Unusual letter by Director to his Clerk leaving office 0

[RWB]

Mint of the United States

June 16th, 1845

 My dear Sir,

 The connection which has passed between us, for more than seven years, is about to be discontinued, in consequence of your own desire communicated to me many months since, and on which your final action has been thus long delayed, in kind compliment with my wishes.

 Our relations have been of the most confidential nature, and have thrown us into close communication, and I therefore speak with knowledge of your character when I say that no one could have proved himself more worthy of entire trust, or could have fulfilled all his duties more balky or more faithfully,

 I now part with you, with the sincere wishes for the welfare and happiness of yourself and your family in the new career on which you are about to enter, and with assurances of my most affectionate attachment.

 Believe me, then

Ever your friend

R. M. Patterson

 

 To: Mr. George F Dunning,

Director’s Clerk,

U. S. Mint

 Note. I have wished to present to you on our parting, some slight memorial of attachment; but, being perplexed as to a selection, have at last chosen the enclosed as more likely to be useful to you, at this time, than any article to be shown and looked at.

Edited February 20 by RWB

[leeg]

Almost reads like a love letter.

[Zebo]

On 2/21/2024 at 7:50 AM, leeg said:

Almost reads like a love letter.

That’s what I was thinking, but didn’t want to say.

[RWB]

My impression of the letter is also of one that seems unusually effusive - especially for official correspondence. The original is not marked "Personal" or "Confidential" as was the custom in government.

Dunning wanted to take his family back to his home state of Maine, but Patterson convinced him to stay at the Philadelphia Mint until he could find a suitable replacement as Chief Clerk. (At this time there were 4 mints to run, and the 3 new ones were "wobbly" requiring more of Patterson's time. The Chief Clerk/Director's Clerk ran the Philadelphia Mint and kept the various mint treasurers in check.)

Dunning eventually was running the NY Assay Office, but had charges made against him. He played a major role in defining what was latter referred to as Dana Bickford's international coinage ideas. (See Fads, Fakes and Foibles for the full story.)

[Henri Charriere]

Pardon my impertinence, but enquiring minds would like to know precisely what it was that was gifted as alluded to in the letter.

[RWB]

On 2/21/2024 at 3:48 PM, Henri Charriere said:

Pardon my impertinence, but enquiring minds would like to know precisely what it was that was gifted as alluded to in the letter.

Nothing was "gifted" to anyone.

The letter does not say what the gift was, however. Possibly cash in one form or another.