Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, January 22, 1841
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Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, January 22, 1841
transcriberTranscriber:spp:srr
student editorTranscriber:spp:crb
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1841-01-22
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Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, January 22, 1841
action: sent
sender:
Benjamin Seward
Person
Name: Benjamin Seward
Birth: 1793-08-23
Death: 1841-02-24
Person
location:
New York NY
Place
Name: City: New York
County:
State: NY
Country: US
Place
receiver:
William Seward
Person
Name: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
Person
location:
Albany NY
Place
Name: City: Albany
County:
State: NY
Country: US
Place
transcription: srr
revision: crb 2015-12-17
<>
Page 1
Life & Trust Office N.Y.
22 Jany. 1841
My dear Brother
Your remark in Mr Blatch- fords
Name: Samuel Blatchford
Birth: 1820-03-09
Death: 1893-07-07
letter “that you do not hear from
me” not only prompted me to write, but
to offer apology for past silence. I love
to write - but in the excessiveness of your
occupations, I have feared to trouble
you. My triumphs with Mr Duer
Name: John Duer
Birth: 1782-10-07
Death: 1858-08-08
have been so few that they have re-
quired little report - you know all,
and in regard to the politicks of the
city I am so strongly influenced with
the belief that your reasons ^sources^ of in-
information are ample & more authentic
than mine, that I am deterred from
writing. This feeling prevented me
from addressing you while in Washington
Name: City: Washington D.C.
County:
State: DC
Country: US
,
[left Margin] Mr Duer received little encouragement or comfort in
Washington
Page 2
If you have time to read I will
even now, remark upon one or two things
in Washington. Mr Granger
Name: Amos Granger
Birth: 1789-06-03
Death: 1866-08-20
shows great
anxiety. Fillmore
Name: Millard Fillmore
Birth: 1800-01-07
Death: 1874-03-08
is devoted - not so much
to him - as to the West, where his own
hopes lie. The unity & strength of which
he believes to require Mr Grangers appoint-
ment. The delegation, as a general thing
understand you to be somewhat indifferent
& with indifference in their own part ac-
cede to the proposition: and Mr Granger
stands well with others (I heard it said)
Clay
Name: Henry Clay
Birth: 1777-04-12
Death: 1852-06-29
, Webster
Name: Daniel Webster
Birth: 1782-01-18
Death: 1852-10-24
&c, & if any thing is done
for N.Y. it will be for Mr Granger.
I ventured the opinion in Fillmore’s
hearing, no where else, that from what I
know of Harrison’s
Name: Samuel Harrison
Birth: 1780
Death: 1853-04
ambition to have more
of talents around him, it would
be doubtful whether Granger would renew
an offer: & the day following Fillmore
sent Morgan
He need not have sent: but it showed
feverishness.
On every occasion where Southern sen-
timent could be obtained, I brought up
the Virginia correspondence: and am of
the opinion that you have lost nothing
won among Southerners in this matter.
Page 3
I believe the South wish the state of V.-
to become quiet and I think too there
is an impression every where away the
intelligent & that your doctrine is the true
one & must be submitted to.
I have been more than pleased, in
Baltimore
Name: City: Baltimore
County:
State: MD
Country: US
, in Phil
Name: City: Philadelphia
County:
State: PA
Country: US
& Trenton
Name: City: Trenton
County: Mercer County
State: NJ
Country: US
in each
of which I made a little stay, to hear
the sentiment that you are reputed to be
the only man in the state who
would have kept the state out
of the hands of the old regency
or can now keep your party in
[ the ]
Reason: ascendant. I will not say
[ how ]
Reason: happy it has made me to
see that you are appreciated abroad
nor how solictious I am that no
untowared occurrence may retard your usefulness-.
I was absent just two weeks - one of
which, was while Mr Duer was absent also.
