other works, probably, which I do not at
once recall. If I gained some knowledge of the law as practised in the
country, that knowledge was gained from an acquaintance with the
lawyers and from my opportunities as Clerk of the Insolvency Court.

In the year 1836, July 4, an Act was passed by Congress, granting to
a class of widows of soldiers of the War of the Revolution, a pension
for a term of five years. The towns of Groton, Pepperell and Shirley
had supplied a large number of soldiers, and there were many widows who
were entitled to the benefits of the Act. My acquaintance as clerk was
already large, and my studies with Russell had given me the faculty of
preparing ordinary papers, and I at once commenced canvassing for the
business. I obtained in all about fifty cases under the Act of 1836.
Subsequently I obtained other cases under the Act of 1838. I sent the
applications forward to Washington, and in a few cases certificates
were received in return. In a majority of cases there was a delay.
The women became anxious and their visits and importunities were
annoying. In the month of January, 1839, I joined Gen. Staples and
made a visit to Washington. Staples' object was to make mail
contracts, or to arrange existing difficulties. My purpose was to
obtain action on pension applications. Our journey was a slow one, if
not tedious. From Groton to Boston by stage, and from Boston to
Stonington, Conn., by rail; from Stonington to New York by steamboat;
from New York to Perth Amboy by steamboat; from Perth Amboy by rail, I
think, but possibly by stage to a town on the Delaware River, Franklin
perhaps. From that point to Philadelphia, by steamboat. Our journey
from Philadelphia to Washington was by rail in part and in part by
stage. We passed the creeks between the Susquehanna and Baltimore upon
a railroad.

We stopped overnight in New York, and went to the Park Theater.
Another night we spent in Philadelphia, and went to the Chestnut Street
Theater. Staples had a fondness for theaters, and on these occasions
I followed his example. I had been in a theater but one, when I saw
Forrest in Boston, in King Lear. At Philadelphia I bought a copy of
Byron for three dollars. That volume I have yet.

The Hon. William Parmenter, a Democrat, then represented the district
in Congress, and I carried one or more letters to him--one from my
employer Mr. Henry Woods, who was an active Democrat. Mr. Parmenter
was then