'WW. i<3v\ '^< ^•^^^ '1 , \P r? •^>. til _ "Ia a V .^^-v fW(' "*"'""* -^^0^ -^^0^ -^ o^ >t. ^-r^ M-v--.^o ^'l q i^->\-- )^ ^v*'. ^> .>.- ' • « s \ * < o ^^. c^^^ <", % /' ^ *^ ^%0 • o „ o ^ O,^ ^t) %<> • o . ^ •A^ 4 O 0' ^o. vP S o x5=a . jr^-, - ^^\ » ..-./„ ^ ^. '-^^0^ .V ^ v> JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS f By FRANKLIN B. DEXTER, LiTT.D. Reprinted from Papers of the New Haven Colony Historical Society Volume IX NEW HAVEN 1918 .ifcr^ \%'\'^m A SELP]CTION FROM THE CORRESPONDENCE AND MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS OF JARED INGERSOLL. Edited by Franklin^ B. Dexter. The Hon. Jared Ingersoll died in New Haven in 1781, and his estate was settled by his son, a resident of Philadelphia ; but a large collection of his personal papers was left in New Ha-^en in the keeping of his nephew, the Hon. Jonathan Inger- soll, on the death of whose grandson, the Hon. Charles R. Ingersoll, in 1903, they were presented to the New Haven Colony Historical Society, under whose authority this selection is now printed. In providing the necessary annotations, the editor has had the great advantage of the assistance of another member of the Society, Professor Charles M. Andrews, whose superior knowl- edge of the period under review is universally acknowledged. The Society is fortunate in having obtained, through the kindness of Dr. Arthur Fairbanks, the Director of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, permission for the reproduction of a portrait of Mr. Ingersoll, in the possession of his descendant, Mr. Ingersoll Amory, of Boston, which is believed to have been painted by Copley in New York in 1771, when the subject was in his 50th year. Charles Henry Hart, LL.B., the well-known art-expert of Philadelphia, wrote of this portrait in 1879 : The portrait of Mr. Ingersoll is a superb painting, forty by fifty inches^ in Copley's best manner. It is three-quarter length, facing to right. He is represented as sitting in a large green chair, with his right arm resting upon a richly-bound book, which lies upon a table with a polished green top; in his right hand he holds a paper. The table is rich mahogany, with brass handles to the drawer, and on it are books and writing materials. He is dressed in full court suit, a scarlet coat with large gilt buttons, 202 JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1743-56. garnet-coloured knee-breeches, lace ruffles, dressing and sword. He wears a long white satin Avaistcoat, elaborately embroidered, with buttons, a cambric neckerchief with long lace ends falling inside his vest, which is unbuttoned at the top. His left hand, which is wonderfully well painted, rests on his knee. I. N"ew Haveis^ 1743-1756. The documents here included have been selected to illustrate the setting of Mr. Ingersoll's career in the years after his graduation from Yale in 1742, to his entrance on public life. Acc°. OF Han]s^ah Ingersoll alias Whiting,* Advance in Settlement 1744 Octobi" & so forward 8. 3.2V2 2. 12.6 0. 7.6 0. 6.0 0. 9.0 4. 17.0 3. 11.0 5. 5.0 Brass Kettle 7.19.0 Iron pot 26/ frying [. . .] 23/ 2. 9.0 pail 3/6 1014 yd Callico f® 15/7 lOib Sheeps wool @ 5/3 peice of tape 2 pint basons @ 3/ 1/^ Doz. pewter Spoons tin Cullender 5/ 23 [. . .] 92/ I4115. 3 oz feathers @ 5/ 211b. Do. @ 5/ bed tick weaving 12 ^A yd @ 3/ 1.17.6 weaving 11^ yd. linnen @ 2/ 1.3.0 Do. 25 yd. @ 2/6 3.2.6 Cash for Wid^^. Pierce 0. 4.6 tea pot 28/ bellows 13/ 2.01.0 pr tongs & pealf 1. 3.0 * Mr. Ingersoll married, on August 1, 1743, Hannah, eldest child of the Hon. Colonel Joseph Whiting, of New Haven. Here is given his memorandum of the value of the household furnishings which she brought as her dowry. The reckoning seems to be in Connecticut old tenor. t Or peel ^ shovel. % Doz: large plates £2, .15.0 yo Doz. Do. 2. , 2.6 2 Dishes @ 28/ 2. 16.0 2 Do. @ 23/ 2. , 6.0 Small Do. 0. ,17.0 2 porringers @ 7/ 0. 14.0 pr. Iron Candlesticks 0. 7.0 Skimmer 0. 10.0 warming pan 3. 10.0 Iron Skillet 0. 9.0 Sett, tea dishes & bowl s 1. 12.6 Bed ticken 8. 2.0 18 yds. Callico @ 14/ 12. 12.0 looking glass 17. 0.0 Box iron & heater 1. 5.0 Stone mug 4/6 2ibs [missing] 0. 14.6 7 yds. Callico @ 15/7 5. 9.1 41b: Cottonwool @ 6/ 1. 4.0 1 Dish 15/ 1/2 Doz. N. [. . .]ates 27/6 2. 2.6 JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 17-13-56. 203 red Earthen ware 1 . 3 drinking glasses 0. Square whitewood table 2 . Bedstead 35/ Statia* glass 50/ 4. blanket .30/ Carding 4/7 1 . tea kettle £5. bason 13/ 5. 11.2 5.0 0.0 5.0 14.7 13.0 5.6 4.0 Ladle 1/ Seive 4/G 0. Earthen ware 0. round table 50/ old trunk 10/ 3.0.0 Rugg 5.15.6 Coverlid 5£ 10.15.6 4 y l/i) 0.8.0 tongs 31/^ib trammelf 7115 0.18.41/2 Chest draws & dressing table 26. 0.0 y2 Doz. Crown Chairs @ 15/ 4.10.0 1/2 Doz. York Do. @ 12/ 3.12.0 1/2 Do. Slat Do. @ 10/ 3. 0.0 weaving pr. white blankets 0.12.0 nib. feathers (a 5/ 4. 5.0 Allowed to be 350 .0.0 lOlb. Do. (q 5/6 Chaffing Dish gridiron Chinee Curtains pr Small hand irons wt 71b 2.15.0 1. 0.0 0.12.0 5. 0.0 old Chest 0.12.3 216.12.0 1.12.0 Silver tankard wt. 20 o^. gross 58.13.0 2 pr Curtain rods 3. 0.0 4 tea spoons 4. 5.0 2 old holland Sheets 6 . 0.0 1 Cotton old Do. 2.10.0 1 old Linnen Do. 1 . 5.0 1 pr. old holland pillow beer$ 0.15.0 1 holld. towel 12/2 Do. Napkin 1.12.0 2 Diapr. Do. 1 Do. Damask 1.16.0 More tow Cloth 81. 8.0 1. 0.0 82. 8.0 216. 12.0 299. 0.0 Jared Ingersoll Deposition in the case of Hon. Wariiam Mather. Jared Ingersoll of ]^ew Haven of Lawfnll Age Testifies as follows, viz. — In the fall of y" Year 1743, I removed from Col- lege where I had lived about five years, & settled down an Inhab- itant in the Town of ]Srew Haven. During my Stay at College I by Sight only, knew the late Warham Mather § Esq'', now Dec''. * A glass brought from Saint Eustatius, in the Dutch West Indies. t A series of links hung in the chimney, for pots to hang on. t = pillow case. § Warham Mather (Harvard Coll. 1685). born 1666, died 1745. had settled in Xew Haven about 1705, to take care of his wife's mother, the widow of John Davenport, Jr. Here he practiced medicine, and also held a judgeship. 204 JAKED INC4EESOLL PAPERS, 1743-56. having then never spoke to him as I Remember. Upon my settling in said Town as afores*^ which I think was toward the End of Oetob''. 1743, as niv Circumstances & business then Led me to an Acquaintance (S: Correspondence with manv of the Inhabitants of s*^. Town, many of them the s*^. ]\r. Mathers Intimate Acquaintance, I heard it Repeatedly said by one & another — how strangely lU. Mather is broken !, M^ Mather is become a mear Child, & Expressions of like Import. Some time after this while the County Court sat at Kew Haven, Col^ Whiting"'^ told me that M''. Mather had sent to him desiring to see him. He y*". s^\ Col\ Whiting being not very able himself to walk, Desired me to wait upon M''. Mather to know his mind. I went, did my Errand to M^. Mather, he made Reply to what I said but so brokenly I could understand scarce any thing he said. After a little pause spake again brokenly & gave me a written paper ; which I carried to Court & delivered to CoP. Whiting, who Attempted to read it but could read only here & there a word ; where he could read, the Sence much uncon- nected ; he found out in general that a Conservator was y® burden of y*^ Story, it seemed to be a Remonstrance against one, there being at that time a Motion by Somebody as I was Informed, made to said Court about a Conservator to be appointed over s^. Mather. I could not read scarce a word of s"^. Letter my self, which might possibly be Owing to this that M^. Mathers usual hand writing was very bad, but I Remember Col\ Whiting said that he had been so used to his writing that he could Usually heretofore read it with Ease. At what time this was I Dare not possitively say, but upon the best Recol- lection think it was in Janu^': 1743/4. In the fall of y^ Year 1744, viz about the Latter End of Octob''. or beginning of Xov^. 1744 (as to the time I am able by Certain Circumstances to Inform my Self I think with Certainty) having heard that ]\P. The inventory of liis estate includes a remarkably detailed list of theological books, remnants of the libraries of his clerical ancestors. Other affidavits respecting his loss of mind are preserved among the Ingersoll papers. * Col. Joseph ^Yhiting was i\Ir. IngersoU's father-in-law. JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1743-56. 205 Mather had some Law Books to be sold I went in order to get some ; went first to ]\F. Tim°. Jones s having heard that he managed M'". Mathers bnsiness by a power of Attorney, he not being at home as I Remember, I went alone to M''. Mathers honse, found him sitting alone by a small fire in an Elbow Chair with his hat on, partly leaning on his Staff. I spake to him, y^ s'*. Mather, upon which he slowly turned his head round & Looked toward me. I Informed him that I was Desirous to see his books hearing they were to be sold, he Answered me in sev- eral words of which I understood only y^ word Chamber, by which I supposed he meant to say y*^ books were up Chamber, upon that I went up Chamber, found a Large Library. Looked among 'Em about half an hour, then went down again, found M^ Mather sitting as before, told him I had found no books that suited me & that I had took none — Upon that after a short pause «fc Intently looking me in the face, he said, who be you 'I I told him my name was Ingersoll — but supposing he might not know me by my name only, I added that I lived in the Town & that I married one of CoP. Whitings Daughters, Concluding that by mentioning Col^ Whiting his Intimate Acquaintance & my Rela- tion to him which he had Doubtless many a time heard of, that he would have had a Satisfying Knowledge of me, but upon my so saying, he turned his head toward the fire & after a pause of about half a minute k seeming Intense thinking, he said Slowly, Colonel Whiting ! Where does he live I I was somewhat sur- prized that he should not know him, took pains to bring him to his remembrance but to no purpose. He asked whether he had any Sons, & a number of Questions about things which I sup- posed he must have fully known. All at once he broke off from talking about Col^ Whiting & asked me if I had not heard of a great whale being Catch't in the harbour y^ Day before. I told him no ; upon that he went on talking strange k Confused things about a whale being Catch*, y® Day before &c. I said no more to him, but only after Viewing him a Small Space as a ruinated peice of Venerable Antiquity, I bid him farewell, at w^hich he seemed to take no ^STotice, & ]Srever Spoke to him afterwards. He died, as I remember in less than a Year after this time. At 206 JAEED INGERSOLL PAPEES, 1743-56. this time I could not Discern that M''. Mather was affected by any pain of Body, but so prodigiously broken as to his Intel- lectuals, that I must Confess I should as soon a thought of pulling a Dead man out of his grave & getting him to Execute any Deed or other Instrument as he. — Soon after this, I believe in Less than a week, ^U James Pierpoint* Came to me & Desired to draw a Deed from s'^. ]\P. Mather to the people of y® Seperate meeting in New Haven of a Certain peice about 10 acres of Salt meadow. I was quite surprized k nonpluss''. at the motion, & tho' I had never heard of ]\F. Pierpoint in particular, yet Could not help turning my thoughts on y*" frequent Eeports I had heard that there were Certain people who by a too great Inattention to M''. Mathers brokeness, or Actuated by worse principles, were very Industrious to Entitle themselves to his Estate ; after a little pause I looked M^ Pierpoint in y^ face & smiling said, why, M"", Pierpoint, Do you think M''. Mather is able to Execute a Deed that will be Valid in Law ? or words to that purpose, upon which M''. Pierpoint undertook to tell me Largely how it had been the Constant purpose of M'', Mather for a great while to give something to the people of y^ Seperate Society & the Like. I Determined 'twas not worth my while to enter into a Controversy with M''. Pierpoint about it, therefore drew a Deed as he directed, which same Deed as I understand was on or about y" 14*'\ of y^ same l^oV. Executed by s'^. M''. Mather & since Controverted in y*" Law, & found wanting. I Remember M'". Mather's coming into Court, viz y^ County Court at their Sessions in April 1745, to prevent, as I understood & as I believe was then y*" L^nderstanding of all by Standers, a Conservator being put in over him. Indeed twas Difficult knowing what he Said. He was aided in by persons holding him up by y^ Arms, he mumbled over Something to y° Court, M^ Caleb Tuttle one who aided him in, putting words into his mouth, but I remember y*^ Judges of s'^. Court said they Sup- posed M''. Mather Did not know one person in y*^ room «fc that he could not by any means have so Effectually Convinced them of * James Pierpont. Jr. (Yale 1718), was a leader in the establishment of the White Haven Church in 1742. JARED IJ«-GERSOLL PAPERS, '[74:^>-^)(). 207 his need of a Conservator, as by shewing himself in Court & Objecting' against one. Some time hist May I was before Justice Front in behalf of M^. Davenport at the taking of some Depositions, when Tim". Mix* «t Deborah Tuttle gave Evidence Concerning a Deed said to have been given by s'^. Mather to his l^^egroes. I knowing that the people of the Separate meeting in Xew Haven had a Claim of some meadow by a Deed from s"^ Mather, & that therefore they might be apt to think more favourably of s^. Mathers Sound- ness of mind asked s"^. Mix whether he was not one of that meeting, he Answered that he was one once, but was now a Conformist to y*^ Church of England — which Question & Answ^. was put down, not in the words of y® Question & x\nswer but in such words as y*' Justice (I suppose) Judged to be of like Import ; upon s*^ Mix s answering as Above, I having always Understood that his, s*^ Mix s conforming to y^ Church as afores^ was but a shew of pretence asked him further where he ordi- narily attended publick worship. After some pause he Answered, At y*^ Church of England when I can, at other times Sometimes at y^ old meeting & some times at the Xew (meaning as I suppose at y'^ old & new meeting houses in Xew Haven), & he Insisted on its being penned in words of that Import, at which I was somewhat surprized knowing I had not seen him at y® old meeting afores*^ in some Years & having always heard that he very Seldom attended on y*^ Church o.f England worship. I told him I could not think he would Let his Answer go in that form, telling him of how small Importance soever it might be it was gross misrepresentation ; upon which he said smiling it should go for it was truth, for said he I have been, to y® old meeting two half Days within this Year past, but said he, twas when M''. ISToyes Did not preach & I think he said twas on Lecture Days. Some time after this I asked s"^. Mix if he had not in keeping sundry Wills & parts of Wills Designed for s*^ Mathers Will, he said he had ; I Desired him to send them to Windham Court viz Sup'". Court Last Sepf , he told me he would. I afterwards * Timothy Mix {Yale 1731) was a physician in New Haven. 208 JARED INGEKSOLL PAPEES, 1743—56. asked him if he had sent them, he told me he had sent some hy Cap*. Fitch. I asked him why he Did not send Em all, he said he had sent all that were to the purpose, viz all that had any mention made in Em of y'' freedom of y*^ Negroes, at which I manifested some Dissatisfaction, upon that he said what signi- fied sending those which were made (or Dictated) by ]M''. Mather when he had not his Senses. I told him I thought it somewhat strange that he was so well Able out of a Number of Wills & parts of Wills so Exactly to Determin which were Dictated by ]\F. Mather when of sound mind & which not, Especially when he had Deposed before Justice Hubbard as I Rememl>red that tho he was frequently sent for to write Wills for M''. Mather yet could never find him able to make any Will by reason of his brokeness, till in Aug*. lY-i-l, to which he Answered that he knew well Enough (t then went away from me. Jared Ingersoll Colony of Connecticut SS. Hartford March 8"\ 1749/50. then personally appeared M^'. Jared Ingersoll the Signer to the above and within written Deposition and made Oath to the truth of the same. Coram Roger Wolcott Dep* Gov^' Opened in Superb Court at Windham March term 1749/50 per Jn*'. Bulkley one of the Judges Apprexticeship of Lucretia Smith. This indenture* made between Ruth Smith of New Haven Town & County of the one part, and Jared Ingersol of s*^ New Haven of y*" other part Witnesseth, that y*' said Ruth Smith for * As town certificates of apprenticesliip are rarely to be found in print, it has seemed best to include here both of the documents that relate to the binding out of Lucretia Smith to Jared Ingersoll in 1745 and 1746. Seybolt in his essay on apprenticeship in colonial New England and New York gives no indentures for Connecticut of date later than 1727, and does not follow the colony law farther than the revision of 1702. It is interesting to note that the law was in force as late as 1821. The form of the Ingersoll inden- ture shows that the customary pliraseology, borrowed from England, had JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 17-13-50, 209 y^ Consideration of y'' Covenants and things to be performed by the s** Jared Ingersol herein after Expressed, hath put and bound in Service, and by these presents Doth put and bind in Service unto the s''. Jared Ingersol, her Daughter Lucretia of y^ Age of Eight Years the 29"' Day of May 1745 from y^ Date of these presents until the said Lucretia shall arrive att y* Age of Sixteen Years, provided a meet person will att that Age take and teach y*^ s^ Lucretia y" Art and trade of Woman tayloring, if not to be Dismiss'd att y'' Age of fifteen Years. During which term the s*^ Lucretia, the said Jared Ingersol faithfully shall Serve, his Just & Lawfull Commands always obey and Do. And y'^ said Jared Ingersol Doth for himself his Heirs, Ex*"'., Adm""^. and Assig-ns Covenant and agree to & with y*^ said Ruth Smith her Ex^^, Adn/^ and Assigns that during said term he shall and will procure & provide for s'\ Lucretia sufficient meat, Drink, washing. Lodging & Apparrel and also Learn her to Read English and Dismiss her att y*^ End of said term with Cloathing sufficient and proper to go an apprentice to Learn tayloring. In Witness whereof y^ Parties hereunto, have here- unto interchangeably set their hands and Seals this 20*^^ Day of May A. D. 1745. Signed, Sealed and Delivered . her in presence of Ruth X Smith Abiel Hall mark Elizabeth Whiting To all people to whom these presents shall Come Greeting — Whereas in & by one Statute Law of this Colony in page 95, 96. &c of this Colony Law Book, among other things it is Enacted: ^^if there shall be any family that Cannot or do not provide Competently for their Children whereby they are Exposed to want & Extremity, it Shall & maj^ be Lawful for the become greatly simplified by this time. An earlier Connecticut indenture, binding out a girl to service in 1691, Avhicli is preserved in the State Archives (State Library, Private Controversies, IV, No. 123), is much more elaborate. 210 JAEED IIST4EESOLL PAPEES, 1743-56. Selectmen & Overseers of the poor in Each Town, & thej are hereby ordered & impowered with the Assent of the next Magis- trate or Justice of the peace to bind any poor children belonging to such Town to be Apprentices where they shall See Convenient, a man Child until he shall Come to the age of twenty one years and a w^oman Child to y^ age of Eighteen Years or time of marriage ; which shall be as Effectual to all intents & purposes as if any such Child were of full Age & by Indenture of Cove- nant had bound him or herself," as by s^. Statute may appear : and Whereas William Smith a transient person late of Kew Haven in the County of 'New Haven & Colony of Connecticut & Ruth Smith his Wife of said ISTew Haven Do not, nor doth Either of them take any Care of, nor provide Competently for their Children being in said Kew Haven, whereby they are Exposed to want & Extremity, one of which Children is Lucretia a minor woman Child of the Age of about Eight Years & 9 months, I^ow Know Ye that Jon*"": Mansfield, Sam^: Mix, Eben'': Beecher, James Peck Sen""., Jos'': Pierpoint & Sam': Thomson, being Select men & overseers of the poor for the time being of said Town of ]^ew Haven, Do by these presents by & with y^ Assent of y* Civil Authority in s''. Town Assign & Bind in Ser- vice the said Lucretia unto Jared Ingersol of s''. Xew Haven, his Ex'"^ & Adnfl, him the said Jared Ingersol faithfully to Serve, his Just & Lawfull Commands to perform & do until the said Lucretia shall arrive at y^ Age of Eighteen Years; And the said Jared Ingersol Doth for himself, his heirs, Ex". & Adm^\ Covenant & Agree to & with the said Select men & their Succes- sors in said Office that during said term he shall & will at his own proper Cost & Charge find & Procure for said Lucretia proper & Sufficient meat, Drink, Cloathing, washing. Lodging & all necessaries and Save the said Town free & harmless from all Cost & Charge that may happen or accrue on said Lucretias Account, and also Learn her to read English and Instruct her in the Art of Sewing, Knitting, Spinning & household work and at the End of said term Dismiss her from his Service with two Gowns and other proper Cloathing, the one fit & proper for JAKED INGERSOLL TAPERS, 1743-56. 211 Sabbath Days & the other for week Days wear, 9 Mr. Whittelsey for pr. Stockins to M^'s. W. for Corn on book 10 to Mr. Green for blanks to Dani. Smith for Veal 8i/>ib 11 to Seth Heaton for peas 12 to Charity 14 to Pomp for pipe &c 15 to Jos: Miles mending Shoe to Mr. Howell for tape 17 to Abr™. Thomson for beef 8lb 19 to i\Ii"s. Pomroy for Indigo &c to Sarah W. for to Capt. White for i/aib tea 23 to Mr. Diodate for Newspapers 25 to Lazarus Ives for Veal to Mrs. Allen for Shirt buttons in part ' 28 to Mr. Whittelsey for butter to Id. for 14 y^ Cambrick to Mr. Diodate for hogs fat to ;Mr. Whittelsey on book Acco. 29 to Stephen Howell for rum to Xoah Wolcot for load wood 30 to Mrs. w : Indian meal August 1 & 7 Expences in a Journey to Ridgefield 8 to Mr. Whittelsey for fish & butter 11 to Thos. Howell for papr. to Abrm. Thomson for beef 7i^ib ^ QA 12 to Mr. Hall for house rent to W™. Lyon for gimblets 3 to Abner bradly for Cyder * Ethices Elementa. Or the First Principles of Moral Philosophy. By Aristocles. Boston, 1746. This book was well known to be written by the Rev. Dr. Samuel Johnson (Yale 1714), of Stratford. 0. 2. 8 0. 12. 0. 5. 1 0. 3. 0. 0. 9 0. 1. 9 0. 3. 0. 13. 0. 5. 0. 3. 0. 8. 2. 18. 3 0. 5. 3. 15. 3 0. 8. 6 0. 3. 0. 0. 6 0. 0. 6 0. 