Letter from Mahlon Dickerson Canfield to William Henry Seward, November 21, 1831
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Letter from Mahlon Dickerson Canfield to William Henry Seward, November 21, 1831
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:ekk
student editorTranscriber:spp:keh
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1831-11-21
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Letter from Mahlon Dickerson Canfield to William Henry Seward, November 21, 1831
action: sent
sender: Mahlon Canfield
Birth: 1798-11-26
Death: 1865-01-05
location: Bargaintown, NJ
receiver: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: Auburn, NY
transcription: ekk
revision: crb 2016-03-15
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Page
1
Bargain Town 21st Nov 1831
My dear Henry
After having been separated from
my wife
happiness to meet them on Sunday last about
midway between this place & Philad. I need not
tell you or rather attempt to tell you how happy
it made me to press them once more closely to
my heart.
This is one of those pure & holy delights
which none but a husband & parent can know
or appreciate, & which constitutes those happy
moments which well repay all the cares &
ills of life.
Cornelia has laid upon me a mere obligation
for I much doubt if she would have come back
for all this country & all that is in it saving &
accepting myself. Having seen better things
abroad she is rather out of humour with home
I do not at all wonder at this. I used to feel
so too. indeed I feel something of it yet – &
would not by any means object to exchanging this
Page
2
for a better & more pleasant one. But where can
I find it? C. says Auburn is the place. Now if
I were sure of that I would move immediately.
But I cannot think of risking much by in
any such attempt. The State of N York is full of
Physicians & in every town & village there is
a crushing opposition. I presume you have a
full show & that all have their friends.
Without encroaching further upon your time
I would submit a few questions the answers
to which (when your leisure will permit) will
chiefly govern me in deciding on the question
of going to Auburn.
What is the value of D Humphrey
kind of physician & why does he go away? What is
the manner & treatment of ^your^ physicians towards
each other liberal and courteous or mean
& trickish? Do you hear any complaints of
their stealing each others patients?
What is the value of the house & lot occupied
by DH & the yearly rent? In what condition,
what outbuildings & how much ground attached,
What are the practices of your law relative to
Licensed practioners from other States? And lastly
Page
3
how does your militia system affect persons who
have held malicious offices in other States.
Here is a fine thing of interrogations truly. If I could
ever leave home I might come and see you & thus save
you the trouble of decyphering Hieroglyphics which is
if my eyes do not deceive me would puzzle
Champollion
hiatus of one page so there is some comfort in
that.
With affectionate regard
& respect I remain Yours
M.D. Canfield
W H. Seward Esq
Page
4
Free
M. D. Canfield
P.M.
W.H. Seward Esq.
Auburn
Cayuga Co
New York
h
M. D. Canfield
21 Nov. 1831
Bargain Town 21st Nov 1831
My dear Henry
After having been separated from
my wife
Birth: 1805 Death: 1839-01-04
& boy
Birth: 1829-12-04 Death: 1867-10-25
more than two months I had thehappiness to meet them on Sunday last about
midway between this place & Philad. I need not
tell you or rather attempt to tell you how happy
it made me to press them once more closely to
my heart.
This is one of those pure & holy delights
which none but a husband & parent can know
or appreciate, & which constitutes those happy
moments which well repay all the cares &
ills of life.
Cornelia has laid upon me a mere obligation
for I much doubt if she would have come back
for all this country & all that is in it saving &
accepting myself. Having seen better things
abroad she is rather out of humour with home
I do not at all wonder at this. I used to feel
so too. indeed I feel something of it yet – &
would not by any means object to exchanging this
for a better & more pleasant one. But where can
I find it? C. says Auburn is the place. Now if
I were sure of that I would move immediately.
But I cannot think of risking much by in
any such attempt. The State of N York is full of
Physicians & in every town & village there is
a crushing opposition. I presume you have a
full show & that all have their friends.
Without encroaching further upon your time
I would submit a few questions the answers
to which (when your leisure will permit) will
chiefly govern me in deciding on the question
of going to Auburn.
What is the value of D Humphrey
Birth: 1785-05-17 Death: 1848-03-09
's practice, whatkind of physician & why does he go away? What is
the manner & treatment of ^your^ physicians towards
each other liberal and courteous or mean
& trickish? Do you hear any complaints of
their stealing each others patients?
What is the value of the house & lot occupied
by DH & the yearly rent? In what condition,
what outbuildings & how much ground attached,
What are the practices of your law relative to
Licensed practioners from other States? And lastly
how does your militia system affect persons who
have held malicious offices in other States.
Here is a fine thing of interrogations truly. If I could
ever leave home I might come and see you & thus save
you the trouble of decyphering Hieroglyphics which is
if my eyes do not deceive me would puzzle
Champollion
Birth: 1790-12-23 Death: 1832-03-04
himself. However I have left ahiatus of one page so there is some comfort in
that.
With affectionate regard
& respect I remain Yours
M.D. Canfield
W H. Seward Esq
Free
M. D. Canfield
P.M.
W.H. Seward Esq.
Auburn
Cayuga Co
New York
h
Hand Shift
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10William Seward
21 Nov. 1831