I am, now, while writing waiting for a third
appointed meeting of the board on my business
without hope, almost, that it will be held
without another & more urgent call. Except
the week I refer to, I have not lost a day
or an hour in this affair from inattention on
my part. - Never doubt my attention to your
interests, and business. I shall force my affairs
along in a very few days - spend a short time
in Florida
Name: City: Florida
County: Orange
State: NY
Country: US
- and be with you. someday
with
Page 4
3 OClock a meeting was actually held -
Mr Duers decision in Chautaugua
Name: Chautauqua County City:
County:
State: NY
Country: US
relating to
the terms upon which our mortgages should be
received, was ratified, and the mortgages are
received. But the meeting had other business &
grew impatient, so that the propositions relating
to the business of Cook
Name: Horace Cook
Birth: 1822-07-22
Death: 1897-05-28
& all and others, it was
determined should be referred to the Finance
Committee for another day. No objection was made
to your proposition.
I hope your health will continue to improve
and you may have leisure for me for an hour
I have much to say which cannot be written.
Your unworthy grateful happy brother B.J.S.
Wm H Seward Esq
Albany
N.Y.
New York Jun 22
Type: postmark
Name: Samuel Blatchford
Birth: 1820-03-09
Death: 1893-07-07
B.J. Seward
Jan 22. 1841
Life & Trust Office N.Y.
22 Jany. 1841
My dear Brother
Your remark in Mr Blatch- fords
Person
me” not only prompted me to write, but
to offer apology for past silence. I love
to write - but in the excessiveness of your
occupations, I have feared to trouble
you. My triumphs with Mr Duer
Person
have been so few that they have re-
quired little report - you know all,
and in regard to the politicks of the
city I am so strongly influenced with
the belief that your reasons ^sources^ of in-
information are ample & more authentic
than mine, that I am deterred from
writing. This feeling prevented me
from addressing you while in Washington
Place
[left Margin] Mr Duer received little encouragement or comfort in
Washington
If you have time to read I will
even now, remark upon one or two things
in Washington. Mr Granger
Person
anxiety. Fillmore
Person
to him - as to the West, where his own
hopes lie. The unity & strength of which
he believes to require Mr Grangers appoint-
ment. The delegation, as a general thing
understand you to be somewhat indifferent
& with indifference in their own part ac-
cede to the proposition: and Mr Granger
stands well with others (I heard it said)
Clay
Person
Person
for N.Y. it will be for Mr Granger.
I ventured the opinion in Fillmore’s
hearing, no where else, that from what I
know of Harrison’s
Person
of talents around him, it would
be doubtful whether Granger would renew
an offer: & the day following Fillmore
sent Morgan
Unknown
to me to advise caution.He need not have sent: but it showed
feverishness.
On every occasion where Southern sen-
timent could be obtained, I brought up
the Virginia correspondence: and am of
the opinion that you have lost nothing
won among Southerners in this matter.
I believe the South wish the state of V.-
to become quiet and I think too there
is an impression every where away the
intelligent & that your doctrine is the true
one & must be submitted to.
I have been more than pleased, in
Baltimore
Place
Place
Place
of which I made a little stay, to hear
the sentiment that you are reputed to be
the only man in the state who
would have kept the state out
of the hands of the old regency
or can now keep your party in
[ the ]
Supplied
[ how ]
Supplied
see that you are appreciated abroad
nor how solictious I am that no
untowared occurrence may retard your usefulness-.
I was absent just two weeks - one of
which, was while Mr Duer was absent also.
I am, now, while writing waiting for a third
appointed meeting of the board on my business
without hope, almost, that it will be held
without another & more urgent call. Except
the week I refer to, I have not lost a day
or an hour in this affair from inattention on
my part. - Never doubt my attention to your
interests, and business. I shall force my affairs
along in a very few days - spend a short time
in Florida
Place
with
3 OClock a meeting was actually held -
Mr Duers decision in Chautaugua
Place
the terms upon which our mortgages should be
received, was ratified, and the mortgages are
received. But the meeting had other business &
grew impatient, so that the propositions relating
to the business of Cook
Person
determined should be referred to the Finance
Committee for another day. No objection was made
to your proposition.
I hope your health will continue to improve
and you may have leisure for me for an hour
I have much to say which cannot be written.
Your unworthy grateful happy brother B.J.S.
Wm H Seward Esq
Albany
N.Y.
New York Jun 22
Stamp
Person
Jan 22. 1841
date:
Friday, January 22, 1841
receiver:
sender:
year: