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CHARLES MINER 
 
 Pennsylvania Pioneer 
 
 by 
 
 CHARLES FRANCIS RICHARDSON, Ph. D. Litt. D. 
 
 and 
 
 ELIZABETH MINER (THOMAS) RICHARDSON. 
 
 Reprinted with slight changes from the Proceedings 
 
 of the Wyoming Historical and Geological 
 
 Society, Volume XIV. 
 
 W1LK.ES-BARRE. PA. 
 1916. 
 
/I 
 
K 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 In his later years Hon. Charles Miner spent much time 
 burning letters and papers, and some have since been lost, 
 notably a large part of his Autobiography, but a good num- 
 ber have survived, in the care since his son William P. died, 
 of his grand-daughter, Mrs. Anna (Miner) Oliver, who has 
 diligently typewritten all the most important ones — no small 
 task when the ravages of time and illegibility are taken 
 into account. It has been the plan of this memoir to let 
 these manuscripts tell their own story as far as possible. 
 As it has been prepared not only for the Wyoming Histori- 
 cal and Geological Society but for Mr. Miner's descendants, 
 it has seemed proper to print some details of especial inter- 
 est to the latter, such as somewhat free extracts from his 
 love-letters to his wife. Also, at this late date, there has 
 seemed no impropriety in publishing letters marked "con- 
 fidential". Only modesty caused those to his wife to be 
 so guarded, and those from his friends had immediate 
 bearing on their own political interests, now matters of 
 history. Indeed, without these letters the story of his life 
 could hardly have been told. 
 
 The sketch was practically finished, as far as the manu- 
 scripts were concerned, with only some points to elucidate 
 and annotate, chiefly with regard to the years in Congress, 
 when the work fell to my hands. 
 
 The difficulties of tracing out the history of "a Bill" 
 through the various official publications of the House in 
 early days, with their omissions, lack of complete indices. 
 
O PREFACE. 
 
 etc., are great, so if error should be found, I beg that I, 
 alone, may be held responsible. Also, I have added, here 
 and there, matter purtenant and interesting in my opinion, 
 but spoiling the symmetry of the volume as originally 
 planned. 
 
 Some spellings in the originals, as Brownson for Bron- 
 son, have been retained in the text, but corrected in the 
 index. In some cases it has been impossible to tell whether 
 Mr. Smith — Judge Smith — or General Smith — were one and 
 the same man, or not, but what diligence could do to sup- 
 ply first names and to decide such questions has been done. 
 
 Elizabeth Miner Richardson. 
 
CHARLES MINER, 1780-1865. 
 
 I am about to try to tell some parts of the story of a life 
 of singular range and usefulness. 
 
 Charles Miner was one of the most original and influ- 
 ential of the Pennsylvania editors of the first third of the 
 nineteenth century. He was an early promoter of the 
 anthracite coal trade, and of canals, as a part of internal 
 improvement. As a State legislator his influence ranged 
 between fields as widely apart as compulsory vaccination 
 and the regulation of bank currency. He made the first 
 persistent, long-continued effort on the floor of the House 
 looking toward the final extinction of slavery. Like the 
 Sage of Monticello, he diffused moral and political advice, 
 while at the same time concerning himself with the mate- 
 rial welfare of State and Nation. Like Franklin, by his 
 essays he made sounder the life of his time. He wrote, 
 from original investigations, the standard history, never 
 to be displaced, of the Wyoming Valley, the massacre of 
 July 3, 1778, and the long-disputed land-claims of Con- 
 necticut and Pennsylvania. Finally, and most enduring of 
 all, he coined the phrase most current to-day on the lips of 
 thousands of Americans — "to have an ax to grind". 
 
 Charles, the youngest of four children, was born in Nor- 
 wich (now Norwich Old Town, two miles from the river 
 settlement), Connecticut, on the first day of February, 1780. 
 
 The Connecticut Miners were descendants of Thomas 
 Minor, or Mynor, a native of Chew Magna, Somerset, 
 England, born April 23, 1608, the first of the family to 
 emigrate to the new world. According to a quaint "Her- 
 auldicall Essay upon the Surname of Miner," a copy of 
 which (now in the Historical Room, Hartford, Connecti- 
 cut) was procured about 1683 by Thomas Minor from his 
 
8 
 
 1 H VRLES M INKK. 
 
 cousin William, of Bristol. England; "Edward the third 
 going to make warre against the French took a progresse 
 through Somersett, and coming to Mendippi Colles mine- 
 rarii, Mendippe Hills in Somersett where lived one Henry 
 .Miner, his name being taken rather a denominatione loci ei 
 ab officio, who with all carefullness and Loyaltie having 
 convened his Domesticall and Meniall servants armed with 
 Battle-axes profered himself and them to his Master's ser- 
 vice making up a compleat hundred. Wherefore he had 
 his Coat armoriall." In the course of this genealog\ 
 the family Miner, it is interestingly said of a Fifteenth 
 century William, that he "lived to revenge the death of the 
 two young Princes murdered in the Tower of London, 
 upon their inhumane unckle Richard the 3rd. It was said 
 of this William Miner that he was Flos Militia, the Flower 
 of chivilarie." 
 
 The writer of the "Essay", which abounds in the punning 
 intricacies and polyglot excursuses common to the literature 
 of the seventeenth century, says at the end: "I shall be 
 very much beholden to the Learned reader who if he can 
 give more satisfaction in this essay would for the honour 
 of Antiquitie (who now lyes in prof undo Democrat is 
 Put co) mend the Errata Chronologicall and see if he can 
 derive the surname from a longer time ; it being supposed 
 that Henry Miner's name before the King's progresse in 
 Somersett was Bullman, but how certain however 1 know 
 not ; but leave it to some other whose experience and learn- 
 ing exceeds mine." 
 
 Thomas Minor came to Charlestown. Mass.. in 1629: 
 lived at Hingham from 1636 to 1645; removed to New 
 London, Conn., in that year, with the second Governor John 
 Winthrop's colony of Massachusetts Puritans: and was 
 Magistrate, member of the General Court, and trusted by 
 his fellows in many ways. A final move, in 1652, was to 
 1'awcatuck. now Stonington, in the same State, where he 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 9 
 
 built a house at Wicketaquoc Cove ; took part in the organ- 
 ization of the town ; twice acted as a commissioner to treat 
 with neighboring Indians ; and served as lieutenant in the 
 militia. The miscellaneous character of his usefulness may 
 be illustrated by an entry in his diary for April 24, 1669 — 
 in the usual affluent orthography of manuscripts of the time : 
 "I was by the Towne & this yeare chosen to be a select man 
 the Townes Treasurer the Townes Recorder The brander 
 of horses by the Generale Courte Recorded the head officer 
 of the Traine band by the same Court one of the ffouer that 
 have Charge of the milishcia of the whole Countie and Chos- 
 sen and sworne Commissioner and one to assist in keeping 
 the Countie Courte." Before his death he had selected from 
 his own fields a granite stone for his grave, in the burial- 
 ground near his home ; and the horizontal bowlder, with its 
 inscription legibly recut, tells the visitor that "Here lyeth 
 the body of Lieutenant Thomas Minor, aged 83 years. De- 
 parted 1690." Near by, a monument commemorates, at 
 greater length, the services of Thomas Minor and three of 
 his associates in the first days of the town. 
 
 Thomas Minor's son Clement was the father of Clement, 
 whose son Hugh was the father of Seth, who was born in 
 New London in 1742, removed to Norwich; was a carpen- 
 ter by trade; was for some years keeper of the jail; and 
 served as orderly to Jedediah Huntington at Dorchester 
 Heights, when the colonials were besieging the British in 
 Boston. He lived to see his sons Charles and Asher well 
 established in Pennsylvania, and died at Asher's home in 
 Doylestown, in that State, in 1822. 
 
 Charles Miner, in the fragments that are left of his 
 Autobiography, which he called "Foot-prints of Charles 
 Miner on the Sands of Time," says : 
 
 "According to the family records I was born on the first 
 day of February 1780, in the City of Norwich, Connecticut, 
 of course in the midst of the Revolutionarv War. Too 
 
10 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 young to recollect the events of that great struggle ; but its 
 conclusion, the parade, the musick, the thundering of can- 
 non on the declaration of Peace, I well remember." Any- 
 thing he may have said in the Autobiography of his educa- 
 tion is lost, but in a letter of date July 17, 1859, in answer 
 to an invitation to be present or to send a letter at the two 
 hundredth anniversary of the settlement of Norwich, he 
 wrote that he was too old to come, and then went on to give 
 a series of pictures hung in his gallery of memories : He 
 says, "Affection for Norwich is twined with every fibre of 
 my heart. Having emigrated to Pennsylvania while yet a 
 boy, my time of observation is limited, and my scene of 
 observation, to little more than the old Town or round the 
 Square, fitted, rather, to amuse the grand-children, than 
 impart instruction or pleasure to the present genera- 
 tion." * * * 
 
 [Perhaps one pretty, characteristic story which has 
 amused the grand-children may be inserted here : Return- 
 ing to Norwich after forty years he said he knew the old 
 house on the square was no longer standing, but he would 
 just walk out and see if the brown thrashers' nest was still 
 there!] " * * * But to the school. The old Brick School 
 House [Norwich-old-town, still in use] at the bottom of the 
 lane, below the spacious new jail, knew no recess. * * * 
 Newcome Kinne awakened a high degree of emulation, 
 especially in writing, a sampler was pasted up before six or 
 seven scholars, near the ceiling, on fine paper, on a double 
 arch sustained by Corinthian columns. * * * Within each 
 half arch, near the upper part, in fine hand, a poetical quo- 
 taion, as suggested by fancy, probably from 'Hannah 
 Moore's Search after Happiness,' then highly popular. 
 Beneath, in larger hand, successive lines in beautiful pen- 
 manship, filling the whole. The Piece painted in water 
 colors — The pride of mothers — master and scholars. * * * 
 The obedience fair. Teachers capable and attentive. Dis- 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. II 
 
 cipline preserved without undue severity. Pleasant were 
 our school hours." 
 
 This, with some time at the "Lathrop School on the Plain" 
 seems to have been the extent of his "schooling"; but life 
 is always a school and he was always a scholar. After 
 leaving this school he worked for some time at the printers 
 trade in the office of the Connecticut Gazette and Commer- 
 cial Intelligencer at New London. 
 
