File:Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Thomas Gold Appleton, 13 May 1850 (7adbe002-f747-43a3-bb1b-39be8845eb20).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.001-020#015

Jones’ Hotel. Philadelphia
May 13th 1850.
Dear Tom,
We are thus far on our way to Washington where we hope to welcome papa day after tomorrow. We have very charming rooms at this hotel & wish you were here with us. Harriot & John Codman, ourselves, my two chicks & nurse compose our party & we have come thus far very comfortably, resting two days in New York where we found Uncle Wm on his homeward way with his flock of womenfolk. They go back too early for Hatty’s cough, but he, you know, can never linger long away from home. We have had as winterish weather as in Boston until today, which has a real Spring balminess, & beautiful is the change from bare boughs so rapidly to almost summer verdure. Very fine were the immense orchards of peach [p. 2] & apple trees all in blossom we swept by coming hither, - with the brimming Delaware for miles at our side.
New York seemed noisier & shabbier than ever to me, as we were at the Astor for convenience far below the tide now of fashion & elegance, but the splendid houses of the west end we had a look at outside, & Henry in, by favor of Jay. He went with him to Mrs Haights (or however her name is spelt) our Parisian acquaintance, then fresh from the east, & living here in great splendor with a beautiful jardin d’louver as one of her apartments. Henry dined with Judge Kent & John C. at Delmonicos & saw many of his old friends, Sam Ward radiant from California & more fantastic in dress than ever. Harriot & I visited Chanserd (now established in New York) & I could fancy myself once more in Paris.
This city looks clean & comfortable as usual, but for meeting papa [p. 3] I should be glad to go no further. We must try to keep him from home a little longer as his cough still lingers on. Charley & Erny have gone out with their papa to see the market & other wonders, & make very good travellers [sic], giving very little trouble I hope they will both grow fat on corn-bread which they appreciate highly. Mrs Sumner is established in Beacon St, while Harriot is away, & takes care of the flock there. Mr Webster passed thro here yesterday on his return to Washington, having indulged himself with a little fishing at Marshfield to relieve the labors of this long session, in which so little is accomplished. Franklin Dexter has been writing a series of very good articles in the Atlas condemning his speech, particularly its sanction of Mr Mason’s fugitive-slave-bill which would allow ever postmaster in the country to seize any dark-complexioned individual, & without Jury (which is the [p. 4] right of every stolen horse) be carried back to slavery. Ticknor, warm friend of Websters as he is, would stand a poor change if any southerner had malice against him! Such eloquent regrets as Mrs Warner at Springfield poured forth to us about this unfortunate speech, Webster having been the “god of her idolatry” so long. The Daly sticks to him thro’ “glory & shame” –
I suppose a letter from you or Mary is reposing in the Cambridge P. Office awaiting our orders. We shall send for it at Washington. I hope Mary enjoyed her Paris visit, & is now some where where the beauty of the Spring delights her eyes –
With the love of all our party ever yr affte
Fanny E.L.

• Keywords: correspondence; long archives; frances e. a. longfellow papers (long 20257); frances elizabeth (appleton) longfellow; people; document; travel; social life; Correspondence (1011/002); (LONG-SeriesName); Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001); (LONG-SubseriesName); 1850 (1011/002.001-020); (LONG-FileUnitName)