The Republican journal., 1900-07-19
OLD LETTERS.

Among many interesting letters and
papers in the possession of Miss Emily P.
buckingham of this city are some of Prem
tiss Mellen, former chief justice of Maine,
and at that time in the United States Sen
ate, to his niece, Miss Lydia Prentiss, after
wards the wife of Rev. VIM. rockingham
and the mother of Miss rockingham. The
letters are finely written, well preserved, land
bear the original seal used before envelopes
were invented, Following are some extracts
from them
Washington, Feb. "a, 1879
DEAR LYDIA. Your acceptable letter
was received and read yesterday in the SEN
ate, amid the wise ones Of the land, and, if
that same letter had come from Japan by
Cape Horn and up the Potomac to this
place without any signature should have
recognized it as the handy and heady work
OF your ladyship. So peculiar is your COM
position, good sense, just remark, point and
render your letters highly gratifying and
always welcome There is no tlattery in the
last sentence. Since | finished it, | have
read it over and over and l can take my
coporal oath that it is as true as any depO-
si 81 Speaking OF deposition reminds me
OF law suits and these words remind me of
what took place in the Supreme Court
! Tuesday morning, which was no more nor
less than this that Chief Justice Marshall
delivered long and learned opinion of the
court in the famous case depending between
dartmouth College and Dartmouth Univer-
SSfy The opinion was in favor Of the Col
leSe-and so the University and Gov. Plum
ers trustees and hopes and all have gone
to the bottom. When you receive this let
| Ter tell my brothers and sisters tell the pro-
lessor and his better part Here ends my
| episode and | will nrOrpp1 with o
BODY OF the work. Speaking of body makes
ne think of everybody and that reminds
| me of last evening-because you know, or
wish to know, when you have read along a
! Mtl farther, that last evening attended
Mrs; Munroe's drawing room. There was a
prodlglous crowd of fashionables from all
corners of the United States. The ladies
ana gentlemen were so thick and so happy
that they could hardly inove-and this hap
plness extended to three large rooms Nat
cheeks and so forth of the ladies, while
we, the lords of the creation, were looking
on and admiring the several sorts of COM
fort that are to be found in this world. In
the midst of this forest of ladies and gentle
men, once in while | could see Dr. Kirk
land, then Gen. Jackson, then the Judges of
the nation. We remained in this delightful
state of sutfOcation till about $50 and then
made our manners and came off home And
| cannot end this page better than in the
| ittHS udSe Vi some poet, II he soul ulSurQSI-
| ing, asks If this be joy
| Another letter under the date of Feb. IL.
| 1920 says:
Should you not admire to spend the winter
here? Go to the palace, squeeze and be
squeezed, see the splendorS of Republican
simplicity and the beauties of the city. By
the way, | spent charming hour at Senator
Browns last evening, talking sentiment
with two beautiful ladies from Georgia and
South Carolina: A cold night, a fire and ice
cream in abundance. But then YOU know
that almost all the beauty and glare and
glory and wealth and comfort of this world
depend on that same thing, commonly called
contrast-handsome, homely; cold, warm :;
wise, foolish; sentimental, nonsentimental.
And another says:
Many man who lives in a distant State
comes all the way to Washington for an
office; but can't find it. The President can't
lauy II the pilgrim should happen in
the course OF human events to be a Federal
list in this ''era of good feeling" Again
can't find half as much comfort here as at
nome among those whom love. 1t is true,
can find ladies' and dinners, and parties,
anu hacks, and Waltzlng. and such stuff
out the novelty is gone, and all these things
are now as useless and unsatisfactory to me
as fiattery, for instance, would be to you, or
any other beautiful part of creation. | am
very impatient to call on you at Cambridge,
and we are now within forty-six DAYS of the
end Of the session | have become ac-
quainted with all the great folks, seen what
they had to show and eaten what they set
before me. | have dined with the Presi-
dent, Mr.. Adams, with the English minister
the French minister; and attended parties
at their homes. To-day the Vice President
called and left his card so we 60. In
the Senate all goes on very favorably |
constantly attend, and takemy part i'm what
IS on the tapS. We have only short speeches
in our house and no notes taken. In the
other house they dash, and argue, and beat
the air. and the table and the Dutch. | adj
wise YOU to attend to the debates which will
| take place next week. They will be pub
lished in the Boston papers the week fol
| owing. They relate to the famous General
Jackson