Abbot Letters to Hannah Rantoul

Elizabeth Abbot to Hannah Rantoul, February 1839

[From Elizabeth in Baltimore, where she was attending school and living with James and Eliza Gould, to Hannah in Beverly. She talks about her New Year's Eve, and various activities in Baltimore; describes a trip to Washington, where she met with Pres. Martin Van Buren, and visited the Senate and House, where she heard and/or saw various people including Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams, and Vice-President Richard Johnson; and mentions a knife fight that had occurred in Baltimore.

Addressed to "Miss Hannah L. Rantoul, Beverly, Massachusetts." A separate notation by Hannah says "E. B. Abbot, Baltimore, Feb. 1839." BHS ID# 948.001.1231.]

Baltimore, February, 1839

Dear Hannah,

I am much obliged to you for your happy wishes and in return hope that you will enjoy every moment of your life, whether engaged in its duties or pleasures. Or in other words, that you may consider your duties as pleasures.

I was very sorry to be sure when I saw that you had taken a half of a sheet to send to me, but after reading it, and finding how your time was engrossed, first by this thing and then by that, I made all allowances, and done to others, as I would that they should do to me. Then you give me the credit of being a good girl because I write home frequently. I thank you, and likewise assure you that I let no opportunity pass. I shall never forget old friends. I am more stable I hope than to put new friends in the places of those with whom I have passed so many happy hours.

You ask me how I spent New Years Eve? Very pleasantly and in the society of Mr. William Peabody,¹ Esq., at Mount Hope, where he is an assistant in a college there. I like him much better than I do his brother.² I think, that he is possessed of more real talent. He is very young; therefore I suppose deserves more credit, than I am willing to give him on so short an acquaintance. I have not yet told him the messages from you and E. B. Woodberry³ to him, for I don't feel intimate enough for that.

I am reading now Stephens' Travels in Greece, Turkey, Russia, &c.⁴ They are very interesting. I advise you to read them if you have not. His style is very humorous and simple.

I was very much surprised indeed when I read that part of your letter where you asked me if I were studying Greek with Mr. Harland.⁵ How came you to ask such a question, hey? I never dreamed of such a thing, although he is well acquainted with it himself. I have never asked that favor of him. He is to visit New England in the summer; then I intend, that you shall see him; if I am not at home I shall have to manage in some way.

I go to Dancing School every Saturday afternoon and enjoy myself finely. You have often heard me say, no doubt, that dancing was a source of great amusement to me: it is, I am very fond of it, and can now enjoy it to my heart's content. Besides going every Saturday afternoon the teacher has invited me to his Weekly Practicing Balls every Tuesday evening. I have not been to but one yet, and enjoyed myself finely. The parties here are very pleasant. Dancing is introduced, but a person need not seek for something or somebody to amuse them, for pleasure comes unsought. [__?__], that the free & easy manners of the Southern people could be introduced at the North, where there is too much reserve for real enjoyment.

Hannah, I have been to see the President !!!! Van Buren⁶!!!!!!!!!! And was delighted with him !!!! It is a long time you well know since I saw him before, and by the account of him given me by the Whigs, I expected to see a very different man, from what I did see. I went with Mr. Gould.⁷ After admiring the architecture of the building without, we were ushered in by a black servant up a flight of stairs into his receiving room, where I found several who had come there for the same purpose. After sitting a short time, the President came in, and was introduced as the President of the United States. Did I see a short, thin fox-headed insignificant being as I had heard him represented to be? Did I see a frown or a scowl on his countenance indicating an uneasy restless mind? Far from it. In he walked with a face as handsome as I should wish my husband to be possessed with. You know, that a face indicative of too much beauty is apt to make a person proud. He was much fleshier than I had any idea of; but he said that he was indebted to the Virginia Springs for his good health. His whole countenance was expressive of innocence and good nature. But wait, I must not omit to mention that I noticed his foot particularly, and he has as fine an understanding as he could possibly wish.

Don't think, that because I am complimenting Mr. Van Buren so highly, that I ever think of living in the Great White House. If you speak well or in favor of a person you are of course engaged to marry them. How cautious people should be as regards that, do not you think so? After shaking hands with the fine gentleman twice, I bade him good morning and proceeded to the Gallery of Indian paintings. They are said to be fine likenesses of the persons whom they are intended to represent.

I then went to the Noble Building the State House. After walking around the Rotunda some moments we inquired the way to the Senate chamber. It was crowded. Hannah, who do you think attracted so great a number, by his fine talents and eloquence? Daniel Webster?⁸ No. Mr. Benton?⁹ No? Guess again. Henry Clay.¹⁰ Yes, he was the Great Lion. Hundreds of people had collected to hear his speech.¹¹ We tried in vain to get into the Senate Chamber, but alas! we could not. I stood at the door a few moments, so that I might hear the sound of his voice, if nothing more.

Mr. Gould proposed that we should first go into the House, and again return. We easily obtained an entrance, and Mr. Duncan¹² had the floor. The floor he kept. I wished very much to have seat himself, for while there I should have been very much pleased with a variety. But Mr. D. had the floor, & by his gestures and the tone of his voice one would conclude, that he intended to keep it a long time. I saw there, John Quincy Adams,¹³ Mr. Henry A. Wise,¹⁴ and wished very much to see Mr. Graves,¹⁵ but he was not in his seat. I could not help thinking while there of the unfortunate Mr. Cilley.¹⁶ Poor man!! I do not envy the stations which one of the Members of Congress fill. Responsible situation!!!

We went again to the Senate Chamber and found admittance. I heard Mr. Knight,¹⁷ Mr. Niles,¹⁸ and Mr. Benton speak. Mr. Clay had done, but I had the pleasure of seeing him. He is a fine looking old gentleman. His head is white, which makes him look still more interesting. Old age is interesting as well as honorable.

I don't like the looks of Mr. Johnson¹⁹ at all. He has the appearance of a stupid inactive disposition. His eyes do not glisten and sparkle with that lively interest which I saw in some of the Members. I like to see a person interested in whatever he is doing. Don't tell any one what I have told you about Mr. Johnson, for if he hears of it, he will challenge me to fight a duel, and I am sure I cannot take another jaunt to Bladensburg this winter. Now, would not you feel unhappy, if he happened to be successful, that you had been the cause of my death. I shall (if he will give me my choice) choose the "Bowie Knife" with which to fight with. Don't you think that I should be successful? Beware!!!!! Beware!!! "Don't let the cat out of the bag," as we Yankees say, and give people an idea, that I have been ridiculing the Members of Congress, don't don't don't.

Speaking of Bowie Knives, let me tell you that they are quite fashionable instruments of amusement here at the South. Not long since two young men between the ages of twenty and twenty five attempted to kill each other. One of them thrust this awful weapon into the neck of his comrade which made as you can well judge a severe wound, from which, at the time, was thought would prove fatal. Awful idea!! A knife is a weapon, which always has made me shudder to look at, and after this will make me more so.

I must now conclude. I cannot say much for this letter, but you must excuse the writing, &c. Write always a long letter, when an opportunity offers. Be sure, that I shall always receive it with much pleasure. Much love to Charlotte²⁰ & your Mother²¹ & Father.²² Good bye dear Hannah. Your ever affectionate friend.

 

Copyright Charles Towne. Usage of this work is licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0
Compiler: Charles Towne

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