Thursday July 5th 1838
My dearest Henry,
I have two wee letters from
you to answer the first was handed me yesterday
morning by Mr Pinkney –the other came by mail
(your first from New York) about an hour afterwards.
It being the 4^th I invited Mr Pinkney to come and
take tea with us–Pa dined out–it was the
warmest day we have had this summer–I went
to the Church to hear Judge Conklings address and
do not ever recollect to have suffered more with
the heat–the church was crowded–Goodwin
read Mr Adams letter and the declaration, well,
and with no small degree of self complacency.
The Judge delivered an excellent address but so
inaudibly that it could not be heard by half the assembly.
I sat in the center of the church and with very
close attention lost only a few parts of sentences.
I was very sorry I hope the address will be published
it was not particularly new but appropriate, the
style plain, language pure and perspicacious. It was
evidently rather gratifying to some of our tory friends that
the discourse could not be heard–Morgan came here
to tea with Mr Pinkney–he said the Judge was
not willing to have his address published. I returned
from the Church with a violent nervous headache
which kept me in bed the whole afternoon. I arose at
5 oclock to dress to receive our friends–Mrs Horner Mrs Compston and Eliza came to tea. Your friend was
very agreeable we all had some curiosity to know whether

he was a bachellor or married man but he left us in doubt
he was to leave town this morning. William Beardsley accom-
panied him to Church in the morning. The latter
part of the day then was a Sunday School meeting
composed of all the Churches except ours–our teachers
were invited to join in this novel mode of celebrating
our national festival, but very properly declined,
the children after being lectured about 2 hours were
marched to the 1st Church where they partook
of some refreshments prepared for the occasion. I
believe with Solomon that there is a time for every thing
and I do not believe the 4^th of July is a day which
ought to be devoted entirely to religious observances.
The boys carried the point about the bonfires after much
opposition–the fires were about in the centre of the town
but commenced too late at night to allow our little
boys to be spectators. I allowed Gus to go to the
Exchange half an hour when he came home and went quietly
to bed. Yesterday the firecrackers double headers wheels
and serpents were very abundant but is is all over
now. Mc Clallan took them to the garden in the
evening. I believe the the day passed in a very
satisfactory manner. Tuesday evening I went to Mrs Smiths to read Marcia's letters–found Caroline & her
mother in a much happier mood than when I
last saw them–had just received a letter from
Henry–very affectionately written which seemed to be ample
atonement to them–they are very impatient to
have Henry come home with his bride. I read the
letter to Smith he said he was very glad to get
a rational account of the girl–he has changed
for the worse since I saw him–suffers less
with pain this warm weather but more debilitated.

I am very sorry to hear of your fathers illness I trust ere this
he has recovered from the attack. A letter came to you from
Cornelia yesterday–she writes in low spirits–seems disappointed
that you have not written recently she says–'We were greviously
disappointed in not seeing you according to promise but our
surprise is almost equal since we do not hear from you
since your letter from Florida–I try to think you can explain
it all when we hear from you, I am sure you would not
willingly give us so much pain. Our children children too
are sadly mortified, and I know I never had the horrors
so dark–do write one line of consolation."
Weed sent me a Troy paper containing your letter to the
Committee–you must thank him for this attention.
Gusy has just brought in some ripe cherries from the
graft on the english cherry tree at the side of the Lawn
the others are far from ripe yet. Mrs Horner was much
pleased with our garden–I am sorry you lose all the
roses they are very abundant and bright– "Nydia"
(the flower girl) must change her situation–you recollect
the pedestal was placed even with the walk consequently every
rain covers her with mud and gravel–beside she is
under a black cherry tree which will stain her pretty
face when the fruit ripens and falls. Sanford
came here Monday after I had written to you–he said
he could not commence teaching the little boys until
the latter part of the week on account of Mr Leonards
absence so we concluded to defer it until the first
of next week–it would have been useless to have attem-
ted any thing of the kind previous to the 4^th–he enquired
if you had received a letter from Mr Leonard–I do
not venture to expect you until I hear something more
of your father–there were many expressions of
regret that you were not at home yesterday. I know

you will come as soon as you can to your own Frances.
Nicholas and Harriet have taken the wagon full of babies to
Cayuga to day–Nicholas has to keep judge strict watch to prevent Peters disposing
of all the cucumbers–he is a faithful creature.
William H. Seward
Care of the American Trust Company
New York
AUBURN Jul. 6 N.Y.
Frances A. Seward
July 5, 1838.