Washington City 
Dec 26. 1858
Mary,
It is 10 clock Sunday evening
& the rain is beating against my 
window in dark lonesome cadence 
I have recd. no line from home the 
past week. Congress has adjourned 
until the 4th of Jan. & a large part of 
the members have gone home. It will 
cost too much of labor & expense for 
me to go home for so short a visit and
 especially at this time when our 
Session is to close so soon. 
Yesterday I went with Mr. Foot, by
special invitation, to take a Christmas 
dinner with Col. Roberts at Georgetown.
The Col. besides his family had some 
few personal friends. Mr. Scott, a Repre-


sentative from California, Mr 
Otero, the Delegate from New Mexico 
& his lady. Col. Roberts & his wife 
were for some time in New Mexico 
with army & there knew these people.
 It was quite a pleasant little party
 & an excellent dinner. 
It is ordered that the Senate, on 
its assembling, shall go into the new 
Senate Chamber. It is ordered by the
Committee, of which I am on, that 
there be an address by our Presiding  
Officer (Breckenridge) on the occasion. 
I know little of what is going on 
at the other end of the city but I 
think it very quiet. Mr Cass had
dinner on Friday of the Foreign 
Ministers & Committees of the House & 
Senate on Foreign Relations. At
 the Presidents dinner of Friday some 
of our mess Mr & Mrs Wade, were  


invited but declined to go.
 I shall take this week to 
send off the five or six hundred
volumes of documents I have now 
on hand & shall have another 
like job, late in the session. It is 
much more work to direct & handle 
these volumes than to frank speeches.
I find the new correspondence list
I prepared at home, quite a
relief to me. 
I have attended meeting 
the two last Sundays at the Capitol 
& on both occasions have heard 
excellent discourses.  
I thought of you often on 
Thursday last as having The Society 
with you & hoped you were well &
enjoyed their company.  
Love to you all - 
Affectionately
 Your Husband


P.S. Monday Morning Dec. 27 
Recd. with pleasure yours of 
Friday last-