Washington City
Feb. 13. 1859.
Mary,
Another week has passed since 
I wrote Lizzie, who, no doubt, informed you; 
& I am now quite as well as usual. There is
 [is] now but three weeks left of the session. 
I have recd. & answered a letter from 
Frances since Ellen had a letter from Thomas 
& I have, at the solicitation of the girls, 
promised to visit them on my way home 
at the close of the session. 
A very unpleasant proposition, that is, 
the acquisition of Cuba, is now agitated in 
Congress & will occasion much discussion & 
I may have to perform & present a full 
speech on the subject. You know such a


preparation & performance is a matter 
of real work for me. Others may so entirely 
discuss the matter that I shall feel excused.
A few days will determine. 
I was out to dine one evening last week 
at J. Thompson's Secretary of the Interior. It was 
entirely a party of gentlemen & the dinner was 
much as usual. Four Senators & the rest 
members. On my return in the evening I 
called at Mr. Sexton's party of gentlemen & 
stopped a few minutes. I declined one
 invitation to dine out next Tuesday. The 
weather is now dry & fresh, but most of the 
time it is rainy & damp, & in such weather 
I go out as little as possible & never in the
 evening. I have been this day to hear the 
Congregational minister Mr. Bassett. He 
preaches in the church where Dr. Butler 
once preached & where we used occasionally 
to go with Mr & Mrs Buffington.  His


discourse was mainly of slavery. His 
audience very thin & indeed it is quite
 obvious he will not succeed in getting up 
 a congregational church in this city. 
It being settled that our Meetinghouse is 
to be repaired, I suppose some other place 
of worship must be had for the next season 
& I hope some measures may be taken to 
obtain the Town Hall, but presume they will 
take no measures until the opening of next 
spring. I think the arrangements for our 
work should now be entered upon immediately. 
I suspect from what Mr. Williams wrote me
 that no meeting for action will be holden be-
fore my time of return. I need write no more 
of this as I presume it is enough a topic of 
conversation at home without my writing. 
We hereafter meet at 11 o clock instead of 
12, So have time for nothing in the morning 
but I make it up at night, never going to bed 
before 12 o clock.
Love to all. Good night-
.Affectionately Your Husband.


P.S. 
Monday Morning (Feb. 14) 
Just recd. Mary's note of last Friday. 
All well. Tell her Mr. Ewing says Mrs. Sherman 
now resides at Levenworth Kansas & her health
 is now good.