Chapter VI: Concluded (3)

The official letter from the Commissioners to me--dated the 8th of last month--promising their sentiments on the subject of compensation, so soon as a meeting was had with Mr Johnson, prevented my acknowledging the receipt of your private letter of the same date and on the same subject, until now; nor shall I do more than slightly touch on it until I receive the further sentiments of the board thereupon. It may not be amiss, however, in this friendly & confidential manner, previously to regret that the expectations of the Commissioners and the opinions of those who were consulted on the compensation proper to be made them for past and future services, should accord so little. It is to observed (as was mentioned in my last) that the law authorizing the appointment contemplates no pay. Justice however, requires it--and therefore such as it was conceived would meet the concurrence of the public was allotted. In similar cases it rarely happens that high, if any salleries are allowed. Instance the Directors of the Potomac Company--of the Canal Navigation of this State--the Banks, &c &c--I do not quote these cases, however, to prove that Salleries ought not to be allowed in the case of the Commissioners of the federal district for the past, and compensation for their future services; but only to shew the necessity of their being as low as could comport with Justice--With respect to your ideas of a future allowance I am bold in assuring you as my opinion that, no fixed Sallery in the United States (however they have been reprobated for their extravagance), from the Chief Magistrate to the door-keeper of the House of Representatives, is equal to one thousand Dollars clear of expences. The reasons are too obvious to stand in need of enumeration--and I must candidly declare that I see little use for a Superintendant if more will be required of the Commissioners than either to form or to adopt plans;--give the great outlines thereof in Instruction;--and leave the details and execution to the Superintendant, who ought, as I have declared in a letter to you dated the 30th of November last, to be always on the Spot--(unless the duties of the trust should take him away, to facilitate the objects of it)--Under this idea, could it suit any person better than yourself to visit the federal City once every three or four months--suppose every two months--when you have an Estate opposite to it that has a claim to a share of your attention,--as to the suspicion which may arise--if you serve for daily pay--that your sessions will be prolonged by it, they are not worth regarding--The malevolence of man is not to be avoided.--But instead of _touching_ the subject only, in the manner I proposed, I find I am enlarging upon it, and therefore will change it.

Mr Jefferson is at a loss to discover what could have proceeded from him to Mr Ellicott that should have occasioned any discontent in the mind of the latter with the Commissioners;--and having shewn me the _only_ letter which (he says) he has written to him for many months I see nothing there on which to found the conjecture contained in the latter part of your letter of the 8th of February.

As I do not take the George Town paper, and have seen no extracts from it in any others, I do not know to what it is you allude--in your letter of the 8 & 18 inst which came to hand a few days ago.--Mr Ellicot has never come near me since his return to the City:--no explanation therefore on this--the case of Mr Young, or any other subject has taken place between us. With respect to Mr Young’s renewed application for a change towards the point, &c. I scarcely know what answer to make at this time.--A change in one instance will, I am certain, open a wide door which could not easily be shut. Therefore before I could consent even to take the matter into consideration it would be necessary to have an accurate plan of the parts, delineated upon paper, with the alterations he proposes; and to have the Commissioners’ opinion of the consequences result’g from the adoption of it, in writing; for unless there are some powerful reasons for discrimination, it would be bad policy to comply with the request of one of the Proprietors, and reject the application of another. It is possible, & not improbable that I may be at George Town on my way to Mount Vernon, about the first of April; when, if every thing was prepared for it, I might on the spot be better able to give an opinion. But, as Mr Young is in the occupancy of the whole, I see no cause for hasty decision which may create (if an alteration should take place) discontents in other quarters.--No letter to me, has been received from him yet.

With very great esteem & regard
I am, Dear Sir
Your most obed’t & affec’t Serv’t
Gᵒ WASHINGTON.

LETTER OF JOSEPH TRUMBULL (SON OF “BROTHER JONATHAN”) TO CHRISTOPHER VARICK, DEPUTY MUSTER-MASTER GEN’L FOR NORTHERN DEP’T., AT ALBANY, N. Y.

(Joseph Trumbull, 1737-1778, was Commissary General, 1775-1777, when he resigned and died in the following year, worn out by his labors in the public service).