1. 0. 2. 0. 6. 0. 1. 11 0. 1. 1. 14. 0. 4. 0. 12. 3 0. 1. 6 0. 4. 1. 4. 0. 3. 4 0. 0. 8 0. 11. 0. 15. 6 0. 1. 3 £10. 12. 2 0. 17. 7 0. 8. 0. 2. 6 0. 5. 9 3. 12. 0. 3. 6 0. 2. 218 JAEED IXGERSOLL PAPERS, 1743-56. 13 to Thos. Howell for paper to Mrs. W. for Corn to ]\Ir. Whittelsey for Cloth, linnen &c 14 to Abm. Thomson for beef to Jehiel Thomas Admr* Shoes &c to sd. Adnir. on s^^. Acco. 15 to Mrs. w. for Corn &c on book aceo. 16 to Abner Bradly for Cyder to Lad for Qnils IS to WiM. Lyon for paper 19 to Mr. Whittelsey for rum 20 to Browns for vfine to Thomson for beef 2&^ @ 8d 22 to Mr. Xoyesf for Sider to Mr. Whittelsey for handkerch^s 23 to Wm. Lyon for paper 26 to Lyon for Ink horn to Jo: Miles mending Wifes Shoes to Mr Noyes for Sider 27 to Mr. Whittelsey for butter to Browns Expences wine 29 to Browns for Wine to Mr. Noyes for Sider to Mrs. Pomroy for Soap Septembr. 1 to Amos Pirkins for Veal 2 to Benjn. Morris for fowls to Dani. Woodin for Wood to Jethro for Oysters 3 to Mr. Noyes for Sider to Thos. Ives for BB$ Sider 6 to Mr. Diodate for psalm book 8 to Mr. Noyes for Sider 9 to Steplien Howel for rum 2 Quts. to ^Ir. Whittelsey for pepper 10 to Lazarus Ives for pig Quartr. 11 to Mr. Whittelsey for 4 yds holland to Do. for lllb; 6oz. butter @ 2/3 12 to Lazs. Ives for Mutton 15 to Jno. Hall for Oysters to Mr. Whittelsey for % peck Salt 0. 7. 0. 2. 6 0.17.10 0.10. 6 2. 0. 1. 2. 0. 4. 0. 2. 0. 0. 6 0. 2. 1. 0. 0. 3. 6 0.17. 4 0. 3. 6 2. 5. 0. 0. 8 0. 1. 6 0. 2. 0. 3. 0. 0. 0. 3. 0. 7. 0. 3. 0. 5. £17. 2. 8 . .4 . 9 0. 4. 0.17. 6 0. 5. 0. 3. 0.16. 0. 8. 6 0. 3. 0.11. 0. 5. 7 0. 7. 6 5.15. 1. 5. 7 0. 6. 0. 4. 0. 3. 9 * Jehiel Thomas died in April. 1746, and his Avidow, Mary (Miles) had been appointed his Administratrix. t Rev. Joseph Xoyes (Yale 1709), Mr. Inger soli's pastor. 1 Barrels. JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1743-56. 219 16 to Mr. Whittelsey for paper to Abr™. Thomson for beef 18 to Mr. Whittelsey for thread & fowls to James Thomson for hooping to Caleb Atwater for wood 23 to Lazs. Ives for Veal to ]Mr. Whittelsey for Rye 2 bushels to Mrs. Pomroy for Mug & Nutmeg 24 to Jo: for Eggs 26 to Stephen Howell for 2 Qts. rum to Jos. Miles for p"". Shoes for my Wife 29 to Mr. Gibb* for i^ib tea 30 to Jonth. Atwater on Book for % bushi. Oysters 0. to James Peck for hoe handle to Stephn. Howell on Book Acco. for } checks, rum &c i to Mr. Whittelsey for quatity binding Octobr. 3 to Eliphelet Beechr. for beef to James Thomson on book Acco for ^^ hooping &c i ■1- to Thomas Howell for buttons to Mrs. w. on Book for Ind: meal &c 5 to Contribution 6 to Widow Bradly for 3 bbi Cyder to Williams for mutton to Susa: Proutf for loaf Sugar 8 to Stepi. Howell on book Acco. to Thoms. Howell for tayloring, Cloathing &c to Do. for Cloathing, tayloring &c 9 to Capt Allint for 1 Gall, rum to Jos. Miles for Soleing Lucretias shoes 3/9 ( — 9d Due 10 to Joel Munson for 1311^ flower, 5^ to Mr. Whittelsey for 3 fowls @ 2/ 11. to Mrs. w. for Corn to Do. for Indin meal &c to Lazs. Ives for pig 14 to D. Punderson on Book for Clieese to Do. for handkerct * Probably Thomas Gibb, of Milford. t Susanna Prout, born April, 1718, daughter of John Prout, Junior (Yale Coll. 1708), married Timothy Bontecou, November, 1747, died October, 1755. + Probablv Jonathan Ailing. 0. 7. 0. 5. 9 0. 8. 0. 7. 0.17. 0. 9. 4 1. 0. 0. 8. 0. 1. 6 0.12. 1. 0. 2. 5. rs 0. 1. 9 0. 1. 6 0. 6. 0. 3. 6 £20.13. 6 0. 6. 2 0. 8. 6 0. 2. 0. 8. 0. 1. 2.17. 0.11. 10 0.15. 0. 3. 7. 0. 4. 6. 5 1. 0. [- 0. 3. 9 2.14. 7 0. 6. 0.10. 0. 7. 0.15. 6 0. 7. lOVa 0.11. 220 JAEED IIs^GEESOLL PAPEES, 1743-56. 15 to Benjn. \Yilmot for wood to James Thompson for barrel 16 to Mr. Jones for 1 Doz. pipes 18 to Benjn. Morriss for fowls 19 to James Thomson for bW &c on book 21 to Mr. Whittelsey for tow cloth to Do. for ribbon 8/ for Wine &c 2/ 22 to C'apt. Allin for 1 Gall, molass. 23 to W™. Lyon for Nails to Abr™. Thomson for beef 24 to R. Baldwin for 4bbi & ^ Sider 25 to Jos: Miles for Soleing & mending my Shoes 10/ & for Soleing Cretias in part Q^ to Jontii. Atwr. for ^^ bushi. Oysters to Stephen Howell for busW Salt to Mi-. Whittelsey for 9 yds Camblet 28/2, ^ 11/^ yds Osnubrigs, % yd blue Callico, - 2 fowls, thread & Cheese ) 28 to Mrs. w. for Beef 9% @ 8 29 to Mr. Whittelsey for goose 21b butter 5/ hops 4/6 Silk 3d 31 to Benja. Wilmot for bb Sider to Mr. Eliot for Rum to Do. for Sugar Novembr. 1 to Samuel Gilbert for boards to Dani. Sanford for i^ pig 2 to Contribution 3 to Jos. Sperry for load wood to Mr. Piatt for lolib Beef @ 8d to Mrs. Pomroy for pig, piece of 4 to Mr. Bishop for my Rate to Do. for fathers rate 6 to AbrJn. Thompson for 1 Day highway work to Mrs. W. for 3ib tobacco @ 1/6 9 to Jo: for Cutting wood &c 10 to Wni. Johnson for 2 bushi turnips 11 to Mr. Whittelsey for 2 Cask 12 to INIr. Hall for house rent to Leiut Baldwin* for load wood 14 to Mrs. W. for Corn % bushi. &c to Mr. Cooke for 2 Dinners 15 to Atwater for pig to Jo. for Cutting wood &c * Barnabas Baldwin, Junior, of Xew Haven and ]\lilford. 0.14. 0.13. 0. 5. 0. 6. 8 1. 0. 0.12. 0.10. 0.14. 0. 2. 6 0. 7. 6 3. 9. i 0.10. 0. 1. 6 1.10. 14. 0. 0. 6. 6 0. 4. 8 0. 9. 9 0.18. 1.18. 6 0.13. 9 £53. 1. 5 0. 1. 0. 9. 3 0. 1. 3 1. 0. 5. 0. 3 0. 2. 1. 1. 11/3 0. 6. iy2 0. 6. 0. 4. 6 0. 1. 3 0.12. 0. 8. 10 3. 9. 6 1. 0. 0. 6. 8 0. 5. 0. 6. 9 0. 0. 71/2 JAKED INOEKSOLL PAPEKS, l743-5(). 221 to Mrs. w. for Corn &c 0. 0.10 17 to Jont'i. Atwater Jur. for Oysters 0. 1.9 to Expencos at Fairfield for nij-self & liorse 1. 8. 4 to Wynkoop* for pr. buckles 3.15. to Do. for pr. Do. for my Wife 4. 2. to Do. for making 3 Silver Spoons 2.5.0 to Do. for 3 p^^- Silver 0.7.0 left 47 oz Silver for s^. Spoons gave Ely for s^. Silver 9.0.0 to Mrs. w. for Corn 0. 2. 6 20 to Lealit for Washing pd. in holland & ) 14 making up . . Apron i 25 to Kimberly for 2 Qts. Matheglin 0. 8. to for 4 fowls 0. 5. 3 to Mr. Howell for Corn part buslii. 0.10. 6 26 to Miss Cablet for 141b. tea 1.5.0 to Do. for loz. Coffee 0.12. 28 to ]\Ir. W'hittelsey for Cash paid ]\Irs. / Hotchkis on my Aeco. for fowls i to Mr. Whittelsey for 9oz butter 0. 1.4 to Do. for thread & tape ' 0. 1. 9 to Do. i/aib Eaisins 0. 2. to David Punderson for 1^4 Checks linnen 1. 9. to Do. for 1 Doz: bisket 0. 4. to Doctr. Levt. Hubbard for Adhernium &c. 0. 1. 6 29 to Mrs. Thomas for goose 0.6.0 to Mrs. Beechr. Jo. for Eggs 0. 1. 3 0. 6. 8 £42.12. 8 Decembr. 1 to Dani. Thompson for Combing wool 0.5.0 to Mrs. Thompson for Candle 0. 3. 3 to Jo. for Cutting wood 0. 3. 3 to James Peck for scraping Bucks horn 0.0.6 to James Thompson on book for barrel 0.13. to Jethro for killing hog 0. 3. 5 to Stephen Howell for highways working Qt rum 0. 5. 6 to Benjn. Todd for 20%ib Mutton tallow @ Vs 1.14. 2 to Charity 0. 5. 7 to Contribution . 1.0 9 to Benjii. Wilmot for load Wood 0.15. * Benjamin Wynkoop, of Fairfield. t Mr. Ingersoll sold Leah, his negro slave, in 1778, to Pompey Punchard. a free negro. $ Mrs. Sarah, Avife of W^illiam Cable, died in August, 1751, aged 40. 222 JAEED INGEKSOLL PAPERS, 1743-56. 10 to Mr. Whittelsey for Eggs to Ailing for load wood to D. Punderson for fowls to Jo. for fetcliing home Do. 11 to Mr. Hays for Qt. Brandy 12 to Mr. Eliot for rum to Mr. Howell in full of bushi. Corn 13 to Mr. Whittelsey for Mutton to Do. for Do. to Mrs. Eosbothum* for tansey water 17 to Mn". Jones for an Almanack to David Punderson biscake 18 to Mr. Whittelsey on Book for one Partridge to Do. for Quire paper to Jontii. Allen for load wood 19 to Miss Pomroy for Gall: rum 21 to Miss W: for Indian meal 24 to Mr. Whittelsey for handkercf 25 to Saml. Beecher for IQi/alb. butter to Mr. Wliittelsey for handkerfs to Do. for fowls 3/9 for pipes 5/ 26 to Stepn. Howell on book for rum &c 29 to Wait Chattertont for GQib. flower to Mr. Whittelsey for fowl to Doctr. Hubbd. for physick &c 31 to David Punderson on Book for Bisket to Mrs. W. for pork Sum total of Expences in the foregoing year 1746 0. 1. 0.18. 0. 3. 6 0. 0. 6 0. 7. 1. 0. 0. 0. 6 0. 7. 6 0. 0. 6 0. 2. 0. 1. 0. 4. 0. 1. 9 0. 7. 1. 6. 1. 0. 0. 1. 6 0.11. 2. 9. 1. 5. 0. 8. 9 0. 3. 1. 7. 6 0. 1. 9 4. 0. 0. 3. 0. 2. 9 21. 1. 11 £319.. 17.. 6 76.. 0.. 9 Particulars Victuals, Including tea$ drank as well "I afternoon as in ye morning i Drink for Victuals, viz Sider & Beer Strong Liquors, viz Rum, Wine, Matheglin &c Wood Saddle, bridle, Baggs &c Laid out in Silver A table house-rent * Sarah, daughter of Gershom Brown, and wife of Benjamin Rosbotham, born March, 1699. t Of Moimt Carmel. t The amount expended for tea during tlie year was £13.14.6; and the price per pound, so far as given, varied from £3. to £5. 10. 0. 20. 0. 15. 17. 13. 0. 19. 9. 5. 0. 15. 0. JAUED INGERSOLL P.VrEKS, 1743-50. 223 Cloathing Doctering tobacco pipes Candles 284.. 5.. 3 Remains £35.. 12.. 3. for paper, washing. Charity, powder. Lead, Casks, Gimblets, Cutting wood, boards, books & a thousand other Incidental things. ino. . 0. .03 5. . 4. . 9 1. .10. . 0. .13. . (] 2. .10. . Letter of William Livingston. Sir I find by your Letter of the 10th Instant & the account there- with, that there is still in your hands a Ballance of £10.2.0 old Tenor in my favour on Ace* of the Philosophic Solitude. I am at a Loss how to make you Satisfaction for the trouble you have been pleased to take in that affair, especially since I find that you have not so much as Charged the usual Commissions (which in a Gentleman of your Profession I must look upon as a most sublime pitch of self-denial &) which I should have been exceeding willing, & am still willing, to allow you. But if you are still resolved not to accept them (and indeed they would be but a very inadequate Recompence for your Trouble) I can only say, that if it should ever be in my power to serve you, I shall not fail to embrace the welcome Opportunity of testifying my gratitude. And as to the said £10.2.0, I having no occasion for 3'our unfortunate Currency,* you would still add to the * As the currency of Connecticut is frequently referred to in these papers, a brief explanation will be of service. Old tenor was the term used for all Connecticut paper money of the issues to 1740, still outstanding in 1744, including possibly some bills of 1746 printed from the old plates. Neio tenor consisted of the bills of 1744 and years following. Little reckoning was done in new tenor, calculations being made in old tenor at the rate of three and a half old tenor to one new tenor. In comparison with the normal value of paper, that is, six shillings to a silver Spanish dollar or six shillings eight pence to an ounce of silver, which was also the rate at which foreign silver coins were made current by the Proclamation of 1704 and so known as proclamation money, the depreciation of old tenor in 1748 was about six to one. In comparison 224 JARED INGEESOLL PAPERS, 1743-56. Obligations vou have already laid me under, if you wou'd be pleased to lay it out in the following- Works of Dr. Watts (which I doubt not you'l find in Daddy Diodates* Shop, & I trust Mr. Whittelsey your Brother will take the Trouble to Convey to my hands) viz: His Treatise on the Passions, Philosophical Essays, Strength & W^eakness of human reason & Reliquiae Juveniles, or as many of them as the said Sum will purchase. I am, Sir (with my best Respects to you & Mr&. Ingersol) Your most humble Servt Wil™. Livingston. t Is^: YorkOcf 25, 1748 with sterling, in which four shillings and six pence Avere equal to a Spanish dollar, the depreciation was a third more, or eight to one. There was a difference of opinion at the time as to the meaning of laicfiil money. Manifestly it was any medium made legal by law, but whether by the law of England or the law of the colony was not so clear. Some held that lawful money was silver, either the silver shillings, six- pences, and threepences coined in Massachusetts, 1652-1684, and still in circulation, or the foreign silver made current at the same rate by the Proclamation of 1704 and the Coinage Act of 1708. Others, constituting probably a majority of the people of Xew England, held that lawful money was paper money, which at par equated with both Massachusetts silver and proclamation money, a six shilling paper bill when first issued, six Massa- chusetts pine-tree shillings, and a Spanish dollar all being of the same value. In the Dering vs Packer case (below, p. 239), the Privy Covmcil decided in favor of silver, either Massachusetts silver or proclamation money, but Ingersoll was undoubtedly fight when he said that this decision was not in accord with the "understanding of the people" of Xew England. * William Diodate, a native of London ( who settled in Xew Haven in 1717, married in 1721, and died in 1751), kept a general store on State Street, at the southwest corner of the present jvmction with Court Street. t The writer (born 1723, died 1790) was graduated at Yale in 1741, and was now gaining distinction at the New York bar. In his later years he removed to New Jersey, where he served in Congress and became the first Governor of the State. In 1747 he published anonymously in New York Philosophic Solitude: or the choice of a Rural Life. A Poem. By a Gentleman educated at Yale College. A subscription-paper in Mr. Ingersoll's hand for this work (the earliest publication in pure literature by a Yale graduate), which was circulated in the College, and is still preserved in the Yale University Library, is appended to this letter. JAIJED IXGEESOLL PAPERS, 1T43-5G. 225 Subscriptions for M". Livik^gstonS poem* Prepared for the press & upon proper Encouragement will be Speedily published, A Kural Poem both Instructive «Si Delight- full, M''. William Livingston of N'ew York the xVuthor, to be printed on good paper in Quarto, being Somewhat in lengi;h more than an Ordinary Sermon, the price of one will be about four or iive Shillings old tenor. f ^Ye the Subribers willing to Encourage the publication thereof Do for that purpose Engage to pay the Undertakers for So many as to our names are annexd. Jared Ingersol 2 Eleazar Porter 1 Chauncey Whittelsey 2 pd Thomas Williams l' Enos Ailing 2 pd Wm Smith 1 Samuel Fisk 2 John Cuyler 1 Willim. Russel 2 pd. Naphtali Daggett 1 Saml Fitch 4 pd. Elijah Lyman 1 paid Wm Samii. Johnson 2 paid+ David Baldwin 1 Xath" Lloyd 2 Danii. Bennitt Ipd Richd Mansfield 2 James Hillhouse 2 Jonth. Colton 2 pd John Sherman 1 Aaron Day 2 Nehemiah Greenman 2 Wm. Bryant 3 John Colman 2pd Lyman Hall Jeremiah Burton Ipd Nathii. Huntington Matthias Crane 1. Joseph Clark Daniel Hubbard 2 Deliverance Smith John Hotchkiss 1 Oliver Wolcott 2 James Bebee 2 Daniel Shelden Mr. Bastwick, Greenwich 2 Timothy Pitkin Mr. Mather, ]\Iiddlesex 2 William Cooke IMr. Dibble, Stanford 2 John Benedict Mr. Lamson, Eichfield 2 Benjn. Fisk Mr. Woolsey, L. Island 4 Jonathan Elmer John Reynolds 1 John Hubbard Eliphalet Ball 1 * All the subscribers were graduates or undergraduates of Yale. There were then probably from 105 to 110 students in College, and of these, 58 persons subscribed for 83 copies, — 20 being Seniors (Class of 1747), 20 Juniors (Class of 1748), 12 Sophomores (Class of 1749), and 6 Freshmen (Class of 1750) : Burton, a Senior from Stratford, Sumner from Hebron, and Sherman. Sophomores, and Mitchel, a Freshman from Woodbury, died or left College before graduation. t That is, about a shilling proclamation money or nine pence sterling. + One of these copies is now in the Yale Library. 226 JARED IXGEKSOLL PAPERS, 1743-56. Daniel Welch Eeynold Marvin Nathan Starr John Clark David Riplej' Xymphas Marston Elisha Steel Peter Biiel Samuel Raynolds William Sumner Nathaniel Bartlet Austin Munson James Brown Isaac Lyman Reed of Doctr. Fitch /- Simeon Mitchel 6 Ipd } Mitchel Reed 2 & pd for i 2 Do. 1 Do. Elihu Tudor 1 Izrahiah Wetmore pd 1 John Maltby 3 Jedediah Mills 1 2p^ Sir — Mr. Wittlesey tells me that you could not get the books I wrote for ; be pleased therefore to lay out the money in Chevers's* excidences & Vocabularies (or N'omenclatures) Latin & English, half for one & half for the other, & send them by the post for as reasonable a price as you can agree. My respects to your Spouse. I am. Sir, Your very humble Serv* W"" Livingston. N^.B. — You will be pleased to send them by the next post, I wanting them for my brothers Children, & charge the postage of this Letter to mv Ace*. Bill of Sale of j^egro Boy. To all people to whom these presents shall Come Greeting. Know ye that I Stephen Ailing of the Town & County of j^ew Haven & Colony of Connecticut, for the Consideration of the Sum of three hundred & twenty pounds old tenor rec*^. to my full satisfaction of Jared Ingersoll of New Haven afores"^., have Sold, set over & Delivered & Do by these presents fully & absolutely Sell, Set over & Deliver unto him the said Jared Ingersoll a Certain Negro Boy, a Slave Called Cambridge aged Eight years or thereabouts. To have & to hold the said Xegro Boy unto him the said Jared Ingersoll and to his Executors, Adm'''. and Assigns for Ever. And I the said Stephen Ailing Do for my Self my heirs, Ex^. & Adm''. Covenant with the Said Jared Ingersoll his Ex'"' & Adm'"^ that Lentil the Ensealing of these presents I am Lawfully possessed of the said Xegro as of my proper goods & have good right to Sell him in manner as is above written & Do by these presents bind my Self & my heirs, * Ezekiel Cheever (born in England in 1614. died in Boston in 1708). a noted schoolmaster in New Haven, and in Boston and its vicinity, published a Latin Accidence which continued in use for many generations of schoolbovs. 228 JAEED USTGEESOLI. PAPEES, 1743-56. Ex"^ and Adm"\ for Ever To Warrant & Defend the s'*. :N'egro to him the said Jared Ingersoll and to his Ex'"'., Adm". & Assigns as'ainst all Claims & Demands whatsoever. In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand & Seal this 31^\ Day of May AD: 1751. Signed, Sealed & Deliv'''^. Stephen Ailing [l. s.] in presence of Chauncy Whittelsey* Charles Whittelsev Epitaph on Isaac Steady Esq"*.'!" w^to depaeted this life ap^. 8 : 1754 being peoxy-day.t Here Lies, Squire Steady, for Religion Ever fam'd who ne'er in all his life got drunk, nor Ever gam'd. he had the Pious ^N'ack at right godly Devotion yet was troubled with an Itch for Worldly Promotion of which he long Laboured. Ah ! fatal Disease while flattering all. Courting all, he all did displease. So Equi-poised was his mind 'twixt One thing & another he never knew his own mind for two hours together. * Stephen Ailing, Jared Ingersoll, and Chauncy l^Hiittelsey had married sisters, the daughters of Colonel Joseph Whiting, of New Haven. t These verses, in Mr. Ingersoll's hand, are unsigned, but the erasures and interlineations betray the author. The subject is Isaac Dickerman, of New Haven, born 1677. died 1758, who on April 8, 1754, was defeated in the nomination of Deputies in the General Assembly of the Colony, of which he had formerly been a member. He served as a Deacon in the First Church from 1727 until liis dismission early in 1754 to the Separate or White Haven Clnirch; in which he was a Deacon from April 2, 1754, to his death. He married, as his second wife, on June 12, 1754, Elizabeth (Ailing), widow of John Morris, of East Haven. A very bitter feeling prevailed at this time between the supporters of the Rev. Joseph Xoyes, of the First Church (of whom Mr. Ingersoll was one), and his opponents, some of whom had founded the White Haven Meeting in 1742. t The day of the meeting of freemen in Connecticut towns for nominating Deputies to the C4eneral Assembly. JARED IN^GERSOLL PAPERS, 174.3—56. 229 Long did the two houses for Eeligious Worship prepar'd Contend for his presence, which neither wholly shar'd ; he turn'd, to true blue & turned back & then turn'd again & doubtless in all had his godly Ends t' obtain ; but See fickle fortune ! when most She Seems to favour Says there's Something Suspicious in his Motly behaviour, too good for one Side, not proov'd Lasting good o' the t'other, is bid to give way to a more Deserving Brother ; Ev'n Just as his faith was Declar'd to be right Sound between those two Stools, he fell flat to y^ ground & falling Died — his worldly Life's no more. As to his Stature it was tall & his Age almost four Score, but what was worldly life to him who hopes E're long to Shine Illustrious Among that pious throng, where Join'd to South-End's Kich Widow full of grace & true light he'll Rise Immortal & Reign as Lasting full & bright as does a falling Meteor in a dark Cloudy jSTight ; flaming with pious Social Love at Seventy Seven Vigorous & Strong — Just like good folks in heaven. Letter of Col. Gurdon Saltonstall. :N'ew London :N'ov''. 3, 1755 M''. Jared Engersol S^ I now adress you by my son Winthrop,* & on his behalf. I^pon mature Consideration, & advice, he has resolved to Study the Law; and as he will stand in absolute need of * Wintlirop Saltonstall, son of Colonel Gurdon Saltonstall (Yale College 1725), and grandson of Governor Gurdon Saltonstall, was graduated at Yale in 1756, and spent his life in his native town of New London, employed in public office. As a day-book of Mr. IngersoU shows, young Saltonstall boarded in his family through his Senior year, paying five shillings a week. 230 JAEED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1743-56. advice, & direction, I take the Freedom to ask the favour, of You to admit him into your Family, & under your Patronage ; if it be consistent with your Practice as well as agreable to the Family. Haveing consider' d Winthrop's Genius, am of Opinion, that there is as much reason to hope, he will make as good proficiency in the Study of the Law, as in any other branch of Literature. Should you consent to take him, favour me with the Terms on which you'l accept him ; which I doubt not will be reason- able, that I may give him such directions as may be necessary, with all convenient speed. And yoiil highly Oblige ' Y^. Most Hum' Serv^ G: Saltonstall. Letter of Peter V. B. Livingston. ]^ York May 31^ 1756 S^ The Corrispondents to the Society in Scotland from [ ? for] Propigating Christian Knowlege are about buying a tract of Land in ISTew Jersey for the use of the Indians & purpose to settle the Rev*^. M''. John Brainerd* amongst them as their Minister; their Cash is so low that I can [not] see that they can possibly compleat their desigii unless they can very speedily get the money which M"". Brainerd put to interest to Mess'^ Cook, Day & Dyer, whose bonds M'". Brainerd tells me he has put into your hands. Wherefore I beg the favour of you to let me know how that affair stands by the very first opportunity, what sum you have rec'^. & what you still expect to receive and * John Brainerd (born 1720, died 1781) was graduated at Yale in 1746: and from 1747 to 1755 was employed by the Edinburgh Society for Prop- ogating Christian Knowledge as his brother David's assistant and suc- cessor in the mission to the Delaware Indians in New Jersey. He then had charge for a year of the Presbyterian Church in Newark, but in June, 1756, resumed his former labors, largely supporting himself from his private means. JAP.ED IXGEKSOLL PArERS, 1743-56. 