Mary Henry Diary, 1864-1868
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15 June
1864
Jan. 1st The day has been cold & windy. Father went out as usual with Dr. Bache. He came home much earlier than usual on account of the cold. He did not say much about his visits but mentioned tho he had been very cordially received by the Sec. of War who asked him why he did not provide better weather for the New Year, adding the Smithsonian and the War Department find it difficult to suit everybody. Nell was sick so we did not enjoy our calls as much as usual.
Jan. 2nd We expected Prof A & his wife. Dr. Torrey & daughters & other members of the New National Academy but they have not come.
" 4th Prof & Mrs A arrived this morning they had been detained by an ice freshet The Academy opened to day. Outsiders will not be admited until the constitution & rules of the Society have been properly arranged Mrs. A rested during the day. In the evening Dr. Torrey arrived & about an hour after his daughter The latter had left N.J. the same day as her father but had passed a day of two in Princeton the former had also been detained by the ice freshet. Dr Hall, the Geologist & Dr. [[Shoreg?]]
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mathematician are also staying with us.
[[underline]] 5th Tuesday [[underline]] The gentlemen of our party went immediately after breakfast to the meeting of the Academy. The room appropriated to the use of the Savans is opposite to the gentlemen's gallery of the Senate. Called or rather left cards for Mrs. Silliman & Mrs. Lee Conte & saw Mrs. Admiral Davis She is a quiet ladlylike little person so deaf that it is quite difficult to cary on a conversation with her. Miss Lezzie Jackson came to us just before dinner. The discussion at the dinner table was very interesting The employment of disembodied spirits was speculated upon Prof. A. thought the knowledge & habits of study formed here were only a preperation for the knowledge to be unfolded in another world. Spirit rapping & table moving was mentioned & Dr Strong gave some remarkable instances of the latter he had witnessed. He could not explain them but could not doubt the evidence of his senses. The tables were heavy & without caster - but moved with a rapidity that to him was truly astonishing. Father told of two young ladies who had attempted table moving in his presence. He fastened the arms of one of them to her sides so that she could exert not pressure upon the table, still the movement continued. He [[pinioned?]] the [[arms?] [[end page]]
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of the other in the same way & the table remained motionless. The young lady was exceedingly astonished to discover she had been using pressure of which she was entirely unconcious. Prof A. said he had weighed his hands in the position they then were, lying gently upon the table with his body slightly inclined forward & found the amount of pressure equal to 30 or 40 pounds ^[[each]] the weight being that of the arms & shoulders as well as the hands If he bent forward at all this 60 or 80 pounds was of course increased to a much greater amount. It was evident then that if several persons were seated around a table even though it were a heavy one the mere weight of the hands would be sufficient to move it without any voluntary pressure. The rotary motion might be due to the fact that persons in the position assumed naturaly would lean a little more on the right hand than the left & so give an impetus in a particular direction. __ A reception in the evening at Sec. Chase's in honour of the Academy
[[underlined]]6th - Wednesday.[[underlined]] Went to the Capitol with Mrs. A. visited the Academy. The room was well lighted & pleasant Dr. Bache sat in the presidential chair on a slightly raised platform with a large table before him. The Savans were seated in arm chairs before him listening to Prof. Pierce who was explaining some very perplexing looking problems upon the blackboard we did not stay long Prof. Agasiz went with
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us to see Mrs Douglass. The pretty came down looking very handsome. The mingling of deference & playfulness in her manner to the Prof was very pleasing. She asked his advice in reference to her boys. She lived for them & taught them to be proud of the name they bore. We gave her the love she said she preferred to admiration. M Fallon asked us to take tea with her at the Hospital The party consisted of Prof & Mrs. A___ Prof Pierce. Admiral Davis & wife Dr & Mrs. Bliss Miss [[Lacock?]] Miss Lowe & Mary & myself. We found a table spread for us in the kitchen with a drummer boy for a waiter. We were as merry as possible and the Prof.s declared they would not have lost such an entertainment for the greatest dinner in Wash. I told Prof Pierce we had left him in the morning in dispair he was so hopelessly deep. We wondered if might not grow to wise for himself some day & fail to understand his own problems. He laughed as he answered that "know thyself" was the most difficult problem given to man. But grew earnest and grave when we asked if there was no danger of his finding himself some day beyond the sympathy of his fellow men. "I can never be beyond the sympathy of God. I can[[end page]]
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never be lonely in the study of the great works of the Creator. If Jesus Christ were on earth would we care for the sympathy of man would we not find in him an all sufficiency. It was pleasant to hear a man of his caliber mention that name with so much reverence & love.
[[underlined]]7th Thurs.[[underlined]] Judge & Mrs. [[Searing?]]. Miss Bates Mr. & Mrs. Sprague called. A party at Sewards.
[[underlined]]8th Fri.[[underlined]] We had quite a merry scene after breakfast this morning Miss Soney & Miss Jackson have been teasing Prof. Hall with the pretense that they had some serious cause of complaint against him. This morning they promised to tell him what it was. As they had realy nothing we were curious to see how they would get out of the scrape. [[Jane?]] commenced by advising him to take something to make him sleep better at night divulge important secrets if he were not more careful. A habit of talking in sleep was certainly very dangerous. The poor Prof. looked completely puzzled and declared that if he had been so unfortunate as to talk in his sleep he certainly had said [[?]] that could give offense to the ladies. He [[?]] would call in Dr. Strong as witness to that effect. The good old Dr. was greatly astonished when Jane asked him if he remembered what he had said to her the morning before concerning the remarks made
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by Prof Hall in his sleep. He rubbed his hands together but could not remember that he had said anything in regard to Dr. Hall. Jane told him to think again She deemed [[underline]] him at least [[underline]] a reliable man. The Dr. in vain tried to deserve the title of reliable, Dr. Hall in triumph went for Dr. Torrey who also slept in the same room with him. The Doctor did not know what the joke was precisely but entered into the spirit of it and accidently hit upon the very thing we [[wanted?]] him to say. [[?]] asked him if he had been at all disturbed in his rest. He said yes by snoring & by low muttering from Prof Hall. He was asked if he could distinguish what was said. He said not all but he believed it was something about the bother it was to wait upon ladies at parties &c &c. Jane pronounced her father an honest witness, a truly reliable man & told Prof Hall he might consider himself convicted. Just then Prof A. came in & asked us to stop at Mr. Sewards to enquire for his coat [[which?]] had been lost the day before Dr. Torrey & [[?]] went out to help him look for it. [[Presently?]] soon many peals of laughter were heard from the Prof. & [[?]] the door. He [[end page]] Jan. [[underlined]] 1864 [[underlined]]
came in with Dr. [[Torrey?]]] by the collar. [[?]] "I have found the thief" I have found the thief". [[strikethrough]] The [[strikethrough]] The laugh was now turned upon Jane & her reliable witness. Dr Hall declaring his testimony could not be admitted. left with the other gentlemen for the Academy. A party at Dr. Baches in the evening.
[[underlined]] 9th Sat. [[underlined]] Made another visit to the Academy. They were busy with the election of foreign members. In the evening we had a soiree
[[underlined]] 11th Mon. [[underlined]] We had a delightful excursion to day Gen Barnard invited the Academy to visit the fortification & had a number of ambulances ready for us at 10 o'clock in the morning. Our party consisted of about fifty. At Fort ___ a cold collation was prepared for us which was very acceptable as the cold air had given us an appetite a long table was spread in a new bomb proof & the commander of the fort with his men were [[drawn up in?]] order to receive us the band playing Hail to the Chief!!. The speech at the [[dinner?]] were [[exceedingly?]] [[amusing?]] Prof A__ arose first & thanked Gen Barnard for the pleasure of the day. Gen B. replied & called out some one else. The command of the fort was toasted. He said
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he was too young a man to speak before so learned a society That his post was the post of danger outside the bomb proof & he always wished it to be so except on such occasions as the present. Prof. Pierce who was surrounded by ladies said that outside the bomb proof must generally be the post of danger but he had [[never?]] he thought ^[[with an expressive glance at the the ladies]] been in greater danger than at this especial moment [[underline]] within [[underline]] this bomb proof. The man who made the bomb proof was then called out. He felt diffident about [[speaking?]] before such an Assembly [[strikethrough]] & [[strikethrough]] after such speech had been made &c. Whatever he might say he was sure he could not [[underline]] bring down the house [[underline]]. Mr. Rutherford made a very pretty [[classic?]] speech. Prof Barnard made a long speech very complimentary to Prof [[Agassiz?]] to which that Gentleman replied [[Gir.?]] [[Haig?]] expressed his pleasure at the delightful day we had enjoyed. Corn. Hodges replied to the [[?]] to the Navy. other speechs follow with toasts to the President & vice President of the Academy & to the Sec. of the [[Smith.?]]. The dinner ended we visited Arlington and [[then?]] proceeded homeward.
In the evening Mrs [[Agassiz?]] amused [[end page]]
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us with some incidents in the beginning of her married life. Going one Sunday morning to her shoe closet she found a snake coiled up in the toe of one of her slippers. Springing back in horror she called out Oh [[Agasiz?]] there's a snake in my shoe. Oh dear said the sleepy naturalist I wonder ^[[where]] the others are. Mrs. A. retreated [[precipitatly?]] from the rooms. Coming in the night before with a number of snakes tied up in a handkerchief the Prof. had left them forgotten upon the table & the reptiles had of course made their escape. Another time a jar was sent to the house containing as she supposed Jamaca ginger. She placed it among her preserves & [[taking?]] it down sometime after to supply her table was horrified to find it filled with toads & snails. She restored [[it?]] to the delighted Prof who had been bemoaning the loss of his valuable specimens. Before the Prof was married he [[had?]] a bachelor's establishment the cellar of which was occupied by a pet bear. One [[evening?]] he had [[invited?]] some of his companions to sup with them. In the midst of their conviviality they were startled by heavy unsteady footsteps upon the stair leading from the cellar [[?]] [[?]] [[?]] when [[?]] were. Presently [[end page]]
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the door was burst open & in walked the bear He had broken his chain pulled out the plug of a barrel of wine drank until intoxicated & then concluded to join the party upstairs The members thereof objecting to his company speedily dispersed. With other similar stories Mrs. A amused us until bed time.
12th [[underlined]] Tues. [[/underline]]
Went this morning to the Freedman's city. This is a regular village built by Government for the contrabands we found them in comfortable little houses with a school chapel & home for the infirm an aged. Prof A. lectured in the evening on Glaciers. The house was crowded. a number of people came in after the lecture Among them Mr. Lesboa [[A.tenbu..eyer? or Ashkenazy??]] & the Austrian minister. [[A.tenbu..eyer? or Ashkenazy??]] said his name meant the head of an ass, but that animal was not as [[des%?]] in his courts as with us.
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Called first at Mrs Barnards then at Mrs. Sewards, then at Mrs. Chase's then went to the Capitol Mr. Davis was defending himself from the charge of treason. He might better have been quiet for instead of refuting the charges
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made against him with proper dignity he only indulged in vulgar abuse of his opponents. Another lecture from Prof Agassiz in the evening.
15th. Friday. Another lecture from Prof. Agassiz. He had described the cold period of the world when the earth was covered with ice but had to appeal to Father for the cause thereof. Father said it was caused by the ejection of an immense quantity of volcanic material into the ocean producing an immense amount of vapor which was condenses for centuries into snow.
16th. Sat. The Agassizs left us to day. They were the last except Jane Torrey of our pleasant party. The next meeting of the Academy is to be held at New Haven.
25th. Went yesterday evening with Father to bid Mary Felton good bye she leaves the Hospital to day. We heard some of the men sing. Father was very gloomy again about the state of the country [[blank space]] one of the regents [[walked?]] home from church with him he said our money was depreciating so rapidly it would soon be worth little or nothing.
26th. Tuesday A meeting of the Regents last evening. We were in the parlor when they came in for supper. The Vice President, Dr. Bache
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Gen Totten, Mr. William Astor, Mr. Fessenden Mr. Winter Davis, Mr. Seaton, formed the party. All them seem very much interested in the Institution. Mr. Astor intended to resign but he says now he is determined to continue one of the Board until he is turned out. At the supper table Mr. Fessenden spoke in high terms of Jef Davis and expressed his regret that he should be on the side of the rebels. He was a warm friend of the Smithsonian & the Coast Survey.
27th. Wed. Another meeting of the Regents only Dr. Bache & Mr. Davis of Kentucky came in to supper. The latter has been accused of treason & a motion has been made to expel him from the Senate.
28th. Thursday - a meeting of the commission
29th Friday - Went to [[strikethrough]] [[?]] [[strikethrough]] a theatrical exhibition at Campbel's Hospital. The scenery & stage arrangements were made by the men & the comedy prepared by them for the occasion. It represented various scenes in a recruit's life ending with a drunken frolic in a virginia inn where the chaplain's daughter appeared as
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a pretty bar maid. Her lovely little face formed a pleasing contrast to her rough companions.
30th. Sat. Gen. Casey has just been here Father has gone to the club. I see by The Intelligencer that Mr. Davis is not to be expelled from the Senate. The little Foundley has been with us for two or three days.
Feb. 4th. Thursday.- Father last evening gave me a more connected account of his life than I have ever had before He said his grandparents paternal & maternal came from Scotland in the same vessel landing in this country the day before the battle of Bunker's hill. His paternal ancestor went to Deleware co. N.Y. He was born in Albany living there until he was seven years of age, when his Father died. His Mother was left to [[our?]] own [[reco...?]] for support and he was sent to Galway [[to?]] his Grandmother. He went to the district school until he was ten years old and was there placed in a store. Mr. ___ the head of the establishment took great interest in him, giving him one or two floggings which Father greatly resented at the time but even in his anger acknowledged they were
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justly deserved. He was a handsome sprightly boy and a great favorite of the young men who as is [[customarily?]] in a [[valley]] store collected around the stove in the winter evening or lingered about the door in warm weather. He still continued to attend the village school in the afternoon, but had as yet shown no taste for books. His thoughts were very busy in those days however and he would speculate in his boyish way about the mysteries of God & Creation until his would spin with the thoughts so big for his little brain. One day his pet rabbit escaped from him & while he was chasing ran into an opening or air hole in the foundation of the church which had in some way widened sufficiently to admit his squeezing himself through he followed his rabbit therefore [[strikethrough]] and [[/strikethrough]] on his hands & knees & attracted by a ^[[?]] glimmer of light he groped his way towards it. ^[[found it proceeded from an opening leading into the church]] [[strikethrough]] and rose up at length behind a bookcase [[strikethrough]] creeping through it he found [[him?]] behind a bookcase in the vestibul of the church which was used for a village library taking down a book - Brooks Fool of Quality [[strikethrough]] [[?]] [[/strikethrough]] one fitted to excite an interest
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in a boy's mind, he was soon absorbed in its contents spending the entire morning in the library. This was [[litterly?]] the first book he ever read. He made other stolen visits to the library. His patron was very fond of novels which Father now read with avidity and obtaining a share in the Library read all the works of fiction contained in it commencing with the determination of reading only what was true he at last rejected all but what was imaginary. He left the store when he was about 15 and I think was then employed in a watch[[strikethrough]]es [[/strikethrough]] making establishment for a short time He did not like the business however. He had at this time a passionate admiration of the theater spending all his spare money in attending it and was at last introduced behind the scenes and witnessed the different modes of producing stage effects. He was now asked to join a society call the Rostrum. A private theatrical association. Entering as an obscure member, he had hitherto had very little intercourse with boys of his age - He soon distinguished himself by his ingenuity in stage matters and was made President
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His cousin the watchmaker left the city, Albany after father had been with about a year and He was left without employment He now spent his entire time at the Rostrum Dramatizing a tale and preparing a comedy which was acted by the association and was in great danger of being ruined [[strikethrough]] by the [[?]] of [[?]] [[/strikethrough]]. He had a slight fit of illnes and while he was confined to the house one day a Scotchman who was living there left upon the table of the room Gregory lectures on Nat Phil. It commenced with an address to the young reader trying to encite in his mind an interest in the objects about him. He had often shot an arrow from a boy [[??]] but had he ever wondered why the arrow left the bow why it fell to the ground &c. [[Looking?]] into a blank wall we saw nothing when [[gazing?]] into a stream we saw objects around us repeated more clear & beautiful in detail than any painting. Why is this. It is due to reflection of light but what was reflecting of light . what is light. I have enough thought [[Father??]] it is a queer thing I never thought of that before. His interest was unchained he read the book [[??]] [[end page]]
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and when he came out of his sick room the whole world seemed changed to him every object was teeming with interest. He had as it were awaken from a dream. He had before taken very little interest in things about him. he lived in an ideal world In the country he could not [[tell?]] one tree from another he lived amid the fancies of his childish brain. Now all was changed the actual world was before him more deeply interesting than any creation of the imagination. He at once made a resolve to spend his life in the acquisition of knowledge and going to the Rostrum he immediately resigned his office of President. ^[[and attended a night school soon [[became?]] [[?]] to the [[?]] of his teacher]] It was about this time that ^[[he fell in with]] a man wishing to introduce a new system of grammer who employed him to go with him partly as pupil partly as assistant. Father spent a week or so [[?]] in [[studying?]] the rules of grammer & for the first time discovered the use of it. One whole week was [[pursued?]] in [[?]] and then he went on his grammatical tour. On his return he was admitted into the Academy and studyed diligently. He was then induced to take charge of a school in the country for a short time. He was later on probation for the ^[[first]] month
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and paid only eight dollars but the next month had so raised him in the estimation of his employers that they paid him fifteen. He soon returned to the academy and assisting one of the young men in attendance upon Dr. Beck was at last appointed in his place. He now could pay his own tuition and improved his opportunities. The Patron at this time wanted a young man as tutor for his sons Dr. Beck sent Father to him. When he rang at the door a black man who had been sailor under his father accosted him with "Are you [[not?]] son of Billy Henry? Yes said Father. What are you doing here. Going to be tutor to the [[three?]] sons. Bless you said the old man you will be as great as Napoleon Bonaparte one of these days. Mark my words I know it. You will be as great as Napoleon Bonaparte." His sojourn with the Patron was very pleasant he had only four pupils and was obliged to teach only a few of the morning hours the rest of the day being at his own disposal and devoted to the study of [[physiology?]]. chemistry anatomy & He had some thought at the time of [[studying?]] [[end page]]
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for a physician and make some advance in medical studies. At this time the southern counties of New york paid a large tribute to the Northern counties in the use of the canal so it was proposed to [[balance?]] another - to have a great state road in the south. So Father was approached to survey the ground. Starting with his men from West Point they went through the woods, engineering to Lake Erie. The Patron was very sorry to part with him & pressing his hand affectionately in parting told him if he could ever serve him with his patronage or purse he would be most happy Father acquited himself so well in his engineering tour that the Patron & others were [[anxious?]] to secure him a captaincy in an engineering corps There was much surplus money in the Treasury then which it was [[?]] to spend in internal improvement. The bill for the organising and of the corps how ever did not pass congress and Father being at this time appointed to fill the vacancy of a prof. in the Academy. [[Gracious?]] to the solicitation of his friends he accepted although against his inclination as he had become very much fascinated with
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the life of an engineer. He now commenced a series of experiments in Nat Phil. The first regular series that had been made in the country. Dr Hare had invented his blow pipe but regular & systamic investigation of the principal of science had not yet been attempted. Father now rapidly advanced in reputation and the friend who had hitherto supported him now [[commenced?]] to look rather coldly upon the young aspirant who growing fast about [[him?]] He was walking sadly along one day when he was accosted by one of his friends "You [[vertical text in left margin: x Judge Dunlop]] look sober Henry. Father told him of the [[best guess?]]change [[best guess?]] in his friends. You aut to leave said his friend Albany is no longer the place for you You have come to the surface here you must go elsewhere. The call now came from Princeton and Father went on [[there?]] The [[place/plan?]] seemed very pleasant to him [[There/Uncle? See "Uncle 4 lines below]] was with him [[there?]] [[numerous/numbering?]] astronomical experiment calculating eclipses &c. We'll go there Father said to him. we'll go & together bring up that old college. Uncle went to the seminary & Father accepted the professorship He had been
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married a short time before. The college was then little esteemed [[strikethrough]] but [[/strikethrough]] the number of students not 100. Father with the [[diffidence?]] of himself that always [[troubled?]] him [[when?]] he entered upon a new position commenced his duties with solicitude But here were his happiest days. Coming in the winter time the place seemed somewhat dreary but after a short absence in Albany Mother & himself returned to [[praise?]] the spring in all its beauty. The campus beautiful in its fresh green & redolent with lilac. Here in this old college his time passed in the investigations so interesting to him, the [[fame?]] of his [[magnets?]] attracted students and the number of students at once went up to over 200. His class was such as he liked to teach. He had been used to the noisy boys of the Academy and was at first almost embarrassed by the great attention of the [[appreciative/apprentice?]] students who now listened to him. He had calls now from William & Mary College and from Virginia. The latter was one very desirable in a [[pecuniary?]] point of [[view?]], the salary being their current in the country. Father did not like to
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abandon the college however now that he had become interested in it. The faculty [[sent?]] him abroad and [[resume?]] his life. His [[?]] now was one of great pleasure & profit. When this Institution was [[?]] he was written to to express his opinion of what it should be and was then asked to take charge of it. He left Princeton with very great reluctance & [[many?]] misgivings to enter upon duties which have been arduous and not of the same interest as those which inspired him in the classic halls of Princeton. This outlay Father has promised to fill up. [[end page]]
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July 10th Sunday. Several persons were called out of church this morning exciting our curiosity and on coming out after service we were startled by the intelligence that a large body of Southern troops 40 or 50 000 in number were marching on Wash. They had thrown the city of Baltimore into a state of intense excitement by their near approach - had cut the northern central railroad & burned Hagerstown. These reports have all been confirmed but there are various conflicting opinions entertained in regard to the supposed object of the enemy whether a raid, merely for purposes of plunder or a demonstration on Wash. to call off Gen. Grants troops from the vacinity of Petersburg is still a matter of conjecture. The quartermaster's clerks have all been ordered to report themselves for service in the defence of the city.
11th. Mon. The city in a state of intense excitement. Southerners said to be at Rockville & skirmishing with our pickets. After cutting the Northern Central R.R. yesterday, they proceeded across the country cutting the telagraph wires on the Phil & Harford turnpike & burning the residence of Gov. Bradford about 5 miles from Baltimore - this was in retaliation
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for the burning of Gov. Fletchers ^[[(of Vir.)]] house by Gen Hunter. At Magnolia Station about 18 miles from Baltimore the bridge over Gunpowder Creek has been destroyed. 2 P.M. Mother just in from a shopping expedition. Says we are surrounded by the rebels - city filled with refugees from the country, coming in with wagons filled with household effects. Rebels fighting at Tenally Town.
4 P.M. Mr. Gill brings news of the closer approach of the enemy. Mr. [[Shand?]] has come to offer his services in case they may be needed in the defence of the Inst Says the rebels are attacking Fort Mass. on Seventh St. We are going to the top of the high tower. (Top of the Tower) The city lies before us peaceful & beautiful in the rays of the setting sun. The broad river lost in the distance by a cloud of mist hanging low on the horizon is dotted here & there with boats two of which have moved with stealthy eager motion into the port of the Arsenal. We are told they are laden with troops. Dr. Hamlein & others have joined us. A jet of smoke rises curling off into the [[end page]]
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rose colored clouds, disappearing & appearing again marks the scene of the conflict if there is any. Mr. De Rust who is looking through the glass reports signals from the top of the soldiers Home. We look & see the signal maker with his flag. A body of colored troops are moving down 12th we watch them as they move slowly along their wives & little ones crowding the pavements. The sun is sinking lower now & sheding its last beams over a scene of such quiet beauty it seems to mock our excitement. The shadows of the towers stretch longer & longer over green parterre below us. Gen. Hamlin tells now if to night will the attack [[be?]] made. Our hearts beat quicker we look towards the distant Capitol the white house & wonder if it possible they can be in danger. But the -little-jets- of smoke curl up lazily as before. The sun has gone down. Gen Hamlin rises to go we follow one by one.
10 P.M. Have been in the city every thing quiet & orderly The rebel force estimated at 45,000 Gen. Blairs house
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burned.
12th Tuesday. Firing at 5 O'clock in the morning communication with Baltimore cut off. Firing again at 1'cl clock. nothing known. Went to drive in the afternoon with Mr. Gill - went to terminus of 14th & 7th sts. Driving first out Seventh we came to Campbell Hospital where at the top of a hill we were stopped by a man on horseback who forbade our going farther A number of people had collected here to see if anything could be seen or hear if any news was afloat. We retraced our steps & crossing over to Seventh street encountered the President coming into the city from the soldier home in an open barouch surrounded by a body guard of horsemen. Just beyond the college we were stopped as before & obliged to return.
13th Wed. 11 A.M. No certain news - Rebels said to be retreating. 2. P.M. News of the retreat of the enemy confirmed. (Evening) went to drive with Father passing the railway yard near the Inst. saw it filled with engines. All [[end page]]
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rolling railway stock had been sent to Alexandria by order of the President when the city was supposed to be in danger but had been sent back as rebels are said to be at Falls Church. Driving out 14th we encountered about 75 prisoners escorted by mounted officers. Their butternut dresses were soiled & torn but they seemed [[have?]] & undaunted & many of them were exceedingly fine looking. One tall virginian [[^ amused me he]] moved sturdily alone in dignified disdain without one look of the curiosity indulged in by his companions. We encountered no other war indications, until we came to the hospital surrounding Columbia College The poor invalids were enjoying the cool evening air lining the banks on each side of the road. One or two pale sad young faces excited my warm sympathy. They looked so much in need of home kindness & affection. Farther on we encountered the vedettes & were obliged to return. There were about 10 soldiers placed at the side of the road with two stand of arms stacked in front of them One of the men came forward to speak
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to us. He told us it was certain the rebels had retreated. Father said he was surprised to learn there had been quite a severe battle in the neighborhood. Oh no said the man only a skirmish "But we lost 300 men" said Father "Oh "that [[is?]] nothing" returned the man "We don't consider that anything of a battle in these days". Life has grown sadly cheap within the last few years. Turning down a side road we found a soldier stationed to guard a foot-path across the fields further on another stationed upon a crossroad. We were not molested again however until we came to the toll gate on Seventh St. Here we were told by a fine looking young officer that the rebels had retreated towards the Patomac & our troops had gone to Tenally Town to endeavor to intercept them The vedettes on Seventh St. road were much further out than last evening. On our return Mr. Bates called said the Southerners had greatly enriched themselves by the raid - had carried off not only cattle & money but men & impressed them in the Southern army [[end page]]
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They certainly managed the affair well Hagerstown was compelled to pay $20,000 to purchase her safety. The town was not burnt as reported. Some fears are entertained that the force of Southerners which alarmed us will unite with those at Falls Church & attack us from the South Our for[[strikethrough: ces]]tifications are too strong in that direction to be taken.
14th Thurs. The Blagdens here this morning They live so near the scene of conflict we had felt very anxious about them. They first they knew of the state of affairs was the news which startled us all on coming out of church on Sunday On riding home they saw an ambulance & some riders coming down the avenue & supposed the family were leaving but on a near approach found the party consisted of Col. McCook & staff in search of a place to establish headquarters. Numbers of our Union soldiers came to them [[?]] Monday & Tuesday for food & drink but they suffered no especial inconvenience except from their fear
1864
July 14th
of losing their horses. They [[visited?]] the scene of action & gave us a great desire to do so. Mary picked up a diary of one of the rebels who was interred while they were present One poor fellow had been burried so hastily his feet [[protruded?]] from his grave The nurse of her little brother whose husband was in the employ of Mr. Blair ^[[& now a capt in the army]] told them the rebels had entered the house burnt & tore her clothes before her face in retaliation they said for what her husband had probably done in the South - took all the food she had for her children & then told her they would fire the house She was leaving it when Breckenridge rode up & exclaiming indignantly at the brutality of the men ordered them from the premises & placed a guard there so that she should not suffer further molestation. Her little sons were much attached to a small donkey owned by Mr. Blair & left in their charge which had been seized by the rebels this they asked Mr Breckenridge to restore to them He did so but it was [[end page]]
[[start page]]
1864
July 14
afterwards seized again [[strikethrough]] by [[/strikethrough]], the rebels declaring it was old Blair's donkey & they must have it Much of Mr. Blair's furniture was destroyed before Breckenridge could prevent but he succeeded in saving private papers & silver which were carefully packed & sent to a place of safety with a card saying "for the sake of old friendship". Breckenridge had enjoyed Mr Blair's hospitality while planning a duel in the vacinity & had been treated with great kindness. At the house of Mr ______ she found devastating traces of the rebels. The furniture was entirely destroyed and the yard strewn with letters of the most private & affectionate nature.
At 2 P.M we started to view for ourselves. The first mark of the recent troubles we encounter near Fort mass. A woman stood disconsolately ^[[by the side of the road]] near ^the remains of a house which had been burned. We asked her if she had suffered by the raid. She pointed to the ruins and told us that had been her home A union officer came to her & asked her for some kerosene oil, supposing it was needed for the Fort - she went
1864
July 14th
with alacrity for it He then asked for lamp wick & cotton cloth which she also gave him. What do you want to do with these things she asked "[[Burn?]] your house madame was the cool reply. The poor woman was obliged to remove her property as best she could, losing most of it. Ruins of other burned houses, felled trees, & abatties fortifying the road next met our view until we came to a barricade [[completly?]] [[across?]] the road which compelled us to turn to the right & go through a field [[were?]] we encountered rifle pits dug by our men. Beyond this we passed several houses burned or sacked before we came to [[MB's?]], beautiful residence The fence was torn down the gateway only remaining As we drove through the grounds we found various [[peices?]] of the presence of the [[Southerners?]]. The smouldering ashes of their camp fires broken boxes canteens &c. while [[innumerable?]] poultry feathers testified to the havoc which had been made among the fowle I doubt which a cock crow will be heard there for months [[end page]]
[[start page]]
The house we found guarded. It is delightfully situated, the avenue leading to it winding through wood [[strikethrough]] a grove of magnificent forest trees, which completely hid it until a turn in the road brought it to view. Some of the servant were folding up a carpet & packing some [[?]] at the side of the house A number of carriages containing visitors were at the front We went round to the back entrance picked up some hard tack, a song book a pack of playing cards & some other [[trifles?]] left by the rebels We drove through the grounds to a lovely spring & then passed out into the high way again by a different road from that we came Every where we found signs of the rebels tin cups ashes &c. As we came on to the turnpike we saw some persons in a grove opposite to us. We joined them & found some of the rebel graves. Several large square pits filled with straw had been prepared for the burial of others but were left unfilled in the hurry of departure Further up the road we found some of the rebel wounded under three or four
miserable tents In the first of these we found the surgeon a fine looking [[officer?]] who had been left in charge of them His frank noble undaunted bearing interested us greatly, We asked if he was a prisoner. He said he thought he ought not to be considered such as he had volunteered to remain with the wounded His dress was rough & worn but he proved an exception to the rule that a taylor makes a gentleman. We asked if they had food. He answered proudly enough had been left to supply their wants up to that time. In the next tent two poor fellows lay shot through the head One seem to be dying He lay with his eyes closed breathing heavily His features were delicate & regular & his forehead where the [[fire?]] had not reached it as fair as a girls. They both lay on the ground with only a little hay under them a bright looking little fellow was switching off the flys. We asked him if he had had enough to eat Yes he answered merrily we always have that around you most [[?]] of the [[?]] up here [[end page]]
[[start page]] We left the two poor unconcious fellows with heavy hearts. There were 8 or ten in the next tent - one badly wounded in the leg but looking happy & contented as he lay on the grass switching away the flys with a spray of leaves. Outside the tent was a merry little officer one of [[those?]] who had volunteered to take charge of the wounded He cut off his rebel buttons for us & when we objected said with a laugh he would capture [[underline]] some union ones. How long do you think it will take to make me a good union man he asked of a bystander. A great while I should think said the person addressed as you say you would shoot your own Father were he on this side. Near the next tent a poor fellow was pouring water over a wound in his head, by him was another of the volunteer nurses He said he had remained because he could not leave his Lieut. & asked us to go into the tent to see him. He was lying on a blanket with clean linen & shaved [[strikethrough]] a strong contrast to the [[strikethrough]] his appearance in strong contrast
[[start page]]
with his surroundings His companions were dirty enough. Their uniforms were all dirt under their whatever they might have been originally On our way home we visited a house which had been riddled with balls from the Fort. Some rebel sharp shooters had been stationed here & protected by a pile of stones at the corner of the house one of them had picked off an officer It was afterwards occupied by our troops. Our rifle pits extended from the house to the road a distance of about 40 ft. They consisted of holes dug in the ground with a slight embankment of earth in front.
