Letter from Alvah H. Worden to William Henry Seward, September 5, 1831
xml:
Letter from Alvah H. Worden to William Henry Seward, September 5, 1831
transcriberTranscriber:spp:crb
student editorTranscriber:spp:sss
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1831-09-05
In the context of this project, private URIs with the prefix "psn" point to
person elements in the project's persons.xml authority file.
In the context of this project, private URIs with the prefix "pla" point to
place elements in the project's places.xml authority file.
In the context of this project, private URIs with the prefix "psn" point to
person elements in the project's staff.xml authority file.
In the context of this project, private URIs with the prefix "psn" point to
person elements in the project's bibl.xml authority file.
verical-align: super; font-size: 12px;
text-decoration: underline;
text-decoration: line-through;
color: red;
Letter from Alvah H. Worden to William Henry Seward, September 5, 1831
action: sent
sender:
Alvah Worden
Person
Name: Alvah Worden
Birth: 1797-03-06
Death: 1856-02-16
Person
location:
Auburn NY
Place
Name: City: Auburn
County: Cayuga
State: NY
Country: US
Place
receiver:
William Seward
Person
Name: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
Person
location:
Albany NY
Place
Name: City: Albany
County: Albany
State: NY
Country: US
Place
transcription: crb
revision: crb 2016-03-14
<>
Page 1
September 5. 1831
WH Seward
D Sir
Yours of the 30th is received. I send you the address
with the signatures Horning
I supposed they had until the whole form was on the Press and
they were obliged to be struck off.
The Central Committe had a meeting about
Alling this day, and from certain reasons, they thought best
not to postpone the nomination, Every thing appears to be going
on in our ranks harmoniously. I know of no stress for nomina-
tions, – I think the South part of the County have settled down
into the belief that it is best to nominate Manchester
Name: Elias Manchester
Birth: 1758-08-15
Death: 1846-03-14
& Fuller
Name: Philo Fuller
Birth: 1787-08-14
Death: 1855-08-16
^for assembly^ and one in North and across the river will be also nomin-
ated – as yet I hear ^of^ no interest made or making. Judge Smith
Name: Chauncey Smith
Birth: 1785-05-04
Death: 1853-08-08
is anxious to be clerk and I think it not unlikely that he
may be nominated for the assembly. There will be no dif-
ficulty about the clerk. I find that some fears are had
by the People of the Southern towns that some things connected
with ^Rathbones^ old business will injure him, - Fuller was at my office
the other day – and spoke about it. and some of the southern
people are of opinion that I had better be nominated. I fear
I cannot get elected, and don't want to be used up. as I
must be for the present if I am beat. I find that the
Anti Masons say more about my nomination than I expected
they would. I tell them to do just as they please, only I wish
them to understand that. I have no claims and do not ask
for the nomination. The Office of Clerk you must know would
Page 2
be particularly desirable to me, on account of its perquisites. My
present business has not been worth $300 to me this year and I can
not expect to realize from it anything like that sum the year
Coming- were it not for this the Office of Clerk would not be one
I should court. Brown
Name: Henry Brown
Birth: 1790
Death: 1849-05-16
is in the Convention and will be for Hoskins
Name: Charles Hoskins
Birth: 1799-10-16
Death: 1897-04-17
but Hoskins is not thought of by the party generally. Capt Warden
Name: Allen Warden
Birth: 1781-02-26
Death: 1854-10-31
is
in favor of my getting the nomination, and will use his endeavors
to effect it. I think it more than probably that I shall have as
many in that convention friendly to me as any other person
and I presume that should I use any exactions I could get
a nomination, I shall use none, myself and I do not know
whether I ought or ought not to allow others to do so. I am
not in any hurry for Office nor under any fears but when
I seek for one I can get it.- but it seems to me that unless
the convention shall hit upon me voluntarily for the Office of
Clerk, it is not my business to pass a nomination and were I not
as poor as the devil I would not have the nomination at this time
there will be no colision in the convention about this or any other
nomination, I am confident and there is no interest making
by any one as I believe saving Judge Smith. Should Grangers
Name: Francis Granger
Birth: 1792-12-01
Death: 1868-08-31
friends
press him upon the Convention he will not be nominated as there
is a determination to have a nomination made that shall
be the work of the Convention solely.
