Washington Feb 22^d –
My dear Sister,
I am glad you are better –
my cough improves every day and I think
will get well if I do not put on thin sleeves
again – While I think of it I will say that
we all like the new paper "Wilders' paper"
as we call it – Henry asked me to ask
you to have it sent regularly – some time ago –
I send you a Tribune which among other things
contains some of Horace Manns address –
I hope you will approve the sentiments
as I do – I shall try to get the whole of it
but have not seen him yet this winter
Mrs Mann is here but out of health –
He declined an invitation to dinner but
said he was coming to see me soon –
I hope Frances will enjoy her anticipated
pleasure in keeping house – young dreams do
not often prove realities, but the awakening
comes soon enough – – Parties & balls are in the
increase – We have cards for three soiree's at
Mr Corcoran's and one at Madam Bodisco's

those invitations are in great demand – Henry
will not go to any evening parties without
me – He says respect for Grandpa's memory
would prevent his attending a ball this
Winter – – You will read the Correspondence
about Kossuth – which will probably make
the same difference in your opinion of Kossuth
that it did with us – just none at all –
Mr Hodge is a good sort of a man as the
wor[ l ] d judges people but he is rather fussy
and at that time was undoubtedly very much
frightened – The Washington papers are filled
constantly with [ anadmadversion ] and ridicule
of Kossuth – it was opposition to him
was the moving cause of the celebration
of the 22^d here and opposition to intervention
to the burden of all the speeches there –
How very miserable it all appears –
how sad it is that a man cannot
have genius and earnestness of soul
without incurring the hatred of his
fellow man and having every flaw
in his character picked out and
held up for theextension ^diversion^ of the
multitude –

It is the same course of conduct which has
been pursued towards Henry always by the
narrow minded and the cold, who always
think that any manifestation of feeling,
of philanthropy or benevolence which exceeds
their own, is hypocrisy – Mr Schoolcraft
is an honest and an honorable man, he
knows that Henry is a good man because
he has lived in the house with him, he
admits it because he is a Whig, but he
has no sympathy with many of these ^the^ noble
impulses which actuate him & which to you
and I are so attractive – I am But towards
Charles Sumner who has been so fearless a
champion of human rights, who is as honest
and honorable as himself, Mr Schoolcraft
entertains unkindly feelings – doubts his
sincerity and encourages the abuse of Whig
papers because Sumner is not a Whig –
So the world goes and so it will go until
the more universal prevalence of that spirit
which teaches us "to rejoice not in iniquity
but to rejoice in the Truth" –

I will not venture to send this letter to day because
I do not know your where a bouts – I hope you
are in Auburn – I wish you were so far on
your way here – Col N Amory dined with
us Saturday – he has been much about the world
and talks more than he did formerly – well
he likes Henry is honest & true – Mrs William
Appleton of Boston, wife of the member of Congress
is his sister – They occupy the house the Kings
had last Session – Col Amory told me much
of the doings of the gay world which is so important
to people who live in cities – Sunday was a beautiful
day but so wet that I did not go out – Mr
Schoolcraft came up to dinner, about 15 minutes
before dinner came ^was brought^ up, Charles Sumner came in –
Mr Schoolcraft immediately left the room
and never came back – I knew he would not
when he went out – Sumner said very
unconsciously "I hope Mr Schoolcraft has not
left because I came" – I said no which I
knew was untrue – he of course remained
until after dinner though he ate little as
he was to dine with the Calderon's "en
famille" He spoke good naturedly of the uncharitable
observation of the Tribune correspondent, evidently
does not understand that they are the result
of his having joined the Free Soil Party –

Thursday – I have kept this letter since Sunday
to ascertain where to send it – yours of Sunday
came this morning and I am so sure this
fine weather will induce you to go to Auburn
that I shall direct there – Mrs Wrights
paraphrase was p very amusing I must
read it to Henry – I fear our church
will find it difficult to keep the next
generation from thinking for themselves –
Yesterday was so warm & pleasant that I
went for a drive taking Mrs Howe with
me – she is not well and talks of going
home soon – Mr Howe is to go North
this would be a fine opportunity for you
& Clara – The debate in the Senate on
intervention I think will be deferred two
or three weeks longer – I hear nothing from
Augustus though I am every day looking for a
letter – Henry thought he would like to see
Fred presiding at that meeting – he undoubtedly
looked meek – When you come I want you
to stay until I go home which will be early
in May – Miss Bennet who has heard that
her sister is sick feels very uneasy – I tell
her she may go whenever she pleases which

I think is the most effectual way of rendering
her less impatient – I have been waiting a week
or two for Henry to find an evening for me
so last night we went to the Presidents to see
Mrs Fish and Mrs Davis – having two very
agreeable visits – I like Mrs Fish – the
Gov– is not as Sumner says, a man who
will be very likely to bear a cross for liberty –
He has the apology of always having lived in
N. York – I want to talk with you more
than I can tell about a thousand things – I am
all the time in a hurry and cannot write to
you half as much as I wish and I wrote so
many letters that they are all spiritless –
Whenever I can I assist Henry in that way –
The children are ever at my elbow and I feel
it a duty to read to th Willie as much as
possible – he will never I fear be able to read
much for himself – I am troubled about your
eyes – I think if you can take care of them
for a year or two at this time of life that
they will recover from their present weakness –
you have taxed them too severely for two or three
years past – I would prefer you should consult
a physician in New York or Philadelphia – I
think you would like Dr Kirby better than Dr
Helmuth – he is energetic – Do not read at all
at night – I know this is a great privation
p particularly when you have not constant society

but it is essential – I was in that state for
four or five years & could not for a year
or more read more than 4 or 5 pages of good
print without suffering – My eyes gained
strength with renewed health – Yet I am
now obliged to use caution – I had the same
pain that you speak of though not frequent
or long continued – I think there is danger
of injuring your eyes irremediably by using
them in this state – The Children are to sit
for their pictures together to Frankenstien –
I could not persuade them to go separately –
Frankenstein has just been here – I am of course
to go with them – I am with them at their
French lessons and they insist that I shall
go with them to dancing school which I have
not yet been able to do – I have not
sent the Tribune I mentioned because
I do not know where – Clarence I
learn this morning has purchased the
Beardsly house – I am glad – I do not
think he could do better & Henry had
notwithstanding my expressed wish to
the contrary asked h him to bring his
family and live with us – Well as
Mrs Tracy said– "men are strange" –

[right Margin] Where

Clarence writes that he would have accepted
the offer had he not made the purchase
previous to receiving his Uncle's letter –
It would have been pleasant – I hope
you will open the house – how glad I shall
be when I do not have it before me
so desolate – I should write to
Clara this week but I know you
will be there – It was a summer
day here yesterday – Mrs Davis
gave me the Canfield letters of
which she had made copies – I
like Mrs Davis as well as ever –
I have not had time to read the
letters yet – It is just two months
since I came from home – it seems
much longer – If Clarence goes to
housekeeping how does Abbey get along
with her engagement to him – I wonder
if they will any of them remember that
I want her to open our house the
middle of April – Love to Clara
Your own Sister –