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[[start page]] Mrs Foster & others. Mr. E. [[Corning?]] is a noble specimen of man, the mild radius of his ^dark full eye denotes a nature as gentle as strong. Saw Dr. Hays for a few moments he delivered his closing lecture at the Institution last evening. The President's family is in deep affliction. Willie Lincoln is dead He was an intelligent child of eleven years of age & a great favorite of the visitors at the White House. It is reported to night that Nashville has surrendered. Clarksville has been taken. The rolling Mills owned by John Bell near Fort Donelson have been destroyed. It is further reported that the southern troops are returning from Manassas. 22nd We have been at the Capitol all day & are completely tired out. We left home at 10 o'clock as we feared we should not otherwise be able to obtain good seats. We were very fortunate in that respect. The House of Rep. had been provided with a number of additional seats for the invited guests. At 12 o'clock just as all the bells of the city rang out a merry peal the members assembled on one side of the Hall & after some discussion as to propriety of presenting the Flags taken at the recent battles which was to have formed part of the order of the day & which was strenuously opposed by the ven. Mr Crittenden on the ground that in accepting these trophies the Government would acknowledge [[end page]] [[start page]] the South as a separate Foreign power. This interesting part of the programme was voted down much to the disappointment of the occupants of the Galleries. At one o'clock the [[strikethrough]] [door?] [[\strikethrough]]]august body arose to receive their distinguished guests. First appeared the Vice President conducted by the Sec of the Senate & followed by the chaplain senators cabinet, count de Paris, Duke de Chartres, Judges of the Supreme Court Foreign Ministers, Officers of the Army & Navy headed by Gen McClellan & invited guests. After a prayer by the chaplain the Farewell Address was read. During the reading we had ample time to enjoy the scene before us. The assemblage of distinguished men [[listened?]] with reverence to the words of our gentle Father. The Gen & [[deputy?]] old Commodores with their white locks ^[[brilliant?]] [[epaulets?]] & [[shoulder?]] [[vertical text]] [[stripes?]]. [[end vertical text]] Among whom we recognised Gen Totten. Com. Shubrick Com. Wilkes Gen. Casey & others. The ladies galleries filled to over flowing & particularly brilliant from the bright scarlet so much worn at present. Near us sat Mrs. McClellan her face bright with pleasure at the applause which greeted the entrance of the Gen. Mrs. Wilkes fair & gentle Mrs. Corning dignified & courtly. Mrs Crittenden handsome & stately Mrs Harris & the wifes & daughters of many other distinguished senators graced our [[corner?]] of the gallery. The Secession Flags were displayed in the old House of Rep. but the crowd was so great we could not get near enough to see them. As is [[end page]]
