Letter from Mahlon Dickerson Canfield to William Henry Seward, October 4, 1849
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Letter from Mahlon Dickerson Canfield to William Henry Seward, October 4, 1849
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:sts
student editorTranscriber:spp:csh
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1849-10-04
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Letter from Mahlon Dickerson Canfield to William Henry Seward, October 4, 1849
action: sent
sender: Mahlon Canfield
Birth: 1798-11-26
Death: 1865-01-05
location: Succasunna, NJ
receiver: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: Auburn, NY
transcription: sts
revision: tap 2018-11-05
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Page
1
Succassunny, N.J. Oct. 4th, 1849.
My Dear Sir,
I have heard, very recently & much to my
regret, that the school at Georgetown is a Catholic
institution.
Had I known this, I would, by no means, have
assented to the arrangement for placing Caroline
there. I am not uncharitable enough I trust, the
evidence any from of the Christians faith, & surely
it is no want of charity to prefer my own
I wish Caroline to be placed at such a school
as her mother
grow up & live & die in the same religious belief,
& to be like her in all things.
Of good schools there are many. I prefer however
Mrs Haines’s
daughter near to me, & to her brothers, a
thing always
desirable, & in this case, made especially impor-
tant in consequence of the attempts which have
been made to alienate her from her own nearest kindred
& her own names. You will learn more of what I
mean by enquiring of her, & I greatly mistake if it does
not excite your surprise & indignation, I will not
trust myself to say more, I speak of the matter as a
thing that I have a right to complain of, & one which
Page
2
you as the protector of my child expect to know,
I trust you will impress upon Caroline the duty of
respect to my wishes in regard to the choice of
schools, & that all may be satisfactorily & profitably
arranged.
I am very respectfully, yours
M. D. Canfield
Hon. W. H. Seward
Page
3
Succassunny, N.J. Oct. 4th, 1849.
My Dear Sir,
I have heard, very recently & much to my
regret, that the school at Georgetown is a Catholic
institution.
Had I known this, I would, by no means, have
assented to the arrangement for placing Caroline
Birth: 1834-07-25 Death: 1922-02-28
there. I am not uncharitable enough I trust, the
evidence any from of the Christians faith, & surely
it is no want of charity to prefer my own
I wish Caroline to be placed at such a school
as her mother
Birth: 1805 Death: 1839-01-04
would
have preferred, I wish her togrow up & live & die in the same religious belief,
& to be like her in all things.
Of good schools there are many. I prefer however
Mrs Haines’s
Birth: 1816-06-24 Death: 1879-05-07
in New York. It would
bring mydaughter near to me, & to her brothers
Birth: 1829-12-04
Death: 1867-10-25
Birth: 1832-02-20
Death: 1876-01-14
desirable, & in this case, made especially impor-
tant in consequence of the attempts which have
been made to alienate her from her own nearest kindred
& her own names. You will learn more of what I
mean by enquiring of her, & I greatly mistake if it does
not excite your surprise & indignation, I will not
trust myself to say more, I speak of the matter as a
thing that I have a right to complain of, & one which
you as the protector of my child expect to know,
I trust you will impress upon Caroline the duty of
respect to my wishes in regard to the choice of
schools, & that all may be satisfactorily & profitably
arranged.
I am very respectfully, yours
M. D. Canfield
Hon. W. H. Seward