 "After going into the office of Messrs. Hubbard and 
 Bushnell for eight or ten months, I too, at the tender age 
 of thirteen was sent willingly as an apprentice in the same 
 office [with his brother Asher who was apprenticed to a 
 Col. Green.] I remained with them a year, when my feeble 
 health gave way, and Col. Green, my excellent and beloved 
 master, took me home. * * * The moment health suffi- 
 cient returned I repaired again to New London to attend 
 the Bookstore, and learn book-binding, with Thomas Green, 
 a Brother of Samuel. Soul-stirring incidents began to arise. 
 Two French Frigates * * * came into the harbour for 
 loads of timber. The officers purchased books and paper 
 at our store. At night the sailors of both vessels all with 
 red caps, to the number of some hundreds, would come on 
 shore, accompanied by flags and musick. Parties from the 
 town with the American flag would join them, and with the 
 whole march from street to street singing the Marsellaise 
 Hymn * * * making vows for Liberty or Death — denounc- 
 ing the Tyranny of Great Britain, whose vessels were then 
 giving no little interruption to our commerce. The people 
 were wild with enthusiasm. * * * I may as well tell the 
 anecdote here. Having learned, however imperfectly, the 
 tune of the Marsellaise Hymn, it never was forgotten. 
 Near forty years afterwards Dr. [Thomas] M[iner] told 
 me at Wilkes-Barre he was going to visit a patient, who 
 had been a member of the National Convention ; having 
 voted for the Death of Louis, he had become an exile. I 
 
12 CHARLES MIXKK, 
 
 went with him. Scarcely raising his head from the pillow- 
 he feebly replied to the enquiry of the Physician ; and his 
 pale cheeks told of extreme debility rather than acute 
 disease. Speaking cheerily I told him he should have 
 pleasant companions, and be out in the open air, see the 
 bright sun, hear the birds sing and sing himself. He shook 
 his head. Telling him I thought there were tunes that 
 would arouse and do him good (I confess it was not very 
 good manners) * * * I struck up, as well as I could. 
 'Ye sons of France, awake to glory 
 See what myriads bid you rise !' 
 
 What a metamorphosis ! Rousing instantly, he sat up, 
 his eye flashing fire, he drew on his cap, and taking up the 
 note, made the room ring again. 1 hardly expected ever to 
 hear that electrifying hymn sung by one of the original ac- 
 tors in the scenes that gave it rise. * * *" * 
 
 "Many persons from Norwich emigrating and preparing 
 to emigrate to the Susquehanna, my father thought it best 
 for me to go out and look after his lands, to settle — to sell 
 — to do what should seem most judicious: all this while 
 Brother Asher, regularly bound to a seven or eight year 
 apprenticeship to Master Green, was laboriously, but cheer- 
 fully, pursuing his course, making himself truly a man of 
 business, not only acquiring his profession, but what is quite 
 as necessary to success in life and only to be attained by 
 long continued discipline — steadiness — the habit of appli- 
 cation, method * * *. 
 
 "Preparatory to my Susquehanna journey it was thought 
 proper that I should be taught surveying. To this end I 
 was sent to Lebanon [Conn.], and placed in the family and 
 under the tuition of Kbenezer Bushnell of whom I have 
 
 *Jean Francois Dupuy, a native of Bordeaux, France, who emi- 
 grated from there to the Island of San Domingo, where he became 
 a wealthy planter ; during the uprise of the Blacks on that island he 
 .■scaped to Philadelphia, stripped nf his fortune, and came to W ilkes 
 Barre about the year 1796 and lived in a house on the corner of 
 Northampton and Franklin streets, where he died in the year 1836. 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA 1'IONEEK. 13 
 
 spoken as printer of a Paper * * * at Norwich * * *. It 
 was the winter of 1798-9 and we were getting things in 
 readiness to depart for Susquehanna * * * and on the 8th 
 of February 1790, — I being 19 years old the first day of 
 that month — we put our horse to the sled, bade farewell, 
 and set our faces westward ho ! 
 
 "I have frequently quoted some beautiful lines of a 
 Spanish Poet on leaving home; sweet from the flowing 
 harmony of the numbers ; 'tender and true' for the senti- 
 ment. 
 
 'Hushed be the winds, be still the waters motion ! 
 Sleep — sleep — my bark in silence on the main, 
 So when to-morrow's light shall gild the ocean, 
 
 Mine eyes once more shall view the coast of Spain : 
 Vain is each wish, my last petition scorning 
 
 Fresh blows the gale, and high the billows swell : 
 Far shall we be before the break of morning, 
 O then, forever, Native Spain, farewell." 
 
 The lands to w T hich the youth so cheerfully set out were 
 on the Wyalusing in what was then called Usher, in Luzerne 
 county, but is now Jessup township, Susquehanna county, 
 near Montrose. The journey thither — "strange to say 
 without being stopped for traveling on the Sabbath" — was 
 marked by as many hardships as were met by far-western 
 settlers fifty years after; and the task of settlement was a 
 rough struggle with virgin forests, wild animals, and scanty 
 facilities. "On the 12th of February, 1799," he wrote, "in 
 company with Captain Peleg Tracy, his brother Leonard, 
 and Miss Lydia Chapman in one sleigh ; Mr. John Chase, 
 of Newburyport, and myself in another ; J set out from 
 Norwich, Ct, and arrived at Hopbottom, [Luzerne county, 
 Pa.,] the 28th. The snow left us the first night, when we 
 were only twelve miles on our way and we were 
 obliged to place our sleighs on trundle-wheels." Miss 
 Chapman's cheering helpfulness impressed him — "our 
 cheerful, undaunted female friend ; through the patience- 
 
14 I HAKLES MINER, 
 
 trying journey of sixteen days never a tear, a murmur, or 
 a sigh." He found himself "one of a perfect live stream 
 of emigrants bound for different positions on the Susque- 
 hanna waters. At night, spreading the beds and blankets 
 on the floor in front of a huge fire, a circle of twenty or 
 thirty men, women, and children, boys, girls, and dogs, 
 would lie down in the confidence of company and the se- 
 curity of innocence." 
 
 Taking up two "lots" at first he cleared four acres and 
 sowed them with wheat, which he harvested in the fall ; 
 but while it was in stack it was destroyed by bears. The 
 place was afterward known as Miner 1 1 ill. On the other 
 lot he built a bark cabin, and commenced chopping ; but, 
 being unaccustomed to the business, made slow progress. 
 He soon cut his foot, and was taken to a Mr. Whipple's, 
 where he was cared for during several weeks. "When he 
 got well, his taste for farming subsided," says a son of Mr. 
 Whipple, "and he began to think he had mistook his call- 
 ing." 
 
 He never regretted, however, his experiences in what he 
 used to call "Nature's Beech-wood Academy," when, as the 
 Autobiography records, he started in the thick woods, with 
 one eight-penny bill in his pocket, to become the artificer 
 of his own fortunes. "It is probable that a large portion 
 of the young men from New England who went out to 
 settle in the then west and who are now [1844] emigrating 
 to the far west beyond the Mississippi, should they re- 
 late their adventures, would present kindred histories of 
 buoyancy of spirit amid privations — the surmounting of 
 difficulties and at the same time the hardly-thought-of 
 evils of an empty purse." Among his privations he never 
 counted the fact that the camp-provisions were "chiefly 
 Indian meal stewed in maple sap ;" for he was a compa- 
 triot of Joel Barlow. 
 
 As for the "maple sap" part of his meal, he certainly 
 had earned it, for sugar-making was one of the chief works 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 15 
 
 of the young wood-cutter and farmer. Having "gone 
 shares" with a certain Joe Sprague, who lived in solitude, 
 with twelve or fourteen miles of wilderness separating him 
 from the nearest humanity, young Miner, according to his 
 own narrative, "took a horse load of [sugar] down the Tuiik- 
 hannock, peddled it out, a pound of sugar for a pound of 
 pork, seven and a half pounds for a bushel of wheat, five 
 pounds for a bushel of corn ; saw the Susquehanna ; got a 
 grist ground ; returned, and with Mr. Chase made knapsacks 
 of coarse shirts ; filled them with provisions, and, each tak- 
 ing an ax on his shoulder, took the bridle path by Mr. 
 Parke's, and thence, fifteen miles more or less, arrived at 
 the forks of the Wyalusing. I do not think a line drawn 
 due south from Binghamton to Tunkhannock, near forty 
 miles, would have cut a laid out road, or come in sight of 
 a house or cabin on an earlier date than the preceding sum- 
 mer." 
 
 The snow was his book, the wolf and wild pigeon his 
 companions, and the stars his philosophers and friends : 
 
 "From Joe Sprague, I remember distinctly, I learned 
 something besides sugar-making ; he formed for me a map 
 of the country, on the snow, including the lakes, the St. 
 Lawrence, and the Mississippi, showing me what part was 
 in our territory and what belonged to Great Britain and 
 Spain ; and he used to tell me that I swore never to cease 
 my efforts until those rivers and lakes should be made the 
 boundary of the United States. Half is accomplished : let 
 the other be. * * * 
 
 "As it was impossible to sit in the hut, after everything 
 was in order I would wrap myself in my blanket and go out 
 and sit on the rocks, rendered bare and warm by the con- 
 stant fires, and look at the stars, and listen, not unfre- 
 quently, to the distant howl of the wolf or the cry of the 
 catamount. Where my thoughts wandered you may easily 
 guess; brought up with great tenderness, the contrast was 
 sufficiently obvious to be felt as well as seen ; yet I do not 
 
l6 < 11AKL1-:S MINER, 
 
 remember, even for a moment, of indulging either sorrow 
 or despondence. A lively hope, a tirm resolution to do 
 something and be somebody, a just ambition, inspired me, 
 and added hope to gild the future with rays of sunshine." 
 "The snow was now departing, and the wild pigeons 
 came, not in flocks — not in floods, but in a perfect deluge : 
 the whole heavens were dark with them ; the cloud on 
 wing continuing to pass for an hour or more, and cloud 
 succeeding cloud. There were not millions but myriads, 
 confirming the account of Audubon of the countless multi- 
 tudes of these birds that formerly visited Kentucky. Towns 
 were built by them for five or six miles in length along the 
 Meshoppen — every branch and bough of every tree holding 
 a rude nest."* His grandson. Isaac M. Thomas, and Mr. 
 
 i HE P VSSINC OF A RA( 
 
 [From the Cleveland Plain Dealer, 1014.] 
 
 The death of a single bird in a public zoo is usually of but passing 
 importance, but there will be historic interest in the death of Martha, 
 the veteran passenger pigeon in the zoo at Cincinnati. Martha is 
 twenty-nine years of age and is claimed to be the last of her race 
 in the United States. With her death that class of wild pigeon will 
 become extinct. 
 
 Within the memory of the presenl generation there were mil- 
 lions of these wild birds flying at will through the country from the 
 Gulf to the Lakes. Through Ohio and Indiana there were vast flocks 
 of them, their numbers being countless. Ravenous, after one of 
 their flights, they played havoc with many crops, and hunters em- 
 ployed nets, firearms and other devices to slaughter or frighten 
 them away. 
 
 As their numbers became reduced they were hunted with great 
 zeal and supplied material for most appetizing pot pies. They trav- 
 eled in great flocks, were able to cover great distances in a flight 
 and because of their migratory habits were given their name. In 
 size and color they were much like the domestic pigeon seen in most 
 villages and cities. On the wing they could distance the domestic 
 pigeon. 
 
