SEWARD, William Henry (1801-1872). American statesman. Twelfth governor of New York.
Good series of four letters (one dictated) to Sir Henry Holland (1788-1873, physician and traveller), 14 pages 8vo and 4to, October 1863 to January 1866. The first two letters written during the period of the American Civil War, and the last two in the aftermath of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Some dust-soiling but generally in good condition. All written from Washington.

Giving news of his son's health ('the subject of my present anxiety') and other family and topical news ('Our information from the theatre of war is satisfactory') [1863].

'... I am reading your book whenever I find time to ready any thing. ... If I had not information to the contrary I should think myself reading Humboldt when I take up one of your scientific essays. ...
 'We understand the rebellion to be ?reducing, but we do not know how rapidly. Our army is recently into a perfect rush. The whole country is becoming disgusted with slavery, and its extinction is thought certain. ...
 'At present the indication is that Mr Lincoln will be re[-e]lected with great certainty... .' [17 January 1864.

Seward writes again in November 1865 (dictated but signed), explaining his reasons for not having answered Holland's letter of the previous April [the month of Lincoln's assassination and the attempt on Seward's own life]. In January 1866 he describes his visit to the West Indies and returns to the subject of slavery:

'... it was not necessry for me to visit the West Indies to know, that two hundred years of the [illegible] of slavery produces demoralization of both master and slave which can not be removed all of a sudden by an act of emancipation... .'

[No: 25769]