Chautauqua Land Office
Westfield Oct 19. 1837.
Dear Henry.
On my return, night before last
I found you favours of the 7^th & of the
10^th inst in waiting for me. I am grat-
ified to learn that you are safely returned
to your cherished home & still more pleas-
ed to hear you say that you find your
family in perfect health. I hope you
are thankful: - and for the sake of the in-
fluence it may have on others, I hope your
thankfulness is known to ^those around you^ others. You doubtless
very well know by experience, that it is
greatly promotive of our happiness to
cherish feelings of gratitude & piety.
I could wish with all my heart that
our dear Sister were nearer to some of our
families. at every returning season of peril
with her, I find my tenderness increasing
toward her: and my longing to see her
settled inside among her friends are all
the while increasing.
I am thankful for the news you give
me from Florida—Several letters have
been received from there—the prominent
point of which is, the burning of John
"Rogers" at the axle of a stage—and the

[left Margin] The Dunkirk Beacon, I understand is to come out in a few
days, on the Whig side—Mosely

x

William Moseley

Birth: 1798-10-20 Death: 1873-11-19

has taken a tour through
our county &
thinks things
look well.

last one is no less so thatn former letters, so
that it seems that your visit did not settle
this embarrassing matter.
I am also rejoiced to learn that your
affairs below are adjusted so much to your
satisfaction. I do not think I understand
it fully—but perhaps I may when I
come to meet you. My cooperation may
be relied on to the utmost of my power
to put in execution of your wishes in rel-
ation to it.
It was pleasant for me to meet
Mr. Van Hall—and Mr. Lay"—& Mr.
Evans—although I saw but little of
them. The discharge mortgage & deeds
necessary to be entered of record in the
cases where we had made pledges to
the commissioners for loaning the public
funds, were promptly executed at Batavia
and will be recorded, I trust by the
contemplated meeting in a few days of
the Board of Supervisors, who are charged
with the duty of examining the securities
in ^under^ the doings of the Commissioners. Lee
has gone to New York.
Mr. Lay took down to you, the statement
you wrote for, preparatory to a settlement
between you & the Batavia office—a Little par-
cel was left under seal for you at the

[left Margin] I send you two nominations (papers I mean) —

Batavia, (calete & tax receipts) which may
possibly be necessary for you in said settle-
ment: & will be there till you call.
The proposition you make to give the
settlers 10 yrs instead of 5—if they will
agree to pay interest semi annually
—together with your plan of relief from
the embarrassment of uncurrent money
will, I hope the f itg be
satisfactory to settlers—but perhaps, trou-
blesome to us. The unsettled matters
lying over for my return have so
entirely occupied me for 2 or 3 days,
th[ at ] I have not, I confess, had
[ full o ] pportunity to give your views
a close examination: notr is it at
all of consequence, whether I be able
to do so or not—my explanation means
rather that I have not had time to
do the copying, & send to the printers
& set up business under the new system:
but no time will be lost—it shall be
done without delay:—Having experimented
a little in the facilities of exchanging &
having written some 8 or 10 Banks, I can
not but think some things would have
appeared a little different to you had
you been here—and your plans would
have been a little different. Our Bonds

must be different in form. = — We are
still a good deal occupied with old cases
& crooked cases—& are getting some money
. About $2.600 was received during my absence.
—I have asked a draft of $1.800 from Lumbermans & have
$2000 to send to Jamestown, the first opportunity.
I have written Walter Smith a pressing letter—
not saucy— & will struggle to collect in our
outstanding debts—Ramsey is sorely disappointed—
The boys employed another Clerk while I was absent—
who, as I would not countenance on my return, has left—
—of his wages & services I know nothing— & only de-
sire in this as in other things relating to your office
not to be held responsible. Your grateful brother B. J.
Wm H. Seward Esq
Auburn
N.Y.
WESTFIELD N.Y.
OCT
20
PAID
hB.J. Seward
Oct 20. 1837.