The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-08-04
CHE Aortolk gost.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 1865.
The Late Mrs. Seward Letter from
Mrs. Jane G.. Swisshelm.

| Inc pail OF silence which has ldueu
upon the grave of Mrs. Seward is still
more remarkable than the unobtruslve
quiet of her life, and l trust it is not
idle curiosity which makes me more
anxious to know her history than that
of any woman whose name have
ever heard. If mistake not her ex-
ample is one which the women of this
country cannot afford to lose; and in
hope it may induce some one who knew
her to give us some incidents in her |
honorable life, let me tell you the little,
the very little, know.
When I went into Campbell hos
pital, after the battle of Charlottesville,
/ called upon the public for fruit acids
, as an antidote to thirst and hospital
gangrene; the first contribution l re-
ceived was from Mrs. Frederick Seward.
It was accompanied by note asking
me to send to her when anything special
was wanted. Some one-that supposed |
knew, told me this Mrs. Frederick |
Seward was the wife of a nephew of the |
Secretary of State, who, being bach
elor, had this lady to preside over his !
home. She afterwards called at my
rooms, and l ut Mr.. Stewards house, on
hospital business, surprising she was
Mr., Stewards niece by marriage, until
the following winter, when there was
much trouble in the contraband camps.
Among the teachers was Quakeress,
from central New York--one OF those
women who left homes of wealth and
refinement to live in camp, cabin and
barracks TO distribute clothing, books,
encourapement and instruction amongst
those scattered and bereaved people.
! We were one day in troubled council on
d one of the many wrongs which had
authority refused to be rigHted. 1t was
:, hard 10 ask Secretary Stanton to give
. the time necessary to understand the
&c case. while his ante-room was constantly
thronged with persons waiting on inn
= portant business. What to do, was the
n question. Folding her hands in her
lap, and looking down thoughtfully,
B, this lady soliloquised: If Mrs. Seward
was only here"
"What Mrs. Seward?"
e "Mrs. Secretary Seward, she answer
u u ed abstractedly, and kept on thinking. :.
NV exclamation of surprise aroused
y, her, and her surprise at my ignorance
o. y. was equal to mine at her information; a
Q question as to the presentability of that
ed lady, since such person did actually
r ry exist, started her to talk as had never
- before heard her.
en- She described Mrs. Seward as one OF
's the excellent ofthe earth, and woman
,rc of wonderful intellectual power, anc
great breadth of attainment-the com
panion, confidant, counsellor OF her nus
band--one who read his written speeches
; before the printer saw them, ana gave
an opinion which he valued more thal
IS any other--one who read and digesteo
~ long. tiresome documents, and gave him
the substance in few moments fireslde
n chat, thus contributing largely TO tna'
We fund of information which Distinguish
ed Mr.. Seward. She was his "hlghel
law" adviser, and whenever MS pOllcy
fell below that standard he had differed
, with her In opinion. She ever regarded
the right as the expedient; or, In othel
~ words, aimed always TO Walk III the mar
row path straight toward ''tlie marx iol
ers the prize of the high calling which Is III
in Christ Jesus, our LORD"
nd In dress and manner tnls irleno ue'
6,r scribed nef as sihlpie, anu unos. oL,a
'0' tious to singularlty. A smart mechan
Pc les wife would not have exchanged
wardrobes with her, and milliners' ap
I prentices looked at her IN pitying won
- der for her lost opportunities. "A lev
DAYS after this conversation, Mrs. Sc
ward returned from Auburn, but hel
arrival was not publicly announced
The contraband trouble was explained
to her, and short note OF modest re-
NJ quest from her TO one IN authority, re-
. moved the difficulty before which we
had been standing in dismay. After
M that. when heard people remark that
'.J the Stewards gave no receptions, / have
NJ thought of a little teacher of contra
J. hands. in the magnificent costume of {
~ mixed straw bonnet and brown ribbons
ain dark woollen dress and shawl, ant
heavy shoes, having marks of "sacret
soiI y with q little travelling basket OIL
49, her arm, going to Mrs. Stewards hous
in the cleaning, weary, hungry, dis
-. heartened, and footsore; and finding
RS reception, a bath, a dinner, bed,
breakfast, long, comforting talk, not
70 rennoye her overhanging mountain
and saw her Iightened step as she re
turned to her duties rejoicing. 1 neve
heard what kind of Jewels her hostes
rs wore at these receptions, but calculat
thew were not bought at Tiffany's.
NJ 4 woman ia Mrs, Stewards position
anu Da who simply remained outside that gld
am ed pagoda, society, in which her Males
ls as. ty. First Family, with twenty,poundt
~, of''tobacco-worth of grandmother t
iel'- stand upon-her Royal Highness' OH
tn. cial Position, with wire-pqiling hus
band to bear against--the duchess o