 Because of their numbers, their slaughter was ruthless, and thc\ 
 rapidly decreased in numbers. Gradually the flocks became fewer 
 and of less numbers, and finally they ceased to travel. When they 
 became scarce a few were secured for the zoo at Cincinnati. Grad- 
 ually they have died, and the veteran bird, now weakened and near 
 death, is claimed to he the sole survivor known of the millions - 
 only a few years ago. 
 
 In the country where the numbers were the greatest the final 
 extinction of the race will he seen. The rare event of the extinction 
 of a race will take place at the Cincinnati zoo. 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. \"J 
 
 W. H. Sturdevant, both can remember when these pigeons 
 still came in clouds, and is it not pathetic that, through 
 man's cruelty it is doubtful if even one of them is living 
 to-day? Similarly some years later, 1804 or 1805, he de- 
 scribes the shad coming up the Susquehanna to Wilkes - 
 Barre : "They came in myriads, and attained, at that dis- 
 tance from the ocean a fatness and flavor unknown in the 
 lower part of the river. Every family put up a barrel or 
 two, thev were cleaned and cured for domestic use 
 [and] a luxury once a day the whole year round * * *. 
 Let us take our boats, skiffs and canoes, row and paddle 
 up the River and across above the sand-bar, to the landing 
 on Col. Dorrance's farm a little below and opposite Mill 
 Creek. Dorrance himself will be there, and Pettibone, and 
 Shoemaker if he be not enaged alone. * * * Mr. Shoe- 
 maker, the Lawyer, the Blacksmith, the Printer forgot 
 everything except to hold the head line close to the bottom." 
 Having divided their spoil they loaded their boats and "re- 
 turn to Wilkes-Barre and moor them, with their treasure, 
 feeling that without watching they will be safe. * * * Old 
 Mr. Hess * * * used to say, after the canal was made, 
 the dam erected in the River and the shad stopped — It was 
 all folly and wickedness * * * for God made the Rivers, 
 and broke down the mountains so that the shad might go 
 up, and boats * * * go down free ; and man impiously 
 thinking himself wiser had undertaken to mend God's work, 
 but had marred it." Returning to his clearing : 
 
 "It was interesting to observe that wherever the fire ran 
 out of the fallow, destroying the timber sometimes, though 
 rarely, the denseness and dampness of the forest prevent- 
 ing its extending far, the next season myriads of rasp- 
 berries would spring up, thick as it was possible to grow, 
 and ripen as if the earth had been one mass of raspberry 
 seed. * * * The remark was universal that wherever a 
 windfall had occurred * * * the new timber that sprung 
 up was never like that which preceded it. * : Where 
 
l8 ( IIAKLES MINER, 
 
 .Mr. Hyde cleared a field of white pine of very large growth, 
 the soil was found filled with yellow pine-knots, where not a 
 yellow pine was then known. It seemed abundantly evident 
 that it was a law of nature to supply successive crops of 
 timber, differing in kind. The extent, too, to which the 
 earth was literally saturated and crammed with seeds of 
 various trees and plants seemed marvelous. It could not 
 have been that the}' had lain dormant for ages. Where a 
 well was dug, the earth brought up, from no matter what 
 depth, almost immediately sent up a thick covering of white 
 clover." 
 
 The necessity of expecting and enduring hardship, in his 
 later opinion "perhaps had a good effect in establishing a 
 constitution thought to be delicate and inclined to consump- 
 tion." Like Bryant and Emerson, an apparently fragile 
 youth lived to a good old age and in his case certainly, there 
 was an anticipation of the open-air sanitarium advocated 
 by Oliver Wendell Holmes as far back as 1844. When by 
 day one carries flour, meal, pork, salt, chocolate, a brass 
 kettle, an axe, and a gun, and by night sleeps on pine 
 boughs, neurasthenia and tuberculosis "depart, excede 
 evade, are off, erump." "Was it," he asked in a memoran- 
 dum written long after, "a time of suffering? Xo, no! of 
 pleasurable excitement ; of hope, health, and mutual kind- 
 ness. Novelty gilded the scene. There was just enough 
 of danger, toil, and privation to give life a relish." 
 
 His favorite lot, Number 39, was in a region surveyed 
 under both Pennsylvania warrants and Connecticut land 
 titles, and was under settlement, as rapidly as possible, by 
 claimants representing both States. "No road," says the 
 Autobiography, "had been laid out east or south within fif- 
 teen miles of me, nor nearer than ten miles on the west ; 
 and the preceding year, 1798. not an inhabitant existed 
 within a circle of ten miles, my cabin being the centre; so 
 that I may claim to have been one of the first settlers in 
 Susquehanna County." 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 19 
 
 To the boy it seemed a veritable earthly paradise : "In 
 the beech, maple, ash, bass-wood, and wild-cherry lands the 
 earth was free from every hurtful reptile or noxious thing. 
 From having been covered annually for centuries with the 
 fallen leaves the ground was soft and elastic to the tread ; 
 springs were abundant, the waters gushing sweetly from the 
 hills. Everything wore the air of newness and virgin fresh- 
 ness as it came from the hands of the Creator. Man, for 
 good or evil, had as yet scarcely scanned it, and it lay out- 
 spread before us in all its original purity and beauty. It 
 seemed as if it had been a retiring grove for the repose of 
 Deity, an appurtenance to Paradise, containing himself in 
 its shade, beneath the lofty trees of his own creation." 
 
 In the summer of 1799 he visited as much of his land as 
 possible, made some sales, and became acquainted with 
 nearly every inhabitant within ten miles of his cabin. The 
 rough life was diversified by an occasional debate with the 
 supporters of the Pennsylvania claims, one of whom 
 averred that "he was never so posed in his life ; a young 
 fellow there, with tow trousers and bare feet, had every 
 fact and date at his fingers' ends, and gave me more trouble 
 in the contest than I ever met in my life." More romantic 
 diversions were such as the escorting of a young woman 
 "over thirteen miles through the wilderness without a horse, 
 she riding the only one we had ; I, like a page, coursing my 
 way on foot by her side." 
 
 Returning home to Connecticut for a little time in the 
 autumn, his companion was an Enoch Reynolds, who, in 
 the course of "a new path, near twenty miles without a 
 house," enlivened the distance "with tales from Shakes- 
 peare, plays with which he was familiar, and I had never 
 seen. Old Lear and his heartless daughters, who had 
 
 'tied 
 Sharp-tooth'd unkindness like a vulture, here,' 
 
 the bloodv Richard, the revengeful Othello: above all. the 
 
20 CIIAKLHS MIXER, 
 
 madcap Petruchio, taming his rampant bride, pleased me 
 much; and I said to myself, 'I'll have that book.' " 
 
 The next year his brother Asher "who nearly alwa\ s had 
 money to lend," to whom Charles, without a penny in his 
 pocket, had cheerfully written : "Come out. and I will set 
 you up," went to Wilkes-Barre, some eighty miles from 
 the lot 39 settlement ; and there, and elsewhere in Pennsyl- 
 vania, made his home for the rest of his life, marrying 
 Mary, daughter of Thomas Wright, long and widely known 
 as a daring real-estate operator, whose grand-daughter, 
 Letitia Wright was to be Charles' wife a few years later. 
 
 When, a lad in the north of Ireland, Thomas Wright con- 
 sulted his schoolmaster as to emigrating to America, he re- 
 ceived the reply : "Yes, go, Thomas, you may eat white 
 bread in your old age." Accordingly he came over and be- 
 came a school-teacher in Dyertown, Pennsylvania, married 
 a Miss Dyer, manufactured iron in New Jersey, "and in 
 1790, having part in a contract to clean out obstructions in 
 the upper part of the Lehi, he removed to Wilkes- 
 Barre, opened an extensive apartment of goods, purchased 
 farm after farm, took up from the land office large bodies 
 of land — indeed became as bold a speculator as those hard 
 speculating times produced. * * * Pie would, as he rode 
 his rounds, meet a neighbor, and purchase his farm without 
 alighting from his horse. In this dashing mode of doing 
 business, though often successful, he sometimes got sadly 
 left, fin this way, too, he became a Connecticut claimant Dy 
 purchase, as shown in the History of Wyoming, Page 440.] 
 Passing through the swamp * * * between Wilkes-Barre 
 and Lehi he met a Jerseyman coming in with a load 
 of hollow ware of iron, some pots, but chiefly. Tea- 
 kettles — without examining an article, he purchased the 
 whole and sent in an order for payment. When he re- 
 turned, behold the kettles had no hollow in the spout and 
 were worthless! No one laughed more heartily, or told the 
 tale more merrily than Mr. Wright. * * * He was now 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 21 
 
 commissioner of the County, proprietor of the newspaper 
 establishment, had a store in town and one at his Iron- 
 works at Bloomsbury." 
 
 In 1795 ne Dm ^ tne nu ^> which, later bought by his son- 
 in-law, Asher, has come by inheritance to his great-grand- 
 son, Colonel Asher Miner and his brother. As the enthus- 
 iasm of land-speculation grew upon him his free-hearh- 1 
 way of doing business led, as might be easily foreseen, to 
 his being later unable to pay for land he desired, or even 
 to pay the taxes on what he already had, so that eventually 
 he was obliged to sell land. One farm at the junction of the 
 Lackawanna with the Susquehanna, at Pittston, went not 
 for the usual "song" but for a corn-barn full of brooms, 
 which, says family tradition, voiced by his great-grand- 
 daughter, Mrs. Ellen Miner Thomas, the rats ate, the land 
 being called "the broom farm," because of this fact. And so 
 "Old Tommy Wright," as he is familiarily known in her 
 family, having eaten his "white bread," became again a poor 
 man, or would have done so but for his son-in-law, Asher s 
 business prudence. Generous to a fault, as many of this type 
 are, it was his "pleasure to call in a poor acquaintance, or 
 even stranger passing by : — 'Come in, John, it is past noon — 
 I know you must be hungry ; and we have a slice of bread 
 and bacon waiting in the cupboard for you.' " 
 
 Of his death the Autobiography gives an interesting ac- 
 count : "But we must attend the closing scene. Aged 76 or 
 7 he felt the near approach of death — Asher wrote his will 
 and was made sole executor. [A very old copy apparent Iv 
 in Asher's writing, is owned by a descendant, Mrs. M. C. 
 Thornhill, Atlantic City, N. J. In this will he gives to 
 Charles Miner "as a matter of my attachment and esteem 
 $100: To his wife Letitia $50. when she shall 'come to 
 age," and to their children Ann and Sarah each one good 
 cow and six sheep.] Having disposed of everything judi- 
 ciously to suit him he bade Bob his black servant, 
 to brush up the carriage, and have it brought under his 
 
22 ' HABLES MINER, 
 
 window, he being raised up to see that it was fit to go to 
 
 his funeral. The well-brushed harness was brought into 
 
 bi^ room tor the like purpose. He sent for his best 
 
 emed friends Judge Fell and lawyer Bowman to come 
 
 and superintend the burial, and departed, not as if it were a 
 
 matter of fear, terror or regret — but as retiring from a 
 
 lie where he bad performed his part, 'enjoying the goods 
 
 the gods provided' or to rest after a long journey, with the 
 
 -t perfect self -collection and placid composure." 
 
