Letter from Samuel Sweezey Seward to William Henry Seward, October 16, 1834
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Letter from Samuel Sweezey Seward to William Henry Seward, October 16, 1834
transcriberTranscriber:spp:mhr
student editorTranscriber:spp:jds
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1834-10-16
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Letter from Samuel Sweezey Seward to William Henry Seward, October 16, 1834
action: sent
sender:
Samuel Seward
Person
Name: Samuel Seward
Birth: 1768-12-05
Death: 1849-08-24
Person
location:
Florida NY
Place
Name: City: Florida
County: Orange
State: NY
Country: US
Place
receiver:
William Seward
Person
Name: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
Person
location:
Auburn NY
Place
Name: City: Auburn
County: Cayuga
State: NY
Country: US
Place
transcription: mhr 2013-05-01
revision: crb 2014-06-22
<>
Page 1
I think you informed me our road cause was to be
argued in October, will this matter so vitally interesting
to the pecuniary concerns of our family be attended
to. V.
Name: Isaac Van Duzer
Birth: 1802-05-08
Death: 1841-11-27
is so deeply engaged in
defending himself that
I have not the least confidence in his doing any-
thing. It will of course devolve on you and your
Counsel I pray you not to neglect it.
A short history of E P
Name: Edwin Seward
Birth: 1799-07-02
Death: 1872-04-25
farce is that
for weeks before
the nomination was made at Utica
Name: City: Utica
County: Oneida County
State: NY
Country: US
he was
constantly high. About this time he sold off
(unbeknown to me) a considerable portion
of his property for Cash and at redused prices
told, G. W.
Name: George Seward
Birth: 1808-08-26
Death: 1888-12-07
that he had hired
himself to Schultz
at Newbergh
Name: City: Newburgh
County: Orange
State: NY
Country: US
as a hostler at $20 per
month
was going on sunday & requested W to purches
the rest of his property. When W told me this
I was struck with horror. Seeing his property
was fast sacrifising he owed many debts –
his family on sufferance, and above all that
his deliberately entering himself a menial
[ sevant ]
Alternate Text: servant in Schultz Stable would be nuts for
the Jackson men at this Crisis and wound
-ing through the state. I was sick Wm Brown
stund to know what course to take –
fortunately B J
Name: Benjamin Seward
Birth: 1793-08-23
Death: 1841-02-24
arrive I stated the case to him,
got
him if possible to avoid this shocking catestrophy, he
waylaid his house Saturday nigh. at 11 OClock
at night he came in not drunk but much
disguised. He asked him the truth of what
he had [ head ]
Alternate Text: heard, was answered that it was all
so, and that he had employed Spears
less scoundrel) to take him to Schultz on Sunday
morning and that he should go. I said he had
come to him as a B. & A freind ready to assist
him & beged of him to delay, but all had no
effect. at 11 OClock on Sunday he ordered the
Page 3
Man to get the horse forsebly seased his Trunk
and made off. I returned disheartened, I
told him he must persevere there was no
other alternative. Got him refreshment
fixed him comfortable in my sulky &
started him to Newburg – his having first
made with Locky
Name: Rachel Seward
Birth: 1805-07-15
Death: 1848-05-14
an Inventory of his
proper. He [ doged ]
Alternate Text: dodged him again that night
at Sunrise Monday he came in to Schultz
takeing into a private room sober he presed
on his mind the consequence of the ruinous
cause he was taking. Advised his assign-
ing his property to me for the benefit of his
Creditors & famely and going with him
to New York where he would task him
business. He agreed to all only was not
ready to go there. Got himself a new suit
& followed In.
Name: Charles Ingersoll
Birth: 1782-10-03
Death: 1862-05-14Certainty: Possible
a few days
to New York
having affectionately taken leave of all [ our ]
Reason: wax-seal
family. But was not in the City a week
before he was carousing up Town out at
Pattersons
Name: City: Paterson
County: Passaic County
State: NJ
Country: US
& through the country – spent
all his money & returned home sick
& broke down with In. — I am building
at Round Hill and not being able to at-
tend to it myself & hearing of his return
I wrote him to come & over see that business
this he is doing with great propensi ^t^ y.
And what will be next God only knows
In. deserves great Credit getting him and
you out of the Newburgh delemma.
If in your power to come down while
at Albany
Name: City: Albany
County:
State: NY
Country: US
I shall be much
gratified as t I
find daily more need of assistance in my
business. Ma
Name: Marcia Seward
Birth: 1794-07-23
Death: 1839-10-28
is also very feeble and will not
stand it long. We join in affectionate love to
all our freinds Affectionately Yours S S Seward
Page 4
Florida 16th Oct 1834
My dear William
In a former letter you regret my
neglecting writing you. It is pleasant for children
to hear from distant parents but my day is over
and my time is fast drawing to a close. The last
two weeks I have scarcely been able to sit up.
