Benjamin Franklin Butler Papers (N)
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Having kindly permitted me occasionally to give myself the pleasure of writing you, I am thus early to accept of your indulgence, tho' I am conscious that I can neither afford you, interest or amusement.
But if so, I shall at least have the gratification of speaking to one who knows my heart & may form some conception of my feelings, of my Harriett. That pleasure, <such> as it is, is... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
I send the certificate in Dentons case having been fortunate enough to find the Bill of Mr. <Henry's> & the answers among the rubbish of the Registers office. But you will see that the exact amount paid for the Judgment of Van Schaack is not set forth in the answers. I will send the order of Reference & the subpoenas on Friday, the order not being yet made out. The Jamesville people... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: MVB
As I gave you fair notice of my intention of adressing you, I hope you will not be surprised at the receipt of this. I found your friends, and my friends, in good spirits, gay, pleasant & agreeable as ever. Olcott & myself spent the ^last^ evening with them at Mrs. Ten Eycks, very agreeably, I assure you. Miss Edmonds & Miss O under the protection of the man of war, Majr. Swift, left... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I was very agreeably surprised, on finding our dear friend, your ma, at <meeting> yesterday morning. I spent the last evening with her, and am commissioned to inform you that she will remain here 'till Wednesday. Don't be frightened. She will positively go down with the girls on that day. Laura begged, Jane said she would stay, Mrs Jenkins intreated, Judge S. consented, and between all,... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I wrote you yesterday by Miss Olcott, but as I had a great many things to say to you, I intentionally avoided saying any thing more of your letter by Laura, than that I had received it. But now permit me to express if I can how much I am indebted to you. Never did any thing of the kind afford me such heartfelt pleasure. The unreserved, frank, and manly expression of your affection, almost... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
Enclosed is the bill of W. W. & T. L. Chester for floor covering. The money was to be sent on its arrival. As you have no funds in the Mechanick's & F. Bank, will you forward them a check on the Hudson Bank, payable to the order of W. W. & T. Chester, as they have requested?
S. Allen yesterday shewed me a written Opinion of Mr. Emmett, agreeing with yours on the subject of the... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: MVB
I received your note by Bingham and intended to have written you by him. I told him so and he engaged to be the bearer of my letter. Olcott also wrote, but he disappointed us both. I was not much pleased with him before, for having taken it into his head for the first time in his life, to be in a prodigious hurry, just as the best girl in the world was writing a few lines to her truest and most... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: MVB
Your letter by Mr. Stanton came in good time. It was received with the greatest pleasure. And I can assure you that I needed it. For the last two or three days I had been considerably disappointed in my expectations of hearing from you. I was vexed with Bingham & angry with myself for not sending my letter by Van Buren. On tuesday I calculated to a certainty upon a letter from my dear H. I... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
Having a few moments to spare this morning, I think they can not in any way be prudently disposed of than in reminding you that of a certain young gentleman who to my knowledge takes a great, very great, interest in every thing that concerns yourself. He was considerably disappointed, if I can Judge from his actions, in not receiving a letter from his "Dear Harriett," as he calls you. Yet he did... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
Must I enter into a long argument to prove that you are neither "neglected nor forgotten?" Because if I am compelled to do so, I think I can furnish "confirmation strong, as proofs from holy writ," to convince the most incredulous, that I have never felt disposed for a moment, to forget you. I beg & intreat you to have no apprehensions on that head. It is impossible for me to forget you. I... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I did not expect to hear from you last evening & was therefore very agreeably disappointed. Your letters are always a treat to me. When I am perplexed with business, or fatigued with and sickened with Albany & every thing about it, a letter from my dear Harriett, restores me at once to duty & animation. It assures me that I have one friend at least, who will share my fortunes, and in... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I rejoice to learn that in the agreeable society of your mother and sisters you have succeeded in finding happiness and composure. I felt as much, I am sure, when we parted, as you could possibly have done. Bound as I am to you by the ties of an attachment which has existed for years, and acquired strength & stability from time, it is impossible to be seperated from you without regret. But... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
You are the dearest & best girl in the world. I did not expect a letter to day. I hardly thought of enquiring at the Post Office. Judge how agreeably I must have been disappointed. I am not quite as happy as you suppose, for as the vessell with the furniture from New York has not yet arrived. Mr. Van Buren has not sent for his wife & children. We expect it momently. I am yet at Mrs.... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
After spending a full half hour in looking without success for white paper I have at last concluded to write upon pink, though I detest it, for fear that otherwise I may waste the whole morning in the search.
