Catharine Maria Sedgwick Online Letters

Washington Wednesday night 2 Feb'y '31 --Dear Kate

as I am anxious you should derive as much pleasure & profit from my visit here as I can import I shall journalize for you -- I had just sealed my letter which will start from here at 6 tomorrow for you when Mr Barnard came up to our parlor with two Indian Chiefs & their equas (whence squaw I presume) -- but is not equa a pretty name -- Noah Webster says it is the same with Eve -- Both men & women were oldish -- they are from Green Bay of the Mononotomies 1 -- or some such name -- They were arrayed in all their finery for a visit to their great Father -- The women had their ears bored in successive holes from the top to the tip -- and very pretty earrings thro' each hole -- around their neck they had at least a dozen necklaces -- one wore a brilliant cross & an enamelled heart -- some of the chains were extremely pretty -- Their dress was gaudy but handsome -- The mens hair was stuck full of feathers & their faces were tinged with vermillion -- They were extremely polite & on wine being offered them, they all rose & drank our health --

I recd a note (very polite) from Mrs Tayloe this Eve'g inviting me to a party there tomorrow Eve'g -- telling that I shd be invited on Monday Eve'g to Mr Swann's & requesting me to send my card in the morn'g to Madame Roux the French Minister's wife! This she says is etiquette here -- Madam gives a party on Tuesday -- but we shall probably then be ploughing thro' the drifts again -- Good night --

Friday Mg -- yesterday I had not a moment's leisure -- We went early to the house Capitol to see the difft apartments before going into the house -- The rotunda where the pictures are is a superb apartment -- But to begin right -- It was raining torrents -- The carriage drove 2 into an arched covered way -- which is under the steps that mount to the front portico, where there is a double colonnade of marble pillars -- The shaft of a single block of marble 12 feet in circumfee -- We entered in a strange looking-place -- as much like the giants causeway as any thing -- 'Stone Sentinel' said Col_ D. -- "The only sentinels that stood when the British came' sd your Uncle --

-- We went into the library -- a beautiful apartment filled with valuable books in 'superb dress -- Congress appropriates $5000 per an -- for the purchase of new works -- The librarian took me into an apartment adjunct to the library to show me some new Ornithological plates -- a magnift work got up by a Frenchn executed in London -- The birds & botany Amern 2

-- It is the most beautl work I ever saw -- . We then went into the Supreme Court -- Your father will tell you that is the most dignified body in the U.S. -- -- It is a small room and looks like a handsome cell in a monastery The cieling is like a scallop shell -- all is marble -- Chief Justice Marshal was presiding & reading an opinion -- His voice is feeble -- His face has a fine union of intellect & tranquillity -- the seal of a well-spent life upon it -- Judge McLean has a very fine face -- an eye that moves like lightning -- He looks as if he were a leader in the French chamber of deputies -- Judge Story came down to speak to us -- & told me that he had promised Judge M_ to come with him to see me If he does so it will be a great gratin to me to see face to face one of the most venerable & hond men our country has produced -- --

We then went into the gallery of the house -- It is a grand apartment -- -- The Colonnade 3 is made of the coagulated stone of the Potowmac that is a mass of small stones of every color & shape glued together by nature & wrought smoothe & polished by art -- -- The illegible effect is much injured by having their capitols of white marble -- When we entered the House there was a debate going on relative to the reducn of the duty on salt -- Some Southn members spoke with great vehemence -- but nobody on the floor paid any attention to them -- They spoke of their oppression -- 'throwing themselves on the sovereignty of their States' -- of being 'goaded to rebellion' -- of the time being near when vengeance should stalk about those halls! -- It was melany to see such feeling aroused among our counn & more painful to see them quite disregarded -- After dispatching considerable business the floor was given to Mr Burgess -- the 'bald Eagle' -- -- An angry speech had been illegible -- -- We are naturally -- belligerant dear Kate & as soon as this warfare or rather massacre commencd all was attenn -- He cut up Randolph -- Van Buren -- & last of all Cambreleng without mercy -- I do not like such vivisection -- (That I beleive is the art of cutting up live bodies) --

In the Eve'g we went to a party at Mrs Tayloe's -- she is exceedingly kind to me -- I was introduced to a multitude -- & some of them I found very agreeable -- M de Roux the French Minr is an extremely special amiable precise man in his manners -- There was a Count Stackleberg (I spell at random) -- who danced the gallopade & walks better than any person I ever saw -- ten years older than Mr Bishop & about his figure -- & when I complid him he was as tickled as a girl! -- I met a very pleasing young man who went to Smyrna in the ship with the Bruens -- He gave a delight account of their school -- Mr Sprague of Maine is one of the most pleasing men I saw -- "Cyril Thornton" was there, & I had a good deal of inter'g conversn with 4 him 3 -- He improves on acquaintance -- The party was conductd like other parties -- Mrs T s'd "not a large party' in her invin -- there were full 100 -- & she told me with perfect naivete that she had 200 apols --

PM -- I have been to the house & heard dull debates in the Senate returnd & after making some visits found our table full of cards & invitations -- I am going this Eve'g to Mrs Bankheads the wife of the Sec'y of the English legation --

Saturday Morn'g -- I passed a pleasant Eve'g -- at least it w'd have been so but for the horrid fashion here of standing -- there was one sofa & one chair in the room -- & four hours debate is the rack to me --

It is very cold here & as the stage coaches rattle by & I think of our journey my heart quails -- They dance a variety of pretty dances here -- waltzes & gallopades of every descripn -- -- I have been much urged by some of the ladies here to remain but nothing w'd induce me to let your Uncle go without me -- His cause comes on today -- We have not had a line from Berkshire yet -- Today I hope & trust --

Dear Kate -- My heart is with you -- My letter is for the whole concern -- I have no time to write to more than one --

God bless you all

Yr's truly --CMS 5

Never was friend or brother kinder than Col D is to us