“Letter from Little Delaware”

published in

Gazette of the Union

New York, NY



Newark, DE

December 29, 1848

I shall speak to you awhile of little Delaware—of what I have seen, heard and done since my arrival at Mr. Joseph T.'s house. Last Sunday night [ed.-December 24] we were awakened by the unexpected visit of a couple. It was a bride just blessed by some divine, who came, with her husband, to ask refuge and lodging under Mr. T’s roof. It was a most stormy night—the horse would go no further, and the Miss was desirous of finding some lodging; in a word, all was revolution in our house, and Mr. T., known here as a generous and fine fellow, offered his own room, which was accepted, and the couple retired to sleep together, I think, for the first time in their life. But the most interesting part of their connubial difficulties was previous to their marriage. Early in the morning, they left their native place, some twenty miles from Newark, in search of a clergyman. They had already traveled six hours, without finding any reverend who would unite them in legitimate bonds, not that there are no clergymen in Delaware, (on the contrary, there are too many), but because it was necessary to obtain a license from New Castle; and as the young lady decided not to return home unmarried, she advised her beau to pass into Pennsylvania, where laws are cheaper and more liberal.

But the horse, who was a native of Delaware, and proud of his country, would not cross the boundary on that day, and in spite of the thousand curses of his master, and his many whippings, he would not go an inch further, and they were obliged to leave Jack, and to accept another horse from Mr. T.

Thus, they passed into Pennsylvania; but all was not over yet. Here, two clergymen refused to marry them, saying that they never did such things on Sunday! Mr. T., who is so generous and kind to young people on these occasions, and it being about midnight, said he would try another minister, who, for five dollars, would marry them two or three times. Thanks to Mr. T., they were blessed by a Methodist charge, and sent forth as husband and wife. The bride, who resembles a Russian grenadier, is a damsel of five and thirty winters; as to Mr. S., if he is not quite as old as his wife, he is at least more stupid, as he had the boldness to tell his moitie, before everyone, that he married her in spite of another gal, whom he loved much.

G.F. Secchi de Casali, visiting from NYC