Hudson Dec: 19. 1861.
Mr. John Campbell
	Dr. Sir_
		  Yours of 28th. Nov. was rcd
in due time_ I have collected from G.S.
Snyder on his note $60. for which I now
Enclose you Dr. on New York, to your order_ He
promises to pay the bal. in the course of the
winter and I will try & make him do so_
I think I wrote you in my last. as to what I
should do with the note of Peterson. and I would
have written again had I known where to
direct_ The other claim [agt.?] Peterson will be
due the 15th. May next. and I will remind
him of it_ I was glad to get so long a
letter from you & to learn what you had been
about_ The weather here has been Extremely
wild and the ground is now without any
frost_ The [rest?] of this month thus far has
been more like April than any thing Else_
Some fears are Entertained that the fruit
buds would swell & be injured, but I think
they have not. The pastures still remain
good and very few have had occasion

to feed their stock_ Hay & grain have
commanded fair prices: the Hay for the
Army Supply & grain for Exportation_
The crop of potatoes was good & brought fair
prices_ best qualities from 4/_ to 5/_ and Common
from 3/_ to 4/_ Corn has gone up to 5/6_ and
the farmers are unwilling to sell at that_
Pork & beef are lower than any thing Else_
Beef is sold in our [illegible] at 5 & 6 cts. and
Pork 4 1/2 to 5 cts_ This is lower than it 
has been for some years_ Mutton is sold
as low as 4 cts. [by ten?] side_ The winter
grain looks well and the only fear is
that it grew too much in the fall_
Crop lands look well and the feed has
been so abundent. that Enough will
remain on them to protect from hard
freezing_ We are almost Entirely without
fruit this fall_ no apples were brought to
this market and those raised in the Western
counties of this state. brought $3. pr. barrel in
Albany_ The fruit trees have made a
most rigorous growth the past season

in Consequence of no fruit_ I never saw
such growth before_ It is perhaps for the 
best that we should be deprived for one
season_ We will appreciate it the more when
we get it_ The river is open from Alba-
ny to New York & the boats are running
with as little impediment as in the sum-
mer_ The freighters from this place have been
very large_ The old steam boat Colum-
bia was supplanted by the Oregon; this [illegible]
I think before you was home last_ The old
South America [two words illegible] of last sum-
mer and her place supplied by the Con-
necticut: a very large & splendid Boat.
which formerly ran on the [sand?]_ We
have now two as fine boats as are on this
river_ The Miller's sold out their
freighting Establishment. boats etc. to the
now firm of [Pown, Bogardus?] & Co_ It is
Geo.H. [Pown?] & Artie [Bogardus?], family in 
the Grocery business_ Business in this
place has been dull_ the people have been
very cautious about buying and only get

what they actually need_ The war
has taken quite a good many of our young
men from this County_ the last news
from England is of a threatening charac-
ter. and I fear we may have difficulty
with them_ I hope it may be averted. for
we have as much as we can well do
to suppress the Rebellion of the south without
having a powerful nation, like England
to contend with on the sea, if not on the 
land_ I consider the seizure & Imprison-
ment of Slidell & Mason as an unfortu-
nate occurrence, for us_ They. could not have
done us any harm. had they been [suffered?] to
go to their destination. for England could
not have risqued a Collision with these
States, founded on any offers the southern
Confederacy could make_ They would have
been the aggressors & been condemned in the
Eyes of Every nation_ Whereas now they have
at least a pretext for going to war with us.
disregrding the blockade at [illegible] South &
acknowledging the northern Confederacy_
     My Dear old father died last Septem-
ber_ had I room I would write you about it
but I will send you papers containing the
proceedings of the bar of this county &_ I
think you will give me credit for a long
letter. Whether interesting or not_
	Yours truly  R.B. Morell
Let me know whether you [illegible] the Dr_