"Although I was sorry to part from the prince on Wednesday, I cannot tell you with what a feeling of relief it was from the deep anxiety of which I could not divest myself during his stay here, lest any untoward event should mar the happiness or interfere with the safety of himself in a community composed of such heterogeneous elements. The responsibility in such an event would have centred on myself, as Lord Lyons never having been in New York, the visit to this city was determined on in pursuance of my representations. I thank God it is all so well and so happily over, and so vastly more successful than I had anticipated, or than any of us indeed had expected. "Again thanking you for your many kindnesses, I am, "My dear sir, yours faithfully, "E. M. ARCHIBALD." The rejoicing was followed by days of depression and darkness. A financial panic again swept over the country, and on December 7th Mr. Field writes: "Made a hard fight, but was obliged to suspend payment." On the 27th he addressed a letter to his creditors. After giving a brief summary of his business experience, he said: "Such a series of misfortunes is not often experienced by a single firm, at least in such rapid succession, and is quite sufficient to explain the present position of my affairs. Against all these losses I have struggled, and until within a few weeks hoped confidently to be able to weather all difficulties. But you know how suddenly the late panic has come upon us. We found it impossible to make collections. The suspension of several houses, whose paper we held to a large amount, added to our embarrassment. "Thus, receiving almost nothing and obliged to pay our own notes and those of others, we found it impossible to go on without calling in the aid of private friends, and running the risk of involving them, a risk which I believe it morally wrong to take. "I thought it more manly and more honorable to call this meeting of my creditors to lay before them a full statement of my affairs, and to ask their advice as to the course which I ought to take. "Thus, gentlemen, you have the whole case before you, and I leave it to you to decide what I ought to do. "My only wish is, so far as I am able, to pay you to the uttermost farthing. I shall most cheerfully give up to you every dollar of property I have in the world; and I ask only to be released that I may feel free from a load of debt, and can go to work again to regain what I have lost. "It is for you now to decide what course justice and right require me to pursue."