Auburn December 20th. 1825
My Dear Father
Your letter of the 12th instant came yesterday to hand
enclosing Judge Thompson’s receipt for $230. for your attention to that
business I am obliged to you.
I was very anxious about Polidore – having
only understood before your letter came that he had gone away but for
what reason or under what circumstances I knew not. I cannot believe
now that it is his intention to abjure his home and friends. It would
be so singular an action that I think he will soon see it in its proper
light. He has often talked of coming here and I should have thought
that he would have made his way to this part of the Country – but
I have heard nor seen nothing of him – I am not without hopes
that he may yet favour me with a call – if so I will endeavour
to convince him by a view of my domestic happiness and successful
enterprise how essential it is to a man’s dearest interests to relin-
quish habits and modes of thinking which seduce to bad company
and dissipation. Do advise me whenever you hear from him
with all the particulars.
We are all engaged here in the project
of a Canal from the Erie Canal at the mouth of the outlet of
our lake across the hills forty miles to the Susquehannah river
at Oswego. We have had a route surveyed and the People are all
sanguine in their expectations about it. I have no faith in it however
The lockage up and down is about 800 feet, and the water on the sum-
mit level must be obtained from Fall Creek the great source of
wealth by means of the water privileges it affords to the village of Ithaca

That there will be a communication from the Erie Canal to the Susque-
hannah I have no doubt, but that may be made at a great deal less
expense by following the Geneva Canal to Cayuga Bridge and then taking
the Cayuga Lake, then a canal from Ithaca across to Oswego, the fall
lockage will be great but still it will be less than the one on the
route we propose by 100 feet. If we can get it through this way how-
ever I shall consider it a great improvement for this part of the
Country. The pecuniary embarrassments of this section of Country are
now very great. wheat our only staple brings but 50 cents a bushel
and no money to buy it at that price. We hope however for better
times. I am engaged for the present in an arbitration of great
importance and cannot write more fully
I am as ever yours affectionately
W.H. Seward
Samuel S. Seward Esq

Free
Hon. Samuel S. Seward
Post Master
Florida
Orange County
Auburn
Dec 30
NY