Canandaigua Nov 14 1839
My Dear Seward,
I suppose Congratulations are dog cheap & plenty nowadays
and therefore I will save mine for a time of scarcity; The battle is won and
now hurrah for Our Spoils. Z Barton Stout Esq. Orson Benjamin Esq &
Jeffrey Chipman Esq are in the field for Surrogate; who else will Enter
the lists I cannot say. The County has a favorite Candidate this year &
in all due time you may hear from him. Neither of the gentlemen above
named will be over acceptable. I think I cannot mistake public feeling
on that subject. and I am apprehensive that the public mind will not
be satisfied unless your candidate is appointed. it might have been
different last year. but not now the signs of the times are different. I under-
stand petitions are already circulating and the new name will start
others. In this matter I must be directed by my friends. the office is
one which I ought not to take. the considerations which incline me
to accept of it are that I am desirous to dissolve my present con-
nection with Sibley [ . ] he is to be absent four years & has been so far
the last four years when I came into the office there was very
little business in it. not as much as I left and I should leave it
a good portion of the business would follow this I do not wish. If I
take the Surrogates office Sibley will take a new partner and the
office fees will be such that I need not strive to carry business away
I shall probably retain the business of the Bank and the chancery
business yet there will be enough left for one man to do. If I remain I
must have another partner in the office and Mr. Sibley must be on all
occasion the leading Counsel. I am therefore of the opinion that it is not
My duty to remain. and by taking the Surrogates office and introducing
a New partner with Sibley all could be Satisfactorily arranged. Sibley is

opposed to my taking the office. So is Mr Spencer [ . ] they must be made to
think it is best. I shall write to Mr S for his opinion & advice & I wish
you would talk with him. I understand Granger has Said that the
interests of the party required my appointment and that he should so advise
in Albany. he probably will talk to Weed. his opinion Secures me the
Support of the whole county. I am satisfied as to that however
Now I know of no obligations which require me to stay
here in my present connection I can go for myself & make more money
than I can here. and perhaps in a pecuniary point of view I should
make more than I could by stay taking any office. In a political
point of view I am convinced my appointment is the Safest. I gather this,
from the remarks made to me by the leading men in the different
towns, and they say there is no question they put it on another ground
that I owe it to the county to take it as there is no other person who
can discharge its duties in this place who will accept it
Do write Me and give me your views
Truly
AWorden

His Excellency Gov Seward
Albany
CANANDAIGUA N.Y. NOV 14
A. Worden
Nov 14.