Wednesday, February 6, 2013

1863 February 1 Batimore

Baltimore Feby 1, 1863

My  dear Commodore
     I am much obliged to you for
the pamphlet on the Practical & Scientific
Value of the Specimens, which I am
reading with pleasure as well as instruction.
I hope you will find no difficulty in
securing a proper appreciation of you
work by Congress.  As you have so large
a testimony to its worth now ab extra
and as Congress has got into the habit
of supporting it - a very important matter
which to a body which goes more by

[page 2]
custom and precedent then by common
sense, - I do not apprehend a baulk
to your progress in future, from want
of money.  Besides, millions now have
got to be such common place
matters that a few thousands only
run the risk of being thought too
moderate.   Till I hope that even
the smallness of the grant will not
be thought by our legislators to be
below the dignity of their notice and
that you will be allowed a share
of the crumbs that fall from the
rich man's table.
                  Give my love to the Admiral

[page 3]
and his wife and especially to his
daughter.   I hope his shadow will
never be less.
       I send you a letter of introduction
to my brother, who I am sure will
be happy to serve you.
                            Very truly
                                   Yours
                             John P. Kennedy
Commodore Davis

John Pendleton Kennedy,  former Whig Congressman and Secretary of the  Navy under Fillmore; noted author of a memoir of William Wirt and the romantic novels Swallow Barn and Horse-Shoe Robinson.  His brother was U.S. Senator Anthony Kennedy.


Commodore Davis: possibly Charles Henry Davis, founder of the Nautical Almanac and author of hydrographic studies; later in the year was promoted to Rear Admiral

MSS 6954-g


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