America 24 Jan. 1832
Dear Brother Henry
At the date of my last letter
which was perhaps two month since, my
health was rather poor, it is now quite
restored and I am able to prosecute my
business without interruption. I doubt not it
will be a pleasure to you to hear it. I have
mistrusted that you may not have recieved the
letter I speak of, for in it, I requested you to
cause to be forwarded to me an Antimasonic
newspaper, which up to the time of my leave
from Hillsboro, had not made its appearance.
I did not care so much for the paper as to
make it essential to my feelings, but having
a small balance in a friends hands in N.Y.
& wanting a kind of news, difficult to be had
here, I made the request. Please send ^order for^ me either
Wards or Weeds, (the best) & I will pay direct
to Hillsboro. Montgomery Co. Ill.
I write you ^now^ under much better spirits
than I wrote before. Our old Del & Hud
Canal Co have sent me a pressing invitation
to return and enter thier service again, and
this is a mark of confidence if not a door
of hope, which is very grateful to my feelings.
What will grow out of it I know not but you
shall know as soon as I learn myself.

[left Margin] Be pleased to give my very best regards to sister

x

Frances Seward

Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21

when you write
& believe me
unalterably
& affectionately
yours
B.J. Seward.

Our S. S. year is closed and we have recently had a
gathering together of the Reports of our summers work
& find that we have out done our best expectations.
There are 9,000 children at S. Schools in the state, learning
to read & nearly 1,300 teachers engaged in instructing them.
I am just informed that in answer to an application
I made a little time since to the young men of N. York
it has been determined to forward to me 10,000 testa-
ments, for ^the gratuitous

x

gratuitous

Free; voluntary; granted without claim or merit; not required by justice • Asserted or taken without proof •

use of^ children, to learn to read in & that 5,000
of them have actually been sent & are on thier
way since Nov. This success in my business
is also a circumstance of gratification to me.
But what gives me more pleasure and what con-
cerns me more to speak of in this letter is that I
have been devoting some time to the examination of
my old concerns, with a view to thier settlement
and find better prospects than I had anticipated.
I shall have aid here, and be able to vary my
proposition of compromise in a way which I did
not hope or suspect: and which if my paper holds
out I will explain before I close. But the object
of this letter is to say to you, that my arrangements
have so far progressed and have now come to the
shape, at which I expected to have occasion for
the little loan, you were so kind as to say I
might expect. I believe we never conversed about
any sum beyond about $400 or $450, nor had I any
claim for any sum, which you would occasion you
the slightest inconvenience. The exertions you have al-
ready made to aid me in this way, forbid that I
should entertain the lest desire to make myself troub-
lesome to you, still as my affairs are circumstan-
ced, and for the attainment of a special object I have
in view, connected with my settlement, it will I believe
be absolutely necessary for me to crave the sum of

[left Margin] I have not room for a single anti enquiry, do write & tell me
without.

six hundred dollars. I wish I had room to
go into a detalied exhibition of the necessity there is
for the use of this sum and the important advantages
it will be to me: I wish this becauses it would, I think
exculpate me from the charge of willingness "to ride
a free horse too freely". Suffice it however, that
this sum is of the highest necessity to the ultimate
settlement of my affairs, and if you can by any
possibility, raise it for me, I shall feel the relief
we have so often & so long desired & hold myself under
everlasting obligation of gratitude to you for your
kindness. I wish this sum placed in the
hands of Thomas T. Woodruff of Broad Way N.Y.
(an alderman) and duplicate reciepts taken for so
much, recieved of you, for the use & on account of
Col Justus Post, one of which
please inclose to me to Hills-
boro. I suppose this letter
will reach you in Albany, but
I hope it will not be necessary
to delay this payment, which you might write to Auburn,
but on the contrary, I trust you will be able to make
the arragement forthwith, & reimburse by reference to
Auburn thereafter if necessary. Time is very essential
with me. And now in conclusion let me say that
if it should so be, that you cannot with convenince
take from your buiness a larger sum than that of
which we have spoken, & you have had your mind
& I hope your concerns prepared for (to wit $450) I still
hope that you will send to the alderman the full sum: &
let me know, & I pledge myself to refund the $150 or even
$200 within six months, to meet any temporary arrangement
you may make. I speak advisedly, my watch & wagon
& other trinkets here will do it, and I would cheerfully
sell my shirt, rather than have this measure fail.

America Ill 27^th. Jan.y 1832
Col Wm H. Seward
Now in Albany
New York
hB.J. Seward
24 Jan. 1832