Washington March 19^th –
My dear Sister,
I have this moment received your
letter written last Thursday — I knew you would
like Henrys speech, but you can hardly conceive
the moral courage it required to make such a
speech in the Senate — You must not let it vex
you that his course and is not understood and
appreciated by those who do not know him as
well as you and I do — You will find many
who profess to be his friends faltering about
giving their support to the true and fearless
doctrine which he advocates — Some poloticians
think it inexpedient – and many tolerably good
men will think it extravegant — It is much
easier to sit quietly under the wrongs endured
by others than to oppose them — The press
here are all against him of course that was
to be expected, but that very circumstance will
weaken the support that some Northern Whigs
would otherwise give — He has many very highly
complimentary letters from Northern men but
the only certain reward for such efforts is that
which the world cannot give or take away the
reward of a quiet conscience —

I wish I could see you this morning — I am very
lonely since Fred went away and were I not
expecting Augustus might even come home a week
or two earlier than I intended — Clarence was
quite sick yesterday had a violent pain in his
side with fever — he is up again to day but
his side still troubles him — I wrote Sunday
to Frances thinking perhaps you were at Canandaigua
I hope now you will not be gone when Fred
arrives — Yesterday it rained in the morning
and I did not go out — Mrs Root took tea
with me in the evening — Henry went to
Mrs. Meridiths reception — I am going this
morning to call upon Mrs Ira Harris (alias Mrs
Jerry Rathbone) who left her card here yesterday —
They are at the National — I am also going
to make another attempt to find Mrs Weed —
Well I have been out and come back again
Mrs Harris was out — I succeeded in finding the
house where Mrs Weed stayed while here
but she had gone home — Mrs Hills was
to leave to day — I made some other visits
but this day is cold and unpleasant and
I was glad to get home again — Fanny is quite
well again and playing merrily with her
dolls — Little Fanny Burke has just made her a
visit —

Will you say to Aunt Clara that I do not
wish her to positively engage any girl until
Dennis comes home — Dennis has a cousin in
New York who talks of going to Auburn
with him – if she goes I would prefer to take
her to any one there — Dennis himself is honest
and true — his cousin may not be at all
like him but the chances are at least equal —
You need not believe that either the Republic
or the Herald (they are about on a par for abusing
Henry) speak the sentiments of the Administration
– it is not true — The Southern interest controuls
the Republic — You speak of people misunderstanding
Henry — they always will — He has so many
traits of character entirely above the comprehen-
sion of most persons that he never can
be understood — It is very difficult for
ordinary minds to conceive of virtues which
they do not possess in any degree themselves —
This is a poor answer to your long and
interesting letter – but I am not in spirits
to write long to day — Kiss Willie for me —
Fanny and I would both like to see him to day
Love to Aunt Clara — Your own
Sister –

hAunty
h1850
and made a sunshine in
a shady place