Benjamin Franklin Butler Papers (N)
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In less than 3 hours I shall catch a glimpse of you on the hill, and in twenty I shall be landed at New York. I have been much perplexed and disconcerted by in preparing for this jaunt, and I think I ought if possible to take some little pleasure in it since I have commenced it. You know in what a state of impatience I was on Friday, and you may well suppose that it was not lessened on the... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
My young friend Robert & myself arrived at Alby yesterday at 3 oClock. In three hours he was safely delivered to the care of Dr. Mott and by a little after 10 I was enjoying the sweets of repose in my own room at home. We met with a variety of trifling adventures before our journey was terminated, and as you have not much to do at Claverack I will give you a short history of every thing that... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I returned this afternoon from Schoharie and the hopes I had indulged for two or three days of finding a letter from you to greet my arrival were amply realized. The moment I appeared Mr. Hoyt delivered me your good long letter from Claverack (the first you wrote) which was read or rather devoured with delight. It was so long since I had heard from you & so long since I had received a letter... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
Such a ramble as I have had this evening must certainly be told to you. It partakes somewhat of the wonderful & adventurous, though I am not myself the hero of the tale. After two this evening Mr. Olcott proposed to take a walk, & as I had been pent up all the week like a hermit in his cell, I willingly agreed to it, as did our friend Norton. We then walked down below the seat of Govr.... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
What do you think of my commencement? Am I in a great hurry, or have I so much leisure on my hands that I can afford to fill the sheet with "true love knots & flourishes?" Whatever you may be inclined to think dear H. the truth is that it is about 11 at night & that I am pretty much fatigued with the business of the day & of course have only a few moments to spend with you. I have... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I received your letter on Sunday at an early hour, and if I was pleased, I hope I was improved by its contents. I read it with deep interest. I thank God for the impression which appears to have been made upon your mind in relation to the all important concerns of eternity & salvation. May he continue the work which has been commenced in your heart, until at length you may be brought into the... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I now recur with more pleasure than ever to the task of writing to you, for I now love you not only as ^an^ earthly companion, as one fitted to share my joys & formed to soften my misfortunes, but I think of you as an immortal soul destined to eternal happiness or unending woe, I feel engaged & interested in every thing that concerns you because now I am alive to the alarming situation in... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I am again able to commence a letter to you at leisure, though I have not a great deal of time on my hands this evening. I have been so much occupied lately that I have been unable to write you except in a hurry, and then I have had but a few moments at command, so that I am sure my letters for the last week must have been full as dry & uninteresting as "a tale twice told, vexing the dull ear... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
Your last good letter was received just as I was dispatching mine. I could only spare time to tell you I had received it & would answer it at length on Saturday. I found in it much to please & delight, & a little (will you permit me to say it?) to regret. Why my dear Harriet will you suffer yourself to dwell on those scenes of difficulty & misfortune with which you sometimes fancy... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
As I have no particular subject of conversation this evening, I propose beginning my letter with rather an idle one & that is myself, but as it has always been interesting to you & as I shall connect with it, with a very important topic, I think I may safely venture on it. I have not given you any minute account of myself & my state of mind on the subject of religion, for some days.... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
Just as I was about commencing a letter to you last evening, Mr. Van Buren called to me from the Parlor where I found our good friends Mr. & Mrs. Stanton. You will of course conclude that I deferred the letter for that time, & as Mr. Stanton wished me to go with him to Mr. Stansburys where we remained till after 10, you will excuse me I hope not writing you last evening. Mr Stanton goes... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
Your letter by Mr. Stansbury I had the pleasure of a receiving this afternoon. He arrived here yesterday in the packet, but I suppose he knew the letter was not in business, & thought a little delay in sending it to the office would work no essential injury. I had been told by Mr. Dexter who came up with Mr. S. that his sermons were much admired at Hudson. I am happy to learn that his... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
