Florida 1^st Aug 1842
My dearest William Henry
Being fully apprised of the
weight of business constantly accumilating
in your present responsible situation I
had considered not to trouble you with
my affairs until after the special session
But reallising the old adage that it is
much easier accumilating property
than it is to retain it when acquired I
deemed not unadvisable to give you
some information of our present si-
tuation — My cough & pain in the side
continues — I have made great exertion
to gain strength and appetite by
traveling on horseback & in cariages
but deriving no benefit from it — I
gain no flesh am weak & feeble as death
W is still keeping up the appearance
of doing something but in part is more
in the way of our laboring hands than
he does good — Besides he is now sup-
porting his family with much extra-
vegance and leaving the bills for me
to pay — This you will readily

perceive will soon run out any
Estate I am totally at a loss to know
what to do with him or for him
and to continue on in the stile we
are now progressing if I should con-
tinue will soon reduce the whole fa-
mily to beggery — There you see the
needecssity of some change spedily
What that should be and do Justice
to all is more than I am able to determine
I have thought of some different arang-
ements in our late plans These if
adopted ought to be attended to with
out delay — Before adobting those mea-
sures I should be pleased to consult you
In this there is difficulty — I am not able
in my present state of health to visit
you and your time probably cannot
be spared to spend a short time at home
Delay of movement might be fatal to
the plans I propose adopting and they
are of such a nature that I cannot
consistantly commit them to paper
If my present views are sound and
correct it would be an irretrevible
loss not to adopt them — But of this you
are undoubtedly the better Judge
By industry and prudence I have always
been ambicious to susstain a suffiscancy

For myself and family how far this can
be accomplished under existing circum-
stances appears rather doubtful Your dear
Mother is also in extream feeble health we
are now in the midst of our haying
she is anxious to have the labourers
comfortably attended on and receives
no assistance whatever from over the way
she is very much worn down and emaci-
ated and frequently despairs of continuing
long —
Thus although hard for
write I have given you a short
very imperfect scetch of our pres[ ent ]
situation and shall be glad to hear
from you as soon as convenient —
Again repeating that when ever your
Official duties will admit of your
makeing a short visit to Florida your
interest will be promoted by it
Your ever affectionate
Father Saml S Seward

Florida
August 1th
His Exc William H Seward
Gov State New York
Albany
hSaml S. Seward
August 1842