Washington City Dec. 14, 1849

Dear Brother,

I have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt
of your letters ^dated^ at Bordentown & New York, as well as three
letters from your friend M^r Carter to member of Congress.
The petition for a territorial government to which the signa-
tures are affixed will not be presented to Congress, but
the memorial accompanying the Constitution which asks
for our admission as a state, or for such other form of
government as Congress may grant us—I had a long
and pleasant interview with jude Douglass the other
evening, and his advice was to apply for admission
as a state or for a territorial government, and leave
the alternative with Congress which to give us, he said
this would show our readiness to defray the expenses
of a state government, and our willingness to accept
a territorial government, that this course would be manly
and honorable—From the intercourse I have had
with members of Congress, I am pretty well satisfied
that we shall not get anything more than a territorial
government, in this event I shall do all I can to have
President Young appointed governor, and such other
officers as will be acceptable to the people—Ten
days have now been spent by the House in unavail-
ing attempts to elect a Speaker—The excitement and
confusion in the House yesterday & the day before
were at times very great. The prospect of electing

Washington City Dec. 14, 1849

Dear Brother,

I have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your letters dated at Bordentown & New York, as well as three letters from your friend Mr Carter to member of Congress. The petition for a territorial government to which the signatures are affixed will not be presented to Congress, but the memorial accompanying the Constitution which asks for our admission as a state, or for such other form of government as Congress may grant us—I had a long and pleasant interview with jude Douglass the other evening, and his advice was to apply for admission as a state or for a territorial government, and leave the alternative with Congress which to give us, he said this would show our readiness to defray the expenses of a state government, and our willingness to accept a territorial government, that this course would be manly and honorable—From the intercourse I have had with members of Congress, I am pretty well satisfied that we shall not get anything more than a territorial government, in this event I shall do all I can to have President Young appointed governor, and such other officers as will be acceptable to the people—Ten days have now been spent by the House in unavailing attempts to elect a Speaker—The excitement and confusion in the House yesterday & the day before were at times very great. The prospect of electing