N.Y. 20 April 1825
Honored Sir
A moments leisure offers and I
embrace it gladly to address you a line.
We were very glad to hear of your safe
return to your family, & that you found all
things well.
Our little boy continues to mend. Though
his cough has not abated, yet he is gaining
strength and appears prety cheerful. He
usually has a great flow of spirits and is
withall a great talker (I know not from whence
he takes it) – if possible he is always disposed
to be cheerful & to feel well – He finds him-
self very weak – his lungs so feeble that he
is unable to talk without considerable stops
and difficulty.
Washington is quite studious. Last night I
introduced him to our library – he can have
the benefit of it and may it for one hour each
day. I can keep a book two weeks – it may im-
prove his knowledge of standard works & lay the

foundation of useful reading in after life.
I believe I have never mentioned to you
that I have been applied to by some gentle-
men of Wall who are principally interested in
a little bank in Monmouth Co. N.J., to take
a cashiership there. Indeed I have not thought
of it as a serious matter untill lately – there
are so much of illusive hope & so many false
proffers in the world that most things ^intimations^ of this
kind have little or no sincerity in them.
I am however now informed that my name
will be offered to the board there, who I
understand expect their Wall street friends to
furnish a man. The compensation will be
perhaps $1,000. The location at Freehold – and
they expect to get into operation about the 1 June.
– I am at perfect liberty in the promises –
having never solicited the appointment and
having given no encouragement, except that
I would take any inducement they chose to
offer me into consideration & if sufficent would
accept – if not reject it, I shall hold this

post if indeed it should ultimately be offered me
as a dernier resort – but the distance is so great
from my friends (70 miles from here) and all inter-
course ^will be^ so much cut off with them that I cannot
think of it with the least pleasure. Violent
efforts are making here by others to obtain the
First tellers office in our bank – and I may
not get it – the second is absolutely too hard
for me (not that I am afraid
of my labour), but I am
sure my health needs some
little independence of circumstance that I
may pay some attention to it – and in
this point ^of view^ alone, does the Freehold offer
strike me with the least acceptableness – all
this however is upon the supposition that
nothing can or will be done at Newburgh
– about which I should like to learn
anything that may transpire.
Mrs Black & her new daughterinlaw calld
to pay their respects to you & Mama & left their
love also for Cornelia – your son B.J. Seward

Hon S.S. Seward
Now in Newburgh
N.Y.