home last October and November when he got up and worked five or six weeks in his room; a time when Judge Young had promised him, through me, leave of absence, and when no change of administration was expected. His fears then principally, were that if he got to Cincinnati, or Illinois, by easy stages of travel, he might become sick there, be compelled to overstay his time, and that possibly he might get so decreped from his stricture as not to be able to come back at all, though able for the business of his desk if here, and that in some of these contingencies he might lose his place. I had no such fears—at any rate of the last, for Judge Young has continued until lately and he and myself since Judge Young resigned, and before I was removed got his pay continued to 1st of September next if he lived so long, and leave of absence till then. This could have been done if he had been lying sick at home under the circumstances of his case. The few weeks he was able to write last fall, I am sure is the only time within which time he could have gone home since he was taken first with serious illness about 4th July, 1848.
When he lost his sons he suffered greatly on both occasions. On one of the occasions—the last—I feared for his reason for some days. I got him to travel with me, when we went to Baltimore, thence down the bay in a steamer to Norfolk, Virginia, where we inspected the public works and national shipping, especially the Pennsylvania, the largest ship in the world. Thence we went up James river 130 miles to Richmond, and examined the paintings and statues of Washington and Lafayette in the capitol. Thence home. In this journey of about 500 miles, all in cars and steamboats, we were engaged nearly three weeks. It was during that excursion that I discovered the wonderful effect change of place, scenery, company, &c., had upon him, both bodily and mentally; and as it was so very favorable, I have ever during his whole last illness endeavored to get him to go home—to ride out when he could—and lastly, it was the good effects of that trip which made us both think that to retire with me to my hill