231 M^hen. I beg you will be very perticular, that the Corrispond- ents may know what to depend on & act accordingly. I am Your most hnm\ Serv*. P. V. B. Livingston.* [To Jared Ingersol Esq'^. at ISTew Haven] Letters of Rev. John Brainerd. :N'ew York, July 1, 1756 Sir, I received the Money you left and all is right except that clip't Piece which I took for a double Pistole, f That is a Counterfeit & will by no means Pass. I have left it with M''. Peter Livingston to send by Cap* Bradly. I hope M''. Day knows who he had it of and will be able to return it, to the right owner. In Hast, Sir, Your humb Serv* John Brainerd Newark, Mar. 1, 1758 Sir, Yours 23"^ Jan: came to hand last Evening. I had Just pre- pared a Line for you, which now you wont have the Trouble * Peter Van Brugh Livingston, an elder brother of Mr. IngersoU's intimate friend, William Livingston, was graduated at Yale in 1731, and became a merchant in New York. t Pistole was a Spanish coin, appearing in a single piece, a double or two-pistole piece, and a four-pistole piece or doubloon. Its value in the colonies varied from 16s, 6d to 22s, but in Virginia it was in common use as the equivalent of an English pound or 20s. 232 JARED INGEKSOLL PAPERS, 1743-56. of. — I am not Sorry to hear you have received the full of mi/ Debt from Yale Bishop. You will be so good as to send it to M\ P. V. B. Livingston by the first Safe Opportunity, and Just Signify to him that it belongs to mev Personally, otherwise he may keep it in the Treasury and not send me Word. I am sorry for so many Delays with Respect to the publiek Money. But I doubt not you have done your best, and will do your utmost to procure the Remainder for us. The Want of it has been a great Disadvantage. You will please to send what Money you have by you, belonging to the Mission, also to M"^. Livingston. I hope you take Care of yourself, by the Way, as well as of us. It has been a troublesom xlfT. all round. I long to have it done with. In hast. Sir, Your humb Serv* John Brainerd [To Jared Ingersoll Esq"". at N^ew Haven] Letter of Joseph Goldthwait. At Onida Great Carryin Place,* Aug*. 14*^ 1756 Dear Sir, Perhaps these Lines may surprise you. But, though I am absent from you have a Regard for my f rinds at your Place, & have wrote to many of Them. Therefore take the Fredom of writeing a few" Lines to you, (S: Encloseing one to my Dear Girle who, I hope is Well. I have not no Particular Xews to tell you off. Every thing this way Lays Dorment, waiting Lord Lowdenf Orders. Xo * The site of the present city of Rome, X. Y., where the waters that flow to the Hudson Eiver divide from tliose that flow to Lake Ontario. t The Earl of Loudoun arrived in Virginia in July, 1756, as commander- in-chief of the British forces in North America. JARED II^fGERSOLL PAPERS, 1743-56. 233 Expedition will l)e Carryed on this way this Year. We are only upon the Defensive; we are fortvfiing- This Place. I am Posted Here till further Orders. It is Reporf\ that our Regi- ment will be order*^. to Hallifax, but Cant say How^ True it is, but Wish it may be so. Hope our Countrymen will do something at Crown Point; wait with Impatience to Hear of their Success which god Grant. ]\Iy Compliments to your Lady, Master Jerree, & all Inquire- ing frinds, or any Body you have a Mind to. Beg yo\ favor me with a Line, and a ISTews Paper &f. will be Exceptable & am Dear Sir your most Humble SeiV. Joseph Goldthwait* Jared Ingersole Esq"^. * The writer of this letter, Joseph Goldthwait, Junior, bought land in New Haven in 1751. but sold out his holdings in 1754. He was born in Boston in 1730, attained the rank of Major in the Old French War, was loyal to the Crown in the Revolution, and died in New York City in 1779. 234 JAEED USTGEESOLL PAPERS, 1758-64. II. ]^Ew Haven and London, 1758-1764. In May, 1758, Mr. Ingersoll was appointed as Agent for the Colony of Connecticut at the Court of St. James. He reached London in January, 1759, and after resigning his agency in May, 1760, remained there for over a year longer. Before his return he contracted with the Commissioners of the I^avy to send them from America a ship-load of masts, etc. The following papers relate to his preparations for the voyage to London ; his life there ; his London landlady's letters after his return ; details of the fulfilment of his contract with the jSTavy Board ; and other incidents in his personal history. Letter of Rev. Jonathan Ingersoll. ^ew York, June 14, 1758. D''. Brother; I this minit received a Line from you by Mr Darling, and am Sorry I had it not sooner. However, in my last, which I hope you have received, I gave you my Advice respecting your taking y'' Smal Pox by Innoculation ;* and y*^ more I hear, y^ more I am encouraged. I lodged at Mr Bostwicks y*" Presbyte- rian Minister of this Place, last night : a man of Sense & Reli- gion, who Strongly advises to it. He is considerably gross, and was innoculated last Summer with all his Family consisting of eight or nine, and, I believe, all together had not so large a Crop as I had, and were scarcely ill enough to keep House. I hope you will be preserved, & should rejoyce to be with you was it * Inoculation as a preventative of small pox, one of the most dreaded of diseases in the colonies, consisted in the injection of small pox virus from a mild case, in order to induce in the individual a mild form of the disease. jVIany objections to it were raised in the colonies, partly because of its dangers, and partly because of its interference with the "prerogative" of God. The Assembly of South Carolina forbade its use in 1764. The Sut- tonian method was that commonly used. The "crop" to which Jonathan Ingersoll refers is evidently of "pock-marks". JARED INGEKSOLL PAPERS, 1758-64. 235 possible; but it seems not possible, Consistent with &c &c. I heartily re Joyce in yonr Prosperity, and so bid you farewell wishing the best of Blessings may rest upon you, and y'' you may be made a rich Blessing to your Country. If Sir, danger- v ous, tempting Scenes you expect will open, watch & pi'ay. Hope we may See each other again in Life; be this as it will, let our highest Concern be to Serve our Generation by y® will of God, y^ we may die in Peace ; and possess Eternal Bliss. Your Affectionate Brother Jon*^ Ingersoll.* [To ]\P Jared Ingersoll Esq'' at Brook-Haven on Long Island to be left at C. Murisons] Letter of William Samuel Johnson. 'No one among y'". Friends does more sincerely & heartily than I do, Congratulate y''. Return Home & recovery from the small Pox. I had great Concern for you on Account of the hot Wheather which happened at the Time I imagined you had the disease upon you: And was sorry you had not before Innocii-* lation been advised of the surprising success of the Jersey Physicians in the use of Mercury & Antimony, as means to correct the virulance of that distemper, & render Innoculation safe for all Ages & Constitutions. But as the Event of the course you took has been so happy, it is now of no consequence. May this first fortunate step be an Omen, of a happy Voyage, & prosperous undertaking throughout * Jonathan Ingersoll, born 1714, the eldest brother of Jared Ingersoll, was graduated at Yale in 1736. He was settled as pastor of the Congregational Cluirch in Ridgefield, Connecticut, in 1739; and served in that office until his death in 1778. His eldest son was graduated at Yale in 1766, and became a distinguished lawyer in New Haven and Lieutenant Governor of the State. 236 JAKED IXGEBSOLL PAPERS, 1758-64. I shall be giad to know whether we shall have the Pleasure to see you at Litchfield, or whether von conclude not to attend this Circuit. I am with true Regard I)\ S\ Y\ Friend & humble Serv*. Wm. Sam\ Johnson* Stratford, Aug. 2, 1758. Jared Ingersol, Esq : J^ew Haven. Letter of Dr. George Muirson. Good Sir I Rec'^ Your Kind letter of the 30'^ July Informing me of the surrender of Louisbourgh ; tho' the Account proved prema- ture I made no doubt but that it would be so soon, If it was not so then, from the Constant ; heavy ; and Almost perpetual fire with w^^. we ply'd them. (I had also great Confidence from the knovni Ability and Integrity of two of the principle Commanders, one I had the honour and pleasure of being Acquainted with.) It is So now. I give you Joy thereof and Wish it to Every Englishman. Had we Succeded to the l^orthward in that one battle only. In My Opinion this part of the World Would have bin our own Soon. I most firmly beleive God In his good time Will Deliver us from Slaughter and put the ISTorth as Well as East in our hands. I would have a Small Matter of humain Means Made Use off, for great ones dont Avail us to the Northward, w* I am both Sorry for, and Ashamed off. I hope M^'^ Ingersall is well and happly freed from the Secret * William Samuel Johnson, born 1727, died 1819, was graduated at Yale in 1744. and became a lawyer in Stratford. In common with a large number of other leading citizens of Western Connecticut, Dr. Johnson refrained from active participation in the events which preceded and accompanied the American Revolution; but when the ■struggle was decided, he accepted the result cordially, and took an important part in the constiuction of the new republic. JARED INGEKSOLL PAPERS, 1758-G4, 237 and hidden fear's that Some body said She was possesed off, For as to Manifest ones no body On Our lie Was Wise Enough to discover. Pray give my Hearty Regards to her; M'"'' Muirson and the Whole doth the Same. I wish you Well Sir Here ; on your passage to England ; there ; and When you Return. Shall always be very glad to hear from you Especially when In Europe and be assured Dear S''. you are among the J^Tumber of the professed friends of Geo Muirson* [175S] 10"\ Sep' At mght Your tingers — but my Eyes begin to fail me. [For Jared Ingersoll Esq"" at 'New Haven] Letter to Rev. Joa^athan" Ixgersoll. London, 16th Ap\ iToO.f B\ Broth-". I now write you from this far distant land of Old England, as I did frequently from iST : York while I was waiting there for a passage, during all which time I have not had the pleasure of receiving a line from you. I know your late Sickness must be your Excuse in great measure & perhaps altogether. I have not heard from any of my friends in America since my Coming away. Perhaps you are Still Labouring under weakness «fc infirmity tho I hope it is otherwise with you. Be so good as to write me one line at least. I myself was greatly * Dr. George Muirson, Jr., of Brookhaven. Long Island, born 1708, died 178C. was the earliest practitioner in America of mercurial inoculation. t Another letter, dated on the day after this, to his friend William Samuel Johnson, is given in part in Beardsley's Life cmd Times of Johnson, pp. 15-16. A subsequent letter, written on December 22, 1759, is given in full by Dr. Beardsley, pp. 19-24. 288 JARED i:S"GEBSOLL PAPERS, 1758-64, relax'd at first coming here & for some time after, owing, I Imagin, partly to the moistness of the Air in this Climate & partly to my being Confined almost all the way over, to my Cabbin in a close pent air. The Ocean was in Such a rage we Conld not go forth upon Deck nor yet Sit or Stand in the Cab- bin great part of the time. The passage was truly terrible & alarming, nor did w^e but with the utmost hazard Escape Ship- wreck finally at our making the Land, which was in the horrors of a Dark :ixg Wextwortii, axd Enclosure. 2^" Haven S^ Ap' 1764 S'- I received f. favour of the 3'\ of Jan^. yesterday, & not before, having been from home about a month last past. in answer to your request I have to Inform you that, the Gentlemen Mes^ Talcott & Wyllys who undertook to Carry my Contract with the JSTavy board into Execution, always affirmed to me that out of the whole number of Sticks which they felled they have been able to get Scarcely Enough to Answer the Con- tract,- — that many broke Coming over the rapids, others in falling, that Some Lodged by y*" way k Some proved Defective in working — the particulars however of this matter I am not now able to furnish vou wnth, l)ut will Send to them immedi- 266 JAEED INGEESOLL PAPEES, 1758-64. atelj, (about 40 Miles from hence) for a Circumstantial Account of the transaction which you may depend I will trans- mit to you as soon as possible. You may S'". rest assured that I neither have nor will Suffer the least Spoil of the Kings woods to be made, that lies in my power to prevent, & am quite willing that Every person Employed by me should be Scrutinized to the utmost — & here I beg Leave to tell you in my turn that I have through y® Course of y* Last Summer heard with much Concern of incredible havock being made in y" afores*^ woods upon the River Con- necticut, by great numbers of persons, & that Y^. Deputes Employed to Seize the timber have so Conducted as to Leave it worth while for these pillagers to Continue their trespasses. I Cannot Vouch for y*^ truth of this, but think it high time that this matter was thoroughly Lookt into. I shall do myself y® honour to write to you again, as Soon as I Can obtain y^ Acc*^ you ask for. In the mean time I Remain y"" mos obed^ Humb\ Serv\ J Ingersoll Hon\ Benning Wentworth Esq''. [Copy.] Middletown April 9*^ 1764 Sir, Yours of the o"^. Instant we rec^^ wherein you Inform us that his Exelency Benning Wentworth y*^ Surveyor General of the Kings Woods hath had a Representation made to him that we have made wast in the Kings Woods, and that we must give an Account of our proceedings ; And Indeed from our first appearing in that part of the Country we foresaw from the reluctance that some of the People there Shewed, to y*" Experi- ments being made, that Suggestions to our Disadvantage were to be expected, and have experienced the same by the many low JARED INGEIJSOLL PAPERS, 1T58-G4. 267 things which have boon dono, Espocially the Carrying off the hay. Bnt to proceed, as soon as we received the Survey our Generals Licence and time convenient offerd, we proceded into the Woods where after long Search we fell SO Trees that appeared to be sound, some of which broke in falling, 5 of them fatally, so that they were fit for no part of the Service, leaving 84 that appeared outwardly to be sound ; in doing this we fell a Xumber of Defective Trees, among which was 63 Trees, not so Defective but that there was hope that they might Answer some Part of the Service and make up some of the Defects that would inevitably happen to those Trees that appeared Sound as well as the various Disasters that must happen in going down the River. Those 147, Trees we hailed to the River; all but one, a Tree intended for a oO Inch Mast Lying something further than the Rest, we coud not hall for want of the hay taken -away in our absence by Cap". Zedekiah Stone of Petersham, which would have lasted one team 5 or 6 Days. According to the best of our Judgment and such other advice as we cou'd get we were in great want of three or four Large Sticks, and accordingly was at the expence of Searching the Woods and had found Two large Trees fit for Masts of 35 or 36 Inches and which was greatly wanted to make good the places vacant and the Disasters which afterwards happened, but for want of hay we Could not hall them, & therfore we did not Cut them. When the River broke up we put all those Sticks into the River except two which broke in Roling down the Bank, and excercisd w^e may venter to say the most Strenuous Efforts in our Power to get them down the River, but in Coming down the falls in Walpole the most compleat Stick we had which we depended upon for a 36 Inch Mast broke in two pices not far from the middle; y^ other 36 Inch Received some Damage at the top end and afterwards Lodged on a Rock in the middle of the River in the Rapids at Deerfield ; several others broke ; some galled & bruised so deep that it greatly diminished the Size of the Sticks. When we came to work them we found many of those that we deemd sound trees proved defective, so that of what we got downi that season we are o-reatlv short of the Tonus of Timber contained in 268 JAKED IXGERSOLL PAPERS, 1758—64. your Contract, although we worked up every Stick & piece of a Stick that woud make as low as 18 Inch Mast, 24 Inch Bow Sprite or 17 Inch Yard. We sent Men up the River at low Water (viz) in September and Febuary & Rolled y'' great Sticks off the Rocks and all others that are to be found, and have Men now up the River in Order to bring them down that are behind, after which if we have Sucess we shall be able to give some more particulars — which we shall be always ready to do. In the Interim we remain your most obedient & Humble Servants. Sam\ Willis Matthew Talcott • P. S. We expect to work up every Stick that will Answer in the Kings Service as low as is contained in [illegible] Con- tract, or not have the Ship full, and them that are below your Contract we must run the Risque of there not being Receiv'\ by the iSTaval Board. M. Talcott To Jared Ingersoll Esq^. Copy [in a clerk's hand]. Original Sent Gov'. Wentworth. N" Haven 25 April 1764 Sir agreeable to my promise in my last I now send you ]\[esl Talcott & Wyllys Ace*, of the trees they felled in order to fulfill my Contract with y* 'Nslyy Board, And, S"". Y^ most obed'. Most Humb\ Serv''. J Ingersoll P. S. if the Ace", is wanting in any particular please to favour me with your Commands & I will Endeavour to get the Defects Supplied. J. I. The Hon'. Benning Wentworth Esq''. Copy jaeed i]n'gersoll tapees, 1758-04, 269 Letters of John Sloss Hobart. S'^ Croix Sep^ 30^\ 1761 Sir, You will undoubtedly be surprised to hear from me in this Part of the World ; 'tis what I least expected when last I had the Pleasure of seeing you, but Business growing dull at Home & hearing much of the West Indies as a Place to make a For- tune in a short Time, I ventur'd out about 18 months since & have been trading from Island to Island ever since, tho' not with so much Success as I could wish, tho' I can't complain. At present we are all taken up with the Thoughts of an Attack upon Martinique, for my last Accounts from Home are that ]\P, Amherst has collected together a large Xumber of Transports, the Regulars in Garrison are releiv'd by Provincials & in full March for N. York ; which I look upon as favourable Prospects ; Lord Rollo* is already arrived with 1500 Men i: has taken Possession of Domineco, for which Island I intend in about ten Days. Sir, the Kindnes & Civility I have always rec"^. from your- self & Pamily embolden me to beg you will recommend me to some Post in the Customs at Martinique (should the English Conquer it as undoubtedly they will) or at least in Domineco. Had I any other Patron to apply to I would not trouble you on this Occasion, but my Fathers situation in Life is such that it don't lead him into any European Correspondence which could be of Service to me in that Way. I therefore apply to you as the only Gentleman with whom I am acquainted who has Interest enough to serve me in that way ; if you think me impertinent, beg you will impute it to the Favours I have already received from you, which induce me to think you would willingly oblige me in such a Trifle, & should it be attended with any Expences I will reimburse them as soon as I know what they are. I dare not attempt to discribe to you any of these Islands as * Ajulrew Rollo, fifth Baron Rollo (born 1700. died 170.5). captured Dominica in June, 1761, and in February. 1702. took part under General Monckton in the capture of Martinique. '270 JAEED IXGEKSOLL PAPERS, 1758-64. I know myself unequal to the Task, therefore conclude by sub- scribing with the sincerest Respect Your most obedient & most hble. Serv*. J. S. Hobart." [To Jared Ingersol Esq^ Agent for the Collony of Connecticut In London] S'. Eustatius 9^^ 1st ITGl Sir I did myself the Honnour to write to you some time since from the Island of S*'\ Croix by the Way of Copenhagen, which I hope will arrive safe, the Purport of which Letter was to desire you to recomend me to some Post in one of the Con- quer'd Islands as I am determined to tarry some time in the West Indies. The great Humanity & Condesention with which I was formerly treated by you encourages me to hope that you will get a Place for me in which I may make an easy Fortune. Had I any Friend or Acquaintance who had Interest enough to serve me I would not be troublesom to you, but as I have none I beg you will assist me if possible, which if you don't, for ought I can see at present, I shall be condemned to spend my Days in these Islands, & I am sure no living Creature need envy my Situation, continually broiling from Morning till Xight under the very Muzzle of the Sun, & that for a bare Sub- sistance only, without scare a probability of ever raising enough to return it live at ease at Home, which is the heigth of my Ambition. We have ree'd an Account just this moment that y*" Griffin * John Sloss Hobart, a son of the Rev. Noah Hobart, of Fairfield, Connecticut, was born in 1738, graduated at Yale College in 1757, and died in 1805; through the year 1756 he boarded in Mr. Ingersoll's family. Through his mother he inherited property on Long Island, where he settled soon after the date of these letters. He entered public life, and filled the offices of Judge of the Supreme Court of the State, United States Senator, and Judge of the U. S. District Court. JARED INGERSOLL PAPEES, 1T5S-G4. 271 Frigate Cap* Taylor was cast away two Days sine on Burbada* when in Chase of two French Privateers, oweing it seems to the Obstanacy of the Cap\ in Opposition to the Pilot, who gave up the Charge of the Ship. We are in daily Expectation of an Armament from jST. York to attack ]\[artinique if not stop'd by a Peace. When you have an Idle Hour on your Hands & can't bestow it any other Way beg you'll favour me with a Line. I'll not trouble you any longer only beg leave to subscribe Sir Your most humble & most obedient Serv*^. J. S. Hobart. P. S. it seems that the ace', of the Griffin was brought by some of her Sailors & we are not certain but they make it in order to justify their Desertion. Letters of William Livixgstox. ^Tew York 2^/^ May 1762 Dear Sir Being really concerned about the Money due to me from Mr Jedidiah Mills,! not only on Account of his surprizing Answer to one of my Letters on that Subject containing his Conjectures concerning the 2^ Beast mentiond in the Revelations, of which I acquainted you when here, but also from the Report that his Sons are considerably involved among our merchants, I must beg the favour of you, as soon after your receipt of this as pos- sible, to write him a line informing him that I have desired you to issue Process against him & all the obligors in the two Bonds unless they are immediately discharged. It is with reluctance that I am obliged to trouble the old * Or Barbuda, a British island anions tlie Leeward Islands, north of Antigna. t .Jedidiah Mills, born in 1697, and graduated at Yale College in 1722, was settled as pastor in Huntington, then part of Stratford, Connecticut, in 1724. and died there in 1776, leaving an estate of about £135. 