An Englishman called in the evening had also been at the scene of conflict Had found upon the walls of one of the houses he visited numerous rebel inscriptions. On a marble top table, the only article of furniture left in the parlor was inscribed "This house is sacked in retaliation for the many homes made desolate in Virginia. On one of bed room walls " our complements to the ladies sorry not to find them at
[[end page]]
[[start page]]
July 1864
Home." A note picked up on the stairs contained an apology & the regrets of the officer in charge ^to the young lady of the house for the destruction of her wardrobe. A music book lay uninjured & beneath some lines addressed to my mother in Heaven was written "Sacred to an [[strikethrough]] absen [[\strikethrough]] orphaned rebel. The following is the purport of a letter addressed to the President found in the yard
Dear Uncle Abraham
We like the way you fight we hope you will be reellected We have come this time to show you what we can do we will return & give you another lesson. We have inlisted for 40 [[underline]] years or the war [[\underline]] Yours
The biggest rebel in the ^country
18th Passed Sat. night at Mrs. Peale's. Miss Wheeler came in - said the secessionists of the city of Baltimore had been aware of the intended raid of the
southerners & many ladies had gone in the train captured at Gunpowder bridge provided with refreshment & when the train was stopped & the cry of "the rebels, the rebels" startled the passengers
[[end page]]
[[end page]]
1864
July 18
they were recognizing their friends & saluting them by name. Gen. Manydier was on the train with his wife & a young friend He had not been able to obtain a pass to leave Wash. & had put on his uniform to show his right to do so but fortunately wore over it a linen coat which with his unmilitary appearance quite [[undeceived?]] the rebels & that passed by him with no supicion of his military importance, only demanding his watch & purse. These Mrs. Manydier had [[tucked?]] fully hidden on her person as soon as the cry of "the rebels" "the rebels" was heard. They announced on opening the car door they did not intend to molest the ladies. Gen Franklin was put in a buggy & driven some distance but at, on awakening about twelve o'clock was surprised to find the sentinals left to guard him had fallen asleep. He thought at first they were feigning but they proved not to be & slipping by them over a fence he escaped into a wood near by [[There?]] he concealed himself in a gully covering himself with leaves & remained [[end page]]
[[start page]] 1864
July 18
until the next night. The rebels were round & near him all day searching for him. Coming out of his place of concealment when the coast was clear, at a late hour of the night, he met a countryman, with a load of hay bringing food secretly to his horses which had been concealed in the woods. He told his story & hiding under the hay was taken to the man's house where he remained until a messenger dispatched to Baltimore returned with a detachment of men for his protection
Yesterday Sunday took tea with the Kennydys They had visited ^the scene of the late contest & brought back various relics. Great indignation is felt at the conduct of the Government. Mr Welling thinks the Presidents hope of a realection is entirely destroyed. It seems our excitement was caused by a very small force, the number of troops actually engaged in the feint on Fort Stevens did not exceed 500 men The whole force in Maryland is supposed to have been about 30,000,The
1864
July 18
headquarters of Gen. Early, was on the farm of Mr. Higgs, adjoining that of Mr. Blair & the number of troops which bivouaced here seems to have been between one & two thousand. about 500 appeared at Beltsville in the vacinity of our friend Mr Calvert's place Firing of a gun or two to induce our forces to believe they were enforcing there & then marching off towards the Montgomery road to join another detachment of the enemy leaving the people in an intense state of excitement. Our forces supposed them to be in the vacinity of Beltsville until the next day. A skirmish was said to have taken place there but it consisted only of the two or three shells thrown by the enemy to deceive us. [[strikethrough? - remainder of the page excepting the last sentence has large X through it]] Miss W. told me her friend who had left her children in [[?]] & was so uneasy about them found them not only well but highly delighted by the visit of the rebels they had played upon the piano & amused them generally.[[/strikethrough?]] There were other forces operating in the [[end page]]
[[start page]]
1864
July 18
outskirts so that the total force in our vacinity seems to have been about 8000. Their duty seems to have been to create a diversion while the remainder of the 30 000 were carrying off bootty from Maryland. The numbers of men horses cattle &c. carried off [[was?]] immense. Horses & cattle in great numbers were driven to the barracades by the countrymen in our vacinity but were refused admittance by the guard who had orders to allow no one to enter the city & fell an easy prey to the enemy who had not even the trouble of seeking them. The excitement of our friends in N.Y & Phil while we could not be heard from has of course been intense Gold rose to 290 & has gone down again. Went to buy stocking this afternoon found them 1,00 a pair.
19. Went to drive with Mrs. Douglass. Her husband's sons have lost all their property, which was in slaves & they are entirely dependent upon her She spoke of them with the greatest affection
1864
July 19
Many admiring glances were cast upon her as we rode along. She is amiable & exceedingly desirous as she says that every one should love her. Only she added naively I wish it sometimes & try for it so hard I defeat my own object The President has ordered another draft of 500 000 men Atlanta Georgia said to be taken by the Southerners. Johnson in command of the rebel forces.
20th Wed. The papers are down upon Hunter for his neglect to defend the Shenendoah valley He had been intrusted with the guardianship of this great highway of Virginia but left it to make an attack upon Lynchburg He burned a number of bridges &c. but was to slow in his movements to take the place. The reble learned his approach & were reinforced [[before ?]] he reached it. He was obliged to retreat before them & instead of stopping in the Shenendoah valley passed into western Virginia leaving said valley open to the enemy who abandoned the pursuit & maid the raid into Maryland which has caused such excitement. Gen [[end page]]
[[start page]]
1864
July 20
Sigel was at Martinsburg but his force was very small & would have been captured if he had not anticipated the movements of the enemy. Gen Hunter in his retreat from Lynchburg, burned the Military Institute at Lexington with its valuable library & chemical apparatus. Gov Letcher's house was also destroyed by order of the Gen. Mrs Letcher only being allowed 10 min to save a few articles of clothing The Sacking of Washington College was done with his knowledge & permission though not exactly by his order. The lady principal came to him & intreated him to interfere but received a preemptory refusal. The North is very indignant at the supineness of the Government in not preventing the repeated raids of the rebels. The pursuit has been abandoned. They escaped through Ashby's Gap last Friday Their train was more [[than?]] mile long long trains of cattle & other booty [[had?]] been sent before them The new Sec. Mr. Fessenden appointed in place of Sec. Chase seems to be already in difficulty. He went to N.Y. to negociate
1864
July 22nd
a loan of [[9?]]0 000,000 but has failed
22nd Yesterday [[strikethrough]] a [[/strikethrough]] Col. ___ came to see Father who said he had just returned from Richmond. He had gone there in his own private capacity to endeavor to make peace. The President had given him a letter to Ge. Grant who passed him through the lines. He had an interview with Jef. Davis represented to him that the North was fighting for what it considered a question of vital importance to the Government of the country but that there was much kindly feeling for the South & that money & food would be sent to them immediately if peace were concluded. President Davis told him, he knew the loss of life & property had been immense in this war & could not be too much [[regretted?]] He had done all in his power to prevent the outbreak of the rebellion but that now no peace could be concluded without the recognicion of the Southern Confederacy. Their forces were in condition They had killed more of the [[Northerners?]] than their [[?]] [[end page]]
[[start page]]
1864
July
numbered. He believed fully that they would be successful. He pressed his warmly at parting and assured him the effort he had made had been truly appreciated. Davis looked well, better even than when he left Wash. but had lost one of his eyes from disease of the ^ optical nerve. Col. ____ was accompanied in his benevolent expedition by [[?] the author.
The rebels or a small part of them have been attacked near Snickers Gap & obliged to destroy some of their plunder. Sec. Fessenden having failed to obtain a loan from the banks is endeavoring to negociate one with the citizens. Gold 262. The Englishman called to say good bye. If he at all represents the English people they are not very favorable to the North.
23rd Sat. The Northern papers still down upon the Administration for the late raid. Great mortification felt & want of confidence in the power of the Government to put down the rebellion Another [[underline]] informal [[/underline]] effort made for peace by J N Sanders
July 1864
C.C. Clay & J. P. Holcombe from the South at Niagara They requested safe conduct to Wash. in order that proposals for peace might be considered They were not formally authorized by the authorities at Richmond. Horace Greeley & Mr. Hay the Presidents sec. went to Niagara to confer with them by consent of the president who finding the southern delegates were not official [[strikethrough]] were [[/strikethrough]] obliged to ask the President for orders He sent back the following
As this precluded all discussion announcing as it does beforehand terms of peace the self constituted delegates retired thanking H. G. & Hay for their efforts & stating that although the south might be weary of the sad desolating struggle & might long for the return of peace Still she would not yield to terms which would compro-
[end page]
[start page]
1864
mise her self respect. Atlanta has not been taken as supposed but seems to be in a fair way of falling soon. The Loyal Citizens of Maryland have presented a petition to the Pres. asking that the recent losses be assessed upon the sympathisers with the south It is sincerely to be hoped the pres. will not yield to so unjust a demand.
26th Tues. Great battle at Atlanta--a loss of 2000
[[image of newspaper article covers a portion of the middle of the page]] & about [[6000?]] on that of [covered text]] The city is not yet in our [[covered text]] but we have gained the outer [[portion?]] [[covered text]] Mrs. Peale returned yesterday from [[covered text]] to the [[strikethrough]] front [[strikethrough]]^this army before Petersburg with Mr. Seward [[covered text]] She seems greatly impressed [[covered text]] strength of our forces & the [[prob?]] [[covered text]] [[cess?]] of attempt to take the [[covered text]] [[said?]] to Gen. Grant If you take [[covered text]] will be in the White [[?]] [[covered text]] [[we?]] [[Madame?]] to desire any such honour he replyed. There are rumours of another intended raid by the south.
30th Sat. Another fright. Some of soldiers returning from the pursuit of the
[[Newspaper article partially covering text follows]]
rday, July 23 1864
Proposals for Mail Steamship Service Between the U. States and Brazil
----
Post Office Department,Washington, June 17, 1864
In Accordance with the provisions of the act of
[[end page]]
[[duplicate of previous 2 pages with newspaper clipping removed]]
1864
July
C.C. Clay & J P Holcombe from the South at Niagra They requested safe conduct to Wash. in order that proposals for peace might be considered. They were not formally authorized by the authorities at Richmond. Horace Greely & Mr. Hay the Presidents sec. went to Niagra to confer with them by consent of the president who finding the southern delegates were not official [[strikethrough]] were [[/strikethrough]] obliged to ask the President for orders He sent back the following
[[several blank lines]]
As this precluded all discussion announcing as it does beforehand terms of peace the self constituted delegates retired thanking H.G. & Hay for their efforts & stating that although the south might be weary of the sad desolating struggle & might long for the return of peace still she could not yield to terms which would comproq1`- [[end page]]
[[start page]]
1864
mise her self respect. Atlanta has not been taken as supposed but seems to be in a fair way of falling soon. The Loyal Citizens of Maryland have presented a petition to the Pres, asking that the recent losses be assessed upon the sympathizers with the south - It is sincerely to be hoped the pres. will not yield to so unjust a demand.
26th Tues. Great battle at Atlanta a loss of 2000 on our side & about [[6000?]] on that of the enemy The city is not yet in our possession but we have gained the outer fortifications. Mrs. Peale returned yesterday from a visit to the [[strikethrough]] front [[/strikethrough]] ^the army before Petersburg with Mr. Seward & family She seems greatly impressed with the strength of our forces & the probable success of attempt to take the city She said to Gen. Grant If you take it Gen. you will be in the White Far be it from me madame to desire any such honour he replyed. There are rumours of another intended raid by the south.
30th Sat Another fright. Some of soldiers returning from the persuit of the
[[newspaper clipping]]
"Executive Mansion,
"Washington, July 18, 1864.
"To whom it may concern:
"Any proposition which embraces the restoration of peace, the integrity of the whole Union, and the abandonment of slavery, and which comes by and with an authority that can control the armies now at war against the United States, will be received and considered by the Executive Government of the United States, and will be met by liberal terms, on other substantial and collateral points, and the bearer or bearers thereof shall have safe conduct both way.
"Abraham Lincoln."
RDAY, JULY 23 1846
__________________
PROPOSALS FOR MAIL STEAMSHIP SERVICE BETWEEN THE U. STATES AND BRAZIL ____ POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT Washington, June 17, 1864
IN ACCORDANCE with the provisions of the act of
[[start page]]
1864
have caused great excitement in Tenally Town the inhabitants supposing them to be the Southerners closed their stores & prepared to depart. Father came in at noon to say their alarm was not quite unfounded. The Southerners are said to be again in possession of much ter. Gen Hunter at Maryland ^Heights
Aug 2nd Took tea yesterday at Mr Kenedys He had intended to start on a fishing excursion but the rebels have possession of the road. Mr. K thinks the Southerners are in large force now The former raid was probably to supply this larger army with food &c. all publication of news has been forbidden by the Government. so we are completely in ignorance as to the movements of the armies.
3rd The silence imposed by the Government is at last broken & we learn that the rebels are advancing upon Harrisburg Mr. Welling says this force is the same that visited us before. Our troop having ceased persuing them they returned to give a blow at Gen Hunter's forces at Winchester [[end page]]
[[start page]]
1864
Aug.
forcing him to retire to Maryland Heights.
4 The rebels are reported to be leaving the state Gen. [[Averil?]] in persuit Chambersburg said to be burnt. Carey has gone to Oxford Father to New Haven so we feel quite lonely. The magnificent seige of Petersburg has failed & with it the hopes entertained of the grand results of the summers campaign. anticipated with such eager expectation. The mines were sprung & the outer defences of the city were taken but the negros failed in duty & the day was lost. Thousands of our [[have?]] dead cover the soil of virginia bloody ^[fallen[?]] after battle has desolated our homes & wrung our hearts with anguish mown down by the deadly fire of the southerners opposed by them steadily & well what have we accomplished & ^[[found?]] [[?]] [[very?]] [[with?]] pain & difficulty to the gates of Petersburg Now after weeks of inertia the hopes of the country lie as low as the walls our poder mines shattered while the bulwark of the southerners rise stronger than before.
[[start page]]
[[underline]] 1864 [[underline]]
[[underline]] Aug 6th [[underline]]
The excitement of the last raid has hardly subsided but alarming rumours are again afloat. Gen. Grant & Gen. Hooker are both in city as Mr. Bates informed us this evening and fear an attack upon the city
8th Mr. Tyler here last evening. Sherman forces repulsed at Atlanta. The paper commencing to call loudly for peace.
27th Father went to see the Chief Justice Taney. He think Pres. Lincoln will be reellected & that there will be revolution afterward The people assured the right of liberty of speech.
29th Princeton. Left home this morning Came on with poor Mrs. [[Dod?]] who has lost her son. another victim to this terrible war.
30th Father came to night from Phil. Mother & Nell at Germantown.
The democrats rejoicing over the nomination of Gen McClellen.
Sep 6th [[underline]] Shelter Island [[/underline]]. arrived here last Saturday evening in company with Father & Carry. Prof. Hosford's
[[end page]]
[[start page]]
[[underline]] 1864 [[underline]]
[[underline]] Sep 6th [[underline]]
country establishment is a antirevolutionary abode and has been in the posession of his wifes family almost from the first settlement of the Island. It has been raining hard yesterday & to day but we have enjoyed the excellent & ancient library of the house exceedingly. Last night Prof. Hosford gave us some interesting anecdotes of Webster. Mr Feller saw him not long before he died at Marshfield. Webster had sent for him Webster asked him if he would prefer talking in his library or to take a drive. Prof. Fellon chose he latter. As they went out Mr. Webster remembered he had not ordered dinner & asking Prof. Fellon to accompany him & going together into the kitchen he gave miniscule directions for the preperation of meal. He was very particular about his food & [[?]] several of his favorite dishes. They [[drove?]] over a very fine country & stopping at a very extended & beautiful view Webster said that many years before Fletchers mother he always thus spoke of his first wife sat
[[end page]]
1864
Sep 6
where Prof. Felton then was & expressing her delight at the prospect & her conviction that no other spot in the world could be so delightful for a place of residence He immediately commenced the negociations which ended in the purchase of Marshfield At a turn in the road they encountered an old man of 80. Webster stopped to inquire how he was. "better far than you Mr. Webster" he answered "You are a very sick man" I have no doubt of that answered Webster you will outlive me yet. Farther on they came to the family grave yard. Webster pointed out the graves of those he had loved & here said he I shall soon be laid myself. He died but very short time after this. On retiring he told Prof. Felton the stage would arrive for him at an early hour & added play-fully "as Mr. Webster will not be in a fit state to appear he will bid you good bye[[strikethrough]]"[[/strikethrough]] from the window" In the morning as the Prof. passed down the yard to the stage he saw him [[end page]]
[[start page]]
1864
Sep 6th
for the last time as he [[put?]] his night-capped head out of the window to bid him farewell. Fathers first impressions of Mr. Webster were anything but favorable Father went to see & endeavored to [[impress?]] upon him his news in regard to the will of Smithson. Webster listened in silence for some time & then replied that he believed Smithson had no such refined ideas when he used the terms increase & diffusion of knowledge he only meant by to enforce his words He then spoke rather disrespectfully of scientists in general. Father asked if he formed his opinion from the men of Cambridge and being annoyed at his manner let the deplomatist see that he at least deserved & demanded respect. He was ^sufficiently affable before the interview closed but Father entertained so disagreeable impression of his visit that he did not enter his presence again until he was compelled to do so. In the year ____ England invited the U. S. to [[?]] in the Worlds Fair The matter was turned over to the Nat. Inst. & a com. of arrangement appointed. Webster
[[end of page]]
[[start page]]
[[underline]]1864[/underline]]
[[underline]]Sep[[/underline]]6
caused some trouble by acceeding to the request of the people of Northampton that the goods should be sent there & otherwise interfering with the arrangement of the Com. & Father requested to wait upon him As before he was very ungracious but Father who had nothing to fear or ask from him told him very [[plain?]] what he thought of his proceedings & again elisted from him the respect which was his due. He met him afterwards at dinner but did not have any further conversation with until he was invited with him to meet [[Hosseth?]] at the Presidential mansion Webster cared little for the foreigner & Father & himself spent the most of the evening together. previous to this Webster in a speech prepared for the laying of the corner stone of the new wing of the capitol had endeavored to give a history of the advance of science since the older part of the building had been erected [[strikethrough]] but had in [[/strikethrough]] He sent this part of his speech [[end page]]
[[start page]]
[[underline]]1864[[/underline]]
[[underline]]Sep[[/underline]]
6th
to Father for correction who found so many mistakes that he rewrote it & sendes it to Webster it was adopted by him verbatim. Webster could be merry enough at times once when wishing to pass through a crowd unknown he knocked his hat over his eyes [[went?]] reeling from side to side of the pavement & singing & half drunken song passed entirely unrecognised.
Oct 7th [[strikethrough]] 6 [[/strikethrough]] New York. Arrived here on Monday eve. Had a very pleasant visit at Shelter Is. The Island is about 5 miles wide & 4 or 5 broad The Indian name is Manhaset ha ha [[Cushewamack?]] Island sheltered by islands. After leaving Prof. Hosfords went to Rockaway to visit Mr. Dickersons family the house was in full view of the ocean the beach being only a few yards from the house A sand bar has been forming within the last few years which has greatly interfered with the bathing. We went yesterday to visit central Park. It is exceedingly beautiful Every thing has been done to render it so in the way of bridges water & rocks the
[[end page]]
[[start page]]
[[underline]]1864[[/underline]]
Oct 6th
great want is trees. Some have been planted but years of course must pass before they will be any addition to the landscape. Met Mrs. Eames in the cars she said there was a great revulsion in feeling at the North in spite of the victories which have lately crowned our arms. One of the hottest among her republican friends had remarked the day before that he was by no means certain he was willing to give his last cent to free the negro. Certainly we are beggining to feel the effects of the war. Mrs Eames had been obliged to give $10 for a pair of coarse shoes for her little girl. Prices have gone down however somewhat. with the fall of gold. It stands at 190 now it has been as high as 275. During our life in the country we for while almost forgot the intensely interesting state of affairs We return to the city again to find everyone excited & interested in Sheriden's movements He has driven the Southerners before him down the
[[end page]]
[[start page]]
[[underline]]1864[[/underline]]
[[underline]]Oct[[/underline]]
6
valley of the Shenandoah and is now in the neighborhood of Richmond. Should he follow up his victories with a successful effort there we may hope for peace but if the army goes into winter quarters the Southern army now weakened and probably dispirited by the fall of Atlanta will have time to recruit. Mrs. Eames said we had not received positive information within the last few days and some rumours were afloat that we had experienced a repulse Father went to Boston on Tuesday. Nell is staying with Prof. Barnard. He was installed President of Columbia College on Monday. Every one is of course deeply interested in the approaching presidential election. The coming contest will be between Lincoln and Mcclellan. Neither men fitted for the office. There seems little choice between them. Lincoln is a bear and totaly incompetent and Mcclellan merely a military leader no statesman If the latter were elected the Southerners might return. if the former we may fear a rebellion at the North if the war does
[[end page]]
Softly O! softly the years have swept by thee,
Touching thee lightly with tenderest care;
Sorrow and care did they often bring nigh thee;
Yet they have left thee but beauty to wear.
Growing old gracefully,
Gracefully fair.
Far from the storms that are lashing the ocean,
Nearer each day to the pleasant home light;
Far from the waves that are big with commotion,
Under full sail and the harbor in sight,
Growing old cheerfully,
Cheerfully bright.
Past all the winds that were adverse and chilling,
Past all the islands that lured thee to rest;
Past all the currents that wooed thee unwilling
Far from the port of the land of the blest,
Growing old peacefully,
Peacefully blest.
Never a feeling of envy or sorrow,
When the bright faces of children are seen,
Never a year from their youth wouldst thou borrow;
Thou dost remember what lieth between,
Growing old willingly,
Gladly, I ween.
Rich in experience that Angels might covet,
Rich in a faith that has grown with thy years:
Rich in the love that grew from and above it;
Smoothing thy sorrows and hushing thy fears.
Growing old wealthily,
Loving and dear.
Hearts at the sound of thy coming are lightened,
Ready and willing thy hand to relieve;
Many a face at thy kind words has brightened,
"It is more blessed to give than receive!"
Growing old happily,
Blest, we believe.
Washington, D.C., May, 1881.
[[start page]]
[[underline]]1864[[/underline]]
Oct
6th
not speedily close. Either must become in time the scape goat for the numerous train of ill which ever follow the track of the chariot of war. In these sad days the President holds no enviable office.
7th Went last evening to a festival at Mr Beecher's church. We were introduced to Mr. Beecher who said as Mr. [[Cuyler?]] presented us "the daughters of Prof. Henry that name is a passport anywhere" Mr Beecher is a stout good natured looking man very much like a [[fat?]] boy. There is a certain mirthfulness about him which is pleasing if one could quite get rid of the feeling that it is assumed for effect His features are heavy & are more suggestive of good dinners than of intellect or great spirituality (My cousins accuses me of unkind criticism.) He made a speech during the evening It was not one of his brilliant efforts my memory has retained very little of it. One thing was worthy of note He said it was the object of the
[[end page]]
[[start page]]
1864
North to free the negro not to pamper him To lift from the heavy burden of slavery so that he migh stand forth ^a man If he could sustain that yoke could he not when emancipated from it go forth even as his white brother to work and warfare. Is he too weak for this then let him go down. Go down to what Henry Ward Beecher? To slavery again, or to be trodden as the dust under foot? To be hunted to the far corners of the earth as a burden and a curse? Strange philanthropy which thrusts upon these ignorant children of Nature a freedom in many cases undesired and casts them upon the cold charity of a selfish world. Children in helplessness, Men only in enlarged capacity for suffering. Were it kindness to tear a child from a parent protection, though that guardianship might perchance have been stern or even cruel ^only to leave the little ^one to perish from cold & starvation. Truly the tender mercies of the abolitionist are cruel. Have passed the day at Central Park. Nell seemed [[benefitted?]] by the pure air but very tired.
[[end page]]
[[underline]] Oct [[underline]] [[underline]] 1864 [[underline]]
There has been a temporary rise in gold today on account of rumours of a defeat.
8th Sat. Went to see Gardener's picture. It is the reading of the Proclamation by Mr. Lincoln. Mr. Seward has just interrupted him to substitute the word [blank space] for [blank space] Sec. Chase is on the right of the President somewhat in his rear standing with folded arms; before him Stanton is seated in front of him. The other officers of the cabinet are grouped about him in various attitude. The president himself is seated. I have given a very lame description of the picture. The likenesses are all good, but all of the distinguished gentlemen seem [[strikethrough]] all [[strikethrough]] very indifferent to the great matter under discussion. It will be on exhibition for a short time in N.Y. and I suppose will eventually be purchased by Government and placed in the Capitol. [[end page]]
[[start page]]
[[underline]] Oct [[underline]] [[underline]] 1864 [[underline]]
[rest of the page is blank]
[[blank page]] [[end page]]
[[start page]]
1865
Jan 2nd I have been absent from home for four months and now on this the second day of the new year resume my journal. Since I last wrote the Presidential campaign has been decided & Abraham Lincoln appointed to another term the head of the nation. Sherman has made a victorious march through Georgia Atlanta & Savannah owning his power. Grant sill remains in the vicinity of Richmond. The old Chief Justice so long the friend & supporter of the Institution has ended his day Mr. Dallas Mr. Dayton Minister to France Park Benjamin the author & other distinguished men in the military & civil service of the country have also departed The old year goes out weeping for some of the noblest of the country's sons. Weeping too for the peace which cometh not. The recent victories serve but to cast a momentary & lurid [[strikethrough]] glare [[/strikethrough]] light upon the clouds wich unvail the in coming years.
Yesterday [[really?]] New years day
1865
we heard a sermon in the morning from Dr Gurley & passed the evening quietly at home reading Dr Thomas Browne's Religio Medici. Speaking of the numberless animals brought to life by the power of the sun Father said that at the time Dr Browne lived the spontaneos generation of animals by the heat of of the sun was believed in & that now that supposition had been revived & much discussed. Organic matter when boiled sufficiently it would seem to destroy all animal life when put away in air tight vessels exposed to the sun would after a time be found filled with animalali[[strikethrough]]fe[[/strikethrough]]. Other experiments had been tried to prove whether these curious manifestations of animal creation were produced from eggs or by [[strikethrough]]by [[/strikethrough]] spontaneous generation. In connection with the same subject he said his own frame & being had from his earliest years been a subject of wonder to him & had puzzled his childish brain sometimes almost to the verge of insanity. He quoted this pretty little stanza. [[end page]]
[[start page]]1865
"Bubbles upon a sea of matter born
We rise we break & to that sea return."
3rd Prof. Agassiz came in last evening while I was writing. The meeting opened this morning. There were only twelve members present. After dinner to day Prof. Agassiz read us the following poem sent to him by Longfellow with some bottles of wine on Christmas eve.
Noël
Quand les astre de Noël
Brillaient, palpitaient au ciel
Six gaillards, et chacun ivre
Chantaient gaiment dans le givre,
Bons Amis
Allons donc chez Agassiz.
2
Ces illustres Pélerins
D'outre-Mer, adroits et fins,
Se donnant des airs de prêtre
A l'enoi se vantaient d'être
"Bons Amis
De Jean Rudolphe Agassiz"
3
Oeil-de Perdix, grand farceur
Sans reproche et sans pudeur
Dans son patois de Bourgogne
Bredouillait comme un ivrogne,
"Bons Amis,
J'ai dansé chez Agassiz!"
4
Verzenay le Champenois
Bon Francais, pointe New-Yorquois,
Mais des environs [[strikethrough]] d'A...[[/strikehrough]] d'Avize
Fredonne, à mainte reprise,
Bons Amis,
J'ai chanté chez Agassiz
5
A côté marchait un vieux
Hidalgo, mais non mousseux;
Dans le temps de Charlemagne
Fut son père Grand d'Espagne!
"Bons Amis
J'ai diné chez Agassiz!"
6
Derrière eux un Bordelais
Gascon, s'il en fut jamais,
Parfumé de poesie
Riait Chantait plein de vie
"Bons Amis
J'ai soupé chez Agasssiz"
[[end page]]
[[start page]]
Avec ce beau [[?]] cadet roux
Bras dessus et bras dessous
Mine altière et coleur terne,
Vint le Sire de Sauterne
"Bons Amis
J'ai couché chez Agassiz!"
8
Mais le dernier de ces preux
Etait un pauvre Chartreux
Qui disait d'un ton robuste
"Benedictions sur le Just!
Bons Amis
Benissons Père Agassiz!"
9
Ils arrivent tros à tros
Montent l'escalier de bois
Clopin-clopant! quel gendarme
Peut permettre ce vacarme
Bons Amis
A la porte a Agassiz!
10
"Ouvrez donc, mon bon Signeur
Ouvrez vite et n'ayez peur;
Ouvrez ouvrez, car nous sommes
Gens de bien e gentlehommes
Bons Amis
De la famille d'Agassiz!"
11
Chut, ganaches! laisez vous!
C'en est trop de vos glouglous;
Epargnez aux Philosophes
Vos abominable strophes!
Bons Amis
Respectez mon Agassiz!
Father & the Prof. differ somewhat on polittical matters Father thinks the term of the Presidency ought to be longer perhaps for life also the many offices under Government ought to be of longer durations or some means adopted to put an end to the [[symtem?]] of office seeking so injurious to the country. The elective franchise he thought ought to be limited. Prof. Aggassiz thought it ought rather to be extended. Father contended that a certain amount of property was needed to make a man [[sufficiently?]] interested in the Government to vote. The Prof. acknowledged that the property qualification gave more stability but it was a stability he despised. He thought [[end page]]
[[start page]]
1865
Jan.
our great mistake lay in the insufficiency of public instruction we ought to educate our lower classes better to fit them for voting.
Dr Torrey & Mr Leslie have just arrived. Mr. Nystrom a Swede has come in to spend the evening
4 The gentlemen have just left for the Academy. At the breakfast the conversation turned upon he state of the country both Mr Leslie & Prof. A. seemed to think it had never been more prosperous. That the energy of the people now called out would at the close of the war need only to be turned in new direction to benefit the nation The slumbering citizens had been aroused and the nation "manured" to bring forth a glorious harvest. Father said the country was now expending the recourses it had been laying up for ages. Apparent prosperity the country enjoyed but still the breakfast before them cost twice as much as it would have done two years before
[[start page]]
and did the war continue much longer he would not have a cent to leave his children. That the nation was incurring an immense debt at the rate of 20 millions & a half daily. Mr. Leslie acknowledged that individuals might suffer but still the nation at large was the gainer Prof. A. said in support of the newly developed [[envy?]] of the nation that the [[strikethrough]]country[[/strikethrough]] congress before the war would never have voted such immense sums as it now does for the public interest. Literary & Scientific Inst. might now hope for larger appropriations. Father attributed this increased liberality to the inflation of the currency money had grown cheap & was easily parted with.
Sec. Blair & his son have caused some excitement by an attempt to visit Richmond. it is supposed to hold a conference with Jef. Davis Gen. Grant refused to pass them through the lines not being au- [[end page]]
[[start page]]
1865
thorised so to do by the President.
Jan. 9th. The Savans all left us on Saturday Prof. Pierce was with us Thursday & Friday We have with us now Mrs. Seldon from the South She succeeded in passing through the lines with great difficulty. Gen. [[Sheriden?]] telegraphed to Father to ask if he would receive her. She has been showing us to day some of her southern articles of dress the shoes she had on ^of coarse leather she paid 90 dollars for a brass thimble cost two; prices of ^other articles were in proportion. Fremont is to be minister to France.
16th Everet is dead New England's pride has fallen How many of our great men have passed away within a year & how few there are to take the vacant places.
18th Fort Fisher has fallen & the Nation rejoices over another victory over the rebels Gen Terry the hero of the action is now the lion of the day Gen Butler is in disgrace for not [[?]] the Fort His severity and cruelty have [[placed?]] him [[?]] our sympathy. Fort Fisher is a few miles from Wilmington &
[[end page]]
[[underline]]1865[[/underline]]
[[underline]]Jan[[/underline]]
commands the entrance to the Cape Fear river.
20th Hav[[strikethrough]]ing[[/strikethrough]] been making calls all day The city greatly excited by the report that Mr. Blair has gone on a second expedition to the South The result of his first visit from which he has only just returned is doubtful but it is generally believed that Pres. Davis constened to negociate peace if the Prest would receive his commissioners. Whether we are deceived by another fake hope our hearts beats more quickly with the thorugh that the beginning of the end of this terrible war approacheth.
We find an entirely new set of faces have taken the place of our old acquaintances since our retirement.
