Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Augustus Henry Seward, March 5, 1859
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Augustus Henry Seward, March 5, 1859
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:srb
student editorTranscriber:spp:cnk
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1859-03-05
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Letter from Frances Miller Seward to Augustus Henry Seward, March 5, 1859
action: sent
sender: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: Washington D.C., US
receiver: Augustus Seward
Birth: 1826-10-01
Death: 1876-09-11
location: Key West, FL
transcription: srb
revision: zz 2020-12-02
<>
Page 1
Washington March 5th
My dear Son,
I received your letter
dated the 10th of Feb three or
four days ago – Had I answered
it immediately my letter
might have returned by the
same steamer that brought
yours – I was not well enough
to write just then – and now
I suppose the steamer has re-
turned. You seem to think you
will be obliged to join your
regiment – Your Father
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10
thinksnot – I hope not – We hear nothing
from Professor Bache
Birth: 1806-07-19 Death: 1867-02-17
on the subjectso we infer no requisition
has been made yet –
Sunday March 6 th – We have a
fine bright morning – the first
Sunday in Spring –
It is one week today since
Barton Key
Birth: 1818-04-05 Death: 1859-02-27
was murdered byDan Sickles
Birth: 1819-10-20 Death: 1914-05-03
– the town
isstill engaged in discussing the
merits of the parties – I think
they are all deficient in very
meritorious qualities – Sickles
though a New York politician has
been known for years as a
grossly licentious man – Rumor
says he lived in communal inter-
course with the mother of his
wife
Birth: 1836 Death: 1867-02-05
at the time he
marriedher. A girl of 16 brought up
under such influences could
not be expected to prove a
very faithful wife – The attentions
of Barton Key have been the
subject of much comment
for nearly a year – They were
permitted by Sickles, persevered
in by Key and received by
Mrs Sickles though all
were admonished by their
respective friends at different
times – When Sickles ascertained
that the matter was public, with
the advice of his friend Butterworth
Birth: 1811-11-10 Death: 1875-05-03
he determined to shoot Key
murder him in plain terms, and
Attacking an unarmed man
with 3 loaded pistols, shooting
him the second time when he
was imploring mercy, and
the 3d time when he had
fallen to the ground, can have
no milder signification than
deliberate murder – Had Sickles
been a man who had respected
the rights of others he would
have had more apology for
the unbridled revenge – which
after all is a mere selfish grat–
ification, neither benefitting his
guilty wife or society –
I see no apology for the conduct
of Key who was a man of 40
with a family of children
Birth: 1855-03-08
Death: 1888-01-30
Birth: 1854-02-04
Death: 1910-05-16
Birth: 1848
Death: 1934-05-20
Birth: 1846-08-25
Death: 1908-10-04
his wife
Birth: 1818 Death: 1855-03-20
being dead – The woman is 22 Sickles 40 – She
seems to me the most pitiable
of all – though such crimes ought
not to be excused – She has a
daughter of 6 years – Mr Buchanan
Birth: 1791-04-23 Death: 1868-06-01
took Sickles to London as his
sec- of Legation soon after his
marriage – his reputation follow-
ing him there excluded both
him and his wife from the
best society – It is a long story
of crime and blood – I have
written what seems to me to be
the truth from which many
of the Journals are widely astray –
Anna
Birth: 1834-03-29 Death: 1919-05-02
is to leave us tomorrowmorning, in company with Hollis
White
Birth: 1813
who goes to
Albany–We shall all miss her very
much – Congress having ad-
journed many people have
[bottom Margin] All send love –
left town already – more
will go tomorrow –
The Executive session of the
Senate may last through
this week – Frances
Birth: 1826-12-12 Death: 1909-08-24
is
in New York talks
some of coming here for
a few days before re-
turning home – Aunty
Birth: 1803-11-01 Death: 1875-10-03
is staying with Frank
Birth: 1854-02-13 Death: 1931-05-23
at Canandaigua –
Aunt Clara
Birth: 1793-05-01 Death: 1862-09-05
is well asusual – I hope we shall
get home by the 7th of
April though no time is
fixed for us to leave –
Lord
Birth: 1819-09-19 Death: 1898-12-19
&Lady Napier
Birth: 1823-12-20 Death: 1911-08-24
will notgo before the middle of this
month – Lord Lyon
Birth: 1817-04-06 Death: 1887-12-05
has
notarrived yet – Last week
I dined at the French Ministers
Birth: 1809-01-17 Death: 1892-10-05
they were so kind as to in-
vite none but our family
so that I could come – We
spent a pleasant evening –
Fred
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
was not able to comehere as we hoped he might –
Will
Birth: 1839-06-18 Death: 1920-04-29
& Fanny
Birth: 1844-12-09 Death: 1866-10-29
have beenriding, she on a pony & Will
one of the carriage horses,
for three or four days – Fanny
is much better – so am I –
Mr
Birth: 1829 Death: 1832-03-29
&Mrs
Cary
Birth: 1788 Death: 1863-06-22
spent 5
dayswith us last week – they
have changed very little
made many inquiries about
you – N.B. If any thing should
prevent your coming home I
shall come to see you somewhere
should you be sent away as I
hope you will not –
May God preserve you
Mother
h
Hand Shift
Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10William Seward
h
Hand Shift
Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21Frances Seward
Assist. Coast Survey
Key West
Florida
WASHINGTON CITY D.C.
MAR
3
1859
FREE