 Asher, like Charles, learned the printers trade in Xor- 
 wich, and bought of his father-in-law the Wilkes-Barre 
 :ette founded in [797, which, under the later name of the 
 Lucerne County Federalist, and the Lucerne Federalist, was 
 t<> become a political and local power in the hands of the 
 two brotber^. For this enterprise a printing-press of 
 Asher's bad been transported by Charles in a sleigh on his 
 return from Norwich, and deposited in Wilkes-Barre, 
 (barks repairing once more to Lot 39, to cut and clear as 
 many acres as possible for incoming settlers. Indeed, in 
 one instance he went so far as to set out an apple-orchard, 
 from which, some forty years afterward, the then owner 
 s <-'"t him silent fruit. "So," he felicitated him- 
 
 self, "you will see I remembered, before it was written, the 
 advice of Sir Walter Scott 'to be sticking in a tree when 
 '.on had leisure, for it would grow while you slept.' " This 
 farm i- now, [915, owned by Dr. Norris, of Philadelphia; 
 the orchard h ntly had to be cut down, having become 
 
 affected with the San Jose scale. 
 
 Thus, in the pioneer's union of incessant activity and 
 mental serenity, the time wei t on. — "in active exertion, sur- 
 veying a little, clearing patches of land on different lots, and 
 selling, chiefly on credit; but receiving enough to render 
 me. in my simple mode of living, independent ; paying, when 
 I boarded abroad from my proper home at my bark cabin, 
 a dollar a week." Bread, when be "kept himself," was 
 •d from pounded green corn, mixed with stewed pump- 
 kin : while venison and occasionally a voung bear provided 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 23 
 
 the luxuries. The Autobiography tells the usual story of 
 the primitive honesty of isolated humanity : "The two 
 years 1 was in the beech-woods I never knew or heard of a 
 door being fastened, or an article of property being lost, 
 although things were frequently left exposed in the woods. 
 Our blankets, tools, beds, and cooking-kettle, — our plates 
 and bowls were made of bass-wood, — were left for weeks 
 at the cabin, without a thought of fear." 
 
 Meanwhile his spare time was devoted to the militia, in 
 which he did good work (ranking as corporal), having had 
 some previous training at Norwich. Later, in Wilkes- 
 Barre, he was first lieutenant of the "Wyoming Blues." To 
 the end of his days he believed in the militia as an almost 
 necessary foundation of good government; and doubted 
 whether the Revolution itself would have succeeded, or 
 even been attempted, without it. But, living in the Quaker 
 State, he declared it to be a sacred duty to recognize the 
 scruples of those who objected to bearing arms. 
 
 Two years were spent in what he called "my beautiful 
 Usher," in constant health and happiness, and with a valu- 
 able accumulation of experience, but with meagre financial 
 results, which he grimly summarized as follows : "Cash, 
 $8.00; notes, $203.00, for which I never received a cent, 
 the purchasers having lost their land ; due from Thomas 
 Wright, $55.00 for a horse; due from Asher, $10.50; total, 
 $2/6.50." 
 
 In the first year of the new century, "being of age," says 
 the Autobiography, "I became a citizen of Pennsylvania. 
 My purpose now was to associate myself with the press, if 
 possible ;" but after settling the poor finances of clearings, 
 the need of earning his living, turned him to school-teaching 
 for six months, in Wilkes-Barre, where he boarded with 
 his brother Asher. 
 
 In retrospect he writes: "It would be superfluous to say 
 that Wilkes-Barre has wonderfully changed since it first 
 met my view. The ferry was kept opposite Northampton 
 
_'4 I HAKLF.S MINER, 
 
 street, in front of Mr. Butler's. Starting from the ferry, 
 ing up that street (towards Faston) to Main Street, 
 there was on the left hand only one house, that of Mr. 
 Dupuy. Turning up Main Street to the Public Square, 
 there \va-. on the left, only one house, the tavern, now occu- 
 pied as such. Turning northwesterly along the Public 
 Square, to Market Street, and thence down to where the 
 bridge now stands, there was not a house on the left. 
 .Wither the meeting-house nor the court-house [afterwards 
 ted in the Public Square] was then built. Franklin 
 Street, on which are the Episcopal and Presbyterian 
 churches, was not then laid out. From the Public Square to 
 the river, on the right side of the way. was the building now 
 [1844] Cahoon's store, then occupied by Joseph Vmght, 
 Esq. The house recently occupied by Col. Lamb, at the 
 corner, my brother had obtained of his father-in-law, part 
 gift and part as a purchase, where he resided and had 
 the printing-office. A small one-story house stood on the 
 lot now occupied by the large hotel of Col. Dennis of which 
 I -ball -peak presently; and at the corner opposite Mr. 
 Hollenback's large brick building was a tavern owned by 
 rhomas Wright and kept by Mr. Hurlbut, not long since 
 sheriff. I'be town pint wa- yet covered with pine 
 
 and oak bushes." Mr. Miner soon afterward rented the 
 one-story house and kit mentioned above, — seventy feet 
 front and a hundred deep, for twenty dollars a year, with 
 to purchase for $200. "It" it were now I 1844 1 without 
 buildings it would bring nearly $100 a foot." * * * 
 
 Reviewing the vast improvement in our beautiful 
 
 rough, with -,, much pride and satisfaction. I could not 
 
 help detaining you a momenl to show what it was since my 
 
 remembrance Though nut of place one thing 1 will say 
 
 here Not a building ought to be allowed to be erected, in 
 
 the thickl) populated part of the town, that is not fire- 
 
 ' I be steep roof which cannot be walked on — 
 
 I with pine shingles, which, in two summers become 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 2$ 
 
 like tinder, to catch and kindle every spark of fire, ought to 
 be repudiated — done away with, and roofs nearly level 
 formed, covered with zinc, having trap doors, like the 
 hatches of a ship, perfectly water tight, substituted in their 
 stead. A neat railing round the roof would be ornamental, 
 while for airing clothes, or affording a pleasant view, it 
 would be useful and agreeable * * *. 
 
 "But the portraiture and sketches illustrative of men and 
 manners as they appeared in Wilkes-Barre forty years ago, 
 are not yet half finished. Nearly a dozen of the elder per- 
 sonages, Gen. Lord Butler, Judges Hollenback, Denison and 
 Fell, Lawyer Bowman, Capt. S. Bowman, Sheriff Dorrance, 
 Nathan Palmer, Prothonotary, and others, I have sketched 
 elsewhere and may possibly append the brief but pretty 
 accurate pictures, to these memoirs. Familiar to many of 
 my readers they are now omitted or postponed to make way 
 for a view of more youthful society. 
 
 "The songs of the day, especially of the young ladies, 
 return with their sweet cadences to the ear, and demand 
 notice. 
 
 "Miss Lydia Butler's song, 'Alloway House,' has been 
 mentioned, Miss Nancy Butler's (afterward Mrs. Robin- 
 son) favorite had this chorus: 
 
 'See content, the humble gleaner, 
 Takes the scattered ears that fall 
 Nature all her children viewing 
 Kindly bounteous, cares for all.' 
 
 "Miss Stevens (afterward Mrs. Dana) sang to us: 
 'At the close of the day when the hamlet is still 
 
 And mortals the sweets of forgetfulness prove, 
 When nought but the torrent is heard from the hill 
 
 And nought but the nightingale sang in the grove !' 
 
 "Miss Letitia Wright, 'Ye banks and braes of bonnie 
 Doon' with an artless sweetness, extremely pleasing. Miss 
 Mary Wright (Br. Asher's wife) : 
 
I HARLES MINER, 
 
 - Cupid in the garden stray 'd 
 And sported by a damask's shade 
 A little bee unseen among 
 The silver leaves his linger stung.' 
 Winch beautiful Anacreontic, by the way is, in my opinion, 
 a better translation than that, by Moore. 
 'Cupid once upon a bed 
 < >f roses laid his weary head 
 Luckless urchin not to see 
 Within the leaves a slumbering bee.' 
 "But we have hardly leisure now for criticism. 
 "Miss -Maria Hodgkinson (since Mrs. Overton) sang 
 with unsurpassing {sic) sweetness 'The Vale of Avoca.' 
 "There is not in the wide world a valley so sweet,' which 
 11 double pleasure, for we applied the line to our 
 own loved Wyoming. 
 
 "Brother Asher never pretended to sing unless the chorus 
 
 to 'Adams and Liberty' or 'Hail Columbia' on the 4th of 
 
 July, and as for myself, with snatches of a line or two, of 
 
 almost every song I had heard. 'Tom Bowling' was the only 
 
 one I could sing, when there was no escape, and that I 
 
 never gol through with correctly * * *." Then follows a 
 
 cription of men of business, commissioners, lawyers 
 
 ■ping out to the river bank to play base ball, or trying to 
 
 who could go straightest, blindfolded, from Anheuser's 
 
 store to the broadside of the church: "Poor sinners that we 
 
 were, not one in ten could reach the church. 
 
 "It was not the fashion of the day and place for the 
 
 young men to herd by themselves, drinking, smoking or 
 
 bling. I never knew an instance among our young men 
 
 ling int.. a tavern to ask for a small glass or a 
 
 ie. The first thoughl of amusement for the evening 
 
 brought with it the enquiry where -hall we meet the girls— 
 
 ,1 " 1,K ' tea at Mr. Carpenter's. Mr. Brown's. Mr. 
 
 Lathrop's, Mr. Nevin's or Mr. Huntington's— If at neither 
 
 us gather them together." 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 2"J 
 
 Self-education of the best kind was meanwhile eagerly 
 pursued, for Ebenezer Bowman, who had the best library 
 in town, "opened it without reserve" to the young man, who 
 "found it an ocean of sweets, an incomparable treasure, what 
 my soul longed for, without knowing the object that would 
 satisfy it. I read, I devoured; and thenceforward through 
 life have been a hard student, appetite increasing with 
 gratification." Macpherson's Ossian, then deemed a gen- 
 uine epic, specially delighted him ; and as he trudged to his 
 school-house, — on what was afterwards known as Hib- 
 ler's hill, near the present Vulcan Iron Works, a mile and 
 a quarter below the Public Square, — with his dinner in a 
 basket and a translation of Homer's Iliad under his arm, 
 he longed for noon with "an infinitely greater desire" for 
 the tale of Troy divine than for the sandwiches and cheese. 
 "I love Hector, and never read the line 'Troy charged the 
 first and Hector first of Troy,' but my heart almost leaped 
 from my bosom." More practical, though not more en- 
 thusiastic, was a thorough reading of Blackstone's Com- 
 mentaries, for which he paid six dollars and a half of his 
 scanty money. In after times, "when brought in conflict 
 with learned and ready opponents, the knowledge obtained 
 from Blackstone was a signal success." 
 
 The terms of tuition in his school, for pupils all the way 
 from the ABC children to young men of his own age, were 
 fifty cents a quarter per scholar — that is, for a term of 
 twelve weeks. One of his pupils, it is said, was little Leti- 
 tia Wright ; another like himself, was afterwards in Con- 
 gress: Amasa Dana, of New York, "a gentleman of talent 
 and virtue," but unfortunately "a Loco of the purest of 
 Van Buren water." 
 
