No. 5.
Sugar Creek, October 24, 1825.
Esteemed Brown,—After two nights' hard travelling, I find myself well provided for, in company with our old "Bogus Friend," who informs me he has just returned from Toronto, Canada; and has brought some of the most splendid bogus I ever have seen, and sells it, in trade at 33-1/3, 28 in cash. I purchased two thousand of him, part trade, part cash; and he is to deliver it to you. He has sent a large quantity to Brookville, Indiana, and he will send your two thousand from Brookville. I let him have four horses, which I purchased from our Rising-sun Brethren. He sent them immediately to his lawyer, in or near Sandusky, who will forward them immediately to Michigan. I believe the horse trade is better, and a great deal more safe than the slave. There are many brethren living here, and of the best order, and live up to the principles of the Brotherhood; and of the many which live here, and in fact all through these parts, very few are considered other than men of the highest respectability. But I hear many making inquiry about our Lawrenceburgh Aurora, and Rising-sun brethren, and say the brethren have acted in many respects badly, and our friend —— ——, in the burgh, who purchased the pork he shipped from some of them; they say that he has deceived them. I feel mortified to think he has no more principle: I want you to call and tell him he must settle, and I think he ought to know the same without advice. They are the wrong men for him to try to gull; I have every right to suspect him of dishonesty, when I think how much the Brotherhood has done for him, you and I in particular, and know how he treated us; and though we have given him all of the start he has, he would sacrifice us both, with our families, for a hundred dollars. I have found out that Sulivan did not make his escape, as he assured us he did, but was sold for seven hundred and fifty dollars. So you can depend he has swindled you and I; do not trust him farther than you can see him, and recommend him in the right numbers. This will be handed you by a brother living near the islands Sixty-two and Sixty-three, on the Mississippi; he is about to make a permanent location, and wishes to purchase six or eight blacks. If the lot we have an interest in have not left the burgh, he is the man: he says there are large bands of the brethren settled near him; I hope you can please him.
Yours in haste, —— ——.
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[This describes the bearer as follows: bold, artful, temperate, large and tall, light-complexioned, planter by profession, head dappled gray; age from thirty to forty, quick spoken.]