Letter written by John Freedley, (1793-1851) a Whig Party member of the 31st United States Congress. John Freedley would not live to see the Civil War as he died a year after this letter was written.  
 
The letter is transcribed below to the best of my ability - (?) indicates places where I could not read the handwriting. 
 
House of Representatives
Washington, July 25the 1850
(Messrs.?) Moore and Hooven 
Gentlemen, 
Your favor of the (?) came too hard. I must say that the prospect of having anything done at the present session of Congress is, up to this time, not very bright. I have now been in session near four months and as yet have literally done nothing -settled nothing. At the very outset certain Southern Hot-spurs openly declared that the first thing to be settled was the rights of citizens in the slaveholding states under the Constitution.
 That this question must first be settled before they would agree to legislate on any other subject. The discussion in both houses to this time have been almost entirely on the Slave question nor does it appear to be (?) determination than it was a minute ago. There is therefore but little chance of knowing the opinion of a feeling of numbers of other subjects.
I have no knowledge of the getting up of any bill in (?) to the Tariff or of any movement towards it. Nor do I consider that under the present agitated states of feeling it would be expedient to force (?) the House such a Bill.
On Monday last, we had a demonstration of the declared intentions of the nullifiers. They showed us that by calling the (?)year and days(?) on a (suspicion of freedom)?) motion they could prevent a vote upon any Bill objectionable to them.
I have at this moment read that part of your letter making inquiry as to the probability of a change in the laws the (?) present (?) to Moses Hampton of Pittsburgh who was in the Committee of Ways & Means.  His reply is “answer them that there is no chance I have written so to my friends".  This is his opinion which I give you for what it is worth I confess I am inclined to the same opinion.
 
 I am truly yours 
John Fridley 
 
(Pennsylvania fifth district in office 1847 to 1851 Whig party - Member of the 31st Congress)