Harrison Co. TX - Jesse Grimes Letters ----¤¤¤---- Letter # 89 December 9th 1851 Dear Uncle With due reverence to age and with a diffidence due from a junior to a vetron of his country, I hail with greafcful auspicies a privilege exercised by friends & acquaintances though they may be distantly situated. For the first time in my life do I attempt to address a letter to one whose head has grown gray (as I imagine is the case with yours) in fighting the battles of his country, and be assured of the fact that it is with fellings of much reserve. Broth Jesse received a letter from you a short time since, in which you stated that you expected to retire from public life. Do not imagine me to be giving advice; yet I do think that your age should not be taken into consideration at this time from the fact that the exigencences of the time call loudly for wisdom, discretion & prudence from the Congress & Legislative Halls. Yet I am not in favor of imposing on the infermities of age, unnecessarily. And while I speak of the necessity of wisdom from the aged, may Page 2 I not with equal prudence say the youth of our country should not be upon the alert, but rather be preparing themselves to fill the places of their aged fathers. There are none exempt from the responsible duties of the present day. There are duties & responsibilities resting upon each and every individual, and whenever we fail to prepare ourselves for those duties, we at once discard the calls of Nature. I am but just 21 years of age, and all these responsibilities and duties present thems- elves forceably to my mind, yet I am no aspirant to office. I only wish to be prepared for any duty that my devolve upon me. And if close application and perseverance will prepare me, I shall avail myself of those opportunities. With regard to the crops of our country, I presume you have had a discription therefore a reiteration of the same would be entirely un- necessary. I heartily concur with you in your opinion relative to moveing to a new country. I think it is folly in the extreme for a person, after being well situated in life, to break up and move to a new country, though it is not congenial with human nature to be satisfied with well enough, yet I am of the opinion, that there are advantages for a young man in Texas which Page 3 he is deprived of in many parts of the world. And in all probability I shall avail myself of those opportinlties at a subsequent period. Perhaps you wish to know my views and notions relative to a married life. It is not my intention at present to marry in some considerable length of time. I have certain object to accomplish and so soon as I shall have done so probably I shall embark in that cause. But it is something that should be well considered, well premeditated, and if then rightly considered, I am of opinion there would not be so many un- happy matches. I have thus given you a synopsis of my view relative to many subjects, and if correct I hope they will meet your approbation, if incorrect, please correct me and show me my error. I am but a student in search of information. Permit me to ask you to give me an answer, as soon as practicable. The family all join in love. In the kindest regards I subscribe myself. Respectfully, Marshal Grimes. __________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Christine Grimes Thacker ___________________________________________________________________