Attorney General's Office, Washington. Nov. 24, 1868.
Dearest Mother,
I suppose you got my letter last Saturday, 21st—All goes along at present the
same old story—nothing new in the office—I shall be glad when Grant
comes in, & a new Attorney Gen'l appointed—if I weather it out till
then—though I am well enough off, at present, & probably safe—I
don't think there is any show for Mr. Evarts1 remaining here after Grant comes in—
We are having a splendid spell of weather again, after the storm of Saturday
last—To-day it is very fine—I should like to be with you on
Thanksgiving, Thursday—I shall take dinner at my boarding house—Mrs.
Benedict2 told me yesterday to bring any of my friends to dinner I wanted
to—I still have the same room—I make a fire mornings, & have it
quite comfortable—
Is Jeff home?3 Martha must keep up good
spirits—I have no doubt she will get all right again4—I approve
what you advised her about the wine—it is as George said, you can't get any
real pure port wine—I shall keep watch of the place in Western Pennsylvania I
spoke of, & if they have any genuine wine, as I was informed they would in
January, I shall get some for Martha—
Has George done any thing about the Portland av. house, yet?5 Write to me all the news. Your letter came last week, &
was welcome. I am quite busy to-day—have several jobs of work in the office
that keep me hard at it—
Love to you, dearest mother—& to all—
I have had to scratch off my letter in a hurry, but I wanted you to have something,
according to promise in my last.
Walt.
Notes
- 1. William Maxwell Evarts
(1818–1901) was chief counsel for Andrew Johnson during the impeachment
trial of 1868. As a reward for his services, Johnson appointed Evarts Attorney
General later in the year; Evarts was Secretary of State from 1877 to 1881 and
U.S. Senator from New York from 1885 to 1891. [back]
- 2. Mr. and Mrs. Newton
Benedict were Walt Whitman's landlords at 468 M North, having replaced Juliet
Grayson after her death in 1867. Whitman recorded this change in management in
his February 12, 1867 letter to Louisa Van Velsor
Whitman. [back]
- 3. On November 18, 1868,
Louisa Van Velsor Whitman reported that Jeff was on his way from St. Louis to
Brooklyn (The Trent Collection of Whitmaniana, Duke University Rare Book,
Manuscript, and Special Collections Library). [back]
- 4. On November 11 (?), 1868,
Louisa Van Velsor Whitman wrote: "matty is improving but far from well. the
doctor is doctoring her throat with great success. i think he has performed two
moderate opperations on her throat, but o dear if you could hear her talk it would make me
hoarse to talk a steady stream as she does when any one comes on to see her"
(The Trent Collection of Whitmaniana, Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and
Special Collections Library). After Jeff's family left, Louisa Van Velsor
Whitman complained, on December 14 (?), 1868, that they had not paid for any "provitions" while they stayed in Brooklyn: "i did really think they had ought to
give me some [money] but let every thing go but i would ask more than 100$
to go through the same again (burn this letter)" (The
Trent Collection of Whitmaniana, Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and
Special Collections Library). [back]
- 5. Louisa Van Velsor Whitman
added a postscript to her letter of December 14 (?): "george has commenced his
house. they are digging the cellar" (The Trent Collection of Whitmaniana, Duke
University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library). [back]