Florida July 5th 1847
My Dear Frances,
I do not suppose that I can employ
a part of this day to better purpose than by writing
you a letter. I have delayed for several days that
I might give write a little more fully of matters
here. Julia had recovered considerably, so that
she road out several times and with Father and
a lot of children, went over to Long Pond a distance
of 14 miles on a very warm day with showers in
the afternoon, she took cold her cough increased very
much became almost speechless from hoarseness.
Last Friday she went home, she wrote to her
Mother without Fathers knowledge who came over
in an open waggon to take her home, Dr Schultz
protestested against it, and after consultation I was
called on to contrive ways & means, I took my covered
waggon, put in a bed prepared for the worse and set
out, it is 22 miles, we went half the distance, she
became quite tired out, laid down awile and rested and
went on, she became very tired before she reached home
laid down, coughed all night slepted but very little
which she told me was the fourth night she had
spent restless coughing and raising, we all think that
she has the consumption, we fear the worse and
there appears but little hope of anything better, though
being removed from under Fathers eye and worried in-
cessantly by his calls upon her strength and subject to his

whims, with the benefit of a mothers care and nursing, she
may recover. I have consulted with the Dr — and his views
as near as I can I have given you.
Much as we all wish for her own sake that she
might recover her health and strength, I coincide with
your sentiments on that she deserves well of us for
her long and toilsome years of care and attentions to our
parents, and regret that there seems to be no more [ ap- priate ] manner of showing it.
You may imagine how Father gets along better
than I can describe it, but we are trying to make
him as comfortable as possible by little attention to
his meals and attentions ^business^ , he is bolstering himself with
the hope that Julia will soon be able to return to her
place, there is great need of someone to take hold of
his farming and household matters, little does he know
of the waste going on not to say anything of a worse
dissposition of his property.
His health remains about the same,
I suppose that Henry is in Chicago at this time
is it yet decided that he goes to Albany, I have heard
some rumour that he was about to move there, I
am anev anxious to hear as I feel some interest in the
matter. I want very much (and its no recent desire)
to go to Auburn this fall and was very much in hopes
I could bring ^it^ about th I should have went last fall but
I would not like to be seen there again without
Tempe, and if you move off, the great object of our
visit is gone…

I should esteem it a great privilege if my children could
become better acquainted with yours. I do not mean to
complain but I am not pleased with the manner they are
compelled to live and get along now a days.
I was willing to believe that Henry done well to bring
us the Teacher he did, but I should feel it a greater fa-
vor if she might be dismissed.
Her conduct to the "Seward children" as she calls
them is getting to be unendurable, and I am fearful that
her lectures, her cross ill humorued scolding will ruin
Sarah[ ‘s ] temper, but enough
of this I do not know that
there is any help for it and
it seems unkind to trouble you with it—
Polydore has just told me that you were not going
to move to Albany, I am rejoiced to hear it so I
think if I can make matters work right I shall
go up and make you a visit. We not I —
Mary is going to school again, – –
I have been looking in the papers to see if Augustus
has run through the mill, I hope he succeeded
well, it must be a great satisfaction to his parents
but a greater if the Mexican war war was brought
to a close…
I handed Julias letter to you, she appeared gratified
and returned her thanks, it might be a consolation
to receive a letter from you, her post office is
Burlingham, Sullivan Co, Yours Sincerely
Geo W Seward

Chester, NY
July 5
Mrs William H. Seward
Auburn
hGeorge W. Seward
July 5,
1847