Doubleday
Name: Ulysses Doubleday
Birth: 1792-12-15
Death: 1866-03-11
will soon return from the Editorship of the
Cayuga Patriot. this may account for a little soft soap you may
find hastened upon him in the Republican. It will I fear not take
place until after Election if it does we will make something
out of it. I have such your assurance that Doubleday will realize
Page 3
that unless he does so before Election it will be so stated as an
Event to be. and you know it would have an effect in this county
Could it be made to appear that Granger had forced him to it.
The Clayites are circulating their Circular for names
as yet none but Masons have signed it they will get perhaps
One Hundred names to it. The result will be beneficial to Anti Masonry
such men as Coffin
Name: Robert Coffin
Birth: 1778
Death: 1842-11-28
, Phelps
Jackson
Name: Andrew Jackson
Birth: 1767-03-15
Death: 1845-06-08
in oposition to Anti Masonry have signed the Clay address
Since writing the above I have seen a delegate to the Convention
from Semipronius
Name: City: Sempronius
County: Cayuga
State: NY
Country: US
and who has told Captain Worden that they
talk of me for a nomination, but are fearful that I have been to
active of late to make it appear like asking pay down, I under-
stand the Captain told him, I was not seeking a nomination &
the thing ought not to be settled on either way untill the Convention.
met. I wish you would write me what you
believe I had better do. I doubt myself the pro-
priety of my being nominated this fall for either
my own good or the good of the party. It does appear to me that I
am in a good way with the Anti Masons of this County. and a
little asking too much might hurt me. Should the Convention come
to the Conclusion that it would not do to take Rathbone or that it
would be better not to take him, I think the choice would fall upon
me, and I knowing well that I shall have a good many men
in that convention who will give me the preference over Rathbone.
My saying Openly I did not wish the Office has done me good.
I believe Manchester would prefer Rathbone but Cuyler
Name: Glen Cuyler
Birth: 1775-02-18
Death: 1832-09-01
is rather opposed
to his renomination and Glen
chester will oppose Glens wishes. The Delegates from Auburn, are Capt War-
den, Elmira Cutler
Name: William Brown
Birth: 1796-11-09
Death: 1867-06-17
, Eldad Steel
Name: Cyrus Underwood
Birth: 1801-09-16
Death: 1881-10-12
Josiah
Hopkins
Name: Josiah Hopkins
Birth: 1786-04-25
Death: 1862-06-27
, Erastus Humphreys
Name: Erastus Humphreys
Birth: 1785-05-17
Death: 1848-03-09
Rathbone and myself.
AW.
[left Margin] Frances
Name: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
& Lazette
Name: Lazette Worden
Birth: 1803-11-01
Death: 1875-10-03
& the children
Name: Frederick Seward
Birth: 1830-07-08
Death: 1915-04-25
Name: Augustus Seward
Birth: 1820-05-18
Death: 1889-05-08
are all to Romulus
Name: City: Romulus
County: Seneca
State: NY
Country: US
, and have been a week.
Page 4
Hon W. H. Seward
of the Senate
Albany
AUBURN NY SEPT 6
Type: postmark
Name: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
A Worden
5 Sept. 1831
September 5. 1831
WH Seward
D Sir
Yours of the 30th is received. I send you the address
with the signatures Horning
Unknown
& LockeUnknown
did not send in the names asI supposed they had until the whole form was on the Press and
they were obliged to be struck off.
The Central Committe had a meeting about
Alling this day, and from certain reasons, they thought best
not to postpone the nomination, Every thing appears to be going
on in our ranks harmoniously. I know of no stress for nomina-
tions, – I think the South part of the County have settled down
into the belief that it is best to nominate Manchester
Person
Person
^for assembly^ and one in North and across the river will be also nomin-
ated – as yet I hear ^of^ no interest made or making. Judge Smith
Person
is anxious to be clerk and I think it not unlikely that he
may be nominated for the assembly. There will be no dif-
ficulty about the clerk. I find that some fears are had
by the People of the Southern towns that some things connected
with ^Rathbones^ old business will injure him, - Fuller was at my office
the other day – and spoke about it. and some of the southern
people are of opinion that I had better be nominated. I fear
I cannot get elected, and don't want to be used up. as I
must be for the present if I am beat. I find that the
Anti Masons say more about my nomination than I expected
they would. I tell them to do just as they please, only I wish
them to understand that. I have no claims and do not ask
for the nomination. The Office of Clerk you must know would
be particularly desirable to me, on account of its perquisites. My
present business has not been worth $300 to me this year and I can
not expect to realize from it anything like that sum the year
Coming- were it not for this the Office of Clerk would not be one
I should court. Brown
Person
Person
but Hoskins is not thought of by the party generally. Capt Warden
Person
in favor of my getting the nomination, and will use his endeavors
to effect it. I think it more than probably that I shall have as
many in that convention friendly to me as any other person
and I presume that should I use any exactions I could get
a nomination, I shall use none, myself and I do not know
whether I ought or ought not to allow others to do so. I am
not in any hurry for Office nor under any fears but when
I seek for one I can get it.- but it seems to me that unless
the convention shall hit upon me voluntarily for the Office of
Clerk, it is not my business to pass a nomination and were I not
as poor as the devil I would not have the nomination at this time
there will be no colision in the convention about this or any other
nomination, I am confident and there is no interest making
by any one as I believe saving Judge Smith. Should Grangers
Person
press him upon the Convention he will not be nominated as there
is a determination to have a nomination made that shall
be the work of the Convention solely.
Doubleday
Person
Cayuga Patriot. this may account for a little soft soap you may
find hastened upon him in the Republican. It will I fear not take
place until after Election if it does we will make something
out of it. I have such your assurance that Doubleday will realize
that unless he does so before Election it will be so stated as an
Event to be. and you know it would have an effect in this county
Could it be made to appear that Granger had forced him to it.
The Clayites are circulating their Circular for names
as yet none but Masons have signed it they will get perhaps
One Hundred names to it. The result will be beneficial to Anti Masonry
such men as Coffin
Person
Unknown
, Joshua L JonesUnknown
who have always gone with Jackson
Person
Since writing the above I have seen a delegate to the Convention
from Semipronius
Place
talk of me for a nomination, but are fearful that I have been to
active of late to make it appear like asking pay down, I under-
stand the Captain told him, I was not seeking a nomination &
the thing ought not to be settled on either way untill the Convention.
met. I wish you would write me what you
believe I had better do. I doubt myself the pro-
priety of my being nominated this fall for either
my own good or the good of the party. It does appear to me that I
am in a good way with the Anti Masons of this County. and a
little asking too much might hurt me. Should the Convention come
to the Conclusion that it would not do to take Rathbone or that it
would be better not to take him, I think the choice would fall upon
me, and I knowing well that I shall have a good many men
in that convention who will give me the preference over Rathbone.
My saying Openly I did not wish the Office has done me good.
I believe Manchester would prefer Rathbone but Cuyler
Person
to his renomination and Glen
Unknown
is rather Vociferous for Granger and Man-chester will oppose Glens wishes. The Delegates from Auburn, are Capt War-
den, Elmira Cutler
Unknown
, William BrownPerson
Unknown
Cyrus UnderwoodPerson
Person
Person
AW.
[left Margin] Frances
Person
Person
People
Place
Hon W. H. Seward
of the Senate
Albany
AUBURN NY SEPT 6
Stamp
Person
5 Sept. 1831
date:
Monday, September 5, 1831
receiver:
sender:
year:
place_node: