Washington Jan 27 ^t
My dear Son,
I believe this is the
week for the Isabel so I will
have a letter ready –Your last
letter I think the 4 ^t of Jan– came
while we were in the middle
of so much gaiety that I
sent it on to Aunt Clara
in place of writing her a letter
We have had two or three
dinners and one evening
party since Frances came –
which have kept us all pretty
busy – I think you must
have felt something of the
excessive cold weather which
we have had here – I do not
remember ever to have felt the

cold more any where –
2 nights this week the
Thermometer has been 12 deg
below zero – this would
be cold at the North but
at Albany it is 20 or 30 –
Fred writes that the steam
had frozen in the papers
or that it was difficult
one day to get the papers
printed – Aunty writes that
every thing was frozen at
Auburn – the ink on her
table in the room where she
had a fire until 11 oclock
at night, was frozen in the
morning – Our climate
now seems much like
that of Canada – Aunt
Clara is well – I was
glad she got home before

the coldest weather came.
Will I think will stay
with Mr. Barnes through
the Winter – He wrote me
a letter not long ago giving
an account of Dennis’ mis-
demeanor’s – Dennis and
another Irishman had driven
Fanny all day and as he
thought nearly killed her –
he found them just putting
her in the stall, whipping her
because she could not get
in with the cutter unfastened
they were both drunk –
Will push them out of the
barn and dismissed Dennis
employing another man in
his place – which summary
measure I think was
justified by the provocation

though we may employ Dennis
again as gardener should
he be without employment
in the Spring – Spring will
come in about a month – I
am glad for those who have
not the means of keeping warm
of which there must be mul-
-titudes – we hear occasionally
of some persons frozen to
death. 2 in Philadelphia –
Our horses do very well – The
carriage did not get here
is probably frozen on the way –
Our family are the same
as when I last wrote – All
wish to be remembered to you.
People are beginning to talk of the
Inauguration– nothing very
important is doing in Congress.
Simonton one of the reporters
for the Times has been

examined by a committee of the
house in relation to a charge
of “bribery and corruption” which
he made in some of his reports –
he refuses to give his proofs –
has been, ostensibly, imprisoned
for contempt – A bill has
passed both houses of Congress
making it a penal offence
for a person to withhold
information under such cir-
cumstances – so he will
be compelled to retract or
to substantiate his charge –
This is at present the chief
subject of discourse among
the members – The Tribune
has some rather spiteful
articles about your Father
for which I believe Mr.
Raymond not Mr. Greeley

is held responsible – Mr. Weed
was here at Anna’s evening
party – I have not seen
him – he comes to Washington
againy again next week –
Fred writes often to Anna
and seems well. Fanny
sends love – she is not
very well but is about
the house – We often wish
you could come and
stay a week or two, but
it is too cold now –
Father keeps well – except
one ill turn which was
occasioned by the swelling
of his face – he is better
than he was last Fall –
Mr. Sumner is not able
to come though he talks of
it every week – he is reelected

[right Margin] God bless you
Mother –

Lient. A. H. Seward
Assist. Coast Survey
Key West
Florida
hWilliam H. Seward
WASHINGTON CY D.C.
JAN 28
1857
FREE

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