Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, May 7, 1850
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, May 7, 1850
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:pxc
student editorTranscriber:spp:smc
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1850-05-07
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, May 7, 1850
action: sent
sender: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: Auburn, NY
receiver: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: Washington D.C., US
transcription: smc
revision: crb 2019-02-01
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Editorial Note
My dear Henry,
I am up at 5 oclock this
morning after an almost sleepless
night – If I thought I should see
you within a week I would not
write this letter, but that is
too uncertain to be calculated
upon – My letter of Sunday
which Augustus
Birth: 1826-10-01 Death: 1876-09-11
will give you before you receive this was
hurriedly written – while taking
care of one sick child and
preparing another for a journey –
I did not say all I thought
nor can I now, but I feel
constrained to add to what
I have said already –
Augustus is going to Europe
prematurely – he goes in com-
pliance with our wishes
without those anticipations
of pleasure or benefit which
would make the voyage
agreeable and desirable –
He is impelled to this by the idea
that he cannot honorably use
a furlough granted upon
such a suggestion for any other
purpose. In this he may or
may not be mistaken – the
impression cannot be removed –
All this may be obviated
by resigning his commission
at once – this I most ear-
nestly desire – I know there
are forcible reasons for a
contrary course but they are
all swept away by the knowledge
which I cannot disguise from
myself and ought not to dis-
guise from you that our child
will be ruined if he returns
to the Army. We have caused
him to pass through the fire
and have no right to arraign
the justice of God if he has
not come out unscathed.
While there is a doubt about
his returning to the Army all
my exertions are paralysed,
relieved from this, I will go any
where, do any thing you think
best – Twenty four years ago
God committed to our care a
spirit as stainless as ever
came to earth, we have erred
in its training and cannot
ask his blessing for our
future endeavours if they are
not consistent with his ex-
pressed will – Do not allow
any prospect of advancement
influence you – I would
not consent to Augustus'
return to the Army if he
could tomorrow take the
place of Gen Scott
Birth: 1786-06-13 Death: 1866-05-29
–Frederick
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
is not materiallybetter this morning – I
send to day for Dr Robinson
Birth: 1804-02-04 Death: 1889-07-28
–Your own
Frances