Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, April 24, 1828
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Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, April 24, 1828
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:crb
student editorTranscriber:spp:kac
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1828-04-24
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Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to William Henry Seward, April 24, 1828
action: sent
sender: Benjamin Seward
Birth: 1793-08-23
Death: 1841-02-24
location: New York, NY
receiver: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: Auburn, NY
transcription: crb
revision: crb 2016-02-03
<>
Page
1
New York 24 Apl. 1828
My Dear Brother
The promptness, fullness
and feeling of your letter fills my
heart to overflowing - a thousand and a
thousand times let me express my grat-
itude and thankfulness for the return
of those days of intimacy & free
communion, which were once the summer
of my life, and of which it fills me
with self reproach, ^to think^ should ever have
been beclouded by my suspicions.
By your friendly letter of the 15th inst
I learn that you do not regain your
accustomed health. I am apt to think
that you have left your room & the
side of your good wife
resumed your business before you had
strength sufficient for the ^its^ labours.
Do be careful of your health - and re-
member that all and any acquisitions
made at the expense of health, are
possessions dearly bought where no ca-
Page
2
pacity is left to enjoy them.
It cheers me to hear you say that
skepticism and doubt of divine revelation has
ceased to hold a place in your mind. Oh how
this declaration will gratify your old friend
your warm friend Dr. McAuley
never forget his look of feeling & ardent
manner when he said " - but then the
young dog, he always knew I loved him."
The gown is purchased - and at the
makers, to be done to day. It will be
forwarded, I expect by Capt. Fitch
goes out the day after tomorrow.
Your man Fanning
His place is a long walk from the
bank, and he is never in as I pass
up and down & I cannot very well
go up every day during business hours
or I would try the effect of such a
measure. I suppose I have seen
him 20 times about it – & perhaps often-er.
Do you believe it, there is not
a shop keeper in New York that knows
what "Athenian silk" is? - It is true
Page
3
so far as we could learn by diligent en-
quiry during a very long walk - We were
forced to the necessity of buying a blk
silk frock, where no other specification
was given to go by except "plaid" which
is I believe - out of the question. These
expressions grow out of my fears that we
have not suited. The dress however accom-
panies & you can soon see whether it pleases.
Do let us know.
While writing the above
I have received a letter
from Dr Canfield
with reproaches and ill will & I may
say with abuse. It provokes me some
and draws off my mind constantly from
this miserable letter. I can scarce
write at all.
Can't you send me Mr Lansings
renununciation of Masonry - if convenient
do so - if not, no matter.
Remember we shall commence to look
with anxiety for your arrival on the 4th of
June and continue to expect it thereafter
till we see you. Hoffman
Page
4
at home and I shall have something to
say in my next about your contemplated
settlement here. Most affectionately yours
B.J. Seward
I should not ask Fitch for the money
only that I happen to want it bad badly.
Do not fail to tell me of the success of your
letter to Father
P.S. - On reading this shocking scroll to Marcia
that I never mention her love to Frances more than if
they had never been known to each other. Let me do
now - and by pardon for omiting it heretofore.
Col Wm H. Seward
Auburn
Capt Fitch N.Y.
h
B.J. Seward
April 14
1828
[left Margin] hWm H. Seward will please pay
Capt. Fitch nineteen 31/100 dollars
for this letter and band Box with
contents - 25 Apl. 1828 - B.J. Seward
$ 19.31
Page
5
h
Bougth of A. T. Stewart
262 Broadway
April 22. 14 yards silk @ 1.00 = 14.00
Recd. Payment
A.T. Stewart
Per J. Parson Wright
Page
6
New York Apil 23 1828
Mrs Seward
Dr to Mr Perry
To making dress 2= 50
Silk _ _ _ _ 1 = 50
Cord Hooks & Silk 0= 3 7/ 1/2
Muslin & Wadding 0= 3 7/1/2
Received Payment _____________Jim Perry $4= 75
New York 24 Apl. 1828
My Dear Brother
The promptness, fullness
and feeling of your letter fills my
heart to overflowing - a thousand and a
thousand times let me express my grat-
itude and thankfulness for the return
of those days of intimacy & free
communion, which were once the summer
of my life, and of which it fills me
with self reproach, ^to think^ should ever have
been beclouded by my suspicions.
By your friendly letter of the 15th inst
I learn that you do not regain your
accustomed health. I am apt to think
that you have left your room & the
side of your good wife
Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21
too soon and resumed your business before you had
strength sufficient for the ^its^ labours.
Do be careful of your health - and re-
member that all and any acquisitions
made at the expense of health, are
possessions dearly bought where no ca-
pacity is left to enjoy them.
It cheers me to hear you say that
skepticism and doubt of divine revelation has
ceased to hold a place in your mind. Oh how
this declaration will gratify your old friend
your warm friend Dr. McAuley
Birth: 1795-04-27 Death: 1849-06
- I shallnever forget his look of feeling & ardent
manner when he said " - but then the
young dog, he always knew I loved him."
The gown is purchased - and at the
makers, to be done to day. It will be
forwarded, I expect by Capt. Fitch
Unknown
whogoes out the day after tomorrow.
Your man Fanning
Unknown
does not pay.His place is a long walk from the
bank, and he is never in as I pass
up and down & I cannot very well
go up every day during business hours
or I would try the effect of such a
measure. I suppose I have seen
him 20 times about it – & perhaps often-er.
Do you believe it, there is not
a shop keeper in New York that knows
what "Athenian silk" is? - It is true
so far as we could learn by diligent en-
quiry during a very long walk - We were
forced to the necessity of buying a blk
silk frock, where no other specification
was given to go by except "plaid" which
is I believe - out of the question. These
expressions grow out of my fears that we
have not suited. The dress however accom-
panies & you can soon see whether it pleases.
Do let us know.
While writing the above
I have received a letter
from Dr Canfield
Birth: 1798-11-26 Death: 1865-01-05
, filledwith reproaches and ill will & I may
say with abuse. It provokes me some
and draws off my mind constantly from
this miserable letter. I can scarce
write at all.
Can't you send me Mr Lansings
Birth: 1789-07 Death: 1855-09-29
renununciation of Masonry - if convenient
do so - if not, no matter.
Remember we shall commence to look
with anxiety for your arrival on the 4th of
June and continue to expect it thereafter
till we see you. Hoffman
Birth: 1793-05-03 Death: 1856-05-01
I expect isat home and I shall have something to
say in my next about your contemplated
settlement here. Most affectionately yours
B.J. Seward
I should not ask Fitch for the money
only that I happen to want it bad badly.
Do not fail to tell me of the success of your
letter to Father
Birth: 1768-12-05 Death: 1849-08-24
about Cornelia
Birth: 1805 Death: 1839-01-04
.P.S. - On reading this shocking scroll to Marcia
Birth: 1794-07-23 Death: 1839-10-25
she saysthat I never mention her love to Frances more than if
they had never been known to each other. Let me do
now - and by pardon for omiting it heretofore.
Col Wm H. Seward
Auburn
Capt Fitch N.Y.
h
Hand Shift
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10William Seward
April 14
1828
[left Margin] hWm H. Seward will please pay
Capt. Fitch nineteen 31/100 dollars
for this letter and band Box with
contents - 25 Apl. 1828 - B.J. Seward
$ 19.31
h
Unknown
Mr. Stewart
Birth: 1803-10-12 Death: 1876-04-10
Bougth of A. T. Stewart
262 Broadway
April 22. 14 yards silk @ 1.00 = 14.00
Recd. Payment
A.T. Stewart
Per J. Parson Wright
Unknown
New York Apil 23 1828
Mrs Seward
Dr to Mr Perry
Unknown
To making dress 2= 50
Silk _ _ _ _ 1 = 50
Cord Hooks & Silk 0= 3 7/ 1/2
Muslin & Wadding 0= 3 7/1/2
Received Payment _____________Jim Perry $4= 75