TY (TICONDEROGA) 3rd _November_, 1776

Dear Sir,

I Received your polite favour of the middle of last month, amid such a hurry of business & Expectation that I omitted answering it--this Day I am Honor’d with your’s of the 29th by Major Stewart. Nothing mentional has happen’d till this Day we are informed that the Enemy have abandoned Crown Point, Chimney Point, &c., entirely, Determined on Winter Quarters in Canada. Its a prudent Choice I fancy, as we should not have parted with ours to them at a low Price & a high one they could not afford. I wish to have it confirm’d--Delay to us is Victory--& Victory procured without loss of Blood is more Glorious than any other. You must excuse my being so concise, my Best Compliments attend the Ladies & Poor Wilkinson, Jr.

I am Dr Sir
Your very Sincere & most obedient
Servant
J. TRUMBULL

PART OF A LETTER OF WASHINGTON TO BENJAMIN HARRISON, SIGNER OF THE
DECLARATION AND MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF WAR

_Dated at_ MIDDLEBROOK, N. J., _May 5, 1779_.

(As the letter covers ten folio pages, we give only the salient points of it. It was sold in the Bishop Hurst collection, last Spring, for $1065, the largest price ever paid for a Washington letter).

The letter commences by referring to some statements in a previous letter recommending certain measures, and reiterates their necessity, and that if longer delayed “_I shall not scruple to add that our affairs are irretrievably lost_.” He also predicts that the result will be “_the fate of our paper money and with it a general crash of all things_.” Washington then proceeds:

“The measures of Ministry are taken, and the whole strength and resources of the Kingdom will be exerted against it in this campaign; while we have been slumbering and sleeping, or disputing upon trifles, contenting ourselves with laughing at the impotence of Great Britain.... Accts. from London to the 9th. of March, have fixed me in the opinion that G. Britain will strain every nerve to distress us this campaign, but where or in what manner her principal forces will be employed I cannot determine.... My own opinion of the matter is that, they will keep a respectable force at (New York), and push their operations vigorously to the Southward, where we are most vulnerable, and least able to afford succour.... She may, cercumstanced as we are, give a very unfavourable turn to that pleasing slumber, we have been in for the last eight months.... From present appearances I have not the smallest doubt but that we shall be hard pushed in every quarter. This campaign will be the grand, and if unsuccessful, more than probable the last struggle of Great Britain.... They are raising all the Indians from North to South which their arts and money can procure, and a powerful diversion they will make in this quarter with the aid they expect from Canada.”

Washington then criticises the method of calling out the Militia, condemning it, and proposes another scheme. He also writes about the treatment of the British prisoners, and then returns again to the operations and conduct of the war.

“I view General Philips in the light of a dangerous man--in his march to Charlotteville he was guilty of a very grave breach of military judgment and of a procedure highly criminal; for instead of pursuing the route pointed out to him he went”--(Washington then describes the route).

The General then gives warning that deserters or prisoners must not be trusted, giving some interesting facts, and proceeds to relate the latest news of the operations against the Indians on the frontier. The letter is signed G. Washington in full, and a postscript is added giving some news of the sailing of a British expedition, presumably to Georgia, and stating what he has ordered in consequence, signed G. W.

MINOR TOPICS

A WARD ELECTION IN NEW YORK IN 1739

[_Contributed by Mr. William Nelson, Paterson, N. J._]

[In view of the recent election in New York city, this record of the simple methods of the forefathers will possess an obvious interest for the modern Knickerbocker. The license fee would interest the modern saloonkeeper--but he does not read the MAGAZINE.--ED.]

NORTH WARD

CITY OF NEW YORK. } _ss._:

I Christopher Bancker Esqʳ Alderman of the North Ward of the City of New York Do hereby Certifie (Pursuant to a Warrant unto me Directed by the Mayor of the said City) that this Day between the Hours of Nine and Twelve in the fforenoon the ffreemen of the said Ward being Inhabitants and the ffreeholders of the said Ward Did assemble and meet together within the said Ward at the time & place by me appointed, and then and there by the plurality of Voices or Votes Did Elect and Choose the persons hereafter mentioned (being ffreemen or ffreeholders Inhabiting within the said Ward) to serve in the Respective Offices hereafter mentioned for the said Ward for the Year Ensuing or untill other fit persons are Elected and Sworn in their Rooms or places, as by his Majesty’s Royall Charter Granted to the Mayor Aldermen and Commonalty of the City of New York is appointed Directed & Required (vizt)

Christopher Bancker Alderman Wᵐ Vreedenburgh Assistant Isaac Stoutenburgh } Jan Van Arenham } Assessors Stephen Bourdet Collector Peter Hendrickse } Constables Arent Van Hoek }

Witness my hand in New York the twenty ninth day of September in the thirteenth year of his Majestys Reign Anno Dom 1739

CHRIS: BANCKER.

