As most readers of this blog know, Morris Smith and Julie Palmer met in 1842 and were engaged in 1848, remaining married until her death in 1883.  Throughout their lives, letters formed the backbone of a relationship that was truly a long-distance one for over a third of the time.  Generally, there are gaps each summer in the letters; which is frustrating for the historian as a great deal must have happened.  However, a more frustrating gap is caused by several missing letters from 1847. *

In 1846 Julie left New York City, returning to Brockport.  Morris remained in NYC.  Two years later they were engaged.  Yet, this is where the art of reading between the lines becomes tremendously difficult.  We have about twenty letters from those two years when they never met in person, but are missing two to four.  These long letters are filled with discussions about, and requests for, books, as well as descriptions of activities and discourses on philosophy.  They are also entirely opaque.  Morris was struggling to build a business, at age nineteen, but was also plagued by health problems, with his doctors telling him he wouldn’t make thirty, he repeatedly and adamantly says he will not marry (and is clearly not considering Julie, or at least appears to not be considering her).  Julie, with many veiled remarks, hints at a serious relationship, if not engagement, with another man who can only be tentatively identified.  At the same time Morris and Julie carry on a correspondence which spirals from platonic love to outright vitriol* and then somehow ends in their engagement.

Those missing letters appear to be the ones that fall exactly on either side of the lowest point in their relationship.  Naturally.

*Ignoring the gap created during a certain historical event between 1860-65…one person living in New Orleans, one living in Hartford, writing back and forth constantly…and not a word on the affairs of the day.

*Vitriol: Julie writing: “Now you are greatly more deficient in penetration than I believed if you really think I wish you to write to me or feel for me any love, save such as a brother might for a sister… (2 scathing pages)…Remember if you wish me ever to write to again you are to answer this by the next post.”  (Morris doesn’t write by the next post, in fact his next letter is nearly three months later, and completely ignores this one…which is one way of dealing with it.)