Vassar College.
Poughkeepsie, N.Y., April lQ*k , 1868
Mr Cyrus Swan
Dear Sir I duly received your note of the 4th current
& avail myself of the earliest moment from other hindrances to reply.
In the first paragrap of your letter you ask01 wether my feel-
ings & intentions have undergone any variation &c nand if so the cause
of the change" I answer they have somewhat and the "cause" is
because I had infered from your late coolness and uncordiality from
your former accustomed manners were changed towards me, seeing
you pass my house frequently and never so much as gave a casting
look at the premises, and further never calling on me or that of your
family for months together. I thought I was sufficiently explicit in
my last letter to you in assuring you that nothing had occured or tran-
spired to change our long "relations to each other" so far as I were
concerned, and therefore I had no occasion personaly to withdraw my
confidence of your abillities in the matter of the management of the
College affairs. I acknowledge our long intimate social relation and
for what you have done pecuniarly &c for me, and I in return for you
during that period.
Refering to another portion of your letter in speaking of the
change in my testamentary Will, and asking me wether I had made any
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Apr. 10, 1868 - 2
1 'change1« I thought I was sufficiently explicit on that point in my
last note, but nevertheless to be more so now I reply that some
not
changes of my gift to you has been made but/to an extant effecting
the Education of two of your Daughters at the College, and that dona-
tion alone is more than Quadruple** over any othe bequest in my Will
to any other legacys in that instrument save the College, and here
comes in my regretts attended to in my note to you, that circum-
stances had compell^ OTe to make a change in this regard, and in
so
doing an alteration was neccary to make a change of my bequest to
you as well as other devisees, but still my Gift to you and your family
entirely exceeded in amount any other Devise, It would be delicate
& propriety
however in me to explain in particulars even if justice demanded it.
------..-------,—.— —,------_^
You say I will readly remember your "services rendered to
me in some critical exigences &c" I do and I also readly remember
the pecuniary & sociable compensation I made you in return for them,
and am quite ready to compare notes with you on that score, I am not
aware Mr Swan but I have amply remunerated you for all you have ever
done for me, & so far the "honors" are easy" I know nothing about
what "others" have ask^you about our private affairs, nor what you
have replyd to them about these relations, all I know I have performed
fully my duty towards you, and I do trust I may always be able not only
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Apr. 10, 1868 - 3
to you but to all others with whom I have business or social rela-
tions with, of course Mr Swan you cannot expect me with my \A|\X
physical infirmities to answer your long letter in detail nor would it
were I
be any profit to me or youAto do so, therefore I close this note by
subscribing myself
Yours very Respectfully
MV
xMatthew Vassar }
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