Florida 2 Dec 1833
My dear W^m Henry
Yours of the 19th Ult. has been Recv'd, and the
papers of my Whaling stock examined from which I
find I hold Aaron Belknaps Recipt for $50 Subtracted out
and one hundred Dollars inserted. My impression has
always been that he first called for $100 then $200
but finding the Receipt as above he must either
be mistaken in Receipting me for one instead of two
hundred Dollars or I in paying one insted of two
as I always supposed. At any rate his Receipt is
for one hundred Dollars fifty being erased, and on
the back of the same receipt is my Receipt from
you of $200. Which shows we neither of us looked
at Belkaps Receipt when mine was put on the
back. I called last week at his Office. He was attending
on a sick son in New York and I could not see him
As soon as I can adjust it with him I will deposit
the Amt. & Int. in the Bank of Newburgh to him
your Credit. It is a singular affair but there
will be no difficulty in adjusting it when he
can be seen.
Will you examine the following
case for me and if you think it
advisable consult the comptroler
& the superintendent of Com. Schools
and write me your opinion on
the subjects. The law is short and
easily found.
VIZ That on the 1^st of March 1833 I leased my
Real & personal property to G W.S. for
one year from 1 Apl after making a
Vendue and Selling many Articles.
That on the 26 of May when so far reco-
vered as to be able to travel. I left the
Town of Warwick taking with me all
the Cash & funds I possesed. That on the
1 June I Embark from NY for Europe
where I resided in different plases

5 1/2 months. That on the 13th June Mrs
Seward & Servant Girl removed to NY
when I had provided her board
and remained untill my return
Since which we have [ boared ] with my
Son in Florida - and that during the
above period I had no family proper-
ty or residence in this place but
resided in Europe and out of the
Jurisdiction of the United States
That at an annual meeting of the
Trustees of School district N^o 15 in the
Town of Warwick on the 5^th day of October
by setting up Notices got a few of the district
together elected New officers and voted a
Tax on the on the [ inhaitants ] of said district
for fuel and some repairs that on the
19 of October a warrant was made out
and on the 20 of Nov I was called on
for a Tax of nine Dollars ^and^ who re-
sists the same on the ground that the
resident inhabitants only can be
assesed that so was residing more
than three Thousand miles from
district N^o 15 at the Time the Tax
was levied That his person family
and property well removed from
the Town long before this occurance
took place. You will also look at the
Cases for the assesment and collection
of Town and Country Taxes and for the
assesment of labour on the high
way. I have not yet been called on
for the two last but expect they have
assesed me for the whole, and it
does appear plain to me that the law
only authorises the assesing of residents
and how I could be a resident when

I had rented sold out removed my
family and was actually residing
out of the Jurisdiction of the United States
I cant conceive. Of all this I should
perhaps not complain if I had not
been for 20 years assesed more than
three times what I ought to be. Our
County Tax is $2600. My last Tax was
$190. Now if they will assess The Town
of Warwick upon the same principle
They assess me The Tax will come to
more than $7000, but real property
is not assesed at more than 1/3. To
which I am determined not to submit
any longer. You are well acquainted
with my renting and removal and
you will do me a kindness by look-
ing in to the law, and writing me
your opinion as soon as possible
on these three points of Who are liable
to County Road ^and District^ assesment.
I am attending Court as a witness
and writing on the bench. This
is a clumsy production but you
understand it and I have not time
to Copy it. We are all well and
affectionately yours.
Saml S Seward
Wm H Seward Esqr

Hon William H Seward
Albany
Nov 3 23 NY
hSS Seward2 Dec. 1833