 His heart, however, was ever in journalism ; and having 
 proved himself, in his brother's office, a quick and accurate 
 compositor and a paragraphist whose work was read and 
 copied, he was admitted as partner in the concern, and on 
 Monday, May 2, 1802, the Luzerne Federalist appeared 
 
• ll KSL.ES miner, 
 
 with the names of "A. & C. Miner" as editors and propri- 
 etor-. A manuscript note, not in the Autobiography, ex- 
 plains the circumstances: "[Asher] requiring some assist- 
 ance 1 gladly aided him through the winter, in the course of 
 which my early acquired knowledge of type-setting came 
 in excellent play, and I would compose my journeyman's 
 days work, by pretty close application; and work the Press 
 with my brother, pulling and beating [illegible] alternately, 
 lint 1 was ambitious to become an editor, and write for the 
 paper. At length, with some misgivings whether it would 
 do. Asher admitted an article, the first you will observe. 
 ever printed of my composition, and lo! before a week 
 elapsed, it came back in a respectable daily print of Phila- 
 delphia. This matter of approbation, so pleasing to my 
 vanity, so grateful to my pride, removed every doubt, and 
 henceforth my contributions were made welcome." 
 
 A few fleeting admirations for other girls are recorded 
 in the Autobiography; but he seems to have half fallen in 
 love with his future wife when she was only three years 
 older than Dante's Beatrice at the poet's first sight of her. 
 I if hi- first meeting with Thomas Wright, after Asher's 
 marriage to his only daughter, Charles says: "I of course 
 was channel with him ;" and adds "This is a capital be- 
 ginning for a Yankee boy. thought I ; isn't there another for 
 me? I'm Mary was an only daughter, and she was a favor- 
 child. But there was running about a pretty, merry. 
 pouting-lipped granddaughter, bright, laughing and forward 
 as a universal favorite and pet could be. aged not quite 
 thirteen, of whom 1 may speak hereafter." 
 
 \boul two and a half years later, on January l6, 1804, 
 came the greatest external event in Charles Miner's life; 
 his marriage to l.etitia Wright, the "merry * * * grand- 
 daughter" of Thomas Wright. Many years later her 
 daughter Ellen used to tell of the little girl-wife playing 
 with her dolls, and hiding them behind the door if she heard 
 any one coming, but forty-eight \ears of unvarying happi- 
 
r 
 - 
 
 > 
 
 g 
 
 »— ' 
 Z 
 
 n 
 
 C/3 
 
 X 
 
 ?3 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 20, 
 
 ness followed, as is attested by every memory of their chil- 
 dren and associates, and by his numerous letters, still care- 
 fully preserved, — from which frequent citations will be 
 made in that portion of this memoir devoted to his congres- 
 sional career. 
 
 The patience and courtesy of the young couple (Charles 
 was twenty-three and Letitia fifteen) were certainly 
 strained to the utmost, though they never gave way, by the 
 fact that, within three or four months after their marriage, 
 Mrs. Miner's father and mother came to live with them. 
 Joseph Wright was himself only between thirty-five and 
 forty years old, and, according to the hearty testimony of 
 his son-in-law, "highly intelligent, and of manners wonder- 
 fully pleasing," a good talker, reader, and singer, and an 
 honest magistrate; but unfortunately addicted to liquor. 
 The Autobiography, by what it says and does not say, suffi- 
 ciently indicates the strain put on the young couple for 
 many years; but endurance, by no means unfortified by real 
 affection, triumphed. 
 
 He speaks of "our very small and inconvenient abode — 
 small you may suppose for two families, when I paid but 
 twenty dollars a year rent. Letitia and I could not help it but 
 took the matter as philosophically as possible. * * * Letitia 
 was to me all that my heart and my judgment sought for; 
 they were her father and mother ; and that decided the 
 matter." And on Mr. Wright's death, more than twenty 
 years later, his son-in-law wrote in real distress from Wash- 
 ington " * * * Poor Father, and yet, all his good qualities 
 — his fine literary tastes — his love for the children — his read- 
 ings to Sarah — his attachment to me, all come over my 
 heart." 
 
 The only peccadillo time has preserved is a story of his 
 early married life which he tells with pride: "But our 
 society, rarely exceeded in virtue, was not without its 
 shades of evil. Card playing had crept in among us * * * 
 a set of jnvial fellows used to take a Tiff, that was the 
 
IIXER, 
 
 I word, and 1, who just knew the yueen of Hearts from 
 the Jack of Spades, took a hand." One night the fascination 
 
 tronger than usual "and it was late breakfast time be- 
 fore we sallied out. For myself, with compressed lip, and 
 inure shame than my pride would be willing to avow, I 
 inarched for home uncertain whether I should find Letitia 
 in tears, or prepared to give me a lecture on my evil doings. 
 'What did 1 care, was 1 not a man, independent, who had 
 a riyht to call me to account? I'd let the world know — I 
 
 master of my own actions' — and so stepped into the 
 door. Lo! there were neither frown nor tears. A smile 
 of cheerfulness and welcome (I won't answer for the smile 
 in the heart ) bade me good morning. The table was set 
 with mure than ordinary care — the cloth whiter — the coffee 
 clear as amber, and not a word or allusion to \vl4ere I had 
 been. : * * The discretion — the good sense — the tact on 
 the part of my very young, but very good wife were ad- 
 mirable; and after sleep and time had restored the proper 
 tone, I resolved, no formal pledge, but made up my mind 
 never so to offend again, and never have." 
 
 "The year 1804 was especially memorable to me for four 
 circumstances. Married, January 16th. In May brother 
 Asher and 1 dissolved business connections, I purchasing 
 the establishment and becoming sole proprietor of the 
 Luzerne Federalist. On the 24th of October new and 
 tenderesl sympathies were awakened by the birth of a 
 daughter whom we named Anna Charlton, after my beloved 
 Mother, and Nov. 3 the death of that Mother, of whom I 
 have often spoken, and of whom it is impossible for me to 
 k without emotions of deepest veneration and love. It 
 is balm to my heart that 1 never purposely offended her; 
 I caused her no sorrow, 1 awakened in her bosom no pain 
 ( I do not mean to exempt myself from the trifling forward- 
 
 of a petted child, or that I somteimes lingered longer 
 with my playmates than the allotted hour) unless by leav- 
 ing her when duty demanded of me to seek my fortune 
 from home, and leave her. She died of consumption aged 
 60 years. 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 31 
 
 "Asher [grandfather of Charles A. Miner] with his 
 growing family (he having two children, and as I dandled 
 them both on my knee, loved them then and love them 
 still, I cannot refrain from saying, the oldest was Anna 
 Maria, the amiable wife of Dr. Abraham Stout, the other 
 Thomas Wright, named as you may suppose after his grand- 
 father ; now, I need hardly add, Physician of Wilkes-Barre, 
 whose skill and success give him a just fame which needs 
 no compliment from my pen to enhance) Asher had wisely, 
 and with that enterprise that distinguished him, cast about 
 for some mode of extending his business. * * * His mind 
 turned to Doylestown * * * [and] after visiting the 
 place he resolved to try the experiment, removed, estab- 
 lished the Correspondent * * * mounted his horse and 
 rode with true Yankee perseverance, to every town and vil- 
 lage soliciting subscriptions * * *. Business flowed in upon 
 him * * * and placed Asher in a position of entire com- 
 fort, with a fair prospect of independence. In parting with 
 him allow me in justice to add; his business habits, his 
 methods, his prudence, were of especial use to me, although 
 I never attained to the perfection that distinguished him. 
 * * * His judgment was sound, his morals pure, all his 
 affections kindly, his habits and manners agreeable. Con- 
 fidence and good will, the esteem of manhood, as the love 
 of childhood, flowed uninterruptedly between us, and we 
 separated with regret from motives solely prudential." 
 
 The name of the Federalist was changed to Lucerne Fed- 
 eralist and Susquehanna Intelligencer, and, with Charles 
 as sole editor and proprietor, was published at two dollars 
 a year, plus fifty cents for delivery by post-riders, pay- 
 ment being largely in goods which were collected along the 
 Susquehanna river for a hundred miles and brought home 
 by boat, often by the proprietor himself. A little adver- 
 tising and some collateral book and pamphlet printing eked 
 out the revenues of the ofhee ; the first book issued being 
 the poems of Samson Occom. the Indian taught by Eleazer 
 Wheelock, whose preaching in England was so decisive a 
 
J2 MINER, 
 
 factor in the collection of the funds used to establish 
 Wheelock's Indian charity school, out of which grew Dart- 
 mouth i ollege. 
 
 That Mr. Miner was a kind employer, successful in win- 
 ning affection in the printing office, is plain, for on one 
 occasion he received a communication containing this 
 unique tribute: "May God bless you and keep you, is the 
 undying wish of your devil"! 
 
 The Federalist was a stead) and useful promoter of the 
 then declining fortunes of the political party which gave 
 it its name, and which he loyally supported during the long 
 period preceding the revival of Federal Whiggism. as the 
 National Republican parts of John Quincy Adams 
 t went\ -four years later. "The reader will bear in mind." 
 
 - the Autobiography, "That the great political contest 
 which eventuated in the overthrow of the Federal party and 
 the election of Jefferson and Burr had just taken place; 
 that party passions were holding Saturnalia throughout the 
 union: that in Pennsylvania especially the elections of Go\- 
 ernor McKean, the Democratic candidate, over J. Ross of 
 Pittsburgh, had added bitterness to the conflict; and that 
 in Luzerne the flames of party rancour raged with scorching 
 vehemena 
 
 " lb-- paper was freely opened to those who differed from 
 us as well as to those with whom we accorded, ever with 
 liberal impartiality. With the Federal colors flying at the 
 
 sthead, our Democratic fellow-citizens, the Wilkes- 
 
 rre Gazette bavin- ceased to be published, were always 
 
 welcome to the use of our pages. I do not believe I ever. 
 
 in my life, rejected an essay, senl me in good faith, by an 
 
 opponent, and when a candidate myself, proceedings of 
 
 •in--, hostile to my nomination were admitted without 
 
 itation." 
 gain, when first elected to the Legislature, he opened 
 
 columns to his oponents to "taunt my faults with such 
 full license as truth and malice have power to utter." 
 
