69 Canal St.
New York May 19th 1856
Dear Sir
I am at length established in this
city, and already begin to look with contempt
on all small cities like Philadelphia and Boston.
I saw Mr. Buchanan when here; forced my way
into the City Hall at the imminent peril of my
life & pockets, and allowed him the honor of a
shake of my daddle, which he seemed to relish
highly and appreciatingly; I am sorry to find
that he still leaves that unfortunate speech,
without explanation, to poison the minds of the
Irish American votes against him.
Should he get the nomination, I feel confident that
as matters stand, he could not get one third of the
Irish vote. Perhaps he could be elected without
them, but I doubt that too, and as for Pierce,
it would be suicidal to nominate him. I for
one, cannot go him, under any circumstances, and
the Cincinnati arrests, will prove if nominated, a
[?] like shirt, with several tucks; among them his
Nicaraguan blunders, and hesitancy and vaccillation
in the Enlistments and Central American affairs.

I wish that you would give me your views as to the
nature of my communications to the clubs on this sub-
ject. It is about time for us to have a finger in
the pie, interested as we are in the matter, and already
some of the clubs have placed me in a dilemma, by
asking counsel as to their course of conduct.
In plain and vigorous Saxon "Who they should blow
for". In my present state of uncertainty I
could not reply for myself, or the association and
now appeal to you for the cue.
I have not yet recd. any of the promised reports
from Messrs [Lumsden?] & Conroy for their respective
localities, and am beginning to feel surprised that
one of the plainest, simplest, and most necessary
provisions of the Constitution, should be treated with
utter contempt. At this moment there is not the slightest
evidence on the books of the Association, to shew that
there is a single member in Ohio or in Penn. except
yourself and the [?] Harvey Club of Phil. and
Capt. Gillespie's in Phoenixville.
I shall write once more to each as a matter of
courtesy and then should they not comply, give it
up as useless. At the same time I question their
right to be regarded as members of the organization
when contumaciously persisting in noncompliance with
the requisitions of the Constitution.

I have not heard from Dr. Smith for some time although
I have written to him. Dr. McCracken is pushing
forward with great energy in N. Orleans.
Let me know your opinion as to the present crisis
in the Crampton difficulty. Now that Clarendon has
spoken. I would like to stir the clubs up with a 
little excitement as to a prospect of war.
Give me your views in your reply on this as well
as the presidential question.
I presume that already the increasing warmth has dis-
turbed the serenity of the peaceful hamlet of your abode
by this influx of health & pleasure seeking visitors, attracted
by the world wide fame of the Baths of Bristol
which lie embosomed in the shadow of those mountains
whose verdant garb of invisible green excels even the
verdancy of the tourist and has been the theme of
at least one ferocious attempt at poetry.
Taking all things into consideration I am willing to allow,
as they say on the Mississippi, that the polishing off
I received on that subject at your hands entitles you
henceforth and forever, in connection with your other genial
qualities, to the soubriquet cognomen and appellation of
a regular Bristol Brick.
I hope that your sister gave the medicine I left a fair
trial for in that event I feel satisfied she must ere
now have recovered her health.

please inform concerning that also in your next
letter.
I am Dear Sir
Yrs Sincerely
Jno. J. McGowan M. D.
R. Tyler Esq.

Dr. McGowan
New York
May 19/56
On [lg] of the
L. E. A. Society