Letter from William Henry Seward to George MacCullough Grier, May 4, 1848
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Letter from William Henry Seward to George MacCullough Grier, May 4, 1848
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:srr
student editorTranscriber:spp:msr
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1848-05-04
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Letter from William Henry Seward to George MacCullough Grier, May 4, 1848
action: sent
sender: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: Auburn, NY
receiver: George Grier
Birth: 1802-09-27
Death: 1878-12-20
location: Goshen, NY
transcription: msr
revision: tap 2018-07-24
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Page
1
Auburn May 4th 1848.
My dear George,
It is a pleasant thing that you had a visit from
Mr. Weed
and noble persons gather themselves together as there were
under your roof when Thurlow Weed was a guest there. Can
you imagine any stranger infatuation than that which degrades
him below the man who absorbs the popular affection of the
Whigs all around you?
I will look into the affair of that loan in Jefferson
County immediately and will advise you.
I am quite earnest as you know I am sincere in
wishing that you would bring Frances
as you can, and either of the inseparable sisters,
for I know you
cant bring both, to see us in the month of June. I want them
and you to see and know us better then we can be known
by one flying visit to Orange County. I want to fill Frances'
head with imaginings of embellishment for her grounds and
her apron with roots and seeds to give those imaginings
a reality. I feel quite important in my experience and want
to impart it to somebody who has charity enough for me
to be blind to the rudeness of my horticulture and to the
bizarre of my task. If we had your little Mary here we
would make a May Queen of her every day in the month,
and we would keep little George patiently waiting till cer-
tain by the temptations of ruddy peach blossoms, clusters of
Page
2
pulpy grapes, & butternuts walnuts and filberts, ready to drop into little
mouths. On my return here I find my Frances
recovered from all the little illnesses which beset them in Albany .
They lie in the garden, from morning to night, and I play truant
to the office, many an hour to enjoy with them the sight and perfume
of the primroses, daffodils and hyacinths. Our first Iris appeared
yesterday and to day a precarious tulip presented itself for
a show of our admiration. He will do well if he escapes Jack Frosts pinching
fingers. Frederick has gone back to his Monastery, Clarence
returns to his for the last time next week – and next week I
set out again on my travels to Albany, seeking Injunctions against
the infringers of Patent Telegraphs, Planing Machines, Rail Road
Wheels, Threshing machines, Turning Lathes and Horse Rakes,
Having thus reached a climax at the ninth hour of the afternoon
I may as well bring this letter to a close with many thanks
for the kind regard evinced by the proceedings you communicate to
me and assurances of my affection of
your cousin
William H. Seward
George M. Grier Esquire.
Page
3 Page
4
Auburn May 4th 1848.
My dear George,
It is a pleasant thing that you had a visit from
Mr. Weed
Birth: 1797-11-15 Death: 1882-11-22
. It is rare in this world that so
many generousand noble persons gather themselves together as there were
under your roof when Thurlow Weed was a guest there. Can
you imagine any stranger infatuation than that which degrades
him below the man who absorbs the popular affection of the
Whigs all around you?
I will look into the affair of that loan in Jefferson
County immediately and will advise you.
I am quite earnest as you know I am sincere in
wishing that you would bring Frances
Birth: 1801-01-16 Death: 1860-02-07
and as many of the
children
Birth: 1837-08-17
Death: 1838-04-24
Birth: 1835-11-01
Death: 1838-04-20
Birth: 1848
Death: 1930
Birth: 1839-09-05
Death: 1930-06-04
Birth: 1841
Death: 1915
Birth: 1844
Death: 1925
as you can, and either of the inseparable sisters
Birth: 1794-08-30
Death: 1876-12-31
Birth: 1780-10-05
Death: 1869-06-28
cant bring both, to see us in the month of June. I want them
and you to see and know us better then we can be known
by one flying visit to Orange County. I want to fill Frances'
head with imaginings of embellishment for her grounds and
her apron with roots and seeds to give those imaginings
a reality. I feel quite important in my experience and want
to impart it to somebody who has charity enough for me
to be blind to the rudeness of my horticulture and to the
bizarre of my task. If we had your little Mary here we
would make a May Queen of her every day in the month,
and we would keep little George patiently waiting till cer-
tain by the temptations of ruddy peach blossoms, clusters of
pulpy grapes, & butternuts walnuts and filberts, ready to drop into little
mouths. On my return here I find my Frances
Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21
and her children
Birth: 1844-12-09
Death: 1866-10-29
Birth: 1839-06-18
Death: 1920-04-29
Birth: 1830-07-08
Death: 1915-04-25
Birth: 1826-10-01
Death: 1876-09-11
recovered from all the little illnesses which beset them in Albany .
They lie in the garden, from morning to night, and I play truant
to the office, many an hour to enjoy with them the sight and perfume
of the primroses, daffodils and hyacinths. Our first Iris appeared
yesterday and to day a precarious tulip presented itself for
a show of our admiration. He will do well if he escapes Jack Frosts pinching
fingers. Frederick has gone back to his Monastery, Clarence
Birth: 1828-10-07 Death: 1897-07-24
returns to his for the last time next week – and next week I
set out again on my travels to Albany, seeking Injunctions against
the infringers of Patent Telegraphs, Planing Machines, Rail Road
Wheels, Threshing machines, Turning Lathes and Horse Rakes,
Having thus reached a climax at the ninth hour of the afternoon
I may as well bring this letter to a close with many thanks
for the kind regard evinced by the proceedings you communicate to
me and assurances of my affection of
your cousin
William H. Seward
George M. Grier Esquire.