June 22nd, 1872. Fine.

It was mid-summer when we returned to Washington, and the heat steadily increased. Congress (which had risen before we left for our northern trip) was still in recess. The president and the cabinet officers had left the city, and politicians and other celebrities had all gone in search of cooler climes. With the city's residents dispersed to various parts of the country, half of the businesses in Washington were closed (since commerce in the capital is heavily dependent on government officials). The streets and avenues were deserted, and the only people strolling in the parks were poor white and black people. It seemed a completely different city from the one we had seen earlier, before our tour of the northern states. Because Mr. Fish, the secretary of state, had also gone to Boston and then to his summer home near West Point to escape the heat, diplomatic business was almost at a standstill. All we could do during the day was try to keep cool by taking carriage rides to see various sights. We did little worth recording.

Because the purpose of gathering senators and congressmen in Washington is to bring together representatives who understand conditions in the various states, politicians spend half the year in Washington and the other half in their own districts. Thus, they gain experience in administration and at the same time become familiar with the affairs of the people.