Letter from George Washington Seward to Frances Miller Seward, December 12, 1861

  • Posted on: 22 February 2018
  • By: admin
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Letter from George Washington Seward to Frances Miller Seward, December 12, 1861
x

transcriber

Transcriber:spp:mhb

student editor

Transcriber:spp:msr

Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive

Institution:University of Rochester

Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections

Date:1861-12-12

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Letter from George Washington Seward to Frances Miller Seward, December 12, 1861

action: sent

sender: George Seward
Birth: 1808-08-26  Death: 1888-12-07

location: Florida, NY

receiver: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24  Death: 1865-06-21

location: Unknown
Unknown

transcription: mhb 

revision: crb 2018-01-24

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Page 1

Florida Decbr 12th 1861
My Dear Sister
Your favor of the 10th
inst came to hand to day, Julia
Birth: 1824-02-11 Death: 1895
&
myself went on to see the children
sail, it was a great satisfaction to
us to be the last among their rela-
tives and friends to bid them "Good
Bye" and further it was more so
that they seemed to appreciate it.
They left in good spirits yet sad––
ded with parting, This experience while
it is highly gratifying to us will I trust
be attended by such greater ad-
vantage to them, and would you
believe it, there are those who use un-
kind remarks about it, but we are
congratulated by the better part
of the community, many such we
have had,

[top Margin]
Hand Shiftx

Frances Seward

Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21
George Seward
Page 2

The matter of going to Auburn is
laid on the table.
As to the other point which you
propose to bring to Henrys
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
at-
tention I will thank you to do so
The truth is that since last
spring I have wanted to go to
Washington, I have applied to Mr
Grier
Birth: 1802-09-27 Death: 1878-12-20
several times for the funds
and he has uniformly discoura-
ged it, now I do not know that I
could have been of any service to
Henry, but I could try and I once
was about to pawn my watch
to go, but I thought I could ac-
complish it without,
I should like to be there to learn
and see something, this would
take a little time and during
that time if I could do something
it would be gratifying to me, I
do not wish to be a burthen on
any one.
Page 3

By the papers to day I suppose
that the Abolition movement or
the pact of certain members of
Congress, in connection I think
with Genl. Fremont
Birth: 1813-01-21 Death: 1890-07-13
is checked
mated, there is no immediate
necessity or advantage in forming
plans for the emancipation of the
Slaves, I believe that Slavery is
doomed beyond peradventure, that
causes are now at work which
will in a few years completly e-
radicate from the Union, short
sighted must those Gentlemen be
to suppose Slavery can withstand
the events which are coming, but
what I believe is more just to say
of them is that they are seeking
to build up a party who shall
keep them to obtain control of the
government, I was indignant over
Stevens
Birth: 1792-04-04 Death: 1868-08-11
for say that Genl McClellan
Birth: 1826-12-03 Death: 1885-10-29

had threatened to resign if certain
Page 4

portions of the Cancerous report were
not modified by the President
Birth: 1809-02-12 Death: 1865-04-15
,
How ungenerous to the President &
to the Genl, all that it seems is dis-
posed of –– Let us all go in for the
Union, to maintain the Adminis-
tration says I. it will be time enough
to make political issues when this
is accomplished.
My son Henry
Birth: 1835-01-09 Death: 1926
is staying with us
at present, the subject of his returning
to Florida was mentioned to me but
we have had no conversation about
it, when it does come, if at all, I think
I shall discourage it, Florida is too
small a place for him, I am very
much encouraged with the present
prospect of my children, I trust
they will succeed creditable and be-
come useful members of society.
Julia and the children
x Birth: 1857-06-27  Death: 1946  Birth: 1857-06-27  Death: 1936  Birth: 1838-04-16  Death: 1916-02-22  Birth: 1840-11-08  Death: 1910-11-28  Birth: 1844-11-20  Death: 1917-01-29  Birth: 1833-06-08  Death: 1891-06-12 
have had
bad colds but are better.
We called upon you at the Astor
House, met Rev. H White
Unknown
again who
told us you had left.
I hear quite frequently from Samuel
Birth: 1838-04-16 Death: 1916-02-22
, he ap-
pears to like his situation very much.
We should be very glad to hear of you when-
ever convenient.
Affectionately your brother
Geo. W. Seward