Auburn March 3^d 1848
My very dear Child,
Your letter from Mexico
dated Jan 3^d has come just in time to spare
me much anxiety — I had just come to the
conclusion that the last train from Mexico
had brought no letters for me when your
letter came — It has been read over and
over again for the benefit of all — Grandpa
wishes to have it published in our daily
paper — I think I will copy portions of all
your letters into a book there are so many
that would like to read them — They are
certainly very graphic descriptions of the
country — yet to no one can they give
the happiness that they do to those who
love you and whose happiness depends
so much upon your welfare — So you
are going to Toluca with the 8^th Regiment
without being aware that you have been
transferred to the 5th I do not know how
or where to direct my letter — I shall
propose to your father to direct it to the care
of some officer who will be likely to
know where you are stationed and who
will forward it to you — I should like
to know how many of my letters you actually
receive —

When I wrote last Aunty Worden was making
us a visit — she remained three weeks during
which time her health improved considerably —
When she went home your father myself and
Willie and Fanny accompanied her as far
as Waterloo — here we spent two or three hours
waiting for Dennis to come with the horses
and take us home — I spent an hour with our
friend Mrs Birdsall — She was in the midst
of her children and housekeeping — had no
person to help her — I think Birdsall has become
very poor and there appears to be no prospect
of his retrieving his circumstances — Serene
is much troubled about the education of
her children — all are boys but one — She
made many enquiries about you — It is
very refreshing now to talk with a friend
whom I knew and esteemed early in life —
From Waterloo we went to Seren Seneca Falls
where we stopped and took tea at Mr Sacketts —
They were very kind and made us very
comfortable — John was not at home having
gone early in the winter to Connecticut with
a horse and sleigh since which time there
has not been sufficient snow for him to
get home — We have had less snow this
Winter than in many years — a few days
ago there fell about a foot of snow which
makes better sleighing than we have

have had before this Winter — Your father
is in Albany where he has been the past week —
We have all manner of rumours from
Washington about the treaty of Peace & my
chief fear is that it will not be ratified —
You as well as the Mexicans must have been
somewhat surprised by the movements
of our Government which come to our knowledge
much sooner than they can to those who
are chiefly concerned — I believe the course
pursued is regretted by all wise and good people
here — March 7th Since I commenced this letter
your father has returned from Albany and gone
to attend a court at Lyons — he was home only
one night — his time is constantly occupied with
these courts I am surprised that he endures
as well as he does this incessant travelling from
place to place without any repose — The 29^th of
this month he is to deliver an eulogy on the
death of John Quincy Adams — That good
and great man has finally gone to rest
he died in the Capitol at Washington from
the second attack of apoplexy — If you get
any papers from this state you will see long
accounts of the funeral ceremonies — the papers
were filled with obituary notices —
We have nothing decisive yet regarding the treaty
but there is very little prospect of its being
ratified in its present form — It is a great

disappointment to me but I yet hope it will form
the basis of a treaty and that the war will
not be renewed — I dra dread the approach
of summer when I reflect that it is the sickly
season in Mexico — Under all discouragements
I find my only sure reliance is in a merciful
Heavenly Father — I hear often from Fred and
Clarence they are both well — Clarence is entirely
reconsiled to Geneva — I think has formed some
other attachment which reconsiles him to the
disappointment of last Summer — He is certainly
a very susceptible young man — Augustus Seward
has been to Cincinnati and disposed of the house —
He still continues the Pastor of the Church of Union-
Ville — Aunt Clara is well — she sent
you a long letter with my last which I hope
you will receive before this — Grandpa’s health
continues good — Willie is better but still
far from well — he plays so hard the moment
he gets better that he is sure to bring on a return
of fever — Fanny is very well — She will be
much changed when you see her — She is very
quick of apprehension, sprightly, almost boisterous
some times and tolerably amiable — very
affectionate and easily convinced when she
is in the wrong — I often wonder that no two of
our children are alike though I would not exchange
either for the world — I feel every day that I am
wholly unworthy so many blessings — May God
preserve them all and enable them to be useful
to their fellow men in conformity to his commandments
and the example of our Saviour — your affectionate
Mother —