Sunday March 10^th 1850
My dear sister,
I have been to Mr Pines’ church this
morning, the day was so fine we walked there
and back again – it is a long walk and I am quite
tired – I wish you could hear Mr Pine preach there
is an earnestness and sincerity in his manner that
I think can not be counterfeited – though Mrs
Curtis says she thinks him the most affected
man she ever saw – I have not seen her, Fan ,
since you come away and I don’t care to again.
I suppose you are in Canandaigua by this time
Clara will feel very lonely without you – I have
no news from home later than your letter written
the day after Frances arrived – I hope she did
not get sick by her rapid traveling – You I
hope are preparing to come here either with Clarence
or Fred – I do not yet know whether Clarence
is coming – that I shall probably learn when
I get your next letter – I hear nothing from
Augustus yet and am beginning to get rather
uneasy about him it is now over five weeks
since his letter came – he cannot be all this
time on the way and if not I cannot account
for his silence – I shall not in any event

remain here later than the middle of April
which by the time you receive this letter will
be about one month longer – I say in
any event – I may to be sure could I be made
certain that Augustus was on his way
here and should not by that time have
arrived – Henry and Fred see no cause
for uneasiness and do not think it at all
strange that no letter comes – The second
large dinner came off Wednesday – I believe
satisfactorily – Mr Filmore and Mr Granger
were among the guests – They sat each side
of me at table – I must say I found the
latter the most agreeable – Mr Corcorans
party was a splendid affair so said the
thousand people there or at least that part
of the thousand I have seen among which
were Mr Granger Mr Filmore and Mrs Hills –
Tuesday morning I went with Mrs Hills to
the Presidents . Mrs Ewings Collamers\ Prestons
we also called at Mrs Merediths and on Mrs
Bell neither were ^not^ at home – Mrs Hills was
handsomely dressed and appeared remarkably
well as she does at times you know –
Thursday was the day for Mr Websters great
speech – of course all the world assembled at the
capitol – It was a much greater crowd than

when Mr Clay spoke – of which Frances can tell you
Henry gave me his place – almost every senator gave up
his seat to a lady – The speech you have by this
time read – it was received with great pleasure
distinctly manifested by the southern people and
the many northern people with southern principles
which are not few – I cannot say I was as
much disappointed as many others for the reason
that I did not expect from Mr Webster any
thing very different – A man who has been so
long here without being impelled to raise his voice
on behalf of the oppressed, would not be very likely
to do it now when all the country was asking
of him a compromise – the word is becoming hateful
to me. He is much less eloquent than Henry Clay
because his heart is decidedly colder – people must
have feeling themselves to touch others – Still
he is a forcible speaker and there were some
thrilling passages – particularly that in relation
to the Nashville Convention – The Union is warm
in his praise – the Whig papers concurred – here
I am curious to know what they will say out
of the City of New York in which the commercial interest
makes them all want a compromise – Let it concede
as much as it may to the South – The Whigs
who are really Northern men in spirit have
some of them expressed a fear that Mr Webster

might make Henry falter – How little they know
his nature – Every compromise of Mr Webster to
southern principles only makes Henry advocate
more strongly the cause which he thinks
just – He speaks tomorrow – I shall not
go – the interest I feel is too deep to make
it pleasant to be there – Mrs Webster sat near
the speakers chair in the most conspicuous
place in the Senate – directly opposite her husband
Well she might – he said nothing to touch
the keenest sensibility_ and she is eminent in
self posession – Abbey and Dennis both have
permission to go – I presume there will be room
the galleries for all – Mrs Root said she wanted
to hear Mr Seward poor Mrs Root has had some
trials since we saw her she has lost not only
her husband but a son and daughter –
She came Friday to see me early that she might
not meet the company – Tell Frances I still
miss her very much and shall until you come
Mr Scammerhorn was very eloquent in his praise
the day he dined here – Mrs Sackett went home
alone the Monday after Frances left – I did not
see her again – Sackett is said to have made a
good speech – I have not read it yet – Mrs Davis
was here Friday and said I must give her love to her
niece – The Mrs Kings were also here but not the
young ladies– I see no more of the Carrolls.