Washington March 25 – 1852
My dear Sister,
I am all impatience to see
my "boy" who has not come yet –
I have a letter from Fred saying
he was there Sunday morning so he
must have left Saturday night – he
went to N. York Sunday evening –
Dear Fred was feeling very sorry
about the death of little Annie
Alden – I could not help hoping
at until I received your letter from
Auburn that you were coming with
Augustus – I am greatly disappointed
that you express a doubt about coming
at all – I hardly expected Clara
after Augustus came though I still
think the journey would do her good
Can we not induce her to go some
where this Summer – When I think

of our home without Grandpa I feel
as if my occupation were gone – that
there would be little to keep me there
though my heart still clings fondly
to the home which he made for us
in the days of our youth – these thoughts
bring tears with them and make me
sensible that I cannot have a home
elsewhere without seeming to undervalue
his kindness. There is no other place
where we could so cherish the memory
of those who have gone before us, so I
think dear Sister it is there we should
that we should pass the remainder
of our allotted time – We will
furnish Grandpa's room, for your room
and I cannot but hope that ^you^ will
be there much of the time to make
us all more cheerful –
Mrs Howe took tea with me last evening
she goes home this week to stay
with her children – I am sorry to have
her go – I went to church with Mrs
Sackett on Sunday to a presbyterian
chu[ r ] ch where we had a sermon teaching
the doctrine of total depravity

and eternal punishment in their ancient
force – The only apology for the Clergyman
who is a really good man is, that
he has been for some time on a Mission
to China and is rather behind the
intelligence of the age – I could not
help thinking that the Deity whom
he worshipped bore a marvellous
resemblance to the God of the Heathens –
His church ^congregation^ was very thin and thin
it will remain with such teaching
at least I hope so – Monday I
went to the Senate to hear Mr Soulé –
The gallery was crowded – Green with
great exertion and at the expense of
a lame back kept the men from
I crushing me, but when two women
with abundance of silk and velvet
placed themselves directly in front of
me I withdrew leaving them undisputed
posession of the territory acquired by
their rudeness – Mr Soulé is an
orator – his foreign accent and
pleasing manner gave much force
to his speech which was good of itself –

I heard the least interesting part of it
as I was there but an hour – Wednesday
I spent the morning in the office regulating
books and papers – the children having
gone to sit for their pictures – After
dinner I had a long talk with Charles
Sumner who dined with us – It is
certainly agreeable to hear a man talk
who has such clear moral perceptions
if he is a Democrat which Mr Schoolcraft
cannot forgive – Sumer is so unsuspicious
and so kind ly in his feelings that I doubt
whether it would be possible to make him
comprehend the nature of Mr Schoolcrafts
prejudice – Although he has three or four
times left the room very abruptly
when Sum came in we were all much
amused at dinner by Mr Sumner proposing
in the most honest manner imaginable that
Henry should write Schoolcraft to meet
him here at dinner some day as he wished
very much to make his acquaintance –
& he added with the utmost simplicity
"somehow or another he always leaves the
room when I come I suppose (to Henry)
he thinks I wish to see you alone" _
Henry & Green looked intently on their plates
I said we all like Mr Schoolcraft

he was formerly a member of our family –
Henry assented gravely to the proposition to
invite them here together while I was
more than half inclined to tell him
Mr Schoolcraft would not come –
I shall certainly te make some
explanation to him as I have not the
heart to deceive one who is so sincere –
The disinclination I have to making Mr
Schoolcraft appear unamiable has
prevented me hitherto – We are
to have five guests to dinner to day
Mr & Mrs Sackett & Mr Hale are
three – Next Tuesday we have
a large party of N. Y. members
of congress chiefly – O how glad
I shall be when the dinners are
over – When does Frances commence
moving – it certainly will not occupy
the whole month of April then
why can you not come? – Satu Friday
morning – Augustus does not come yet –
I have your letter from Canandaigua
in answer to my last also one from
Clara – Clara does not say she will not
come but she will do as we think

best – I think she had better come – It will
be an object for a journey and it will
be very difficult to induce her to make
a journey merely for her health – However
I will talk with Augustus, asertain
where he is to be and write again in
a day or two – Our dinners passed of
pleasantly – though I was constantly
watching for Augustus – Mr Hale did
not come – there were beside Mr &
Mrs Sackett, two members from
Indiana and one from Michigan –
I am almost sick to day, but I go
this evening to he[ a ] r Ole Bull as I shall
probably never have another opportunity – he
sings by especial request – Fanny
wishes me to write an answer to her letter
I hope you have written to Clara that
I want that colored woman –
Love to Frances – Your own Sister –