Canand^a Sunday Evening
Dear Seward,
The battle begins tomorrow, and with us we are all
ready: all has been done that could be, we have worked harder in
this County than we have ever before; the old campaigners say there
never has been so much exertion used: Sibley talked three hours to
the democracy in Phelps last night. Thursday evening
I held forth to a meeting house full of Whigs and Locofocos in South Bristol. Friday night we had a rousing Town Meeting Taylor
Sibley & myself made long talks, and last night I had the
toughest and hardest pull among a convocation of abolitionists
in Farmington: I expounded the Constitution and the law touching
the matters contained in your abolition answer. And I really believe
with effect: I had to use searching medicine: and found a set of
honest but somewhat erring men to contend with: I trust I did good
and the leading men said they were satisfied with your answer to the
first and last interrogatory: as to the second I contended you was right
& they were wrong, and although I did not persuade them a negro
ought not to vote I persuaded them that a difference of opinion was
not a warrant for withholding their votes, and more particularly where
Men in whom they relied, had ^held^ the same difference: I found them
all quakers: and this morning the spirit moved the most prominent
among them to say they felt much obliged to me for expounding the
matter as it had led them to consider anew your answer, and that they
would vote for you. Granger was no go. There is a portion of abolition-
ists in Wayne County that are more stubborn. I was persuaded by two
of the Farmington friends that they would today at meeting labor
with them to convince them that they had not correctly understood you
I could take no other ground with them than that they were doing
unjustice to those men that had ever treated them with respect, and

advocated their rights and defended principles which lay at the very
bottom of their cause; I said a d—ed deal to them and took
up all the night.
I cant comfort you generally in respect to abolitionists
I apprehend no danger but from them: and there would have been not
so much to be apprehended had not Braddish acted like a fool
he has acted worse his answers are show his ignorance, or a bad
attempt to play the demagogue, and must forfeit the esteem of
honorable men: Garret Smith has proved himself a canting
knave, and is cheating abolitionists to make political capital
out of them
Take measures to let us hear Result. If you are not
beat by over 200 in Cayuga I shall count the state as safe. Ex-
cept we are beat by abolitionists of this no man can predict
You shall hear returns from this county without delay
Truly
A W

Hon William H. Seward
Auburn
CANANDAIGUA N. Y. NOV 5
Alvah Worden
November 4. 1838.