Canandaigua, 17 February, 1851
Mrs Seward and Mrs Worden,
My dear Friends,
I received an hour ago,
Mrs. Worden’s letter asking in regard to Edward,
“Whether he was intemperate?” I will answer
fully and, as requested, at once. He is not intem-
perate in any sense in which that word obtained at
the South. Once, after a somewhat labored
dinner party he asked Mr. Seward if they
could have one of the small bottles of cham–
pagne for the servants. The request was granted,
and after all the others had departed, (Mr. & Mrs.
Seward had gone to some party and Mr School-
craft I believe to the Presidents) Edward paid me
a visit, and showed very plainly by best manner
that he had taken too much, not enough to
make him silly but quite voluble, At one
or two other times, and I am not now certain
which, (once I remember,) I thought thought the
same results had been produced. I sometimes
thought I noticed him exercising a little
shrewdness in filling the glasses later in the meal
than the owners needed. The “pop” in broaching
a new bottle once called attention to the fact
that it was not needed and prevented the glass
being filled. It may be necessary to attend to the

amount left in the open bottles, but I think
it is only necessary to see to the drops left in the
glasses. Those that use the glasses ought to drink
them to the bottom. I have stated all that I
know or saw. I cannot censure the slave, it
seems to me almost inevitable that slaves
should cultivate some vices, the virtues
and their ^earthly^ rewards are mostly beyond their
reach. I am glad however that this opportunity
is afforded me of calling attention to what I saw,
so that the glasses may be watched and the
poor fellow spared from becoming intemperate
and losing his character. I believe that what
I have indicated will be all that is necessary.
I wrote last night stating a
disposition to be made of the copy of Milton,
and also, my reasons, for leaving it, that I
could not well bring that and Mr Cheesebro’s
paper & that the binding was too brittle upon
the books in their old age to permit their being
safely brought without being in a box, &c.
The little paper box indicative
of a gold pen &c. I wish, Mrs. Worden to bring with
her when she comes. I hope I shall be advised
by letter of all things often.
Yours truly,
Your Loving Friend, M. OWilder

Mrs Seward, & Mrs. Worden
Washington
h Mr. Wilder
1851