Letter from Samuel Swayze Seward to William Henry Seward, January 19, 1861

  • Posted on: 25 May 2021
  • By: admin
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Letter from Samuel Swayze Seward to William Henry Seward, January 19, 1861
x

transcriber

Transcriber:spp:rew

student editor

Transcriber:spp:csh

Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive

Institution:University of Rochester

Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections

Date:1861-01-19

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Letter from Samuel Swayze Seward to William Henry Seward, January 19, 1861

action: sent

sender: Samuel Seward
Birth: 1838-04-16  Death: 1916-02-22

location: San Francisco, CA

receiver: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16  Death: 1872-10-10

location: Washington D.C., US

transcription: rew 

revision: agw 2020-12-24

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Page 1

San Francisco Jan. 19. 1861.
My dear Uncle,
When I wrote to you by the last
steamer I did not expect to write to you a-
gain on the same subject, and I believe I
said so in my letter; but it was with a mental
reservation that in a certain event I would
change my mind. That event has transpired.
In the letter which I sent you by Pony Express
I mentioned several positions which would be
acceptable to me, but I fear I was not suffi-
ciently definite in regard to any one of them.
Now I have a plan which will suit my
wishes better than any other and at the
same time serve a friend
Birth: 1823-04-29 Death: 1915-02-16
who has been very
kind to me. I mean the present City and
County atty for this city. Mr. S. W. Holladay
by whose appointment I hold the position I
now fill and have filled for a year past.
I have the most unlimited confidence in
Mr. Holladay in every respect. I can en-
dorse him most fully as a man of honor &
capability; and who would arouse less
Page 2

jealousy, and by a modest but independent
course, reflect more credit upon the admin-
istration than any man I have yet heared named
for the position which he covets. He will give
me the best deputy-ship at his command, and
thus I shall gain two ends – my own ad-
vancement and the gratification of serving
a sincere friend. Mr. Holladay has only
made up his mind to pursue this course du-
ring the last few days or I would have men-
tioned it sooner. I told him sometime ago
I would do whatever I could for him. I know
of but two applicants for the office. One Mr.
Lockwood
Unknown
offered me an appointment under
him if I would do what I am now doing for
Mr. Holladay, but upon consultation with Mr.
Edwin Stanly
Birth: 1810-01-10 Death: 1872-07-26
& Mr. H.S. Love
Unknown
, I concluded I could
not properly do it. The other A.A. Delores
Unknown
is
far from being a thorough-going Seward man,
but used his influence I believe for Banks
Birth: 1816-01-30 Death: 1894-09-01
of
Mass.
Mr Holladay wishes the appointment of
Navy Agent, and has written to some of his
friends in the East to advance his desires.
If you think you would rather I should not
accept or hold any federal office I will
obey your slightest wish, and in that case
would be pleased if you would use your in-
Page 3

fluences for Mr. Holladay irrespective of my
wishes.
I must tell you that I have made the
acquaintance (and I think secured the regard)
of the Rev. T. Starr King
Birth: 1824-12-17 Death: 1864-03-04
of Boston. Last even-
ing I was invited to his house to meet a
Mr. Tompkins
Birth: 1815-05-08 Death: 1872-11-14
formerly law partner with
Daniel S. Dickinson.
Birth: 1800-09-11 Death: 1866-04-12
The society of such men
is my highest pleasure.
My best regards to Aunt Francis
Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21
, Fanny
Birth: 1844-12-09 Death: 1866-10-29

and the rest of your family
x Birth: 1834-03-29  Death: 1919-05-02  Birth: 1830-07-08  Death: 1915-04-25 
in Washington.
Affectionately
Your Nephew,
Samuel S. Seward.
Hon Wm H. Seward
P.S. Mr. Holladay's name is Samuel W.
Page 4

Hand Shiftx

Frances Seward

Birth: 1805-09-24 Death: 1865-06-21Certainty: Possible
S. S. Seward
Jan 19. 1861