Wilmington [[it?]] is said has fallen into our hannds. [[end page]]
[[start page]]
[[underline]]1865[[/underline]]
[[underline]]Jan[[/underline]]
25th I record in my journal ^[[to night]] one of the momentous and saddest events of lives. The burning of a large portion of the Inst. The fire originated in the [[insersion?]] of the pipe of a stove which had been put up in the picture gallery into an air chamber in the wall instead of a flue. The man in charge had been told to be particularly careful and Father had inquired of several times if he was sure all was safe. The fire must have been smoldering several days but did not break out until yesterday shortly after three o'clock. I was sitting reading in the Library reading and surprised at the sudden darkning of the room went to the window and finding a thick cloud of smoke or mist obscuring the view I hastened from the room to discover the cause One of the gentlemen from the Inst. met me saying "the building is in flames you have but five minutes to save your property. We immediately went to work packing books &c. first clothing and then Father's Library. The house was soon filled
[[underline]]26[[/underline]] [[underline]]Jan[[/underline]] 1865
with people. The furniture was soon removed and placed under military guard outside of the Inst. We were soon informed that our end of the building was no longer in danger so we stationed ourselves at one of the windows to watch the ^[[progress]] of destruction. Truly it was a grand light as well as a sad one the flames bursting from the window [[strikethrough]] of the the to rose high above the tow[[/strikethrough]] of the towers rose high above them curling round the the ornamental stone work through the archs & trefoils as if in full appreciation of their symetry, a beautiful friend tasting to the utmost the pleasure of destruction. The capping of the square tower near us soon fell filling the air with smoke & cinders. Father on the highest tower still stood mantle with flames while above it the anemometer turned, steadily recording the wind wh. fanned into greater fury the fires beneath. Faithful in its dumb creation to the last. Thousands of spectators had col[[end page]]
[[start page]] [[underline]]Jane[[/underlined]] [[underlined]]1865[[/underline]]
lected in the grounds - and a body of men kept mounted guard around the building driving them back as they approached too near. As the first mounted to the upper room of the tower where Fathers papers were kept It was very hard to see them come floating down To feel that in the space of an hour was thus destroyed the labor of years. When the east end of the Inst. was pronounced entirely out of danger the furniture was restored and every one except the inhabitants of the building ordered to leave a military guard was placed at the door to prevent intrusion and in our [[carpet-less?]] disorder rooms we gathered to learn the extent of our calamity numerous friends came in to offer sympathy and assistance and to urge us to leave the dismantled house for the night but we prefer remaining as the fire was still burning and our property not entirely free from danger. Father & Mr. [[Rheese?]] escaped very narrowly. The roof of
[[underline]]1865[[/underline]][[underline]]Jan[[/underline]]
The office fell only ten minutes after they left. They had [[time?]] to save very little all the recorded letters of the Inst. The report almost ready for the press &c. were destroyed a drawer of articles on meteorology collected for a number of years by Father [[prints?]] & observations & reflections of his own was destroyed. They were writing in the office when the crackling of the flames above them warned them of the danger placing cloths over their mouths they endeavoured to obtain the papers of value but were nearly suffocated by the smoke. We are in some what better order to day but are wearied out with the effort to restore our property to proper places. My one great effort was to preserve Father's books If we had left them upon the shelves they would have been uninjured as it is I am afraid many of them are lost.
[[underline]]26th[[/underline]] Another busy tiresome day has passed in the endeavor to produce order out of confusion. We find [[end page]]
[[start page]] [[underline]]1865[[/underline]] [[underline]]Jan[[/underline]]
many of our articles destroyed but much less injured than we expected owing to the kind care of our friends The apparatus room, the picture gallery the Regents rooms & lecture room were destroyed I went this morning to visit the scene of destruction. All Smithson's personal effects, all Dr. Hare's philosophical apparatus, the Stanley Indian Gallery of portraits have all perished We entered the apparatus room first The dismantled walls & towers rose high above us reminding us of the ruins of some English Abbey. Mr. Welling was my companion we picked our way over the cinders & burnt bricks through the lecture room to the Picture Gallery The remains of the dying gladiator lay scattered about we picked up a few pieces but they crumbled in our fingers. The blue sky above us formed a beautiful roof but we dreaded storms too much not to be glad to learn that something pleasing to the eye but a protection to the museum of curiosity below us w[[?]]
[[end page]]
[[start page]]
1865
Jan
to be immediately erected. Father is himself again to day. The warm sympathy of the Regents & friends of Inst has been very grateful to him Mr. Patterson told us the Senate was [[strikethrough]] discloses [[/strikethrough]] discussing a very important bill when it was announced that the Inst was on fire and immediately adjourned. The Supreme Court [[abeys?]] [[?]] its session. People came from George Town to witness the conflagration. The loss of his letters is a very great trial to Father but he has hardly mentioned it thinking much more of the library & private papers of Bishop Johns entrusted to the care of the Inst. Father letters were written with very great care & were in answer to questions upon almost every subject They had been all prepared with the greatest care not a letter ever left the Inst but a copy of it was taken. It is next to losing Father to have them go It is a calamity I have no resignation to meet. It [[seems?]] so very hard to [[end page]]
[[start page]]
1865
Jan
save our furniture and other things wich are so valueless in comparison with [[those?]] when we would so gladly give them in exchange.
31st The bells have been ringing to day & guns [[firing?]] in honour of the passage of the bill for the ^anti slavery amendment of the constitution. Admiral Davis here to night warm in his sympathy for Father.
Feb 4th We are reduced to order again after the fire [[and?]] were it not for the meloncholy [[view?]] would find it difficult to realize how much that is valuable has been destroyed. The loss to the Inst is estimated at $20 000 not including the roof which Father thinks is well destroyed as it was badly constructed and must have taken fire some time Better now than later when more valuable material would have been collected. Father bears the misfortune with the utmost patience & sweetness one remark in a letter to Dr. Torrey this morning touch[[ed?]] me. Speaking of the loss of papers he said A few years ago such a misfortune would have paralyzed me for future effort but in my present view of life I take it as
[[end page]]
[start page]
1865
Feb
a dispensation of a kind and wise Providence & trust that it will work to my spiritual advantage."
The entrance of peace commissioners into our lives gave us a hope on Thursday & yesterday that we might be approaching the end of the war. Sec. Seward & the President went to Fortress Monroe to meet them but to day we learn all is in vain Mr Welling was here last night He said it was only a maneuver on the part of both Northern & Southern politician to satisfy the peace party &c of both sides & prove that the war must proceed.
28th This month has passed in little else than making & receiving calls and in attending the meetings of Congress. I am sorry to say I have made but one entry in my [[strikethrough]] dialogue [[/strikethrough]] diary. This has been ^an important month in the way of success to our arms. Sherman has covered himself with glory. Charleston is ours Savannah & Wilmington - we may hope now for a speedy termination to the war. On the 22nd the city was illuminated in honor [[end page]]
[[start page]]
1865
Feb.
of the recent victories. Although it was a stormy evening we went out to see the public building in their brilliant array. The Navy Department pleased us most it was brilliantly lighted partly with colored lamps. Strings of flags were suspended diagnilly across the front of the building while larger ones draped the columns of the porch below. A list of all the victories gained by our arms was on the west side of the building. The Treasury Pattent Office & Post Office looked as if translucent as the light shone upon their white walls In the fashonable world this has been an unusually gay month Morning & evening receptions balls & parties have occupied both night & day The closing entertainment of the season was given by Mrs. Sprague a Matinee dansante A saloon draped with pink & ornamented with chandeliers of flowers was erected for the [[german?]]. Supper was at half past seven the
[[start page]]
[[underlined]]Feb.[[/underline]] [[underline]]1865[[/underline]]
guests however remaining much later Mrs. Sprague is graceful & receives her company with dignity and courtesy. The Chief Justice her Father entertains with her. The morning reception of the Secretaries have been well attended and exceedingly agreeable The new post master's wife Mrs. Dennison has a sweet face & gentle manner an index to a character of great lovliness it is said. Mrs. Usher is also agreeable. Mrs. Stanton is pretty but more a woman of the world. Mrs. Seward is quiet & amiable. Mrs. Wells is also very gentle she has given us so much kind sympathy in our sorrow and has herself suffered so much in the loss of several children that we feel a real affection for her. Senators Harris & Morgen have given some very [[pleasant/pleasing?]] entertainments and a large masque ball given by _____ has attracted great attention and caused immense excitement This however is still in [[prospect?]]. I am glad the season is over although we have not [[mingled?]] [[end page]]
[[start page]]
[[underline]]March[[/underline]] 1865
in the gaieties as much as [[strikethrough]]usual[[/strikethrough]] our associates. Admiral Farragut has been the particular lion of the season. He is very simple & [[unaffected?]] by his great popularity enjoying it however with the artlessness of a school boy. Father has been as busy as possible since the fire rewriting his report. &c &c. Cary & I spent the greater part of the morning in making calls & then went to the capitol for a book. met Chief Justice Chase & Father in close confab. The Justice gave us a very cordial greeting and asked if we had a load of literature. Mrs. Chase of Providence is with us.
1st Went to the Capitol with Mrs Chase a discussion in the Senate in regard to treaties with the Indian races. The appropriations for Father's report passed. Went to Mr. Mills studio his son was just finishing a bust of the President. Father had a cast of his face taken. We expect Dr. & Mrs. Gray of C[[strikethrough]]h[[/strikethrough]]ambridge to night. They came to attend the [[end page]]
[[underline]]March[[/underline]] [[underline]]1865[[/underline]]
Inaugeration.
3rd Columbia & Augusta have yielded to Sherman. Johnson is concentrating his forces & we may expect a terrible battle before long which it is supposed will decide the contest. The Southern army is much weakened & as they still refuse to arm the negros we have the advantage of them. Columbia was burned by the rebels as the evacuated it. It is raining fast I am ^[[afraid]] we shall have a wet day for the Inaugeration tomorrow.
4th The important day which makes Mr Lincoln the ruler of our country for another four years has passed It commenced with clouds & ended in sunshine a prophetic omen we may hope of [[his?]] new career.
Mrs Chase & myself went at seven O'clock to the Capitol in order to secure seats in the Senate gallery We found the doors closed but having sent away our carriage in the confident supposition that we could obtain admittance [[end page]]
[[start page]]
the door keeper took pity upon our desolate condition and admitted us. It was raining hard. Several senators passed us on their way to their breakfast after sitting up all night Senator Morgan gave us a cheerful "good morning in spite of his wearisome vigil. Admission was not obtained to the Senate until eleven O'clock The galleries were then crowded with ladies to the complete exclusion of the other sex. The Senate convened & transacted business until twelve when the secretaries entered followed shortly after by the Judges of the supreme court in their black robse headed by Chief Justice Chase. Then came the Diplomatic corps in their brilliant [[?]] or court dresses. The members of the House & distinguished individual occupied the remaining space among the latter we noticed Admiral Farragut & Gen [[end page]]
March 4 [[underline]]1865[[/underline]]
Hooker. It was an impressive scence. The first ceremony was the [[strikethrough]]farewell[[/strikethrough]] was the inaugeral of the new vice President as chairman of the house preceded by a farewell address by Mr. Hamlin in which he thanked the senators for their courteous behavior to him & asked pardon for any offences he might unintensionily committed. Mr. Andy Johnston then made his speech which was radical in the extreme & more like a stump oration than an address such as was worthy of delivery before the imposing audience assembled there. Near the close of his speech he turned to receive the oath of office administered to him by Mr. Hamlin & kissed the Bible. He made a few more remarks & then received another oath of allegiance to the country. This was of some length and was repeated word for word after Mr. Hamlin his Its puport [[end page]]
[[start page]] [[underline]]March[[/underline]] [[underline]]1864[[/underline]]
was that he has never indulged a thought treasonable to his country nor ever would nor had ever lifted his hand against her promising future fidelity. He then took his seat in the chair vacated by Mr. Hamlin. His address has been delivered from the desk immediately [[below?]] the chair. The new senators & those newly elected received the oath coming up to the platform of the Speaker's chair as their names were called The President was seated immediately below the desk his ushers on either side of him Mr Foster & _____. The marshals who were distinguished by bright yellow scarves ornamented with blue rosettes now proceeded to clear a passage down the front aisle for the President & his suite. Mr. Lincoln moved slowly between the ushers towering above his neighbors but with a look of weariness & [[end page]]
March [[underline]]1865[[/underline]]
& sadness upon his face which made me pity him. The [[Secreaty?]] the diplomates & the Judges followed with the members of the House The galleries emptied themselves quickly & a general race was made for the most available places for a sight of the in^[[au]]geration ceremony. Fortune favored us with a comparatively good situation near a window overlooking the platform which had been erected for the purpose on the East portico of the center building we could see the marshals surrounding the President & the top of his head and what was truley worth beholding the mass of human beings crowding the area and park below. Their shouts announcing the appearance of the President upon the platform. Of course we could not hear a word of the Inaugeral we abandoned our position shortly for the portico of the senate wing in [[end page]]
[[start page]] March [[underline]]1865[[/underline]]
which we were in order to have a better view of the crowd. It was almost frightful to witness as the immense mass pushed through a narrow opening to obtain [[strikethrough]]of[[/strikethrough]] a sight of the procession which now commenced to move. Women were bore along fainting carried off their feet by the people about them Two [[pugnacious?]] dames one black the other white were having a regular hand to hand fight with their fists in each others eyes as they were carried on with the stream. Admiral Davis joined us here with his two little girls and after watching for a short time longer the seething multitude below us we went in the opposite end of the portico where we saw a portion of the procession very much bedrabled by the mud which was more than ankle deep the President was seated in an open carriage with his son Tad by his side [[end page]]
[[start page]]
March 1865
and the two ushers in front We then went to the portico of the Library to view the procession as it proceeded down Penn. Av. The military appeared very well from this point of view but the procession was not as a whole very impressive. The sun shown out bright & clear as the pagent proceeded to the white house.
So begins our new Presidential term. May the glorious sunshine of Peace beam on us ere its close We are all very tired after our days excursion. Dr. Gray has gone to the levee at the Presidential mansion.
6th Andy Johnson's miserable speech on Inaugeration day is imputed to his being in a state of intoxication. Sheridan has taken Charlottesville. Hon Hugh McCulloch has been nominated Sec. of Treasury. Went to see Mrs. Douglass yesterday Miss Cameron ^daughter of the former Sec is visiting her. Mrs. D. was looking remarkably [[end page]]
[[start page]]
[[underline]]March[[/underline]] [[underline]]1865[[/underline]]
well and was using some amiable deplomacy to procure an invitation for a young girl who was present to be a member of a party bound for Fortress Monroe and the army.
16th Our party have mad a very pleasant trip to the front. To City Pointe & Fortress Monroe.
April 3rd The war department was hung with flags yesterday and the city in an excited sta[[strikethrough]]g[[/strikethrough]]te generally from the supposition that Gen Grant would in all probability be within the fortifications of Richmond before night. Father & Mr. Patterson who has been with us since Saturday went to the warf for news a number of very badly wounded men had just arrived from Fortress Monroe. One poor fellow had lost both [[strikethrough]]arms[[/strikethrough]] legs and one arm all were very seriously injured. Henry Smith came to call in the evening He was on his way to New Orleans to join he regiment. He had been recruiting his strength at home after an imprisonment [[end page]]
[[underline]]April[[/underline]] [[underline]]1865[[/underline]]
of six months at the South. The description of the treatment he had received could not but excite our indignation. The seemingly systamatic inhuman treatment of those taken in a war is a dark spot upon the escutcheon of the South.
[[7th?]] The paper this morning does not give a very definate idea of the recent battle before Richmond It does not seem to be as important as was supposed. Mr. Patterson has just left us.
11 o'clock. Richmond has fallen no particulars as yet Prof. Baird has just given the news to Father.
1 A. M. Mr. Gill has just [[brought?]] in "The Star" Petersburg is ours Richmond is evacuated and our fo[[strikethrough]]u[[/strikethrough]]rces are in persuit of the enemy. The church bells are ringing and the guns firing in honor of the victory. [[end page]]
[[start page]] [[underline]]1865[[/underline]]
April 5th Went last evening to Mrs. Peale's in order to go with her to view the illumination of the city in honor of the recent victories. We went first to the War Department. It was brilliantly lighted and beautifully draped with flags. While we were admiring it a beautiful [[crimson?]] light was thrown upon the entire scene by some species of fire works. The effect was beautiful in the extreme. This was followed by white light giving the effect of frost work to the [[strikethrough]]the[[/strikethrough]] trees and afterwards by blue which was not as pretty. The Presidents House shown resplendent with candles The Treasury was distinguished by an immense [[strikethrough]]trea[[/strikethrough]] green [[pack?]]. In front of the State Department was a transparency with these words upon "At home union is order and order is peace should Abroad union is strength and strength is peace". The Capitol was adorned with several tier[[end page]]
[[underline]]April[[/underline]] [[underline]]1865[[/underline]]
of lights encircling the dome while the white marble seemed translucent with the innumerable lights below. There was a large transparency in front which we were not near enough to read The effect of the building at a distance was exceedingly fine. The National Observatory was lighted and was much admired. A large mass meeting was collected around the Patent Office The word union in large letters formed of gas jets adorned the front it was brilliantly illuminated as was the Post Office opposite. We were with Mr. Seward and his daughter part of the time. Sec Stanton House was very tastefully adorned a serinade under his windows closed the enjoyment of our evening.
6th Our army is in pursuit of the rapidly retreating forces of Lee in is earnestly to be hoped[[end page]]
[[start page]] [[underline]]April[[/underline]] 1865
that they will be overtaken and the final blow given which may terminate this sanguinary war. The mere taking of Richmond is of comparative small importance if the Southern army remains unconquered.
Mr. Seward was thrown from his carriage about 5 O'clock last evening and lay in a state of insensibility for some time. It was feared his skull was fractured Father called there about 10 O'clock found him much better. His arm is broken.
7th 2. P. M. Lee and his whole army are captured. Guns are firing and the bells are ringing out a merry peal. Poor fellows how hard it must have been to yield. our hearts are heavy for them even while we rejoice most freely in the prospect of peace.
8. P. M. The victory was not as great as supposed but still is sufficiently important to be a subject of great[[end page]]
[[underline]] April [[underline]] [[underline]] 1865 [[underline]]
rejoicing. Gens Ewell, Kershaw, Button, Corse, Custis Lee and several other officers were taken and several thousand prisoners.
Sec. Sewards injuries were not as serious as at first supposed. He is much better to day.
10th We were awakened at 5 o'clock this morning by the usual sounds of victory the firing of guns and the ringing of bells and before we were dressed Father came to our door to tell us Lee and his army had surrendered. The news came at 9 o'clock last night. The correspondence bet. Grant & Lee concerning the negociated surrender was noble and generous on both sides Gen Lee, [[strikethrough]] with [[strikethrough]] his officers and men were all paroled.
Mr. Morgen took tea with us last night and also this evening. The conversation was entirely financial One remark of Father seemed especially to catch the attention of Mr. M. that property must in the next generation pass into an entirely [[end page]]
[[start page]] [[underline]] April [[underline]] [[underline]] 1865 [[underline]]
new set of hands property holders now being obliged to pay the expenses of the war by taxation and also by depreciated currency.
Father illustrated the currency question by supposing several Islands each containing originally the same amount of gold as a circulating medium. Now if upon one of these Islands a certain additional quantity of gold were to descend. The country would [[underline]] apparently [[underline]] be very prosperous. every one would be rich. [[underline]] But [[underline]] the people no longer feeling the need for labor would cease their industrial persuits prices would go up the neighboring Islands would send in their manufactured articles and the products of the ground. Gold would thus go out of the Island and the people enfeebled by indolence and their country injured by want of cultivation would be worse off than before this additional descent of gold which at first promised to be such a
[[underline]] April 1865 [[underline]]
blessing.
Now suppose that the inflation of currency just described was caused by the issue or descent of paper money upon the Island instead of Gold, each paper dollar passing in the Island for a gold dollar. The effect would be exactly as [[strikethrough]] with [[strikethrough]] before described. people would all be rich and cease to labor, the other Islands would send in their manufactures as before but there would be this difference. To the Islander the paper dollar would be just as good as the gold one as long as he traded with his fellow countrymen, but the foreign traders could make use only of the gold as the paper dollar would not be recognized in their own country and so the gold would be drained off leaving the worthless paper. But the Island being apparently rich the [[trading?]] Ilands would trust until some some sudden demand or panic [would reveal to the astonished [[end page]]
[[start page]] [[underline]] April 1865 [[underline]]
people that their riches [[was?]] but paper their prosperity a dream.
^[[x]] Suppose now a third case and that is our own This paper money is made a legal tender and the gold becomes a commodity. As before the country will seems very proserprous and the people rich as long as they trade among themselves but when foreign goods are required the trader finds that the money to purchase them must itself be bought and the expense is so great that trade is checked. The gold is therefore retained in the country or at least does not go out as rapidly as in the preceeding case, but how great are the evils of the inflation Prices must grow higher and higher as the depreciation of the paper money increases. Creditors are paid in a
[[line]]
^[[x]] Such was the great crash of 18[[blank space]] which took place just as Father arrived in Europe and turned his attention to the philosophy of Finance and political economy.
[[underline]] 1865 [[/underline]]
April
currency which defrauds them of half their due. Saleries are found to be worth only a small portion of their former value And the buble although it may for a longer time deceive the people with illusive show of prosperity is only a buble still and must burst at last.
Mr. Morgen said we must expect a hard time for the next ten years We must pay by heavy taxation the expenses of the war.
Financial matters seem to be in a very puzzling state generally should Gold fall suddenly as assuredly it will if not propped up in some way thousands of merchants will be ruined as prices will also fall. Then where is Government to find its income tax. Bankruptcy will threaten the nation and with it millions more of unfortunates who have trusted in its bonds. It is to be hoped Mr. McCollaks brains are of the best material.
[end page]
[start page]
[[underline]] April 1865 [[/underline]]
The Nation has grown so dizzy with ^[[ [the?] height of its] fancied prosperity it needs some very steady hands to guide it.
Some house are illumined to night but it is too rainy Some house are illuminated tonight but it is too rainy for much of a display. I suppose peace will soon visit us now. Mr. Morgen thinks there is no fear of a war with England. Those who have lost property through the Alabama will endeavor of course to obtain remuneration for their losses from England and may embroil us if we are not careful but England will be slow to enter into a contest with us. The Alabama was fitted up in England by the Southerners and preyed upon a large number of our vessels. There is smuch bitter feeling against England on account of the merchant vessels which have run the blockade and supplied the South with ammunition and food. But these could not be urged as a reason for War.
[end page]
[[underline]] 1865 [[/underline]]
April 14th
We are all tired with restoring the House to order after the illumination last evening. We were obliged to attend to our own lights and so did not see the display in the city. Every building was lighted from the Capitol to the smallest retail store and dewelling house and the streets were one compact mass of men woman horses and children mingled together and wild with excitement and confusion Penn. Av. lighted from one end to the other presented a most striking & beautiful appearance. The ruined state of the building did not allow of much display on our part only the dwelling portion was illuminated.
This evening event is the Rugby House to witness a grand torch torch light procession. As it came [[strikethrough]] polilight procession [[/strikethrough]] up 14th St. we had a very fine view of it. Passing under our window the [crowd?] of lights and transparencies collected in front of Sec. Stantons and [[end page]]
[[start page]]
[[underline]] 1865 [[/underline]]
were rewarded by a speech from the Sec and another from someone whom we did not recognize. After cheers for the Union, the President, the Army, the Navy and [[?]] for the brave dead and wounded the patriots moved off to the inspirating air of "Rally Round the Flag Boys."
15th. We were awakened this morning by an announcement which almost made our hearts stand still with consternation. The President was shot last night in the Theater. When the morning paper was issued he was still alive although little or no hopes were entertained of his recovery but now the tolling bells tell us he has ceased to breath. He is dead. Mr. De Bust has just told Hannah he died at 1/2 7 o'clock. Deeply must the country mourn his death for although uncouth & ungainly he was true hearted magnanimous and kind and in the present crisis ready to follow [[strikethrough]] the [[/strikethrough]] such a course with the defeated
[end page]
[[underline]] 1865 [[/underline]]
belligerants as would win them back to their allegiance to the Government and subdue the rebellion in their hearts as well as subjugate their aims. The South has lost in him a good & judicious friend. His successor Johnson heartily desires the death of the leaders of the rebellion & is in every way [ultra?] in his views. I have not given the particulars of the disaster. It was announced in the yesterday's papers that the President with Gen. Grant would be at Ford's Theater in the evening and a large crowd collected there in consequence. Gen Grant however left the city before night for N. Y. Mrs. Lincoln had not been well & the President went to the place of amusement with reluctance not wishing to disappoint the audience. He was received with more than usual applause. About 9 1/2 o'clock a shot was heard which was at first supposed to be from the stage and a man [[end page]]
[[start page]]
[[underline]] 1865 [[/underline]]
leaped from the President's box upon the stage crying "Sic Semper Tyrannis" "I have done it." and making his way to the door mounted a horse & rode off. The shrieks of Madame Lincoln first announced to the petrified audience the catastrophe which had taken place. The President was found to be in a state of insensibility shot twice through the head. He was immediately conveyed to a house opposite the theater followed by Mrs. L. escorted by her friends in an almost frantic condition. At the same time of the accident an attempt was also made upon the life of Sec. Seward. The assasin entered the house upon the plea that he had brought a prescription of Dr. Verdi the physician of the Sec. He pushed passed the servant into the room of the sick man & after disabling the attendants inflicted several sabre wounds in his neck & then made his escape. Sec. Stanton it is said was warned [[end page]]
[[underline]] 1865 [[/underline]]
of the danger and guarded himself against it. The rain is falling heavily and the bells still toll their melancholy tale.
7 P.M. The sad day of excitement is over. The President's body has been embalmed and lies in state at the White House while the frantic grief of Mrs. Lincoln has settled into an apathetic dejection from which it is impossible to arouse her. The President remained unconscious to the last. The members of the Cabinet, Mrs. & Miss Kinney and Miss Harris surrounded his bed. Dr. Gurley was present & afterwards escorted the bereaved widow to her home. At the request of Mrs. Lincoln he communicated the mournful intelligence to poor little Tad who was wandering from group to group of the sorrowing attendees endeavoring vainly to find out what was the matter. His cries when he heard he was fatherless were exceedingly touching. He
[end page]
[start page]
1865
has been the almost constant companion of the President.
Johnson has received the oath of office and seems empressed with the dignity and responsibility of his new office. The assassins have not yet been arrested. but the evidence is conclusive that Booth--a miserable actor and worthless vagrant, a son of the great tragedian, committed the deed. That is the murder of the President the stabbing of Mr. Seward was probably done by an accomplice. Mr. Seward is in a critical position and has not been informed of the death of the President or of the danger of his son who was so much injured by the assassin that very little hope is entertained of his life. The feeling of resentment at the South as instigating in all probability the murder is deep and I fear will entirely replace the feeling of kindness before
[end page]
[[underline]] April 1865 [[/underline]]
entertained for the insurgents. The Southerners if they have countenanced the dreadful deed have fatally mistaken the interests of their cause.
17th The sorrow for the President's death is deep and universal as we went to church yesterday we found all the houses draped with black. In front of the studio of Mr. Baumgrass a large portrait of Mr. Lincoln was suspended surrounded with the marks of morning. The church was so thronged with stranger we with difficulty made our way into the building and after standing for some time were provided with seats in the isle. The pulpit and gallery were dressed in black and the Presidents pew was closed and clothed with the same sad emblem. The Dr. in a short introductory address alluded to the terrible calamity which had befallen the nation and spoke in terms of true affection of the personal qualities of our beloved
[end page]
[start page]
[[underline]] April 1865 [[/underline]]
chief Magistrate. The Assassins have not yet been found. The feeling against the South is exceedingly bitter. Mr. Seward's wounds are not as serious as was at first supposed and he will probably recover. He was informed last night of the death of the President and of the critical condition of his son who still remains in a state of insensibility.
The funeral ceremonies are expected to take place on Wednesday.
18th Have just returned from the Kennedys where I passed the night. I went to see Dr. & Mrs. Gurley yesterday afternoon. The Dr. said he had been called to go to the President about 7 o'clock in the morning. He found him in the house opposite the theater lying insensible upon a bed with the life blood dripping from the wound in his head upon the clothes [[or?]] the floor beneath. The several members of the cabinet & other persons were standing around the deepest sorrow depicted upon their countenances. The Dr. went to the bed
[end page]
April 1865
side but for a while was too much overcome with his feelings to perform the religious services required of him. He went to Mrs. Lincoln and found her in an almost frantic condition. The President died about 7 1/2 o'clock. Dr. Gurley returned to his bedside a few moments before his decease He made his way through the sorrowing & silent spectators & found him slowly drawing his breath at long intervals lying as before perfectly motionless. A faint hardly perceptable motion in his throat and all was over. So still was the room that the ticking of the Presidents watch was distinctly heard. After a solemn & impressive prayer Dr. Gurley went to break the sad intelligence to Mrs. Lincoln who was in the parlor below. She cried out. Oh why did you not tell me he was dying? Robert Lincoln showed great self possession & calmness and did all in his power to comfort his sorrow
[end page]
[start page]
April 1865
stricken mother. Dr. Gurley went with her to the White House. Some of her expressions are exceedingly painful. To day the remains of the good kind man are deposited in the East Room and from an early hour the streets have been thronged with people going to take their last view of him. Sally & Anne Kennedy asked me to go with them but I thought I would rather remember him as I saw him last at the Capitol at the inaugeration. Carry and I are going out again soon we feel too restless to remain at home. Father writes that the feeling of resentment against the Southerners in New York is bitter in the extreme. One man for an expression indicating [want?] of sympathy in the general sorrow was thrown over the railing of a ferry boat & instantly crushed by the wheels. We expect Father tonight. He heard the news shortly after his arrival in New York on Friday night.
[[start page]]
1865
Capt Alexander was here this morning. He says he has no doubt that Booth is concealed in Baltimore It will be very difficult to catch him as being an Actor he is accustomed to assume all disguises. The Capt. is firmly convinced that the assasination and attempted murder of Mr. Seward was a plot to destroy the amicable relations springing up between the North and the South through the humane policy of Mr. Lincoln and by substituting a sterner administration and harsher measures against the rebels with increased bitter feeling to unite the South for further resistance. Seward was Mr. Lincoln's chief supporter in his lenient measures. The city is in such a state of excitement that the slightest-unusual circumstance attracts a crowd immediately. Yesterday afternoon while I was making a call a number of carriages passed the window where I was seated some empty some filled ^driving furiously and the street was ^soon filled with people moving
[end page]
[start page]
1865
eagerly towards N.Y. Av not one of them knowing what was the matter. In a few moments a crowd extending over several squares had collected. After some time it was discovered that two negro women fighting has caused the disturbance. Traces of the assassins have been found and several supposed accomplices in the plot arrested. but great fears are entertained that the murderers will escape. A sense of insecurity pervades the community and guards have been placed around the houses of the most prominent citizens.
19th To day was the funeral of our good kind President. The ceremonies of the White House were conducted by Dr. Gurley Dr. Hall Bishop Simpson and one other clergyman whose name I have forgotten. In the East Room the catafalco was erected in the centre of the apartament graduated ^semicircular platforms [[strikethrough]] semicircular [[strikethrough]] were arranged around this for the accommodation of the [invited?] attendants. The various delegations had each their place assigned
[end page]
[[start page]]
[[underline]] 1865 [[underline]]
Father was invited to take part with the officers of the Smith. Inst. and I went with him to the Treasury building were he obtained for me a position upon one of the porticos to witness the procession. Only four or five ladies were admitted into the East Room. It was a beautiful day and as the people collected at the corners of the streets at the windows & upon the roof of the houses it was difficult to realize we were not preparing for some gala festival instead of the last sad honours to the well beloved dead. The procession left the White House about 2 P.M. We were notified that it had started by the distant booming of guns & the tolling of bells. The sad sweet strains of the funeral march heralded its approach and soon the military escort appeared marching slowly with bent heads & guns reversed. The sad pagent was two hours in passing. The funeral car was heavily draped with black [[plainly?]] showing the coffin which
[end page]
[start page]
1865
was adorned with beautiful flowers. The remains were placed in the Capitol and will be open to the view of the public until Friday morning. They are to be conveyed to Springfield.
[[24th?]] The remains of President Lincoln left the city [[strikethrough]] yest [[strikethrough]] Friday morning. Dr. Gurley has joined the company who escort them. The papers this morning contain a description of the manner in which the cortege has been received. Mrs. Lincoln is quite ill and poor little Tad quite inconsolable. Mercy tempered with a great deal severity is appropriately to be the policy of the new president in dealing with the rebels.
May 10th Since my last entry in my journal the search for and arrest of the various conspirators concerned in the assassination has kept us in a constant state of excitement. Booth the actual perpetrator of the deed was traced to the vacinity of [[blank]] by our detectives. where he had taken refuge with a farmer with one of his accomplices both bearing assumed names. They
[end page]
[[start page]]
1865
May 10
had hidden themselves in the woods the day before their seizure hearing of the approach of our soldiers but had returned at night to sleep in the barn of their host. The cavalry surrounded the barn about daylight & called upon the miscreants surrender. Harold Booth's companion consented to do so but the assassin evinced his determination to resist to the last extremity. The barn was fired & as the flames rose to the roof lighting up every corner of the building his form was distinctly visible to those outside. As he stood in the centre of the floor with his arms folded as the grew hotter he approached the door perhaps with the intention of cutting his way through the guard when one of the soldiers fired upon him and he fell mortally wounded. The shot entered his neck and for several hours he lay in great agony his limbs being paralysed and his breathing extremely difficult. The only intelligible words he said were "Tell my mother I died for my country
[end page]
[start page]
[[underlined]] 1865 [[underlined]]
May 10
I thought I did for the best. He asked to have his hands lifted & when he saw them exclaimed "they are useless now they are useless now."
He seems to have been a reckless enthusiast totally unprincipaled but with a certain kind of fascination which won him friends. The one bright spot in his character appears to have been his love for his mother & sister. A number of persons have been arrested as accomplices in the murder who are now confined in the penitentiary near the arsenal. Jef. Davis Thompson, the former Sec. & other distinguished southerners are accused of instigating the deed and a large price has been placed upon their heads. The trial of the assassins commenced to day The court is not open to the public who awaits with intense interest the results of their examination. Judge Holt is the presiding officer.
The President was interred in Springfield last Thursday.
[end page]
[[start page]]
May 10 1865
Everywhere testamonies of respect and affection greeted the funeral cortege escorting the remains to their last resting place.
The war is virtually at an end one by one the armies of the south are laying down their arms and the Southern citizens once so bitter in their hatred of the North are every where taking the oath of allegiance. According to Gen. Halleck's orders this token of submission is not sufficient for the restoration of officers of the army [strikeout] & [/strikeout] above the rank of colonel or civillians of certain eminence these must make personal application for pardon.
Father went to see the new President last week. He knew him some years ago having sought his acquaintance in order to disabuse his mind of certain prejudices entertained by him in regard to the Smith. Inst. He is residing at present in the Hon. S. Hooper's house. He received
[[end page]]
][start page]]
May 10 1865
Father with cordiality remarking You are looking thinner Prof. than when I saw you last. His demeanor was dignified & modest while the expression of his face was sober almost sad. He is a man of very little culture and when Father knew him before was greatly opposed to all collegate & university education & in his opinion inconsistent with the true principles of democracy. Father had with good effect endeavored to remove such unworthy prejudices.
I called to day upon Mrs. Davis. The Admiral was one of the party which escorted the remains of the Pres. to Springfield. He returned last Sunday. They go to the [[6 St.?]] to reside very soon. Nell has been making a visit on Phil is now in Oxford.
Mrs. Mercer came to ask Father to get a pass for her to return home She came into town for market purposes and found that she could not return no one having been allowed to [strikeout] leave [/strikeout] go beyond the limits of the
[[end page]]
May 10 1865
city without a permit since the assassination. She says Booth was in her store about two weeks before the murder. She remarked that he had very beautiful black glossy hair but did not otherwise observe his appearance. She also said a supper had been prepared for the conspirators at a small tavern not far from her house the night of the murder and a coffin filled with firearms sent there a few days before. She saw the herse with the coffin pass her door and wondered that it was unaccompanied by mourners.
Mother & Carry just in from a shopping expedition. Cotton goods are going up owing to the demand at the South now that the trading ports are open again.
A large mass meeting was held last night and resolutions past to induce the Government to exclude from the Southerners who had left the city for
[end page]
[start page]
May 10 1865
reasonable purposes the right of return. The Capitol at least it was urged should be kept free from the contamination of those who however loyal they might be now in profession had stained their names with treason & rebellion. A number of speeches were made
15th Jef. Davis is taken. He was captured near attempting to escape in his wife's clothing. The trial of the assassins ^[has] continued for three days.
Went to see Mrs. Gurley yesterday who is sick. The Doctor has returned from the sad expedition to Springfield. He was one of the escort of the President's remains. He said the display of grief they encountered every where was very impressive. One little incident he mentioned was touching. Two little girls came to the General in charge with a bunch of violets accompanied by a note from their Mother explaining that the little ones thought it was a pity Mr. Lincoln should have all the flowers they wished theirs to be put upon the
[end page]
[[start page]]
May 16 1865
coffin of little Willie. This was done & the Dr. brought the violets with the note to Mrs. Lincoln.
Gov. Aiken has just been here.
20th Sun. Jef. Davis is at Fortress Monroe. His wife & children are with him. There is to be a grand review of the whole army on Tuesday & Wednesday of this week.
22nd We have been as busy as the busiest sort of bees preparing to receive guests who wish to see the Review.
We have with us Mr. & Mrs. Dickerson & child from New York and Mr. Patterson. son & two daughters from Phil. We expect others tomorrow. The city is thronged with strangers. Com. & Mrs. Shubric were here just before tea with Mr. Walter. Mr. ___ ___ the artist engaged in the fresco painting ^upon the dome of the capitol called in the morning to ask Father for some pictures of electrical machines He wished to introduce one into his decorations. Nell has come home with ^Frank
22 We have witnessed this day a
[end page]
[start page]
May [[underlined]]1865 [[underlined]]
spectacle which we must ever remember the Review of one half of our great army. The Army of the Patomac with Sheridan cavalry. We went at an early hour to the Treasury building to take possession of a room of the Light House Board which had been reserved for us & the other families of the officers of the Board. We made our way with difficulty through the crowded streets. Every window & balcony on the avenue was crowded with spectators. and at the upper end of the street near the Treasury a covered platform had been erected for the accommodation of a certain number of the eager expectants of the procession. Our window commanded an entire view of the broad avenue almost to the steps of the Capitol. From one end of it to the other we could see the advancing columns of the men who had fought bravely & well in the defense of the Union and who [[strikethrough]] [[presently?]] [[/strikethrough]]
[end page]
[[start page]]
would soon be busy again with plough and pruning hook rejoicing in the Peace their hardy hands had won. In the distance the bayonets gleamed ^in the sunlight like a solid sea of silver, then we could distinguish the infantry moving with steady step, the cavalry and the [[strikethrough]] Infantry [[/strikethrough]] artillery. On they came [[strikethrough]] now [[/strikethrough]] in the ^dim distance [[strikethrough]] now in [[/strikethrough]] down the ^long [[strikethrough]] middle of the [[/strikethrough]] avenue [[strikethrough]] now [[/strikethrough]] under our window hour after hour as inexhaustible & unceasing as the flow of a mighty river. The horses prancing & curvetting. The the artillery rumbling heavily regiment after regiment. The regular company being here & there intersperced with a regiment of zouaves their costume resembling the Turkish so much we almost expected to see the c and the crescent. The stars & stripes [[strikethrough]] floated [[/strikethrough]] and the different corps banners floated out in the sun [[strikethrough]] while here and there [[/strikethrough]] beside the batteries battles flags that had been torn & stained in the service of their
[end page]
[start page]
country. Nothing but a shred of some of these were left. Hour after hour the steady stream moved on until upon our wearied senses began to dawn some realization of the immense extent of the army.
Among other pleasant people Robert J. Walker was with us & entertained us with various anecdotes of his late foreign tour. Of his balloon excursion He invited a certain number of gentlemen to dine with him in the air at a certain hour He hired a balloon & the services of a distinguished aeronaut expecting to make the ascension in private but found 100 000 people had collected to see him ascend. He enjoyed his trip greatly and descended without accident. Among other interesting items he said that on some public occasion in Ireland some mention was made of the powers of the Americans & their defeat of the English in the wars of 76 & 1812. Wallis rose to reply
[[start page]]
and turning towards the assembly of beautiful lassies present with their lovely complexions & high eyes he remarked that the reason the British failed in the engagements mentioned was because they did not go to work in the right way if they had sent over a regiment of such fair damsels the Americans would have been unable to resist & would have surrendered at discretion.
Speaking of the great emigration from Ireland he observed that it might be well to unloose Ireland from her mooring and float her alongside [[N.J.?]] since she was coming over to us in detachments.
Our party has been increased by Prof Moffet & son from Princeton & Mr. [[Weichaus?]] who could not find a place to sleep & asked to be taken in. We could only provide him with a sofa Frank has been obliged to
[[end page]]
[[start page]]
1865
put up with the same sort of accommodation while three of us sleep upon the floor We have 11 guests. Our family consisting of 16 not including servants.
[[writing is covered by image of upside down newspaper clipping; but is repeated without the clipping on next page]]
From every bait's temptation!
Ancient of days!
Lead, Lord of lambs, the lowly!
Lead, King of saints, the holy!
Lead, far from sin and folly,
To thee!
Love's fountain, ever brimming!
Way, Word, and Light undimming!
Lifebreath of infants hymming
Their curiosity!
Heaven's breast for nurture pressing,
The Spirit's dews possessing,
Be, Christ, for every blessing
Adored!
Sing, mates, the Son of woman,
Once cradled here as human:
True God -- but not less true man--
The Christ--the Lord!
Ye babes upon the bosom,
Ye youth in manblood's blossom,
Sing Christ, and early choose him,
Our peace!
Sing guilelessly the Giver
Of mercy like a river.
And him, O let us live for
Till life shall cease.
WM. INGRAM CHAS. D. MOORE
INGR
[end page]
[[start page]]
and turning towards the assembly of beautiful lassies present with their lovely complexions & high eyes he remarked that the reason the British failed in the engagements mentioned was because they did not go to work in the right way if they had sent over a regiment of such fair damsels the Americans would have been unable to rest & would have surrendered at discretion.
Speaking of the great emigration from Ireland he observed that it might be well to unloose Ireland from her mooring and float her along side [[N.E.?]] since she was coming over to us in detachments.
Our party has been increased by Prof. Moffet & son from Princeton & Mr. [[Weicharus?]] who could not find a place to sleep & asked to be taken in. We could only provide him with a sofa. Frank has been obliged to
[[end page]]
[[start page]]
1865
put up with the same sort of accommodation while three of us sleep upon the floor We have 11 guests. Our family consists of 16 not including servants. Prof Duffinkel, Mr. Bank with two friends Mrs. T. Cryler & Miss S. Cryler passed the evening we were sorry we had no place to offer them.
24th Having yesterday had a most excellent view of the procession on the avenue we thought we should like to see it more in detail so we went to a stand or covered booth created for the Judges & leaders opposite a similar one devoted to the use of the President and cabinet with the reviewing officers. Some of our party obtained seats in the latter but I was one of the fortunate individuals to be immediately in front of the dignatarys. Sherman Corps was reviewed & 60,000 men passed before us. The view was not as impressive as yesterday but
[[end page]]
HYMN TO CHRIST. ---
ATTRIBUTED TO CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA. ---
[Transcribed by "D" for the London Congregational Magazine."] ---
Oh Thou, the wild will's tamer!
The wand'ring wing's reclaimer!
Our seaward pathway's framer, Hear praise!
Shepherd, that goest before us!
Guardian that watchest o'er us!
Receive our hymned chorus-- Our simple lays!
Thee, o'er thy saints who reignest,
Thy foes too who restrainest,
Who wisdom downward rainiest, We laud!
Thou lightenest toil's condition,
Sin finds in thee remission,
Thou only soul's physician! Our Saviour God!
The heart's wide waste thou tillest!
Our bark to guide thou skillest!
Thou checkest as thou willest Our ways!
Wing, for our sustentation!
Net, for our reclamation!
From every bait's temptation! Ancient of days!
Lead, Lord of lambs, the lowly!
Lead, King of saints, the holy!
Lead, far from sin and folly, To thee!
Love's fountain, ever brimming!
Way, Word, and Light undimming!
Lifebreath of infants hymning Their choristry!
Heaven's breast for nurture pressing,
The Spirit's dews possessing,
Be, Christ, for every blessing Adored!
Sing, mates, the Son of woman,
Once cradled here as human:
True God--but not less true man-- The Christ--the Lord!
Ye babes upon the bosom,
Ye youth in manhood's blossom,
Sing Christ, and early choose him, Our peace!
Sing guilelessly the Giver
Of mercy like a river.
And him, O let us live for Till life shall ceas[page torn]
WM. Ingram Chas. D. Moore
INGRAM & MOORE
Wholesale and Retail
TEA DEALERS
No. 43 South Second Street, Above Chestnut, Phil'a.
Are prepared to supply their Friends, and the Public generally, with CHOICE PURE FRESH
Black and Green Teas,
And Green and Fresh Roasted
Coffee of Superior Qualities
[[image of hand pointing right]] At the Lowest Cash Prices [[image of hand pointing left]]
OOLONG-Delicious New Crop Oolong Teas, delicate flavour of various grades, from 50 cents to $1.25. Our friends, who are fond of a cup of Good Black Tea, cannot fail to be suited in this article.
POWCHONG TEAS in 1/4, 1/3, and 1/2 Pound Papers. Also, Chulan and Fontai Chulan, in half pound papers.
ENGLISH BREAKFAST SOUCHONG-A very choice selection of this dark drawing, heavy bodied Tea, a favourite with many lovers of good Tea.
ANKOI AND CONGOU TEAS, from thirty-five cents upwards.
GREEN TEAS-Of various grades; Fine Hyson, Young Hyson, Gunpowder, Imperial, Twankay, &c., &c. New Crop and fine flavoured.
BRITISH PLANTATION, and other Coffees, Fresh Roasted.
[[image of hand pointing right]] Call and See Us [[image of hand pointing left]]
INGRAM & MOORE,
(American Bank Tea Warehouse)
No. 43 SOUTH SECOND STREET, BELOW MARKET, PHILADELPHIA.
[[image of hand pointing right]] Orders sent through Dispatch will be promptly attended to. Goods delivered to all parts of the City, free of charge. may 9-18t(page cut off)
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FAMILY GROCERIES.
_____
The Subscribers invite the attention of Families to their very complete and varied assortment of Choice FAMILY GROCERIES--consisting, in part, of the usual New Fruits for the Season, as RAISINS, CURRANTS, CITRONS, &c. TEAS, COFFEE, SPICES, HAMS.
CANNED FRUITS and MEATS, for the Army and Navy.
The choicest Wines and Brandies for the sick and convalescent. Imported Ale, Porter, and Stout, &c., &c. SIMON COLTON & SON
South-west Corner Broad and Walnut Sts., Phil'a. may 16---1y
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THOMPSON BLACK & SON's
TEA WAREHOUSE
AND
FAMILY GROCERY STORE,
North-West Corner of
BROAD AND CHESTNUT STREETS, PHIL'A.
Established 1836.
[cut off]extensive Assortment of Choice Black and
[cut off]and every variety of Fine Groceries
[cut off]mily Use.
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May 24 1865
We could see the men & their officers better - The two booths I have mentioned were stationed on opposite sides of the avenue immediately in front of the Pres. House. The field officers alone salute the President & other senior officers who all arose when a Brigadier General appeared. The horses of the officers were adorned with flowers & stepped as proudly as if they were conscious of the magnitude of the occasion. As each regiment appeared the band turned off [[?]] in front of us and played until the entire regiment had passed when they fell into line again. The Generals in command of division left the procession [[strikeout]] [[as?]] [[strikeout]]when the division had passed & took their places upon the Presidential stand where they were received with welcome & congratulation from the Cabinet & their fellow officers. Our new President [[end page]]
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[[underline]] May [[underline]] 24 [[underline]] 1865 [[underline]] has a somewhat sharply cut face but at a distance in my short sighted eyes resembled Douglass. He returned the salutes of the officers with dignity & gentlemanly bearing. The gaily ornamented booths with a division of the dignitaries in the center & either wing filled with gaily dressed ladies presented a very pretty appearance. The horses of the military commanders however seemed generally to disapprove them & gave their riders a fine opportunity of displaying their horsemanship. Whenever a gap occurred in the procession the crowd would rush forward in [[front?]] of the President stand & call out the different dignitaries to be driven back by the mounted guard as the soldiers again appeared. The battle torn flags always excited the enthusiasm of the populace and several officers who passed without
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arms were vociferously cheered. Gen Sherman stood all the time his troops were passing with Mrs. Sherman by his side in the front seat of the Pres stand.
A number of contrabands mules & wagons laden with box & bags chicken & [[kitchen utensell?]] after each driver gave us some idea of the [[supplement?]] if [[ea?]] call [[?]] of an army. We came home about 4 o'clock having in the days reviewed 135,000 men. So ends our four years war. We were told that as many men had perished & more [[?]] than remained [[?]] but [[?]] although we mourn the dead we must rejoice that the great question of slavery which has again & again threatened our destruction is settled at last and our Union established upon a firm & [[soe?]] hope enduring foundation [[end page]]
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May 25 1865
Thursday - Mr. Patterson and party left this morning. Mrs. [[Dickerson?]] at the dinner table asked Father what he thought of the Darwinian development theory. Father said he would not say he believed or disbelieved there was much to be said in favor of the theory as well as that of a separate creation of Man. I strongly held by Agassiz. Mrs. D. seemed to fear that the truth of the Bible was assailed. Father said that the Bible was not intended to teach science in this case however Nature & Creation were not in conflict as it is [[not?]] said [[underline]] how [[underline]] man was created. Father said it was easy to see how different races might have originated. The ^[[higher?]] marriage of individuals with certain peculiarities shortness of stature large hands feet &c continued[[through?]] several generation would determine a race. Or certain climate might be favorable to certain peculiarities & others unfavorable thus supposing an equal number
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of tall and short people to settle both North & South. Supposing the climate of the North more favorable to the tall than the short the latter would in time die out leaving a race of comparative giants. Supposing on the contrary the climate of the South more suited to the short of stature these would live & the tall disappear leaving a race of dwarf such as [[Bosfurman?]]
26. Friday. It has been raining fast all day but in spite of the inclemency we went to Arlington & Alexandria. The lawn not far from the house at Arlington has been converted into a cemetary and as far as we could see the white headboards stretched away in regular succession neat walk had been made It was peaceful quiet place to rest in.
At night Father gave us one little incident of his boy hood which interested us. He said [[end page]]
[[start page]] 1865
that a certain man in the village where he lived with his grandmother, It was a shoemaker I believe, annoyed him greatly by passing his hand roughly over his face bending up his nose in the process & causing him considerable pain. He was a slight delicate boy but determined to discover some means of self defence. He at length hit upon the following expediant his first [[strikethrough]] [[fir?]] [[/strikethrough]] experiment as he says in practical mechanics. At the approach of his tormentor he threw himself upon the ground and as the man stooped over him to seize him he [[strikethrough]] threw [[/strikethrough]] caught hold of ancles and placing his feet in his stomach with one dexterous kick sent him over backwards. He tried the same experiment ^several times upon some young men who were in the habit of teasing him with the same success and greatly to the amusement and admiration of
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[[underline]] May [[underline]] [[underline]] 1865 [[underline]]
of the bystanders. He mentioned during the conversation that his first ambition was to be a chimney sweeper. He had watched a certain individual somewhat his senior ascend his grandmother's chimney and was inspired with the greatest admiration for the calling There was a small space between his grandmother's house & that of the next neighbor and his clothes suffered greatly in consequence of his efforts to ascend between the two walls chimney sweep fashion.
27. Went to the Patent Office with Mrs. Dickerson The large room on the North Side is nearly completed. Mrs. D. was very much pleased with the pompous style of the first exhibition hall I have not made up my mind whether I like it.
29. Monday. The Sunday School celebration for the year. The children were addressed by the [[end page]]
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[[underline]] May [[underline]] [[underline]] 1865 [[underline]]
President in Lafayette Square. He called them his little sons & daughters & among other things said that each little boy was a candidate for the Presidency & each little girl might be a President's lady so they should cultivate minds & morals so as to be prepared for any position. Mr. Welling & Alfred [[strikethrough]] 28th [[strikethrough]] Woodhul here in the evening. Mr. W. has returned from a second expedition from Richmond bringing away his daughter She is a great favorite of General Lee who said to her at parting Be careful what you say do nothing to excite the censure of your North friends or their bitter feeling. You will hear much that will wound you but guard your lips truly don't forget us. The southern feeling at Richmond has grown more sullen & defiant since the recent proceeding against them. The trial of the Assassins still continues. Gen
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May [[underline]] 1865 [[underline]]
Hunter presides It is conducted with very little justice or discretion. I fear it will a disgrace to us.
30th Tuesday. The Dickersons left us this morning. We have enjoyed their visit greatly.
June 1st Mr. _____ [[Peace?]] last night said President Johnson did not approve of the course persued in the trial of the Assassins. Was greatly displeased at Holt & Stanton who he said had deceived him in regard to the evidence concerning the participation of Jeff Davis in the murder and caused him to issue prematurely the proclamation setting a price upon his head.
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1866.
Jan 1st. The new year has commenced with clouds and rain. We have had fewer calls than usual on account of the weather. Father did not start on his round of visits until quite late.
Jan. 2nd The weather still cloudy & rainy. England seems to approve the Presidents message. Some more callers for the N. Year tonight.
Jan. 3rd The sun deigned to shine upon us to day so we started out to pay our respects to the Ladies of the Cabinet. Mrs. Wells was not receiving in person but her place was supplied by her neice & a lady friend who entertained us agreeably. Mrs. McCall is a portly lady not very refined in appearance but unassuming and good natured Mrs. Speed the wife of the Attorney general is a matronly kind individual who gave us a very pleasant welcome. Mrs. Harland pleased us least she was assisted in her duties as hostess by her daughter and a very pretty young girl from
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1866
New York. Mrs. Dennison did not receive. We made several other calls and have returned fatigued with our expedition. Mr. Brown a young man who has come to the Dist. to prosicute his studies has just left us.
Jan. 5th. Called yesterday upon the Senator's wives. To day went to see Lady [[Elmer?]], neice of the English minister. She is a lady of medium height with bright dark eyes & pleasing expression but somewhat nervous manner. We had no opportunity of converse with her as there were several people already with her & as all her guests were seated she could talk only with those nearest to her. It would have been better if she had received standing as is the ordinary mode. Carry & I enjoyed conversing with our neighbours & soon left. We made a number of other calls, but not as many as we wished as it is very cold.
19th. Since the last entry in my journal very improperly so called, we have done little else than make & receive calls. [[end page]]
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Jan. [[underline]] 1866 [[underline]]
19 this [[strikethrough]] morning [[strikethrough]] was our reception day we have passed a very pleasant morning. Among the very ^[[agreeable]] [[strikethrough]] pleasant [[strikethrough]] people who honoured us was Mrs. Patterson a very lovely lady whose husband is a gentleman of fortune residing here. The symplicity yet elegance of her manners was very charming. We were all delighted with her She was accompanied by a long trained young lady who discoursed largely about her grand acquaintances in New York leading us thereby to accuse her slightly of snobishness. Her long train I am sorry to say was slightly damaged in making her exit. After they left Madame de [[Lemobrey?]] came in it was pleasant to see an old familiar face we are obliged to form so many new acquaintances. She was exceedingly agreeable & was joined by Col. & Mrs. Bliss & a young lady friend. Col. Bliss is the step son of Bancroft and is exceedingly fine looking his wife is very delicate in appearance. They had hardly left before Gen. & Mrs. Dyer made their appearance. Gen Dyer was exceeding kind at the
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Jan.
time of the fire. I must not forget to mention the visit of Mrs. Stockton wife of Senator S. formerly Minister to Rome. She is a magnificent woman and entered the room with a grand display of silk & velvet. Rather rotund in person she has brilliant complexion large dark eyes & with her sparkling wit is very facinating She was followed by a tall lady of pleasant appearance whose name I have forgotten, and almost hidden by the hoops of the grand dames & a youth of careful attire & tenderly twisted mustach bowed himself into the room. Mrs. Stockton devoted herself to Father Mother entertained the other lady while the youth fell to my share. The party left as they entered in grand style leaving with us an invitation for a matinee on Wednesday at Mrs. Stockton's. Hetty Hodge was here among the first. She has not yet become accustomed to the [[disipation?]] of [[end page]]
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Jan
a Washington winter & is very doubtful about her liking for it. The pleasantest face of all our visitors to me was that of Miss Hooper. It is full of sensibility & sweetness I should like to have her for a friend. We had 28 ^[[calls]] in all
Prof MacClean has been with us for several days & left us this morning. He went last night with Father to the reception at Sec. McCullohs.
The Bill establishing negro suffrage in the district passed to the House to day greatly to the indignation of all residents therein. What a fine influx of the dusky race we shall have if the National Capitol is thus made a negro Ethiopia.
Grace Patterson is with us. Elle left us last Saturday after a short visit in company with young Mr & Mrs. P. We detained Grace.
20th. A visit from Mrs. Allen sister in Law of Mr. Foster the vice President & her daughter. The latter intelligent & pretty. Father & I went over the building with them They were pleased with the extent of it & surprised when Father told them that all the important operations
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of the Inst. could be carried on between the four walls of his little office and that the rest of the building was only a clog on its usefulness. The wind blowing & the night cold but Father went to the club as usual.
22nd. Monday. 10 1/2 P.M. Yesterday was our Communion Season. It was pleasant to be present a united family at the sacred feast but brought back the painful longing for our dear Will. He may have been with us though we know it not. In the evening read aloud to Father from Nature & the Supernatural, by Horace Bushnell. Mr. Bushnell used the word vital forces instead of vital [[underline]] principle [[underline]] ^to which Father objected The vital principle he contends is not a force but a controller of the forces of Nature. He read to us an extract from one of his own essays upon force, its accumulation &c. It was written more than 20 years ago & was first read before the ^American Academy at one of its sessions. It seemed to me very beautiful. Among [[strikethrough]] 2 [[/strikethrough]] other things he said that in order to raise ^[[strikethrough]] organis [[/strikethrough]] matter to a higher organization a certain [[end page]]
[[start page]] Jan. [[underline]] 1866 [[/underline]]
part of said matter must [[run?]] down to a lower condition in order to produce said elevation thus in the potato ^[[plant]] a portion of the potato [[strikethrough]] is employed [[/strikethrough]] that is of the starch &c contained within it is expended in [[forming?]] the materials for the plant & a portion also to supply the power for its formation so - that if a ^[[strikethrough]] potato [[/strikethrough]] plant were to grow in the dark [[strikethrough]] a pa [[/strikethrough]] it would be found it weighed lighter than the potato from wh. it sprung. We had a long & intensely interesting conversation upon Nature & the Supernatural. I wish I had time to record it all to night He closed by saying there was enough in this world to make us humble and trustful that the unknowable was greater than the known. That nothing could be more certain to him except his own existance than the presence of the Creator - God in the Universe the existance of an all powerful mind controlling all things similar to our own & the best evidence to him that the Bible was what it claimed to be was it adaptbility to the wants of human nature.
[[strikethrough]] 23rd [[strikethrough]] Father and Mr. Patterson who arrived
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Jan. 24.
in the evening train gone to Willards. Before breakfast. - Last evening Dr. Torrey Dr. Barnard, Dr & Mrs Gould arrived They came to attend the meeting of the Academy which opens this morning. Three of the gentlemen went to the President's Soiree. Dr. Barnard amused us with his description of some of the Ladies dresses. Uncle has not yet arrived we are afraid he is not coming. A party at Mrs. Freeman Clarks ^[[one also at the Pres?]]
25th Receptions at Mrs. McCullochs & Mrs. Morgans. Our party has been pleasantly increased by the arrival of Prof. Witney of New Haven.
26th This is our reception day but I left Mother Nell & Carry to enterain our guests and went with Mrs. Gould to visit the Presidents family. There were very few persons in the room as we entered. Mrs. Patterson and her sister received standing in the [[centre?]] of the room They have not yet become enough accustomed to their position to feel at ease [[end page]]
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1866
[[but?]] have improved since last summer we saw them before we went away. Mrs. P. is a delicate modest woman and quite unassuming. We went to the green house wh. is in admirable order & thence to the meeting of the Academy to hear a eulogy pronounced by Dr. Gould upon Mr. Gillis. It was well written although the praise of our dear deceased friend was somewhat too strong. A large party at Mrs. Riggs.
27th A busy day. Two matinees, one at Mrs. Sprague's we did not remain long there but after saluting the lady of the house & looking for a short time at the dansers proceeded to the house of Mrs. Williams formerly Mrs Douglass. First calling upon Mrs. Grant. Gen & Mrs Grant occupy one of the large houses near Mrs. Douglass & were both receiving The General's face expresses strong determination of character but no great amiability. Mrs. G. is cross eyed & extremely
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plain. We remained but a few moments & then went to ^[[see]] the Bride. We found her receiving her guests with her usual affability but hardly looking as well as usual her white silk dress was not becoming. A ^[[large?]] number of persons were present & some grave looking gentl. & equally solemn looking ladies were were waltzing in an adjoining room. down stairs we found an[[strikethrough]] d [[/strikethrough]] elegant collasion of wh. we partook with great satisfaction Mr. Williams Col. I believe I should call him as a tall rather fine looking man and is said to have attracted the fair widow at first by his indifference to her charms Such singularity excited her interest and she asked to be presented The consequence was a mutual liking which in less than two weeks was consecrated by the marriage vow. She seemed very happy. Passed [[an?]] hour or more there very pleasantly. At dinner [[strikethrough]] [[h?]] [[/strikethrough]] a very interesting discussion [[?]] [[end page]]
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[[underline] 1866
Jan [/underline]
the Darwinian question of the development theory. Father was inclined to believe in it to [[underline]] a certain extent [[/underline]] as it explained so very many natural fenomena but Dr. Barnard denounced it entirely as leading to Pantheism & Infidelity. A party in the evening at Dr. Parker's, also one at Mrs. Dalgreen's wh. we did not attend.
28th Went to church in the morning Dr Lorrey gave us some interesting information in regard to his California trip.
29th Large parties at Mrs. Sherman's & Gen Grant's both crowded to excess I did not go. Carry was especially pleased at the kind inquiry of Gen. Sherman about Father. He said he had seen him the day before & that he was something to see.
30th Went with Mrs. Gould to the Capitol We ascended the dome & saw the new frescoes. Distance however we found in this as well as many other cases greatly lent enchantment to the view. The figures are of course enormous in their proportions
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and the immense extent of mouth & eyes was ludicrous in the extreme when seen near by. We went into the Senate & heard Mr. Trumbull in a speech up the amendment of the constitution. went also to the house & visited some of the Committee rooms. Went to Mrs. Harris' reception in the evening was introduced to Gen. Thomas & other military dignitaries. Spoke to Sec. Wells went from there to Mrs. Gen. Sherman's & saw Gen Meade there his likeness are exceedingly good.
31st Calls all day too tired to go out at night.
Feb 1st Calls all the morning. Two parties tonight but Carry is too tired to go.
March 17th The gay season is over & we have been greatly enjoying the quiet of Lent wh. has only been interrupted by two or three soirées at the French ministers & the Presidents weekly [[levees?]]. I have not mingled as much as my neighbors in the festivities of the winter but our
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household has constantly been represented by the numerous guests who have been with us. The grandest affair of the season however was honoured by my presence viz. a ball at the French Ministers. The house occupied by the representative of the French is the one formally owned by Mr. Corcoran. The painting gallery was devoted to the dancers who continued the German until nearly eight-o'clock in the morning. For the last two or three weeks we have been enjoying a visit from Frank Mary & the baby. The latter small individual completely rules the household. Mrs. Hursey called this morning to ask us to dine at Gen. Hunters on [[strikethrough]] Tuesday [[/strikethrough]] ^ [[Monday]]. Alfred Woodhul passed the evening with us.
19th Monday. Frank preached for us yesterday. Father was very much pleased with his sermon & thought that with a little touching up it would be admirable. Dined with Mrs. Hunter. The General was away from home but Mrs. H. & her neice entertained us very agreeably. Mrs. H. reminds me somewhat of Mrs. Bill in her appearance & conversation
[[underlined]] 1866 [[/underlined]]
[[underlined]] March [[/underlined]]
a game of croquet in the evening with Jack Gillis & Dr. Tryon.
