Chautauque Land Office
Westfield August 31. 1837
Dear Henry
All is well – although the losses of
a few, are sorely complained of & threats are
used. Our friend John Gage, happened to give
the opinion that we were in danger, in the
hearing of Caleb O Doughaday – when the latter
thought it to be his duty to advise us to
house our books at night. But we have no
fears. No sensible man, far or near, censures
the course you have pursued a whit – & the
complainers are too few in number & too
destitute of sympathy in the public mind
to do any thing.
The Commisioners closed their dis-
tribution to day at One O Clock at Mayville.
Notice had not been circulated of the paying
and many failed to be present: & so I suppose
there is quite an uncalled for surplus on hand
– very likely, according to the Commissioners de-
sire. – At Jamestown & in Mayville I re-
cieved about twenty one hundred dollars;
more than half Lumbermans.
Lee you recollect paid out Buffaloe
Bills for Orders & certificates at the first.
Patchin wrote to his brother who called on
the Comptroller, who wrote Lee a sharp letter
& drew on the Commercial in Buffaloe. So
when we come to meet in Jamestown Patchin
was present, but after all, Lee contrived to
obtain the certificates to some extent among
confidential friends.
Madam and I had a delightful visit at
Patchins – Thank you for that.

On my arrival a few hours since I
found a letter to you from R. Falconer
Prost informing me f that the Bank could
not remit us a draft for the $1,250 I put
up & notified him of on the 26 August. – also
that the difficulty of exchanging had be-
come so great, that the Bank was com-
pelled to terminate the agreement now
existing for the redemption of these bills.
– Also that they could not meet the
bills now out, in Phil – and he adds
"It will be for yourself and the derectors
to determine whether any arrangement
can be made, under which you (we)
can recieve our bills – to which I will
call their attention as soon as may
be."
Tucker sent by Mallet $2,325 a
day or two since to meet a draft
expected to be returned. I did not
see him.
What can be done under all the
circumstances, I do not now determine
– perhaps I may, when I shall see
Tucker – or hear from you – but I will
think of it more than this hurried
hour admits of & after I have gone
over the Land [ Legers ] & launched a
few more mortgage foreclosures, I
will try to effect whatever seems
most business like – & in the mean

time, I think it best not to make any
change in the description of money
receivable.
Old articles come in about 3
or four per day: and the amount
received in cash has been about $1,800[ . ]
Mr Keller called an hour since
& left this bill – says he had it from
me – Bradley & myself were of opinion
that we should have condemned it
in a moment – still Keller was so
clear that he had it from me that
I gave him other fifty merely to use
leaving this bill for your
inspection & recollection. He
showed it to Lee who says
he saw two such about the time
you were at Silver Creek & I
send it thinking it possible that you
might recollect something about it.
I see a letter from Weed & another
from Rathbone for you – but as yet
have not had time to look at
them.
Mrs said to me that you only
wanted to hear once a week that
all was well & about the amount
of our receipts – I received it as a
rebuke for burthening you with volu-
minous details – but I see I have
fallen into the same error. Pardon me.

For years, my vocation has been
writing letters – the error I have fallen
into is therefore the more natural but
perhaps not the less pardonable.
Marcia is not so well.
Augustus went off in fine spirits on
Monday morning: a lad with him
from Fredonia.
Your grateful brother
B.J. Seward
Whole receipts nearly $4,000
W.H. Seward Esq.
Auburn
N.Y.
B.J. Seward Aug. 31. 1837
Westfield NY
h1 Sept.
hB.J. Seward
Sept 1. 1837