Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Augustus Henry Seward, February 8, 1846
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Augustus Henry Seward, February 8, 1846
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:nwh
student editorTranscriber:spp:jaa
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1846-02-08
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Augustus Henry Seward, February 8, 1846
action: sent
sender: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: Auburn, NY
receiver: Augustus Seward
Birth: 1826-10-01
Death: 1876-09-11
location: West Point, NY
transcription: nwh
revision: tap 2018-07-20
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Page
1
Auburn Feb 8th 1846
My dear Augustus,
I received your letter Thursday
But have not found time to answer it before – Your
father
having been absent nearly seven weeks – but
one of his causes came on and the argument
of that was not concluded when he left – this
was the patent cause – the slave cause was
postponed on account of the illness of Gov Morehead
the opposing consul counsel – Your father is
just in time for Wyatt
come up tomorrow – There has been a great
excitement in the village for a week or two
in consequence of the barbarity experienced tow-
ards a state prisoner by the name of Plumb
You have probably seen an account of this trans-
action in the paper – the convict died in con-
sequence of severe whipping – I leave you to read
the details elsewhere they are too horrible to
write unnecessarily – he was a young man
not quite 20 – Amos Underwood
death went to the person and demanded his
body – he was shown the body of another convict
who had died of fever – discovering the fraud
Page
2
and insisting upon seeing the body of Plumb he it
was finally shown him in a box and nailed up and ready
for burial – a coroners inquest was summoned
the evidence then given you will find in the
journal – although there is evidently an effort
to screen the keepers I think no one can read
it without coming to the conclusion that h Plumbs
death was occasioned by the severity of
punishment he having been perfectly well previous.
I do not think this affair will end here – the
people will endeavor to get the keepers indicted
for murder as they undoubtedly should be —
It is a revolting instance of the depravity
produced by placing one man completely in the
power of another – As is too often the case in
slavery power in makes man tyrannical and the
abuse of power long persisted in assimilates a
man to a fiend – I think some action of the
Legislature with regard to prison discipline will
follow this – I trust for the honor of humanity that
such discipline may be ameliorated —
Aunty
is unusually gay – Frances has attended numerous
parties – Aunty, Aunt Clara
had two small parties at home which were
said to be pleasant. Catherine Miller
gone home – we were all sorry to part with her
Aunt Clara’s boarders have gone too – I think
she will find it more pleasant to be without
them – The weather is very cold again
Page
3
It has been warm a week past – we have no
sleighing now – rode to church today in
the wagon or “carriage” as Patrick
is much like that we had at Albany the
first 2 years – the horses were very gay in consequence
of not being driven a day or two past —
Fred
walk in the morning before breakfast these
cold days, does not impair his health – he
has no return of illness – He does not like
his Algebra so well as Latin and Greek —
Clarence
of a son
father goes to Florida the latter part of this
month to attend the sale of Grandpa’s
real estate – the school is in a flourishing
condition –Write to Willie
is impatient for and answer to his letter– Sister
grows and begins to talk – does not walk yet.
All send love — A Dieu —
Your affectionate
Mother
Fill us in your next letter how you like the
drilling in horsemanship – I hope you will
meet with no accident —
Page
4
Auburn Feb 8th 1846
My dear Augustus,
I received your letter Thursday
But have not found time to answer it before – Your
father
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
returned from Washington
last eveninghaving been absent nearly seven weeks – but
one of his causes came on and the argument
of that was not concluded when he left – this
was the patent cause – the slave cause was
postponed on account of the illness of Gov Morehead
Birth: 1799 Death: 1854-12-28
the opposing consul counsel – Your father is
just in time for Wyatt
Death: 1846-08-17
trial
which maycome up tomorrow – There has been a great
excitement in the village for a week or two
in consequence of the barbarity experienced tow-
ards a state prisoner by the name of Plumb
Birth: 1825 Death: 1846-01-24
–You have probably seen an account of this trans-
action in the paper – the convict died in con-
sequence of severe whipping – I leave you to read
the details elsewhere they are too horrible to
write unnecessarily – he was a young man
not quite 20 – Amos Underwood
Birth: 1791-12-22 Death: 1846-06-23
hearing of
hisdeath went to the person and demanded his
body – he was shown the body of another convict
who had died of fever – discovering the fraud
and insisting upon seeing the body of Plumb he it
was finally shown him in a box and nailed up and ready
for burial – a coroners inquest was summoned
the evidence then given you will find in the
journal – although there is evidently an effort
to screen the keepers I think no one can read
it without coming to the conclusion that h Plumbs
death was occasioned by the severity of
punishment he having been perfectly well previous.
I do not think this affair will end here – the
people will endeavor to get the keepers indicted
for murder as they undoubtedly should be —
It is a revolting instance of the depravity
produced by placing one man completely in the
power of another – As is too often the case in
slavery power in makes man tyrannical and the
abuse of power long persisted in assimilates a
man to a fiend – I think some action of the
Legislature with regard to prison discipline will
follow this – I trust for the honor of humanity that
such discipline may be ameliorated —
Aunty
Birth: 1803-11-01 Death: 1875-10-03
and Frances
Birth: 1826-12-12 Death: 1909-08-24
are still here – the
villageis unusually gay – Frances has attended numerous
parties – Aunty, Aunt Clara
Birth: 1793-05-01 Death: 1862-09-05
& I a few – I havehad two small parties at home which were
said to be pleasant. Catherine Miller
Birth: 1821 Death: 1907
hasgone home – we were all sorry to part with her
Aunt Clara’s boarders have gone too – I think
she will find it more pleasant to be without
them – The weather is very cold again
It has been warm a week past – we have no
sleighing now – rode to church today in
the wagon or “carriage” as Patrick
Unknown
terms
it – itis much like that we had at Albany the
first 2 years – the horses were very gay in consequence
of not being driven a day or two past —
Fred
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
writes that he is well – says his longwalk in the morning before breakfast these
cold days, does not impair his health – he
has no return of illness – He does not like
his Algebra so well as Latin and Greek —
Clarence
Birth: 1828-10-07 Death: 1897-07-24
has become “Uncle Clarence” by the
adventof a son
Birth: 1846 Death: 1910-06-09
for his
brother Augustus
Birth: 1820-05-18 Death: 1889-05-08
– Yourfather goes to Florida the latter part of this
month to attend the sale of Grandpa’s
Birth: 1768-12-05 Death: 1849-08-24
real estate – the school is in a flourishing
condition –Write to Willie
Birth: 1839-06-18 Death: 1920-04-29
next time – heis impatient for and answer to his letter– Sister
Birth: 1844-12-09 Death: 1866-10-29
grows and begins to talk – does not walk yet.
All send love — A Dieu —
Your affectionate
Mother
Fill us in your next letter how you like the
drilling in horsemanship – I hope you will
meet with no accident —