20th Went to the Senate with Frank nothing of much interest going on Mrs. John Stockton in the gallery her husband's seat is to be contested tomorrow. Mr. Stockton came across the gallery to speak to me & was very agreeable. In the house one of the members was making himself exceedingly ridiculous by abusing Mr. Greeley for some attack upon him. Something of more interest came up before we left in regard to the taxation of Green Backs. Everything concerning the currency is interesting now since a return to specie payments is a matter requiring very delicate management. We are mounted on stilts & must be let down gently or we may cry for broken bones. Sec. McCulloh seems well able to manage the difficult question if Congress will only allow him sufficient power & freedom of action. The loan bill by wh. he wishs to purchase the
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Greenback floating currency & sell instead ^[[interest bearing]] bonds to be paid at some distant date say fifty years or more I am afraid will not be passed or will be so restricted & altered that the end desired will not be accomplished. Thades Stevens is so fond of the paper money that he desires to retain it indefinately. Sec. McCullah was violently attacked in the Intelligencer last week by Comtroller Clark who endeavoured to show a great discrepancy between the Sec. Treasury accounts & the actual amount of money in the Treasury. Mr. Clark in his mode of calculation & has done himself great injury. His wife was in the Senate & House this morning & greeted me in her usual kind sweet way.
Gen. Custer passed the evening with us. He is a fair haired blue eyed man with a fine broad forehead. The last time I saw him was flying ^[[past]] like the wind on the day of the great review his horse having run away with him.
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[[underlined]] March [[/underlined]] 21st Part of the family dined at Mrs. Hodge's. Father & Mother went there in the evening have had a head ache all day Frank says his conversation is too intellectual for me. The Wilkes were here in the morning. Mr. Beaman & Mr. Alexander ^[[spent the evening with us]]
22nd Mr. John Stockton seat contested today. Frank Mary & the baby left at 4 o'clock. Lottie remains with us a little longer [[strikethrough]] Mr. Beaman & Mr. Alexander spent the eve. with us [[/strikethrough]] Played croquet. Father read Schiller aloud to me. Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton's translation liked the Diver very much. Went to teacher's meeting in the early part of the evening.
23rd. Friday. Mrs. Sen. Chandler here in the morning. Miss Lizzy Salomons took dinner & remains all night. Father much amused with a piece of poetry a criticism upon an article entitled [[underlined]] "mind & matter." [[/underlined]] Read Schiller again until late. Raining fast. We miss baby terribly. Even
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Father yielded to her sway & employed a part of Sunday afternoon with Mother as assistant playing hide & seek with her in the museum.
24th Saturday. We were surprised to see the sun shining this morning after last night's storm. Capricious April seems in haste to succeed blustering March. Miss Lizzy left us about ten I walked to the avenue with her & we were both tempted into some of the stores by the array of new goods on the doors & windows. We were happy to learn prices are coming down. Father has a meeting of the Regents tonight who have finished with business matters & are now discussing oysters & chicken salad in the next room.
25. Sunday. A sermon from Dr. Gurley in the morning. Did not go to church in the evening. Father read aloud our favourite
26th. Monday. A large crowd in the Senate today in anticipation of a Presidential veto of the civil rights bill. Senator Foote is very ill.
[[underlined]] 1866 [[/underlined]]
March
27th Tuesday. The case of our New Jersey Senator was considered in the Senate today. That August body deciding he was not entitled to his seat. He was not treated with much courtesy as he petitioned for a few days delay but was denied. The message of the President restoring the civil rights bill, was read.
28th Senator Foote's death was announced in the senate today. He was one of the oldest members of the Senate & an influential conservative his loss will be greatly felt. The Senate adjourned until Monday.
31st Mr. Stockton called with his relative Mr. [[Ponlairs?]]. He seemed cheerful in spite of his congressional defeat. Mrs. Stockton will be greatly disappointed as she enjoyed her winter greatly and is well fitted for the society duties of Washington. Mr. P. was looking well. He had suffered much pecuniously during the war but said he enjoyed as much happiness in his present small plank house had he had ever experienced in his former elegant mansion. Mr. S.
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seemed to think the opposition in the Senate to his holding his seat was due to the desire of the radicals to get rid of his conservative vote in their purposed effort to carry the civil rights bill, over the president's veto. Miss [[Terry?]] & Alfred here in the evening to tell Lottie they were going on Monday
April 1st A merry evening although not exactly sabbatical. Went to Trinity Church. Col. Yates & Jack Gilles accompanied us. We were entertained first by a wedding, the marriage of an adopted daughter of Mrs. Schoolcraft. Father had been invited to give away the bride, & has been in a strait for several days between his kindly feeling to Mrs. S. & his exceeding dislike to the part assigned him. He at last compromised with Mrs. S. and was allowed to accompany the bridal party without taking any active part in the ceremony. The church was thronged with a large audience [[strikethrough]] to [[/strikethrough]] which had assembled to listen to the opera singers Hableman & Johansen whose music was exceedingly delightful but hardly in keeping with
[[underlined]] April [[/underlined]] [[underlined]] 1866 [[/underlined]]
the sacredness of the occasion. The sermon from the rector was a most remarkable speculation as to the future of our [[underlined]] bodies [[/underlined]] and filled Father with pity, all the way home that [[strikethrough]] that [[/strikethrough]] the man should have made such a goose of himself.
2nd [[underlined]] Monday [[/underlined]] Lottie & Miss VanAntwerp left this morning in company with Miss Terry & Alfred we went with them to the depot & saw them off & ^[[then went to the French minister's matinee]] The Wilkes here this evening to play croquet with the Delafields. our gentleman corps consisted of Mr. Welling, Col. Yates, Dr. [[Pancrast?]], Dr. Tryon, Mr. Gillis, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Beaman.
3rd [[underlined]] Tuesday [[/underlined]] A quiet day and evening alone. The first almost this winter pleasing for its variety.
4th [[underlined]] Wednesday [[/underlined]] Miss Finney with Miss Cogswell & her brother from New Brunswick passed the eve. with us. Miss F. said her uncle Sen. Dickson who has been dangerously ill intended even at the risk of his health to be carried to the Senate in order to vote upon
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the civil rights bill. every conservative vote is of the utmost importance. The bill with its numerous clauses is calculated to increase rather than diminish the feeling of hostility between the northerners & southerners and the hatred of the negro. It is earnestly to be hoped that it may be defeated. The bravery of the President in his opposition to congress where he thinks the interests of the country are concerned is truly admirable. It is intimated that he may be impeached for disloyalty by the radicals but he may play Cromwell upon them & arrest before he is arrested.
5th Thursday. Meeting of N. B.'s home. Discussion of the civil rights bill in the senate. Speech by Mr. Trumbull. Meeting of Sunday school teachers in evening.
6th [[underlined]] Friday [[/underlined]]. Father left at half past ten A. M. for New York. Great excitement in the senate to day. The vote upon the veto to be taken. Miss Dayton Miss Johnson Dr. [[Pancrast?]] & Dr. Woodhue passed the eve with us.
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April 7th Saturday. The Presidents veto has been annulled & the Radicals are triumphant. The civil rights bill passed the Senate yesterday. The excitement in the galleries was intense when Sen. Morgen gave his vote for the bill, he was cheered & many of the senators went to shake him by the hand. Sen. Dickson was not present. This is a cold rainy day after the warm spring air of yesterday. The house seems as dismal as possible without Father.
April 9th Monday. ^[[11 AM]] Yesterday was stormy but Henry drove Carry & I to Sunday School. Missionary meeting in the afternoon an address from Rev. W. E. Dodge. Mr. Freeman Clark was present & was called upon for an address but asked to be excused. Church in the evening. Saw Mr. & Mrs. Foster. The latter came back to me ^[[after leaving very kindly]] to inquire how I was provided for in the way of escort home.
Dr. Gurley gave us two good sermons. This is a bright beautiful morning after yesterday's rain. Sturdy little Princeton has fired a political gun in the form of a set of resolutions expressing
[[sidenote]] The loan bill passed the Senate. [[/sidenote]]
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the opinion of the citizens in favor of the representation of the Southern states in Congress. Their approval of the President's veto of the civil rights bill & their strong disapprobation of the treatment of Sen. Stockton in wh. Beaton warmly joins.
10th The civil rights bill vetoed by the President passed the House yesterday by a large majority. Its tendency is to increase the estrangement [[bet?]] the North & South and also the hatred of [[strikethrough]] its [[/strikethrough]] the negro. By one of its enactments a premium is offered to anyone giving information against any citizen found abusing the negro, the delinquents to be tried by [[underline]] military [[/underline]] not civil authority. This offer of a bribe for the information required will probably lead as during the war to numberless fake accusations & many ^[[innocent]] persons be arrested through the avaricious spirit or malice of their accusers. As for military trials it is quite time that martial law should be abolished since peace has been declared.
Two letters from Father. He says
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Dr. Bache is in a very sad condition but knew him & seemed for some time greatly to enjoy his conversation. He was seized with paroxysms of distress which could only be quieted by anodines & in which he called out so loudly that be heard to a great distance. He cried out with cursing in one of these when Father was there. "Oh I am so miserable." It is deeply trying to Father to see him in such a condition.
11th Went to Mrs. Gurley's to take care of little Emma while Mother & Mrs. G. went shopping. Mother & I passed the evening with Mrs. Peale who gave us an entertainment of ice cream & cake.
12th A letter from Father.. no further particulars concerning Dr. Bache. Carry & I took tea with Susie Hodge. I employed myself in trimming Susie hat. Major Penrose & a friend of his came in. We had a sweet little note yesterday from Lottie giving us the pleasant intelligence that Harriet had united with the church last Sunday. 39 others took upon themselves the same vows so that it was a very solemn
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[[underline]] April [[/underline]][[underline]] 1866 [[/underline]]
occasion I feel like giving thanks for the 39 as well as for Harriet for each one must have some relatives who are rejoicing now for them as we are for her. Lottie came the Communion before so that nearly all withwhom we are closely connected are now committed by a tie wh. even [[underline]] death [[/underline]] cannot sever.
This is a bright beautiful morning it is growing warm again. An interesting little item in the Year Book of facts concerning the use of glycerine instead of water for [[making?]] modeling clay.
13th A letter ^ [[from]] Father. Dr. Bache no better, will probably not last long. Father deeply engaged in testing oil. Had not yet seen friends considering duty should come before friendship or ceremony. Mr. Beaman passed the evening with us.
14th This day one year ago the President lay dead at the hands of an assassin. The public buildings are all closed in commemoration of the sad event. We may still mourn the good man departed but his mantle has fallen upon one who seems well able to guide the ship of State through
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[[start page]]
April [[underline]] 1866 [[/underline]]
the turbulent political billows wh. even now when we ought to expect a calm still threaten to destroy her. Another letter from Father, he may be home to night.
16th Father arrived at six o'clock yesterday morning. We left him making up for lost time in the way of sleep when we went to Sunday School. Dr. Gurley preached. In the evening Judge Hare came in. In the course of the conversation at the tea table Judge Hare remarked that from the tendency of all creation to seek an equilibrium the [[underline]] "[[men?]] down" [[/underline]] as Father calls it. All things would come to a dead level, all organisms cease to exist were it not for a sustaining as well as a creating power. If a world could ^[[be]] created without a God it could not possibly continue in existance without one. An argument for the ex^[[is]]tance of the Deity he had not met with. Father said that his belief in God was inducted. Nothing was more plain to him than the fact of his own existance, of the thinking living principal within
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[[underline]] April [[/underline]][[underline]] 1866 [[/underline]]
called a soul. "I think therefore I am" reasoning from analogy he must suppose that those around him were equally endowed & finding in Nature evidences of mind of rational thought similar to his own he could no more doubt the existence of a supreme controlling intelligence than his own.
23rd Prof. Hosford is with us. He came yesterday morning.
27th Dr. Woolsey President of Yale arrived this morning. He is not at all striking in appearance and [[strikethrough]] a [[/strikethrough]] his bearing indicates almost too much humility.
28th Went to call on Mrs. Admiral Farragut also upon Mrs. Stockton. Mr. Welling and Dr. Gurley came to dinner. Miss Dix also was here. She has resumed her visitations of the insane hospitals and is looking better in health and spirits since she has gone back to her old duties. We had a pleasand Dinner. Some communications from Miss Dix & Dr. Woolsey causing us some merriment Dr. W. does not
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[[underline]] April [[/underline]]
talk much but what he says is very interesting. His eyes are keen & penetrating and his smile peculiarly winning. Mr. Welling expects to leave in a week for Europe to be gone about six months. Just before dinner we had a call from Mrs. Rev. Johnson and her daughters. After dinner we had a game of croquet. Mr. Beaman and the Marquis de [[Shonbrun?]] joining us. Dr. W. also took part in the game. The Marquis is very agreeable and intelligent. He has come to our country to study its political economy. I met him a number of times in society last winter. Our pleasant day closed with a visit to Mr. Bierstadt's picture of Mount Hood. Mr. Gillis & ^[[Dr. Tryon]] came for us about 8 o'clock.
29th Sermon from Dr. Mc[[Gern?]] in the morning. He took for text the simple word [[underline]] "alone" [[/underline]] as applied
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[[underline]] April [[/underline]]
to the life of our Lord when on earth. Dr. Woolsey gave us a very interesting sermon in the evening.
30th Dr. Woolsey left us this morning we were very sorry to have him go. [[strikethrough]] Mr. Beaman a[[/strikethrough]] Col. Yates and Capt. Crugan passed the evening with us.
[[underline]] May [[/underline]]
May 2nd An important cabinet meeting yesterday in which the President brought forward his reconstruction policy and was supported by all the secretarys Dennison also went with the President Speed was not present being out of town. The Wilkes came this afternoon with Mr. Beaman for a game of croquet The air was too cold to be pleasant It is more like Fall than Spring.
3rd Mrs. Bridge here in the morning Meeting of News Boy's Home Association Church & Teachers meeting in the afternoon. Went to see Mrs. Peale. Father and Mother spent the evening with Mr. & Mrs. Chanler. Father would not tell us where they had
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[[start page]]
[[underline]] May [[/underline]]
been & amused us & himself by making us play the game of 20 questions to find out. Two French men came ^[[with letters of introduction]] one of them the great grandson of the inventor of the balloon.
3rd Friday. three French gentlemen Mr. Fox & Mr Besel came to play croquet Mr. Foote & Mr. Taylor to see father in the evening. Mr. F. said his wife & invented a paper making machine wh. would probably be very profitable as a pecuniary speculation Father was curious to know what led her thoughts in that direction & said he must "get under her bonnet" She is at present trying to make diamonds. Mr. F. promised me a set if she should be successful.
4th Col. Yates here in the evening. Poor old Count Gerouski is dead. He breathed his last at Mrs. Eames. He was a Pole but had lived in this the country of his adoption for a number of years. His shrewd remarks ^[[upon political ^[[& other]] matters]] have been a source of great amusement to Father. The last time we saw him was at a reading given by Mrs. [[end page]]
[[start page]] May
Howe at Mrs. Johnson's.
7th Yesterday went to church & Sunday School. Had the pleasure of seeing Dr. & Mrs. Hodge from Princeton. Read "Nature & the Supernatural" to Father in the evening. Jack Gillis Dr. Tryon & the Kennedy's here this afternoon. Meeting of the doctors of the ^[[city who discussed nothing but the cholera.]]
8th A visit from Miss DeLeon. She was in Richmond during the war & gave us an interesting account of her experiance among other things told us she had kept an account of marketing expenses for the family as a curiosity. Turkeys were sold at $150 butter $50 per pound and other things in like proportion.
9th Miss DeLeon stayed with us last night and entertained us during the eve. with a description of her travels abroad and especially her visit to Egypt where her brother was consul. Has gone to attend a lecture given by her brother for the benefit of the sufferers of the South. Dr. Torrey arrived this evening.
10th The discussions in congress yesterday seemed mostly to have
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concerned the great question now at issue viz the representation of the Southern states The reconstruction Com. have presented their report one clause of an amendment to which is that all who have participated in the rebellion be disfranchised until 1870, Our friend the Chief Justice I am glad to see is in favor of the immediate restoration to the rights of citizans of all who loyaly disposed. In a letter to the Anti-Slavery society wh. recently held its anniversary in New York he says that [[underline]] all free men [[/underline]] are entitled to suffrage on equal terms and if this truth had been recognized in the first movement towards national reconstruction by an invitation to the whole loyal people of the states in rebellion to take part in the work of state reorganization undoubtedly the practical relations of every state with the union would have been ^[[already]] established with the happiest results. He adds "[[underline]]nothing is [[/underline]] more [[underline]] profitable [[/underline]] than justice" The Anti-Slavery Society at their meeting did not second is views however but [[end page]]
[[start page]] [[underline]] May [[/underline]]
abused the president roundly Wendell Phillips introducing a set of resolutions in wh. the chief magistrate is denounced as a traitor & the headquarters of rebellion declared to have been changed from Richmond to the White House.
Congress is determined to restrict the power of the President as much as possible and has brought forward a bill introduced I believe by Mr. Trumbull ^[[wh.]] provides "that no salary or compensation be given to officers appointed by the President before confirmation by the Senate, unless appointed to fill vacancies happening during the recess of the Senate by [[underline]] death - resignation, expiration of term [[/underline]] or removal for official misconduct." The passage of this act will prevent the President from [[turning?]] out any one who might be obnoxious to him except [[during?]] the session of the Senate & then really only with their consent & that body would have the power of withholding the pay of any one appointed by him to fill such vacancies. thus taking from him one means of defense against his political enemies &
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[[underline]] May [[underline]]
strengthening the hands of his congressional foes.
Mrs. Davis in with her husband comfortable quarters have been provided for her & she expresses great satisfaction at the kindness which has been shown to the illustrious prisoner. His health seems to have suffered from his confinement.
11th Mr. Thadeus Stevens the republican tyrant of the House succeeded yesterday in passing the resolutions of his darling reconstruction committee which have been under consideration for the last two days. Gen. Banks voted for the resolutions. Thadeus himself made a violent speech. In the Senate the bill for the restriction of the President's right of removal from office was still under discussion. Father dined yesterday with the Chief Justice A very pleasant dinner Several of the foreign ministers were present with some distinguished army officers. Susie Hodge [[end page]]
[[start page]] [[underline]] May [[underline]]
Maj Penrose & Mr. Beaman were here this afternoon. came with us from church.
12th Dr. Torrey left us this morning Father accompanying him as far as Baltimore. The Republicans it seems are sighing & groaning over the passage of the Reconstruction resolutions with the third ob^[[n]]oxious section intact viz that the Southerners shall be denied representation until 1870 ^[[although they voted for them in a body]] They declare that one more such victory will ruin them. How men can thus yield their liberty to a party, & be [[strikethrough]] thus [[strikethrough]] controlled by a single individual I cannot understand. Thaddeus Stevens in his closing appeal expressed a wish "That the eight millions of Americans inhabiting the South might be confined by bayonets in the penitentiary of hell.
14th Yesterday had a sermon from Dr. Chester Dr Gurley having gone to the General Assembly. no service in the evening. To day was the
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anniversary of the Sunday School Union and nearly all the children in the city assembled on the Smithsonian grounds preparatory to proceeding in procession to the Capitol grounds where addresses were delivered &c. Mrs. Parker and her little son The Wilkes & Mamy who has a face that would have charmed Raphael The little Rodgers Miss Ramsey Miss Rucker & Miss Walker & others came over to witness the display. Carry & I went to the church about two o'clock to give our Sunday school children ice cream & cake.
15th Mrs. Shubrick here this morning with her daughter Mrs. Climer. Miss Rucker & Miss Ramsey. Mr. Beaman & Gillis came in the evening to play croquet Bible &c. with Father tonight Father was asked to address the meeting but declined gave me coming home a beautiful little speech of things he might have said closing with the remark that we drink in the blessing of the result of the Bible teachings as unconsciously as we breath
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[[underline]]May[[/underline]]
the air or enjoy the light. We are so surrounded by them they ^[[have]] to become a part of our daily existence that we are unmindful of them or their source. Our friend Mr. Chambers rather injudiciously brought forward a resolution in the house yesterday condemnatory of the arbitrary acts of some of the republican members of the house & in approval of the President's course for which he was censured by the House.
16th A very cold day for this season of the year a fire would be comfortable. The President yesterday sent into the Senate his veto of the bill to make Colorado a state. It remained unread an indignity never before shown to a presidential message. The body of Preston King has been found after being six months under water. Dr. & Mrs. Hodge here also Mr. Buckingham Smith also Mr. Foxwith his mother & sister.
17th A rainy disagreeable morning.
21st A stranger preached to us yesterday. Father & Nell went to the capitol to hear Dr. Hodge. Read Nature & the Supernatural in the evening in the
[[start page]]
[[underline]] May [[/underline]] [[underline]] 1866 [[/underline]]
attempt to account for the apparent tendency of Nature to undertake more than she was able to accomplish Mr. Bushnell said the numerous blossoms that fall to the ground without producing fruit, the innumeral eggs & young of animals that never reach maturity might be a Providential Symbolization of the short comings of the human race. wh. seemed to me rather an egotistical interpretation of the phenomena in question. He proceeded in carrying out this system of symbolism to give an account of the wars of the pismires who fight their micro battles with all the ferocity & with much of the military diplomacy of those whom Mr. Bushnell considers their human prototype and were he thinks formed to thus to teach man the absurdity of the wars that only desolate & destroy. To gather such lessons from Natures processes is well but that God created the whole race of pismires to teach
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May [[underline]] 1866 [[/underline]]
such a truth to the two or three individuals who may have observed their habits can hardly be Mr. Bushnell. Father said the numerous surplus blossoms produced was a wise provision of Nature to guard against accidents & how many honey bees did they supply with their sweets. So the surplus in the animal creation might exist for the same reason & also to provide food for other animals.
Mary Felton came tonight. We received a very surprising peice of news from Oxford yesterday viz. the addition of small boy to our little parson's family.
22nd Went to play croquet at the Wilkes in the afternoon. assisted Father in the morning in sorting pamphlets. Went from the Wilkes to Mrs. Hooper's to tea. Col & Mrs. Bliss were there also & in the course of the evening Mr. [[Smucker?]] came in. Mr. Hooper was in the House until a late hour when he came in he
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said we ought to be obliged to him as he had added a clause to some bill exempting dressmakers from a certain tax so that we might hope to appear well at a lower rate of [[prices?]] if the Senate was refractory. Mr. Sumner said he would not oppose the bill certainly as he had been honoured by a call from Madame Demarest herself to induce him to favor it and had commenced his suit by saying she must thank him for his public course in regard to slavery &c &c. showing herself as skillful in diplomacy as in dressmaking. Before we went to the Wilkes Father had a call from Count[[ Lasteyrie?]] the grandson of Lafayette who has come to this country to make good his claim [[underline]]to some[[/underline]] estates inherited by him through his great progenitor.
23rd Mary dined with Mrs. Hooper Carry went with her to take tea
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[[start page]]
May [[underline]]1866[[/underline]]
at the Observatory.
24 Mary Felton went to Mt. Vernon. Jack Gillis & Dr. Tryon came in the evening. Mary was particularly pleased with the former. Father dined with Mr. Hooper in company with Mr. Sumner and the two [[Lasteyries?]] Father & son.
25. M. F. went to Arlington. Gen. Schencks daughter came with Col. Woodhull and another military officer to play croquet. Mr. Beaman was also here. At dinner Father showed us a small piece of a basket wh. had been found in making some excavations in an island near New Orleans, beneath the bones of an elephant of a species now extinct and of wh. no traces have hitherto been discovered upon this continent. The specimen of basketwork was exceedingly interesting as indicating the great age of man. In looked at it, it seemed impossible that it could be so old, to have been made prior to when we have supposed our old friend or enemy Adam to have appeared in the world. I confess I feel somewhat skeptical about it. it was found
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[[underline]]May[[/underline]] [[underline]]1866[[/underline]]
near a salt spring. It was taken by the gentleman who handed it to Father with his own hands from beneath the elephant.
26th Mary Felton left us this morning we were very sorry to have her go.
27th Sermon on the future state of rewards & punishments. Dr. Gurley has gone to attend a meeting of the General Assembly.
28th Father & self went to call on Dr. & Mrs. Hodge who are with Gen. Hunter. They were at tea when we entered. I had the pleasure of being entertained by Gen. & Mrs. Hunter their nieces & Mrs. Hodge while Dr. Hodge & Father discussed the Gen. Assembly and the question of the union of the new & old [[scools?]] under consideration by that body. The Dr. was opposed to it as the radical party in the church now so powerfully opposed to any gentle measures in [[connexion?]] with the south will then have so great an ascendency.
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[[underline]]1866[[/underline]]
the Dr. has opposed the actions of the assembly in regard to the state of the country during the war and is denounced by the radicals.
Mr. & Mrs. Chanler passed the evening at home we did not get back in time to see them The reproof received by Mr. C. for advocating the President policy or rather for what was called his improper manner of speaking of those who did not has made him rather sore.
29th Went to an organ concert with Mr. Torrey in the new baptist church Mr. Baber spent the evening here I was sorry to miss him.
June 1st Mrs. Bridge's neice came to play croquet. Mr. [[Lasleyne?]] was here with his Father. The latter is charming in conversation & the general expression of benevolence which characterizes his features but he is unfortunately very deaf. The young man is bright [[artless?]] & enthusiastic. Mr. Bridge came for his neice about
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[[underline]]June[[/underline]] [[underline]]1866[[/underline]]
ten o'clock
3rd Sermon from Dr. Edwards. In the evening Mother read aloud for our mutual benefit. The records of the Gen. Assembly from the Presbyterian. The clergymen do not seem to have exhibited that Christian forgiveness & magnanimity wh. we have a right to expect from them in regard to Southern matters.
4th Went to Wilkes. Father dined with Baron [[Gerold?]]
5th Festival for the benefit of the News Boys. Dr. Craig here brought a little case of photographs sent to me by Dr. The German physician who was here last summer and took a kind interest in my broken nose. It was pleasant to be remembered.
8th The Wilkes here to play croquet with Mr. Beaman & the [[French Mr. Lasteyea?]] Mr. {Lastegne?]] Gen. went with Father to see the Chief Justice.
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[[underline]]June[[/underline]] 1866
9th Father went on a excursion down the river with a party composed of the Sec. and some members of Congress. Alfred Woodhull & [[?]] here in the evening. Nell not well.
10th Mr.. Campbell preached for us The French man Mr. [[Lasteyne?]] came to say good bye He has given to Carrie a picture a drawing for her album. A Scotch tourist took tea with us. Read Defence of Fundamental Truth by Dr. McCash. Nell very sick. Father is with her now & I here him repeating to her in a low tone. Sleep [[balmby?]] sleep her nightly visit prays &c.
12th Nell much better today Dr. Tyler was very uneasy about her but is quite happy concerning her ^[[now]] He pronounced her disease to be varioloid. Mr. T. came with his brother last night Father was engaged with a commission
[[start page]]
[[underline]]June[[/underline]] [[underline]]1866[[/underline]]
of gentlemen in the laboratory & could not see him. In speaking of Dr. McCosh's book The defence of fundamental truth he gave me an interesting sketch of the different schools of philosophy of the old world. He does not think Dr. McCosh quite equal to [[task?]] of meeting Mr. Mill.
He asked me how sculpture was progressing & when I told him I thought I had no talent said he once said to Father "Prof. do you ever feel yourself to be a fool for I do. Father said he was glad to hear Mr. T. say so as he very often had the same experiance. It took him a week sometimes to reinstate him in his own good opinion. Prof. Agassiz who was present that every man of sense felt so at times That only a fool thought himself always wise. Count Portallis & daughters called to say "good bye"
13th Dr. Craig came in the evening but stayed not for fear of the varioloid. Nell continues to improve. The addition to the constitution recom
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[[start page]]
mended by the reconstruction committee has passed the Senate.
[[blank space ]]
14th Count de Lasteyrie called to return a book He did not leave as expected to do on Sunday owing to the illness of his son.
15th Nell much better but Father not well. His illness probably due to a great change in the weather.
16th The Gillises came last evening to see us. Both our patients doing well.
[[strikethrough]]August[[/strikethrough]] July 30th It is a long time since I have made an entry in my diary. Mother Father Nell have all been sick and Carry & I have thought of little but nursing and also being nursed having yielded to the general condition of the household. The Senate & House adjourned on
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Saturday. We shall miss Mr. Beaman Mr. Sumner's secretary as we have seen him almost every day for the last month. Yesterday on coming out of church Gen. Eaton told us of the successful laying of the Atlantic cable.
Wednesday Aug 1st Father received a telegram from Valentia today from the electrician ^[Varly] on the other side of the water. It was dated at Valentia July 28th and received at Aspa Bay on the 31st
"Saturday." cable laid perfect is not this grand? Give my best wishes to Ex Prest Buchanan.
Varly.
Have been working on Father's bust all day in the Laboratory. Father busy at my side with his report. Had rather an amusing visit from two country men who came with some mineral specimens found on the farm of one of them wh. he supposed to contain gold. Father told him the story of the man who left a peice of
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[[underline]]Aug.[[/underline]] [[underline]]1866[[/underline]]
land to his sons telling them a treasure was hidden in. They dug it up diligently found no buried gold but the working of the soil produced a plentiful harvest and revealed to the brothers the truth of their fathers words. The men laughed and Father told them they had better go on steadily in their agricultural persuits & leave gold speculation to those who had nothing better to do. that gold hunting ruined more fortunes than it made.
Thursday 2nd Worked on Father's bust. Father still very busy with Report. Dr. Craig Mr. Gill & Prof ____ in the evening. Dr. Craig said the people seemed to have but little confidence in the working of the cable. More news ought to have been received.
3rd Still working on bust. Gen. Price and Gen. Forsythe here in the evening to play croquet.
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Aug. 4 [[underline]]1866[[/underline]]
Father left for Northampton at 2 p.m. He expected to go in the morning but was disappointed. I went to the depot with him. Miss Schenck Miss Miller Miss Henley Gen. Hunter's neice Gen Price [[Mrs.?]]Forsyth & Gen Forsyth here in the evening for croquet
Monday. Did not go out yesterday read Mansel's Limits of Religious Thought. Letter from Father this morning. Selpt at the Astor House had a pleasant journey so far.
8th Worked on Father's head Note from Mr. Fillmore containing invitation to stay at his house during meeting of Scientific Association. Croquet party in the afternoon consisting of Dr. Craig, Mr. Fox & Sallie Kennedy [[Read?]] in the evening discussion in the [[Sent?]] in regard to the appropriation of $10,000 to Miss Vinnie Ream to make a full length statue of President Lincoln. The unjust resolution
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[[start page]]
[[underline]]Aug.[[/underline]][[underline]]1866[[/underline]]
was passed. Sumner opposed it in an interesting speech but was overruled. Miss Vinnie is a young lady from the West who has been studying this winter under Clark Mills. She is utterly inexperiance although she seems to have talent.
11th The Marquis here this evening with Judge Otto Also Mrs. Gillis
13th Went to Sunday School yesterday but not to church. Finished Mansel on ^[[Limits of]] Religious Thought. Had [[strikethrough]] 14 [[strikethrough]] a letter from Father. He has enjoyed the meeting of the Academy although he has not been well A number of valuable papers were read. He thinks the Academy will prove to be a success. Mr. Fillmore's invitation he would have accepted if one of us had gone with him.
14th A visit today from the Queen of the Sandwich Isles We went down into the museum to be presented to her
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[[start page]]
Aug. [[underline]]1866[[/underline]]
that is Nell Carry and myself. She was accompanied by Mr. Chilton of the Treasury who has been deputed by the Government to attend her & by several distinguished looking officers of her suite also by an English ^[[lady]] Miss [[Spurgen?]] a companion who has been traveling with her. Her Majesty comes to this country to obtain means for the spread of Christianity in [[Iwyhee/Hawaii?]]. We found nothing queenly in the dark but rather comely young woman to whom we were presented but were pleased with her modest bearing. There was nothing peculiar in her attire. I forgot the respectful prefix "your Majesty" one or twice in addressing her however she did not seem displeased but gave me a smile at parting which quite one my
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[[underline]]Aug.[[/underline]] [[underline]]1866[[/underline]]
heart. She did not stay long it being near her dinner hour. Mother went to see Mrs. Lindsey who has lost her son. He was a classmate in college of our deal Will. Another letter from Father. The Academy has adjourned. He does not say when he will be home.
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[[underline]]1866[[/underline]]
Dec. Mon. 3rd We are a united family once more. We left home the 5th of Aug. Father & Nell went to the Bay of Fundy Mother to Chestnut Hill I went first with Carry to Rockaway and then to Providence. Father lectured last week in Baltimore before the Peabody Institute opening the first course of lectures of that institution. I have spent the day in unpacking & sewing. Dr. Craig here in the evening. Congress opened today.
[[underline]]Tuesday 4th.[[/underline]] Mr. Welling passed the evening with us & gave us an interesting explanation of some photographs he brought with him from Europe.
[[underline]]Wed. 5th[[/underline]] Matinee at Gen. Delafield went at 4 p. m. & returned about 9 a sensible party found Mr. Beaman waiting to see us. Dr. Simpson and ^[[his]] Father and Mr. Gill also came in.
