Bread upon the Waters while I live, and you are now Lecturing give it me why I dont go on fasteri If for the good of the enterprise, I to forego am willing the pleasure of seeing the College in opperation - shurely you ought not to complain. -*- Your simile as applied to me in a California Gold Mill is nonesense. You take it for granted I have built the mill to grind your Grist only- I pray its benefits will extend far and wide, Another argument you propound for my con- sideration nThe happiness I will have to walk out, over the broad grounds and inspect and suggest improvements &c &c. You seem not to consider that I am an old man nearly 72 years of age, and subject to much more than the ordinary infirmities of age, but suffering with bodly as well as mental weakness- especialy when over-taxed- It was only Thursday I came home took my bed at 7 P.M. could neither sleep nor rest, partly on account of a physical ailment, which troubls me much when I taxed too much.-- But to return again to some of your Questions,- You seem to forget, that I am not the owener of the College funds. I have no more right how and when to use them than any other man on the Ex Com-True out of respect to the Founder 173 e 30: 0T Anq noA q.-ex[Av aoj axora D ^.d Ol? ^ 6 ^d ^ 3A*sq noA naqAv Axmoadsa pxiB 'Axpxd^a: os spunj mo pnads Av[/a os aq pxnoqs sttp|. jj pn-e airfe^ nx paxqnop aq sd*Bqj:ad XXJA^ ixiaqq. jo araos ^SBax va sspo^s pn-e 'ooq. os ^rtTqq. I 'Aura 'xauxorrvs :pcan 'saaxxd jo vojyejjuj Jcs^'ajcS -B aq XTI^ ajcaxf^. A-es na - A*D*I A^xaoq^nB x"Bt3ti*Binj *b o% papnxx'e aA^q noA s*b asx>]S[ *avoxs 003. Abs noA :jnq 'Axa^BJtapojAi nox*B Snidaa^ Aq ssox xno dn apmu u-exR. axoui aA*Bq Jk *aSaxxoo aq:). jo :j.saa:aq.nx leTOweuxj aT0- l-^Saioj noj^ I xa:j.$*Bj SxcxoS q.on Aq sapisaq aaora qDnra pn-e ssox aqi dn apBin q.oxt aAs. aA^q 'x-ed Avoxaq s^naxxiA^d aSaxioo ^.aaxxx o^. spnnj sjceaA %sxjj mo xias 1OVi aa^xtxraioQ aqq. aAv pjo; anrpap sax^ixriDas ne P^-b sspoq/s ion pxQi Ajrexjxroo aqq. Avoqs s^d*bj aqi os op noA piQ pa;t*BX3ap stsav j:tbav jcaye Jiajceap pnis -**caxe&p asx>j:3 o:j. SnjoS *e sbav xfrnpxxnq jo axop.j'e AxaAa ^.Bqq. aa^xraraoo aqi XT9* ^01[:i[ no^ PIP AtiMl i 'panaddm[ %x ajcojaq ^.ou pn*B cx&ijv %oisj aqq. paoraAODsxp aA-sq noA xxc; jcnap Aiu - qy I xsxeap Avon sx Suxq^. A.iaAa sts sA^x^P Aq Aanora ^.sox S"Bq aSaxxoo aqq. A-bs no-------o*% ixtaqq. pnajjo o% apnqx^-B we xrp jxasAra aoiexd pxnoqs AqAv naqq. pu*B 'sa^BXaoss-B Aux jo jcaq^o Au*e xiBq^. aaAvod x^iotjjo axora on aA-Bq j A^xxoq^.n'B Ara o% nofssxxnqns atxrBq. ^ %oigx& oj. Snxxxi^^^ *u^ x q.x asnq*B o^. Snxxxi^ ajcojaxaq?. %ovl txi*B j q.nq *q.nauiaSpnf uavo j:xaqq. papxaxA na^jo aA*Bq Aaqq. t - 981 'fZ n^O Oct. 24, 1863 - 5 My dear Mr Jewett I cannot pursue ray thoughts any further nay eyes grow dim and brain hot You seem to argue with me if I could do maricles, but I cannot do more than I have- Do come and help, I am willing to surrender all up to the Excutive & your- self. In the name of Heaven do come and give a hand to the work, talk to com. as you have wrote me, and if I have wrote any thing in this hurried moment forgive me if it is offensive I remain my D^ear Sir Yrs. truly M Vassar 373^