 The Federalist contained some local news and general 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 33 
 
 matter: "The hind dispute was now at its height, and I 
 wrote, besides numerous paragraphs, a course of essays 
 under the signature of Leonidas, in behalf of the Connecti- 
 cut settlers and their claims." Before the days of the regu- 
 lar editorial, the "printer," who was identical with the edi- 
 tor, in many journals adopted the Addisonian method of 
 enlightening his readers on all sorts of topics — moral, re- 
 ligious, and literary, as well as political. Foreign "intelli- 
 gence," in the years when the whole world was shadowed by 
 the malign Bonaparte, wading through slaughter to a 
 throne, was not the less important because it was belated 
 for months, and deviously transmitted. Once, at least, 
 October 28, 1808, the Federalist indulged in one of the 
 earliest "displays" I have found in any American news- 
 paper, which I reproduce in scale : The "scare-heads" were 
 
 and then, after saying that the report had come through a 
 couple of sailing-vessels, the paper went on to chronicle the 
 dire news that 
 
 p . apaf te.' : had dec la - 
 
 i .;d War against --A- 
 
 merica.l td im- 
 
 all AiiKTi- 
 
 i\i \\ti) , V'-vl Co;-- 
 
 i\\ Aw 
 
 . i*fc ■ 
 
34 CHARLES MIXER, 
 
 [ 1 805 ? I "As I was in the midst of politics, knee deep — 
 p, sleeves rolled up for the work, my young po- 
 litical r ay be pleased to know what was the aspect 
 litical affairs at that period or 40 years ago. The 
 view is curious and not uninteresting: — In 1799, and 1800, 
 great revolution had taken place, which gave the Dem- 
 rty the ascendency in Pennsylvania and in the 
 National Government. The Federalists, the great current 
 of their measures having been wise and essentially success- 
 ful, conscious alike of the purity of their patriotism, their 
 integrity of purpose and of their, at least, equal claim to 
 talents, were astonished at the issue; and braced their 
 nerves for a contest to regain the ascendency. How vain 
 were their effort- history has recorded. It is not to be 
 denied the Democrats understood the nature of man and the 
 springs of human action, with a distinctness compared with 
 which the Federalists were mere purblind novices. In 
 courtship of the People the 'bowing popularly low' they beat 
 length at every throw, and the masses rallied to 
 their standard. 
 
 "Major Russell with his able co-adjutors of the Boston 
 < razette, New England Palladium, Worcester Spy, and 
 other Massachusetts papers; Pickering, Fisher Ames, Har- 
 •1 Gra) ( Mis, a prominent leader in the Bay State — The 
 Connecticut Courant at Hartford, with the Dwights, Cris- 
 wold and Tracy, Dana and other conspicuous leaders in 
 Connecticut; Hamilton, the Van Rensselaers, the Evening 
 
 it, with Coleman at its head — The Spectator with Noah 
 Webster as its chief editor — the Balance with inimitable 
 1 rosswell as its conductor, presented a Grecian phalanx in 
 New York, [illegible] firm, and resolved. The Pennsyl- 
 vanian C. 1'. Wayne, and afterwards Brownson and Chaun- 
 cy, and their able correspondents, rendered the U. S. 
 Gazette a spirited battery; Dennie with his Portfolio, part 
 literary, and part political, with the aid of the laborious 
 
 If and the prudent Paulson roused the City Federalist- 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 35 
 
 to quarters, while William Hamilton, of Lancaster, the 
 playful Billy Blackberry of epigram and song, rendered 
 his Gazette effective. I hail also with singular pleasure the 
 recollection of the 'Adams Sentinel,' the Franklin Reposi- 
 tory, the Bedford Gazette, the Pittsburgh Gazette as co- 
 laborers, with the more humble but not less zealous 'Luzerne 
 Federalist' in the cause of resuscitating decaying Federal- 
 ism. But one fnight as well have attempted to row up 
 Niagara Falls. The argument and wit were of course 
 fairly with us ; but as for the rest, [in] the biting satire, the 
 scorching sarcasm, the withering [illegible] barbed, feath- 
 ered and sent for deepest penetration, the opposition we 
 thought were quite our match. At home all the Popular 
 stream was against us, Jefferson's red breeches * * * his 
 mellifluous accents and inimitably popular style took with 
 the popular taste ; but the acquisition of Louisiana, the 
 opening the whole extent of the Mississippi to commerce, 
 * * * gave him and his administration claim to public 
 consideration, which established his party effectually in 
 power, and bore him on in triumph. * * * In 1803 of the 
 eighteen Representatives in Congress from Pennsylvania 
 there was not one Federalist. In the State Senate there 
 was one, and in the House only 5." 
 
 During this busy time he greatly valued the associations 
 of the masonic lodge to which he always remained loyally 
 attached, and of his admission to which he wrote : "But I 
 was 'a man of full age and under the tongue of good re- 
 port' and longed to have disclosed to me the secrets of a 
 'free and accepted Mason' * * *. Judge Fell led me ('oh. 
 how my poor heart panted') and John Paul Schott, Esq , as 
 Master of the Lodge, brought me to Light."* Also he en- 
 joyed the debating society, in which the clash of argument 
 and wit formed a sort of post-graduate course of the 
 "Beechwood Academy" : "I look back to our Debating 
 
 *For a full account of his Masonic relations see "History of 
 Lodge No. 61," by Oscar J. Harvey, Esq., Wilkes-Barre Pa 
 which the first sketch ever published of Mr. Miner appears. 
 
\KLKS MINER, 
 
 School with great pleasure, and as a source of improve- 
 ment infinitely exceeding the value of the time and labor 
 expended." 
 
 The little office had occasionally been able to do some 
 printing for Philadelphia patrons; and Mr. Miner made his 
 first visit to "the great city." "Hartford and Newburg, 
 Norwich and New London I had seen, but never so 
 ;t place as Philadelphia. Its order, its vastness, its regular- 
 ity, were all enchantment to me" ; and so were Peak's 
 Museum, Cooper as Richard III, Jefferson in "The Village 
 Lawyer" — Peale's pictures of Revolutionary worthies 
 "enchaining attention with emotions of pleasure almost ex- 
 tending to pain." 
 
 Some time later but of uncertain date, probably 1806, he 
 visited Philadelphia again on his return from a trip to 
 Washington. The Autobiography says: "A voyage down 
 the [Susquehanna] river in a canoe extended into a journey 
 to Washington City * * *. Thomas Wright, Esquire, 
 owned the old forge place at Lackawanna where he had a 
 bloomery making excellent iron." It was hoped the author- 
 ities at Washington might consider establishing a foundry 
 for arms and cannon, so in company with Arnold Colt, who 
 was to share in the enterprise if successful, he started * * *. 
 "We launched a canoe, put on board a small basket of pro- 
 visions and armed each with a paddle and setting pole, we 
 pushed into the river to pursue our journey. I cannot help 
 saying that in reviewing this matter it seems to me strongly 
 marked temerity and folly : * *. That we passed through 
 Nanticoke and other falls and ripples without upsetting or 
 accident seems almost a miracle. Six or eight miles below 
 Sunbury we attached our canoe to a raft and were upset 
 in 'the great Canawaga falls.' Deeply I drank of the angry 
 stream * * * with the loss of our canoe and the gain of a 
 good ducking we got safely through, having acquired some 
 character for firmness." * * * On reaching Lancaster 'I 
 had the pleasure for the first time to see the assembled 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 2)7 
 
 wisdom of Pennsylvania in legislative session * * *. The 
 scene was full of pleasure and romance. I will not say a 
 secret thought did not steal into my mind that if I behaved 
 well and exerted myself honorably, I might at some future 
 day find my way there. Certainly the idea of an immediate, 
 or even early enjoyment of what I esteemed so high an honor 
 did not enter into my conception." * * * On arriving at 
 Washington "and having an interview with Mr. Gallatin 
 then at the head of the Treasury, I found little encourage- 
 ment to hope that my speculations would succeed; the Gov- 
 ernment, inclined to a spacific policy, being neither author- 
 ized nor disposed to establish a cannon foundry or armory, 
 especially so far in the interior. * * * I visited the Presi- 
 dent's House, had a glimpse of, but no introduction, to 
 President Jefferson, but we were very civilly shown the 
 rooms, and as was the European fashion, the State bed, in 
 a recess, very elegant, in which Mr. Jefferson did not sleep. 
 My ambitions were not then so aroused as to imagine 
 what happened twenty years afterward, that I should be 
 one of a Committee of Congress * * * to visit the Presi 
 dent's House, to inspect and report on the furniture, every 
 room being thrown open to us * * *." Leaving Wash- 
 ington after a week "all charm and romance to my yet 
 youthful and inexperienced mind," he set out for Philadel- 
 phia. "And here I first saw Matthew Carey, that most 
 indefatigable of men and of Booksellers. Introducing my- 
 self I told him that as publisher of the Luzerne Federalist 
 I printed various blanks for sale and the thought had struck 
 me that money could be made by the sale of school and other 
 books, but cash I had none, and the question was. would 
 he let me have one or two hundred dollars worth on credit. 
 'You are a stranger, sir, is there any person with whom you 
 are acquainted in the city you could refer me to?' — 'Not a 
 soul' — 'Well, well,' relaxing into a smile and a pleasant one, 
 'I'll venture to trust that face to the amount you specify.' 
 The acquaintance then formed ripened not into intimacy or 
 
58 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 friendship, but into confidence and hearty good will con- 
 tinuing through life. Lame, from a wound received in the 
 foot in a duel with Oswald, (if my information be correct) 
 he limped a good deal, otherwise he was a handsome man 
 with a fine, round, expressive face, full of animation — 
 passionate — placable — just — generous — benevolent. Highly 
 intelligent and enterprising, for many years Mr. Carey exer- 
 d an extensive influence both on the politics and busi- 
 ness of the city." 
 
 Mr. Miner's first appearance in public life was as clerk 
 of election, for which he received $1.50, the most money he 
 had ever earned in a day. In 1806 he was chosen a mem- 
 ber of the first borough council of Wilkes-Barre, "in com- 
 pany with Judge Hollenback, Gen. Butler, and others of 
 the old substantial gentlemen who took office to set matters 
 agoing in the right direction. Being comparatively a poor 
 boy among these wealthy veterans, I was proud enough to 
 be pleased with the honor." The next year he was made 
 one of the first Board of Trustees of the local Academy of 
 which he was one of the incorporators ; but his conspicuou s 
 public career began in the autmun of the same year, when, 
 to his surprise, he was elected a member of the Pennsylvania 
 House of Representatives from Luzerne county. Or, as 
 the Autobiography puts it, "the year 1807 became very un- 
 expectedly one of the most memorable of my life; as a 
 chain of circumstances arose which led me to a position 
 not in the distance unhoped for, but which even the throb- 
 bine: impulses of my ambitious heart had not whispered was 
 near at hand \ sharp quarrel with Judge Thomas Cooper 
 placed me prominently in the lead of an exasperated, high 
 spirited, and generous people." 
 