Thursday 6th Father dined at Mrs. Chandler's As he entered her parlor he found her surrounded
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[[underline]]Dec[[/underline]][[underline]]1866[[/underline]]
by her beautiful children whom he soon enticed to his side by the delights of riding upon his foot. Mr. Stanton was there.
[[underline]]7th Friday[[/underline]] A visit in the morning from Dr. Draper and daughter Dr. Woodhull also here. In the evening Miss Draper came to stay with us while Dr. Draper went with Father to the society. Mr. Taylor & Mr. Foote also came to go with Father. Mr. Welling was here for a short time and Mr. Beaman came to assist in entertaining Miss Draper.
8th Sat. Sewing all day. Father at the club. Cary gone to here [[?]] with Dr. Woodhull.
9th Col. Alexander came to go to church with Nell. Mr. Beaman took tea with us
10th [[underline]]Monday[[/underline]] Mr. Fox here in the morning went to a meeting for the deaf & dumb with Col. Alexander & Mr. Beaman in the evening.
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[[underline]]Dec[[/underline]] [[underline]]1866[[/underline]]
11th Tuesday Miss Draper came to stay with us also Miss Mary Graham. A small party at Dr. Gurley's
12th Wed Read Bell on Expression. Father enjoyed the engravings & Miss Mary gave us a history of the burning of Columbia. She was there at the time & lost all her clothing. She says the distress of the inhabitants suddenly deprived of their homes was extreme. Gen Sherman promised on the taking of the city that it should be spared but seemed to have changed his mind.
13th [[underline]]Thursday[[/underline]] Went to the Capitol with Miss G. Col A. here in the evening promised to write a carol and address for our Christmas Sunday School celebration.
14th [[underline]]Friday[[/underline]] Went with Mr. Fox and Miss G. to see some fine ^[[engravings]] at Blanchards. Saw Dore's
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[[underline]]Dec[[/underline]] [[underline]]1866[[/underline]]
Bible and Wandering Jew also a collection of Raphael Madonnas. Col. Alexander here in the eve with a piece of poetry in place of the carol he promised the purport of which was the fairest hand is that which gives also an address, in ryme. Had a game of Chess with him.
15th Sat. Went to a meeting of the News Boys Home. The constitution of the soc is to be changed and the establishment connected with the Children's Aid Society in Baltimore which will provide homes for the destitute children who take refuge in our Home. We sent off three boys with the Baltimore agent happy in the prospect of being well taken care of. Mrs. Hooper is more than ever interested in the establishment now that there is a prospect that its usefulness will be extended.
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[[underline]]1866[[/underline]]
Dec 16th Sunday. Too stormy to go to church. Read Bell on the Hand with pleasant interruptions from Father who read aloud extracts from the books he was interested in and repeated scraps of poetry. Miss G. sang Mozart's Twelfth Mass wh. even Father enjoyed Discussion with Father in the eve about the development theory.
17th Sewed all day Father interested in the eve in a book upon the distribution of Mammals over the world with maps which attracted us all. We were amused to find what a small space was occupied by the negros The same portions being also the home of the ape & the monkey.
[[underline]]18th Tuesday[[/underline]] Mr. [[Trumbul?]] & Lady here missionaries from [[Valverde?]]. Mr. Beaman came in the eve.
19th Congress has distinguished itself thus far in giving
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[[underline]]Dec.[[/underline]][[underline]]1866[[/underline]]
the negros of the District voting privileges We shall be inundated by the coloured race and probably soon rejoice in a black Mayor. It seems very arbitrary to impose such a measure upon us when the pole of the citizens was taken last year upon the subject and found to be by a large majority in its disfavor. No property qualification is required and only one year's residence in the district or county necessary for securing a vote - a petition was presented to Congress yesterday asking that "the District Suffrage act be amended in such manner as to put all whites of the Caucasian race who are either citizens or have declared their intention to become citizens of the U.S. on an equal footing with the negros.
20th Last evening we had a pleasant
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Dec. [[underline]]1866[[/underline]]
little party for Mr. Trumbul. He came with his wife to dinner. Went to call upon the bride Mrs. [[Tanner?]] She was not receiving so we had not the pleasure of seeing her. Stopped at Mrs. Gen. Delafields. Quite a number of people there among others Mrs. Robert J. Walker. It was pleasant to see her face again in society. Her daughter and daughter in Law accompanied her. Mamy looking very prettily in the little cap wh. has taken the place of a bonnet this winter. Judge Mason here in the evening. The admission of Nebraska into the Union discussed in the Senate.
21st Friday. Went to the church to dress a tree for the Sunday school. Mr. Beaman came to assist us. Is going to see the Wilkes in S. Carolina. We shall miss the girls greatly this winter.
22nd A stormy day. Nell & Miss Mary alone ventured out to by Christmas presents. Finished Ball on Expression in the evening. Have thoroughly enjoyed the book.
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Dec 23rd Sunday Church & Sunday School in the morning. The afternoon passed on the sofa with an attack of termination of blood to the head. Col. Alexander here in the evening. Carry went to the Orphan Asylum to see about the children's tree. They are to sing my carol.
24th Christmas tree at the church for the Sunday School children.
25th Presented our gifts in the morning at the breakfast table Had time for a poetical inscription for Father's alone, an impromtu wh Father told me to keep so I insert it. The gift was a pot of pomatum
Twixt the head & the heart the philosophers say
Is a telegraph line or a public highway
Some mode of communion so swift & direct
That what one may feel must the other reflect
So I hope that in touching the roots of the hair
I may make a more permanent impress elsewhere
In smoothing your hair use my pomade not water
And think of your loving & dutiful daughter.
Gen. & Mrs. Vanantwerp passed the day with us. Mrs. Platt and a friend coming in the eve.
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Jan. 1st [[underline]]1867[[/underline]]
A stormy day, the snowing lying thick up on the ground and sleet [[strikethrough]]in[[/strikethrough]] & rain falling. Fewer visitors than usual. Father went on his rounds but returned early. Mrs. Shubrick sent me a piece of cake by him as usual.
9th Small party at Senator Dixons.
10th Mr. Beaman here with a German count also Mr. Alexander.
11th Reception day. Mrs. Foster here had enjoyed her southern trip greatly. Miss Johnson's call was also agreeable not many calls. Uncle is with us. Carry gone to Opera with Mr. Beaman. Mrs. Dickie Sen [[?]] & Mr. Cross here in the evening.
12th Went to Gen. Grant's reception. Carry thanked the Gen. for the letter he wrote to her for her autograph book but the Gen. had not much to say in reply. He looked very smiling as if he would like to say something pleasant but not having [[something?]] to say said nothing.
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Went also to the Mayor's where dancing was the order of the morning.
13th Sunday. Too stormy to go to church. Read McCosh on typical forms. In the evening Father & Uncle amused themselves by reminiscences of their school boy days. Uncle said those days seemed very far away like the echo that came to us from the mountain side clear & distinct as the remembrance might be there was always a sense of how much lay between. I'm speaking of some school he attended Uncle said to Father was that the school where you discovered the India ink was good for the complexion? We were all of course curious to know the meaning of the question. Elicited from Father the confession that at the school mentioned he was often teased on account of his pink & white complexion & accused of painting his cheeks. One evening a young man much his senior taking these jokes for earnest came to him & asked him to colour his
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cheeks for him as he wished to go to a party. Provoked at the accusation contained in the request & inspired by the spirit of fun he painted him with India ink & he went off to the party as from being improved by the operation.
14th Miss Miller was married this morning. The reception was a pleasant one but the air of the crowded rooms was stifling.
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May 11th Have been busy all day preparing for an excursion into Virginia. Dr. Denham a Scotch clergyman & his wife are with us. Dr. D. is one of a party of clergymen sent from the free churchs of Scotland & Ireland as delegates to the churches of America. He is a fine looking specimen of the genus homo.
12th Sunday. Mr. Wells one of the Foreign delegates preached for us in the morning. Mr. Guthree son of one of the clergymen appointed to accompany the party of free church men dined with us. His Father had been obliged to turn back after starting on account of sea sickness. Dr. Fairbairn another of the delegates preached for us in the evening. Dr. Denham went to the negro church & was much schocked by the exebition of animal excitement he witnessed.
13th Dr. & Mrs. Denham left us this morning. Louis
[[underlined]] 1867 [[/underlined]]
Guthrie here in the evening went with the girls & Father to the hotel to see the Pattersons who came from Phil to day for the excursion. I join them tomorrow at six o'clock A.M.
14th We are finaly off after waiting about three quarters of an hour on the railroad platform. The cloudy face of the morning is rapidly brightening under the influence of the suns rays & soon the vapory reminders of last night storm will quite disappear. Our party numbers about fourty, I should think. We have an entire car to ourselves. In one ^[[end of]] wh., with a seat laid to make a double pew Ellie & Grace Patterson Mr. Guthree & myself are seated. A kind manly face bends over us occasionally to see how we are faring wh. breaks into a very pleasant smile when we ask the owner a question. That is Col. Patterson. He occupies the double pew opposite with Mr. & Mrs.
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Randal & their little girl the only child of the party. Mr. R. is a member of the House. In the next seat on that side are Col. Patterson's two daughters pleasant intelligent looking girls I know I shall like them. In the next seat to us Mr. Harrison a rich capitalist from Phil with his wife & daughter are ensconced. I cannot see their faces but a little farther on my eye rests with a great deal of pleasure upon the form of Gen. Patterson. He is much older than his brother. His pleasant genial face is particularly happy just now, as he is laughing heartily. His every movement betokens the true gentleman & soldier. I cannot see who is with him but opposite in the same double seat sits Mrs. Childs the publishers wife. The faces of my other travelling companions have not yet become familiar to me. The modest sweetness
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of that of a young Quaqueress, a [[hide?]] attracted my attention while we were waiting on the platform of the station but I do not see it now. We are occasionaly visited by rather an odd but pleasant looking gentleman whose every word is greeted with a smile it being evidently a settled thing that what he says will be something amusing. Mr. Boothe is his name. He is a Verginia gentleman married to a Phil. lady. We move rapidly on. Mr. Guthrie discourses to us about Scotland we endeavour to initiate him into the causes of the war. We all look as if we would be a little sleepy after our early rise if it were not for the immense excitement of the occasion. A hungry look is also coming into our eyes but Alexandria & breakfast are near at hand So even at the door.
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ly more comfortable after our meal. Miss Patterson has come into our pew & Mr. Guthrie is behind us among the shawls & bags. Carry is her name her face loses nothing by closer inspection We are all wide awake now. We are passing over scenes made desolate by the war. The trees have bowed down before the contending armies like grass & the county is destitute of them, fences & landmarks have entirely disappeared. Old earth-work the remains of old encampments meet us on every side. Chemnies are standing here & there the sole remnant of former hospitable home The land is poor & steril but deeply interesting sacred as it is to the memory of the brave dead. We pass over Bulls Run a small muddy stream but not near enough to Mannassas to see any [[?]] of the fighting ground.
Mr. Patterson has taken me out of my seat & placed me beside Mrs. Childs opposite Gen. Patterson
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I am most delightfully situated & thoroughly enjoy the Gen. good stories. Prof. ____ is also in the seat with us. He has left his place for a moment & his seat is taken by an individual in such shabby attire we question for a moment his social position but his courtesy & intelligence soon satisfy us on that point & prove the fallacy of the proverb that a tailor makes the gentleman. He is Mr. Boling a southern gentleman who joined us at the last station. Gen. Slaughter & several other southern gentlemen have also joined our party. A quaker gentleman the warmest republican among us stands [[in asyle?]] of the car with his arms about two of them listening & laughing heartily at some stories they are telling. His affectionate attitude speaking well for the return of Good feeling. We pass Brandy Station Culpeper Co House. Cedar Mt. where Jackson
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[[start page]] fought Pope cross the Rapidan. Look with interest at he old co. house in wh. Maddison used to address the electors. This - Orange - is the first settled co. Its very small jails speak well for the morality of its people. Gen. Patterson says the prisoners sometimes run away with the jails. Am introduced to the President of the Railroad & some more of my travelling companions. Stop at Gordonsville. We are passing now the residence of Jefferson. It stands on a high hill not far from the road & must command a fine view of the surrounding country We catch only a glimpse of the house. pass Ravenna Stop at Charlottesville. The town has about 2000 inhabitants We see the college buildings I wonder if my friend S. DeVere Prof there has any recollection of this obscure individual
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onward again we steam pass Carter's Mt. over very poor land spoiled by tobacco. Gen. Patterson has gone to the other end of the car. Miss H___ has come into our seat. She is a quiet Lady like looking girl with a pair of very fine dark eyes. We are decidedly growing tired. Mrs. Childs is indulging in a nap & I should like to follow suit but must listen to Prof ___ at my side who fortunately requires only a yes or no from me occasionally as my voice is quite gone with talking all day in the noisy cars. Our road lies through a prettier country than that we passed over this morning. It is quite late in the afternoon now and Lynchburg our resting place for the night is near at hand. The whole party have grown quiet except the Prof my companion who discourses steadily. [[?]] [[certain?]] we are at the landing
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bags & shawls are seized with alacrity. There are omnibuses ^[[ready]] for those who wish to ride to the hotel where we are to be accommodated. I prefer to walk Mr. Guthrie takes my bag & we mount the steep streets of the queer little town comparing notes as to the pleasure of the day. Lynchburg is the principal market for tobacco in Virginia. We passed some of the warehouses near the depot. The houses we pass are small and badly built & the streets narrow & roughly paved. The place generally has an air of being about fifty years behind the times. The hotel however is pleasant & comfortable. As we have come up a steep hill we are not sorry to reach it. Seven of us ladies are shown into a large airy room wh. we are told we shall be obliged to share. We wash off the dust of travel and
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grow better acquainted under the process. Mrs. Childs Miss Harris the four Pattersons and myself form the party. Supper was ready for us when we came into the parlor again. It was well [[done?]] & thoroughly enjoyed. The pretty little Quaker bride was opposite to me and the groom "John" a merry black eyed little fellow proved to be very entertaining. We took a walk after the meal. The town is built on the side of a hill wh. is so steep at the back of the hotel that we had difficulty in mounting it. We had a pretty view however when we reached the top of the town & the surrounding hills bathed in moonlight. After a little social converse on our return we retired for the night. One of the seven inmates of our room we found was to occupy a cot. It was determined that whoever was destined to sleep
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in it was to write a poem entitled the Cotter's [[underline]]Tuesday night[[/underline]]
15th Up early this morning for a walk before breakfast. Went up the steep hill we mounted last night with the hope of seeing the famous Peaks of Otter. Could not see them well but enjoyed the less pretentious hill lying before us very much. Enjoyed our breakfast thoroughly. Col. Patterson & his son were my companions at the table. We leave the hotel immediately after breakfast. I forgot to mention that during our morning walk we stopped at one of the tobacco markets attracted by a large wagon load of the article wh. had stopped to unload. The market was only a large wooden shed in wh the tobacco had been stacked into heaps according to its quality the largest leaves together. The plan has to be
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very carefully watched while it is growing and when mature is dried for nearly a year after wh. it is packed down for nearly a year more going through a process called sweating. On our way to the Depot we saw a negro walking in the middle of the street blowing upon a horn almost as long as himself wh. we were told was the call for purchasers of tobacco. It is sold at auction in the market sheds to the highest bidder. The car provided for us this morning is very handsome. The divisions are more like small appartments than ordinary seats. We are detained some time so I amuse myself in writing some doggerel lines. Keeping occupied the cot.
The Collier's Tuesday Night has been seized by Ellie & Mrs. Harrison & passed over to the Patterson girls opposite
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who are entertaining two young officers. We are off at last The beautiful Peaks of [[?]] how can I describe them They eluded our gaze this morning but now they lie before us all majesty & grace each change in their outline as we move rapidly on being more beautiful than the last They disappear at last but ^[[?]] reappear at intervals as if conscious of their beauty & our admiration. We have an especial train today & stop at various places along the road some times to wait for other trains some times for amusement. The county is most beautiful and the air from the mountains delicious. Before dinner ^[[this over the Blue Ridge]]. We stop some times at Big Spring at the foot of the Alleghany. A small steam engine is [[putting?]] [[wood?]] on the track for the use of the railroad. It does its work [[rapid?]]
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but puffs as if rather short of breath. Stop at Christianburg pass New River a beautiful stream 2000 ft above the level of the sea. Stop at Central Depot Dublin depot and at various springs sulpher etc. of wh. we taste the waters. The train waiting for us as long as we desire. It has been day of unmingled pleasure. The car is lighted now and a young officer is claiming cousinship at my side & amuses me with his adventures among the Southern ladies who do not treat our military coats very well. When the car stops we move to the end of it to look out upon the moonlit scenes. As the train moves on again Mr. Guthrie and the groom John come hurrying through the door where we are and the latter says "don't frighten the ladies." While the former
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seems desirous of jumping off. As "the ladies are not frightened I do not inquire what is the matter but suppose we are in danger of collision with a train wh. has not made its appearance at the time & place expected. [[They in?]] the end of the car Miss Henry says Mr. Guthrie so wrapped up in his warm woolen "rug" as he calls it. I sit in the doorway enjoying the moonlighted landscapes. My companion is on the railing outside. Nothing can be more beautiful than the pictures before us. We are moving with frightful rapidity over the rails that [[?]]to a[[?]]in the distance. We pass through a narrow defile and think with awe how terrible a collision would be there, then out into the[[?]][[noon?]]
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light ^again with eyes & thought only for the beauty about us. The car sways from side to side with the rapidity of our motion we stop occasionally to listen & signal but reach Wytheville at last in safety. We are 2500 ft above the level of the sea. We enter a large barn like hold leave our cloaks & bags in an unfurnished appartement, the parlor I suppose and we ladies proceed to another room having for sole furniture a ^wooden shelf & long table upon wh are arising a number of wash bowls & pitchers of white ware and a small looking glass in a cherry wood frame. We lave ourselves & then proceed to supper wh. is served in a smoke darkened room on rough board tables. but is delicious in quality. After supper we are shown to our rooms seven of us are
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again together. Our floor is carpetless our windows without curtains our beds covered with blue cotton spreads The smallest of mirrors a washstand and four chairs constitutes the rest of our furniture but everything is clean and we are soon asleep with the moonlight streaming in upon us lending beauty to the even the homely objects which surround us
16th Up early time for a short note to mother before breakfast. The air is enchanting up here Breakfast delicious. We are off again immediately after our appetites are appeased So we go out of the Hotel I encounter Mr. Baxster. He has increased alarmingly in rotundity during the war. He made many inquiries about his Washington friends. We shall have
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our special train. High bridge over Reed Creek is our first object of interest. Reed Creek is a small stream emptying into New River as do all the small rivers we encounter upon the broad table land over wh. we are now moving. After passing Mt. Airy the streams flow in the opposite direction and empty into the Ohio &c. Mt. Airy the highest pt bet. the Gulf of Mexico & the atlantic over which the railroad passes 2600 ft high. We stop some time so I make a sketch of a few little houses I see the country is flat here no view. I am with my little friends the Quakers. The groom grows communicative and tells me all about his court ship and marriage. The country soon grows picturesque again and we go to the
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end of the car to enjoy the beautiful mountain views wh. open out before us. It is by far the best place to see. All along the road we see traces of Gen. Sherman's destructive passage. We stop at various springs along the road & finally reach Salt Ville our especial destination for the day. The salt works wh. have supplied nearly the whole south with salt are situated in a lovely valley surrounded with picturesque hills. Two large manufacturies of the salt were destroyed during the war. We passed the remains of them. The large kettles ^[[used for drying the salt]] lying broken by the road side or still in position upon the delapedated furnaces. We left the cars about two o'clock. Our party numbered about seventy five as we had been joined by recruits from Wytheville. We passed through
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the works with great interest the water from the hot springs comes up with as much salt in it as it can hold in solution. It is pumped up into reservoirs from wence it is conveyed by wooden pipes into a low wooden building and is then poured by means of short wooden movable pipes [[strikethrough]]into two rows of[[/strikethrough]] large copper kettles which are imbedded in floor in a double row down the centre of the shed. here the water is boiled away [[leaving]] the salt to settle in the bottom of the kettles as it settles it is taken up by wooden spades and put into wicker baskets which are hung over the kettles. The water drains off having a pure white mass like white sugar. My new cousin the tall officer showed me everything of interest his size & strength were advantages. We were very hospitably
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entertained by the Mother & son of Gen. Stewart after we had inspected the works. Mrs. Stewart Sen. is a fine looking lady and very affable & sweet in her manners. We had a very fine collation presided over most gracefully by young Miss Stewart. The daughter of the Gen. we did not see. It was five o'clock before we left. A cloud of mist had gradually descended upon the beautiful hills about us and was descending in fine rain as we left our hospitable entertainers. As we had some distance to walk to the cars I should have fared badly had not my tall companion given me military cape wh. protected me completely coming down to my [[?]] a rather amusing exhibition of the difference in our size. We had a rainy
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afternoon and for want of better entertainment my poor lines were called for. I did not think they were worthy or appropriate for such public notice. Gen. added a verse.
The Colliers Tuesday Night
There's beauty where the moonlight high In valley & in fen
But Gas light beams upon a sconce As bright in No. 10
For seven sylphs are [[moving?]] there Attired in spotless white
With streaming hair unbound to greet The slumber queen of night
Four of them so united are [[strikethrough]]in mind[[/strikethrough]] In mind and will the same
So closely bound in friendships ties They even have one name
One of them so personifies The virtues of her race
Baptismal saints were puzzled quite
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And simply called her [[underline]]Grace[[/underline]]
And one among the happy band With gentle look and mild
Will [[strikethrough]]who[[/strikethrough]] ever Father Time defy And always be a [[underline]]child[[/underline]]
One looking glass alone reflects Those locks of black & brown
It doubles each enticing face But never shows a frown
Oh jokes however state ye be Whenever made and when,
A haven ye have found at last In Merry No. 10.
The lights are out, the forms are fled To rest the last one goes
For fear to soil her tiny feet On [[rites?]] of chubby toes
Sweet sleep the [[strikethrough]]wretched[[/strikethrough]] happy seeks ^[[tis said]] The wretched doth forsake
But both so close such merry eyes She keeps these girls awake
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But Nature is too strong for her, The vigil she gives o'er
And some from out those seven throats Proceeds a gentle snore.
My Pegasus is lame good friends Excuse any stumbling pen.
And view not with a critic's eye The bard of No. 10
Verse added by Gen Wilcox.
"A gentle poet passing by Seeking the missing seven
Paused at the door of No. 10 And found the gate of Heaven.
Rain all the afternoon reached Bristol about 8 o'clock. Bristol is on the borders of the state the boundering line running through the town so that the inhabitants on one side of a street pay taxes to Virginia & on the other to Tennessee. Our hotel accommodations not good. After a very poor supper were
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shown our rooms that appropriated to Miss Patterson Grace & myself was anything but inviting. The dust of weeks resting upon the bureau & mantle and the beds bearing unmistakable evidence of former occupancy. We walked the balcony over the entrance of the house and the
[[entries]] until fatigue overcoming fastidiousness we made a second attempt to accommodate ourselves for the night. By dint of bribing the half witted looking black girl who waited upon us we obtained two clean quilts and [[strikethrough]]lying upon these[[/strikethrough]] spreading these over the obnoxious beds & lying down with our clothing on we were soon asleep in spite of the attentions of the tiny innumerable prior
17th occupants of our couches. Before day we were awakened and taking a cup of coffee were off at five o'clock with the promise of breakfast at Wytheville. Our ladies car and been occupied by some of the gentlemen as a sleeping apartment so we occupied a smaller one for the first hour
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a mock trial of Mr. Patterson, who was arrested by Gen. Custer, the officer in command of that district a pleasant gentleman who has seated at my side amused us all very much & made us forget the [[claims?]] of appetite. Mr. Patterson's own boots had been missing when he made his toilet and the pair placed at his door wh. he had put on were claimed by a young man whom we had designated [[underline]][["Bostony"??]][[/underline]] being the only rep. from that hub of the universe. The speech made on the occasion were very witty and some ^[[of]] them really eloquent. I was fortunate in being in the center of the impromptu court and so heard them all. The groom John [[?]] that my [[partnership?]] and slipping it into Mr. PP. pocket and on sending for it. it ^[[was]] found there and acted as a witness against him. We reached Wytheville in two hours and I almost enjoyed my breakfast under Col. Patterson's
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care. Passed the remainder of the day in exquisite enjoyment of the mountain scenery. Sitting in the back of the car. Stopped at Lynchburg in our old room.
18th Started at nine o'clock giving up our especial train and car. The country not very interesting for the first part of the day. As we approached Richmond McClellan's earth-works and the embankments of the southern soldiers grew thicker and a small stream with low bushes growing close to its edge was pointed out to us as the Chickahominy and made us thrill with the memory of the sad scenes enacted along its banks. The clamor of the negro drivers of carriages and hack drivers nearly deafened us when we reached the Richmond station. We drove immediately to the [[strikethrough]]Richmond[[/strikethrough]] Exchange Hotel and after dinner & washing off the dust of travel went to view the city. We visited the capitol passed through several of the main streets and saw the [[bank?]] district
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May 18th 1867
The latter is already built up to a great extent with large handsome stores. Richmond is a very pretty city.
19th Sunday Went to church & heard an excellent sermon. The gentlemen have gone to a negro chapel this afternoon. We ladies wished to go but it was not considered advisable as the negroes are in a very excited state just now. Not having obtained the freedom from labor and the great riches they expected with their emancipation they are ready to visit their disappointment upon the Northerners and Southerners alike. Saw the statue of Henry Clay in the Capitol grounds as we came home from church this morning one of the fingers had been shot off by our soldiers. Church again in the evening.
20th Went on a walking excursion around the city. The party photographed for Mr. Guthrie's benefit. Went in the
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afternoon to visit the oldest church in the place on the burial ground surrounding it were surprised to see upon ^[[one]] tomb stone 331 years as the age of the occupant of the grave. Father on we discovered an inscription to a deceased individual of still greater age. We began to think Richmond people must have inherited the constitutions of the patriarchs when the mystery was solved by the discovery of the unfinished work of some rascal who had been interrupted in his sacraligious employment of inserting a number into a monumental inscription. So neatly had he worked in the first two cases it was almost impossible to tell wh. were the original figures.
21st Went to the cemetery and to Island where our prisoners were confined.
22. A delightful day in Petersburg. I should rather say a deeply interesting one as it was not with unmingled pleasure that we viewed the spots where so many of our
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[[underline]]22[[/underline]] have countrymen have fallen. We left early in the morning sailed down the James river seeing the fortifications Butler's canal & other objects of interest. went to the hotel on our arrival at Petersburg for dinner after wh. went on carriages to the battleground. The scene of conflict was upon a farm the owner of wh. now exhibits it at twenty five cts a head. We went over the fortification of the reble & union armies. saw the great hole made by the explosion of the mine prepared by the Northerners. saw the underground passage leading to it and the wells sunk by the Southerners in the attempt to find the passage the Northerners were making In one instance the well sunk was so close to the passage the men digging it could here the pick axes of their enemies overhead had they continued to dig a few feet they would have accomplished their desire. I was
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^[[May]] 22 surprised to find how near the two armies lay to each other. They were not more than twenty yds apart. The ground was slimy & damp we felt as if it might still be wet with human gore. "Take care" said our guide as my foot slipped You may uncover a body "a young lady only yesterday losing her footing in the same way disclosed a corpse He pointed out the spot to us where shreds of blue cloth were still adhering to the clayey soil Battered haversacks & canteens still lay scattered about but the most touching traces of the past conflict were the bright green spots in the neighbouring wheat fields where the grain had grown larger & of a more brilliant tint over the graves of the fallen. We visited various fortification union & reble and in every [[strikethrough]]I[[/strikethrough]] case found the latter very rude in comparison with the former. We were very much pleased in one spot with
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a beautiful little church made of boughs of trees with the bark on. The cemetery surrounding it is used for the burial of the soldiers who are removed here. On our return to [[strikethrough]]Richmond[[/strikethrough]] Petersburg, we walked through some of the principal streets and saw some fine residents among others that of Mr. Boling our southern friend who joined us the first day of our excursion. Marks of shells were numerous in the lower part of the city some of the houses had not yet been repaired and were in a terribly battered condition. Others had been neatly mended but still bore plain marks of hard usage. We returned in the evening to Richmond.
23rd This morning to my great regret we turned our faces homeward. We came by boat from Aquia Creek. I bade the party farewell at the south
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[[?]] gate but the Patterson party came over in the evening to see me. So ends one of the pleasantest episodes of my life.
27 Had a pleasant call from Mr. Seward, a nephew of the Sec. & our consul to China. A pleasant gentleman about thirty five years of age with manners entirely free from affectation of any kind. Mr. Welling also came & Mr. Beaman.
29th Mr. Seward came to play croquet.
June Beautiful articles brought by Mr. Fox from Russia. Unpacked in library & brought upstairs to be exhibited in the evening to the club. Mr. Fox gave a lecture upon them. Father declared to Mr. Fox that the milder climate of the Western part of Russia in comparason with the more eastern portions of the same latitude was due to the influence of the gulf stream. A statement with which Mr. Fox did not agree saying that the Mts. of Sweden & Norway intercepted all effects from that
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quarter. Father showed that its effects swept over a portion of country lower down where there are no high Mts. (see map)
June -- Mrs. Bache came today. The evening passed pleasantly in listening to Father & herself recall the past.
Sat. -- Father went to the club Gave a lecture upon isothermal lines- excited thereto by Mr. Fox's lecture on Russia last Saturday.
Sunday. Father took down incidents of the life of Dr. Bache given him by Mrs. Bache from memory for a memoir. Did not go to church.
Mon. Mrs. B. left us this morning Bade farewell to the Coast Survey. She is desolute indeed without her husband but bears her sorrow with a cheerful patience more touching to one than tears. Mr. Walling here in the afternoon. Have been teaching in the News Boy's Home. Father is overlooking some papers left by Mrs. Bache
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says Mr. Hasler the first superintendent was a very amusing man. When he was examined for the office, one of the questions address to him was "How old are you Mr. H?" His reply was "Why don't you ask me how old is my coat, a coat well worn is old no matter when it was made & is new if not worn no matter how old it may be."
June - Dr. from London spent the evening with us said Charles Sixteenth was king of Norway & Sweden - was very intelligent - & had also a talent for painting - had a prize awarded him for a picture at the National exhibition for the encouragement of arts. Has only one daughter Will be succeeded by his brother Otto as no woman is allowed to reign He is much beloved by his people & very familiar in his intercourse with them The Dr. thought both Norway & Sweden in about fifty years would be under the Russian government. Russia will probably
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swallow them in order to obtain possession of Port wh. is open all the year round the gulf stream making the water warm there. She is very much in want of a seaport town as her commerce can only be carried on now for a short period of the year. Norway & Sweden would like to belong to a large nation but would prefer waiting until Russia was more civilized. He said there was a very large Mormon settlement in Switzerland & many emigrants to this country from there came [[strikethrough]]over[[/strikethrough]] to [[strikethrough]]this[[/strikethrough]]join the Mormons.
He had been in Paris & was full of admiration of the wise arrangements of the Emperor Said the former terrible riots? were now hardly possible. Sement had been substituted in the streets for pavement and paving stones were no longer to be had for barricades? There were forty commanding the wide streets which could
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[[underline]]June[[/underline]][[underline]]1867[[/underline]]
easily be supplied with troops by means of the underground railroads constructed through the sewers. He thought it probable there would be trouble soon with the laboring classes as there was no place for them to live the poorer houses having been torn down to make room for palaces.
21st Thursday visit from Col. Alexander
22nd Friday. Miss Romero & brother & two daughters of the Mexican president Juarez came to play croquet
23rd Mary Lee, Miss Rucker John H. & Sallie & Mr. Abbey for croquet Father left for Princeton.
27th Our first minister from Greece Mr. [[Rengade?/Rangavis?]] called with his son They were introduced by Mr. Bing. Mr. H. is a small man with unassuming timid manners but kind & gentlemanly. He speaks very little English. He is a literary man & highly esteemed in his own country has written a book upon
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NOTE: this page is duplicate of page 136
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[[underline]]1867[[/underline]]
Archiology several romances a work on art &c. His son first Sec. of Legation wore a short velvet cloak which set off his girlishly fair complexion to advantage. His eyes are blue with white lashes & brows his manners and mode of speaking is English. He has no foreign accent.
