Washington March 6^th
My dear Sister,
The weather is so mild here
it seems strange to hear you talk of frost
and snow at Auburn – I am so glad you
are there – I hope you will have a fire made
in the furnace if it seems necessary which
I think probable – If you go to Romulus
this letter may meet you at home but
if not I fear you will be gone – I have
sent word by Fred to Abbey (from whom
I had a letter) that I would like to have
the house opened by the middle of April.
It can be deferred later if it is desirable
to you – say the 1^st of May I am sorry
to hear Clara has been sick – I think of
her a great deal and I ^am^ rejoiced that she
has concluded to come to Washington –
We have had charming weather for a week
past – to day it is overcast – Mr & Mrs
Cary left for Richmond yesterday morning
will return tomorrow and stay to hear
Henry's speech – which may come off Tuesday –
I am sorry the women in Auburn are

so much afraid of themselves – they will
not be likely to grow very wise if they
are afraid to have sensible men come
among them – I saw a beautiful (beautiful
from its touching simplicity) letter from Mrs
Horace Mann yesterday written in commendation
of a colored school recently established
here by a Miss Miner, from the North,
which was doing nicely, until a few
days ago when a northern man, who
calls himself a gentleman, took occasion
to be very indignant because some
of the
Unknown were standing on the
side walk when he wished to pass, he
commenced abusing them calling them
d–d niggers – One of the girls (they
were all girls) replied they were not
d–d niggers which so incensed him
that after much more violent abuse
and threatening to have the house torn down
he complained to the mayor that the
school was a nuisance – The mayor
who has all along been promising to give Miss
Miner a certificate that her school did
not violate any law of the Districts, now
refuses the certificate – which was necess-

ary as one of the means required to
induce a gentleman in Philadelphia
to give a lot of land for a school room –
Miss Miner came here this morning, feeling
somewhat disheartened though she is certainly
deserving great commendation for her courage
and firmness – The Mayor is to decide
tomorrow whether she must remove her
school, which I presume she will be compelled
to do – I intend if I can to get a copy
of Mrs Mann's letter for you – Madame
Pultszky's account of Mrs Mann had made
me desire her acquaintance before – I shall
try to see her in some way next week.
Henry says Mr Bowen will be here to night
he has a telegraph for him – Henry takes
supper with Gen. Scott – Willie has
been quite sick two days – we neither
of us slept last night – he is better
to day and I think the prospect of having
a horse to ride will quite restore him –
I have feared the effect of this close con-
finement though he has born it very patiently –
They both send love – Love to Clara
Your own Sister –
If you see Mrs Miller tell her I was have
received her letter & send love –