 Letters passed between Mr. Miner and Judge Cooper, 
 published in the Lucerne Federalist in May, 1807: 
 
 " * * * T well remember when my friend Jesse Fell 
 brought r. e Judge Cooper's letter, he looked as if he enter- 
 t doubl whether I would publish it k l l ' l 
 
\ PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 39 
 
 you print it, Charles?'— 'Certainly.'" Judge Cooper was 
 dining with friends when the paper containing Mr. Miner's 
 reply was handed to him : 
 
 "As he read it with increasing eagerness he would ex- 
 claim 'D it, D it, D it,' till he got to the end 
 
 when bursting into a laugh he said, 'The Dog has talents 
 for all.' " 
 
 Thomas Cooper had, after due trial, and a plea of guilty 
 on the part of the accused, sentenced a boy of fifteen to 
 one year's imprisonment for horse-stealing. The same day 
 two citizens of good repute, both of them friends and neigh- 
 bors of Mr. Miner, told the judge that the boy had been 
 otherwise objectionable, and that a longer sentence would 
 do him good. Judge Cooper, accordingly, ordered him be- 
 fore the court the next morning, and changed the sentence 
 from one year to three; but learning that the crier had 
 called a court of common pleas and not one of quarter 
 sessions — to which the case belonged — caused a quarter ses- 
 sions court to be opened, and sentenced the boy a third 
 time. 
 
 Such a procedure was of course opposed to law and com- 
 mon decency, and. if made a precedent or a practice, intol- 
 erable; which facts Mr. Miner very vigorously set forth 
 in his newspaper. Judge Cooper retorted in a long and 
 haughty letter, which left the real case exactly where it 
 had been ; and gave Mr. Miner a capital chance, which he 
 promptly accepted, to make a crushing rejoinder, of which 
 the following sentences were the nub : 
 
 "This mode of condemnation appears as new to me as it 
 it unjust. If dough had stolen money, and there were 
 witnesses in town to prove the fact, why was not the at- 
 torney for the State notified, and directed to proceed 
 legally against him? Or if you chose to dispense with the 
 dull forms of law, would it not have been at least proper 
 to have ordered the witnesses into court, together with the 
 prisoner, and. in the face of the public have obliged them 
 
. HABLES MINER, 
 
 on oath to declare what they knew against the prisoner? 
 < >ur Constitution, formed, I believe, before your arrival in 
 this country, declares that in all criminal prosecutions the 
 accused hath a right to be heard by himself and his counsel ; 
 to demand the nature and cause of the accusation against 
 him ; and to meet the witnesses face to face." 
 
 Yen effective use was also made of the Blackstone 
 bought with the scant)' earnings of the young school- 
 teacher, and now brought to bear against a judge: 
 
 "He so good as to listen to what Judge Blackstone says of 
 such evidence: 'In cases of felony at the common law. 
 confessions of the prisoner made to persons not legally 
 authorized to receive them are the weakest and most sus- 
 picious of all testimony, ever liable to be obtained by artifice, 
 false hopes, promises of favor, or menaces; seldom remem- 
 bered accurately or reported with due precision, and being 
 incapable in their nature of being disproved by other nega- 
 tive evidence.' * * The same excellent author whom I 
 e quoted says: 'The Judge shall be counsel for the 
 <»ner: that is, he shall see that the proceedings again>t 
 him are strictly legal ami regular." 
 
 < 'f Judge Cooper he generously wrote, long after the 
 echoes of the controversy had died away : 
 
 "Judge Thomas Cooper was an educated adventurer, one 
 of the many who found asylum along the banks of the Sus- 
 quehanna river. It was a society of distinguished talents 
 which gathered at the confluence of the north and west 
 - early in this century. Born in London, educated 
 beford, admitted to the bar, a natural philosopher, and 
 a natural agitator, he followed his friend Dr. Joseph 
 Priestly to bis retreat at Northumberland. On his way Mr. 
 I looper took his seat in the French Assembly, along with Mr. 
 Watt, as representative «>f the Manchester Philosophical 
 Society. Judge Cooper and John M. Taylor were ap- 
 pointed Commissioners to put in execution the Acts of 
 Assembly of Pennsylvania, offering compensation to the 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 41 
 
 Pennsylvania claimants and conferring Connecticut titles. 
 To Judge Cooper is due the credit of that most righteous 
 compromise. He removed to South Carolina, where his 
 distinguished talents had called him to preside over Colum- 
 bia College" [the University of South Carolina.) 
 
 .Mr. Miner's Federalist blood was stirred by the fact 
 that his opponent was a Democrat ; but in this instance the 
 representatives of the two parties changed ground, for 
 judge Cooper was exercising the very arbitrariness which 
 had aroused the Democrats against the Alien and Sedition 
 laws of the John Adams administration under which laws 
 Cooper himself had been fined four hundred dollars and 
 six months imprisonment, for libel against the president, 
 in 1800. In a brilliant sketch of Judge Cooper, a little 
 earlier in the Autobiography, it is said: "Prosecuted, con- 
 victed, and imprisoned (as he deserved) his room was 
 the resort of the political Elite of the Democratic party of 
 the city, and his pen rendered the Aurora a splendid cor- 
 ruscation of playful satire, or bitter invective. The song 
 which made more Democrats than all the reasoning in or 
 out of Congress is said to have been a production of his 
 versatile genius when in confinement. 
 
 'When morning's first blushes first illumine the east, 
 
 I haste to my daily employment, 
 
 I grub all the day while the well-born can feast, 
 
 For they can afford the enjoyment. 
 
 'Our rulers can feast on six dollars a day, 
 The poor must be taxed this extortion to pay. 
 And if I against them do anything say, 
 In jail I must lie for sedition.' " etc. 
 
 The result of this controversy with Judge Cooper was 
 that without any personal effort Mr. Miner was elected in 
 October, 1807, to the legislature by a practically non-parti- 
 san vote, and twice re-elected, each time by a larger major- 
 ity. "Disregarding party lines the people took me ; a large 
 
I II VRLES MIXER, 
 
 number of Democrats, in their generous enthusiasm, for- 
 getting the Federal printer in the defender of popular 
 rights * * *. It seems now [1844J to me that the excite- 
 ment produced was greatly disproportionate to the cause; 
 it was like a spark in a keg of gunpowder; and from being 
 well and kindly regarded, I became at once a popular fav- 
 orite, and drank deep of the delirious cup of public ap- 
 plause * * *. Do not doubt that the gratification was 
 extreme ; 1 question whether Napoleon, when he encircled 
 lii— brow with the imperial diadem, was better pleased than 
 the Yankee boy who had made maple sugar with Joe 
 Sprague, tied his shirt into a knapsack and gone into tin 
 deep forest, sleeping on the ground under a bark roof, to 
 commence a farm." He also reflected with legitimate pride 
 that the Norwich folks would not think that he had done 
 badly; and added: "Agreeable as the result was to myself, 
 yet let me say it was in a seven-fold degree more so be- 
 cause 1 knew it would fill the heart to overflowing of my 
 beloved father." 
 
 < Mi the last existing page of the Autobiography he says : 
 "It might naturally be expected that the first movement I 
 should make in the House, would be for a Committee to 
 enquire into the conduct of Judge Cooper with a view to his 
 removal * * *. 1 think his removal would have been easy. 
 But then 1 had not a particle of ill will against him * * * I 
 am not -ure but there was an undercurrent of feeling leading 
 to something like this: 'Thank you, sir, for an opportunity 
 to distinguish myself in a contest with one so able. If you 
 are satisfied, 1 am.' * * * More and most weighty was 
 the reason that Judge Cooper had been the soul of the 
 
 nmission for settling the titles of the old Yankee settlers 
 
 * and of all men he was fittest to adjudicate upon and 
 
 carry into effect the act. * * * Barring his hastiness and 
 
 [•bearing manner occasionally, he was an excellent judge, 
 and I did not doubt his integrity. But several years after- 
 wards, when 1 resident of another district, complaints were 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 43 
 
 made against him, and 1 believe the effective charges grew 
 out of the former contest here * * * and he was removed 
 by Governor Snyder on an Address of both houses." 
 
 On page 455 of the "History of Wyoming" he adds: "It 
 is proper here to say, that to Thomas Cooper, Esq., one of 
 the commissioners under the compromising law, in 1803 and 
 1804, the settlers within the seventeen townships, and the 
 Commonwealth, are largely indebted. He gave to the sub- 
 ject the most devoted attention of a mind remarkably sagac- 
 ious, vigorous and clear. He unravelled with unexceeded 
 patience and perspecuity, the mazes of this most intricate 
 subject; * * *" 
 
 With the whole matter of the Connecticut claims treated 
 at large in the History, and elsewhere, it has been 
 thought best only to touch on it here in this slight way, but 
 one more passage from the Autobiography will serve to 
 show how the settlement effected Mr. Miner personally, and 
 his broad, unselfish views of its general advantages : 
 
 "Thus ended the intrusion law and prosecutions under 
 it. So terminated the not only imposing, but absolutely 
 threatening power of the Susquehanna and Delaware com- 
 panies, claiming under title from the charter from Connec- 
 ticut and various Indian purchases all northeastern Penn- 
 sylvania. And thus were prostrated my individual expecta- 
 tions, long since diminished and gradually lessened to a 
 faint ray of hope, of a fortune from the ownership of sev- 
 eral thousand acres in Locke, Dandolo, the Manor, and 
 Usher [Townships], including my beautiful lot 39. Essential 
 benefits nevertheless flowed in upon Pennsylvania from this 
 moss-trooping inroad of Yankees. Large numbers of 
 settlers from New England, attracted thither by the favor- 
 able accounts of the pioneers, and the final adjustment of 
 the land controversy, came in with considerable means and 
 purchased, so that at this day when I write [1844?] all the 
 upper parts of Luzerne, Wyoming, Wayne, Susquehanna 
 and Bradford counties, the chief scenes of the half -bare 
 
44 CHAKLES MINER, 
 
 controversy, present a population so industrious, moral and 
 ssive, that it may vie with any settlement in the state 
 ur we may confidently add in the Union." 
 
 1 >ne personal letter must be disposed of here before pass- 
 ing to more general matters, and the work of the assembly. 
 His first long absence from home since his marriage caused 
 the young father to dwell very seriously on the thought of 
 parental responsibility, and aged twenty-eight he wrote the 
 . earnest, if somewhat stilted letter, from which extracts 
 follow, to his wife then less than twenty. 
 
 "Lancaster, March 8, 1808. 
 *' * * * A good deal of enquiry is made about you, who 
 you look like, and all such questions, and some of the girls 
 have flattered me so much as to say that they know I have 
 a most excellent wife or I would not be so steady and cir- 
 cumspect in my conduct. I hope I never may behave ill 
 -1 hope my conduct may never excite a tear on the cheek 
 of my Lettie, or a sigh or a blush from my children or 
 friends. 1 am very sure that our happiness will always be 
 in proportion to our virtue. * * * When I reflect on home 
 and you — you 1 find are the first and most dear object that 
 my mind rests upon. But my children [at this time Ann 
 and Sarah] excite more solicitude than they used to do, 
 I played with them — I loved them — they were pretty little 
 objects to amuse myself with, and I was interested for 
 their healths. Now they appear to me of greater import- 
 ance * a> rational beings formed to take a part on the 
 theater of life, and accountable hereafter for their actions 
 * and Letitia. their behaviour * * * their happiness — 
 perhaps their virtues may depend on us. * * * But on a 
 mother who is always with them does the most responsi- 
 bility rest, for she has more influence on their minds. 1 
 pray you then to make yourself such a mother as you would 
 wish your daughters to be when they grow up to take the 
 cares of a family, and instil into their minds both by pre- 
 cept and example those virtuous sentiments you are so cap- 
 able i>f inculcating." 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 45 
 
 On arriving at Lancaster (the State capital when Mr. 
 Miner first sat as representative), he writes in the two ex- 
 isting letters to his wife describing some of the people he 
 met ; at his boarding-house he had for a companion, "Charles 
 Thompson, the secretary of the old congress, one of the 
 patriots of the Revolution, and a venerable old man he is." 
 Other fellow-boarders were: "A jolly fat Quaker and two 
 smooth-faced cits, from Philadelphia, trying to get a charter 
 for a bank, the inducements being wine and bribery. Des- 
 picable indeed must be their opinion of the legislature if 
 they think to buy a charter with grog. * * * They offer, 
 however, $75,000 besides, whether it will be accepted or 
 not I do not know, but I rather think it will." 
 
