Washington City
Thursday Nov. 27 1845
Mary
I arrived here yesterday and am quite
as well as usual. I found my name which I
had entered on seat was erased and
the name of another who had reached here
before me entered in my place. My arrival
was however so seasonable that I was able
to secure another seat nearly or quite as
good; so that I think I have secured the
object I had in reaching here a few days
in advance.
There is much exertion
to secure seats and I think more than half
the members have already arrived.
I have as yet settled on no boarding
place and it will probably take a week
to form the messes for the session.
I have little to say in relation to my
journey. I reached Boston Friday evening near
six in the evening & after supper I on invitation,
after went to the Chinese Museum & was much
gratified. It is a very large room, a church
Marlboro Chapel, entirely filled up & filled
with Chinese affairs. Rooms are formed & filled
up with Chinese furniture & wax figures of the
Chinese family in their proper clothing.
There are Chinese stories, shops, temples
idols, school rooms, courts, agricultural tools, [wills]
dishes, lamps, vases, pictures all attended by
two native Chinese in their national costume, one
of them played on their musical instruments and
sung. It is wonderful to observe among this
ancient -people all our arts in their simple and
original form.
I left Boston Saturday morning and
arrived at New York about eight in the evening.
Sunday was rainy and I did not go out except
to go to meeting and half the day to hear Dr. Spring.
Monday left New York & reached Philadelphia in
good season. Here I fall in with Mr Cressor
for whom I had a letter from Mr Marsh. I had
staid one day, having never before stopped any
time in the city. I on Thursday visited the Girard
College, the grandest marble building in America
& perhaps in the world. It is not completed and
a great number of men are now at work upon
it. I visited the famous Fairmoah Water Works
for watering the city, and also their great Peni-
tentiary, an extraordinary establishment & I also looked
at other curiosity. Mr Peters showed me these
matters and I dined with him & in the evening
I went with Mr Cressor to the annual meeting of
the Ladies Liberia School Society. It turned out
to be no great matter.
On Wednesday (yesterday) I came here.
All here is in confusion, all are at the hotels
unsettled and much crowded. I have a room
with a fire but it is an ordinary affair. I am
however pretty well, which is a great blessing.
It is Thanksgiving day in the city & I think the
inhabitants regard the day as most of the stores
and shops are closed.
I have nothing further at present to write.
I have thought much since I left home
of your own health. You told me was
going home for a few weeks. I beg it may
be as short as possible. My fear is
that you will attempt your house work yourself
& going on the same symptoms as last winter.
Avoid it.
With love to you all & especially to
Francy I remain
Affectionately Yours
J. Collamer