Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, December 17, 1838
xml:
Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, December 17, 1838
transcriberTranscriber:spp:keh
student editorTranscriber:spp:sss
Distributor:Seward Family Papers Project
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1838-12-17
In the context of this project, private URIs with the prefix "psn" point to
person elements in the project's persons.xml authority file.
In the context of this project, private URIs with the prefix "pla" point to
place elements in the project's places.xml authority file.
In the context of this project, private URIs with the prefix "psn" point to
person elements in the project's staff.xml authority file.
In the context of this project, private URIs with the prefix "psn" point to
person elements in the project's bibl.xml authority file.
verical-align: super; font-size: 12px;
text-decoration: underline;
text-decoration: line-through;
color: red;
Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, December 17, 1838
action: sent
sender:
Benjamin Seward
Person
Name: Benjamin Seward
Birth: 1793-08-23
Death: 1841-02-24
Person
location:
Westfield NY
Place
Name: City: Westfield
County: Chautauqua County
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: keh
revision: ekk 2015-10-28
<>
Page 1
Westfield Dec 17, 1838
Political
Dear H.
Your friends here show a becoming
desire that you should make no misstep in
regard to the county – and it may not be amiss
to apprize you of what is said.
I need hardly mention that Jones
Name: City: Jamestown
County: Chautauqua County
State: NY
Country: US
– Green
of Tews
Name: George Tew
Birth: 1804-04
Death: 1875-11-27
office – Dixon
Name: Abram Dixon
Birth: 1787-07-23
Death: 1875-04-19
& Livermore
Name: George Livermore
Birth: 1794-10-15
Death: 1870-08-21
of this place – Ruggles
Name: Francis Ruggles
Birth: 1807-06-25
Death: 1865-05Certainty: Probable
of F.
Name: City: Fredonia
County: Chautauqua County
State: NY
Country: US
– Saxton
Name: William Sexton
Birth: 1796-04-11
Death: 1881-10-07
– French
Name: George French
Birth: 1798
Death: 1865-01-29
– & one or two more are [
lookig
]
Alternate Text: looking
for, preparing for & thinking about a nomination for
S. — Of Jones it is said that he is very useful &
efficient & has claims – but is young & lacks weight.
This is somewhat true of Green & others. Of French
it is said that he wants every office that is going
& is not suited for this one – & on the other hand
that he is deserving & was wronged in the nom-
inations at the October convention. Judicous
persons think a more cultivated man should
be had. Plumb
Name: Alvin Plumb
Birth: 1802-06-09
Death: 1877-08-31
& Hazeltine
Name: Abner Hazeltine
Birth: 1793-06-10
Death: 1879-12-20
are restrained from
favouring the claims of Ruggles by their prox-
imity & obligations to Jones – but a clamour
is raised against Ruggles because he does
not reside at Mayville
Name: City: Mayville
County: Chautauqua County
State: NY
Country: US
. Green
would like it – & if there is any chance by com-
promize to procure the nomination would expect
above all other men to be in favour with the senate.
Judson
Name: Timothy Judson
Birth: 1801-11-02
Death: 1872-03-10
, our member from Portland
Name: City: Portland
County: Chautauqua County
State: NY
Country: US
is thought to be the
prominent man of our delegation & likely to carry
the other with him in these matters. He it is
said is unfriendly to Ruggles & dislikes French,
Page 2
and it is said that he is likely to go for Liv-
ermore who will obtain the support of his neigh-
bors here – and perhaps a good portion of the
Loco best men in the county. Your fast friend
Richd Walker
Name: Richard Walker
Birth: 1802
Death:
has been fearful that you might
fall into the error of nominating Livermore, of whom
he says that he is irritable, unpopular & unsuitable
and he begs you to pause before nominating him.
It occurs to me that if Ruggles would con-
sent to go to Mayville, he might be preferred be-
fore all those who do not offer to go there &
Green the Whig being so much younger & less
known – & Green the Loco, expects nothing only in
case of tie – so that in this way the whole
thing would be easy – & while this would be so
it would please Whigs in, & about Mayville
to have him there & give strength to the party
& do good every way. It is delightful to
see the Loco's signing Livermores paper &
thus acknowledging the unfitness of Smith
present incumbent – & I hear it often said
that he is exceedingly unpopular with his
own people as well as others. I suppose
Judson has nothing worse against Ruggles than
this, that Ruggles opposed his nomination.
