Washington Dec 30^th / 49
My dear Son,
Your letters to me still come by the
way of Auburn – the last was dated 11 Nov –
I think you will seem to be a little nearer to
me when I get a letter here directly –
We have now been here one month and
the arrangement of our house is completed
so that we are quite comfortable – Except
that there is rather more visiting than I
find agreeable – calling and receiving calls occu-
pies my whole time just now – I hope
there may be some cessation by and by –
Sir Henry Lytton Bulwer the Minister
from England arrived last week – His
arrival was announced by the firing of
cannon – We have called upon him and
Lady Bulwer but found the[ m ] from home –
I shall probably meet them in the course of
the Winter but am less likely to do so then
if I attended large parties –

Christmas was a cold day for Washington but
not so cold as at Auburn where
Aunty writes the snow is two feet
deep on a level – I went to Church
in the morning – The evening after
Christmas Frances and Fred were invited
to a small party where they danced
and drank egg-nog – a Southern custom
I believe – I am afraid Aunty has
rather a lonely season at Auburn – Grandpa
was confined to the house with a bad
cold the last time she wrote – Mr
Winegar had gone home to spend the
holidays – Clarence (who is boarding at
Mr Blatchfords) had gone to Geneva to
see some young lady to whom he is violently
attached at the present time – Uncle Worden
is to go to Albany next week – Aunty goes
home to marke the necessary arrangements
and then returns – Aunt Clara is to stay
with Grandpa in the mean time Clara
Miller not having come as was expected –
Grandpa begins to have doubts about going
coming here – thinks the journey too long
for him to make in the Winter – He

may however change his mind when he feels
better again. I think he would enjoy himself
were he here but it is a long way for
one to come who travels so little as he does –
Willie is getting a little more contented
but misses his playmates – Fanny is well
and happy as usual – St Nicholas
gave great satisfaction in the dispensation
of presents – their toys amused them a long
time and when the day closed they wished
Christmas would come again tomorrow –
I send you a copy of the Globe containing
a debate in the Senate which shows how
sensitive the Southern members are on the
subject of Slavery – The sin of depriving
men of a natural right given by God
to all Human beings appears so clear to
me that it is difficult for me to under-
stand how they can be sincere in asserting
their belief that it is not wrong – Yet
many allowances must be made for
the prejudices of education. The simple
command of our Saviour “Do unto others as ye
would that they should do to you” seems to
me to place this question beyond a doubt –

It requires a degree of moral courage which
few men posess to take as your Father
does a decided yet moderate position
on this subject and no small degree
of christian Charity to maintain it with
the moderation which can alone make it
useful to the great cause he espouses–
Frances expects her lover to make a visit
some time next week John Sibley comes
with him – My letter has lain until
New Years morning so I wish you a happy
New Year, my dear child – When will
you ever spend another with your mother –
If there is one thing more than another that
makes the happiness of a future state desirable
it is the promise that there shall be
no more partings there – My heart has
been sufficiently wring wrung by them here –
You will know I have the headache without
my telling you so I will write no more
now and write a more cheerful letter
next time – All send love – May God
forever bless you – your affectionate
Mother

hWilliam H. Seward
Senate W
hLieut. A.H. Seward
5^th Inf. U.S.A
Fort Towson
Choctaw Nation
Ark.
FREE
WASHINGTON D.C.
JAN 4