Washington Christmas 1851
My dear Sister,
I should not have been
here two days without writing had I been
well, but I have not — I was sick every
day I was on the railroad and have
not been free from pain since I came —
Last night I went out to make some
purchases for Christmas & took a new cold —
The weather though cold for Washington is
so much warmer than it was at the
North that it seems to me I ought to feel
better — We left Philadelphia Monday morning
in a violent snow storm which continued
nearly the whole day and reached this
place — The Susquehanna was nearly impassible
with a boat — a passage cut through
the ice as it was at Albany — the
Chesepeake was frozen as far as we
could see — all the shipping fast in the

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I have a number of calls every day but
“Mrs Seward does not receive this Winter”
Thomas

Unknown

our new waiter seems to comprehend
the reason — which is pleasant —

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Fred was to send the
pin & cards by
Express to day —

ice at Baltimore — Henry was waiting for us
at the Depot & had been three or four
times before having never received our
Telegraph from Philadelphia until Monday
morning — Fred went with Miss Avery
to Mr Rockwells and I came home — the
house is in very good order — Bennet
does very well — she takes more care
of my things than any one I have ever
had since Maryanne — Henry had been
quite lonely & was very glad to have us come –
I have been busy unpacking clothes, silver
& linen — there is still some whitewashing
to be done and a carpet to make — but
I must feel better first — Charles
Sumner was here yesterday I met him
in the office — I like him exceedingly &
so would you I think — he is frank &
fearless & sincere — very well looking
and gentlemanly in his deportment — he
sat until our dinner bell rang but would
not dine with us as he was going to the
Presidents — Henry feels unpleasantly that
neither Congress or the President will make

any arrangements for the reception of Kossuth —
He has invited him and his suite to our house
they will not come & we could not entertain
them if they should — they will go to some Hotel
and pay their own expenses — is not this a burning
shame — you know public opinion in Washington
is made by a few persons — there is no enthusiasm
here for the noble Hungarian & because the
government cannot grant him the help he
wishes, he must be insulted by a manifestation
of apathy — I wish he would not come at all —
Did you read his address to the women of
New York?— Foote has gone home — Sumner said
he thought he should have resigned himself
if Foote had not, he was so unendurable —
How much I think of home & how sadly
compared with former winters — When I write
it seems as if my letters must be partly for
Pa — Our old home standing alone & deserted
in this cold, dreary winter time is continually
before me — I found your letter here when
I came — I suppose you went home Saturday I
hope Trip & Betsy are with you — Tell Betsy
Fred went to 14 Franklin St when we came
down but could not find Bridget — they said

she had gone out — He will go there again
on his return — I enclosed the lett money
in a letter and he will leave it there —
In the letter I told Bridget she had better
write to Dennis if she got the money — I was
not quite sure where Betsy would be —
I shall be glad to hear that Bob and
Willie have arrived safely — I hope
Frances is better — Fanny is very
happy with her Christmas toys –
she is lonesome without Willie — I wrote
to Clara this morning telling her about
Augustus — Henry says that without any action
on his part he was notified by the War
department that Augustus was detailed for
the Coast Survey and required to report
himself here — I hope he will not come
North until the weather is warmer as I fear
his health would suffer — It is quite uncertain
how long he will be here or where he will
be stationed — Professor Bache was in Maine
the last I heard of him — It was very commendable
in Gen - Scott to remember our application made
last summer — If this letter is not intelligible
you will remember that I have a bad headache
Fred left us at 6 oclock Wed. morning — your own
Sister —

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Sister