MY DEAR MR. CORBIN:
Jennie's and your letter is just received. I shall not be in New York, nor away from Washington, until after the meeting of Congress. But I will gladly give you the hour or two you speak of if you come to Washington. If you and Jennie could come this week we could make a spare room without inconvenience. Mrs. Smith—of Washington, Pa., with her two children—are with us, but they can be put in the room with their mother.
The alarm about the removal of Holden as Collector of Internal Revenue for the Covington district is premature. There was a raid made upon him by a person in whom I take no stoc,, and a statement made in regard to him which I said—if proved true—would mean that he must go out. But I think that rumor was entirely dispelled.
My Message is not "blocked out," nor scarcely thought of. So many other exciting matters preoccupy my time and thoughts that I do not bother myself about the other. I shall trust to the inspiration of the moment for what I shall say. Will be brief, but to the point if I can.
Yours truly,
U.S. GRANT.
[Grant's second term of office expired March, 1877.]
EXECUTIVE MANSION
Washington,
Dec. 13th, '76.