272 JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1758-64. Gentleman, but I must work so confounded hard for three or four hundred Pounds, that I can not in justice to mj family take up with theological Conjectures in lieu of lawful money. I inclose you Copies of both Bonds with the several receipts of the payments that have been made. I suppose the Copies will be sufficient to lay the Action, till you are obliged to give Oyer & perhaps he will pay the Money without the Originals upon your discharge. However if you must have the originals you will be pleased to inform me, & I will send them as soon as I return from the river Circuits. With my Compliments to Mrs Ingersol & never forgetting Mr Whittelsey, I am Your most humble Serv* Wil : Livingston. [To .Tared Ingersol Esqr ^\t Xew Haven Connecticut] ^^ew York 28 July 1762 D\ Sir I received yours of the 12"' Instant, & it would be peculiarly agreeable to me to have it in my powder to oblige you in the instance you mention, but I have not the least expectation of the office & can learn of no one that has made interest for it except M'" Dick Morris, who has not however any promise for it.* But whoever of my acquaintance may get it you may depend upon my interest to serve you in your request. I lately had a Letter from M"". Mills with a payment of £50 upon which he desired me to direct you to stop proceedings, but as I think myself far from being secure by that payment & as he made the marvellous proposal of paying all his other debts * Mr. Ingersoll was desirous of obtaining the appointment of Deputy for Connecticut of the Judge of tlie Court of Admiralty for Xew York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. For his success in this object, see, also, p. 275. JAKED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1758-04. 273 first, tlie better to enable him to pay mine at last, T wrote him that I could not restrict you in any directions I had given you. With my compliments to your Family I am Your most humble Serv*. Wil : Livingston [To Jared Ingersol Esq"" at ^ew Haven Connecticut] :N"ew York, 19. Oc^ 1762. Dear Sir : I receivM yours of the 12th Instant, and am greatly obligVl to ]VF. Mills for his opinion of my being so Ingenious a Gen- tleman as you are pleased to mention. But as I think that the Ingenuity of a man with nine Children ought to resemble what we are told of Charity, that it begins at home, I know of no other way to deserve M"^. Mills's Compliments than by shew- ing my Ingenuity in being so Ing-enious as to use the Ingenuity of the Law in disappointing his Ingenuity which seems to con- sist in the most ingenious Contrivances to keep me out of the money in Perpetuity. You will therefore be pleased (instead of listning to so evil a Genius as proposeth a Security that shall only be liable on the happening of certain contingencies that may non plus the brightest Genius to produce proper Proofs of their having happened, that is a responsible Security which may never be responsible") Ingeniously to exert the utmost Efforts of ^'our Ingenuity in applying the true Genius of the Law which abominates all such cunctatory & procrastinating Genius's as my Reverend Eriend seems to be inspired w^ith. I am, Dr Sir : Mr Mills's hitherto-most ingeniously disappointed & your most affectionate & humble Ser*. Wil : Livingston. P. S. — The spending an Evening at your fire side with my 274 JARED Hn^GERSOLL PAPERS, 1758-64. good friend M"" Whittelsej, & each of our Ribs* woii'd really aifect me with such singular pleasure as neither M''. Mills's nor mv Ingenuity is capable of exj)ressing. [To Jared Ingersol Esq^" In I*^ew Haven] Letter of Benjamin Franklin. Philad^ Dec. 11, 1762 Dear Sir, I thank you for your kind Congratulations. f It gives me Pleasure to hear from an old Friend, it will give me much more to see him. I hope therefore nothing will prevent the Journey you propose for next Summer, & the Favour you intend me of a Visit. I believe I must make a Journey early in the Spring to Virginia, but purpose being back again before the hot Weather. You will be kind enough to let me know beforehand what time you expect to be here, that I may not be out of the way ; for that would mortify me exceedingly. I should be glad to know what it is that distinguishes Con- necticut Religion from common Religion : — Communicate, if you please, some of those particulars that you think will amuse me as a Virtuoso. When I travell'd in Flanders I thought of your excessively strict Observation of Sunday ; and that a Man could hardly travel on that day among you upon his lawful Occasions, without Hazard of Punishment ; while where I was, every one travell'd, if he pleas'd, or diverted himself in any other way ; and in the Afternoon both high & low went to the Play or the Opera, where there was plenty of Singing, Fid- dling & Dancing. I look'd round for God's Judgments but saw no Signs of them. The Cities were well built & full of In- habitants, the Markets fill'd with Plenty, the People well * C'liauncey Whittelsey (Yale College 1738) was now a merchant in Xew Haven, and his wife and Mr. IngersoU's were sisters. t On Franklin's return from England, where he had been since 1757. This letter has already been printed, in Bigelow's Works of Franklin, 1888, and Smyth's Writi7igs of Franklin, 1906; but is here copied directly from the original. JARED INGERSOLT. TAPERS, 1758-64. 275 favmir\l ence ? they grew by your neglect of Em : — as soon as you began to care about Em, that Care was Excercised in sending persons to rule over Em, in one Department and another, who were perhaps the Deputies of Deputies to some Member of this house — sent to Spy out their Lyberty, to misrepresent their Actions & to prey upon Em; men whose behaviour on many Occasions has caused the Blood of those Sons of Liberty* to recoil within them ; men promoted to the highest Seats of Justice, some, who to my knowledge were glad by going to a foreign Country to Escape being brought to,the Bar of a Court of Justice in their own. / ''They protected by your Arms ? they have nobly taken up Arras in your defence, have Exerted a Valour amidst their con- stant «i: Laborious industry for the defence of a Country, whose frontier, while drench'd in blood, its interior Parts have yielded all its little Savings to your Emolument. And beleive me, remember I this Day told you so, that same Spirit of freedom which actuated that people at first, will accompany them still. — But prudence forbids me to explain myself further. God knows I do not at this Time speak from motives of party Heat, what I deliver are the genuine Sentiments of my heart; how- ever superiour to me in general knowledge and Experience the reputable body of this house may be, yet I claim to know more of America than most of you, having seen and been conversant in that Country. The People I beleive are as truly Loyal as any Subjects the King has, but a people Jealous of their Lyber- ties and who will vindicate them, if ever they should be violated — but the Subject is too delicate & I will say no more." These Sentiments were thrown out so intirely without pre- meditation, so forceably and so firmly, and the breaking off so * [Xote added by Mr. Ingersoll, on publishing this letter in 1766.] I believe I may claim the Honour of having been the Author of this Title, however little personal Good I have got by it, having been the only Person, by what I can discover, who transmitted Mr. Barre's Speech to America. 312 JAKED IjS^GERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. beautifully abrupt, that the whole house sat awhile as Amazed, intently Looking' and without answering a Word. I own I felt Emotions that I never felt before & went the next Morning & thank'd Coll Barre in behalf of my Country for his noble and spirited Speech. However, S'. after all that was said, upon a Division of the house upon the Question, there was about 250 to about 50 in favour of the Bill. The truth is I beleive some who inclined rather against the Bill voted for it, partly because they are loth to break the Measures of the Ministry, and partly because they dont under- take to inform themselves in the fullest manner upon the Sub- ject. The Bill comes on to a second Reading to-morrow, when ours and the Massachusetts Petitions will be presented & per- haps they may be some further Debate upon the Subject, but to no purpose I am very sure, as to the Stopping or preventing the Act taking Place. The Agents of the Colonies have had several Meetings, at one of which they were pleased to desire M"". Franklin «&r myself as having lately Come from America & knowing more Inti- mately the Sentiments of the people, to wait on M''. Grenville, together with M'". Jackson & M''. Garth* who being Agents are also Members of Parliament, to remonstrate against the Stamp Bill, & to propose in Case any Tax must be laid upon America, that the several Colonies might be permitted to lay the Tax themselves. This we did Saturday before last. M"'. Grenville gave us a full hearing — told us he took no pleasure in giving the Americans so much uneasiness as he found he did — that it was the Duty of his Office to manage the revenue — that he really was made to beleive that considering y® whole of the Circumstances of the Mother Country & the Colonies, the later could and ought to pay something, & that he knew of no better way than that now pursuing to lay such Tax, but that if we could tell of a better he would adopt it. We then urged the Method first mentioned as being a Method the people had been used to — that it would * Agent for South Carolina and Georgia. JABED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-60. 313 at least seem to be their own Act «fe prevent that uneasiness & Jealousy which otherwise we found would take place — that they could raise the Money best by their own Officers kc &c ]\F. Jackson told him plainly that he foresaw [by] the Meas- ure now pursuing, by enabling the Crown to keep up an armed Force of its own in America & to pay the Governours in the Kings Goverments & all with the Americans own Money, the Assembles in the Colonys would be subverted — that the Gov''^ would have no Occasion, as for any Ends of their own or of the Crown, to call 'Em & that they never would be called to gether in the Kings Goverments. M"". Grenville warmly rejected the thought, said no such thing was intended nor would he beleived take place. Indeed I understand since, there is a Clause added to the Bill Applying the monies that shall be raised to the protecting & Defending America 07ily. M'^. Gren- ville asked us if we could agree upon the several proportions Each Colony should raise. We told him no. He said he did not think any body here was furnished with Materials for that purpose : not only so but there would be no Certainty that every Colony would raise the Sum enjoined & to be oblige"^, to be at the Expence of making Stamps, to compel some one or two prov- inces to do their Duty & that perhaps for one year only, would be very inconvenient ; not only so, but the Colonies by their constant increase will be Constantly varying in their proportions of ISTumbers & ability & which a Stamp bill will always keep pace with &c &c. Upon the whole he say^he had pledged his Word for Offering the Stamp Bill to the house, that the house would hear all our Objections & would do as they thought best; he said, he wished we would preserve a Coolness and Moderation in America ; that he had no need to tell us, that resentments indecently & unbecomingly Express'd on one Side the Water would naturally produce resentments on tother Side, & that we could not hope to get any good by a Controversy with the Mother Country ; that their Ears will always be open to any remonstrances from the Americans with respect to this bill both before it takes Effect & 314 JAEED i:v7GEBSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. after, if it shall take Effect, whicli shall be exprest in a becoming manner, that is, as becomes Subjects of the same common Prince. I acquainted you in mj last that M''. Whately, one of the Secretaries of the Treasury, and who had under his Care and Direction the business of preparing the Stamp Bill, had often conferred with me on the Subject. He wanted, I know, infor- mation of the several methods of transfer. Law process &c made Use of in the Colony, & I beleive has been also very willing to hear all Objections that could be made to the Bill or any part of v it. This task I was glad to undertake, as I very well knew the information I must give would operate strongly in our favour, as the number of our Law Suits, Deeds, Tavern Licences & in short almost all the Objects of the intended taxation & Dutys are so very numerous in the Colony that the knowledge of them would tend to the imposing a Duty so much the Lower as the Objects were more in N^umber. This Effect I flatter myself it has had in some measure. M'. Whately to be sure tells me I may fairly claim the Honour of having occasioned the Duty's being much lower than was intended, & three particular things that were intended to be taxed, I gave him no peace till he dropt; these were Licences for marriadge — a Duty that would be odious in a new Country where every Encouragement ought to be given to Matrimony & where there was little portion; Commissions of the Justices of peace, which Office was gen- erally speaking not profitable & yet necessary for the good Order and Goverment of the people ; and ]*Totes of hand which with us were given & taken so very often for very small Sums. After all I beleive the people in America will think the Sums that will be raised will be quite Enough, & I wish they may'nt find it more Distressing than the people in power here are aware of. The Merchants in London are alarmed at these things ; they ^' have had a meeting with the Agents & are about to petition Parliament upon the Acts that respect the trade of !N^orth America. What the Event of these things will be I dont know, biit am JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. 315 protty certain that wisdom will be proper & even very neces- sary, as well as prudence & good Discretion to direct the Coun- cils of America I shall hope to see you the beginning of Summer at farthest. Y^ Most Obedient Humble Ser\ J : Ingersoll.* Gov^ Fitch Copy London 6*^ March 1765 Sir In my last, which was by the last mail to New York, I gave you a particular Account of the reception the American Stamp Bill met with in the house of Commons upon the first bringing of it in. Since that time, in the farther progress of the bill through the House, there have been some farther debates, the most considerable of which was at the second reading of y®. bill, npon the offer of the Petitions from the Colonies against the same. You doubtless know that no Petition can be offered or presented to Parliament but by some Member of y®. house. The first that was offerred was by M^. Fuller a West india Planter in behalf of the Merchants in London trading to America, These Gentlemen it seems are much alarm*^. on accoimt of their outstanding Debts in America, which it is said Do not fall short of four Millions Including y^ West Indies. Substance & purpol't of y^ Petition being opened & stated by M^ Fuller & leave being asked to bring it in, 'twas Strongly Objected to, npon a principle which it seems has long been adopted by y^ Honse fhat no petition shall he Received against a Money Bill; this Drew into a Discussion & Consideration How Peremptory this Rule of the House was, how long it had been adhered to, & y® Grounds & Principles upon which it was founded. LTpon the * The present letter, as well as the succeeding one, is printed in Mr. Ingersoll's Letters relating to the Stamp Act; but is here taken from the manuscript copy among his papers. 316 JAEED INGEKSOLL PAPEES, 1765-66. whole I think it appears the rule had not been deviated from, for about forty years last past. The Reason of the Rule is said to be y^ Manifest inconvenience that used to arise by Having so much of the time taken up in Hearing the various & allmost innumerable Claims, Reasons & pretentions of \^ many Sub- jects against being Taxed — & that there was the less reason for hearing Em, against laying a Tax, as it is at the same time an invariable rule that the Subject may Petition for the repeal of a Law Imposing a tax after that tax is laid & Experience had of the Effects, & finally that however reasonable it might be to hear the Americans themselves, there could be no reason for hearing the London Merchants in their behalf. On the other side it was said, that the rule was not any Order of the House, but merely a practice as founded on Experience & to prevent inconvenience : — that however unreasonable it would be to Admit English Subjects upon every Imposition of a tax to come & be heard upon Petitions against the same, yet even in England it appeared by precedents produced, that when any new species of taxation had been set on foot, particularly the matter of funding, so called, i. e. borrowing of the Subject & paying Interest by various taxes, that Petitions had been admitted against the measure, and also on some other particular and extraordinary Occasions formerly, & that this Case as to America was quite new & particularly hard as they had no Members in the House to speak for them. Upon the whole the Question being about to be put, M''. Ful- ler seeing pretty plainly which way it would be carried, with- drew his Petition. !N"ext S'', William Meredith presented one in behalf of the Colony of Virginia ; this was drawn up here l:)y their Agent M"". Montegue, but had interwove in it some Expressions of the Assembly of Virginia contained in their Votes & which at least strongly implied their denial of the right of Parliament to tax the Colonies. This drew on a pretty warm debate. M^. Yorke the late Attorney General Delivered him- self in a very long Speech in which he endeavoured to evince that the Kings Grants contained in the Charters to some, & in the Commissions to the Governors in the other Colonies, could. JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. 317 in their natures, bo no more than to answer particular local & Provincial purposes & could not take the People in America out of y^ General & Supreme Jurisdiction of Parliament &c tSrc. The General Eule of the House against Receiving Petitions against money bills was also again urged ; — on the other Side I think no-body but General Conway Denied the right of Parlia- ment to tax us ; this to be sure he did in y^ most Peremtory manner & urged with Great Vehemence y^ many Hardships & what he was Pleased to Call Absurdities y* would follow from the contrary Doctrine & practice; y® Hardships & Incon- veniences were also again urged & placed in various lights by our other Friends in the House. And here I would remark y*^ in y® whole Debate first & last Alderman Beckford & G\ Con- way were y* Only Persons who Disputed y^ right of Parliament to tax us. This is the same G^ Conway who was Dismissed from all his offices just at Close of y^ last Sessions for his Contin- ual opposition to all the Measures of the Present Ministry ; & here I find myself Obliged to say y* Except y® Gentlemen Interested in y*^ West Indies & a few Members y* happen to be Particularly connected with some of the colonies & a few of the heads of the minority who are sure to athwart & oppose y® Min- istry in Every Measure of what ISTature or kind soever, I sav Except these few Persons so Circumstanced there are Scarce any People here, Either within Doors .or Without, but what approve the Measures now taking which Regard America. Upon the Whole the Question being put Whether the House would Receive y^ Petition, it Passed in the N^egative by a great Majority. Then M'^. Jackson offered ours which met with the same Fate. He then acquainted y® House y* he had one to offer for y'' Massachusets Colony, which however as it respected as well the late act called the Sugar act as the present, & seeing which way the same would be governed he told the house he would defer it till another Time ; & here I ought not to omit to acquaint you that M^. Charles, Agent for IST. York, had received a Petition from his Constituents with orders to present the same, but which was conceived in terms so inflammatory that he could not prevail on any one Member of the House to present it. 318 JARED INGEESOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. I forgot to mention that M''. Garth, a Member of the Honse, offered one for S : Carolina for which Colony he is Agent, which met with the same fate with the Rest. The other iVgents seeing the point thus ruled, I suppose thought it to no purpose to offer any more. — It is about 4 Days since the Bill passed through all the necessary forms in the house of Commons & is now ready & lies before the Lords for their Concurrence; it is to take place the first Day of JSTovember next. As to the other regula- tions which regard America that either have taken place or are intended so to do, this session, they are as follows : — first of all the Stamp Duty which by the bill was laid on all Salaries which Exceed £20, upon a strong representation that the Judges Sal- aries in America in general are very low, is dropt out of the Bill. y The Courts of Admiralty have been complained of as not only infringing on English Lyberty by taking away trials by Jury, but as being so placed as to take people for trial from one End of America almost to the other. As to the first of these Objec- tions they say here that there is no safety in trusting the breach of revenue laws to a Jury of the Country where the Offence is committed, that they find even in England they never can obtain Verdicts where Smugling is practised & therfore always bring the Causes up for trial to London. To remedy the Second tis determined to have three Judges Extraordinary sent from Eng- land, — to be placed, one at Boston (by removing to that place y® one now at Halifax), y^ others to be at ^N" York & Philadelphia, or at Philadelphia & Charles Town; the Persons to be able men bred at Doctors commons, with a Salary Each of £800 Per Annum, to be peremtorily forbid Taking any Fees Whatsoever, to have Jurisdictions concurrant with y^ other Judges of Admir- alty in America, that is an ordinary Jurisdiction the same with them, and also an Extraordinary one, of Hearing whatso- ever causes shall be Brought before them by appeal from y® other admiralty Judges* ; all Prosecutions for y^ breach of rev- enue laws to be either in the courts of common law or courts of Admiralty, at y® Election of y'' Prosecutor ; & if brought before a court of Admiralty to be before a Judge in the Colony where ' * See below, p. 421. JAEED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. 