Florida 27 June 1836
My beloved Henry,
As it is sometime since my health
has been equal to the task of writing a letter
it seems to be necessary to commence some weeks
past. During the dry spring I was unusually
well for me which enabled us to get our Boand
Hire farm and other business arranged and
thought for the Summer preparitary to our
Journey west. Thinking it necessary how-
ever to make a short visit to Mendham
and do some business there first we set
out the Tuesday the N.E. blow commensed[ . ]
The Journey was damp and unpleasant
still we returned Saturday evening in
tolerable health and full purpose to be
at Utica on the 8^th. But unfortunately E had
disputed with our hireling drove him
from the home and deranged all our plans[ . ]
This compelled me to expose myself to
incessant N.E. storms and blasts which soon
[ brot ] on an enflamation of ^the^ Chest and laid me
on my back for the last six weeks. Thus ended
my farming pursuits my delegations to
Utica my long anticipated visit to Auburn
and most of all an opportunity of consulting
as what you term “a great change in your
career of life and occupation”[ . ] In consiquince
of this indisposition I was deprived of seeing
Bate & McC at the Mayterm having the Chancery
Witness taken – making some necessary
[ avansemen ] as to the road – doing business
in New York &c &c[ . ] But I have suffered so
much pain and distress that everything
of a business character has been suspended[ . ]
I am now just able to walk into the parlour
and return to my room. Marcia’s health
about as usual. Cornelia has spent three weeks
with us – which has afforded us much comfort[ . ]

Your letter of the 11th Inst. was received the 20^th. Under
any circumstances you will readily perceive this
unexpected information would have given great
surprise. But went sick and totally unable to
transact any business myself with a swarm of
people about more anxious to be attended to and no
one able to give them a rational answer such
information was calculated to create the greatest
despondency. It had this effect – without a rational
hope of being able to transact business again
with any kind of accuracy, with a large sound
healthy honorable and safe circle of friends a-
bout me anxious for the continuance of my
establishment. With every prospect of inroads
being made into it by corruptions fraud
and felony. To be by removal from the
country deprived of my on ^ly^ hope & surcease
was a shock that I fear can never be recovered
& until I have seen you on your passage
up or down the river a hope would have
been cherished in my mind that I might
have placed my affairs before you in such
a light as to have caused a susspension at
least in your precipitate removal.
All businessmen have considered it
sound in policy to service and take care
of what you have then to enter into new
adventures. Would not this have been a
good rule to govern in this case. If when
you are by much labour and perplexity
earning $5000 per an. with a prospect of five
more I should by bad management loose
$2000 would ^not^ the opperation be considered
a bad one. But so we are situated and
having no other reliance I must make the
best of an unprotected situation – Providence
may desert all for good[ . ]

Feeble and distressed as I am it will give
me great pleasure to learn the parti-
culars of this great revolution. So vitally
interested in all your pursuits as I have
been you may readily conceive that a
thousand conjectures reach through
my mind – growing no doubt mostly
out of the want of information relative
to your present and future pursuits
you will therefore release my
anxiety by writing as soon as con-
venient as many particulars as
possible[ . ] Confined as I am to the house I
know not when I can get the witness in Chanc. convened
I have much other business suffering.
I dispair of going to the West this season if ever.
Jennings I suppose may but be bought off after
a season to come and take care of our
affairs but how his Missoura business [ star ]
or how far this would comport with the
interest of the family I know not. Perhaps you
may give me some information on that
point. The amount of costs collected for you
I will [ edeavor ] wery [ very ] soon to deposit in the
Newburgh Bank to the Credit of Seward & Beardsley
where you can draw for them.
Cornelia will probably stay sometime
with us and if Judge Miller would bring
Frances and the children down and spend
some months or weeks with us it would give
us great pleasure. If this should overtake
you at Chatauqua I hope you will write
without delay. Mulbachers Execution is
not yet collected[ . ]
Affectionately yours,
Saml S Seward
Wm H Seward Esq

William H Seward Esq
Auburn
Goshen NY Jul 1
S.S. Seward
June 27. 1836.