1837 October 24, Harrisburg, to son

              Harrisburg 10mo 24.  1837-



Dear Son
  


I have just recd. thy letter of the 23d. communicating the very painful intelligence of the capture of the Susquehanna by a pirate, an event so unexpected & distressing as to leave us in doubt, where it not so fully corroborated.  The papers which arrived by the same mail containing apparently such clear testimony of the fact- They also state that a large amt. of [spice?] was on board- The fear is that the pirates will first plunder the ship then to prevent any person from giving testimony against them they may murder all on board or by scutting the vessel, send all to the bottom together- We must hope for the best, but it is a most sickening subject- I pray our heavenly Father may preserve you under this severe trial- As to their being overhauled by any vessel which may go in pursuit, there seems to me but little probability of it- I shall of course be very anxious to hear from you.  There may be some mistake in this intelligence- A few days will doubtless decide- If true it must prove a heavy loss to you, but you are in the hands of a kind Providence-



very affectionately



Thos. P. Cope