Tuesday afternoon Nov 14^th
My dear Henry, I have had such a serious time
with my teeth that I have not until this
afternoon felt able to write. I received a line
from you at Batavia and another this morning
from Buffalo. I shall be glad to hear you are
safe at Westfield not having much faith in the
Barcelona on Lake Erie. You are undoubtedly
aware of the extent of the Whig victory by this
time as I know Weed will furnish you with the
earliest intelligence, for a long time a had no
information except such as I obtained from Peter [ . ]
Newspapers of all kinds being about as scarce
in the house as they were in the days of Queen
Caroline's trial. Friday being a good day Clara
proposed inviting Mrs Fosgate, Porter and Horner,
they came but I am inclined to think the
noisy demonstrations of the Whig victory which
occasionally met the ear was by no means
satisfactory to the whole company, very little was
said on the subject but dear Mrs Horner
would occasionally give me a shy look or squeeze
of the hand when the cannon shook the house
with more than wonted violence, and Eliza
whispered to Clara that she rather thought John
Porter would have come to tea had we selected
a more fortunate time for our visit. Mrs P. expected
him the whole evening but he did not come until
nine oclock, and then with a desperate headache

and sour visage, a loud burst of merriment
from the street caused me to observe laughingly
"we Whigs feel well to night", "those boys make
a great noise in the street, all boys" was Johns
surly reply. Dont you think the observation
nearly as small as the man himself. I was
astonished that a man should have so little magna-
nimity or not having it should lack discretion
to conceal his chagrin. "The boys" had a merry
time I do not know how long it continued
but the cannon was to heard as long as my
toothache kept me awake. Peter gave as strange
account of the proceedings in the morning but
altogether too unintelligible for recapitulation.
Since then I have been favoured with newspapers
and find that the Whigs have succeeded nearly
over the whole state. Van Schaic's election seems
doubtful. You have a number of letters announcing
the result of the election there is one on the table
from D.L. Peck. M. C., from Pike I think but the
writing is not plain, they are all the same thing
if is necessary to answer them I will send you
the other names. I received a letter from
Lazette Sunday giving me an account of the de-
parture of her man and woman of color. I am sorry
to hear she is left without servants, am glad
to hear she continues tolerably well. Serene & Birdsall
are expected daily. Mrs Fosgate does not know exactly
whether she is Whig or Tory but says her boys
are very much pleased. She expected Serene
& Birdsall to make a visit last Friday but I

presume Birdsall had the hypo on account of Maynards
majority and did not like to come when the "boys"
are as noisy as they are here.
I have had the toothache since Friday yesterday morning
it became so intolerable that I despatched Peter for
Ball and he had my tooth extracted but lo the tooth
was sound except when it had been filled by Roper
and the filling which I had supposed gone remained
perfectly firm. Ball said it was a pity to lose the tooth
(it was the next to the eye tooth) and I insisted him to
replace it, he said it would grow firm again
but that he had never made an experiment of the kind
however he replaced and I felt for a few hours very
much pleased that I had been able to dispose of the tooth
ache and retain my tooth, presently my gums began
to swell and my face and jaws to pain me
exceedingly I had a very bad night the pain &
soreness increasing constantly, this morning I sent
Nicholas for Dr Mosier to ask his advice I found
the right man, he had had a tooth drawn by mistake
and put back, the tooth was perfectly sound and now
firm and useful be he said it cost him much pain
and that the pain and soreness continued for two
months, all circumstances considered I did not feel as
if I had two months to spend with toothache so I concluded
to have it taken out again. The Dr at first attempted to
pull it with his fingers but the gum was dreadfully
swollen that he could not succeed and was obliged to
go home for his turnkey and then extracted it with
some difficulty, it caused me rather more pain
than the first extraction, my face is still sore

but and swollen but free from pain and I hope to night to
get some sleep. I am much pleased with Dr Mosier.
Freddy sends a kiss he sits, reading Robinson Crusoe on the
sofa. Augustus has gone to his pony. Always remember
me affectionately to the family at Westfield, your own Frances.
Tomorrow I intend to make some new ink and hope then
to be able to write legibly.
William H. Seward
Westfield
Chautaque County
18/
Auburn
NOV
15
N.Y.
hFrances A. Seward
Nov. 15. 1837.