Scope and Contents

Matthew is being bothered by an Internal Tax Assesor, who wants to make them pay more duty on their cotton; Mrs. Q.M. Gen[era]l Arthur came to call on her, not knowing she was in England; she spoke with Sarah instead; she did not look well; Mr. Van Ness came for T[tea]; wasked a pair of dirty old gloves; Sarah had not gotten a chimney sweepers for Monday morning; she refilled the decanters with sherry from the No [number] 1 demijohns; not many people were at church; he contributed to the Bishop's salary fund; encloses a letter from Mary Bold [not present]; also received a letter from Fontaine which included letters for William and Walker; also received a letter from Mrs. Carrington to deliver to Mrs. Lansdale; he apparently did not need to write to Mrs. Carrington, since she has an alternative way of getting letters sent;  was glad to hear from Mary Bold that Maggie Addison is to be married; assumes that she [AM] will be able to attend; offers £5 toward a wedding present; went to see Matthew, but he had gone to church; (18 May) one of Mr. Simpson's men came that morning to put up the Venetian shutters; Sarah was unsure where to find a chimney sweep; she asked among her colored friends and finally found one; Sarah bought a new tea kettle and a new basket lined with tin to hold dirty knives and silverware before washing; ate dinner in the basement room since the rest of the house was in such disarry; reminded him of the times they entertained Mr. Short in the "Servant's Hall" in Rodney Street while the house was being painted; took a nap after dinner; Ann woke him up to make the tea; William and Sarah came back from Public Meeting  advocating Free Speech and protesting Mr. Vallandigham's arrest; thinks that they went more out of regard for the South and ill regard for the North than out of regard for Free Speech; took a walk but avoided the meeting; Gen[era]l Banks, a Union general, is in control of Louisiana; Gen[era]l Grant is in control of Jackson, Miss[issipp]i; Matthew is still occupied with the Internal Tax Comissioner; fancy stocks are very expensie; (19 [May]) encloses Fontaine's last letter [not present]. 12 pp. ALS