Florida 27^th Dec 1838
My dear W^m Henry
Your kind invitation for
us to attend your inaugural Message was
received by Mr Grier the 26^th Inst. My first
impression was to fly immediately to
your Arms, but after much consulta-
tion and reflection on the delicate state
of my health and the [ inclimincy ] of the
season of the season I am most reluctantly
[ conpelled ] to forego the the exquisite interest
I feel in attending that most important
part of your official duties. The facct is
I am not able to withstand the Journey[ . ]
May Heaven guide and support you
under the immense weight of your of-
ficial duties. Inflexible integrity[ , ] un-
yielding firmness[ , ] will[ , ] and patriotic
retrenchments and an unbending de-
termination to pursue the best interest
of the Whole People cannot help but
sustain you[ . ] God grant you wisdom
and health to carry out those measures[ . ]
My health permitting your dear Ma &myself will pay you a visit when
our beloved Francis arives.
A wide extended impression I find

Is already pervading the minds of Gentlemen
wishing to obtain office that the assistance of
the father between whom & the Son that the
most affection regard and reciprocal advices
had ever been sustained would be of importance
in aiding their views and their Interests[ . ]
On this point I wish to say once for all that
A system of favouritism I detest. Is he honest[ , ]
is he capable[ , ] is he faithfull is the test. I am a
sick man retired from business and of course
have not the oppertunity of testing mens
characters like persons in active life I
therefore wish that whatever I may subse-
[ qu ] ently say (and I am sure it will) on this
subject shall be merely advisory and the principles
and objects of which to be thoroughly scrutanised.
I know many highminded men who have been most
active in the cause of the people and many personal friends
who have exerted themselves from personal kindness
and good will. Those Gentlemen I shall be pleased to
see rewarded and cheerully recommend but in no
instance to the disadvantage of the people or the
dishonor of the State. On the subject of removing
f incumbents on party grounds I have reflected much
and come to this conclusion, That the course pursued
by the persons in power has been so directly against
the interest of their constituant and so completely de-
stroyed their prosperity that the rule should be

That wherever as good a man can be
found on the side of the people there the
true pollisy is to remove and supply
the place with a person who has the vital
interest of his country at heart observing
in all cases the rule first laid down.
The more of those aristocratic office
holders that are retained in their
plans the more oppertunity it will give
them to draw the wool over the eyes of their
deluded followers and rivet more strongly
on us the chains of despotism.
The friends of the Constitution were n[ o ]
better united nor never saw more fori [hole]
the [ needecssity ] of that Union than at the mom[ e ] n[ t ]
our victory was won in November[ . ] May it be
the desire and the effort of every friend of his
Country to unite more strongly and extensively
their Union of the people[ . ] We have powerfull[ , ]
wicked and unprincipled enemies to
contend with, no effort will be lacking to
mislead and divide the people and thus
retain themselves in power. New York will
be looked up to. I pray that by firmness[ , ] ho-
nesty & in [ lightened ] Legislation she may
set such an example as will lead many
other states to fall in.
Truly and affectionately yours
Sam^l S Seward
W. H. Seward Esq

Hon W. H Seward
Albany
DEC 30 N.Y.
Sam^l S. Seward. Florida.
Dec 27. 1838