
          Washington
Jany 19th, 49

My Dear Dr

I hope you will pardon
me for suffering your letter received
last week to remain several
days unanswered. My excuse
is the constant press of engagements
which during the session of congress
absorbed all my time

I deeply sympathise with
you in the result of the election
in the free Academy. You and
your friends have however the
consolation of knowing that
in this case as in every act of
your life you have ^ [inserted: been] governed by
higher principles than those by
which the majority of men are
actuated and that if you have
failed in any instance to secure
an appointment to which you  
        