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(seq. 11)
[14]
[154]
From the Patent Office we went to the Treasury depart ment - thence to the State department, here we were shown the identical letter Benedict Arnold, to Major Andre found in the pocket of Andre - signed Augustus & written as though Andre were a Merchant - saw also the Original Constitution of the United States with the Signatures of the delegates from the 13. States - it was beautifully penned on Parchment one two feet square, tied together with a deep-blue ribbon - at the Patent Office saw also the original Declaration of Indepedence, many of the signatures were nearly obliterated, on account of having been written with iron ink -
From State Department we went to the Presidents House took a peep into the East Room, splendidly furnished eight large gilt mirrors,
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in front of the White house in a beautiful park, is a very fine bronze Statue of of Gen. Jackson, on horseback - Mounted on a white Marble pedestal - then called at Mr. Aker's office to see the Bust of [Mrs.?] Davis, a very fine one indeed - After dinner walked on to Capitol Hill & called on Anne Royal, a woman 85 years of age - She is indeed as Mrs. R. says, the Living Curiosity of Washington - was brought up by the Indians, married a Captain of the Army, he died, & the has printed a paper called the Huntress for the past 20 years - She has a fine intellectual head - She lives in a small house, has two little boys whom she is educating, one boy she has instructed in Greek, & Latin & Geometry - said to me no one can know how to reason without studying Geometry learning to say therefore, wherefore
(seq. 12)
[16] [54]
& Because. We each of us subscribed for the Huntress, she gave us each two books, written by her many years ago -
She is the most filthy specimen of humanity I ever beheld, her fingers look like birds, claws, in color & attennuity, they shone as if glazed.
A great black New Foundland dog, old Cat & kittens sat at her feet - & Mrs. R. says eight years ago she had in addition to these 2 guineau hens & two little pigs running about the floor. She was writing her editorial for this weeks Paper
Said I to her what a wonderful woman you are, she answered me, "I know it."
[17] [illegible]
March 28.
A little snow storm in the night - somewhat cloudy we visited the Washington monument about 10 Oclock A. M. then went to the Smithsonian Institute. Mrs. Rose made application to Prof. Henry, for the privilege of speaking in the Smithsonian Hall, he very blandly told her that they had to be very careful whom they per mitted to speak there - they could not allow any one to speak on any Political question of the day - Nor any exciting question, it would disturb the harmony of feeling for a woman to be allowed to speak at this time, & he hoped she would not make application to the Board of Regents. returned to the St. Charles & went to the Capitol about 1 Oclock, heard a speech from a Representative from Illinois against the Nebraska Bill, but nothing to atone for my
(seq. 13)
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absence yesterday, when Cutting of N. Y. & Breckenridge of Ken. had quite a collision of words, which, the Papers note, resulted in Cuttings challenging Breckenridge to single combat which however it is to be hoped will not be carried out.
Mrs. R. meeting this evening consisted of about 500 persons. The weather was exceedingly cold & windy.
The whole loss of Money since leaving Albany $105.00
I cannot but feel that great good is accomplished notwithstanding this financial loss.
March 29.
Left Washington on 1/4 to 9 Oclock for Mt. Vernon, where we arrived about 11 Oclock.
The weather cold & windy, but more mild than the day before. The location of Washington's home is most beautiful & commanding but ah the air of dilapi-
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dation & decay that every where meets the eye, the tottering out building, - the mark of Slavery overshadows the whole, Oh the thought that it was here, that he whose memory is the pride of this nation, was the Slave Master, the numerous little buildings surrounding, or rather in rear of the great house plainly [??] the late - a Slave, Woman, the Cook of the present owner, Grand Nephew of Gen. Washington, told me these buildings were the servants quarters.
The Tomb is humble indeed - it would seem that if - that if the profession of reverence for the "Father of his Country." were real, that this home of Washington would be rescued from the curse of slave labor, & made to blossom in the sunshine of free labor. There was no person about the house to tell us which were the articles of
(seq. 14)
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furniture were used by Washington,
Returned to Alexandria at 3 Oclock, stopped on the way, at Fort Washington on the Maryland side.
Made our home in Alexandria at the City Hotel About 50 persons at Mrs. R.'s meeting, receipts $19.25.
It does seem that the fates are against us.
Mr. R. announced a second meeting nevertheless.
March 30. The snow falls rapidly & steadily, melting as it touches the ground - prospect for meeting small indeed.
P.M. This noon I ate my dinner without once asking myself, are these human beings who minis ter to my events Slaves to be bought & sold & hired out at the will of a master? And when the thought first entered my mind, I said, even I am getting accustomed to Slavery, so
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much so that I have ceased continually to be made to feel its blighting, cursing influence so much so that I can sit down & eat from the hands of the bondman, without being once mindful of the fact that he was is such -
Oh Slavery hateful thing that thou art, thus to blunt the keen edge of mens conscience, even while they strive to shun thy poisonous touch.
I learn to day that the present owner of Mt. Vernon is an intemperate man - this fact added to slaveholding, accounts for the ruinous state of the Plantation.
A white woman here, a Slave holder, says she frequently gets perfectly disgusted with Slavery, the Licentiousness between the White men & the slave women is so universal & so revolting free colored women will
(seq. 15)
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will boast of rooming with a white man, for a whole week. The Proprietor of this (City) Hotel hires slaves of their masters.
March 31, Baltimore
Had a small meeting last night, The landlord agreed to see me started from Alexandria in time for to connect with the 8 Oclock train from Washington but he did not, seemed to be perfectly indifferent to my request. There is no promptness no order, no anything about these Southerners. I have had Pro-Slavery People tell me just go South once, & see Slavery as it is, & then you will talk very differently. I can assure all such, that contact with Slavery has not a tendency to make one hate it less, No, No, the ruinous effect of the institution, upon the white man alone, causes me to hate it --
Arrived at Washington
[23] [March 31 / 54?]
about 9 Oclock, Called on Mrs. Davis, The Globe of 29 March commented on Mrs. Rose lecture on the Nebraska Question as deduced from Human Rights very favorably, but misrep resented her on remark -
I came on to Baltimore on the 31st P. M., called on Dr. J. E. Snodgrass firstly & then, went in search of a private boarding house, finally decided to take rooms at Mrs. Waters, 48 Hannover St.
Every thing is plain but so far seems cleanly. learned from the Chambermaid Sarah, that she & ?? others of the Servants were slaves. - It is perfectly astonishing to see what an array of Servants there is about every establishment, three Northern girls, with the engineering of a northern boarding house keeper would do all the work of one dozen of these men, wo men & children, whether Slaves or