Monday Dec 7^th
My dear Sister,
I did not say I was not coming
Christmas I said it was very uncertain
and you had better not expect me – as
for the other matter of which you
complain I can only say that I ^have^ two or
three times trespassed upon the forbearance
of my friends in the same way in N
York and that I am perfectly willing that
any one I love should make a conven-
ience of my house in a like manner
I very much doubt the propriety of
taking a young child from home in the
Winter merely for a pleasure excursion
I know I felt reproached many times last
Winter for exposing Fanny so unnecessarily
I suppose by the time this letter comes
your guests from Auburn will have
completed their visit and returned
home – at least I hope so for your
sake – Are you not going to have
any better help this winter – the best
that can be obtained accomplish Little
enough these short days—it seems to
take all three of my girls to do the

[top Margin] Don’t lose the “Death Penalty”

x

Thoughts on the death penalty

 Publisher: Merrihew and Thompson Place of Publication:Philadelphia Date: 1845

—I cannot
get another copy and I want it for the
boys

x

William Seward

Birth: 1839-06-18  Death: 1920-04-29 

Frederick Seward

Birth: 1830-07-08  Death: 1915-04-25 

Clarence Seward

Birth: 1828-10-07  Death: 1897-07-24 

Augustus Seward

Birth: 1826-10-01  Death: 1876-09-11 

—

housework a great part of my sewing remains
undone—I am going to employ a sempstress
as soon as I can find one for a time.
I think I shall retract my proposition to
give Margaret 6/per week as she does not
comply with the condition which was
that she should sew for me all the time
during the day that she was not otherwise
engaged—Eliza says Bridget will
not let her sew – Bridget is an evil
spirit in a thin disguise – she has tried
all she could to make both of the other
girls dissatisfied – tells them she shall
not stay longer than Christmas – I do
not think myself that she intends leaving
but she makes them believe it – Although
she saves me much care she is so ma-
licious that I can never like her—
Do not say this to Mrs Doyle as it would
certainly come back in a letter—
Talking of malice reminds me of Caroline
Smith who is making many illnatured
observations about Frances – When I first
heard it I determined to write a letter
immediately and detail all I had heard
but have concluded to reserve it for
a personal communication—In the
mean time I advise Frances to neglect

answering her letters or if she writes
at all to break of the correspondence
gradually – Caroline will never forgive
her for having attracted attentions from
John Clary which she thought belonged
exclusively to her – She is quite as evil
disposed as her mother with more art
and cautiousness – It is an unpleasant
part of ones duty to put young persons on
their guard against people of her character
I have always feared Frances intimacy
with her would lead to some unpleasant
result – Henry came home from N. York
Saturday night – he is still home—
I called at Mrs Pitneys Saturday – she
is sick – Mrs Salisbury was there in her
return from Boston – She passed the
Atlantic on the Sound the day after
the wreck – what a terrible disaster
there seems to be no end of the relation
of individual cases of calamity which
are harrowing to the feelings of strangers
to the parties concerned – how hard they
must be to endure by the sufferers themselves
Mrs Pitney always desires to be remembered
to you—Blatchford went last week to
Lansingburgh to attend the funeral of
his Grandmother—came home before
Henry—

I see Clara once or twice a week. Ellen
has gone to Mrs Porters – Clara is alone
with Catherine – of course she has the milking
&c to do again—She expects a young
woman a dress maker to make her home
there for a time and assist her with her
sewing — Mary Morgan is in New York
yet Christopher has gone to bring her
home – I wish she would remain
there—This is dull winter weather
I wish there would come some snow
Fred would like to drive—at present
he would be glad to drive away a
bad cold he has— Fanny is well
and busy—Willie has the cold
I was sick two days last week
with a more than usually severe attack
of neuralgia—the evening of one
of those days I received Miss Darlings
note saying she was going to Canandaigua
the next day – I was too ill to answer
it – You will hear from her and
Mrs Howe all the village news
pray tell me some in your next
letter—I move to night up stairs
with my little family feeling that
it will be particularly inconvenient
shall probably come down again soon
Grandpa is well
Love to Frances
your own Sister