Description:

Perry Matthew

Matthew C. Perry ALS Regarding Spanish Schooner Falcon Prize Money

 

3pp ALS inscribed overall by American naval officer Matthew C. Perry (1794-1858) and signed by him as "M C Perry" at the bottom of the third page. Written in New York, New York on June 22, 1824. On cream bifold paper. The last page serves as an integral address leaf. With expected paper folds, some repaired. Minor loss corresponding to the original red wax seals. 7.75" x 12.75". Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity issued by One of A Kind Collectibles (Coral Gables, Florida).

 

Matthew C. Perry wrote his older brother, U.S. Navy Captain Raymond H. Perry (1789-1826), then stationed in New London, Connecticut.

 

In part, with unchanged spelling and punctuation:

 

"I have to congratulate you on the Receipt yesterday of a draft from the accountant on the Navy agent here, for the sum of $83.36/100 * and the much larger sum of $190. 51/100 Recd from Chs W. Goldsborough Esqr at your proportion of Prize money for the Capture of the Schooner Falcon in 1813 - The last sum I have recd as agent of Mr Goldsborough, with my proportion (the same as yours) and that of Mr Warner. The draft on the Navy agent will not be paid I presume without your receipts - a blank one shall therefore be forwarded to you, by the mail of tomorrow, for you to sign and Send back to me…

 

Thus you see my dear brother, that the Ebb tide of your fortunes has ceased to run, The young flood has made your prospect begin to brighten, and it remains with yourself to disperse…"

 

Matthew C. Perry paraphrases a quote by Brutus from William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, in which the Roman declares: "There is a tide in the affairs of men. / Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; / Omitted, all the voyage of their life / Is bound in shallows and in miseries. / On such a full sea are we now afloat, / And we must take the current when it serves, / Or lose our ventures" (Julius Caesar, Act IV, Scene III).

 

This quotation was especially appropriate as the Perry family had long been sailors. In addition to Matthew and Raymond, there was brother Oliver H. Perry and father Christopher R. Perry.

 

Matthew C. Perry penned this letter while commanding the 12-gun schooner U.S.S. Shark stationed in the Florida Keys between 1821-1825. This territory was hotly contested between the United States and Spain. Perry was granted the rank of commodore in 1840. Fourteen years later, Perry compelled the Japanese to open their closed society to trade. This was just the latest act of audacity on the part of the ambitious naval officer; he had stormed Key West and declared it as part of the United States in 1822.

 

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

 

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