Miss Anne C. Lynch to Senator & Mrs. Daniel S. Dickinson, January 7, 1853

NEW YORK, January 7, 1853.

MY DEAR MR. AND MRS. DICKINSON—I should not have allowed your kind letter to remain so long unanswered, had I not, by a very painful finger, been prevented from using a pen. The first use I make of its restoration is to thank you most cordially for your kind invitation to visit you. I assure you nothing would afford me more pleasure than to accept it, were it possible for me to leave home at this time; but my mother's health is delicate, and I am besides so entangled with petty cares of housekeeping and other matters, that however pleasant it would be, I could not just now escape from them. But as your invitation is not limited to this winter, I shall promise myself the pleasure of accepting it at some future time.

I am glad to know that you remember Washington with pleasure. I am afraid it has spoiled me for all other society, with its intellectual superiority and its delightful freedom. It will have for me a new attraction if, after the 4th of March, the two valued friends to whom I write shall be established there, as I most earnestly hope they will be.

I know that you will both be gratified to hear that my success in Washington, for which I was indebted to such kind friends as yourselves, has been the foundation of a permanent independence for my mother and myself. I therefore owe a large debt of gratitude to the 31st Congress collectively, while I have a particular regard for some of its individual members.

While I was in Washington last winter, one great pleasure and privilege which I enjoyed was in writing for Mr. Clay, and in one letter I wrote as amanuensis to Mr. Dickinson, I was strongly tempted to put in a postscript on my own account. Dear old man! he is gone, and how many besides of the brilliant constellation! To-day we have had the sad news of the death of Mr. Pierce's son.¹ With what heavy hearts they will enter upon their new life. For me, when I see how death is thinning the ranks of those I once knew, and how friends around me fall, "like leaves in wintry weather," I am sure that I set a higher value upon those that remain, for it is after all in the amenities and affections of social life that happiness is found, or even the shadow of it, which is all that we are here permitted to attain.

At some future day I shall hope to have the pleasure of seeing you here as guests of mine.

Will you remember me most cordially to Mrs. Courtney and your young daughter? and believe me,

Sincerely and truly yours,

ANNE C. LYNCH.

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* Anne Lynch lived in Washington DC from 1850 to 1853, while serving as the personal secretary to Senator Henry Clay.

¹ Eleven year old Benjamin Pierce, son of President-elect Franklin Pierce, was crushed to death and nearly decapitated on January 6, 1853 when the railroad car the Pierce family was travelling in derailed and rolled down an embankment near Andover, Massachusetts.

SOURCE: John R. Dickinson, Editor, Speeches, Correspondence, Etc., of the Late Daniel S. Dickinson of New York, Vol. 2, p. 473-4

Lucius B. Peck to Senator Daniel S. Dickinson, January 24, 1853

CHELSEA, January 24, 1853.

MY DEAR SIR—Your favor of the 15th instant reached me at this place this evening, where I have been for the past week, attending court.

The death of Mr. Upham was most unexpected to us all, though Mrs. U. had a presentiment that he would not recover. She reached Washington in company with her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Langdon, the Tuesday before his death. Annette remained in Montpelier. They returned last Saturday, but I have not seen them.

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Your kind and friendly letter, addressed to me at Burlington, was forwarded to me from that place, and received some days after its date. I owe you an apology for not acknowledging its reception at an earlier day; but as it did not call for an immediate answer I have permitted professional engagements to delay a reply. Your approval of my conduct, in a somewhat trying and delicate matter, has given me great pleasure, and your letter will be preserved as evidence of the good opinion of one whose approbation and friendship any man may justly be proud of.

The recent severe domestic affliction of Gen. Pierce¹ has, to some extent, checked cabinet speculations; but I still believe, what I have believed, as well as hoped, ever since his election, that wise counsels will yet prevail, and that you will occupy that position which you so richly merit. I cannot believe that those who are raising Heaven and earth to defeat you will be permitted to triumph in their unjust and unwise attack.

Mrs. Peek is still in Washington, slowly improving in health. She still holds in kind remembrance yourself and family, and often speaks of you all in her letters.

Make my kind regards to your wife and daughters, and believe me,

Most cordially your friend,

LUCIUS B. PEEK.

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¹ Editor’s Note: The President-elect and family were traveling by train from Boston on January 6, 1853 when their car derailed near Andover, Massachusetts and rolled down an embankment. Both Franklin and Jane Pierce survived the crash but their only surviving child, 11 year old Benjamin, was crushed to death and nearly decapitated.

SOURCE: John R. Dickinson, Editor, Speeches, Correspondence, Etc., of the Late Daniel S. Dickinson of New York, Vol. 2, p. 474-5