operate to defeat the very purposes
for which they are practiced. They
even go so far sometimes as to electioneer
our landlords to obtain the exercise of
their influence.
. When we see how soon all recollection departs from most men of the being whom the world vainly supposed to be "bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh ," why should we think it strange that Miss Fanny Wright should think it best most philiosophical and natural to make the marriage contract one of limited duration.
February 1st
I have just come from Mrs Van Vechten's
party. I presented myself at the door
at precisely at a quarter before nine.
The fashionable time is from eight till
nine. I was shown into the Library where
I unrobed ^divested^ myself of cloak, &c meeting there
Mr Bleecker I went arm in arm with him
jostling through the crowd to shake hands
with Ten Broeck Van Vechten, twelve years ago
my class-mate and now one of the sober
and staid housekeepers of this ancient
city. Although it was contrary to college

laws to marry, Ten Broeck fell in love
with a Miss Rorbach, a pretty little girl
daughter of a steamboat Captain, ran
away with and married her, and then
asked and obtained his fathers consent
to the union. Once only I remember to
have seen the bewitching beauty at Mrs Schuylers, tonight - I saw her leaning on
her husband's arm, a matron of about
thirty years. She remembered our interview
at Mrs Schuylers. The apartments were
two rooms less spacious ^though more^ and elegant than
our own. The style of the damask curtains
in the best of taste. Into these rooms
were crowded about seventy ladies and
gentleman, and they
were as Albany people
are generally allowed to be very handsome. ^justified Albany's reputation of having a large proportion of handsome people.^
Two fiddlers were playing for a cotillion in
the front room. I knew several of the
gentleme an and a few of the ladies, and
so contrived to be at ease. At nine o'clock
the lieut. Governors ^daughters^ arrived and it was
evident they were regarded as belles. In
a few minutes ^came^ Governor and Mrs Throop and
E.T. Throop Martin and Miss Aiken. Waiters
carried about lemonade and sangaree and
cake. Madeira wine was in the gentlemens
dressingroom. Except in the extremes of the fashion
^that the ladies short sleeves were in^
of the ladies short sleeves, the
assembly was the counter part of a similar

one at Auburn. Dancing continued till
two when there was a general rush of
girls and boys upstairs. I followed
and by making a cranes neck of my
own was able to see that the successful
ones were doing honors to an entertainment
of some kind. After the ladies had retired
from the supper room, the gentlemen crowded ^gathered^
round the table which bore a beautiful
set of china with pickeled oysters, tongue,
sandwiches, cake, ice-creams, jellies, bla[ n ] c-
mange &c with Madeira, Champaign, Bur-
gundy & Hock. I discovered that it was
considered proper and fashionable to retire
at any time after supper, so being fatigued
I came up with the Speaker of the Assembly
at an early hour.
^(Here insert Caucus of Feb 3rd)^ Wednesday February 2^nd
Yesterday was the day for the appointment-
of United States Senator, and State Treasurer.
At twelve o'clock the President of the Senate
announced "The hour has arrived, which
was fixed for the appointment by both houses
of the Legislature of a suitable person to
represent the State in the Senate of the
United States. Is it the pleasure of the Senate
to procede ^proceed^ to the nomination of a candidate
on the part of the Senate" Being answered
in the affirmative, he precded ^proceeded^ "Each