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Please let us hear from you as speedily as possible. Yours
T.P. [Thomas Posey]

Princeton -
"College of New Jersey"
Oct. 20th 1870 [October 20, 1870]

Mr. C.C. Fox [Charles Crittenden Fox]
Danville Ky

Dear Charley

No doubt you begin to feel uneasy as to the Princeton charge of our beloved fraternity, fearing lest we may have proven ourselves recreant to the trust and confidence placed in us. If this presumption is correct, I would now bid you cast away all fears, cease to doubt at once, and hereafter think of us only as a successful Chapter. Our reasons for not keeping up the regular correspondence were simply these: for a long time we have struggled against odds;

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hoped against hope; and have met only with failures on every hand, it really seemed as tho. surrounded by such formidable difficulties of every sort, as we were, that we were destined to go under; every wave of fortune dashed rudely against us; every interposition of the fates [following word inserted] (was) disastrous: yet summoning all our energies and plucking up our courage, we renewed our attempts and [following word inserted](now) believe that we can say with all safety, that we are [following word inserted] (now) well-grounded, in the Senior Class, have established ourselves firmly, and that the future wears an altogether inviting aspect. We have succeeded only by admitting the best, and altho. our numbers [illegible word crossed out] have thus far gained no distinction in college, still I can safely say that three more reliable and substantial

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men could not have been selected from our whole class - thus far it is confined to the Senior Class, but as soon as we are able we will take in some from the lower classes.

Two of these members were admitted this evening - the other you have been corresponding with (C.C. Higgins [Cecil Campbell Higgins]) the names of the two new members are W.C. Chambers [William Cox Chambers] of N.J. and J.S. Gardner [John Scoon Gardner] of N.J. Chambers is a native of Ohio, and resided there until very lately. N.J. is the state of his adoption. We (Higgins & myself) are now congratulating ourselves on the fair prospects before us. It is an important and progressive step we have taken, and we feel assured that the common sentiment which pervades the whole brotherhood, will cause them to rejoice with us in our success; and now as our beloved

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society is growing and extending her lovely proportions over the North, as well as the sunny South, let there spring up a spirit of generous rivalry between the various Chapters of our Order, at the same time cultivating a feeling of lively and pure affection for our whole fraternity, and nourishing it by every means in our power - then shall our "endless chain" be protracted, and our ties of love can not fail to become more hallowed - [following word inserted] (nor) our common cause cease to prosper.

We are now endeavoring to project some scheme whereby we may introduce a new Chapter into some of our neighboring colleges and thence through the whole North. Could you give us any suggestions, or aid us by your mature counsel or cooperation. I assure you 'twould be thankfully acknowledged and gratefully accepted. In this correspondence we would also make appreciation for a nice and large charter on parchment, written in the Latin tongue - a full & neatly written copy of the revised constitution - a complete catalogue of the members of all the various chapters, together with all the details as to the members, location and condition of the society, past and present. All the members send greetings.

I have the honor to be your personal friend through a previous acquaintance as well as yours in the bonds of α α π [alpha alpha pi, each letter within a circle]

Thomas Posey