Evening star., 1927-10-08
Ciddings and Julian Letters
Reveal Life of Old Capital

Romance and color of a Congress.
mans daily life In old.time Washing
ton, with some bits of hitherto unex-
plored history, are contained in large
collection of yellowing letters re-
ceived by; the manuscript division OF
the Library of Congress.
These letters constitute the most
interesting of the correspondence OF
Joshua r. Giddings and his son-in'
lew, George w. Julian, both members
of the House from Ohio during the
years Immediately before and after the
Civil War. They are the gift OF Mrs.
Grace Giddings Julian Clarke Of In.
dianapolis, daughter of Mr.. Julian.
With the outbreak of the war, Gid
dings was appointed by President
Lincoln as United States Consul to
British North America" and made
his headquarters at Montreal. His
collection Of letters from this post ts
expected to throw much new light on
the conflicting forces in the Canadian
provinces during the great struggle in
the United States. Generally. these
letters reveal. there was preponder'
ance OF sentiment for the Union. but
the Dominion was full OF Southern
sympathizers, who were doing their
best to bring about another war with
England by raids across the border.
1t was with these difficult situations
that Mr.. Giddings was called upon to
deal.
But the interest of Washingtonians
in the collection Hes in the intimate
pen pictures OF the old-time Capital
contained in his weekly letters to his
1,n
epiEtles to molly and Sarah Ann" a"e
the more interesting in that they are
highly confidential, with frequent in
terruptions as they grew toward WON.
anhood Of For Heavens sakes, don't
let your mother hear about this re-
ferring to his activities in the social
life Of the Capital. These letters con.
stitute a picture of Congressman g
daily thinking In those hectic times.
One day the tone is gay and worldly;
the next day the letter is one of deep
despair, longing for death and specu-
iation on what lies beyond.
Spiritualism was making it's first
appearance in the Capital in the early
fifties. Various mediums set up their
establishments, and members OF the
Congress were among their most ar
dent followers. Giddings became a
thorough convert.
In February, 1882. he writes to
Molly:
II would like to have you improve
as a medium. I find many of the
older men in Congress confirmed be-
iievers in the manifestations. The
truth Is, the fruits are such as to
carry conviction to the minds Of all
who have had the opportunity to ex-
anime them
A month later he writes to the same
daughter:
by the way, ! forgot to tell you /
had something very good from the
spirit world written by a medium
here. There Is one from Calhoun, In
which he expressed delight at finding
himself the same John Calhoun in the
spirit plane and how he regretted his
advocacy of slavery and nisapolica-
ton Of his intellectual powers .shile
on earth
X "
He tells her that a Mr.. Roberts, "a
New England minister and an anti
SLAYER. has taken a room next to mine,
and he believes in spirit manifesto
tions and in the improvement OF man
until he shall be elevated to a higher
sphere here on EARTH"
The conversations with Roberts
haunted his mind.
~ long to be with YOU" he writes
Molly on May Is. 1851, land tell you
all the spirits have impaired to me
and how I have pleasant hopes OF
meeting the sisters and little brother
Of yours who long ago went into the
spirit land"
"Dear Molly" writes Mr.. Giddings
again, II am settled for the Spring on
the north side of the public grounds
on the hill in the block nearest the
Capitol. l have a fine, large, COM
Portable room, good table and good
attention at s. O week. the cheapest !
ever had"
To Sarah Ann he writes:
WAS at party last evening. Nine.
Taeido, the Hungarian patriot, was
there. and a Mrs. Clarke from New
York. an ardent .admtrer Of your ven.