LIFE AND STUDY IN EUROPE 53 



Mr. Vincent Le Ray de Chaumont had returned to 

 France and was living in Paris, but he still took lively 

 interest in his American possessions, and was in close 

 communication with his agent, Mr. Stuart, who lived 

 at Carthage, four miles from Deer River. Mr. V. Le 

 Ray employed agents in Europe to procure emigrants 

 for his American lands, on which at this time were 

 fully three thousand French and German settlers. 

 To these he advanced their necessary expenses in 

 taking up the land; he also was in the habit of 

 extending banking courtesies to his New York State 

 neighbors. 



On January 24, 1854, Mr. Johnson acknowledged 

 the receipt of this remittance : 



Dear Father, — Yours of Dec. 30th came to hand 4 days 

 since, and while I was waiting to get some advice as to how 

 I should request Mr. Le Ray de Chaumont to forward the 

 money, the transmission of which to him Father's letter men- 

 tioned, I rec'd a note from him written in French inclosing 

 a "first of 'change" to the amount of 294 16/30 Rthl. on 

 Hammer and Schmidt, hankers of Leipsic. 210 -^- 294.5 = 

 71 1/3, very considerably less than 74 1/2, making this an 

 excellent method of transmission. The Bill of Exchange I 

 presented this morning to Hammer and Schmidt, and they 

 are ready to cash it as I want it. I also mailed today a letter 

 (in English) to Mr. Le R. de C, acknowledging the receipt 

 of the draft, and thanking him for his kind offices. I am sur- 

 prised that such long intervals find place between my letters. 

 I should write oftener but that it seems a pity to pay so much 

 postage on a short letter, and the daily events of my life do 

 not furnish material for very long ones. I shall now try to 

 bring up my arrears to all the people. — I am greatly obliged 

 for the new stock of funds. Having laid in a good stock of 

 books, I have nothing more to do than to keep away from the 



