Essays on Sussex County and New Jersey Postal History

SPARTA, NJ: EARLY SUSSEX PO ~ Len Pecksporting and having a lively time generally. He has a good looking gun and probably the quailrabbits (sic) and etc. will be somewhat dicomposed (sic) by our proceedings.I had a delightful drive to Newton (country town) on Tuesday, it was “Court” day andthe town presented a very lively and pleasant appearance. I did not know before that there wasa place of so much importance in this part of Jersey. The people looked substantial and a goodmany hearty healthy old fashioned well‐to‐do looking farmers were driving, walking and talkingamong the village crowds. We had considerable purchases to make and visited a number ofstores, offices, etc. Bedell found blooming lasses at one of the places of call but the scampwould not present me to them. I don’t know why unless it was on account of my shabby coat.Well, finally of course we made the call of ceremony at the “Larger Bear” where ofcourse we drank and examined a “Political chart” on the top corners of which were Bell andEverett, in the center an oval with the Douglas at top, on his right‐hand Breckenridge on the left,Lincoln (with a long emphatic L) with Mr. Houston where the “Giant’s” feet would naturally be,if represented. … After viewing and discussing the “chart” above mentioned, being both Douglasmen, we took another drink and then to the unspeakable regret of the Newtonians bade themfarewell.Fig. 5: Ad for a National Political Chart for the1860 election of the type described by our writer,and produced in Delanco, NJ. 2Fig. 6: Not the exact version described in this letter,but this lends an idea of what Victor was speaking.The election field was crowded in 1860! 3Yesterday spent most of the morning in cogitating, about noon B and I lunched on breadand milk and set out in a buggy to attend to a couple of missions. Had a fine drive some sevenor eight miles but for the mare. She sweat like an ice picher (sic) but a full blast from the Westkept us comparatively comfortable. At the tavern, much to our surprise found Mr. Miller, gunand valise. In the afternoon, having nothing on hand to do went for black berries, rather late forthem but found a good place and brought home four pints of black and whortleberries after anhours picking and saw an old tree full of Highholders while picking but was too tired on reachinghome to go out again with the gun. Harry Condit started yesterday on a tour of MooseheadLake.NJPH 156Vol. 38/No. 3Aug 2010 Whole No. 17945