It is rather out of character to commence a letter on paper which is so vilely blotted as this is, but I presume you will excuse it, because you will have no difficulty in decyphering it. I was prevented from writing you last night by some young company who remained in the office during the greater part of the evening. The term of the Supreme Court, always brings a great number of young lawyers... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I have just learn'd that Mr. Van Buren & his companions leave here this morning. He is sufficiently recovered to go down. I can not of course permit them to go without sending by them a short letter. I forgot to tell you on Saturday anything about my northern expedition. Mr. Van Buren says there is some difficulty among the clients, and I shall be able to know nothing about it until the... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
On Monday after Mrs. V.B. left here I found it necessary to visit, Ballston Springs, & engaged a passage to that place, but as I was on the very point of starting, an arrangement was made between the parties concerned to employ ^me^ in the Hart cause (of which I have been telling you lately) which broke up my Ballston jaunts as it was resolved that I should start on Tuesday next for Lake... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
So far from being on my road to Sandy Hill, I am yet at Albany, and what will yet more astonish you, I shall sleep to night within ten miles of Hudson viz. at my Fathers. When I arrived here I found that such a disposition of the concerns of our clients had been made during my absence that it was unnecessary to start off immediately as we had intended & we therefore concluded to wait till... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I found my papers money &c. In five minutes I start. Write to me at Sandy Hill Washington Co. as soon as you can. May God keep you & bless you is the constant
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
Your letter was received a short time ago & I have just finished its second perusal. You can hardly conceive the pleasure it afforded me. I am proud & happy to acknowledge it, proud because I possess the affections of such a girl & happy for the delight she takes in contributing to my enjoyments. I commenced a letter to you on Saturday, but as I found no way of sending it to you till... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
Having a few moments to spare I very gladly devote this to you. I was obliged to break off my letter yesterday in so much of a hurry that I was unable to say to you half all I desired. The day was spent in traversing the greater part of the town of Kingsbury in quest of information on the subject of our journey with different success, and at evening we found ourselves too far from Sandy Hill to... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I am now in very fine quarters at Whitehall, a considerable village which is curiously situated at the head of Lake Champlain. ^The^ Lake commences at this place, though from Whitehall to Ticonderoga, a distance of about 25 miles it is not more than [intentionally blank] rods wide. You can hardly conceive of any thing so singular. You track over mountains & valleys for fifteen miles & all... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I have but a moments time to write you. Mr. Lansing my companion tired of the jaunt & anxious to return to his family & business, leaves here this morning for Albany. I do not think it would be proper for me to go with him, for our business is far from ^being^ completed. I retain the horse & chair & he goes in the stage. I shall be at Albany at Saturday next, and not before. We... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I am now for the first time since I left Albany at Lake George. And a delightful spot it is too. Figure to yourself a very beautiful sheet of water, purer than chrystal, about a mile or a mile and an half in width surrounded by lofty & romantic cliffs, and extending for six or seven miles of in full view from the piazza of the CoffeeHouse, and presenting to the eye several little islands... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I have just received your letter of the 12th. I passed the night at Glens falls to which place I shall return in a few moments. I rode over here this morning for the purpose of obtaining my letters, thinking there might be something of consequence from Albany on the subject of my duties here, & expecting also to hear from my beloved Harriet. Your short note of the 12th. was the only one I... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
I arrived here last evening about 8 o.Clock after an absence of twenty four days. I have enjoyed myself much during my journey, have been preserved & protected from sickness danger & death, & at length restored to my business & my friends in a state of perfect health. How great reason have I for gratitude & thanksgiving to the kind parent from whose bounteous hand I have... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler
Yours of the 23d. is at hand by which I am sorry to observe it will not be convenient for you to accompany me to Sandy Hill. My wish was to make you one of the Directors of that Bank & the Directors must meet immediately, because the second election takes place the first Monday in November, & it must be advertised 30 days pervious thereto & this can only be done by an order of the... Continue Reading
Recipient: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Capt Coffin goes down in the morning. I shall send you a very short letter by the old gentleman though you will not probably receive it till Monday. I was happy to hear from you yesterday & perfectly willing to make all the promises you desired. I should have been happy to have received a longer communication from you, but your reason for writing so laconically was too good a one to be... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Franklin Butler
Recipient: Harriet Allen Butler