319 y® offence is Committed, or if at Sea to y^ Next, that is to the nearest in Point of Distance ; y* y® fees of Office in y^ custom Houses shall be all fixt & be y* same in All ; that an Alteration in y^ late act shall be made, giving a liberty of Carying Lumber Directly to Ireland & also to any Parts of Europe South of Cape Finisterre. A farther alteration has been Ask'd, viz. of liberty to cary wine, fruit & oil directly from Portugal & Spain &c to America, and to suffer a Draw back upon forreighn Sugars upon Reexportation to Europe, as also an Abatement of y^ Duty upon Molases, but these are at present Denied : — the first from a fear y*^ y® Duty upon y^ Wines will not be paid in America, there not having as yet been time for a full proof of y^ Punctuality of y® Custom-Houses there; y*^ 2*^ because of Great Frauds being Generaly practiced in y*^ Cases of Draw back upon reexportation ; and y^ 3*^ because there has not been Sufficient Experience of what duty y® Molases will bear. Some Alterations also tis said will be made with Regard to y* Strict- ness that is required in y® Matter of Cockets for Every article of Goods caryed Coastwise &c. These I believe are y® princi- pal regulations that relate to America, that may be expected to take place this Session.- — And here as well to do Justice to the Minister M^ Grenville as to the Comparative few who have interested themselves in the Concerns of America, I beg leave to say that I think no pains have been spared, on the one Side in behalf of America to make the most ample & strong repre- sentation in their favour, & on the other on the part of the Min- ister to hear patiently, to listen attentively to the reasonings & to Determin at least seemingly with coolness & upon principle upon the several Measures, which are Resolved on. I have no need to tell you that in modern times convincing the Minister is convincing the House here, Especially in mat- ters of Revenue. — I forgot one Article viz. the Post Office, y® fees of which tis said are to be lowerd in America. And now S''. in order to give you, in the best manner I am able, an Idea of the Conferences, Sentiments & reasonings upon these Subjects, on this Side the Water, you will be pleased to Imagine to yourself a few Americans with the Minister, or any 320 JARED INGEESOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. other on that part, and after much time spent in Enquiry, various observations & remarks, he saying to them as follows, You will be pleased, laying aside all consideration of past Ser- vices on your Part or on ours, they have both been very great, to consider what is y^ present state of things; there is an immense national Debt, not less than one hundred & forty Millions Lying heavy on this ]!^ation, for which an annual inter- est is paid ; by the best informations we can get the whole of the publick Debt now in arrear of all the Colonies together is about Eight Hundred Thousand pounds. The Civil Establishment here for the Support of Government is Eight hundred thousand pounds a Year — that of all the Colonies together we find to be about forty thousand pounds p^. annum only. You say you are comparatively poor to what we are ; tis difficult measuring this point, but however opulent some in these Kingdoms are tis well known the many can but just live. The Military & naval Establishment here is immense, but without considering that, the amount of the Expence of the Army now placed in America & which is thought quite ISTecessary, as well on Account of the troubles with the Indians as for general defence against other nations & the like in so Extensive a Country, is upwards of three hundred thousand pounds a Year. We shall be glad to find that the Stamp Duty now laying on America shall amount to forty or fifty thousand pounds, & that all the Duties together, the post Office & those laid upon Molasses & other ways shall amount to one hundred thousand pounds a Year, so that there will not only not be any money brought away from America by means of these Duties, but there will be a ballance of more than two hundred thousand pounds sent over every year from Eng- land to be spent in America. You say the Colonies think they can, & that they are willing to do something in the Common Cause ; — is this too much ? we think it is not, but if on trial we find it is, we will certainly lessen it. As to our Authority to lay these Duties or taxes — to us tis so clear a point that to be sure we dont care to have a Question made of it. And dont you yourselves even want to have us Exercise this Authority in your turn ? dont some of you Complain, & perhaps very justly, JAEED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. 321 that in the late war, while some of you did much, others did but little or perhaps nothing at all — and would not that be the Case again was you left to Defend yourselves ? iSTo doubt it would, unless you were Erected into one power by a Union of the whole, but that is a measure we dont think you yourselves, was you in our Steads would think adviseable ; and there are many rea- sons why you should wish not to have the Country Defended by your own Children. A Soldiers life is not only a life of Danger, but in a proper Sense is a base life, whereas you have all a Chance in that opening Country to raise your families to be considerable in time by a diligent Attention to your natural and proper business. To all this the Americans answer, truly S'". we must own there is a weight in your Arguments & a force in your reasonings — but after all we must say we are rather silenced than convinced. We feel in our bosoms that it will be for ever inconvenient, 'twill for ever be dangerous to America that they should be taxed by the Authority of a British parliament by reason of our great distance from you ; that general want of mutual knowledge & acquaintance with each other,— that w^ant of Con- nexion & personal friendship, & we without any persons of our own Appointing, who will have any thing to fear or hope from us, to speak for us in the great Council of the nation— we fear a foundation will be laid for mutual Jealousy and ill will, & that your resentments being kindled you will be apt to lay upon us more & more, even to a Degree that will be truly grievous & if that should be the Case that twill be hard under all the Cir- cumstances, very hard to convince you that you wrong us, & that unknown & very unhappy Consequences will Ensue. To this the Minister Replies: — Come, suppose your Observations are entirely Just, & indeed we must own there are inconveniences attending this matter; what then is to be done ? perhaps you Avill say let the Colonies send Members to Parliament ; as to that in the first place the Colonies have not told us that they desire such a thing, & tis easy to see there are many reasons why they should not desire it. The Expense would probably be very great to 'Em; they 11 322 JAKED IXGEKSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. could not Expect to be allowed to have a Majority of Members in the house, and the very inconveniencies which you urge with regard to the people in America would in many respects & to a Degree take place with regard to their Members. What then ? Shall no Steps be taken &■ must we and America be two distinct kingdoms & that now immediately, or must America be Defended entirely by us, & be themselves quite excused or be left to do just what they shall please to do ? Some perhaps will do something &; others nothing. Perhaps from the nature of our Situations it will happen & must be Expected that one Day we shall be two distinct Kingdoms, but we trust even you wont say you think yourselves ripe for that Event as yet. You are continually increasing in numbers & in strength ; we are per- haps come, at least, to our full growth. Let us then leave these possible Events to the disposal of providence. We own on our part we dont choose to predict, nor jet to hasten the time of this supposed period, & think it would be to our mutual disadvan- tage for us to attempt a separation. Let us then, instead of predicting the worst, hope that mutual Interest as well as duty will keep us on both Sides within the bounds of Justice. We trust we shall never intentionally bur- den you unreasonably ; if at any time we shall happen to do it by Mistake, Let us know it »& I trust it will be remedied. You find & I trust always will find an easy Access to those who from their Office have the principal Conduct of Revenue Laws, and we on our part find Avith pleasure that America is not destitute of persons, who at the same time that they have the tenderest regard for their Interests are well able to Represent to us their Affairs & who if they do it with integrity & Candor, w^ill be sure to meet with our fullest Confidence. Let mutual Confi- dence and mutual Uprightness of intention take place & no con- siderable Ills can follow. As to any reflections upon the matter I choose rather to leave them to you than attempt to make them myself, & am S''. with great Esteem Y\ most Obedient ]\[ost Humble Ser*. J. IngersoU JARED IXGERSOLL PAPERS, 1705-86. 323 P S March 9 There is now strong application making for an Act of Parlia- ment, for a bounty on various kinds of timber, plank & boards imported, to which the Minister seems to lend a favourable Ear. Tis said that it is intended to give the business of Collecting & paying the Stamp Duty to Americans in the respective Colonies. I am not without some hopes of having the pleasure of seeing you at Hartford before the rising of the Assembly in the May Sessions, having taken my passage in the Boscowen Capt Jacob- son bound to Boston & who expects to sail the beginning of April. J. I. Gov'". Fitch Copy Letter to Godfrey ]\rALB03s'E. London April 7'^ 1765 S' The Parliament have been & still are very busy with America, Laying Duties and granting, at least talk- ing about granting bounties. The Spanish trade you may depend is opened, as much as y^ Same can be without Speaking loud. They say how they intend not to hurt us upon the whole of their regulations, but to do us good. I wish we may be of that mind. Many things have been said about the Molasses Duty, biit after all they dont intend to repeal or alter the present Act without at least trying it, tho I believe they think they must by (fc by. I hope to be on your Side the water in two or three Months. I know" of nothing new here. The same kind of folks go to Court & y® Same Sort patrole the Strand a nights that used to do when you was here. With Comp' to M'^' Mallbone & all friends I Remain Y^ Most Obed*. HumV Serv\ J : Ina'ersoll G. Mallbone Esq^* * This letter, to Godfrey Malbone of Newport, is at present in the New York Public Library; the opening sentences relate to private business of Mr. Malbone. 324 JAEED INGERSOLL PAPEKS, 1765-66. Letter or Dr. Daniel Latheop. Hartford, May 28, 1765 Sir I happened at Hartford when your Letters were Read in the Assembly; am greatly Concerned what will be the Conse- quence of so heavy a Tax as y*^ of the Stamps will be, but am Glad you were upon the Spot, which beleive was much to our Advantage. As you are Appointed the Dispencer of them for this Goverment, take this first Opportunity to offer my Ser- vice as An Under Distributor for y* part of the Goverment where I Live, if it will be Agreable, and Docf. Solomon Smith at Hartford who is Connected with me in Buisness there. If you think favourablely of s"* Affair please when you Return to give me A Line by Post and I will wait upon you Directly to settle the Terms. I am Sir with great Esteam Your most Obed*. humble Serv*. Daniel Lathrop* [To Jared Ingersol Esq In !N" Haven] Letter of William Samuel Johnson. Dear S^• Since we are doomed to Stamps and Slavery, & must submit, we hear with pleasure that your gentle hand will fit on our Chains & Shackles, who I know will make them set easie as possible. In Consequence of this M'. Wales begs me to recom- mend the enclosed^ to y''. ITotice. I doubt not you will oblige him, if it shou'd not be inconvenient to you ; & indeed from his Situation there seems to be ISTobody else in Windham you could better employ. *Dr. Daniel Lathrop (born 1712, died 1782) was graduated at Yale Col- lege in 1733, and conducted for many years a highly successful drug busi- ness in Norwich, Connecticut. The letters referred to are the two just preceding this in the present collection. JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1705-66. 325 If you propose to have a Subaltern in every Town, I shall be at your service for Stratford if it be agreeable. I sincerely re Joyce with you and M'^ Ingersoll on your happy return home, and am as ever, D"". S\ Y". most affect^ Friend & humble Servant, W"\ Sam'. Johnson. ^ew Haven, June 3'', 1765. Jared Ingersoll, Esq'. Letters of 2^atitaxiel Wales, Jr. Windham June y' 1'* 1765 S^ Notwithstanding my small acquaintance yet as I understand you are betrusted with the afair of the Stamp Duty I beg Leave to hint that if in y*. plan you should want a person in Each County town to dispose of Blanks or paper I should be glad to be improved for y'' purpose, if it should suit you & you can con- fide in me ; and as I keep an office in the Center and dont prac- tise Riding abroad can doubtless serve you. I cant say more as Cap* W" Saml Johnson is waiting, and has Engadged to serve me if his influence will avail any thing. S". I shall no doubt be willing to undertake (if any is wanted) as much to yr advantage as any person whatsoever, which is the present needfull from him who with grate Esteem is your most humV*^ Serv*" Nath^' Wales Ju^* Jared Ingersoll Esq'^ Windham August 19*^^ 1765 s-^ I receved yours and observe its Contence, and for answer must say that I wrote my first to you without much Consid- 1/ eration and while matters were much undigested both in my * Nathaniel Wales, Junior, son of Deacon Nathaniel, was one of the signers of the non-consumption agreement in his native town of Wind- ham, in January, 1768, and was one of the Committee "of Correspondence appointed to make that agreement effectual. 326 JAEED INGEKSOLL PAPERS, 1765—66. own and other peoples minds ; bnt on further Consideration I am of opinion that the Stamp Duty can by no means be Justi- fyed, & that it is an imposition quite unconstitutional and so Infringes on Rather destroys our Libertys and previlidges that I Cant undertake to promote or Encorage it without acting dirietly Contrary to my Judgment and the true Intrest of my own native Country; and tho I would be a Loyal Subject yet that I may be & not Endeavour to promote that Law which in my privit Judgment is not Right, as ye case may be, I must therefore on the whole refuse accepting — if offered — any trust relative to Distributing the Stamps, nor would I accept thereof had I thousand pounds annexed to the trust. So that what trouble I have given you I must beg your pardon for and sub- scribe my self your humb^ Ser°\ I^ath^ Wales Ju''. [To Jared Ingersol Esq' S : Mast'". Att JSTewhaven] Letter of John Coleman. S^ I hope You'll pardon me that I take the Liberty to request the Fav''. of assisting you in the Management of the Stamp Office in the County of Hartford, and indulge me with an Opportunity to wait on you at Hartford if you should return that Way, that more fully may be known the engag'd Desires of IV. most Obedient hum^®. Serv*. John Coleman.* Hartford June 27'"^. 1765. [To Jared Ingersol Esq''. Boston. Fav'. Sam\ Fitch Esq'.] * John Coleman (born 1728, died 1769) was graduated at Yale College in 1748, and spent the rest of his life in Hartford. jaeed ingersoll papers, 17g5-66. 327 Letter, of Charles Phelps. Stonington August 14, 1765 Understand that you are appointed Stamp Master for the Colony and understand their is to be a Deputy In Each town and Should be Glad to bespeak that Post for the town of Ston- ington, and if it should be agreable to you to Leat me have it, be so Good as to Wright by the Post and your Compliance Will Oblige Your Hum' Sr*" Charles Phelps. To Je** Ingersel Esq Letter of Andrew Adams. S'^ Duty & Inclination induce me to congratulate your Prosperity and Return from Europe. In your Absence I have Removed from Stanford to this Town where I determin at preasent to settle, and as y® station you hold, in consequence of a late Act of Parliament, will perhaps require some subordinate Employ, I should Esteem myself honoured to be thought Worthy your Service ; and would Receive y® Favour with Gratitude. — Will wait on you next Week if you Please at Fairfield (as I under- stand you will be there) to know your Pleasure in this Respect ; & hope I shall be able to Convince you (as much as y^ Difference of Station will admit) how much I am your Since*'" Friend and Obed* Serv* And"^. Adams.* Litchfield: 15^^ Aug*: A D 1765 [To Jared Ingersoll Esq^ ISTewhaven] * Andrew Adams (born 1736, died 1797) was graduated at Yale in 1760, and became a lawyer in Litchfield. Besides the above applications for the office of Deputy Stamp-Distrib- utors, a list by Mr. Ingersoll among his papers gives the following additional names: — Hartford, Capt. [John] Laurence, ]\Ir. Seymour; Windsor, Mr. Henry Allvn; Fairfield, M^. Rowland. 328 jared ixgersoll papers, 1765-66. Letter of AjS^drew Oliver. Boston, 26. Aug*: 1765. Jared Ingersol, Esq. Sir The J^ews Papers will sufficiently inform you of the Abuse I have met vrith. I am therefore only to acquaint you in short, that after having stood the attack for 36 hours — a single man against a whole People, the Government not being able to afford me any help during that whole time, I was persuaded to yield, in order to prevent what was coming in the 2*^. night ; and as I hapned to give out in writing the terms of Capitulation, I send you a copy of them ; assuring you at the same time, that this only was what was given out by my leave. I sho*^. be glad to hear from you and am, S"". Yo'' most hum'*". Servant Andrew Oliver* M^ Oliver acquaints Mr. Waterhouse that he has wrote to the L^^ of the Treasury, to desire to be excused from executing the Office of Distributor of the Stamps : and that when they arrive he shall only take proper care to secure them for the Crown, but will take no one Step for distributing the same at the time appointed by the Act. And he may inform his friends accord- ingly. Thursday Afternoon, 15"\ August. Letter of James McEvers. iSTew York Aug'* 26. 1765 Sir I rec'd a Letter from John Brettel Esq"". Forwarded by you. Inclosing a Bond to Execute for the Due Performance of the Office of Stamp Master for this Province, which I Eeadely Did (and Return'd it per the Last Paq'uet that Sail'd from hence) as there was then Little or no Clamour here about it, and I * Mr. Ingersoll had arrived in Boston from London in July, 1765, and the attentions paid to him by Mr. Oliver had been one occasion of the resentment shown to the latter. JAKED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. 329 Immagin'd I Should be Able to Transact it; but since W Olivers Treatment att Boston has Been Known here and the Publication of a Letter from New Haven, the Discontent of the People here on Account of the Stamp Act Publickly Appears, I have Been Threaten'd with M^ Olivers Pate if not Worse, to Prevent which I have Been under a jSTecessity of Acknowledgeing I have Wrote for a Resignation which I have Accordingly Done, and have Been Inform'd you have Done the Same, of Which I Beg you'l Advise me, and if you have not should be Glad to Know how you Purpose to Act, as it may be some Government to me in Case I Cant Procure a Release. I am Sir Your Hum' Serv\ James M^Evers* Advertisement in the Connecticut Gazette. To the good People of Connecticut. When I undertook the Office of Distributor of Stamps for this Colony, I meant a Service to you, and really thought you would have viewed it in that Light when you come to understand the Xature of the Stamp Act and that of the Office; but since it gives you so much LTneasiness, you may be assured, if T find (after the Act takes Place, which is the first of ISTovember) that you shall not incline to purchase or make use of any stampt Paper, I shall not force it upon you, nor think it worth my While to trouble you or my Self with any Exercise of my Office ; but if, by that Time I shall find you generally in much IsTeed of the stampt Paper and very anxious to obtain it, I shall hope you will be willing to receive it of me, (if I shall happen to have any) at least until another Person more agreeable to you can be appointed in my room. I cannot but wish you would think more how to get rid of the Stamp Act than of the Officers who are to supply you with * A New-York merchant, born 1726. died 1768. 330 JAEED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. the Paper, and that jou had learnt more of the JSTature of my Office before you had undertaken to be so very angry at it. I am Yours, &c. J. Ingersoll. 'New Haven, 24 August, 1765. [From The Connecticut Gazette, August 30, 1765.] Letter of Jeremiah Miller. jSTew London 10 Sep'. 1765. I received your fav' by the Post and must tell you in Ansvi^er that I have not shewn or mentioned it to any one Person what- soever, nor could I venture to do it, as I have been very unjustly suspected with regard to my Sincerity in this affair, & I have reason to think there has been some' Invidious Aspersions against me about it, which could not have arisen from any other cause than my not having expressed that Flashy Zeal that is only attended with ISToise & Smoke, and my saying y^ I believed you undertook this affair Partly with a View of rendring it easier to the People, but it seems this is too much for any one to say in your Behalf. For my own part I can heartily Join in taking every T^egall method of averting this Severe Tax, and really think it an Infringement of Liberty as Established by Charter, and altho my opinion has been Invariable in this respect, yet it seems a Charitable opinion of any one concern'd, is next to Treason; and I really believe that your Person & Estate will be greatly endangered if you Continue in this Office, and if my advice were worth regarding, it would be for you to Resign it. Your Letter published in y*^. Con*. Gazette was similar to what you wrote me, and I perceived in no ways Sattisfactory to the people ; for which reason, and what I have before said to you, I Choose not to Publish what you sent me, and in which vou will excuse me. JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1705—66. 331 The People are put into such a rage against the poor Govern"", for not calling the Assembly that I hope you Will use your Interest that it may be done before the Annual Sessions which will have a great tendency of frustrating the Designs of any to his Prejudice. I can add no more but Job's wish, that "it were as in days past when the Candle of the Lord shined upon us." This is my Prayer for Poor North America, & also that you may be again Reinstated in the affections of your Country. I am your Hum^ Serv*^ Jere Miller* Jared Ingersol, Esq. Communication to the Connecticut Gazette. In order to shew to people on this Side the water how little it Avas apprehended on tother Side by the most Zealous friends of America that their having any thing to do with the Stamp Appointments would Subject them to the Censures of their friends, I beg leave to give Some Account of the manner in which those Appoint*^ happened & in particular that for IST: York, in doing which I am Sure I shall be Excused by those Gentlemen whose names I shall have occasion to mention. I ought in the first place to observe that about the time the Parliament began their Session last Winter, the Agents of the Colonies met together Several times in order to Concert meas- ures for Opposing the Stamp Act, in Consequence whereof the Minister was waited on by them in order to remonstrate against y^ same & to propose, if we inust be taxed, that we might be Allowed to tax ourselves ; a very particular Account of which, — of y* Difficulties y* Occurred upon every. proposed plan & of all the Arguments pro & con & of the Several Steps taken in the progress of the Bill through the House of Commons, was com- municated by me in Several Letters to y* Gov^. of this Colony & which I understand have been publickly read to y*^ Gen\ Assem- bly; The Merchants of London trading to America also met * Jeremiah Miller, son of Jeremiah Miller (Yale 1709), of New London, Connecticut, was the Naval Officer of that Port. 332 JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. together about this time & Appointed a Com'*, of themselves to make all the Opposition they could to the Stamp bill; of this Committee M'. Alderman Treeothick was Deputy Chairman. Tis well known to many people of the first figure in Boston & l^ew York as well as Elsewhere that Barlow Treeothick* Esq'. who was brought up at Boston under the late ]Vr. Apthorp & whose Daughter he married, afterwards removed & settled in London where he has acquired a great Estate with the fairest Caracter & is at this time one of the Aldermen of y® City of London & well known by all who have the honour of his Acquaintance to be a steady, cool but firm friend to America. This Com*'^ were pleased to invite the Agents to a Joint Confer- ence. They were frequently together & several times before the Minister upon the Stamp & other bills that related to America, where M'. Treeothick was always principal spokesman as for y® Merchants. After the Stamp bill passed into an Act and the Minister had Resolved on the general measure of offering to y® Americans the Oflices of Stamp Distributers in the respective Colonies, for reasons, as he declared, of Convenience to the Colonies, he sent for M'" Treeothick & Desired him to name a person, some friend of his in whom he could Confide, for y° Office of Distributer for y*' Province of ]^ew York. M'. Treeothick said to him, as I am well warranted to assert, to this Effect : — S"", you know I am no friend to y® Stamp Act. I heartily wish it never had taken Effect, & fear it will have very ill Consequences. However, tis passed & I conclude must have its operation. I take it as a favour that you are willing to put the principal ofiices into y^ hands of y*^ Americans & Esteem it an honour done me that you permit me to name a person for IST York, & so named M"". M'^Evers, & went I believe of his own accord & gave bond for him at y*^ Oflice, & all most undoubtedly without the j^rivity or knowledge of that Gentleman. And upon this general plan & principle w^ere all y" Appointments made, that is * Son of Mark Treeothick, of London ; married a daugliter of Charles Apthorp, of Boston, in 1747; Member of Parliament, and Lord Mayor of London; died in London in Jvine. 1775. JAKED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. 333 to say, the offer was made generally to those who had appeared as y*^ Agents or friends of y® Colonies to take it themselves or nominate their friends, & none of them all refused that I know of; indeed things were not, I believe, - viewed in that very strong light at that time, either there or here, as they now are here. There happened but three Instances of persons then on the Spot belonging to the old Continent Col- onies to whom y^ Offer was made, who were in a Condition to accept it personally. These were Co^ Mercer from Virginia & M^. Massarve, Son of y* late Co". Massarve from 2^ : Hampshire, who happened accidentally in London at that time upon busi- ness of their own, & myself. !N"ow upon this view of y® matter will not Every unprejudiced mind believe that Alderman Trecothick was in the first place a sincere friend to y^ Colonies k really averse to y*" passing y^ Stamp Act, when Even his Interest as well as his Inclination & Convictions led him that way, for tis well known he Deals largely with America & could not hope to have his own affairs bettered by y*^ Act. In y^ next place will any body suppose that he Imagined by this Step he should Expose a valuable friend to the resentments of his Country. Again, when the measure of making y*^ Appointments in America was thus gen- eral, & come into as generally, will any body think that any one of the persons concerned Imagined he betrayed his Country by falling in with the measure? Perhaps at this time, when popular rage runs so very high, some may think the friends of America mistook their own & their Countrys true Interest, when they listened to these overtures, but who can think their inten- tions were ill ? I thought this brief Narrative was a piece of Justice due to those who have fallen under so much blame of late, for meddling with the Obnoxious Office before mentioned. And here I cannot but take I^otice how unwilling some K^ews writers seem to be to publish any thing that serves to inform the mind of such matters as tend to abate the peoples prejudices, they even making use of some kind of Caution, I observe, to prevent y^ people from listening to any such Cool & Dispassion- ate Dissertations & remarks, which at any time they happen to 334 JAEED INGEKSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. publish &, at the same time, deal out their personal Abuses in the most unrestrained manner, repeating with pleasure the Accounts of the most Extraordinary Libellous Exhibitions & practices — practices which my Lord Coke Describes as being not only the most injurious to Individuals but a Scandal to Government, tending to the breach of the peace & Stirring up Sedition, y'' terrible Effects of which we begin to see & which it appears to me can answer no other publick purpose except so to Inflame the Mother Country ag* us as that they will even refuse to treat with us on y* Subject of our burdens. I wish all such persons would bear in their minds those few lines which the facetious Poet so aptly applies, in his Hudibrass, to the begin- ning of those Civil Dissentions which laid England in ruins about a Century ago — When Civil dudgeon first grew high And men fell out they knew not why. When hard words, Jealousies & fears Set folks together bv the Ears &c. J: L Iv^: Haven Sep'. 10: 1765 n~^ Letter to the Ges^erae Assembly. To the Hon^'. Gen\ Assembly Convened by Special order of his Hon', the Gov', at Hartford Sepf 19 1765 May it please y'. Hon'^ The repeated tumults & very Extraordinary practices in Several parts of this Colony of late, which so plainly point at me, as well as to the Parliament of Great Britain, & all mani- festing great dislike, not only at the late Stamp Act but at the Officers appointed under the same, will Justify my Laying before y'. Hon'l a few things for y'. Consideration, in order as well to Exculpate my self as the better to Enable Your Hon'^ to * This article was contributed by Mr. • Ingersoll to The Connecticut Gazette of September 13, 1765, and is here reprinted from the original drdft among his manuscripts. JAEED INGEESOLL I'APEES, 17G5-66. 335 take siicli measures as shall appear most likely to remove those Evils which at present appear so alarming. It will not be forgotten by this Assembly that the Parliament passed a Leading Vote to y^ Stamp Act near two years ago, viz. that it might be proper to Charge Certain Stamp Duties on y* Colonies ; this Vote I understand was taken in order as well to Let y*" Colonies know that the Parliament thought they had Authority to Lay such tax, as to give the Colonies an opor- tunity to agree upon some plan among themselves that should save the need of their taking such a measure. The Colonies did not fall in with this plan, but being alarmed at the Claim of Parliament went about to Dispute their authority. When I came to meet with the Agents last winter &'with the Com"*", of the Merchants of London trading to America, who frequently met together in order to Concert measures for oposing y® Stamp Act, I found it was generally thought that y® matter of y^ Par- liaments right to tax us was a thing so thoroughly Determined that there was no hopes of Relief that way. I Desired the ''-^ Agents however by all means to Dispute that point as I knew the Colonies would not be Easy if they should not. Some of them said they had Rec*^. from their Constituents such Petitions & Instructions as would oblige them to question that matter. In the mean time it was thought proper to wait on the Min- ister & to let him know how disagreeable it would be to y^ Col- onies to be taxed by Parliament — how much it would alarm ^ them — & to ask the favour that they might be allowed to tax themselves in Case they must be taxed. This was done, & I believe Every thing said that could be of any Use, to Dissuade from the measure then taking by Parliament. The Minister said, he took no pleasure in bringing upon himself y® Resent- ments of y^ Colonies — that it was thought reasonable that they should Contribute Something in y*^ Common Cause, that as to y® manner of raising that Something, he was content to adopt any V plan that should be held out to him by y® Colonies, that they themselves should think would answer. He askt if y^ Colonies were agreed upon the proportion that each Colony ought to bear, (S: observed how very difficult it was to fix any proper- 336 JAKED I^-CTEKSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66, tion — how that proportion would be perpetually varying by the different increase of different Colonies, & after all the uncer- tainty that the respective Assemblies would, by their own Act, Raise y® Sums that should be generally agreed on. Much more was said upon this Subject & more than can well be comprised in a Letter. Upon the whole the matter seemed to be attended with much difficulty. He said he had pledged his word for bringing in the stamp bill into Parliament that Session & that the Parliament would do what they pleased upon it, but that he could not forego it. When the Petitions come to be offered to y^ House against y® bill, the Authority of y*^ Parliament was drawn into question by some of them, particularly that from Virginia. This matter was as Largely Debated as could be Expected, Considering how few there were in y^ house who denied their Authority ; &: here I beg to be allowed to State to y. Hon'"^, how impossible it was for y® Agents to do any thing more than they did as to this point. Tis well known that no person can offer a Petition to y® house of Commons Except a ]\rember of y*^ house. I have Acquainted y'". Hon", before that there was but two Members who Denyed y^ Right of Parliament to tax us : one was Gen\ Conway, a Gentleman who was so displeased with the Ministry for what he thought personal Injuries, having been deprived of all his offices, that he could scarce speak without shewing Signs of Anger — & was sure to oppose almost Every thing that was proposed by y^ Minister ; y*". other was Alderman Beckford a West India Planter.. At y* same time M'^. Fuller, another West India Planter, formerly Ch. Justice of Jamaica, & whose Brother is their Agent, said he heard that some of y® Agents were for being heard at y^ barr of the house by Council upon the matter of the Right of Parliament to tax America. I believe, says he, no Counsiller of this kingdom (& he knew that no other could) will come to that Barr, (pointing to y® barr of y*^ house,) & openly question the authority of this house in that particular, but if he should, I believe, added he, he would not stay there long; <&: even Co\ Barry who spoke so warmly in our favour said in his first general Speech that he believed no man in that house would JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. 337 Deny y* Authority of Parliament to tax America, & he was pleased to add, that he did not think the more sensible people in America would deny it. In short, altho there was about forty Members in the ISTegative upon y^ general question upon y* bill, & who were y* West India Gentlemen & a few others connected with America, yet their Oposition to it was not on account of its being Unconstitutional, but because they tho*. y* measure impru- v^ dent & perhaps burdensome. These things are no Secrets but well known to hundreds of persons besides myself. ISTow upon this view of y* matter I would ask what the Agents could have done more than they did ; I mean the Agents without doors : as for those within, tis well known they do not try to hide that they believe the Parliament have full authority. In short I found it almost as dangerous in England to Deny y® right of Parlia- v- ment to tax America, as I do here to admit it. The Pam- phlets that were published here upon y® Subject were dispersed . among the Members, but Every one seemed to think the reason- ings were not conclusive. After the Act passed the Minister was pleased to come into a general measure of giving the principal offices under the Act to Americans. There happened but two persons then in Eng- land belonging to y^ ISTorth Continent Colonies besides myself, who were in a Condition to take y® Office personally ; these were Co^ Mercer from Virginia & M"^ Massarve from ]^. Hampshire, w^ho happened in England at that time upon business of their own, but who I take it were named to y® Minister by the Agents or some friend of those Colonies. The Distributer fd¥ IST York was Recommended by M'^ Alderman Trecothick, Dep. Chairman of y^ Com**®, of Merchants beforementioned, a Gentleman brought up at Boston, & who has his Connections & Interest quite against y® Stamp Act, k which he had opposed through the Course of y® winter with all his might. When he was sent for, by the Minister, & desired to name a person for ]^. York, he said to him, as I am well warranted to assert, to y® following Effect : S'^ you know I am no friend to y® Stamp Act ; I heartily wish it never had passed, & wish it may not have very unhappy Conse- quences; however it is now passed, & I suppose must have its 338 JAKED INGEKSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. operation, & I take it as a favour that you are pleased to put y® principal offices into y^ hands of y^ Americans, & as an honour done me that you give me leave to name to you a person for IST. York. These, I believe, were the Sentiments of all. jSTow when the measure was thus general throughout America & as generally come into by all those who had appeared as y® friends of America in opposing y*' Act, can it be wondred at that I should come into y^ same measure Especially when it is Con- sidered further that the Declared motives on the part of y^ Minister were those of Convenience to y^ Colonies. He said we told him that we were poor & unable to bear such tax ; others told him we were well able ; now, says he, take y^ business into your own hands ; you will see how & where it pinches & will certainly let us know it, in which Case it shall be Eased. Y^'. Hon^^ will Consider further that we who were on tother side y^ water must see & know how Extremely unlikely it was Ever to Convince y* Parliament upon y® point of their Author- ity, & which is doubtless the principal matter in all the dis- pute, & to be sure we did not Imagin that y*^ Colonies would think of disputing y® matter with them at y® point of j^ Sword, & that therefore the most we Could do would be to Con- struct y^ Act as favourably as possible, & make y* best of it. This it was thought would probably be done as beneficially by Americans as by Strangers ; & upon my honour I thought T should be blamed if I did not accept the Appointment, Espe- cially as I knew y® Assembly & people here would have tiine Enough before y*^ Act took place to Determin whether they would Conform to y*' Act or not, and as I took no Commission, nor y* Oath of Office, I Determined, & have Constantly from the beginning so Declared to Every one, that if y^ people shall think y*^ Act Either too dangerous in its tendency or too burden- som to be born & conclude to risque y^ Consequences of a non Compliance with it, in that Case there would be little or no Use for my Office & that I should never Enter into a warfare with my Country about it nor think of taking any Steps in the same. On the other hand, if upon the whole view of things it should be thought best to submit to y® Act, as in that Case I knew y"^ peo- ple would of Course want y*' Stampt paper, I hoped they would JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-G6. 339 be willing to receive the same at my hands, with those helps in the Use & Application of Em which from my being on y^ Spot when y^ Act passed I had been able to obtain. With these views & with these Declarations I address y' Hon^., waiting & hoping . to know by some means or other what are y"" ultimate Senti- ments of y® matter. I Desire not to give any byas, was it in my power. I believe no person sees in a stronger light than I do the trouble & Difficulties, to say no more of Em, that will probably attend this matter, whether we go forward or whether we go backward. I hope your Hon^ will not Suffer any personal Considera- tions to divert your Attention from the principal matter. As to me I thought I had Acquitted myself with some reputation in this matter. T am sure I never Laboured harder in any Cause in my life, & shall always have the Satisfaction of knowing that I have been able a little to Alleviate the Act, tho I dont think it was in my power or the power of all the Colonies together had they been present to have prevented it. I am neither afraid nor ashamed to have my Conduct in this Affair Examined with the utmost Severity, but hope I am not to be Judged unheard, & by no other proofs than the most base & wicked insinuations in ]!^ewspapers & private malignant whispers ; & should those fires that have been kindled in some parts of y® Colony terminate in nothing worse than the Emblazoning my Disgrace, I shall be Content. Would the burning my Effigies or my person save this Colony from the Evils that seem to impend I believe I ought to think it a Cheap Sacrifice ; — but the difficulty lies much deeper, & here I cannot Content myself without letting you know what appears to me what appear to be y® Outlines of the present Embarrassments. ^ /■■ ,; The Parliament & Even the whole jSTation, as far as I could ^'^ "■ ,- collect their Sense of y^ matter, seem to be fixt in y® following ^ points, viz. first, that America is at this time become too impor- tant to itself as well as to y^ Mother Country & to all foreign powers to be left to that kind of Care & protection that was Exercised heretofore by Each independant Province, in y® Days of their Infancy : — that there must be some one Eye to see over & some one hand to guide & direct y^ whole of its Defence & pro- 340 JAEED IJSTGEKSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. tection. In the Second place that America is able & ought to contribute Something toward this general protection, over & above y^ Advantages arising from j^ American trade ; — the Advantages of trade simply Considered, they say, are mutual. How this Something is to be Contributed by America in an Equal & Certain manner, seems to be y^ great Difficulty. Per- haps nothing will Satisfy y^ mind & answer the Demands of right reason, let the Constitution & Authority of Parliament be what it will. Short of an Authority dependant on the Choice, power & will of America to Enforce this Contribution; but then there Occurs, at once, a thousand difficulties how to Obtain this Common power & Authority, not only without giving Umbrage to y*' Mother Country, but even as to ourselves, — the many Jealousies that would arise as to y^ proportioning the parts of this Common power, & many more which Every ones mind will Easily Suggest. On y^ other hand to have y® Sole power in the Parliament seems to be attended with peculiar difficulty & not to be free from many great & weighty Objec- tions; & this does not Escape y*" ISTotice of y^ Gentlemen on tother side y® water, but they say the measure is K"ecessary, that_ y^ Parliament has Constitutional authority & that they must JL_Enforce because there is no other power that Can. I have only to wish that in this Day of difficulty & perplexity Your Hon", might be at Liberty from the Rage of men not alto- gether acquainted perhaps with the nature & Extent of y® Sub- ject, to form such Resolutions as shall be for y® ultimate good & welfare of the Colony, to which I shall always pay a Due Deference, & shall always be ready to serve my Country in what , shall appear to me to be their true Interests, notwithstanding their prejudices & the ill treatment I have or may Receive from them, & am Y^ Hon" most Obed* & most HumV Serv*. J : Ingersoll* X Haven Sep'" IS*'^ 1765 * This letter to the General Assembly was included in the Letters relating to the Stamp Act, and is here printed from the author's private copy. / JAEED IK^GERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-()G. 341 P. S. I have given orders to have the Stampt paper for this Colony, stopt at IST York until further orders, nor do I intend it shall come into this Colony by my direction, until I shall be able to discover that it is the Choice of the Gen\ Assembly & people of this Colony to have it come. J. I. COMMUNICATIOX TO THE CONNECTICUT GaZETTE. As the Affair, of the 19th Instant, relating