W___d – 4. Oct. ‘38
Dr H. – The more I reflect upon the position
taken by the aAmerican Life Insurance and Trust Company — the more apprehension it gives
me. Considering that the time is short, it
seemed, at first, as if dodging it, would be an
admissible way of disposing of the difficulty,
but upon reflection, I find little comfort in this
for, besides the just odium of such a course,
there is danger, that offence would be taken at
a constructive contempt: & the spirit would rise
saying if you cannot speak, I cannot act.
Still I am not sure but this is the easiest
way to dispose of the question: and at all haz-
ards, I know the deliberate judgment of yourself
& your friends will settle it right & I will
stay myself there.
Some of our friends are alarmed on ac-
count of the Crugar (or Crooker interest, is it)
of Cattaraugus. The V.B. convention last week
adjourned to see what ours would do this week.
Our delegates bore all down before them in fa-
vour of M. The C men are dissatisfied, &
are likely to set up a candidate of their own.
If we split, V.B. men will allow, the conservatives
to nominate Williams – or perhaps nominate Lewis
themselves, to run against our divided forces.
W. informs me that he will stand, but says
it is not his expectation nor is it Walter Smiths
wish that it will infavourably effect our general
ticket, but they will do all they can for a
mixed ticket – mixed, as yet they know not ^how^ far.

R. – called on me this morning to borrow
$1,000, and I knew not how else to dispose of the
question likely to do him service, or to save his
feelings. Still I may be placing you in an
unpleasant position: and as I was not quite
sure you would be pleased to have me deny
his application, in toto, I concluded to give
the matter, the direction you see, promising not
to do so ungracious a thing another time.
The story he tells is that his search of
the records of the supreme court only come down
to Feb last, since which two little judgments of
the sum mentioned have been obtained against him.
Robinson writes him to have this search com-
pleted & then his money will be ready for him
and he wishes the money to put these two
judgments out of the way. He says he
would have spoken to you about it, but saw
you full of cares & thought it rather to be
his duty to go to Jameston – which now
he has done & failed there. If you can
oblige him without inconvenience he will be
grateful & I will be glad – if you cannot, he
begs you to excuse the trouble he gives you
& to return the inclosed.
W– is here from Mina – like K. & C &
R. & B. of our own village, is materialized, but
not discovered: such men deserve to be spewed
out of the mouth of their own party & denied
all confidence, in every other party.
Yours B.

No 1 2 copies made
2.
Nos. 3,4,5 one copy each

B. J. Seward
Oct 4.1838.