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-