Sat. 29th Father came from Princeton
July 1st Monday evening - The present King of Greece ^[[is]] brother to the Princess of Wales King Otho was very unpopular and the people of Greece while he was on a sailing expedition rose up against him and closed the city so that he could not return. The United powers ^[[who wish to preserve the balance of power]] Denmark Eng. &c. were then appealed to for a king. England chose George son of the king of Denmark, his father consented that he should accept the trust, provided means were supplied to maintain his royalty England consented to provide [[pound sterling symbol]] 2000
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[[strikethrough]]and gave?[[/strikethrough]] him the Ionian Isles. He has reigned 4 years. This information was given Father this afternoon by a former [[?]] of the king Baron Gerdt walked home from the city with Father seemed to think he needed to be taken care of his daughter is suffering from famine in India.
July 2nd Mr. Rengabe says the new Greek Queen is only 14 years old is to be married in Sep. The king is 22 years old did not care much about the marriage until he saw the young lady but is now very much in love. She is very fascinating is the daughter of the Grand Duke Constantine. We have a memoir of the Duchess from the library. Mr. Rengabe? came to play Croquet. Mr. Cushing & C. R. ___ also here.
July 3rd The Papers contain an account of the death of the Emperor Maximilian The United States at the request of Austria interceded but in vain.
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for the pardon of himself & the two royalists who suffered with him. He was shot in the face his last word being Carlotta; the name of his wife.
July 5th Mr. Seward here in the afternoon also Mr. Beaman Sallie Mrs. Rengabe Rengabe Father & son.
" 6th A visit from Jane Wilkes She is in town for a few days likes High Shoals very much Is greatly interested in teaching the poor children near there black & white & also in building a church for the benighted neighborhood. Admiral Wilkes came to tea was much amused with the [[zucho?]] Mr. ___ of Sweden called
7th [[strikethrough]] ? [[/strikethrough]]
July 7th Dr. Easter dined with us looks bilious & melancholy. Mr. Dean & Mr. ___ called. No croquet too rainy.
9th Mr. Seward, Miss Wilkes, Mr. Dean Mr. Goodfellow & Mr. Beaman came for croquet. Mrs. Gerold & daughters came during the game. Also Prof.
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[[underlined]] July [[/underlined]] [[underlined]] 1867 [[/underlined]]
Hilgard & his wife A mexican refugee a royalist here in the afternoon to see Father said Maximilian was an exceedingly pleasant amiable & talented man.
17th Sallie & Miss Ellicott Mr. Beaman, Alfred Woodhull here for Croquet. Nell looked lovely in a lilac lawn I arranged her hair in the high style with good effect. We played late the moon shining almost as bright as day upon us before we ceased. Read "Good English" by Gould to Father in the evening.
18th Thursday. At work all day on Father's head and very tired in consequence. Mr. Welling came in while we were at tea. He has been elected President of a college at Annapolis. Father advised him to supply the college well with what he called implements of instruction Maps pictures plaster casts &c. [[underlined]] visible [[/underlined]] objects for the easiest most effective way of making an impression upon the mind was
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through the eye & when over such an impression had been made much collateral information might be added thereunto through association of ideas Even dull lazy boys might be interested & improved in this way he also believed in drilling boys in the [[underline]]practical[[/underline]] rudiments of learning. When he was in the Albany Academy the senior professors there were of the opinion that the principal object of instruction should be to make the child think. He contended however that the [[underline]]"doing"[[/underline]] faculties of the child should first be developed precision of memory cultivated & afterward he should be taught to think. A boy of twelve might find the rules of arithmetic easy to understand but of what use would his comprehension of them be if he had not be taught facility in the use of them by practice in multiplication subtraction addition & division In his opinion there would be very many bankrupt merchants if boys were taught only to think &
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not to do. He made an experiment while at the Academy in support of his theory mathematics was one department of his instruction, including arithmetic When the boys came to him he kept them for the first two years in the simple rules of arithmetic drilling them day after day The school room was surrounded by black boards & those boys who could not be accommodated at the boards were provided with slates. They all became in time exceedingly expert & could add multiply subtract & divide with the utmost ease. Taking five or six boys of about eight years of age who had been thus drilled he gave them a lecture [[strikethrough]]in the presence of Dr beck & the other Profs of an hour only[[/strikethrough]] upon a box of wooden cones & other mathematical instruments not exceeding three hours. They were afterwards examined for two hours in presence of Dr. Beck & the other profs with such eclat that those gentlemen claimed in delight "yes yes this is the
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"true method of instruction to teach children to think" but said Father "their facility in this instance was due to previous drilling in the practice of simple rules. Their thought had implements with which to work. After leaving Albany he met the father of one of his boys & asked him how he was progressing in his studies. "oh" said he "after you left he did admirably." You could not pay me a higher complement replyed Father his success was due to the drilling I gave him. But while he thus strongly advocated the doing faculties in the instruction of youth he would not have the thinking faculties neglected. The Professors in England went to the opposite extreme & only a few days ago he had been surprised by the ignorance of a fellow Oxford who asked him simple questions in science wh. a school girl in this country could answer.
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He closed by saying I have always Mr. Welling merged self in the ^[[? of the]] cause in wh I have been engaged it is the only way to succeed.
Laughed at Mother and her protégé Mary the guardian angel who has lost her sight & having no home Mother has taken her on. Father got her a permit to sell matches on the avenue & one of the servants takes her to the stand and brings her home every day for which she blesses Mother with true Irish highperbole "May her blessings reach
"you Madame" said Mr. Welling
"as he rose to go. May the Blessing of
"the Holy virgin & all the saints
"follow your honour said an Irish beggar
"to a gentleman who took out his purse
"to give him an alms, but never reach
"ye." he added as the purse disappeared unopened in the gentleman's
"pocket. Good night St. Agness
[[???Mab.]]
10th Father amused us this evening by undertaking to comb Mother's hair. The gravity with wh. the
[[underlined]] 1867 [[/underlined]]
unusual favor was given & received was comical in the extreme.
Saturday evening before communion. I cannot lift my head up low I lie Before Thy great & boundless majesty I cannot lift my head up still I dare To raise my thoughts to Thee my God in prayer
The sins I have committed day by day
The sins that led me from Thee for asking
Now weigh me down yet lowly as I lie
I feel Thy love still bless me from on high
Tomorrow Lord Thy Holy feast is spread
I, even I, would eat Thy children's bread
For presence there the only claims I plead
Thy sovereign mercy to my simple need.
Not to the righteous was Thy mission Lord
Sweet hope to sinners does that thought afford
The love that shows me how unclean I am
Still makes me feel that & that love may live.
Oh all enduring all untiring love
unchanging pure immeasureable love
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Out of Thy fullness
Some of thy grace to this unloving heart
I cannot lift my head up still I dare
To raise my thoughts to Thee my God in prayer
Still dare to love Thee lowly as I lie
And feel Thy love still bless me from on high.
Oct. 23rd We came home last evening that is Father & I. We have been away over two months. We went first to the Catskill Mts. where Father spent a week with us enjoying entire rest & freedom from care We separated on coming down from the Mts. Mother & I going to Albany. Nell & Carry to Princeton & met again in Phil. at the wedding of Stewart Patterson. Father was engaged in high business at Sandy Hook & did not rech P. in time for the wedding. I came away with him on Tuesday. We find the house in great confusion. It is being repainted. We eat in the
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[[underline]] 1867 [[/underline]]
[[underline]] Oct [[/underline]] kitchen, & use the Laboratory as a parlour. We are very cosy among the chemicals, to night we have been interrupted by a son of Judge Dunlop. An individual of somewhat peculiar appearance Not being satisfied with the amount of fore head granted him by nature he has shaved his [[strikethrough]] head [[/strikethrough]] hair off partly in front which gives a very odd look. Mr. Reese also came in. He discussed the Canal question with Father - Said, his proposition to make a Sewer of it was objected too on the ground that it might bust in case of unusual ^[[insertion]] rise in the [[/insertion]] water. Father said that difficulty would be easily remidied by making large gates in it wh. would rise with certain amount of pressure & let the water out. It only be occasionally thus overflowed.
24th Have been writing letters & Have just returned from a visit to the cook to see about
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dinner. Cook making oyster soup. Receipt. Strain the liquid in two a pot with celery & parsly. powder two or three crackers & put them in, also peper & salt. Put the oysters in. Let boil. Eve. Henry Elliot showed me some of his sketches. We are not interrupted by visitors.
25th Another visit from the individual with the artificially high forehead. He stayed some time discoursing upon historical subjects. Came to inquire about a book he wanted.
26th Went for a walk with father this afternoon, we stopped to look at some specimens of photosculpture recognized Gen Grant & our old friend Admiral Farragut among them. Went to Mrs Peals to take tea. She was very glad to see us. entertained us with stories & photographs. On our return home met Dr. Craig, on the grounds. He went back with us. Mr. Dunlap called again about his book.
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[[underline]] Oct [[/underline]] [[underline]] 1867 [[/underline]]
27th Sunday Went to church & received a warm greeting from all our friends after our long absence. The President was in church. Went to Mrs. Peals to dinner & remained also to tea. Dr. ___ & his wife & child were there also.
28th Busy moddeling a Meerschaum pipe. Induced Father to retire early & read him to sleep with extracts from Channing
29th Read Jane Eyre at night while Father was busy on the Eulogy of Prof Backe. Dreadfully jealous of Henry Ellet who is his assistant instead of myself.
30th Went to Mrs. Peals to see about flowers for Nell. Had a pleasant morning digging & planting. The painters proceed very slowly in their work.
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Nov. [[underline]] 1867 [[/underline]]
1st Friday. Mother & Carry came home. Nell stayed to take care of Mrs. Bache.
2nd Saturday. Spent the morning in looking for ^[[insertion]] wall [[/insertion]] paper, the eve. in the laboratory with Father.
15th Thursday. Have been very busy all of us in house cleaning & in making a walking dress for Nell who is still in Phil. Were very much disappointed in not seeing the meteoric shower on Tuesday night We gave direction to the Watchman to wake us if he saw any falling stars but did not do so - said "He did not see any drop. Saw in little wavering up above but nothing more. The display was very fine it is said more than fifty stars were seen to fall a [[strikethrough]] second [[/strikethrough]] minute. Last night we charged the delinquent to call us if he saw one star shoot - & explained to him that they would not fall at his feet as seemed to ^[[insertion]] have [[/insertion]] expected. It was supposed
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that the display might be even finer than the night be before but we were doomed to disappointment. At two o'clock we arose in the light of the moon attired ourselves in some what fantastic garb and descended with Father to the office & thence out into the dampness of night. A very bright moon we saw & some isolated stars, wh shone [[?]] down upon our upturned faces, their steady rays testifying to their determination to keep in their places but the erratic visitors we expected were no where visible. With strained vision & stiffened necks we soon returned to the office where Father gave us a lecture upon meteors in general & the meteors in particular wh. we desired to see. The latter he informed us probably a comet wh. we in our our ^[[unusual]] [[?]] around the sun has come in contact. Fortunately for
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[[underline]] Nov. [[/underline]] [[underline]] 1867 [[/underline]]
us that its solidity were [[no?]] greater or we might have had practical proof of how small a part ^[[our little world]] plays in the drama of the universe How little the harmony of the spheres would be disturbed were it eliminated somewhat perhaps to the astonishment of such our philosophers & theologians who labor under the slight delusion that the whole of Gods creation was intended for the edification of Man. Father said the meteoric shower in thirty three he witnessed with great delight. He had just gone to Princeton then & was awakened by one of the students. The sky was brilliant with them shooting apparently in every direction but he soon perceived that they all came from one point in the sky near the constellation Leo. & the apparent divergent lines they pursued was the effect of perspective. After looking at the globe & determining how high Leo ought to be we again proceeded to look
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[[underline]] Nov. [[/underline]] [[underline]] 1867 [[/underline]]
" for stars. This time our viligence was rewarded by the sight of one. a farewell wish of the tail of our fiery neighbor. We retired discomforted to our couches & were awaked all to soon by a call to breakfast.
20th Wed. Went to her Mr. Gough but could not get into the Hall where he was to lecture on account of the crowd so went to call on Mrs. Johnson Found Mr. Ashley there the great impeacher also Mr. Sen. Elliott. Mr. Baumgrass the artist came in the latter part of the evening.
22nd Went to hear Dr. Hall of London His lecture was an explanation of some of the actions of the English people during the war and a declaration of the amicable feeling existing in the [[mother isle?]] for the Americans. He managed the subject skillfully at the close of his address he spoke
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[[underline]] Nov. [[/underline]] [[underline]] 1864 [[/underline]]
of the common memory of England & America, the battles wh were alike sacred to them, the dead that lay in Westminster Abbey & the many quiet graves under the yew trees. Hand in hand ought they ever to advance Mother & daughter no rather two sisters the elder & the younger their only rivalry that of love. Dr. Hall is very English in appearance. He was amazed at the size of his audience, and so not pleasing to us in appearance at first but his face when speaking was much more agreeable. We had a good seat in one of the boxes wh. overlooked the stage.
Sat-23th At work at Father's bust [[all?]] and very tired in consequence.
24th Sunday. Dr. Hall preached in the House of Rep in the morning Father & Mother went but could not obtain a seat In the afternoon he addressed the colored people. Carry heard him
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[[underline]] Nov. [[/underline]] [[underline]] 1867 [[/underline]]
" said his address was interesting but not remarkable. We heard him in the evening in our own church. Long before the usual hour for service the building was thronged We could with difficulty obtain seats. A more thrilling sermon I never listened to. He took for his theme the simple but sublime plan of Salvation. its completeness & fullness & held his listeners entranced to the end. Saw Dr. Climer after church also the Chief Justice & his daughter who has just returned from Europe both were delighted with the sermon.
25th Went to hear Dr. Hall again. His sermon not so fine as that of last evening. Dr. Climer there. Saw Sec. Browning & daughter after lecture.
27th Gave Henry a French lesson. Read Buchanan
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Nov. [[underline]] 1867 [[/underline]]
Reed's poem The Wagoner of the Aleganies. Stewart Patterson here.
27th Dr. [[Climer?]] here in the morning read aloud to Father all this eve.
29th Thanksgiving Day dined with Prof & Mrs. Baird. Speaking of Dickens Mrs. B. told us she had passed a day with him & was very anxious to hear him lecture. Father told us a somewhat amusing anecdote about himself said that when engaged in the Albany Academy he was living in Schen. but it was necessary to be in Albany every morning at nine o'clock. One morning the coach failed to call for him & when he went to the office it was gone before sensing the ugency of the case to the coachman he harnessed up a second vehicle & driving with great rapidity he soon overtook the coach. the driver was hailed & stopped & [[?]] got out of his own coach with the other [[?]]
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[[underline]] Nov. [[/underline]] [[underline]] 1867 [[/underline]]
" The occupants of the latter looked at him in surprise & he returned their glance with some embarrassment - They had not gone far before a second vehicle was seen rapidly driving after the coach, wh. was hailed a second time. What now said the driver. I have a warrant for a man in your coach was the reply. [[strikethrough]] replies [[/strikethrough]] Everybody looked at Father as a suspicious individual but a slumbering man at his side was claimed instead. Told us too of his ride on a new steam carriage in Boston. It was a prettily fitted up affair. The boiler under the seat & the fuel in a [[trunk?]] strapped behind. He mounted [[into?]] the seat with the gentleman who owned it and away they went like the
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[[underline]] Nov. [[/underline]] [[underline]] 1867 [[/underline]]
wind past all the horses who were exceedingly amazed & frightened too to see their work done by nothing, the spirit if anything of a horse barked at by dogs, astonishing by nonplus. Through the streets of Boston & out upon the highway where their career was stopped by the breaking of a pipe. A tall seated express wagon was hailed & Father mounted into it returning home in not quite as magnificent style as he went out.
I have had a good day. I like Thanksgiving day. I always feel ^[[insertion]] then [[/insertion]] like God's pet-child, as if I had more than anyone else.
30th Busy today with Carry in making some fern hills for the conservatory out of stones moss &c. I think they will be very pretty. It is raining fast.
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[[underline]] Dec. [[/underline]] [[underline]] 1867 [[/underline]]
1st Monday. A very great change in the weather, the pleasant warm days of Indian summer have been replaced by a cold as keen as any we experianced last winter. Mrs. Stall a strong minded lady from Boston and her daughter came to-day. She has written several books & rumour says has delivered political speeches. We expected to see quite a masculine person but were agreeably disappointed ^[[in]] her She is ladylike in appearance and very agreeable in conversation. Her daughter is a pleasant healthy little thing. She seems to have taken her Mother's personal appearance into her especial charge. They have gone to take tea with Mrs. Baird where Father & Carry will join them after a call on Miss Chase.
2nd The strong minded lady we still find very pleasant. She went to visit the colored schools this morning & was much pleased with their appearance. She asked Father after dinner how the Inst.
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was supported. Father told her the old story. That Smithson was an illegitimate child of the Duke of Northumberland ashamed of his birth but declared that his name should yet live when the titles of the Percys & Northumberlands were forgotten. The original bequest was %515,000. The Hon. Richard Rush was sent to England to obtain it. Father dined with him in London in company with Prof. Bache while he was attending to the Smithson money but Father had no idea then that he would have anything to do with the dispensing of it. While Father was talking about the conduct of the Inst., the increase of Funds &c. Mr. Bartlett came in. He was just from Providence, Has been abroad during the summer & had greatly enjoyed his trip. Told us of an interesting visit to Lepsius at Berlin. He (Lepsius) is now about sixty but hale & active. He went through the Egyptian museum
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[[underline]]1867[/underline]]
with Mr. Bartlett showed him a tomb of an ancient monarch the olddest yet discovered dating as far back 3300 years B.C. The stones of the tomb has been carefully removed and rebuilt exactly in Berlin, The colours of the painting were perfect when the tomb was first put up but are now very indistinct. The royal family of Berlin take great interest in the museum & in [[Levsius/Lepsius?]] Mr. B. also described a visit to Stone Henge and the old roman fort near at hand. The former place Father said he saw by moonlight. He gave the coach man of the vehicle in wh. he was travelling a crown to stop while the other passengers were asleep. Mr. B. spoke also of the Lacustrian remains found in the Swiss lakes and the indication found there of the great antiquity of man.
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[[underline]]1867[/underline]]
Mr. Armstrong a member of the Sunday School convention who is staying with us, came in. Mr. B. asked Father why the Library of the Inst. has been given to Congress and regreted it. Father said he considered that an exceedingly good transaction. The library was an exceedingly fine one but the cost of binding was great and the room required for its accommodation inadequate. Congress assumed the expense of the binding in the present arrangement wh. cost this three thousand dollars. The books were equally at their disposal of the Smithsonian for reference and loan. Anyone pursuing a particular branch of study and requiring books for such a purpose could apply as before to the Inst. & be furnished with and not only the books belonging to the Inst. are now thus offered to it but the whole Congressional library wh. it was stipulated
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should be kept open during the entire year instead of a few months as formerly. After the Smithsonian contribution to the Congressional library, Congress was induced to purchase that of Peter Force & now we have in the capitol the largest library in the country & worthy to be what Father wishes it to be called a [[underline]]National Library[[/underline]]. Father said his next desire was to induce Congress to take the building and make a grand museum leaving the Smithsonian fund entirely untrammeled for the encouragement of original research & additions to knowledge. A museum on a grand sale could be collected as most of the museums of the world were indebted to the Smithsonian upon condition that they should supply specimens if they should ever be required.
Lord & Lady Amberly the
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[[underline]]Dec.[[/underline]]
son & daughter in law of Lord John Russel called today with a letter of introduction to Father. She is said to be the most cultivated lady of her age in England. Mrs. Dall says she has seen them That they are agreeable and would be pleasing in appearance but she is traveling without a maid & the gentleman without his valet & they neither of them know how to attire themselves.
4th To day the great question of the impeachment of the President was to be brought up but was deffered Cary & guest went to the Capitol heard nothing of interest. All the family except Moth & myself have gone to a small party given to Miss Frelinghuysen daughter of the N.J. senator. The Sunday School conventioneer has come in and retired for the night. He has been on a whaling voyage and spent several years in the Sandwich
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Dec. [[underline]]1867[[/underline]]
Father discovered last night In the absence of the rest of the party Mother & I have been entertained by a visit from Mr. & Mrs. Peale & Alfred Woodhul. The former greatly admired the fern baskets Mother's addition to the conservatory and the shells of plant she arranged as well as the grottoes of rocks & moss Carry & I made to catch the water from the hanging basket. The plants are growing well and the conservatory really looks very prettily. I have been in bed all day with headache so have not been able to work on Father's bust.
5th Thursday. Busy all day at Father's bust. Mrs. Dale & daughter left this morning. Father & Carry went to call on Lady Amberly. She is the daughter of Lord Stanley. They found her very agreeable. She has married a widower with a small child of two years old. She told Carry she
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was very anxious to get back to England in order to see the little boy and showed her a picture of him asleep. Carry told her we had an acquaintance of hers with us. "Mrs. Dale, Oh [[?]] She tiresome said she. "She is strong minded" said Cary. "Oh I don't object to her principles but to her voice," said Lady A. Mrs. Delafield & Mary Sorring were calling upon her also. She was very much pleased with Father & said she had enjoyed her visit at the Smithsonian very much. She wants to go to the church of the colored people on Sunday and Father promised to let her know when it was to be found. We shall have to call up all our little negro boys and ask them where they go to church said Miss Sorring for your benefit Lady Amberly. She goes to Richmond on Monday. We were invited to meet them at Adm.Shubrick's last evening & wanted to invite them here ^[[on Sat.]] but Father has an
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engagement. The conventioneer left us this evening for his Sunday School meeting & on his return bade us "good bye" as he intended to go home early in the morning.
Read the President's message to Father after dinner. He objects to the military government of the southern states to the enfranchisement of the negro, to the bill passed near the close of last session preventing him from appointing government officers or rather making such appointments invalid unless ratified by congress. recommends a return to specie payment in part and shows the evil of our present inflated paper currency. Father says to return to specie payment [[underline]]in part[[/underline]] would be still worse than to remain as we are. Now Gold is a commodity and but a small portion comparatively goes out of the country but if currency much more of it would be spent for foreign goods. It
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would go to foreign lands and leave us our worthless paper. The more foreign commerce we have where we have to give ^[[out]] gold and receive paper ^[[at home]] be worse for us.
We have been quite pleased this evening by the arrival of six numbers of the Bazaar a magazine of fashion for wh. we have subscribed and all of including the S.S. conventioneer dived into them hoop skirts & head gear. Train dress & short ones, how to arrange one's back hair & how to crisp front locks with [[?]] & [[?]] stories to fill up spaces such are the contents of the valuable paper. If we are not attired well now it will certainly not be the fault of Mr. Harper. Mr. Gill brought in Mrs. Dale's' book, "The court, the market & the college, but it was quite cut out by the fashions. Father looked through it but laid it down soon.
6th Another day with Father's bust
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[[underline]]Dec[[/underline]][[underline]]1867[[/underline]]
Father had a c all from Hon. Mr. Shutt Fellow of Trinity College Cam. a pleasant intelligent individual. Carry went this morning to ask Mrs. Baird to come with some friends staying with her to tea with Miss Sullivan. A young lady from England who has brought us a letter of introduction from Dr. Grey who says he sends her in return for Miss [[Frere?]] whom we sent to him last winter He says she is superior to the latter lady but I doubt it. I have made my toilette and am writing in the dining room to employ the interval of time before they arrive. Father had just come in comfortable consciousness of company coat & smooth hair. Mother is appearing & disappearing into the pantry somewhat excitedly, hair in order, dress not in accord. Carry appears in brown silk & turns on lights. [[Guests?]] are here
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Dec 1867
without. They come, Mother where art thou?
7th I hope our guests last evening enjoyed themselves as much as I did. Miss Sullivan came first attired in white muslin & the ribbons, evidently prepared for a much larger entertainment than we had provided for her. She is about fourty years old with dark eyes & hair and rather heavy features. very pleasant but not nearly as attractive in manner & appearance as Miss [[Frere?]] She is the neice of Lord Palmerston & came to America in the same vessel with Lord & Lady Amberly. Prof. & Mrs. Baird & Lucy were the next arrival & Mr. Post a missionary from Syria completed our small tea party. Mrs. Baird told us that in the woman are obliged to wear all the hair cut from their husbands heads in [[rolls?]] at the back of their heads like our water falls?. The gentleman from Syria told me some interesting things about
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[[underline]]Dec[/underline]][[underline]]1867[[/underline]]
the antiquities of the country. Told me he had traced for miles the remains of a roman road, to be seen on the promontories jutting into the sea. The ruts of carriage wheels & the horses hoof tracks worn deep into the rock.
Went this morning to look for a carriage with Mother. Father went with Miss Sulivan to see the President the Patent Office and other places. He is going to the club to night wh. meets at Judge Chases and is preparing to give an account of his experiments on sound made at Sandy Hook this Fall.
Mrs. Baird said last night that Mrs. Dall tried to obtain the pulpit of the Unitarian church for tomorrow but it was otherwise engaged. She preaches in Wilmington instead. I should like to have heard her.
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[[underline]]Dec[[/underline]][[underline]]1867[[/underline]]
8th Sunday. A sermon from Dr. Nevins from China, a missionary who gave us a great deal of interesting information in a short time. Said that China was in many respects like the United States In extent it was equal to the whole United States from ocean to ocean rather the addition of a line of states in width that like them it extended north & south giving great diversity of climate. It was divided into eighteen provinces corresponding with our states, with divisions & subdivisions similar to our counties & townships. One remarkable feature was the walled cities. each province & each division & subdivision of a province has its capitol, which is a walled town, like walls consisting of solid masonry without lined with embankments of earth--could these enclosing walls be extended in a straight line they would extend [[strikethrough]] have way around the globe[[/strikethrough]] a distance equal to half the circumference of the globe. The towns have in every
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instance overgrown the walls and a third of the population are sheltered without them. In speaking of the cities of the Dead he said one grave yard extended ten miles, a mile in width, and had been abandoned as too full to use. He spoke in the afternoon to the Sunday School children and in the evening we had a sermon from Dr. Brown from Japan. He spoke of the early history of Japan of the early attempt of the Romanists to Christianize the Islands and the jealousy of the natives in what they supposed was ^[[a political intrigue]] [[strikethrough]]an[[/strikethrough]]effort to bring them into subjection to the Pope. A political intrigue they supposed wh. caused them to issue an edict banishing them from the country. He said the Tycoon was not the emperor but one, the greatest of a member of Lords who had their retainers as in the ancient feudal system. He spoke of a military class to wh. belonged most of the
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young men of good birth who in time of peace had nothing to do, it being considered derogatory to them to engage in any useful employment. They are retainers of the Feudal lords before mentioned, One of these he told us became very much interested in the Christian religion from some references made to it in the books brought into the country by the Dutch traders. His desire at last to know more of the God of the Christians became so great that that he sold his property and embarked secretly & at the risk of his life for America. On arriving at Boston he went to the owner of the vessel and told him his purpose in coming. The merchant told him what he wished to know He was sent to a seminary at Andover where is now making rapid progress in his studies.
Miss Sulivan was here just before dinner Father went with her to see the Chief Justice
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and afterwards to see whether Lady Amberly wished to go to the colored church. Came to our church during the sermon. The Chief Justice was there also was much interested.
9th A cold windy day. Have been out looking a carriages & furniture. Mr. Franklin here to dinner. He thinks Chase's chances for the Presidency are nothing, seems to think Sherman will be elected. The Impeachment affair has entirely fallen through. A delightful little party this evening. Mrs. Brown the wife of the missionary came with Mrs. Parker to tea and was joined later in the evening by Dr. & Mrs. Gurley who brought with them Dr. Brown from Japan. Dr. Norris from China Dr. Morrison from China with his wife & another gentleman whose name I have forgotten. Gen & Mrs. Harwood and Mrs. Smith were also here
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the latter came in search of Mrs. Brown. We all enjoyed the evening very much. Miss Brown had an album with her with Japanese photographs in it.
Wed. 11th A party a Gen. Humpry's. Father gone to Princeton.
12th Thurs. A cold stormy day. An invitation to breakfast for Father from Mr. Paugn to meet Mr. Morley. Tried to work on Father's bust but not well enough. Henry Ellet in to see about S. S. school children's tableaux. Letter writing in the eve. The house very desolate without Father.
13th Friday. A letter from Father. He has been urgently entreated to accept the Presidency of the college made vacant by the resignation of Prof. MacClean. A call from Dr. Nevins, went through the building with him. The ground is white with snow and sleigh bells are jingling merrily.
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Jan. Tuesday 21st I commence my journal for 1868 with the meeting of the Academy or ^[[rather]] with the arrival ^[[some]] of its members. The evening train brought us first Dr. Lorrey ^[[& Hensfort]] & Dr. Barnard who were speedily followed by Dr. Gould & Miss Hensfort. All merry & well. Prof. Davies came in after tea. I looked at him with interest as the author of the Algebra whose equation delighted my young brain in days gone by. His broad fine face is genial & kind. While Father & himself were going over in imaginations various circumstances of their past-lives. We that is Dr. Lorrey Carry Mr. Post of Syria & Mr. ___ who had come in just before Prof. Davies & myself were amusing ourselves with Mr. Bacon new book on the Nile. Dr. Lorrey reading aloud from it an account of a Rhanoserous hunt with various comments by his auditers. The Academy opens tomorrow.
Wed. 22nd At the breakfast table in speaking of personal [[identity?]] mentioned an amusing mistake he had made
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in claiming a most cordial acquaintance with Gen. Sherman thinking he was the Rev. F. Vinson of New York. He gave an amusing description of the question answered & asked until completely puzzled. Gen. Sherman exclaimed, "Who in the world do you take me for! The Dr. discovering his mistake went home & took Dr. V. for Gen. Sherman. Father said that Mr. ___ of the South had mistaken himself for his brother. Entering a crowded saloon he was astonished to see advancing toward him his brother whom he supposed to be far away. He exclaimed in astonishment "Why how came [[underlined]] you [[/underlined]] here? & discovered the next minute he was looking at himself in a large mirror. Took himself for his brother & that [[underlined]] on reflection [[/underlined]] too said Dr. Gould. Dr. Lorrey then proceeded to give us an amusing description of some experiments he had made on a pet monkey with a mirror. When it was placed
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flat upon the floor the animal evidently mistook it for a pool of standing water and advancing cautiously to the brink kept tight hold of the edge while he peered down into the seeming depth. When the glass was in standing position the reflected monkey was an object of great interest to the original. He darted behind to discover him. When found he was not to be touched when prevented from doing this he left in disgust. A picture of a monkey however well painted he took no notice of. Prof. Guyot came to dinner Dr. Hall also Father brought home Prof Newton so our hotel is quite full. Seven gentlemen & one Lady we have made up two beds in the laboratory. A soiree at the house of the Chief Justice. Carry went with some of our gentlemen. Dr. Lorrey Dr. Hall & Prof Guyot remained at home Col Alexander & Gen. Brown were here at tea time after they left Dr. Hall brought into the parlor some photographs of the fossil
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[[underline]]1868 [[underline]]
elephant or mastodon, I call him an elephant because with the vertebral column raised as it is in this specimen on a line with the head contrary to the usual arrangement of the skeletons of that animal hitherto found, He is nothing more or less than an elephant, The only difference Dr. Hall says he that his teeth are not the same. It is a pity if an elephant cannot indulge in a fancy style of tooth without being renamed by the Naturalist. If teeth are to be so much considered we shall have to find some new designation for some of our fellow men & woman. The photographs were very interesting the animal was found in what Dr. Hall called a "pot-hole not a very euphonious name. These are deep wells worn into the ground it is supposed by the falling of water into fissures of the great glaciers which at one time covered the region.
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some of them are of a great depth.
23rd Thursday. a rainy day. Prof called after breakfast. Prof Guyot left us to our great regret. He has to lecture in Baltimore. Prof Agassiz called. while he was here Dr. Gould came in & told us Father had been elected President of the Academy. The election was unanimous only one vote for you Prof. A. said Dr. Gould Yes said Prof A. I had only one vote wh. probably came from the Prof as he would not vote for himself. Later Father has come home tired. He has accepted the Presidency as the vote [[strikethrough]]seemed[[/strikethrough]] was so unanimous. Soirees at Senator Morgans & Secretary Randall, Nell went with Miss H. & some of the gentlemen.
