Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, April 4, 1850
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, April 4, 1850
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:ssb
student editorTranscriber:spp:csh
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1850-04-04
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, April 4, 1850
action: sent
sender: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: Washington D.C., US
receiver: Lazette Worden
Birth: 1803-11-01
Death: 1875-10-03
location: Canandaigua, NY
transcription: ssb
revision: tap 2019-01-29
<>
Page
1
Thursday April 4th –
My dear Sister,
I have your letter of Sunday this
morning – I have been about half sick all this
week so that I have been out but little –
Fred
and expecting you out – Henry
to Church Sunday (Easter) and for the
first time remained to the communion –
There are 400 communicants – Mr
Webster and Mrs Crawford
few I knew – Dr Butler
clergyman
the table ^altar^ much sooner than with us
so that the increased number did not
much prolong the service – All kneel
on the floor of their pews with their
backs to the pulpit when they come from
the altar as they do during the service
generally – Clarence
Caroline
dignant that a new dress did not fit –
which was a mistake altogether as it did
Poor Caroline I fear is to have a stormy time
getting through the world –
[top Margin]
informed us that he had applied for
furlough – I fear he may wait for an answer and
now it is too late to write Gen Scott says
his furlough commences the day he leaves his
Post – "Hope depend &c" Love to Frances
Your own sister
[right Margin]
Fanny says I must tell Aunty that she is making
soap bubbles –
Page
2
Monday afternoon Caroline returned to Georgetown –
Tuesday was the day of Mr Calhouns
I drove up in the vicinity of the Capitol
with Abbey
which was very long but not imposing
as nothing was to be seen but carriages –
The hearse was drawn by four white horses
each ^pair of^ horses led by a coloured man with
a white scarf – You have read the Eulogies
in the Senate – I did not go to hear them – I
shall go but once more I think this session
that will be to hear Col Benton
with Clarence to call at the Kings it being their
reception day – Mrs John King
Mrs James'
so we saw no one but Mrs James and Miss
King
and Mrs Michlin
out of the carriage again after going to see
the Kings I came home with a violent headache
and have been sick ever since – Mrs Nelson
is here – I shall go to see her the first day
that I feel tolerably well – Saturday
Henry went with me call upon Madame
de Boislecompte
a number of other ladies who are at the
[right Margin]
Friday
I send you the National of this morning – You will be as much surprised as
was Foote
Page
3
Irving House – Among them is a Miss Jarvis
New York who has called upon me two or
three times – She is quite intelligent – is the only
person at the Irving House (among the guests)
whose French is intelligible to the French Legation –
Mrs Dickerson
short time – Clarence went to the Assembly
Tuesday evening – – Mrs Merediths
was deferred on account of the death of
Mr Calhoun – No reception at the Presidents
Tuesday morning – I called at Madame
Caravallo's
now very quiet affairs – we seldom meet
more than one or two persons – I for saw
no one at Lady Bulwers
I have seen nothing of the Carrolls since Frances
left – Tell Frances that Madame Calderon
was a Miss McLoud a Scoct Scotch teacher
at the time the Senor
This I heard before Fan left and I have since
learned that she is a sister of the Miss
McLoud
favouring a clandestine match
her pupils
in Boston – you will probably recollect
some of the circumstances – I believe I
have nothing more that is new of the gay world
[left Margin]
of yesterday with the sentiments of his speech a month ago –
you will be at no loss to devise the
cause of
this change
Page
4
I never shall cease regretting dear Sis, that you are not
here to read with us the letters and papers about
Henry's speech – They are coming now from Ohio
and Michigan – I shall keep them for you –
They amply atone for the abuse from other quarters –
I am sorry that the miserable editor
