The Creation of A (Loyal) State of Virginia Will Ruin This Virginia Businessman

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/21/2021

A good war-date Virginia merchant's letter, 3pp. 8vo., written by John Davis Day, Buckland Co., Va., March 10, 1862 to (loyal) Virginia Convention Delegate, John James Davis (1835-1916), concerning his belief that the war's effect on money exchange between Northern creditors and obligators in the South would be upset by the creation of the new state of (loyal) Virginia, reading, in part: "àI am willing to divide the loss on the money in payment of my creditors in BaltimoreàI do not think Mess. G. & G. ought to be harder with me than othersàwhen I bought their goods there wasàan implied understanding that they would take Va. moneyàat par. (I have to receive itàat that) & unless they can throw the cause of the war on me they should [not] hold me responsible for the result of it. To sell the $80. Philippi money for $50 would be a sacrifice that I [am] not willing to make. I have some $1500àbut for your Wheeling Slay suit I would have no difficulty in meeting my engagements; as it is it is almost unless to ask a [?] for moneyàI was pleased to see you opposed its measures, that is, the Slay law. I can only say that I am trying to collect as fast as I can & will square Mess. G. as soon as I can. Do you think the new constitution will be satisfied by a majority of the 51 counties? I doubt it. If they do & a new state is made I shall regard it as the downfall of Va. & will sell out to anyone at a deduction of 25 per cent of my former pricesàJno. Davis Dayà". John James Davis (1835-1916) who was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates in 1861 and member of the 1862 (loyal) Virginia convention that hoped to form a (Loyal) state of Virginia, from counties of western Virginia, held April 22, 1862. He was a delegate from Harrison County to the Wheeling convention June 11, 1862 and also a member to the Democratic National Conventions in 1868, 1876 and 1892. He served as a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1869 and 1872 and was elected as a Democrat to the 42nd Congress and 43rd Congress. The original stamped transmittal cover is attached to the letter's first page. Overall VG.

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