Macon Georgia 11^th April 1866
Hon^l William H Seward
This communication may excite much
surprise & possibly indignation, I beg you
to read without either, for nearly
forty five years I have been a
slave & therefore I had no chance
to assert my rights, & claim my real
Paternity, I was born the slave & property
of Majr William Alexander of Putnam
County with whence you lived while
you was in Georgia. My Mother &
my old Master who is now dead
always said you was my Father. I
do not know whether I was born
before or after you left Georgia. I
have been taught to claim you as
my Father from my childhood now
since my race have been freed
and emancipated by the result of the
war, I feel that I have a right
to call on you for aid, I have been
the Mother of eleven children have six
now to support & we are all very
poor both black & white I appeal to you
as a man high in position rich in
means to aid me with money to
buy me a little house land is

cheap & plenty in Georgia you can
have your own agent leave to
do this for me you must of
course know whether I have any
right to call on you delicacy
forbids me from going into
particulars in this case; I will
if you require it give you
all the evidence of the truth of
what I have said My Mother
knows more of the case than any
other person I am affectionately
Yours,
Rossetta Alexander
I write myself my good mistress
taught me to read & write
I forgot to say I am nearly white
My Mothers Name was Milly
ROSSETTA ALEXANDER
April 11/ 68
Rossetta Alexander
Macon
Georgia