A N. Y. LIQUOR LICENSE IN 1739

[Printed form; the names and words in italics are inserted with pen and ink.]

CITY OF NEW YORK. } _ss._: _West Ward Nᵒ_ _Murry Street_

I Certify that _Mary Clarck_ hath agreed for the Excise as a Tavern-Keeper; and hath paid for Excise, £. 2. 6ˢ.0 And for License,

0 16 0
---------

[Given under my Hand, the 1ᵗʰ Day of _March_--1785.]

_Abᵐ. P. Lotts_

[Endorsed:] _Mary Clark_ £3. 2..
4/..
----------

NEW JERSEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The annual meeting of The New Jersey Historical Society was held in the beautiful and spacious building of the Society on West Park Street, Newark, on October 25, 1905. A business meeting was held at noon, at which the annual reports of officers were read, showing the very prosperous condition of the Society. The Corresponding Secretary, William Nelson, in his report alluded to the fact that the present completed his twenty-fifth year of continuous service as an officer of the Society, and so was a sort of silver jubilee of his. He was elected Recording Secretary in 1880, holding that office for ten years, when he was elected Corresponding Secretary, which office he has held for fifteen years. The correspondence during the year had embraced between 400 and 500 letters of all sorts and covering a great variety of topics.

Francis M. Tichenor, Librarian, reported that during the year there had been 2400 visitors at the Library.

Ernest E. Coe, for the Committee on Membership, reported that the Society now had 784 members.

A very important adjunct of the Society for several years past has been the Woman’s Branch, presided over by Miss M. Antoinette Quinby, who read the report of the work of that body. The women have been devoting themselves specially during the past year to the compilation of tombstone inscriptions throughout the State, and Miss Quinby presented to the Society two large, handsome volumes of such inscriptions.

Dr. J. Ackerman Coles, Judge Amzi Dodd, Robert F. Ballantine, Wallace M. Scudder and George R. Howe were elected Trustees for the term of three years, and Jonathan W. Roberts for the term of one year to fill a vacancy.

The address of the day was delivered by the Rev. William Y. Chapman, pastor of the Roseville (Newark) Presbyterian Church, his subject being “Acadia.” He was himself a native of Nova Scotia, and from his earliest boyhood had been familiar with the scenes so beautifully and pathetically described by Longfellow in his exquisite poem “Evangeline.” In the interest of truth, however, he was constrained to say that the cold facts of history differed very widely from the narrative of the romantic poem, and he described clearly and graphically the events which constrained the English commander to deport the recalcitrant French settlers.

At a subsequent meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Society, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year:

President, Jonathan W. Roberts; Vice-Presidents, Wallace M. Scudder, Francis M. Tichenor and George R. Howe; Corresponding Secretary, William Nelson; Recording Secretary, Joseph F. Folsom; Treasurer, William C. Morton; Librarian, Francis M. Tichenor; Trustees to fill vacancies, Dr. W. S. Disbrow, of Newark, and W. Elwood Speakman, of Woodbury.

BOOK NOTICES

The Records of the Town of Hanover, New Hampshire, 1761-1818. The records of the town meetings, and of the selectmen, comprising all of the first volume of records and being Volume I of the printed records of the town. Printed by vote of the town under the direction of Herbert Darling Foster, George Mendal Bridgman, Sidney Bradshaw Fay. Hanover, New Hampshire, 1905. Octavo, pp. VI+336.

The committee of learned men appointed by the selectmen of Hanover to print the early records of that town apparently have endeavored to reproduce faithfully the original spelling, capitalization and punctuation. Both copy and proofs have been compared with the records word for word, and when necessary letter by letter. The moderate sum of money used in preserving and making easily accessible to students these early annals has been well spent. The committee having this volume in charge suggests that the proprietors’ records (covering the years 1761 to 1807 inclusive) and the first volume of vital statistics (covering the years 1762 to 1846) ought also to be printed. All persons interested in the history of Hanover ought to use their influence towards carrying out this wise suggestion at once and having it done under the direction of the same committee.

The contents of the book and the space of time covered are accurately indicated by the title, but one very important feature of the work, not there mentioned, is the town clerk’s affidavit that the printed book is a true and correct copy of the original. The original paging is marked in brackets. The book is well indexed and substantially bound.

INDEX VOL. II.

JULY-DECEMBER, 1905

PAGE

American History, Footlights of, 199

American History, Miscellanea of, 346

American Independence, Ode to, 30

Andre Country, In the, 75

Andre Prison (Illustration), 151

Army of the Potomac--A Page of History Corrected, 127, 171, 249

Arpe, R. N., articles by, 127, 171, 249

Baltimore’s Old Stepping-Stones, 282

Barry, Commodore John, Relics of, 386

Benedict, N. R., article by, 417

Bolton, Reginald Pelham, article by, 223, 311

Boogher, W. F., article by, 407

Book Notices, 222, 433

Bridgham, Eliza W., journal of, 14, 90

British Navy in the Revolution, 223, 311

Buffalo, Lone, 356

Burr and Hamilton, 70

Bushnell’s _Turtle_, 389

Calhoun, J. B., article by, 326

Catlin, Louise E., article by, 346

Civil War Sketches, 34

Dakota Militia (poem), 116

De Costa, Rev. B. F., article by, 265

Diamond Island, The Fight at, 265

Diary of a Poet’s Mother, 206

Duncan, Capt. James, Diary of, at Yorktown, 407

Duryee, Rev. J. R., article by, 330

Early Days in Luzerne County, Pa., 239

Editor, articles by, 75, 352

Errata, 281

Evangeline and Gabriel, Where Buried, 403

Fancies at Navesink (poem), 264

Fate of the Pigeons, 353

First United States Flag, 291

First Dutch Church, Schenectady, 173

First Woman in the Post-Office Department, 276

Fleming, W. L., article by, 34

Folsom, A. A., communication from, 285

Froeligh, Reverend Solomon, and His Great Schism, 330

Fulton, Robert, Reminiscences of, 326

GENEALOGICAL:
Adams, 71
Allen, 292
Bartlett, 70
Burt, 221
Chamberlain, 71, 151, 292
Cushman, 220
Elliot, 151
Emmons, 71
Estabrook, 71, 72
French, 151, 220
Gridley, 71, 293
Hale, 152
Hardin, 152
Hasey, 151
Horne, 71
How, 71
Howard, 292
Huggins, 71
Ingalls, 151
Lamb, 220
McNey, 151
Parker, J., 71
Parrott, 72, 293
Pease, 71
Perkins, 71, 151
Perry, 292
Poole, 220
Pottle, 151
Rand, 151
Roberts, 151
Snow, 292
Thayer, 220
Turner, 71
Webb, 152
Wood, 70
Wright, 292

Gloucester, Linzee’s Attack on, 85

Griffis, Rev. W. E., articles by, 295, 365

Guernsey, R. S., article by, 44

Graham, Alex. S., article by, 394

Grave of Leather Stocking, 283

Great Dismal Swamp, A Day in the, 339

Green, Samuel A., article by, 185

Greenwood, Isaac J., article by, 181

Groton, The Old Town of, 185

Hall, Edward H., article by, 202

Hammond, Otis G., article by, 48

Hand-Loom Weaving Revived, 271

Hanson, Joseph M., poem by, 116

HISTORICAL SOCIETIES:
Montgomery Co., N. Y., 221
New Jersey, 432
New York, 221
N. Y. State Hist Ass’n., 69

Hogg, Ebenezer, _vs._ John Paul Jones, 48

ILLUSTRATIONS:
André Prison, Tappan, August
Gen. Clinton’s Dam, Cooperstown, November
Landais, Capt. Pierre, portrait of, September
Odell, Rev. Jonathan, portrait of, July

INDIAN LEGENDS:
The Dancing Ghosts, 424
The Lone Buffalo, 356
The Shooting Meteors, 210

