September 5. 1831
WH Seward
D Sir
Yours of the 30th is received. I send you the address
with the signatures Horning & Locke did not send in the names as
I supposed they had until the whole form was on the Press and
they were obliged to be struck off.
The Central Committe had a meeting about
Alling this day, and from certain reasons, they thought best
not to postpone the nomination, Every thing appears to be going
on in our ranks harmoniously. I know of no stress for nomina-
tions, – I think the South part of the County have settled down
into the belief that it is best to nominate Manchester & Fuller
^for assembly^ and one in North and across the river will be also nomin-
ated – as yet I hear ^of^ no interest made or making. Judge Smith
is anxious to be clerk and I think it not unlikely that he
may be nominated for the assembly. There will be no dif-
ficulty about the clerk. I find that some fears are had
by the People of the Southern towns that some things connected
with ^Rathbones

x

George Rathbun

Birth: 1802-10-16 Death: 1870-01-04

^ old business will injure him, - Fuller was at my office
the other day – and spoke about it. and some of the southern
people are of opinion that I had better be nominated. I fear
I cannot get elected, and don't want to be used up. as I
must be for the present if I am beat. I find that the
Anti Masons say more about my nomination than I expected
they would. I tell them to do just as they please, only I wish
them to understand that. I have no claims and do not ask
for the nomination. The Office of Clerk you must know would

be particularly desirable to me, on account of its perquisites. My
present business has not been worth $300 to me this year and I can
not expect to realize from it anything like that sum the year
Coming- were it not for this the Office of Clerk would not be one
I should court. Brown is in the Convention and will be for Hoskins
but Hoskins is not thought of by the party generally. Capt Warden is
in favor of my getting the nomination, and will use his endeavors
to effect it. I think it more than probably that I shall have as
many in that convention friendly to me as any other person
and I presume that should I use any exactions I could get
a nomination, I shall use none, myself and I do not know
whether I ought or ought not to allow others to do so. I am
not in any hurry for Office nor under any fears but when
I seek for one I can get it.- but it seems to me that unless
the convention shall hit upon me voluntarily for the Office of
Clerk, it is not my business to pass a nomination and were I not
as poor as the devil I would not have the nomination at this time
there will be no colision in the convention about this or any other
nomination, I am confident and there is no interest making
by any one as I believe saving Judge Smith. Should Grangers friends
press him upon the Convention he will not be nominated as there
is a determination to have a nomination made that shall
be the work of the Convention solely.
Doubleday will soon return from the Editorship of the
Cayuga Patriot. this may account for a little soft soap you may
find hastened upon him in the Republican. It will I fear not take
place until after Election if it does we will make something
out of it. I have such your assurance that Doubleday will realize

that unless he does so before Election it will be so stated as an
Event to be. and you know it would have an effect in this county
Could it be made to appear that Granger had forced him to it.
The Clayites are circulating their Circular for names
as yet none but Masons have signed it they will get perhaps
One Hundred names to it. The result will be beneficial to Anti Masonry
such men as Coffin, Phelps, Joshua L Jones who have always gone with
Jackson in oposition to Anti Masonry have signed the Clay address
Since writing the above I have seen a delegate to the Convention
from Semipronius and who has told Captain Worden that they
talk of me for a nomination, but are fearful that I have been to
active of late to make it appear like asking pay down, I under-
stand the Captain told him, I was not seeking a nomination &
the thing ought not to be settled on either way untill the Convention.
met. I wish you would write me what you
believe I had better do. I doubt myself the pro-
priety of my being nominated this fall for either
my own good or the good of the party. It does appear to me that I
am in a good way with the Anti Masons of this County. and a
little asking too much might hurt me. Should the Convention come
to the Conclusion that it would not do to take Rathbone or that it
would be better not to take him, I think the choice would fall upon
me, and I knowing well that I shall have a good many men
in that convention who will give me the preference over Rathbone.
My saying Openly I did not wish the Office has done me good.
I believe Manchester would prefer Rathbone but Cuyler is rather opposed
to his renomination and Glen is rather Vociferous for Granger and Man-
chester will oppose Glens wishes. The Delegates from Auburn, are Capt War-
den, Elmira Cutler, William Brown, Eldad Steel Cyrus Underwood Josiah
Hopkins, Erastus Humphreys Rathbone and myself.
AW.

[left Margin] Frances

x

Frances Seward

Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21

& Lazette

x

Lazette Worden

Birth: 1803-11-01 Death: 1875-10-03

& the children

x

Frederick Seward

Birth: 1830-07-08  Death: 1915-04-25 

Augustus Seward

Birth: 1820-05-18  Death: 1889-05-08 

are all to Romulus

x

Romulus, NY

, and have been a week.

Hon W. H. Seward
of the Senate
Albany
AUBURN NY
SEPT 6
hA Worden
5 Sept. 1831