insists upon placing him in a false position with
regard to the Administration – I do not like to
hear the Good President blamed for that for
which he is not responsible –The Whig paper
is unfortunate in having a man for its editor
who cannot understand that there is a World
outside of Washington – I send you an article
from Michigan – take care of it – I have one
from Maine still better but as there is but one
copy to be had I do not send it – The speech
is sent as you desired– I wrote last week to Gen Scott
making enquiries about Augustus
polite answer was immediately returned – enclosing
the order from Gen Twiggs
for 60 days – recommending an extension – Which
Gen Scott says he will grant with pleasure –
This order from Tampa Bay only reached New
York a few days ago – from which the
Gen – infers that Augustus has not until
about this time received the answer to his
application and that unless he left in the
confidence that it would come (which I know
he did not) he may not now be more
than 100 miles on his way home – If this is
the case I shall have another letter from Augustus
very soon – until then I can come to no decision
about leaving here – I regret exceedingly now that
I did not write when Augustus first
[right Margin]
I never had a doubt of Dr Webster
after reading the evidence against
him yet I could not but hope
he might escape–
It was a horrid affair altogether
Thursday April 4th –
My dear Sister,
I have your letter of Sunday this
morning – I have been about half sick all this
week so that I have been out but little –
Fred
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
writes
me that all are well at homeand expecting you out – Henry
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
and
I wentto Church Sunday (Easter) and for the
first time remained to the communion –
There are 400 communicants – Mr
Birth: 1782-01-18 Death: 1852-10-24
and Mrs
Birth: 1797-09-28 Death: 1882-02-26
Webster and Mrs Crawford
Birth: 1801-12-25 Death: 1878-04-21
were among the few I knew – Dr Butler
Birth: 1810-10-16 Death: 1890-03-05
had an
assistantclergyman
Unknown
– They (the communicants)
leavethe table ^altar^ much sooner than with us
so that the increased number did not
much prolong the service – All kneel
on the floor of their pews with their
backs to the pulpit when they come from
the altar as they do during the service
generally – Clarence
Birth: 1828-10-07 Death: 1897-07-24
went to Mr Pine
Birth: 1803-01-09 Death: 1875-12-07
churchCaroline
Birth: 1834-07-25 Death: 1922-02-28
stayed at home feeling very in-dignant that a new dress did not fit –
which was a mistake altogether as it did
Poor Caroline I fear is to have a stormy time
getting through the world –
[top Margin]
informed us that he had applied for
furlough – I fear he may wait for an answer and
now it is too late to write Gen Scott says
his furlough commences the day he leaves his
Post – "Hope depend &c" Love to Frances
Your own sister
[right Margin]
Fanny says I must tell Aunty that she is making
soap bubbles –
Monday afternoon Caroline returned to Georgetown –
Tuesday was the day of Mr Calhouns
Birth: 1782-03-18 Death: 1850-03-31
funeral –I drove up in the vicinity of the Capitol
with Abbey
Birth: 1822 Death: 1895-09-16
and Fanny
Birth: 1844-12-09 Death: 1866-10-29
to see the
processionwhich was very long but not imposing
as nothing was to be seen but carriages –
The hearse was drawn by four white horses
each ^pair of^ horses led by a coloured man with
a white scarf – You have read the Eulogies
in the Senate – I did not go to hear them – I
shall go but once more I think this session
that will be to hear Col Benton
Birth: 1782-03-14 Death: 1858-04-10
– I wentwith Clarence to call at the Kings
Birth: 1791-05-08
Death: 1853-10-03
Birth: 1788-01-03
Death: 1867-07-07
reception day – Mrs John King
Birth: 1790-09-17 Death: 1873-08-07
was ill – sore
throat–Mrs James'
Birth: 1791-12-14 Death: 1878-11-03
two daughterswere both in New York
so we saw no one but Mrs James and Miss
King
Birth: 1836-07-08 Death: 1905-12-20Certainty: Probable
– I also called upon Mrs C. S. McCauley
Birth: 1806-06-01 Death: 1893-11-04
and Mrs Michlin
Unknown
– Clarence would not get out of the carriage again after going to see
the Kings I came home with a violent headache
and have been sick ever since – Mrs Nelson
Birth: 1805 Death: 1875-04Certainty: Probable
is here – I shall go to see her the first day
that I feel tolerably well – Saturday
Henry went with me call upon Madame
de Boislecompte
Unknown
– she was out – I called upona number of other ladies who are at the
[right Margin]
Friday
I send you the National of this morning – You will be as much surprised as
was Foote
Birth: 1790-12-17 Death: 1878-05-11
to see the complete disagreement of Mr Websters remarksIrving House – Among them is a Miss Jarvis
Unknown
ofNew York who has called upon me two or
three times – She is quite intelligent – is the only
person at the Irving House (among the guests)
whose French is intelligible to the French Legation –
Mrs Dickerson
Unknown
is at
the Irving house for a short time – Clarence went to the Assembly
Tuesday evening – – Mrs Merediths
Birth: 1801-02-20 Death: 1853-06-28
receptionwas deferred on account of the death of
Mr Calhoun – No reception at the Presidents
Birth: 1784-11-24 Death: 1850-07-09
Tuesday morning – I called at Madame
Caravallo's
Birth: 1815-12-05 Death: 1851-03-20
Monday – The receptions
arenow very quiet affairs – we seldom meet
more than one or two persons – I for saw
no one at Lady Bulwers
Birth: 1817 Death: 1878
or Madame Carvallo'sI have seen nothing of the Carrolls
Birth: 1812-03-27
Death: 1895-02-11
Birth: 1802-03-02
Death: 1863-07-03
Birth: 1826-12-12 Death: 1909-08-24
left – Tell Frances that Madame Calderon
Birth: 1804-12-23 Death: 1882-02-06
was a Miss McLoud a Scoct Scotch teacher
at the time the Senor
Birth: 1790 Death: 1861
married her – This I heard before Fan left and I have since
learned that she is a sister of the Miss
McLoud
Birth: 1800-01-01 Death: 1866-09-08
who became so notorious byfavouring a clandestine match
Birth: 1799 Death: 1878-01-31
for one ofher pupils
Birth: 1826-04-27 Death: 1903-11-04
– Her school was then I
believein Boston – you will probably recollect
some of the circumstances – I believe I
have nothing more that is new of the gay world
[left Margin]
of yesterday with the sentiments of his speech a month ago –
you will be at no loss to devise the
cause of
this change
I never shall cease regretting dear Sis, that you are not
here to read with us the letters and papers about
Henry's speech – They are coming now from Ohio
and Michigan – I shall keep them for you –
They amply atone for the abuse from other quarters –
I am sorry that the miserable editor
Birth: 1804 Death: 1867-05-18
of the Republicinsists upon placing him in a false position with
regard to the Administration – I do not like to
hear the Good President blamed for that for
which he is not responsible –The Whig paper
is unfortunate in having a man for its editor
who cannot understand that there is a World
outside of Washington – I send you an article
from Michigan – take care of it – I have one
from Maine still better but as there is but one
copy to be had I do not send it – The speech
is sent as you desired– I wrote last week to Gen Scott
Birth: 1786-06-13 Death: 1866-05-29
making enquiries about Augustus
Birth: 1826-10-01 Death: 1876-09-11
furlough – A verypolite answer was immediately returned – enclosing
the order from Gen Twiggs
Birth: 1790-02-14 Death: 1862-07-15
for a leave of
absencefor 60 days – recommending an extension – Which
Gen Scott says he will grant with pleasure –
This order from Tampa Bay only reached New
York a few days ago – from which the
Gen – infers that Augustus has not until
about this time received the answer to his
application and that unless he left in the
confidence that it would come (which I know
he did not) he may not now be more
than 100 miles on his way home – If this is
the case I shall have another letter from Augustus
very soon – until then I can come to no decision
about leaving here – I regret exceedingly now that
I did not write when Augustus first
[right Margin]
I never had a doubt of Dr Webster
Birth: 1793-05-20 Death: 1850-08-30
guiltafter reading the evidence against
him yet I could not but hope
he might escape–
It was a horrid affair altogether