Washington, May 10, 1861.
An agent ought to be sent here permanently to manage
Massachusetts interests. A vast deal of official and unofficial time and
patience is wasted by new men going over and over old ground. Where so much is
to be done it ought to be done by the best man and with the best tact.
Otherwise it will be undone or done wrong. Judge Hoar was admirable. He always
persisted till he got his answer. I should think some equally good man ought
to be put here at once. Large quantities of Massachusetts Brigade stores
are coming round here from Annapolis. . .
. I shall remain here for a week at least, and perhaps two or three. Any
service I can render meanwhile will be a real gratification. I believe I am the
only one of our family who is not doing or giving something, and I feel quite
ashamed at wasting so much time about a personal matter. Will you yourself
request whoever comes as agent to call on me for what work I can do ?1
_______________
1 Yet, in these weeks, Lowell was by no means
spending all his time on the “personal matter” of getting permission to give
his best powers and life to his Country in the army. Mr. Forbes had purchased
two steamers for the transportation of Massachusetts troops and stores, and
Lowell was arranging for a supply of coal for one of these, the “Cambridge;'”
also about unloading the supplies for the troops, and perhaps selling her to
the government.
SOURCE: Edward Waldo Emerson, Life and Letters of
Charles Russell Lowell, p. 205-6, 402-3
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