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Samuel Morse ALS Re: Civil War

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Samuel Morse ALS Re: Civil War
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Samuel Morse autograph letter signed discussing his opinions about the raging American Civil War. 4pp., quarto, datelined New York, 11 March 1862, to his sister, Mrs. Cornelia Goodrich, in Paris. In part: “My dear Sister, / I find it difficult to find a moment from my studies and writing, even to write to you and the dear ones about you, but I am consoled with the belief that in your beloved Mother you have an unfailing Source of domestic news. But I have seized my pen to say a few words amid the din of uproarious children, dear little Eddy among them, who are enjoying themselves in the ‘red room’ adjoining my office, and if they in any way interrupt the Smooth current of thought, they make it the pleasantest of all interruptions, in that while so many in our beloved country North & South are in deepest Sorrow, our loved family circle are So exempt from trouble except in the profound Sympathy which every American heart must entertain, not entirely callous to all feelings of humanity. While I write, dear little Eddie has come to me to kiss me good night, So I said, ‘Eddie I am writing dear Aunty Cornelia, what shall I say to her,’ ‘tell her to give my love to mamee and say she must come home very soon.’ The dear child is as sweet as ever, and remembers you all, especially little Mary, distinctly. We have now beautiful weather, and are beginning to think of the country retreat, where I shall be glad to find myself once more on account of the pure air for the children. I do not write to you on political matters, for it would require more than one or a dozen letters, So clearly to define my views as not to be misunderstood. In a contest where there is so much wrong-doing on both sides, so much self righteous pharisaism, so much clear-sightedness in seeing the wrong in our neighbor, and blindness in discovering or rather in acknowledging our own, it is no easy task to keep the mind steadfast upon the right, and less easy to rebuke wrong in either party without at once being accused of going wholly over to the views of the other side. The nation now is in its paroxysm of fever, and delirium. When the excitement subsides, and the calm of returning reason, has put the mind in a state to receive counsel, we may hope again for national health. This can alone be given by the Great Physician. In the mean time the heart staid on him can be kept, and will be kept in perfect peace. I long for the time when love and mutual forgiveness shall restore our two Sections to a warm embrace, all the more ardent from the present unnatural estrangement. ‘An enemy hath done this.’ Mutual explanation of mutual misunderstandings with Gods’ blessing will accomplish what to man now seems an impossibility....Our kind regards to Mr. & Mrs. Willis and Mr. Parmele. Charles Willis was at our party last evening, and so were Mrs. Stewart & Miss Kennedy. We had a strange mixture of Secessionists and abolitionists, (for I suppose I must call the Curtises & Springs by the latter epithet,) and yet we did not come in collision, but I suppose it was from ignoring the subject on which they differed; at any rate all seemed pleased. Wouldn’t I rejoice if I could bring together in the same way all the brethren of the same family from Maine to the Rio Grande. This was my advice at first, but others thought differently and so we are, as we are. Oh that we were as we were. Good bye God bless you all. / Yr. Affec. Brother / Saml. F.B. Morse.” The telegraph, Samuel Morse’s mystical invention, was a key technology that would be heavily relied upon by both the North and South during the course of the war. It, and other advances in military weaponry and communications, would mark the Civil War as the first modern war. In this letter, Morse is hopeful that the conflict will come to a swift end; however, the bloodiest days of the war were yet to come. A superb letter in fine condition.