The last week I have been confined to my bed
with inflamitory fever – and each successive turn
brings me nearer to the house of all living – and
while I lack the strength and energy to ^write^ it by no
means lessens my affection and anxeity for my
children. I feel great solicitude at the present
crisis and heartily wished for strength to see my
old and tried friends in this Country. As far as
I have had an opportunity of comparing ideas I
find them firm and active. But my heart bleeds
for my country when I am co ^m^ pelled to say that
corruption funds & Eagle poison are fast moldering
down our beloved constitutions. Not a day pases
but we see men who have seen and in strong &
forceble terms pointed out the awfull danger of our
present missrule turning round and becoming the
strongest Jackson
Name: Andrew Jackson
Birth: 1767-03-15
Death: 1845-06-08
supporters. And has it come to this
that our government is to be destroyed by bribery &
corruption – means are taking to counteract but
in many instances the bate is too inviting.
Powerfull exertions are making on either side &
my best Judgement is that we shall nearly or quite
nutrilize the County. It affords me real satisfaction
to learn by your favor of the 10th that the great West are
still as firm as two years ago[ . ]
Reason:
New York
Name: City: New York
County:
State: NY
Country: US
will certainly
do her duty and with those large balances I would fain hope.
The day is a portentius one to our bleeding country to
you and your friend, the dye will soon be cast
and it will then be known whether other & deeper
duplicity & fraud is to be made use of to enslave the people
Page 2My dear William
In a former letter you regret my
neglecting writing you. It is pleasant for children
to hear from distant parents but my day is over
and my time is fast drawing to a close. The last
two weeks I have scarcely been able to sit up.
The last week I have been confined to my bed
with inflamitory fever – and each successive turn
brings me nearer to the house of all living – and
while I lack the strength and energy to ^write^ it by no
means lessens my affection and anxeity for my
children. I feel great solicitude at the present
crisis and heartily wished for strength to see my
old and tried friends in this Country. As far as
I have had an opportunity of comparing ideas I
find them firm and active. But my heart bleeds
for my country when I am co ^m^ pelled to say that
corruption funds & Eagle poison are fast moldering
down our beloved constitutions. Not a day pases
but we see men who have seen and in strong &
forceble terms pointed out the awfull danger of our
present missrule turning round and becoming the
strongest Jackson
Person
that our government is to be destroyed by bribery &
corruption – means are taking to counteract but
in many instances the bate is too inviting.
Powerfull exertions are making on either side &
my best Judgement is that we shall nearly or quite
nutrilize the County. It affords me real satisfaction
to learn by your favor of the 10th that the great West are
still as firm as two years ago[ . ]
Supplied
Place
do her duty and with those large balances I would fain hope.
The day is a portentius one to our bleeding country to
you and your friend, the dye will soon be cast
and it will then be known whether other & deeper
duplicity & fraud is to be made use of to enslave the people
I think you informed me our road cause was to be
argued in October, will this matter so vitally interesting
to the pecuniary concerns of our family be attended
to. V.
Person
I have not the least confidence in his doing any-
thing. It will of course devolve on you and your
Counsel I pray you not to neglect it.
A short history of E P
Person
the nomination was made at Utica
Place
constantly high. About this time he sold off
(unbeknown to me) a considerable portion
of his property for Cash and at redused prices
told, G. W.
Person
Unknown
at Newbergh
Place
was going on sunday & requested W to purches
the rest of his property. When W told me this
I was struck with horror. Seeing his property
was fast sacrifising he owed many debts –
his family on sufferance, and above all that
his deliberately entering himself a menial
[ sevant ]
Alternate Text
the Jackson men at this Crisis and wound
-ing through the state. I was sick Wm Brown
Unknown
& much other Co here I was completelystund to know what course to take –
fortunately B J
Person
him if possible to avoid this shocking catestrophy, he
waylaid his house Saturday nigh. at 11 OClock
at night he came in not drunk but much
disguised. He asked him the truth of what
he had [ head ]
Alternate Text
so, and that he had employed Spears
Unknown
(a worth-less scoundrel) to take him to Schultz on Sunday
morning and that he should go. I said he had
come to him as a B. & A freind ready to assist
him & beged of him to delay, but all had no
effect. at 11 OClock on Sunday he ordered the
Man to get the horse forsebly seased his Trunk
and made off. I returned disheartened, I
told him he must persevere there was no
other alternative. Got him refreshment
fixed him comfortable in my sulky &
started him to Newburg – his having first
made with Locky
Person
proper. He [ doged ]
Alternate Text
at Sunrise Monday he came in to Schultz
takeing into a private room sober he presed
on his mind the consequence of the ruinous
cause he was taking. Advised his assign-
ing his property to me for the benefit of his
Creditors & famely and going with him
to New York where he would task him
business. He agreed to all only was not
ready to go there. Got himself a new suit
& followed In.
Person
having affectionately taken leave of all [ our ]
Supplied
family. But was not in the City a week
before he was carousing up Town out at
Pattersons
Place
all his money & returned home sick
& broke down with In. — I am building
at Round Hill and not being able to at-
tend to it myself & hearing of his return
I wrote him to come & over see that business
this he is doing with great propensi ^t^ y.
And what will be next God only knows
In. deserves great Credit getting him and
you out of the Newburgh delemma.
If in your power to come down while
at Albany
Place
find daily more need of assistance in my
business. Ma
Person
stand it long. We join in affectionate love to
all our freinds Affectionately Yours S S Seward
date:
Thursday, October 16, 1834
receiver:
sender:
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