Letter from William Henry Seward to Frances Miller Seward, January 19, 1831
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Letter from William Henry Seward to Frances Miller Seward, January 19, 1831
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:keh
student editorTranscriber:spp:sss
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1831-01-19
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Letter from William Henry Seward to Frances Miller Seward, January 19, 1831
action: sent
sender: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: Albany, NY
receiver: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: Auburn, NY
transcription: keh
revision: ekk 2015-09-09
<>
Page
1
36.
Wednesday night
Jan'y 19th 11 o'clock.
My dear F. You probably expect that I
will give you an interesting dialogue as
between Aaron Burr
if I could convey its spirit and had room to
communicate information enough about the
object of our meeting to make the conversation
intelligible. But pass we it by as one of these
things which must be communicated when we
meet face to face. I had not room to tell
you last night that I yesterday met at our
dinner table the famous E.C. Genet
French minister to that Court in the time of
the Revolution, who was sent here by one of the
temporary governments of France, and preached
Republicanism, and sympathy with the French
until it nearly convulsed the Government of
this country, was superseded in his office on
the elevation of a new, and more Jacobinical
Dynasty in his native country. was denounced
and dared not return to France, married the
daughter
since lived a poor but very Republican citizen of
this Country. I went last evening to
the Capitol to witness the proceedings of the
State Temperance Society. Heard two fine
speeches, and became a convert to the principles
of the Institution, but never I shall not become
a member - no I leave that work of reformation
to the hands of those who have not taken hold
Page
2
37.
of the Masonic evil - It is enough for me to
practise temperance which I intend to do
and have done since my arrival here.
Gary Sacket
morning wanting a new Bank at Seneca
Falls. Sam Clark
at Waterloo. Everybody wants a Bank. the
People seem nearly as mad e for Banks as
ever. & the were -
I have a cause of great importance to
argue in the Court of Chancery at the term
which will commence next Wednesday.
I have delayed ever since last Summer
to make up my brief. It gave me the hypo
last night after I had written to you.
I determined that I would do it this day.
now mark the glorious opportunity for study
afforded by the incidents of one day.
Rose at 7 o'clock. Read the newspapers &
was shaved ready for breakfast at 8 o'clock,
smoked segar, sat to work at 1/2 past 8 -
wrote letters on business til 9 - sat down at
my brief. Went to the house 3/4 past 9 -
Senate organized at 10, I took French leave, at
11 - worked at my brief till 1/2 past 12. Enter
Mr P.
house - wants a new county. Bell rings for
dinner at 2. Exit Mr. P. Some gentlemen from
Cruttenden y ^s^ on the hill were here to dine with
us. Left the table at 4. Went to the Register's
Page
3
38.
office, called at the Tracys , and returned
at 5. Enter a bookseller's agent - refused
to sign for his book, got rid of him at 6.
Went down to tea, found Sacket brought
him to my room talked half and hour.
Enter Thurlow Weed
Senate & Judge Dixon
Enter Mr James Porter
Exit Messrs Lynde & Dixon. Enter Mr Fuller
of the Senate & Filmore
Exit Sacket. Enter Messrs Andrews
of the Assembly - enter Mr Van Buren
10 o'clock Exeunt Fuller & Filmore. Exit Van
Buren of the Assembly. e xeunt omnes at
10 o'clock. Down I sit at my brief, clock strickes
11 write a letter to F and throw myself
into bed at 12 o'clock. This is life legisla-
tive. Do you wonder that I loved it?
36.
Wednesday night
Jan'y 19th 11 o'clock.
My dear F. You probably expect that I
will give you an interesting dialogue as
between Aaron Burr
Birth: 1756-02-06 Death: 1836-09-14
& myself. It would be soif I could convey its spirit and had room to
communicate information enough about the
object of our meeting to make the conversation
intelligible. But pass we it by as one of these
things which must be communicated when we
meet face to face. I had not room to tell
you last night that I yesterday met at our
dinner table the famous E.C. Genet
Birth: 1763-01-08 Death: 1834-03-28
quondamFrench minister to that Court in the time of
the Revolution, who was sent here by one of the
temporary governments of France, and preached
Republicanism, and sympathy with the French
until it nearly convulsed the Government of
this country, was superseded in his office on
the elevation of a new, and more Jacobinical
Dynasty in his native country. was denounced
and dared not return to France, married the
daughter
Birth: 1774-06-29 Death: 1810-03-28
of George Clinton
Birth: 1739-07-26 Death: 1812-04-20
and has eversince lived a poor but very Republican citizen of
this Country. I went last evening to
the Capitol to witness the proceedings of the
State Temperance Society. Heard two fine
speeches, and became a convert to the principles
of the Institution, but never I shall not become
a member - no I leave that work of reformation
to the hands of those who have not taken hold
37.
of the Masonic evil - It is enough for me to
practise temperance which I intend to do
and have done since my arrival here.
Gary Sacket
Birth: 1790-08-09 Death: 1865-06-02
made his appearance S yesterday morning wanting a new Bank at Seneca
Falls. Sam Clark
Birth: 1800-01 Death: 1870-10
is here wanting a Bank at Waterloo. Everybody wants a Bank. the
People seem nearly as mad e for Banks as
ever. & the were -
I have a cause of great importance to
argue in the Court of Chancery at the term
which will commence next Wednesday.
I have delayed ever since last Summer
to make up my brief. It gave me the hypo
A Greek preposition for under, beneath • A morbid depression of the spirits •
last night after I had written to you.
I determined that I would do it this day.
now mark the glorious opportunity for study
afforded by the incidents of one day.
Rose at 7 o'clock. Read the newspapers &
was shaved ready for breakfast at 8 o'clock,
smoked segar, sat to work at 1/2 past 8 -
wrote letters on business til 9 - sat down at
my brief. Went to the house 3/4 past 9 -
Senate organized at 10, I took French leave, at
11 - worked at my brief till 1/2 past 12. Enter
Mr P.
Unknown
of D. who had tracked me from the house - wants a new county. Bell rings for
dinner at 2. Exit Mr. P. Some gentlemen from
Cruttenden y ^s^ on the hill were here to dine with
us. Left the table at 4. Went to the Register's
38.
office, called at the Tracys
Birth: 1800
Death: 1876
Birth: 1793-06-17
Death: 1859-09-12
at 5. Enter a bookseller's agent - refused
to sign for his book, got rid of him at 6.
Went down to tea, found Sacket brought
him to my room talked half and hour.
Enter Thurlow Weed
Birth: 1797-11-15 Death: 1882-11-22
. Enter Mr Lynde
Birth: 1790 Death: 1860
of the Senate & Judge Dixon
Unknown
. Exit Mr Weed. Enter Mr James Porter
Birth: 1793-01-06 Death: 1862-11-11Certainty: Probable
. Register. Exit Mr Porter, Exit Messrs Lynde & Dixon. Enter Mr Fuller
Birth: 1787-08-14 Death: 1855-08-16
of the Senate & Filmore
Birth: 1800-01-07 Death: 1874-03-08
of the Assembly. Exit Sacket. Enter Messrs Andrews
Birth: 1796-10-16 Death: 1863-06-11
& Juliand
Birth: 1797-02-23 Death: 1870-02-17
of the Assembly - enter Mr Van Buren
Birth: 1782-12-05 Death: 1862-07-24
at 10 o'clock Exeunt Fuller & Filmore. Exit Van
Buren of the Assembly. e xeunt omnes at
10 o'clock. Down I sit at my brief, clock strickes
11 write a letter to F and throw myself
into bed at 12 o'clock. This is life legisla-
tive. Do you wonder that I loved it?