OnMarch1，1857，IvisitedWashingtonforthefirsttime。ItwasindeedthefirsttimeIhadevertroddenthesoilofaslaveState，and，goingthroughBaltimore，asenseofthisgavemeafeelingofhorror。Thewholeatmosphereofthatcityseemedgloomy，andthecityofWashingtonnobetter。OurlittlecompanyestablisheditselfattheNationalHotelonPennsylvaniaAvenue，thenafamoushostelry。HenryClayhaddiedtherenotlongbefore，andvariouseminentstatesmenhadmadeit，andwerethenmakingit，theirheadquarters。
OntheeveningofmyarrivalacuriousoccurrenceshowedmethedifferencebetweenNorthernandSoutherncivilization。AsIsatinthereading—room，thererattleduponmyearutterancesbetokeningavigorousdisputeintheadjoiningbar—room，and，astheywereloudandlong，Iroseandwalkedtowardthedisputants，asmenarewonttodoonsuchoccasionsintheNorth;when，tomysurpriseIfoundthat，thoughthevoicesweregrowingsteadilylouder，peoplewereverygenerallyleavingtheroom;
presently，thereasondawneduponme:itwasacaseinwhichrevolversmightbedrawnatanymoment，andthebystandersevidentlythoughtlifeandlimbmorevaluablethananyinformationtheywerelikelytoobtainbyremaining。
OntheeveningofthethirdofMarchIwentwiththecrowdtotheWhiteHouse。Weweremarshalledthroughthehalls，PresidentPiercestandinginthesmallchamberadjoiningtheEastRoomtoreceivetheguests，aroundhimbeingmembersoftheCabinet，withothersdistinguishedinthecivil，military，andnavalservice，and，amongthem，especiallyprominent，SenatorDouglas，thenattheheightofhiscareer。Personsintheprocessionwereformallypresented，receivingakindlyhandshake，andthenallowedtopasson。MyabhorrenceofthePresi—
dentandofDouglaswassobitterthatIdidathingforwhichtheonlyexcusewasmyyouth:——Iheldmyrighthandbymyside，walkedbyandrefusedtobepresented。