I am under promise to Walker also to say
a word in favour of our Esq Patchin
says he is quite down & needs assistance. If
it is in your way to introduce him into
some of the departments it would doubtless
be a favour. He is a good pensman – a pleas-
ing gentleman man with a clear mind & I
Page 3
think would make a good clerk in such
a place.
To these and to all who converse with
me or write me about appointments I have
said, their applications would be put upon
grounds of public consideration. I have no
other wish & ought to have no other.
Your grateful Brother
B. J. Seward
P.S. I forgot to mention the name
of my old western friend Capt Candler
Name: Samuel Candler
Birth: 1782-06-21
Death: 1863-06-19
who applies for the Pot Wardens
office of N.Y.
Name: City: New York
County:
State: NY
Country: US
– a good scribe – an
upright man – of much business
experience & faithfulness.
All well.
Page 4
W H. Seward Esq
Auburn
N. Y.
Single
WESTFIELD N.Y. DEC 19
Type: postmark
Name: Samuel Blatchford
Birth: 1820-03-09
Death: 1893-07-07
B. J. Seward, Westfield
Dec 17, 1838
Westfield Dec 17, 1838
Political
Dear H.
Your friends here show a becoming
desire that you should make no misstep in
regard to the county – and it may not be amiss
to apprize you of what is said.
I need hardly mention that Jones
Unknown
of J.Place
Unknown
of Tews
Person
Person
Person
Person
of F.
Place
Person
Person
Alternate Text
for, preparing for & thinking about a nomination for
S. — Of Jones it is said that he is very useful &
efficient & has claims – but is young & lacks weight.
This is somewhat true of Green & others. Of French
it is said that he wants every office that is going
& is not suited for this one – & on the other hand
that he is deserving & was wronged in the nom-
inations at the October convention. Judicous
persons think a more cultivated man should
be had. Plumb
Person
Person
favouring the claims of Ruggles by their prox-
imity & obligations to Jones – but a clamour
is raised against Ruggles because he does
not reside at Mayville
Place
Unknown
the Loco manwould like it – & if there is any chance by com-
promize to procure the nomination would expect
above all other men to be in favour with the senate.
Judson
Person
Place
prominent man of our delegation & likely to carry
the other with him in these matters. He it is
said is unfriendly to Ruggles & dislikes French,
and it is said that he is likely to go for Liv-
ermore who will obtain the support of his neigh-
bors here – and perhaps a good portion of the
Loco best men in the county. Your fast friend
Richd Walker
Person
fall into the error of nominating Livermore, of whom
he says that he is irritable, unpopular & unsuitable
and he begs you to pause before nominating him.
It occurs to me that if Ruggles would con-
sent to go to Mayville, he might be preferred be-
fore all those who do not offer to go there &
Green the Whig being so much younger & less
known – & Green the Loco, expects nothing only in
case of tie – so that in this way the whole
thing would be easy – & while this would be so
it would please Whigs in, & about Mayville
to have him there & give strength to the party
& do good every way. It is delightful to
see the Loco's signing Livermores paper &
thus acknowledging the unfitness of Smith
Unknown
thepresent incumbent – & I hear it often said
that he is exceedingly unpopular with his
own people as well as others. I suppose
Judson has nothing worse against Ruggles than
this, that Ruggles opposed his nomination.
I am under promise to Walker also to say
a word in favour of our Esq Patchin
Unknown
. Walkersays he is quite down & needs assistance. If
it is in your way to introduce him into
some of the departments it would doubtless
be a favour. He is a good pensman – a pleas-
ing gentleman man with a clear mind & I
think would make a good clerk in such
a place.
To these and to all who converse with
me or write me about appointments I have
said, their applications would be put upon
grounds of public consideration. I have no
other wish & ought to have no other.
Your grateful Brother
B. J. Seward
P.S. I forgot to mention the name
of my old western friend Capt Candler
Person
who applies for the Pot Wardens
office of N.Y.
Place
upright man – of much business
experience & faithfulness.
All well.
W H. Seward Esq
Auburn
N. Y.
Single
WESTFIELD N.Y. DEC 19
Stamp
Person
Dec 17, 1838
date:
Monday, December 17, 1838
receiver:
sender:
year: