Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, April 10, 1850

  • Posted on: 17 July 2019
  • By: admin
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, April 10, 1850
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transcriber

Transcriber:spp:nwh

student editor

Transcriber:spp:cnk

Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive

Institution:University of Rochester

Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections

Date:1850-04-10

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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Lazette Miller Worden, April 10, 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: Auburn, NY

transcription: nwh 

revision: crb 2019-01-29

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Page 1

Washington April 10th
My dear Sister,
Your letter has not come this week
but I think it will tomorrow – I have another
letter from Augustus
Birth: 1826-10-01 Death: 1876-09-11
dated the 15 of March at
which time he had not received his leave
of absence – he says he shall set out as soon
as it arrives and thought it must be within
two weeks – That would make the time of his
departure about the 1st of April – perhaps a
little earlier –Next week I shall begin to look
for him again – I am getting my house in order
to leave that I may not be detained here more
than one week after he comes – We are having
about as cold and unpleasant weather as we
usually have at the North at this season —
I went Monday to hear Col. Benton’s
Birth: 1782-03-14 Death: 1858-04-10
speech — The
ladies were not admitted on the floor, indeed
there were but few of them but the gallery was
crowded with men and I sat from ½ past
10 until 4 oclock very uncomfortably – The
Col made a very good speech – I was perhaps
unnecessarily disappointed that he did not
speak decidedly against slavery – but this
he has never done in the Senate – He is a
Page 2

much more impassioned speaker than either Webster
Birth: 1782-01-18 Death: 1852-10-24

or Clay
Birth: 1777-04-12 Death: 1852-06-29
– too much so sometimes for my taste
but in his gentler moments his voice is very
sweet and persuasive – He is a very fine looking
man – there is something about his face that
always reminds me of Grandma Miller
Birth: 1751 Death: 1835-10-03

The question of admitting a con California
without any compromise was discussed by Benton
& Clay after the conclusion of the speech – you
will read it all – Mr Webster was not there
it seems to me he is not there half his time
It was asserted by Mr Foote
Birth: 1804-02-28 Death: 1880-05-20
that he had again
changed his position and would now vote for
California only in conjunction with other measures
to be determined by the committee of 13 – I do not
think anyone knows how he will vote – if he
is there at all which is by no means certain —
he certainly evinces no fixed principle on the
subject – I send you to days Union – in it
you will see a singular debate in relation
to the census bill which occurred in the Senate
yesterday – I want you to read it all and tell me
what impression it makes upon your mind – There
is also an account of a Dinner at Baltimore where
Mr Webster received abundance of incense and
where ^Sir^ Henry Bulwer
Birth: 1801-02-13 Death: 1872-05-23
made a speech which struck
Page 3

me as being very flippant in the outset though
on the whole very proper and some parts of
it fine – I have no doubt the adulation of the
“wealthy and respectable” classes is quite as acceptable
^to Mr Webster^ indeed more so than any manifestation of popular
approbation could be – his sympathies (if he is capable
of so warm an emotion) are with and for that class —
Henry
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
I believe thinks I judge him too uncharitably
but I have studied his course carefully and do not
think I am mistaken – I never saw a more impassive
face – Henry continues to receive very flattering
testimony to the uprightness of his views he has now
some 1600 letters unanswered – Among them
are many of warm commendation from all parties —
A very excellent and phylos philosophical letter
from Judge Conkling
Birth: 1789-10-12 Death: 1874-02-05
– I hope to bring a portion
of them home for you to read – Yesterday morning
I spent in shopping – In the evening I ^we^ called
at Col Bentons and Mr Merediths
Birth: 1799-06-08 Death: 1873-08-17
but found
all out – This morning the ground was
covered with snow – I went this evening to
invite Mrs Nelson
Birth: 1805 Death: 1875-04
and Mrs Carroll
Birth: 1812-03-27 Death: 1895-02-11
to take
tea with me tomorrow evening – They are
coming but the visit is deferred until Saturday
as the Judges
x Birth: 1802-03-02  Death: 1863-07-03  Birth: 1792-11-10  Death: 1873-12-13 
are occupied every other evening —
Judge Wayne
Birth: 1790 Death: 1867-07-05
is to be of the party – Mrs Nelson
is at Gadsby’s
x

Editorial Note

Gadsby’s is in reference to the National Hotel in Washington, D.C. owned by John Gadsby (1766-18440515).
– Mrs Carroll has been quite
Page 4

ill and is still coughing and hoarse – They continue
to be oppressed with engagements – Violet
Birth: 1829-12-09 Death: 1872-07-24
was out
this evening – had been to two weddings this week
Friday morning – Your Monday letter has just
come I am glad I have kept this until this
time – now I shall send it to Auburn —
I hope you will be there tomorrow – I send
the “Unions” to Fred
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
as the reports are generally
more full than in the Intelligencer – I
expect Mrs John Davis
Birth: 1791-02-17 Death: 1872-01-24
to take tea with me
this evening – this being my reception morning
I have less time to write – Yesterday I
went to present Clarence
Birth: 1828-10-07 Death: 1897-07-24
to Lady Bulwer
Birth: 1817 Death: 1878

and spent the remainder of the morning
making visits – As I found most of the
people at home I could not make many —
Mrs Collamer
Birth: 1796-06-23 Death: 1870-05-10
and her daughter
Birth: 1834-10-25 Death: 1917-07-11Certainty: Probable
are both very
ill – I called but saw no one – I saw
for the first time Mrs Butler
Birth: 1816-10-24 Death: 1895-08-01
the wife of our
clergyman
Birth: 1810-10-16 Death: 1890-03-05
– You know she is the Mrs Butler of
Onderdonk
Birth: 1791-07-15 Death: 1861-04-30
notoriety – I was agreeably surprised
to find her intelligent agreeable and very
pretty – the latter I had supposed however – She
must have been very young at that time as she
does not now look more than 26 –She is a
Virginian and said Mr Seward must give her
credit for all the sympathy she felt in his
course as she was the daughter & sister of slave
owners
Birth: 1791 Death: 1852-07-28
– Love to all at home Your own Sister