Indiana County Names, 420

Jones, John Paul, 48, 285

Journey through New England and New York in 1818, 14, 90

Landais, Captain Pierre, 181

Lanman, Charles, articles by, 210, 273, 356, 424

Last Century, A Port of the, 417

Leather Stocking, Grave of, 283

Liberty of the Press, 55, 118, 160, 228, 315, 379

Lincoln, Abraham, speech of, 362

Luzerne County, Pa., Early Days in, 239

LETTERS:
British Officer, 144
John Dickinson, 290
Capt. Jas. Duncan, 67
William Lloyd Garrison, 150
Col. Henry Glen, 287
Capt. John Gooch, 216
Andrew Jackson, 68
Major James McHenry, 362
Edmund Munro, 360
Gen. John Pope, 217
John Sellon, 359
Jonathan Trumbull, Jr., 429
Washington, 66, 146, 215, 289, 364, 427, 429
Martha Washington, 364

Maine, Henry C., article by, 206

Martin, I. J., article by, 403

Matthews, Amanda, article by, 206

McHenry, James, letter of, 362

McPike, Eugene F., article by, 346

Memorial Trees, 281

Miscellanea of American History, 346

MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS:
André Prison, efforts to preserve, 151
Burr and Hamilton, 70
Fate of the Pigeons, 353
First Dutch Church, Schenectady, 173
N. Y. Liquor License, 1739, 432
Thomaston Ter-Centenary, 150
Ward Election in New York, 1739, 431

Mississippi River, Progress of Discovery of, 1

Munro, Edmund, letters of, 359, 360

Navesink, Fancies at (poem), 264

New England, Journey through, in 1818, 14, 90

Northern Neck of Virginia, 259

NOTES AND QUERIES:
Replies, Revolutionary Flags, 219

Odell, Rev. Jonathan, 28
Portrait of, July

Old Town of Groton, The, 185

Origin of Name of Washington, 202

Original Documents, 66, 67, 68, 144, 146, 150, 215, 216, 217, 287,
289, 290, 359, 360, 362, 364, 427, 429

Parker, Mrs. Jane Marsh, article by, 153

Pigeons, Fate of the, 363

POEMS:
Dakota Militia, 116
Fancies at Navesink, 264
Ode to American Independence, 30

Poet’s Mother, Diary of a, 417

Port of the Last Century, 417

Post Office Department, First Woman in the, 276

Potomac, Army of the, 127, 171, 249

Press, Liberty of the, 55, 118, 160, 228, 315

Ryman, Wm. P., article by, 239

Saratoga, Battle of, 284

Schuyler, Rev. L. R., articles by, 55, 118, 160, 228, 379

Sellon, John, 359

Siege of Yorktown, Capt. Duncan’s Diary of the, 407

Somes, John J., article by, 85

Sullivan’s Great March in the Indian Country, 295, 365

Stepping-Stones, Baltimore’s Old, 282

Stone, William L., article by, 284

Thomaston, Me., Ter-Centenary of, 150

Turtle, Bushnell’s, 389

Unknown Exile, was he Charles X?, 96

“Unknown Exile,” not Charles X., 153

Upham, Warren, article by, 1

Vancil, Frank M., article by, 199

Vallandigham, E. N., article by, 259

Washington Name, Origin of the, 202

Washington, Letters of--_See_ Original Documents

Weaving, Handloom, Revived, 278

Wendover and the Flag, 44

White, Anthony Walton, 394

Whitman, Walt., poem by, 264

Yorktown, Capt. Duncan’s Diary at Siege of, 407

Transcriber’s Notes

Punctuation errors have been silently corrected.

Page 372: “Second New Hampsire” changed to “Second New Hampshire”

Page 376: “They next day” changed to “The next day”

Page 379: “3000 capies” changed to “3000 copies”

Page 394: “Cavalary Officers” changed to “Cavalry Officers”

Page 397: “polite and afecttionate” changed to “polite and affectionate”

Page 404: “has been dsicussion” changed to “has been discussion”

Page 415: “upon Corwallis’s” changed to “upon Cornwallis’s”

Page 429: “as as we should” changed to “as we should”

Page 433: “Truestees of the Society” changed to “Trustees of the Society” “fill vacanies” changed to “fill vacancies”

The index has been corrected to fix items that were out of alphabetical order.