to my renouncing the Office of Distributor of Stamps for this Colony, is too pub- lick to be kept a Secret; and yet the particulars of it not enough known to prevent many vague and diiferent Reports concerning it ; I thought it might be well to give the Publick a brief ^STarrative of that Transaction ; and which I shall do with all possible Impartiality, without mentioning the ISTames of any of the Concerned, and without any Remarks or Animadversions upon the Subject. Having received repeated and undoubted Intelligence of a Design formed by a great ITumber of People in the eastern Parts of the Colony to come and obtain from me a Resignation of the above mentioned Office, I delivered to the Governor, on the 17th, at ]!Tew-IIaven, in his way to meet the General Assem- bly at Hartford on the 19th, a written Information, acquainting him with my said Intelligence, and desiring of him such Aid and Assistance as the emergency of the Affair should require. On the 18th I rode with his Honour and some other Gentlemen, Members of the Assembly, in hopes of being able to learn more particularly the Time and Manner of the intended Attack. About eighteen Miles from hence, on the Hartford Road, we met two Men on Horseback with pretty long and large new made white Staves in their Hands, whom I suspected to be part of the main Body. I accordingly stopt short from the Company, and askt them if they were not in pursuit of me, acquainting them who I was, and that I should not attempt to avoid meeting the 342 JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-06. People. After a little Hesitancy they frankly owned that they were of that Party, and said there were a great Number of Peo- ple coming in three Divisions, one from Windham through Hartford, one from ]Srorwieh through Haddam, and one from New-London, by the way of Branford, and that their Pendez- vous was to be at Branford on the Evening of the 19th, from thence to come and pay me a Visit on the 20th. These Men said they were sent forward in order to reconnoitre and to see who would join them. I desired them to turn and go with me as far as Mr. Bishop's the Tavern at the Stone House, so called. One of them did. Here I acquainted the Governor and the other Gentlemen with the Matter; and desired their Advice. The Governor said many Things to this Man, pointing out to him the Danger of such a Step, and charging him to go and tell the People to return Back ; but he let the Governor know, that they lookt upon this as the Cause of the People, & that they did not intend to take Directions about it from any Body. As I knew, in case of their coming to New-Haven, there would most likely be an Opposition to their Designs and prob- ably by the Militia, I was afraid lest some Lives might be lost, and that my own Estate might receive Damage, I therefore con- cluded to go forward and meet them at Hartford ; and accord- ingly wrote a Letter to the People who were coming in the two lower Divisions, acquainting them generally with my Purposes with regard to my exercising the Office aforesaid, and which I had the Day before, delivered to the Governor to be communi- cated to the Assembly, which were in Substance that I should decline the Business if I found it generally disagreeable to the People, and which I hoped would be sufficient ; but if not, that T should be glad, if they thought it worth their while, to meet them at Hartford, and not at New-Haven, assuring that I should not attempt to secrete myself. This done, I got Mr. Bishop to go down to New-Haven, with a Letter to my Family, that they and my House might be put in a proper state of Defence and Security, in case the People should persist in their first Design of coming that way. Having taken these Precautions, I tarried that Night at Mr. JAEED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66, 343 Bishop's. The next Morning, Thursday the 19th, I set off alone about seven o' Clock, for Hartford, but just as I was mounting, Mr. Bishop said he would go along and see what would happen, and accordingly overtook me, as I did Major Hall, a Member of the Assembly, upon the Eoad; and so we went on together until we come within two or three Miles of Weathersfield, when we met an advanced Party of about four or five Persons. I told them who I was, upon which they turned, and I fell into Conversation with them, upon the general Sub- ject of my Office, &c. About half a Mile further we met another Party of about Thirty whom I accosted, and who turned and went on in the same Manner. We rode a little fur- ther and met the main Body, who, I judge, were about Five Hundred Men, all on Horseback, and having white Staves, as before described. They were preceded by three Trumpets; next followed two Persons dressed in red, with laced Hats ; then -^ the rest, two abreast. < Some others, I think, were in red, being, I suppose, Militia Officers. They opened and received me; then all went forward until we came into the main Street in the Town of Weathersfield, when one riding up to the Person with whom I was joined, and who I took to be the principal Leader or Commandant, said to him. We can't all hear and see so Avell in a House, we had as good have the Business done here; upon this they formed into a Circle, having me in the Middle, with some two or three more, who seemed to be the principal ]\Ianagers, Major Hall and Mr. Bishop also keeping near me. I began to speak to the Audience, but stopt and said I did not know why I should say any Thing for that I was not certain I knew Avhat they wanted of me ; they said they wanted me to resign my Office of Stamp Distributor. I then went on to tell them that I had always declared that I would not exercise the Office against the general Inclinations of the People. That I had given to the Governor, to be communicated to the Assembly my Declarations upon that head ; and that I had given Orders to have the stamp'd Papers stopt at ISTew-York, from whence it should not come until I should be able to learn from the Assem- blv that it was their Choice and Inclination to have it come, as I 344 JARED INGEESOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. did not think it safe to bring it in without. That I was under Bonds to the Stamp Office in England, and did not think it safe or proper for me to resign the Office to every one that should ask it of me; and that I only waited to know the sense of the Gov- ernment, whether to conform to the Act or not in order to my getting dismissed from my Office in a proper Manner. And as it had been said that the Assembly would not say any Thing about the Matter, I had now put it upon this fair Footing, that if they did not, by some Act relative to the Affair, plainly shew their Minds and Inclination to have the stampt Paper brought into the Colony, I should not think it safe, as Times were, to suffer the same to come in, nor take any Steps in my Office; also observed to 'em, that the Governor, would have Power and Instructions to put in another if I should be removed ; that the Step could do them no good, &c. They said. Here is the Sense of the Government, and no Man shall exercise that Office. I askt if they thought it was fair that the Counties of Windham and ]!^ew-London should dictate to all the rest of the Colony? Upon this one said, It don't signify to parly — here is a gTeat many People waiting and you must resig-n. I said I don't think it proper to resign till I meet a proper Authority to ask it of me ; and added, What if I won't resign ? what will be the Consequence? One said Your Fate. Fpon which I looked him full in the Face and said with some Warmth, My Fate you say. Upon which a Person just behind said, The Fate of ijour Office. I answered that I could Die, and perhaps as well now as another Time ; and that I should Die but once. Upon which the Commandant (for so, for Brevity sake, I beg Leave tc;) call the Person who seemed to have the principal Conduct of the Affair) said we had better go along to a Tavern (and which we did) and cautioned me not to irritate the People."^ When we came * The direct road from New Haven to Hartford (a part of what was known as the Old Colony Road to Boston) passed through Meriden. Ber- lin, and th« western part of Wethersfield (now Newington) ; and what was universally known as "the Old Stone House" was on the Belcher Farm in the present city of Meriden. Mr. Ingersoll's escort appears to have turned to the right hand after leaving Berlin (to give time for the Assembly to convene), and passed JAEED INGEESOLL PAPEES, 1765-66. 345 against the House and the People began to alight, I said You can soon tell what you intend to — mj Business is at Hartford — may I go there or Home ? — and made a Motion to go. They said "NcK You sha'n't go two Rods from this Spot, before you have resigned; and took hold of my Horse's Bridle; when, after some little Time, I dismounted and went into the House with the Persons who were called the Committee, being a cer- tain I^umber of the principal Persons, the main Body contin- uing without Doors. And here I ought not to omit mentioning that I was told repeatedly that they had no Intentions of hurting me or my Estate ; but would use me like a Gentleman ; this however I conclude they will understand was on Condition I should comply with their Demands. When I came into the House with this select committee a great deal of Conversation passed upon the Subject, and upon some other Matters, as my being supposed to be in England when the first leading Vote of Parliament passed relative to the Stamp- Act, and my not advising the Governor of it ; whereas I was at that time in America, — and the like, too tedious to relate. Upon the whole, This Committee behaved with Moderation and Civility, and I thought seemed inclined to listen to certain Proposals which I made ; but when the Body of the People come to hear them they rejected 'em, and nothing would do but I must resign. While I was detained here, I saw several Members of the Assembly pass by, whom I hailed, acquainting them that I was there kept and detained as a Prisoner; and desired their and the Assembly's Assistance for my Relief. They stopt and spoke to the People ; but were told they had better go along to the Assembly where they might possibly be wanted. Major Hall also finding his Presence not altogether agreeable, went away; And Mr. Bishop, by my Desire, went away to let the Governor and Assembly know the Situation I was in. After much Time spent in fruitless Proposals, I was told the through Wiethersfield village, halting to carry out their design on the west side of lower Broad Street, in front of Colonel John Chester's house, under an elm tree which has disappeared only within tlie last half-century. 346 JARED IJ^GEESOLL PAPERS, 1Y65-66. People grew very impatient, and that I must bring the ]\Iatter to a Conclusion ; I then told 'em I had no more to say, and askt what they would do with me ? They said they would carry me to Windham a Prisoner, but would keep me like a Gentleman. I told them I would go to Windham, that I had lived very well there, and should like to go and live there again. This did not do. They then advised me to move from the front Window, as the Sight of me seemed to enrage the People. Sometimes the People from below would rush into the Room in great !N^umbers, and look prett}^ fierce at me, and then the Committee would desire them to withdraw. To conclude. — After about three Hours spent in this Kind of Way, and they telling me that certain of their Gentlemen, Members of the General Assembly, had told them that they must get the Matter over before the Assembly had Time to do any Thing about it ; and that it was my Artifice to wheedle the Matter along until the Assembly should, some how or other get ensnared in the Matter, &c. The Commandant coming up from below, with I^'J'umbers following close behind in the Passage, told me with seeming Concern in his Countenance, that he could not keep the People off from me any longer ; and that if they once began, he could not promise me where they would end. I now thought it was Time to submit. I told him I did not think the Cause worth dying for, and that I would do whatever they should desire me to do. Upon this I look'd out at a front Win- dow, beckoned the People and told 'em, I had consented to com- ply with their Desires ; and only waited to have something drawn up for me to sign. We then went to Work to prepare the Draught. I attempted to make one myself; but they not liking it, said they would draw one themselves, which they did, and I signed it. They then told me that the People insisted on my being Sworn never to execute the Office. This I refused to do somewhat peremtorily; urging that I thought it would be a Prophanation of an Oath. The Committee seemed to think it might be dispensed with ; but said the People would not excuse it. One of the Committee however said, he would go down and try to persuade them off from it. I saw him from my JAEET) USTGERSOLL PAPERS, 1705-66. 347 Window amidst the Circle, and observing that the People seemed more and more fixt in their Resolution of insisting npon it, I got lip and told the People in the Room, I would go and throw myself among them, and went down, they following me. When I came to the Circle, they opened and let me in, when I mounted a Chair which stood there by a Table, and having pulled off my Hat and beckoned Silence, I proceeded to read off the Declaration which I had signed ; and then proceeded to tell them, that I believed I was as averse to the Stamp-Act as any of them ; that I had accepted my Appointment to this Office, I thought upon the fairest Motives ; finding, however, how very obnoxious it was to the People, I had found myself in a very disagreeable Situation ever since my coming Home; that I found myself, at the same Time, under such Obligations that I did not think myself at Liberty peremtorily to resign my Office without the Leave of those who appointed me ; that I was very sorry to see the Country in the Situation it was ; that I could nevertheless, in some Measure, excuse the People, as I believed they were actuated, by a real though, I feared, a misguided Zeal ^' for the Good of their Country ; and that I wished the Transac- tions of that Day might prove happy for this Colony, tho' I must own to them, I very much feared the Contrary; — and much more to the same Purpose. When I had done, a Person who stood near me, told me to give Liberty and Property, with three Cheers, which I did, throwing up my Hat into the Air ; this was followed by loud Huzzas ; and then the People many of them were pleased to take me by the Hand and tell me I was restored to their former Friendship. I then went with two or three more to a neighbouring House, where we dined. I was then told the Company expected to wait on me into Hartford, where they expected I should pub- lish my Declaration again. I reminded them of what they had before told me, that it might possibly ensnare the Assembly for them to have an Opportunity to act, or do any Thing about this Matter. Some inclined to forego this Step, but the main Body insisted on it. We accordingly mounted, I believe by this Time to the dumber of near one Thousand and rode into Hart- 348 .TARED I^^GERSOLL PAPERS, 1765—66. ford, the Assembly then sitting. They dismounted opposite the Assembly House, and about twenty Yards from it. Some of them conducted me into an adjoining Tavern, while the main Body drew up Four abreast and marched in Form round the Court House, preceeded by three Trumpets sounding; then formed into a Semi-circle at the Door of the Tavern. I was then directed to go down and read the Paper I had signed, and which I did within the Presence and Hearing of the Assembly ; and only added that I wisht the Consequences of this Day's Transaction might be happy. This was succeeded with Liberty and Property and three Cheers ; soon after which the People began to draw off, and* I suppose went Home. I understand they came out with eight Days Provision, determined to find me, if in the Colony. I believe the whole Time I was with them was better than three Hours, during a Part of which Time, I am told the Assem- bly were busy in forming some Plan for my Relief, the lower House thinking to send any Force, was it in their Power, might do more hurt than good to me, agreed to advise the sending some Persons of Influence to interpose by Persuasion, &:c. and com- municated their Desire to the upper Board, in Consequence whereof certain Gentlemen of the House were desired and were about to come to my Relief, it being about half an Hour's Ride ; but before they set out they heard the Matter was finished. Had they come, I conclude it would have had no Effect. This, according to the best of my Recollection, is the Sub- stance of the Transaction ; and in most of it I have had the concurrent Remembrance and Assent of the beforementioned Mr. Bishop. If I have omitted or misreported any Thing material, I hope it will be imputed to want of Memory only — as I mean not to irritate or inflame, but merely to satisfy the Curious, and to place Facts in a true and undisguised Light. J. L* ITew-Haven, September 23, 1765. * This account was published by Mr. Ingersoll in The Connecticut Gazette of September 27, 1765, and republished in the Letters relating to the Stamp-Act. JARED INGERSOLL, PAPERS, 1705-66. 349 P. S. I perceive these People, the Night before this Affair happened, placed a Guard round the Court House in Hartford, and at my usual Lodgings in that Town ; also secured the Pas- sage over the Bridge in the Town ; and all the Passes even by the Farmington Eoad; to prevent my getting into Town that j^ight ;— a needless Pains had they known it. The Members of the Assembly arrived in Town the same Evening. Letter to William Livingston. N": Haven, Oct'. r\ 1765. It is much if you dont by this time paint me out in imagina- tion as a kind of fiend with a cloven foot and fury-forked tongue, a Court Parasite & a Lover of the Stamp Act ; and i^ yet the truth is that I love the Stamp Act about as little as you do, & remonstrated to the late Minister against it all in my power. What! and Accept of the Office of Distributer of Stamps when you had done ? impossible ! a Strange paradox this I suppose at present, & I dare say will remain so till y^ times are a little more moderate, & so I wont trouble you with an Attempt to Explain it. We having now got rid of all the Stamp Officers, I suppose we have nothing left for us to do but just to get rid of the Stamp Act itself. I wait impatiently to See how you will go about this at ]^ : York. I own I expect you will be the very first who will introduce it ; not because I think you less patriotick than your neighbors, but because the Stamps will be handier to you than to most others. I went to England last winter with the strongest prejudices against the Parliamentary Authority in this Case; & came home, I don't love to say convinced, but confoundedly begad & beswompt, as we say in Connecticut. Virtually represented, has been so prettily ridiculed that one should almost conclude that Calvinism itself is a blunder, and that Representation tt 350 JAEED liVGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. Election are always Correlitives. JSTothing is more true than that no Taxes can be Imposed according to the English Law & Constitution, but bj the peoples consent in Parliament by their representatives, and tis Equally a Maxim of English Liberty that no Laws can be made or abrogated but by their Consent in the same manner. 'Now I want you to tell me whether the Par- liament can or cannot make any Laws that shall have any bind- ing force upon us in America. No man sees in a stronger light than I do the dangerous tendency of admitting for a principle that the Parliament of Great Britain may tax us ad libitum. I view it as a gulpli ready to devour, but when I look all round I am at a loss for a plan. I think there is all the reason in the world why we should be in a Situation Equally safe with the people in England ; but how, and what, and when, I am almost weary in y® Enquiry. I want to talk with you about four hours. I spent the whole winter among Politicians, both Eng- lish & American, and among Em all found no plan for America that did not appear to me full of the greatest difficulty & Embar- rassment. Brother Johnson will be with you soon & can tell you more from me than I can Communicate in a Letter, & by him I shall be exceeding fflad to Learn vour real Sentiments in this matter. I think it behooves every one to do his utmost at a time when nothing but distress and trouble are in prospect. I hear there are many Strange Stories to my disadvantage Current at K York, which I shall not give myself the trouble to contradict, as I know at this time tis not in my power to con- vince by the best & strongest evid'ence. My own consciousness of innocence no man can take from me. Please to 'make my Comp^ to M''^ Livingston & to all those gentlemen whom I had once the honor of calling my friends & who I hope will not quite give me up yet. I am S'. y" Most Obed*. Humb. Serv*. J. IngersoU. W" Livingston Esq''. [Copy.] jared ingersoll papers, 1765-66. 351 Letter to Thomas Whately. I^ew Haven Nov^ 2^ 1765 Dear Sir, In mj last which was the 9"". of SeptemV. I acquainted you with the Appearances in these parts relative to the Stamp Act, with the very general commotion among the people & with the many insults that had been offered to me as well as to the Act of Parliament itself, by burning in EfBgy & the like. Since that, viz. on the 19^^. of September I met with an Extraordinary instance of violence offered to me in person, & which Extorted from me a declaration of renouncing the office of Distributer of Stamps for this Colony, a particular Account of which affair you have in the inclosed I^ews paper of the 27*^'". of the same Septemb'^. I also acquainted you that the General Assembly of last May, from the Moderation of the times, did not Seem at all disposed to oppose the Stamp Act, tho the Same was far from being agreeable to them ; but the Confusions of later times occasioned a Choice of new Members, to the amount of about half the lum- bers in the lower house of Assembly, for the late Session in OctoV., & generally such as were very warm against the Stamp Act. This, with the general Cry that way, so fixt the Assembly in their opposition to the Act, that it has been almost dangerous for any person to talk of a Submission to it, and the result of all has been the passing the Resolutions contained in the enclosed ^Newspaper of the first instant, wherein among other things they say, the Stamp Act is unprecedented and unconstitu- tional — in which I am told all the Members of the lower house Concurred except about five* ; the Upper house also Con- curred by a Majority of voices, in directing to have the resolves go on the records of the Colony, and tis concluded to transact no business this winter that requires Stampt paper, nor until we * Captain Henry Glover, of Newtown, Thomas Fitch, Jr., and Epenetus Piatt, of XorAvalk, Seth Wetmore, of Middletown, and Dr. Benjamin Gale, of Killingworth, are the five usually named in this list of exceptions; to these names are less confidently added Oliver Tousey, of Newtown, and Partridge Thatcher, of New Milford. 