Washington March 18th, 1849.
My Dearest Frances,
It seems to me as if I owed you an explanation
as long as a letter ought to be, of the too manifest hurry and
abruptness in my daily notes dispatched to you — When I
went to Albany in 1829 the pressure of public duties and
cares upon me was so great as to render it impossible for
me to communicate with you daily or even weekly. I trusted
to your kind construction of my silence, but you were very
ill and most dispirited, and you ought not to have
been subjected to so severe a trial. What I have fallen
into here has been incomparably more exacting than my hard
experience at Albany. But I determined at the first that it
should not crowd me from the line which duty and
affection prescribed towards her who was the light of my
life and the approved partner of my joys and sorrows.
Such letters as I have been able to write you were written
in hurried intervals stolen from the multitudes who encroach
upon every hour in every place, and from duties perplexing
and laborous, of which I shall give you the detail when
our companionship shall be restored. My correspondence
accumulates oppressively, I receive seldom less than fifty
letters requiring not only answers but action, I despair of
perhaps ten of the cases and the remainder be over —
Yesterday I dined with the Vice President in a party

which included Mr Dawson Senator from Georgia, J. Phillips
Phoenix M C. New York, Governor Young, Truman Smith
Senator Dickinson and Senator Jefferson Davis of Mississippi
Among the whole party was not one that sympathized
or could sympathize with any sentiments in regard to the
relief of the oppressed or could understand my principle
of the political equality of Men — Most of them if not all
regarded all such sentiments and principles as adopted
for political speculation, and only worthy of discussion
now because my being here in place was a proof as
they felt that they had not correctly understood the
power of the levee which they had supposed so ineffective
before that time. Governor Young made it the occasion
to descend upon the fame of John Quincy Adams as ex-
aggerated and even groundless. He argued before an au-
dience willing to be convinced. I assumed that the pleasure
of the dinner party would be spoiled if I spoke with
any elaborateness and defying the whole to point to another
man so intellectually and and morally great since Washington
falling any standard of political truth to be adopted, I left
the subject. I was sorry for the blindness that could not
see the sun.
In the evening I went with the V. P. and made a
visit to Mrs Adams who received us kindly and me
with warmth. She is healing fast, the President had
been there before us.

I have been at Church today to hear a very common
discourse from Dr Butler. And I have paid a visit long
due to Mrs Truman Smith who has removed to more
quiet lodgings and who just now is restored to more
of strength and vivacity. She wants to see you much
to learn the true mode of travel. But travel cannot
restore her — She will be with the Father of good and
gentle spirits before the year shall end —
After dinner I shall return General Scotts
two visits and then devote the remainder of the
day to my harrassing correspondence —
The Senate will sit near all this week
and the next will bring me to your side—
Ever your own Henry.

hHenry March 18
/49