Washington, 28th June, 1862.
My Dear Mr. Forbes,
— Well, by Jove, if this isn't the luckiest escape I ever had! I have been
swearing at myself the last fortnight for abusing you like a pickpocket, taking
no notice of your friendly letters which by way of penance I have kept on my
table where I should see them on coming in or going out, on lying down and
rising up, expecting every day to hear that you had denied on ’Change having
ever seen me, and now comes your letter offering an apology. Good! make it! it
shall be accepted, although your last letter was abusive. The truth is I vowed
never to write you until I had settled for you the inclosed account,1
which you sent me just twenty-seven days ago. They tried to send it back, but I
said no, I wanted it paid, and I have only just got it, although it appears to
have been made out several days. Please sign it in all the places where you see
room for your name and return it to me, and I will hand over the money to the
Sanitary, if you still remain charitably inclined.
. . . I showed H. your letter about generals giving
certificates to loyal blacks who had served the government, which would serve
as manumission deeds to them and their families. It seemed to go through his
feathers as a good practical idea, and he has taken the letter home to Ohio to
consider of it and sit on it!
I have yet some hopes; I think the tone of Congress is
improving, but very slowly. If Mallory don't succeed in hanging me, as he
proposes, I may bring them up to something practical yet.
Grimes is crowding the principle of your suggestion in the
Senate and says he shall pass it. There is a scriptural objection, however, to
success; it is written that “you may bray an ass in a mortar, she will not be
wise.” How would firing them out of Porter's mortar answer? After we have been
whipped a few times, as we were on James Island, I think our ideas on the
subject of natural allies will be improved. Do you see that your friend Fremont
has been kicking out of the traces again? I fear J. has been putting him up to
this folly. You will have to give him up as one of the impracticables, and go
in for some more steady and less mercurial general.
About Naushon; I should like to swing a hammock under a
beech in the forests there about 15th August and sleep for two weeks. I am
tired out; we have pretty much reorganized the whole Navy Department. I have
worked hard upon it and am fatigued. After making it all over new, would it not
be well enough to give it a new head? .
. . After being home three or four weeks I want to come down to your kingdom by
the sea to rest. I will bring my wife down to talk. Please let me know what
time in the last half of August it will be convenient for you to see us.
I am very sorry for that reverse in Charleston. I shall try
and make a row about it, but I suppose it will do no good until Richmond is
taken. If you find money hard to be got let us know and we will get out another
batch of greenbacks. The next bill will make provision for a large government
paper-mill, and so we will save all the profits. With kind regards to Mrs. F.
and the children.
_______________
1 Of expenses incurred on the Ship Commission.
SOURCE: Sarah Forbes Hughes, Letters and
Recollections of John Murray Forbes, Volume 1, p. 320-2
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