[Letter from Elizabeth Upshur Teackle to her husband, Littleton Dennis Teackle, September 2, 1811]

Mentioned in this letter

Education, Religion, Literacy, and Culture: Lotteries
Government, Law, and Military: Elections - Voting; Political Parties
Home, Health, and Social Life: Fashion - Cloth; Food; Food - Grains; Health; Health - Birth - Miscarriages; Health - Disease and illness; Health - Mental Health
People: Bancker, Sarah Upshur Teackle, 1783-1843; Eyre, Ann Matilda Upshur, 1780-1829; Le Pelletier, Charlotte, 1778-1855; Montgomery, Elizabeth Dennis Teackle, 1788-1823; Parker, Severn Eyre, 1787-1836; Quinby, Elizabeth Ann Upshur Teackle, 1801-1875; Ralston, Robert, 1761-1836; Teackle, Elizabeth Upshur, 1783-1836; Teackle, Littleton Dennis, 1777-1848
Places: United States - Maryland - Baltimore City; United States - Maryland - Somerset County - Princess Anne

About this letter

Description: Letter from Elizabeth Upshur Teackle to her husband, Littleton D. Teackle, discussing local politics and their finances. She also includes some updates about family members.
Creator: Teackle, Elizabeth Uphsur
Creation Date: September 2, 1811
Subjects: Teackle, Elizabeth Upshur, 1783-1837; Teackle, Littleton Dennis, 1777-1848
Item Type: letter
Identifier: MSS 2338, 2338-a, 2338-b Box 1
Publication Information: Papers of the Quinby, Teackle, and Upshur families, 1759-1968, Accession #2338, Special Collections, University of Virginia Library, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.
Institution: ASSSC
Collection: VOESH
Place Names: United States - Maryland - Somerset County - Princess Anne; United States - Maryland - Baltimore County - Baltimore

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Your package pr Mr. Mullen was receiv’d in due order and I wait the arrival of his things pr skow to receive the other articles today.

I am almost ashamed after all my boasted patience, to acknowledge my extreme anxiety to see you once more at home. I begin to feel your absence severely and ardently hope you will make every exertion to return as soon as you possibly can. I believe your presence w[i]ll considerably tend to restore my health, for I begin to think myself rather low spirited and full of conceit. Sometimes I feel tolerably well, but much oftener so debilitated that all power of exertion seems to have forsaken me. Nor can I for my life dispense with the idea that my poor feeble constitution has receiv’d its permanent character of weakness and its health from the many accidents which first deranged it.

Today is the grand trial of political exertion in this state and I never witness’d so much interest generally

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on the same occasion here. I myself can not but participate in the general sensation, although the common tide of local politicks and I are at open war. So much personal and party prejudice is really disgusting.

I wish if it is convenient for you cou’d appropriate sufficient money to pay Hillman, as I have told him I supposed you wou’d do it on your return. He continues to furnish us with meal.

As to your kind and thoughtful attention to my little wants, you, I hope, feel convinced of the gratitude I feel towards your observance of them. I cannot think of any more, as you have desir’d me, that I cannot do without, as you see you will add. The necessaries that you think may be wanted. Perhaps a little loaf sugar and tea might be well as we are out. As to ideal wants and finery &c., I have resolv’d not to think of them. At least till you can better afford to spend your money in that way. The elegancies of

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life surely are desirable, but not at the expense of independence. Your late good fortune in having justice done you, has raised my spirits not a little, and I fervently pray to God to continue your prosperity in all your undertakings. You now are convinced that all men are not quite so just and conscientious as yourself. You have too much sound sense to become the dupe of villains again. Your misfortunes, had they originated in your own idleness, luxury or dissipation, wou’d have been much harder to have been borne and not so easily checked in their natural course: this pain you are free from and surely no anguish can equal the consciousness of self deserv’d misery. No, not even the pang the heart feels when first obliged to give up its amiable and ingenious confidence in a traitor friend and in a traitor world.

Poor Elizabeth was quite in a dilemma when she receiv’d the