Congressman Rutherford B. Hayes to Lucy Webb Hayes: December 7, 1865

WASHINGTON, D. C. December 7, 1865.

MY DARLING: Thanksgiving morning before breakfast. So far I have no very decided feeling about the life I am leading.

With my family here, pleasantly homed, I would like it well. As it is, I find nothing very gratifying in it and nothing decidedly the contrary. My quarters are well chosen. I do not yet mess anywhere in particular. I eat two meals a day wherever hunger overtakes me. I shall probably soon mess with Delano, Buckland, Welker, and Hubbell—a quiet regular set.

My old college chum Trowbridge and I naturally crony together a good deal. We called together at Governor Dennison's the other evening. Miss Lizzie was alone. Her cordial, unaffected manners, with some wit and a good disposition, make her a favorite here. She said the Ohio set were counting on "Aunt Lu" to be one of them with pleasant anticipations.

We called at Governor Chase's. He is more fleshy, an improvement rather, and more free and good-natured. He does not show any uneasy ambition—or rather, he seems to have made up his mind that his political career is ended; that it is of no use to worry about it, and yet that it is not by any means his choice. His little daughter is not at all handsome, and no longer little, but she is natural and kindly, perhaps bright. I saw no other of the family, but think Governor Sprague's family are with him.

Mussey is soon to have to be mustered out with his regiment of colored troops and then ordered to report to his regiment as captain. He is under a cloud—such a cloud that one hates to meet him or be seen with him. His unlucky military career has been much ventilated since he rose so high, chiefly because he did not bear himself "meekly" in his prosperity. Fortunately he seems not to feel or know it.

Thus far the noticeable men on our side of the house are Thad Stevens, Judge Kelley, and Roscoe Conkling, and on the Democratic side, James Brooks. Stevens is over seventy, sharp-faced, grim-looking, as Wilder Joy would have been if he hadn't fattened as he grew old. The only blemish in his puritanical, severe appearance is a brown wig. He is witty, cool, full of and fond of "sarcasms," and thoroughly informed and accurate. He has a knack of saying things which turn the laugh on his opponent. When he rises everyone expects something worth hearing, and he has the attention of all. You remember his speech on confiscation. He is radical throughout, except, I am told, he don't believe in hanging. He is leader.

Judge Kelley of Philadelphia talks often; has studied rhetoric and elocution, and, I am told, is theatrical overmuch, but so far his little short speeches have been exceedingly well delivered.

Roscoe Conkling of New York State delivers measured sentences in a grave, deliberate way that is good.

James Brooks, former Know-nothing leader, speaks pleasantly and is the leader of the Democrats; has, of course, to talk for Buncombe.

Delano has talked a little and is a good specimen of the lively, earnest style of Western talkers.

No doubt abler men have not yet showed themselves Banks and others. The House is a more orderly and respectable body so far than I had expected. The reading of the President's message was an imposing thing. The members, all attentive, looked like the thing we imagine. Mr. Boynton [of Cincinnati] was elected chaplain. Contrary to my wish and preference, I voted for Bonte, Judge Storer's son-in-law, to keep with the other Ohio members, but changed to Boynton, thus electing him before the vote was declared.

Tell me all about the boys and Grandma. My love to all. I shall want you to come back with me if convenient to you. You will be in time for the sights.

Affectionately ever, your

R.

MRS. HAYES.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 3, p. 8-10

Diary of Congressman Rutherford B. Hayes: December 2, 1865

The Ohio members generally dined with General H. B. Banning of Mount Vernon at his headquarters at Alexandria. Visited the soldiers' cemetery with its three thousand graves, neatly arranged, and its rustic gothic building. A fine specimen of the work. Pine with the bark on the lumber.

Fort Rogers with its two hundred-pound rifled Parrotts and its fifteen-inch columbiad attracted our attention.

The general caucus [of Republican members] tonight a pleasant thing. Mr. Morrill of Vermont, an intelligent merchant who put the vote, "Contrary-minded will say no," presided. Thad Stevens made the important motions. A committee of seven reported resolutions to be submitted to the Senate and House, providing for the appointment of a Joint Committee of Fifteen, nine for the House, six for the Senate, to report as to the status of the Rebel States and whether they were in a condition to be represented; and in the meantime all members from those States to be kept out.

Colfax, McPherson, and ——— nominated by acclamation for their present places viz., Speaker, Clerk, ———. Then for doorkeeper, Goodenow [sic] of New York, and Hawkins Taylor, of Iowa or Kansas, stood sixty-six to fifty-seven. Bad for the West, was the feeling of our men. King, of Minnesota (nominally, really New York), the present incumbent was named [for postmaster], also others, all having printed tickets. Here we seemed caught; we had no tickets ready. Spalding nominated Colonel Given in a proper speech, Roscoe Conkling sustained King in a speech delivered in a distinct, clear tone, with great deliberation and in language fitted to print. Spalding's best point was that Colonel Given was a soldier. Phelps, of Maryland, nominated a soldier an officer of colored troops of his State, one of two who from that State led black men, who lost a leg at the mine at Petersburg. Phelps is young, did his part well. The best speech, best delivered and all, was by our Mr. Delano (in favor of Colonel Given).