352 JAEED INGERSOLL, PAPERS, 1765—66. j shall hear whether the Act will be repealed or not ; if it should not, I dont yet know what we are to do next. The peoples Spirits are kept up ; no person dares introduce or make use of any Stamps ; those for this Colony are lodged, by my desire, in the fort at IT. York, there to remain till further orders. The Governour with much difficulty got Sworn to the Observ- ance of the Act, all his Council except four expressly refusing to Swear him, & Even abruptly left the room when the oath was about to be administred, declaring they could not in Conscience be present, as they Esteemed the Oath inconsistent with the Provincial Oath of the Governour, & some of them say they shall not Scruple as Judges to Declare the Act of Parliament ipso facto void. Such are the times here. The Governour, from the first, since the Act passed has been fully resolved to Comply with & obey it, as being a Command by the Authority of the IsTation, which he is not disposed to Contro- vert or disobey. Of the same opinion & disposition are four of his Council and indeed many other people, but their voice is drowned amid the general Cry, and those in power who dare favor the Act may Expect Speedy Political death. A Gover- nour in this Colony you know has no ITegative to any Act of Assembly, nor can he Exercise Scarce any power but as the Assembly give him leave, & no one dares & few in power are disposed to punish any violences that are offered to the Author- ity of the Act ; — in Short all the Springs of Government are broken, and nothing but Anarchy and Confusion appear in prospect. Some think the distresses which the want of the Stampt papers will Occasion, will put the people upon moving the Assem- bly to desire me to introduce and distribute them. Should this be the Case I should not Scruple to Officiate, notwithstanding my forced resignation ; but if, as others think, the people will Suffer any Evil rather than become Slaves, as they think they shall, by Conforming to the Act, & if in that Case any kind of force should be made Use of to guard the officer or the like, I should not think my person or dwelling safe was I to attempt to Exercise the Office, and therefore must in that Case beg to be Excused and that some other may be Appointed in my room. JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. 353 Tis hard, my friend, after having done every thing in my power to prevent & to moderate the Act, as you are my Witness I did, to be Charged with being the Author of it, at least with having inhanced it for the Sake of my own profit, then to have the Office, which you know was mentioned to me by you before ever I thought of it, wrested out of my hands by a Mob, and to be left to be insulted by that very Mob & those very persons who set Em on me, for my reward, having run the risque even of my very life also in the matter. These are trying things, I assure you, yet I keep up my Spirits & preserve, I think, a good degree of philosophick fortitude. I am not without friends, & those i whom you would Esteem the better people in the Colony. The Governour is my fast friend, as I am his, & can only wish he had that Countenance and Approbation which his Conduct & behaviour upon all Occasions well deserves. I am full of Apprehension for my Country, which I cannot but regard not- withstanding the Abuses I have met with in it. Some say the Stamp Act is to be repealed; if it should, I will be Content to Suffer all — & bear all without regret or recompence. Others say it is to be moderated only; this I think may well be done, as tis most likely we rather under than overcast the probable amount of it. Let me suggest that to repeal all the Probate testamentary part will take away the Cry of the widow & fatherless. The Eegistry of deeds amounts to but little & is very burdensome as we register in books. Process before Single Justices for forty shillings, being generally for debt, falls very much on the poor. Do try to get these Eased, if no more T am S'^ y^ Most Obed^ HumV Serv*. J. IngersolL* To Th : Whately, Esq^ Copy * This letter having become public before being forwarded, was recalled by the author and never sent. Three separate drafts of the manuscript are preserved, which have been compared for the present purpose. A few foot- notes were added in the copy printed in Letters relating to the Stamp-Act. 12 35-i jaeed ingersoll papers, 1765-66. Letter to the Stamp Commissioners. 1^: Haven 'Noy'. 2^: 1765 May it please Y"". Hon*. Upon my first arrival from England at Boston the later End of Jnly last, I found Every thing full as quiet with regard to the Stamp Act, as I expected, and from the informations I there < received from this Colony had no reason to Expect any other than a Submission to it here, tho much ag*. the peoples inclina- tions. About this time the resolves of the Assembly of Virginia (& which you have doubtless seen before now) began to be , spread abroad in these parts, at which the peoples Spirits catch- ing fire, burst forth into a blaze, first at Boston, then in this Colony & Elsewhere, an Account of all which you must have had before this time. The plan adopted by the populace was to force the Stamp Oflicers to a resignation & then to proceed in business as usual without the use of Stamps. I myself after being burnt in Efligy in many places by the populace & Suffer- ing all the insult and indignity that either the wit or malice of ^ men could invent, besides threats as to my person & house, met with a force on the lO*'^. of Sept^., which Extorted from me a like declaration of renouncing the ofiice of Distributer of Stamps for this Colony, as had been done in neighbouring Colonies, — a particular Account & detail of which affair is contained in the inclosed news paper of the 27*^. of Sept'', to which I beg leave to refer you. I was about to write you of this matter immediately after it happened, but on further thoughts concluded to wait till this time, as not knowing but that the people who offered this violence when they come to cool would think proper to release me ; or that the Gen\ Assembly of y^ Colony which meets annually in OctoV. would take some Steps, either inviting me to officiate in the office or engaging some protection, in which case I should not have Scrupled to proceed in distributing the papers, if by these means I found it to be the mind of the body of the people that I should. But instead of my meeting with any thing of this kind, I have now to inform you that the House of Eepresentatives of this Colony, at their late Sessions have among other things Voted the Act of Parliament imposing the Stamp duties unprecedented and Unconstitutional^ & concluded JAEED INGEESOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. 355 to let the Ensuing winter pass without transacting any business that requires the use of Stampt papers, & in the meantime to Petition Parliament for a repeal of the Act. What will be done in case the Act shall not be repealed I cannot tell. GoV. Fitch from the first, as also four of his Council, altho' heartily wishing the Act had not passed, have been disposed to Submit to it, as to A Law Enacted by the Authority of Parliament & which they should not undertake to dispute or disobey ; which four as well as the GoV, Especially the later, have but too much reason to Expect to fall a political Sacrifice to the resentments of the peo- ple ; the one for presuming to take, the others to administer, the Oath required by the Act; the Lower house I understand all concurred in their resolves, Except about five persons. The. first parcel of Stampt papers designed for this Colony arrived at ISTew York about a week ago & are Safely lodged by my desire in the fort there. I have advised with GoV. Fitch about Sending for them into this Colony. He thinks it by no means Safe as we have no Strong hold in which to place them, & the peoples threats continued in the most open & highhanded strain to destroy them if they come ; specimens of which threatnings you may see in the inclosed ISTewspaper of the first instant, & which contains the resolutions of the house of repre- sentitives of this Colony. Indeed you must know & be fully informed from all quarters that]jhe rage of the peopleis so great that it is almost dangerous to say a word in favour of a Submission to the Act, & that it is at present absolutely impos- sible for me to distribute any of the papers. What will be the End of these things God only knows. Some think the dis- tresses of the people which w^ll be occasioned for want of y® Stamps will force them even to invite me to distribute them. The people most of them say they are as willing I should dis- tribute them as another, but that they shall not be distributed by anybody. Others think they will even Suffer death & Every Evil before they will Conform to the Act, as thinking from that moment they shall commence Slaves. Should the people con- clude to take Em I should be willing to distribute the papers, but if there must be any kind of force or compulsion used to this End, I shall be glad to be excused. 356 JARED INGEESOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. It is said by some the Act will be abated in part, by others that it will be repealed. If the later takes place I shall be glad to drown all my little interests in the general good ; but if part only is intended to be taken off, I beg leave to suggest to ease all Probate & Testamentary matters — the Cry of the Widow & fatherless would not then be heard, and Estates here are but Small & can but illy bear any duty; also the duty registring deeds, which will raise but a trifle & yet occasions so much trouble, especially here where we make use of books to register in ; also the Judgments & process for forty Shillings, which with us is before Single Justices of the peace, & being gen- erally for Debt the duty falls heavy on the poor. I think these abatements might well enough be made, as tis probable to me the computations of the Sums expected to be raised were rather under than overcast by the Ministry & those who assisted them in that matter and money in the Colonies at this time is certainly extremely Scarce. I shall write to 3'OU again soon & in the mean time, while I impatiently wait the Isue of the measures on your side the water as well as ours, shall consult the Governour from time to time and pursue such measures in disposing & securing of the Stamp papers as I shall Judge will turn to the best Account of his Majestys interest. I have received no letter or directions whatever from the Board, but shall expect something by the next Packet. The Gov^. cannot but wonder & regret that he should not have received from the Ministry or otherwise one single word about the Stamp Act. I am Your most Obed*. & most HumV Serv*. J : Ingersoll.* To the Hon^ Commiss''*. of Stamps. * This letter, which Avas finally Avithheld and never sent, is preserA-ed in two separate drafts among Mr. IngersoU's papers. As printed in his Letters relating to the Stamp-Act, with foot-notes, it is drawn mainly from the longer of the two manuscript drafts; but the other draft is here followed, as apparently representing the author's maturer judgment. jared ingeesoll papers, 1765-66. 357 Letter to Richard Jackson. ^ Haven :^rov^. 3^ 1765 I wrote Tou from Boston soon after my arrival there from England in Jnlj. Since that time I have been too much Employed for my own Safety & the regulation of my Conduct amidst the Confusions of this Country to be able to attend to the rights of friendship. When I first came home every thing appeared tolerably quiet, but the Virginia Resolves taking air threw Boston into a flame, %vhere after having offered the high- est indignities to M''. Oliver the Mob fell upon Lieu*. Gov^ Hutchinsons house & destroyed it, with every thing in it, with a more than Savage fury. The Same Spirit Spread itself into this Colony, where I suffered in common wdth my brother ofii- cers the indigTiity of being burnt in Efiigy & of having every ill natured thing published of me in !N'ewspapers in the most unre- strained manner. I have been called Traitor, Parricide & the hardest of J^ames — am Charged with having Contributed to get the Stamp Act passed, & all to secure to myself the Office of Distributor. On the 19*^. of SeptemF. I met with a very Extraordinary violence & which Extorted from me a Declaration of renounc- ing the afores^. office, a particular account of which you have in the enclosed N'ewspaper of the 27*^\ of the same Sep"". Since that time I have been a little more at Ease, but the Colony as well as the ^Neighbouring Provinces are in a great ferment. Our xlssembly of last May I am told were moderate, but that of Oct^ have gone so far as to Vote the Stamp Act unprecedented &: unconstitutional, as you will see by the inclosed ISTewspaper of the first Instant. The Gov^ with much difficulty got Sworn by four of the Council, the others refusing as thinking the Act of Parliament derogatory to the rights of the Colony; — these four & the Gov', are all now threatned in the highest manner with political death, so strong are the peoples resentments against the Stamp Act. It has been generally concluded not to use any Stamp papers, but to lie still this winter in full Confi- dence that you will repeal the Act ; if you dont I cannot tell you 358 JAKED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. whats to be done next. For mj own part I shall be glad it may be repealed, altho I was sure in that case to be almost trampled upon. You know I did not aid or assist in bringing the Stamp Act upon us, but was as unwilling to have it pass as any man could possibly be. You know also, I believe, that the Office of distributer was first mentioned to me by M"". Whately without my seeking or even before I thought of it. If the Stamp Act should be abated only, pray attempt to take off the whole of matters testamentary ; that branch of the duty makes a gTeat uneasiness & is really burdensome upon our Small Estates. The Registry of Deeds will be very burden- some, or rather inconvenient, as we register in books, & will amount to but little. Process before Single Justices to the amount of forty Shillings, being mostly for debt, falls princi- pally upon the poor. We had rather have a little than nothing at all ; a repeal of the whole is what we wish for. We have had a great Congress, as you will hear, whose representations & petitions will be sent to you, as also instruc- tions from this Colony how to prefer & urge the same. The matter of your right to tax us you will see is uppermost & mixt in with all the other matter. How far these Peti- tions will serve us I cant tell. I hope you will do Every thing in your power to obtain for them a reception & hearing, how- ever different from your Judgment they are drawn. You will Easily see by Every thing we say or do on this side the water that our ITotions of our Constitutions & rights are such as I suspect you on your side will call IN'otions of independance — where & how things will end I dont know. Some think the distresses of the people occasioned by the want of the Stamp papers will move them to desire the Assembly to apply to me to distribute them, in which Case I should not be against doing it, notwithstanding what has passed; but with- out such request from the Publick or being Convinced that it is the general inclination of the people to make Use of them, I shall not think my dwelling or person safe was I to attempt it, nor yet incline to have the business ; — indeed at present it is as much as a persons life is worth to make use of Stampt paper. JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. 359 Think for me in mv critical Scituation & be so good as to let me know what I ought to do ; in the mean time I will hope for better times. You cannot Easily conceive the perplexity of Scituation I have been in, between my Obligation & duty of Office on one side and the rage of a distracted multitude on the other, & for weeks together I have been under Constant Appre- hensions, at least for my house & Substance. With Comp^ to all friends I remain Y^ most Obe"^. HumV Serv*. J Ingersoll. P. S. I perceive you have had a great revolution of Ministry since I left you, but that they Expect thej shall be able to return things back into their former Channel again. I care not who are in, so they are friends to America. — A Map of this Colony drawn by one Mott, one of our people, is lately sent over to the Secretary of State, which I shall be glad you will see. I think it is done in a very accurate as well as Elegant manner. — The Gov^. did all he could to prevent the Extremes that have hap- pened, but you know he has little power as Gov^. This Colony is Eighty thousand pounds in debt, arrears of taxes that cannot be collected by reason of the poverty of those on whom they are laid. Dec^ 19. this Letter was dispatched & recalled on a Surmise that I had wrote something detrimental to the Colonies inter- ests. To prevent all Suspicion for the future I shall write no letters across the water but such as are absolutely necessary till things are more settled than they now are. I hope you will be the Colonies friend, whatever some people here may think of me, and I hope I can yet say with a much greater man than myself, "Whatever Errors I have committed in Publick life I have always loved my Country ; whatever faults may be objected to me in private life, I have always loved my friend ; whatever Usage I have received from my Country, it shall never make me break with her ; whatever Usage I have received from my friends, it shall never make me break with one of them while I 360 JARED INGERSOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. think him a friend to my Country." I have received much undeserved favour and good at the hands of my Country, & shall I not bear with a little Abuse, especially upon so irritating an Occasion as the Stamp Act. Let IVF. Whately know I dont think it best for me to write to him just now, but shall be glad to hear from him. Shew as much of this as you shall think necessary on my Acc°. to the Commiss^ of Stamps, if you shall find that my Letter to them dispatched with this shall by any means miscarry. R. Jackson Esq'. Copy J. I. Letter to the Stamp Commissioners. ^ : Haven Dec^ 2 : 1765 May it please Y"". Hon'. In my last which was of y® 2*^. Ult. I acquainted you fully with the Several Occurrences I met with since my Arrival in these parts & with the disposition of the people with regard to the Stamp papers. I have now further to acquaint you that the people in this Colony as well as Elsewhere continue, & if possible increase in their opposition to the Act & seem deter- mined, at all Events, not to Submit to it. As there is there- fore no prospect of my being able to Serve Either them or his Majesty in the Office of Distributer for this Colony, I have to Desire that their Lordships of the Treasury will Excuse me from that office. We flatter ourselves here that there will be no Occasion for any ISTew Appointment, as hoping the Act will be repealed this Session. The office is at this time the most odious here in America of any thing that can well be imagined. I have found myself in the most distressed Scituation between the Obligations of my Office & the resentments of y^ people, but hope it will not be long before I shall be rid of both. * From the manuscript copy of Mr. Ingersoll's letter, published also in his Letters relating to the Stamp-Act. JAKED INGERSOLL TAPEKS, 17G5-66. 361 I have not as yet rec*^. any Letter from the Board. I shall take the best Care I can to secure the Stamp papers for his Majestys Use & take such Steps to that End as the Kature & Circumstances of things shall require & admit of. I am Y^ Hon^ most Obed*. & most HumV Serv^ To the Hon*. Com^ of Stamps Copy J Ingersoll.* Letter to William Samuel Johnson. E"-Haven 2 Dec^ 1765 it is a time when mankind Seem to think they have a right not only to Shoot at me with the Arrow that flyeth by Day, but to Assassinate me in the dark, as you will see by the inclosed Letter which I desire you will be so good as to read, then Seal & Deliver to the person to whom directed, and to let him know that you are acquainted with the Contents, or not, as you shall think best The truth is I Strongly Suspect that /. M'. Chandler was not the Original Author of the Story. tis pretty certain that my letters have been intercepted & broke open — they were sent to IST York by M^ John Ray — he was at our M'". Chandlers after I gave them to him & he, M'. Chandler, saw them in his hands. This I happen'd to know only by ]\F Chandlers dropping such a word some little time ago ; further I have not been able as jet to trace the matter. Xow if you think proper, I shall be glad you will send for your Neighbour Chandler to V' house, & if he will to talk freely y^ whole matter ; it may be he will Consider you as a mediator, as indeed I wish you would be, and settle y* matter. I want only a reasonable Satisfaction & am willing you should be Judge of that. . . . * From the manuscript copy ; published also in Letters relating to the Stamp-Act. 362 JAEED INGEESOLL PAPERS, 1765-66. were ever times like these? any man has it in his power at this time by suggesting any ill natured thing about what he may suppose I have wrote either about publick or private affairs, to Occasion a Deputation of a Com**, from a Body of People con- sisting of not less than three or four thous*^ men, to come to me & tell me if 1 will satisfy 'em in the matter by letting that body of people see the Copies of my Letters it will be well — if I wont -they cannot promise in what way they will see Cause to resent it — that it was with difficulty they could keep them from publishing in I^ews papers the whole matter which had been reported, even without Enquiring of me or otherwise any fur- ther about it. The Gentlemen who came to me upon the Sub- ject were Captains Liddle & Cleveland & Cap*. Asah\ Fitch; they appeared friendly — behaved with Candor & Declared them- selves Satisfyed with what I had wrote. I found my self under that kind of Necessity above described of Delivering out to them y*^ Copies of y® Letters I had wrote to y® Com^ of Stamps & to ]\F Whately with a number of other Copies & original Letters