Auburn April 30^th 1837
My dear Jennings,
By industrious attention to my little affairs
here, I have them in such a state of forwardness that I hope
to be able to set out for Albany tomorrow evening or Tuesday
morning. Our family and friends are all well.
The letter you wrote me of April 26 is just received. Walter Smiths
Mortgages are in any event a perfect security. Whether
he closes his business himself or others close it for him
our debt must eventually be paid. In the meantime
the fearful condition of the country admonishes us of the
justice and expediency of forbearance. Therefore we must
not in these gloomy days foreclose mortgages or com-
mence suits. As for Walter Smith's note – let the
two accounts for which it was given be closed by
reversion unless he come immediately and give a
mortgage upon the land. And advice must be sent
to Batavia (in case of reversion) that they may alter
there as we must do in our office the entry of the
deeding of the land. In that case he will be entitled
on demand to have the Note given up to him.
An entry of the entire history of the transaction should
be made under each account.
The lots deeded in Portland Harbor to me were
taken by me in trust for the estate, to silence clamor
on the part of pretended claimants. The money was
therefore taken from the expense account, and on a
resale by me to Wm R. Morse of one of them the expense
account was credited by the amount. The same
is to be done with the others. I verbally communi-

cate these facts to Mr Evans at the time of the transaction.
You can have no idea of the severity of the pressure here.
Our banks have their circulation poured in upon them
in huge floods, and they let nothing out. Every public
Improvement in the country must stop. The stockholders
in the Auburn and Syracuse Rail Road being in New
York who have paid 60 cents on a dollar[ , ] suffer their
stock to be forfeited and the work will have to be
suspended. My tenants are unable to pay money
and I have to take 60 day notes. My bills for property
repairs and improvements physicians bills &c – amounting
to $500, or $600 had to be paid in cash, and it is just all
I can do to get off here with money enough to carry
me to Albany. I cannot sell a draft upon you – yet – but
shall have to do so before I get back[ . ]
If you shall not have remitted to Batavia suspend
until you hear from me, and keep all the money you
get. I have letters from Rathbone showing the same
oppressed state of mind but less gloomy. I shall try before
I get back to get the matter arranged and may find
it necessary to use with Mr Vanderkemps consent the
receipts in the office. Advise me (care of Rathbone
Albany) of the state of the funds, and let me know
the earliest day when I can have the schedules
Bonds & Mortgages &c[ . ]
You will see that agitation has received its quieting
in the Assembly.
Tell Harriet that Nicholas is well and so is her
boy at Cayuga. Nicholas does not yet find a home.
Yours faithfully
WH. Seward

Benjamin J. Seward Esq
Chautauqua Law Office
Westfield.
AUBURN N.Y.
MAY 1
hApril 30. 1837