I received your note (I think you will permit ^me^ to give it that name) on Sunday, and you perceive that I have not forgotten its contents. But I am afraid from some expressions you made... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I hope this may find you safely landed at Hudson, and that before it reaches you, your good friends the at that place may have the pleasure of welcoming your return. How I wish that I could be of the number. I think I should be able to say with some sincerity "My dear dear, girl, I am glad to see you." You ask me whether I wish to see you as much as you did ^me^ when at New York. I am sure I do.... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I arrived here this afternoon in good season, and among other pleasures that awaited my arrival, that of finding your letter was the chief. How could you ask me to destroy it without a perusal? If you know how highly I prize every line that drops from your pen, you would never have made such a request. How differently am I situated this evening from what I was four & twenty hours ago. Then I... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
Knowing on Friday that there would be no Boat the next day, and not having time to write for the land mail, which closes early in the evening, I was under the necessity of deferring my accustomed visit till this evening. And it seems to me more proper & appropriate than any other evening in the week for such duties. Sunday evening in every age has been sacred to love. Then, if you have ever... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
You do most assuredly deserve both a long and a good letter in reply to your last and I wish I had time & ability to afford you both. I did not calculate at all, upon hearing from you before Thursday. You may, of course form some idea, of the pleasure I received on Tuesday. I am glad that you was saved from the profanity (as you think it) of your wish with regard to the Steam boats, though... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
Do you know that I was within ten miles of you at the moment that you was writing your last letter to me? Whether you do or not so is the fact. I took my mother down to Kinderhook on Wednesday afternoon, and remained there till the next morning. And if it had not been for a misconception on my part, of a simple fact which I might have ascertained by looking for half a second at the Almanack, I... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I am happy to be again employed in writing to you. It seems to me a great while since I had the happiness of hearing from you. The time since I last addressed you has appeared much longer than usual and I have often wished for Tuesday evening to arrive that I might once more engage in the pleasing task which it imposes upon me. The only enjoyments I have, are those which flow from our... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I was somewhat disappointed in not hearing from you yesterday, as I had some little idea that you would have written. But you will make it up on Tuesday, by sending a very long letter. I am sure you can make out to give me such a one if you try. I intended last evening to have written you, but upon returning to the office after a short visit to my friend Olcott, I found that Hoyt had absconded... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
Your letter of the 16th I have but just received. Whether it came by the evening Boat, or whether it has been in the Post Office since Sunday I am unable to say. I inquired there on that day immediately after the arrival of the Steam Boat, but was told that no letter was received for me. It gave me much pain. Some because it convinced me that (for a time at least) you had less confidence in my... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
Your letter by Coll. <Ball> was received yesterday, afternoon, I found it at the Post Office. I have been rather unfortunate in receiving your two last letters, but they were only the more acceptable. Just as visitors long expected are the more <kindly> welcomed when they made their appearance. Our friend Capt. Coffin was right in saying that he forwarded yours on Sunday. It arrived... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
Both your letters have been received, and though each of them deserves an answer, yet I must make out to attend to them both in a single sheet. For this purpose I will desert the French for tonight, and begin with the determination of spending as much time with my dear girl, and saying as many things to her, as circumstances will permit. Before I received your last, I was half sick with the... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I have written a letter to be sent to you to day by Mr. Olcott, who expects to go in the Steam Boat this afternoon. The inclemency of the weather was such that they feared this morning that the River would be closed by it, and therefore gave notice that the Boat would start at 3. O.Clock. Olcott informed me that he was going down & I wrote to you in great haste, supposing that you might be... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I never sat down to write you with more pleasure in my life. I am perfectly worn out and sick with business and fatigue. For three or four days I have hardly had time to sit or sleep, much less to write you. In truth I have hardly been able to think of you, till now. What wonder than, that I should seize on the first leisure moment to tell my dear Harriet that I have not ceased to love altho' I... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler