Friday Jan’y 23rd 1863
It has been quite pleasant today overhead but muddy and bad at the crossings of the streets. No particular news from the Army or from any other quarter. Congress seems disposed to meet Mr Chases views and I think that his financial scheme will be adopted in the main. That is for the Gov’t to furnish the circulation for the whole country to give a uniform currency, and tax the present Bank circulation (Bills) out of existence. The Gov’t would gain the interest on such circulation as it would be equivalent to a loan without interest. The people would gain from it the enormous amt now paid for exchange, as the Govt Bills would be current everywhere and a legal tender, and to prevent any redu[n]dancy of circulation any surplus could be converted into 6 pr cent twenty year Govt Bonds. These Bonds would act like a Safty Valve to the circulation. I spent and hour or two at Doct Munsons with Mr & Mrs Bemis of Canandagua. Her husband is Lieut and stationed at one of the Forts near the City. His wife (Kate Adams) is on a visit to him. She is a very lovely woman, as she was an amiable girl. They endeavor to flatter me very much at Doct Munsons by speaking in very high terms of me almost before my face. Perhaps they feel all they say. They are certainly very good friends to me. Their company is rather more after my style than that which I am in – in this English house. But the people here do all they can to please me, and know how to set a good table. Met G W Scott of Newark NY today. He is in the State Department. Boards on NY Ave. I must call there soon.