24th Friday. Our reception day but I made my escape to the Capitol with Prof & Miss Hereford to hear Father's paper on Sound leaving Nell & Carry to assist Mother in entertaining the guests. They
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had over fourty calls. We went first to the senate chamber & then to the Academy room the same occupied by that body last year. Father commenced to speak immediately after we had taken our seats. He gave some results of his experiments on sound made in his connection with the light house branch at Sandy Hook & elsewhere. Explained [[hurriedly?]] the various instruments used as fog signals in the light houses. Bells, whistles, &c. showed us a drawing of an [[strikethrough]] false [[/strikethrough]] artificial ear constructed in order to guard against a false estimate of the distance at which the sound of a fog signal could be heard used to list these signals. This ear consisted of hollow tube flair out at one end like a trumpet over the small end and a small piece of ________of stretched & upon this membrane was scattered the sand wh would danse at the
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sound of the wistle or bell to test the distance at which the latter could be heard. The instrument was carried farther & farther off until a distance was attained at which the sand ceased to danse. It was necessary to have such an instrument as a steady test unaffected by the imagination of interested parties. The results attained were tested by the human ear & found to agree perfectly. In order to use the instrument it was necessary that the trumpet or tube should not be in unison with the signal bell or wistle & the membrane streched lighter over the end of the tube otherwise they would themselves become sonorous. Sound is vibration of the atoms of the air. The distance at which it is heard is in proportion to the number of atoms moved and the square of the ^[[insertion]] [[?]] of [[/insertion]] vibrations. Mentioned that sound was best heard not in the direction
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of the wind but in a vertical direction from it. Said that he had heard a distinct echo wh. could come only from the crest of the waves as no land was near, this was at Sandy Hook on the beach. The experiments being made along the beach.
Went into the senate after Father's speech Mr. Nye was answering Mr. Doolittle on the reconstruction question. Prof Twining & Alfred Woodhall here to tea. Soirees at Mr. Colfax's & Sec. MacColloch's [[?]] architect the gentlemen & Miss G Dr. Gould remained at home.
25th Sat. Went to the capitol this morning but did not stay long. Have lost Dr. Barnard Dr. Hall, Prof Newton. Dr. [[Gower?]] Dr. Lorrey & Miss H. will remain on a few days longer. Father has gone to [[Nice?]] with Baron
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Gerolt. We are all tired out with the excitement of the week.
Feb 1st Sat. A week of parties &c. &c. I have not gone out as much as the rest but have done duty as general decorator & dressing maid. The contest between the President & Stanton continues.
4th Went to hear Dickens read. Was much interested in seeing the great novelist but was not especially delighted with his performance. His delivery of Mr. Pegotty's lament over Emily was well done & greatly affected the feelings of a dog near us who unable to control his emotion gave vent to a loud howl.
8th Sat. Another gay week, low necked & high necked parties matinees receptions &c. We have no guests with us for a wonder. Stanton has been turned out & reinstated and the contest bet. him & the President & Gen. Grant continues.
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15th Sat. This week's programme very much the same as lasts. The pleasantest party to me this season was one at Mrs. Hooper's.
16th Sun. Prof Pratt preached for us. Dr. Gurley has left us for six months on account on his health.
17th. Mon. Judge Otto called with _______ after they left Prof Lane came & read a book on optics (French) to Father & himself.
18th Party at Pomeroy's
19th Wed. Mr. Varley, an Englishman here to dinner also Mr. Franklin Mr. Varley assisted in laying the Atlantic cable, gave us much interesting information concerning it. John Young here in the evening. Prof. Lane also here. He came for more French optics but had Atlantic cable instead.
20th Thursday. Jack Gillis here also Mr. Pierce of Cambridge. Mr. Varley has taken up his abode with us and we have also Dr. ___ as
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perennial guest. He has a small Indian boy with us whom he has adopted.
21st Fri. Reception day. Cloudy only seventeen here. Jack Gillis came to dinner. Showed us sketches he made while at work on the Pacific R.R. A discussion with Mr. Varly after he left. Father not very well.
22nd The city in a great state of excitement on account of the impeachment of the President. Yesterday the President sent up a message to the Senate announcing that he had by [[strikethrough]] the [[/strikethrough]] virtue of the power vested in him removed Mr. Stanton from the position of Sec. of War & appointed Gen. Thomas Sec. ad-interim. This morning the Reconstruction Committee held a long session at the house of Thaddeus Stevens, and concluded to report a resolution impeaching the President of high crimes and misdemeanors for turning out an officer of the government in
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face of the tenure of office law. At 20 min. past 2 o'clock this resolution was presented to the House by Mr. Stevens amid profound silence. Nell & Carry went to a matinee at Mrs. Prague's. Nothing talked of but the impeachment. The House is in session. Carry has gone up with Mr. Franklin, Dr. & boy left us at dinner time. Mr. Varley is still here.
10 h. P.M. Carry has returned she was fortunate in obtaining admission to the floor of the House. Speechs were made by Bingham, Farnsworth, Butler & other prominent members spoke in the morning. In the evening Farnsworth, Kelley, Beck, Lorgan Phelps Holman Peters Nublack and Ingersol continued the debate. The [[strikethrough]] senate [[/strikethrough]] House journed or rather took a recess until ten o'clock [[strikethrough]] tomorrow [[/strikethrough]] ^[[insertion]] on Monday morning [[/insertion]] The vote upon the resolution will be taken at 5 P.M. The members allowed a half hour each to speak upon it.
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[[underlined]] 23rd [[/underlined]] [[underlined]] 1868 [[/underlined]]
Sun. The excitements is still great numbers of people have visited the White House & War Department Sec. Stanton has possession ^[[insertion]] of the latter [[/insertion]] and the building is protected by a guard. Gen. Thomas was arrested yesterday but ^[[insertion]] was [[/insertion]] released on parole. Prof Hansford here in the afternoon. G coming to go with us to the Capitol [[strikethrough]] this [[/strikethrough]] tomorrow morning. Read Ecce Homo in the evening. About nine o'clock Mr. Hall came in with Evening Express Extra. Gen. Grant said to be arrested & a rumor that Hon. Thomas Ewing has been appointed Sec. of War. It is said that a hundred thousand armed men are preparing to come to W. at a moment's notice to sustain Congress.
29th The debate commenced this morning by Mr. Ashley, Mr. Cook followed in favor of the resolution of impeachment. Mr. Boyer in opposition. Mr. Washburn speech
Feb.
in opposition to the President was the most severe. The vote was taken at five o'clock 124 to 42. The galleries were crowded and a detachment of policemen was placed at the various entrances and passages of the capitol to preserve order. The President sent to the Capitol his appointment of Hon. Mr. Ewing as Sec. of War. & also a message protesting against the action of congress in impeaching him. He has received messages from democratic citizens of New York & other places offering to sustain him with money and men. About eleven o'clock to-day Gen. Thomas went to the War Department where Stanton is still in voluntary confinement remaining in the building night & well day & said he had come to take possession of the Office in obedience to the repeated order of the President.
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Stanton ordered him from the room. Gen. Thomas went to the principal employee & ordered them to bring him the [[?]] papers & packages passing through their hands as head of the office. The position of these underlings is decidedly disagreeable not knowing whom they must obey.
25th Tuesday. The paper this morning contains the President Message. He takes the ground that the turning out of Stanton is not a violation either of the Constitution or the Laws of the U.S. including the tenure of office law. It was not in violation of the Constitution as the right of the President to appoint & remove his own officers was distinctly recognized in that & had been excised [[strikethrough]] ed [[/strikethrough]] by his predecessors from Washington down. As to the demise of Office law the first section of that act is as follows.
"That every person holding any civil office to which he has been
[[underline]] 1868 [[/underline]]
appointed by and with the consent of the Senate and every person [[strikethrough]] you [[/strikethrough]] who shall hereafter be appointed to any such office and shall become duly qualified to act therein is & shall be entitled to hold such office until a successor shall have been in like manner appointed and duly qualified except as herein otherwise provided. [[underlined]] Provided [[/underlined]], that the Secretaries of State of War of the Treasury of the Navy and of the Interior the Postmaster General & the Attorney Gen. shall hold their offices respectively for and during the term of the President [[underlined]] by whom they have been appointed [[/underlined]], and for one month thereafter subject to removal & by the advice of the Senate." The President contended that he had not violated this act because Stanton had not be appointed by him and was Secretary only by sufferance. He had always obeyed the laws that had been [[strikethrough]] violated [[/strikethrough]] passed over his vetoes. He considered the
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Tenure of Office Law unconstitutional & action in the present case was for the purpose of making a judicial decision necessary & proper. He was willing to suffer in his own person if necessary rather than be unfaithful to important trust confided to him the guarding of the rights of the Presidential office.
Jack Gillis has just been here. Thinks the impeachment will be hurried up. We may next week have Ben Wade in the White House.
27th The excitement about impeachment continues unabated. This is our reception day a number of calls among others D. J. G. de Magalhaens the new Brazilian minister & his wife. They do not speak English, but understand much so it was easy to manage with them. Mr. Thornton the new English minister was also here. Mrs. Trumbul told Carry to come to her house on Monday & take lunch & then go to the capitol Which would be crowded as the
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impeachment resolutions were to be brought into the senate & she was going on the floor.
March 1st Sunday. Mr. Ried preached for us a candidate for the pastorale ad interim. We did not find him very interesting. Went to Susie Hodge's to dinner. Read Ecce Homo at night until Mr. Gill came in with a paper & impeachment news. The author of Ecce Homo is certainly a very interesting & clear thinker, He brings out in a new light the wonderful adaptability of the Christian plan of salvation & moral restoration to man & his needs. How he can show as he does the wonderful wisdom of that plan, the wonderful power it has exerted and not consider the originator divine. I cannot understand. Truly that one admission is needed to make his book an exceedingly beautiful tribute to the Lord of Glory. Like a beautiful gilded temple in the dark. The
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gold is there but it needs the light of the sun to show its beauty. I am sometimes half inclined to think he is a true Christian in disguise, not fully avowing his sentiments in order to catch the infidels unawares & bring them unwillingly to a contemplation of that wonderful combination of wisdom power & purity displayed in the character of our Lord so that while saying ecce homo they must in spite of themselves explain Ecce Deus.
2nd A stormy day at work on Father's head. The impeachment resolutions will not be presented until tomorrow
3rd Nell & Carry went to Mrs. Trumbal's this morning & from thence to the capitol. The impeachment resolutions did not come up. Read French for Father & articles upon electricity. He is going to talk upon the latter subject at the club on Saturday evening. His
[[underlined]] March [[/underlined]] 1868
unpublished researches in that department of knowledge made in Princeton are still in advance of the knowledge of the times.
4th The resolutions were brought up to-day. Nell & Carry went to the capitol I stayed at home to work not caring to lose a day on an uncertainty. A letter from the Chief Justice in to night's paper remonstrated upon the reception of these resolutions by the Senate until it is formed into a court.
5th. This morning the galleries of the senate chamber were crowded to the utmost. At one o'clock the Chief Justice entered the chamber & Mr. Wade formally surrendered the chair. The oath of office was then administered by [[strikethrough]] Mr. [/strikethrough]] Judge Nelson. After wh. the Senators were sworn in. It was an impressive scence. When
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Johnson of Maryland came forward he asked for the Bible the others had sworn by simply raising the hand. He laid his hand upon the holy book when it was brought and reverently kissed it when the oath had be taken. When Wade came forward Sen. Hendrich arose & objected to his voting, & with propriety it seems to me as he will take the place of the President if the trial goes against him. After some debate it was concluded to swear in the other senators & discuss Wade's claims afterward Meeting of Sunday School Teachers in the evening Mr. Shanklin here to dinner. He was not well so mother asked him to stay all night.
6th It was decided that Mr. Wade should take the oath and thus become a part of the impeachment court. A small party this evening Mr. & Mrs. Gurley, Mrs. Lambert
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sister & two sons. The Peales. I had a headache & could not appear. Mr. [[Sharklin?Franklin?]] here all night again.
7th Father has gone to the club to night, at the Chief Justice's & to deliver a lecture on electricity. We have been warming apparatus at the fire and have sent off the delicate creature wrapped up in warm shawls. Mr. Gurley and two other gentlemen came to go with them.
8th Sunday. Mr. Ried preached for us in the morning. Semi Centenarian [[strikethrough]]anivere[[/strikethrough]] anniversary of the Sunday School. My scholars were in high glee considering the occasion a highly festive affair. I am afraid the Superintendent thinks me rather lax in discipline but I dislike to check the laugh of a child, I would as soon crush a flower. My youngest darling soon went to sleep in my arm under the nose of Dr. Chester
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who was delivering a discourse interesting enough to the older part of the community but decidedly above the heads of the little one before him. The church was crowded and the children presented a very sight as they came up the centre aisyle two by two. The singing was spirited & sweet, & entered into with great enjoyment by my frolicsome little colts. Went to dine at the Kennedy's Had a long talk with Annie who is to be married next month to Gen. Bidwell. They will be very happy I hope. He is a good man & one of the richest in California.
9th Monday. The papers to day are down upon the Chief Justice for his letter criticizing the senate for receiving the resolutions of impeachment before it was formed into a court &c. The family have all gone to tea to Mrs. Peale's, that is with the exception
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of Father who went first to the President's soiree with an officer of the British Navy. I was not feeling quite well enough to join the party so Mr. Franklin & I are spending the evening alone.
10th Tuesday. The Senate to day concluded to have tickets of admission to the galleries during the Impeachment trial. When Mother read aloud at the dinner table the names of the fortunate individuals to whom these were awarded Father's was down but we found out afterwards that at the suggestion of Mr. Fessenden we had been cut off with the admirals of the Navy & the heads of departments. Only the Senators & Members, the Secretaries & the Judges now have the right of admission. A number of tickets will be given to the Sargent of Arms every day for distribution. We are too proud to ask for what ought to have been given to us. So I suppose
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will not be present at all.
11th Mr. Stansbury has resigned in order to become part of the President's council. Mr. & Mrs. Gurley called after tea then Prof. Doesker & lady came then Mr. Patterson & Mr. Drexel Mr. P. thinks the country will be much quieter after the impeachment. Said he had lost any ambition he might have had to be in the cabinet since the war. To be in congress yesterday, to be President he would despise tomorrow there was nothing left but the church Hand over the collection plate suggested Mr. Drexel. Yes said Mr. P. an office which in the days of my worldliness I despised. Mr. D. said it was rumoured that the President intended to resign. The radicals would be delighted at that as they would get rid of him without the decision of the trial. Mr. Patterson said he believed the President
[[underline]]1868[[/underline]]
to be a conscientious man with a remarkable faculty of doing the right thing at the wrong time. Father said he had been to the White House a few evenings ago to introduce an English Officer to the President. Mr. Johnson took his hand in both of his & seemed much pleased & touched at a call from him. As they went away the Englishman "He does not look like a bad man." No said Father. I believe him to be honest & well meaning." I was told said the Englishman he had committed very great crimes. The President feels every little attention paid him at the reception last Monday. A little boy said, "I love the President who loves the constitution. God bless you boy said. Mr. Johnson [[strikethrough]]?[[/strikethrough]] took him up in his arms & kissed him.
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Nell & Carry went to the Brownings this morning. Mrs. B. hope the trial will be over soon as she wishes to get home soon to make her garden. Of course we'll have to go you know said she. Mr. Wade will have a new cabinet either Mr. Washburne or Fred Douglass will be Sec. of Interior I hope the latter that the radicals may have their heart's desire for once.
12th Thursday. Teacher's meeting this evening. The new clergyman not very entertaining. Lottie Alexander came last night. Father went to call on Mr. Fessenden with Mr. Patterson & Mr. Drexel. Mr. F. said that when he had cut us off from the ticket list he had said on the floor of the senate [[strikethrough]]offlo?[[/strikethrough]] that he was sorry to cut off his friend Prof. H. but that he would see that he was provided with tickets, so call on me Prof. if you want them. The apology was very well but
[[underlined]] March [[/underlined]] [[underlined]] 1868 [[/underlined]]
I wish he had let us alone.
13th [[underlined]] Friday [[/underlined]] We did not receive today as the girls wanted to go to the capitol & Mother was not well. The Fessenden tickets took Carry & Lottie in. Nell was going with Mr. S____ but came home as she had to wait some time in the Library. The indignation about the tickets is great. To day the court opened. The President's council appeared and asked for more time fourty days. The Senate went out for one hour & half to discuss the expediency of granting this request & then returned to continue the debate in the senate chamber. The girls did not knno how the question was decided.
Read Phaedo with Father before tea. Father says he has 1500 gallons of wiskey to sell, distilled during his experiments with meteors at a Government distillery
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in Georgetown. The tax on the article is two dollars, & it sells for only 1,40 showing how great must be the frauds to make any profit. The cost of experiments of the commission have amounted to 2000 dollars. Father went to the senate to day to know what was to be done with the wiskey as Government is not authorized to sell it. It is difficult to know how to dispose of it. I am glad the meetings of the commission are over they have tired Father out & he has been besieged by numbers of people wanting him to favor certain members. He says the business makes him feel uncomfortable, of the 100 men presenting [[members?]] he can only make one happy & must make 99 uncomfortable.
Father says an amusing thing happened to Gen. Tollen He sent down south somewhere a large quantity of lumber
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for light house purposes & insured it. When he went to Government for his pay the Sec. refused to acknowledge his claim for insurance wh. amounted to two or three hundred dollars telling him he ought not to have insured as the Government never insured anything but said the Gen. It was stormy weather it was necessary to insure. Contrary to rule replied the officer contrary to rule it cannot be allowed, but said the Gen. the vessel was lost. This altered the state of the case. The officer concluded to allow the payment of the insurance. This reimbursement of Gen. Totten recalled a similar incident of a man who went to insure his vessel to a House in New York. The insurance
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was heavy [[strikethrough]] he demurred about paying it[[/strikethrough]] the officers demurred about allowing him any as the vessel was very highly valued by its owner The man returned in a few days & said I have heard from that vessel. You need not make out the insurance papers. They are made out the officers replied [[lately?]] the Insurance must be paid. Very well said the man I am willing [[underline]]the vessel was lost[[/underline]]
14 Saturday. The impeachment is put off for ten days. Mr. Franklin said at dinner that the President it is supposed will resign. Sec. Browning takes Mr. Stansbury's place. Father has gone to the club. It meets to night at Sec. McColloch's. Lottie is low spirited to night about Mary H. She says she looks very
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badly. We have had a misty damp day I am afraid it will rain tomorrow I found scribbled in the back of the Congressional directory this evening a memento of Mr. Varley in a little squib He repeated to us at dinner one day when expressing his dislike of the Georges. George the first was vile But viler George the second Who ever heard Any good of George the third When George the fourth [[underline]]from earth descended[[/underline]] Thank God the line of Georges ended.
The last two lines Father enjoyed highly. Mr. Varley does not ^[[think]] much of the Queen.
17th Tuesday. Last Saturday at the club Sec. McColloch & others told Father of a wonderful spiritualist who had effected them powerfully. He had told the Sec. & Mrs.. McCulloch some
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very strange things and they were very anxious to have Father see him. He was sent for then but had a headache, so a meeting was appointed for him this evening in the Regents Room. We ladies had no suspicion of what was going on we should have joined the party as it was we were in bed when Father came in, but we were too impatient to hear about the affair to wait until morning so Father at our urgent request came into our room & told us about it. Sec. McCulloch Dr. Craig Mr. ___ & some other gentlemen were present. The Spiritualist was a dreamy sympathetic [[?]] [[?]] very interesting in appearance. Mrs. Eames had told him that Father's will was so strong he would not be able to do anything with him. He made the raps openly with his hand upon the table, He began very adroitly by messages to those he had already [[contacted?]]
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in order to enlist Father's sympathies before trying any experiments with him. He had a printed alphabet and the person who had someone in his mind with whom he wished to communicate passed his finger down this alphabet--The spirits rapping [[strikethrough]] out [[strikethrough]] when the letters of the name of the person thought of were touched. When Father's turn came he thought of a certain Bill Johnson whom he had known as a young man & who had promised to come back from the world of the dead if he could & tell him about it. He hesitated a little at the letter W thinking he could call him William Johnson by wh. the spirits were deceived & rapped out William Henry. It [[ strikethrough]] the n [[strikethrough]] is not the name I was thinking of said Father. The spirits do not always succeed said the medium. Father
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was interested in the man & would like to have got under this hat. He thought He did not want to come in as he thought it a dangerous matter to meddle with as when once the imagination was affected the judgement was not as he depended upon. I wish I had been there. The interest would have been to me in the questions Father asked and the great ingenuity displayed by the man. It would take a great deal to make me believe that spirits from beyond the grave are coming back for such trivial child's play as picking out names and telling what is in folded papers. If they told us something worthwhile we might be more credulous. The medium evaded all direct questioning as when Father asked him if he could say that he knew what was passing
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[[underline]] March 1968 [[underline]]
in the mind of another. I cannot say he replied. I only know I am impressed by something & the spirits rap with my hands. The tricks thes media do, do not seem to me at all wonderful. The wonder to me is that people are impressed by them, they can read what is folded papers thrown down upon the table & apparently untouched by them wh. any good juggler could do with skill of slight of hand. They of course manage to get a sight of the inside of the papers. As to the knowledge they evince of the private history of affluent strangers that is not remarkable. They of course make it their business to find out about every thing they can about every body. Studying registers of all kinds. To be a good medium would require an
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excellent memory for dates names small events, a great facility in reading faces, a sympathetic nature, sensitive to changes in others, wh. we find more often in woman than in men, combined with great tact. This man seems to possess all these qualities in a high degree and to be quite a genius in his line. The thing that excited the Sec. most in the seance was the asserted presence of his first wife. That the medium knew of the existence of that individual was not strange. He would of course know all about the prominent men of Washington before he came here. If the information had been about a more private individual it would have been more remarkable.
18th Wed. Father came upstairs today for a while & sat for me while I was working. He has
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had another séance with the spiritualist. He [[tried?]]tried him today with magnetism, but he did not do much in that line. Father asked him if he could make the spirits rap as other media did. He said he could and produced some raps so well executed that if Father had not made as many experiments as he has in sound he would have sworn that they came from a certain part of the room. As it was he was convinced that they came from the man himself. After certain experiments he told the medium so. I do not know said the man perhaps they do I will not say. He said he could produce raps upon the glass of a case in the room wh. he did by means of a long
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stick. Father asked him if he could produce the raps if a non conductor were introduced bet. the stick and the glass thinking Father meant a ^[[?]] [[piece?]] of glass wh. is a nonelectrical conductor but Father put a piece of fur around the end of the sticks. There were no raps. The spirits are not always in a humor for rapping said the man & tried it again with the fur there were no raps of course that was all balderdash. Father says the man is a most consumate actor.
Took up Ecce Homo this afternoon to finish it. Am shocked at the author to day. He takes those beautiful words of our dying Lord. "Father forgive them for they know not what to do" & interprets it to mean forgiveness [[alone?]]of the ignorant soldiers about him who executed the sentence
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[[underlined]] March [[/underlined]] [[underline]] 1868 [[/underline]]
of the Law while his heart was full of bitterness and resentment towards the rulers who brought him to such an ignominious death. He was speaking of the law of [[resentment?]] and showing that there were some men whom christ never forgave & against whom his anger was always great but how different is the [[prose?]] & [[wildness?]] indignation against injustice & wrong from anger the personal anger of fallen human nature. Perhaps how ever the author may mean to ascribe the former feeling to christ and not anger in the ordinary acceptation of the term. I have dropped the book just now It seems sacriledge almost only to read such an assertion I shall take it up in a day or two if I get over my
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[[underlined]] March [[/underlined]] [[underlined]] 1868 [[/underlined]]
disgust. At present I do not feel as if I wanted ever to see it again. Alfred Woodhull here to night to see if the Carry & Lottie will go to Mt. Vernon tomorrow He asked us all but Nell & I concluded two were enough of a draw upon his purse.
19th Thursday. A beautiful day for the Mt. Vernon excursionists. He started them with a fine lunch Alfred brought a young medical student Mr. Curtis as an addition to the party. I worked hard all day until four then wrote some notes of invitation for a small party for Minnie Hunter & Lottie. Sallie H. here to dinner. Went to Bible class in the evening In the prayer meeting preceding a young man read "This old old story. a poem
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simple sweet & touching. It almost made me cry. The new clergyman answers questions very well. Went home with Sallie H. after the lesson was over. Annie very busy with marriage preparations.
20th Friday. A most dismal day for our small party. The snow falling fast we did not expect any body would brave the storm but Marion [[Hussey?]] & Minnie Fowler came and some time after Alfred and Mr. Curtis followed by Dr. Otis. Mr. Curtis entertained us with a song. A decidedly new version of the story of Washington & the apple tree. In wh. it was asserted It is better to tell ten thousand lies than cut one apple tree. Carry & Minnie gave us a charade. Inspector In which Mr. Curtis made
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a most astonishing spectre of himself. We finished up the evening with [[underline]]Count Papolini[[/underline]]. Gen. Hunter came early for the girls & seemed to enjoy the [[?]].
22nd Sunday. Carry & I off for school before the rest of the family were up. A very pleasant hour with my dear little girls. If I thought I did them as much good as they do me I should be satisfied. May the great Teacher of All teach me how to teach them. I made a mistake about Ecce Homo. I took the book up again this afternoon. The bitterness of feeling ascribed to our Lord in his dying hours is the just & proper indignation of a pure & holy nature against wrong. The author is rather unfortunate & misleading just there no [[?]] are of shame [[underline]]"resentment"[[/underline]] Read some of it to Father
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who was pleased with the ingenuity of the author in explaining the temptation.
23 [[underlined]] rd Monday [[/underlined]] The Impeachment has commenced again the President asks for a longer time for preparation for the trial.
24th Mr. Trumbull sent two tickets for the trial. Nell & Carry. The court still discussing the proposed postponement of the trial. Have given the Pres. until next Monday.
26th Thursday. S.S. Teacher's meeting Went afterwards to the K___'s & had a jolly time. Mr. ___ there also. Dr. Woodhull Gen. Bidwell having lost in a bet promised to treat us to candy all around whereat we children rejoice. A. W. called in our absence with a pound of sugar plumbs. Oh how we regretted ^[[insertion]] the loss of [[/insertion]] his visit. Father & mother in their own room having a cosy
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time together over a novel. Before we left the H___s we went up to see the [[fron?]] head of the house. He has had a hard time. Looked ill & weak but very comfortable proped up in his easy chair. We told him he deserved a great deal of credit for looking so cheerful under difficulties. He made us eat raisins & laugh & talk with him for half an hour. He said the President had been to see him. Looked sad. Mr. K___ offered him sympathy in his troubles. He said this was a world of trial & he did not expect to be exempt he asked to do his duty. That he is sincere in that I firmly believe. The veto of the Supreme Court Bill wh.
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he sent in this week in face of the Impeachment is a proof of his determination to do what he thinks right at whatever cost. But he not alway judicious.
27th Fri. So tired to night that I passed the evening in the bed. Read "Old Curiosity Shop. half crying over poor little Nell. How inimitable in pathos and humour is Dickens.
28th Saturday. Mr. [[Shanklin?]] thinks the Pres. will resort to face in his resistance to Congress leaves tomorrow for the mountains of Penn. He glad to be away until the Impeachment is over. The girls have gone to the H____s to tea. Father at the club. Cut out Nell's dress. She wants to go to Phil. when Lottie goes
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to be with Mrs. Bache. Had a pleasant little note from Miss Hooper. She could not come to small party on account of illness produced by cutting her Wisdom teeth. What does Dame Nature mean by this after thought in the way of teeth! Perhaps to remind us that after all our wisdom we are still but children of a larger growth. & that in some purer higher nobler sphere[[strikethrough]]we will look back upon the[[/strikethrough]] the baubles that amuse us here will seem as trivial as an infant's coral & bells.
29th Sunday. School in the morning. A bright little lassie added to my class. Went to look up to [[nursing?]] [[?]] after church with Carry. Mr. Reed away
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a good sermon in the morning from [[Geoge?]] Johnson our active assistant in our old mission school Headaches & Hymns in the afternoon. Ecce Deus after tea. I enjoy the latter very much. Mr. [[Shranklin?]] off at six for the mountains. Henry Ellet to tea. He said that Thad Stevens who has been carried to the Senate lately on a chair by two young men stopped them a day or two ago & exclaimed What shall I do when you young men are dead. Mr. S. feels he is very kind hearted said a few days ago he met a poor market woman in great distress having lost her market money. You are fortunate good woman said
[[underline]]1868[[/underline]]
he I have found it & gave her five dollars. He is anything but charitable in his expressions. I am glad he is in his deeds. It is said he is an [[?]] and opens his house every Sunday evening when at home to instruct young men in his notions upon religious matters. Poor man the mysteries hidden beyond the grave will soon be known to him he is very feeble.
29th The last day of March Chilly & damp. Went out shopping with Mother. Father lectured to night before the medical association without letting us know anything about it. Did not want us there I suppose. Came home very tired. Is ready
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travels in Abyssinia for amusement. The impeachment trial commenced[[strikethrough]]ment[[/strikethrough]] again to day. Long speech from Gen. Butler.
The lectures of wh. Father gave the opening one this evening are a course of 24 to be delivered [[strikethrough]]here?[[/strikethrough]] under the auspices of the Columbian College on the plan proposed many years ago by Mr. Corcoran & in the building erected by him for this purpose & now the National Medical College. Have been enjoying Gen. Bidwell's candy. He sent me a [[pound?]] on Saturday by the girls. I have been in high favor since its sweet arrival. My popularity is rapidly decreasing.
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4th Sat. Lottie left us this morning. The club met here this evening. H. Ellet & I made some drawings to illustrate Father's discourse. Sec. McCollock said he was in his happiest mood. Father gave me a slight sketch of it after the gentlemen left. His subject was the importance & place of theory or hypothesis in science illustrated by the theories & speculations in regard to light.
Theory is at first a simple explanation of certain phenomena but in studying these phenomena in the light of the hypothesis advanced for their explanation in their various relations new facts are discovered, [[strikethrough]]to[[/strikethrough]] additions must be made to the hypothesis to meet these facts and in time the theory wh. was at first simple becomes so complex that it is abandoned and another substituted
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in its place but it has not been useless. By its means intelligent questions have been asked of Nature & many interesting facts added to the sum of human knowledge. The next theory in time may be likewise abandoned but not until like its predecessor it has added new facts to those already known. His illustration of the subject as I said before was light. It was known that the reflection of light from a mirror and the rebound of a ball were governed by the same laws. The angle of incidence being equal to that angle of reflection in one corresponding to the angles of approach & rebound in the other. The theory was advanced that light consisted of atoms proceeding from the sun, rebounding from polished surfaces in reflection as the ball rebounds. So
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far the theory was simple enough. But it was objected that if light consisted of atoms rays proceeding in all directions from the different luminous bodies would interfere with each other. It is known that the impression of light upon the retina of the eye remains the eighth of a second & if a burning stick were whirled rapidly around eight times in a second so that a new impression were produced upon the eye at the cessation of the first the appearance of a continuous ring of light would be produced. Light travels at the rate of miles the eighth of a second so that the atoms of light coming from the sun might be that far apart and still seem like a continuous ray in wh. case different beams of light could pass each other without difficulty addition no 1 to the Theory.
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In passing through a prism a ray of light is divided into colours. To explain this it was supposed that the atoms from the sun were compound consisting of several colored bodies bound together into one wh. were separate in their passage through the glass . Addition No 2.
Again it is discovered that at certain equidistant places in a prism [[image - light hitting prism]] the rays of light go through at others are reflected. To explain this it is sugested that the atoms are polerized that they revolve in space and that the distance at wh. they go through & are reflected from the prism is equal to half a revolution. But it is also discovered that the atoms must have different sides as well as different ends. They will go through prism in certain directions & not in others. The theory has become more and more complex and is at
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last abandoned but very many interesting and valuable phenomena have been discovered by its means.
It is known that sound is produced by undulations of the ethereal medium it is now suggested that light may be attributed to the same phenomenon. Two waves of sound may be made so to interfere with each other that intervals of silence are produced. The crest of one wave meeting the hollow of another if we may so speak - as in the beats of an organ pipe. If light consists of waves intervals of [[darkness?]] ought to be produced in the same way. This by experiment is found to be the case. The great thing in testing a theory is to devise experiments that will give the information desired with accuracy. We were here interrupted
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much to my regret. The diagram made were showing the equality of the [[image: hand drawn large "v" shape that is bisected in the middle and appears to be underlined]]angles of incidence & reflexion [image: hand drawn large "v" shape that is bisected in the middle and underlined]]for what purpose I know not. [[image equilateral triangle with a line in the middle and a single line outside on the left and 3 lines on the right]] showing the seperation of the rays in passing through a prism [[image triangle on its side with 4 lines drawn through it and lines of reflected light proportionate to lower prism facet]]explained above [[image rectangle bisected in the middle with a line drawn through it at an angle and "L" under the triangle and to the left of the line]] showing refraction.
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Isaac Lea 1622 Locust St. Phil.
Mrs. Selden 86 North Charles St. Baltimore
Mess [[DeLeon?]] 75 " " " "
H. [[Peteman?]] North Conway
S. Meads 99 Columbia Street
D. Gilles ^[[care of]] C Pacific Railroad Sacramento Cal.