Witness Letters
WS Thomas

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Newburgh, N.Y. stationery

May 21.
1920

Dear Cousin Will,

I did get a letter from you written May 10th & one May 18th. You surely have taken up the matter energetically and I approve & applaud-

I shall be very glad to loan you sketches of some old Colonial gents connected with our dear Hudson River- among them my great gt grandfather but I am asked to read this article before the Daughters of the Amer. Revolution, in other words the D.A.R's on May 27th and shew some of the sketches he made, & if you can wait until that time, I will send it to you the next day?

I wish I could "come down" as you seem to think I could to N.Y. at any time, then I could read all the interesting matter you have collected & we could discuss the pros: & cons.- but I have no where to "put up", and hotel life is far too dear for my small means, so I shall have to wait 'till you come to Mooris Mills or go without

I hope you have got the right sort of literary man to write up this history, otherwise it never will get the eye of the right kind of public- & then have no success- who is this Christian Science writer, & do you think such a journal a good avenue for publication. The Harpers have had many articles in last years, about our ancestor, & a periodical of that type, or Scribner is the best avenue I should think- Only the Christian Scientists will ever see it- Do you know about Miss Amy Lee, who is our American poetess & well known in literary circles?

He might mention Benson Lossing the historian of Dutchess Co who was enthusiastically interested in H.L. being the rightful author of the Night before Xmas", & I think you have his letters to me? Then Mr. Tryon ought to show the similarity of the metre in the 4th stanza of Nancy Crooke acrostick, & some of grandfather's other poems - * ask the public if there is anything similar in any of Clement Moore's trashy poems- I don't see why we should handle him with kid gloves- there need be no "disrespect" shown him, or said of him, but facts are facts, & justice is justice- If he is afraid, & beats about the bush he'd better leave it alone- It will arouse discussion of course, is he strong enough to stand up against it, for it would be rather mortifying if it ended in tnohging- for the general public have gotten too used to Clem. Moore to give him up without a struggle-

However I say push on- even Home & Shakespeare have...

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SOURCE: New York Historical Society, Thomas Papers








        
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