Rochester Aug. 18. 1853.

Gerrit Smith.

My dear Sir,

You, and your prospective career in Congress, are much talked about among your friends in the east. I had a long talk with a gentleman of much learning, belonging to the Boston bar, (E.G. Loring) who expressed the deepest interest in your success, at Washington. But he expressed some solicitude for you, upon a point of which I had not of before thought. It is a small point but he deemed it very important. I therefore take the liberty to mention it. He remarked that, you might be so occupied with other subjects-the bissons principles, and measures of Government-as not to be well instructed in parliamentary rules. I thought the remark a wise one, and asked him to write you. He modestly declined-but gave me leave to use his name, as I have done. So get yourself the best manual of Parliamentary rules-which the country affords-forget, for a little while subjects of greater weight-shut yourself up place me in the Chair of the H. Surround yourself with a company of the most watchful and skillful parliamentary tacticians-and make yourself such a master of the rules of Congress as to defy all the main traps which will surely
set for your feet. Now just hear this