I was so pressed for time at Washington that I had not a moment to devote to you. Do not suffer yourself to be a moment disturbed by your affair with Gilmar, for you may be assured that <have> recd. no injury from it. The public mind seldom fails to arrive at correct conclusions upon subjects of that kind, & is <by> no means likely to do so in the present instance.

I do not know what will be done for Mr. Niles. He appears to have gotten into hard <ardor> with the administration, & American public at Paris, without any body being able to explain why. I had some conversation with the President, & Gov Woodbury, (who is his friend) on the subject & hope he will have justice done to him.

Your politics will be violent, but the contest will be a short one. Your young men are somewhat ^apt^ to go off at half cock, but the state always get right in the end; & as "Virginia never tires" she will soon do so now.

Where do you stay at Washington<?> I hope near the <illegible> building, the most agreeable part of the City, & where I am to hold forth. Remember me very kindly to Mrs Rives and believe me to be