Sherwood Forest
June 15. 1850

My Dear Sir:
Death follows death in endless
succession.  We were bending over the grave of
my beloved Daughter when we are startled by
the annunciation of Mr Beeckman's death. Strange
coincidence that he and Mrs Walls should 
have perished at the same age--each in the 27th
year.  My sympathies are inexpressibly great 
for Margaret.  So sudden a blow, so unexpected,
in the morning of life and in the spring-tide of
success.  I esteemd him most highly.  All that 
is left us however is to treasure the recollection
of his many virtues.  His devotion to his family
was most strongly manifested in his absence in
California.  I trust that the object so near to his
heart has been realized in securing them, or at
least laying the sure foundation for an indepen
-dent competency.  From all I hear I should con
clude it was certainly so.  Margaret should
remember that his death is the result of an
accident which was quite as apt to occur at
home as abroad.  The percussion hammer should
never be worn upon the cap.  All the accidents
which I have heard of have arisen from that
source.  I shall make arrangements to despatch

Julia to join the family while at Saratoga as
soon as possible after our harvest.
I have no great confidence that
[Pain's] invention can supersede coal.  It seems
to be so contradictory to all the regulations of Nature
and her liberal provisions for the good of man-
kind.  She has scattered her forests and planted
her coal beds for the purposes of fuel upon
so extensive a field, that I cannot believe that
she designs these for no practical use.  It may
however be that she unveils her mysteries after
a long succession of ages, so as to enable man
to develop new agents and new resources to
supersede others which she designed for his use
in an earlier and more unenlightened stage of 
his existence.  Be that as it may I concur in
the proposed efforts to sell and in your plan of ad
vertizing.  I think the better way is to [receive]
offers without [doubting] any price, and to
decide upon the offers as made.  If Pain's
[matter] is to supersede the use of coal, we 
shall have to submit  to a loss, altho' I doubt
whether he can sell his fire more cheaply for 
manufacturing purposes than we can the
coal at the mine.  Geo. [Waggaman] asked
me to give him the referral when I had made
up my mind to sell.  I think it would be
well to write him and inquire the extent to which

his company is inclined to go.  Will you do so?
I think it well to say that my first
drafts negociated at Norfolk fall due the 
11. July and that it would be well to for-
ward me others to take their places at an 
early day.  Divide them into two, of $1125
each to [] the one of $1500 and the other
of $750.  I mention this sooner in consequence
of my proposed visit to Charlottesville on the
29, which will carry me to Richmond where 
I may negociate them.  The Students
are all [full] of my visit and expected address.
The last may disappoint them as I have
been constantly involvd in gloom and
have wanted ordinary spirits.  It will
be a brief and unpretending exhibit of facts
in the Virginian history going to show her uniform
and early determination to resist the taxing
power by England.
I fear much that we are to have a con
tinuance of agitation by the defeat of the Com-
promise Plan.  Tazewell's letter to Foote wd
seem to regard the Union as gone.  I am
not yet in despair, but the proceedings
of Massachusetts are inauspicious.
With love to all

Affectly Yrs J. Tyler

A. Gardiner Esqr