[The caucus] adopted, on a test vote the Ohio idea. Stevens angry, resisted, threatened to leave the caucus. Finally carried his point as stated, viz., a Joint Committee of fifteen.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 3, p. 7-8

Congressman Roscoe Conkling to Colonel Charles Wheelock of the 97th New York Infantry, December 25, 1861

Washington, Christmas Day, 1861.

My Dear Colonel: The regiment you command has, I am informed, done me the honor to assume my name. A compliment so unexpected, bestowed upon me in my absence, and by so large a body of my fellow-citizens from different sections of the State, awakens, I need hardly say, lively and enduring emotions.

Grateful as I am for unnumbered and undeserved marks of confidence and kindness showered upon me by the generous people of Oneida County, among them all there is scarcely one that I shall cherish longer than this token of approbation at once so spontaneous and expressive.

A thousand men, who as winter approaches leave their homes for the camp, to defend on distant battlefields the life and honor of their country, are inspired and consecrated by heroic purposes and unfaltering faith. Earnestness and sincerity abide with them, and they mean in seriousness all they say. When they inscribe a name upon their colors, they mean not a mere token of courtesy or friendship, nor simply to make the name less humble than it was before; but they adopt it because they consider it associated with some idea. In this case that idea is a vigorous and unconditional prosecution of the war till the Union is restored and the Government acknowledged on the Gulf of Mexico as much as on the river St. Lawrence. It is the idea that whoever and whatever stands in the way of national success must go down before the advancing columns of the Union.

The colors you carry will never be disgraced; they will be borne forward by men many of whom I have long known and respected as neighbors and friends, and though the regiment, however called, would have been an object of interest and pride with me, I shall now watch its career with double solicitude, its advancement with double pleasure.

Do me the favor to present my warm acknowledgments to the regiment and reserve them to yourself.

I remain your friend,

ROSCOE CONKLING.

Col. Chas. Wheelock, Boonville, N. Y.

SOURCE: Alfred Ronald Conkling, The Life and Letters of Roscoe Conkling: Orator, Statesman, Advocate, 137-8

Diary of John Hay: August 23, 1863

Last night we went to the Observatory with Mrs. Long. They were very kind and attentive. The Pre^st took a look at the moon & Arcturus. I went with him to the Soldiers’ Home, and he read Shakespeare to me, the end of Henry V, and the beginning of Richard III, till my heavy eyelids caught his considerate notice, and he sent me to bed. This morning we ate an egg, and came in very early.

He went to the library to write a letter to Conkling, and I went to pack my trunk for the North. . . . Staid about a week at Long Branch. Fine air — disgusting bathing — pretty women, and everything lovely. No politics, no war, nothing to remind me while there that there was such a thing as government or a soul to save. Count Gurowski was an undertone of nuisance — that was all.

SOURCES: Clara B. Hay, Letters of John Hay and Extracts from Diary, Volume 1, p. 94; For the whole diary entry see Tyler Dennett, Editor, Lincoln and the Civil War in the Diaries and letters of John Hay, p. 82-3.

From Washington

New York, April 8. – The New York Tribune’s correspondent, writing under date of Washington, April 7, says:

We learn from the Richmond Examiner that Trusten Polk and Waldo P. Johnson, who were expelled from the United States Senate, are both privates in Gen. Price’s army.

The Richmond Examiner learns that the rebel House of Representatives have decided by a vote in secret session, to repeal the tariff, and establish free trade with all countries except the United States. There are said to have been only seventeen votes against the proposition.

The slaves of James M. Mason have decamped from Winchester in a body, and made their way to Philadelphia. It is currently reported also that one of Mr. Mason’s daughters has become hopelessly insane in consequence of the serious family misfortunes.

A dispatch, April 7th, to the New York World states: A correspondent of the Philadelphia Inquirer arrived to day from the Rappahannock. He reports all quiet along the lines, our advance guard having reached there. The rebels have destroyed the magnificent bridge over the river, and the smaller bridges along the route. No signs of the enemy are observed on the opposite bank of the river, although they are supposed to be lurking behind the hills.

Scouting parties of rebel cavalry are said to be roaming over the country, plundering and destroying all property within their reach. It is thought that they consist of organized bodies of the farmers of the vicinity.

The Herald’s dispatch says: The committee of nine on the emancipation question will probably consist of Messrs. White, of Indiana; Lovejoy, of Illinois; Bingham, of Ohio; Roscoe Conkling, of New York; Pike, of Maine; Allen, of Massachusetts; Edwards, of New Hampshire; Kellogg, of Michigan, and Hickman, of Pennsylvania.

General Sickles has been relieved from command of the Excelsior Brigade, by order of Gen. Hooker, commanding the division, on account of the rejection by the Senate of his nomination as Brigadier General.

– Published in the Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Thursday, April 10, 1862