 He gives, too, in the last pages of the Antobiograp'.iw 
 with gentle humor, a few sketches of his associates in the 
 Assembly, whose small vanities did not escape him, always 
 softening his remarks with a word of appreciation for the 
 man's ability : 
 
 "Charles Smith of Lancaster, possessed genius of the 
 highest order united with many eccentricities. He was the 
 most pleasing and persuasive speaker I had then ever heard. 
 Of his oddities I may here mention, that he often se< 
 lost in a brown study, and I have seen him suddenly rise 
 from his seat — tapping the lid of his silver snuff box, as 
 with a half shuffle he moved up the aisle, singing audibly 
 enough to excite a smile through the House, 
 
 'Old King Cole was a jolly old Soul." 
 " * * * Dr. Michael Leib was the Magnus Apollo of 
 the [democratic] party, and Grand Sachem of the Tam- 
 many bucktails, in the City and Northern Liberties. Not 
 tall but of good form, bold Roman, florid features — dressed 
 in the extreme of fashion — hair powdered, and highly es- 
 senced, he was instantly a marked object to the stranger 
 entering the gallery. As a speaker he was full of animation, 
 meaning always, and proving often to be, keen in retort ; 
 but never a close reasoner. He produced effect rather by 
 
I H VRLES .MINER, 
 
 the velocity of his missies, than the weight of his metal. 
 He had a habit, with a good deal, and not ungraceful ges- 
 ture, of ever and anon raising his right hand and placing 
 thumb on the right side of the nose, his fore or middle 
 linger on the ridge and stroking down, not without grace, 
 his nasal organ ; then flourishing his hand abroad, displaying 
 his white ruffles and repeating the gesture. Mr. Ingham 
 ': to annoy him a good deal in his shrewd replies, point- 
 ing his thumb behind him, and alluding 'to the powdered 
 r the other side of the post.' * * * 
 ien. < )gle was an '1 by itself I.' He hailed from 
 .Somerset, from whence 'more of the same name and sort' 
 lot mere talents, but more refinement and education, 
 have appeared on the public stage. More than six feet in 
 height — slender — bent a little, his face was like an eagle's 
 — a prominent and aquiline beak — an eye of fire, he was a 
 very marked character. His seat was in the south-west 
 corner of the House, his back to the gallery rail — his right 
 hand to the wall on which was spread a large map of Penn- 
 sylvania. When he was to speak every eye was turned 
 toward him — striking his right pocket back, and looking 
 at the ma]), he would give a puff, as if it were a half sneeze 
 from bi> nose and then in a loud rather shrill voice call 
 'Mr. Speaker.' In Congress Hall he would amuse himself 
 by shutting quickly his steel tobacco box, making the echoes 
 all over the House." 
 
 Mr. Miner became at once a hard working member; the 
 legislature convened at Lancaster on December 4, 1807, and 
 he was appointed on the committee on schools, and that on 
 the militia, besides being put on two other committees ap- 
 pointed to consider petitions presented by him: — that 
 -rttlers in Luzerne county might share in the privileges 
 granted to other townships, and for a lottery to aid in 
 finishing a church in Wilkes-Barre and to protect the river 
 bank from further damage by the water. The next day 
 he reported, favorably, of cour-e, at some length for the 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 47 
 
 committee on the lottery, so that one is rather surprised to 
 rind him so frightened, when, he makes his first motion, on 
 the 14th of the same month, as he amusingly describes him- 
 self to be in the Autobiography "I had introduced a resolu- 
 tion the object of which was to exclude small bank bills [of 
 less than five dollars from other states] from circulation. 
 Leib without directly objecting, called me up to defend it. 
 I attempted to do so, but every pillar in the house turned 
 dark, and down I sat. I had spoken in our debating society, 
 but found this a very different affair. Not long after Leib 
 hr.ving introduced resolutions laudatory of Mr. Jefferson's 
 administration, I prepared myself with a good deal of care 
 this time, as our good Methodist friends were wont to say 
 'I found freedom' and said my say I believe to the general 
 satisfaction. Immediately on sitting down a dozen friends 
 came, tot k me by the hand, and said 'very well.' Even 
 Leib, who with all his spit-fire violence was not destitute 
 of generous sentiments, came over on the House adjourn- 
 ing and complimented me — but said I'll give it to you, my 
 good fellow. I do not find that the little speech (for none 
 of us talked long) was reported, but I remember the con- 
 clusion from this flattering circumstance. The next time — 
 months after — on visiting Philadelphia I met my excellent 
 frieml. Charles W. Hare, who extending both hands ex- 
 claimed : 'Mr. Speaker, it is National Honour that defends 
 National Independence. Here would I plant the American 
 standard — nail the colour to the flag-staff, and never yield 
 it but with existence' * * * I take pride that though a zeal- 
 ous politician in my legislative career T introdn<'<-d no mere 
 party topics " 
 
 He soon wrote to his friend, Steuben Butler, of Wilkes- 
 Barre. 
 
 "My oratory is very awkward, when put in competition 
 
 with that of the others ; but I let dash at them. I do not 
 
 perceive that my enemies — political, I mean — respect me the 
 
 nor that the affection of my friends has decreased from 
 
 my attempts/' 
 
_jS I UAKLES MINER, 
 
 In the same letter he records the unsuccessful attempt 
 of the opposite party to get the vote of a man, absolutely 
 needed to break a tie, "by making him drunk ; but he voted 
 right all the same, time after time." To celebrate this tri- 
 umph of justice, Mr. Miner and his friends adjourned, after 
 ; he labors of the day, to a neighboring tavern, "and took 
 -upper of tripe, wine, songs, and other good things.*' In 
 another letter, the next term he writes to the same corres- 
 pondent — Lancaster, March 18, 1808: 
 
 "I must tell you that Governor Simon is very polite to me. 
 I could not wish him to be more so and I confess I wonder 
 at it for 1 am sometimes rather saucy in my language in 
 the House, I have two or three times been called to order 
 for lashing the Democratic party. What you tell me of 
 the attempt in Kingston to injure me, I care not a rush for. 
 I have done my duty faithfully and impartially and I will 
 continue to do it without regard to popularity." 
 
 It i- evident that being young and happy he got a good 
 deal of fun out of the happenings in the Assembly, as well 
 as felt the dignity and responsibility of the position. In 
 the Aurora, Philadelphia, January 2, 1809, is a report of a 
 hill that became utterly balled up by the number of motions 
 ped upon it ; "A motion was then made by Mr. Miner*' 
 that they "resist the execution of the U. S. Court," to which 
 it gravel v appended in a note "This motion was made in 
 derision." Perhaps a rather dangerous derision, since the 
 State of Pennsylvania had recently been shaken by the ques- 
 tion as to whether the judgments of the Supreme Court 
 should be supreme. 
 
 5ays the Autobiography. "The chief general matter of 
 the tir-t session was the Impeachment of Gov. McKean, 
 commenced the last winter by those who had placed him 
 in power, and who now, as was familiarly said, like Acteon, 
 was pursued by his own dogs. 
 
 "In [799 on being elected Governor. McKean chose to 
 line that all commissions, except those of judges, granted 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 49 
 
 by the executive, became null and void on the inauguration 
 of a new Governor. He therefore issued a proclamation 
 extending all such Commissions until it should be his pleas- 
 ure to grant new ones. Thus, as he and his partisans said, 
 making no removals, only filling vacancies constitutionally 
 arising he made a clean sweep. I do not remember that, 
 like Job's servants, one was left. Of course among the 
 losers there was figuratively, 'weeping and wailing and 
 gnashing of teeth.) All of the Federalists (for our parcy 
 held the principal appointments under Governor Mifflin) 
 came out full cry against [McKean]. A few years had 
 passed by and lo, we were with few exceptions, his sup- 
 porters, had aided to re-elect him. and now stood between 
 him and impeachment by his former friends. The chief 
 offence taken by Dr. Leib and his party seems to have 
 arisen from the Governor refusing to remove judges on 
 the address of the two Houses. The Constitution saying 
 on such addresses 'the Governor may remove — not shall. It 
 was charged on the Democratic party of that day, that 
 nothing delighted them more than 'to run down a buck' — 
 hunt a Judge out of office. To do them justice, be it said 
 there were grounds for their hostility to the Bench and Bar. 
 The great system of Legal Reform now so justly popular, 
 then, and for several years advocated by the Democrats, 
 was opposed by us Federalists under the lead of the Bench 
 and Bar. * * * Governor McKean declared that he would 
 let the addressors know that 'may' meant 'wont' — so the 
 Judges kept their seats and the Governor was attacked. 
 Resolutions to impeach were offered, but seizing the oppor- 
 tunity on the absence of one of their men, we called up the 
 Resolution, and negatived it." Elsewhere he says : "By my 
 casting vote I saved him from impeachment." 
 
 Having been instrumental in excluding small bills from 
 circulation in Pennsylvania, by his first resolution, as has 
 been seen, Mr. Miner proceeded to uphold, throughout his 
 three terms of office, as later in Congress, many practical 
 
- I HARLES MINER, 
 
 questions of development and internal improvement — the 
 North branch and other canals, post-roads, etc. 
 
 "Foreseeing the growth of the coal trade at a very early 
 day Mr. Miner advocated the improvement of the descend- 
 ing navigation « f the Susquehanna and Lehigh rivers, pre 
 dieting the connection of their waters by a railroad 1 
 before such roads were generally known or thought of. In 
 fact there was not then a railway in existence — save the 
 tram-roads in and about the mines of Newcastle, England— 
 and to those who understood this, how much like the merest 
 
 uies of the imagination must Mr. Miner's confident 
 hopes have seemed. And yet he lived to see them realized!" 
 | Harvey's Lodge, No. 61, p. 432.] 
 
 Legislature convened December 6, 1808, and on the 8th 
 he offered resolutions, in sympathy with the movement that 
 was -weeping all over the country, accelerated by the em- 
 bargo, proposing the encouragement of sheep-raising, and of 
 wool manufacture. These resolutions proposed the exemp- 
 tion of all sheep from taxation, of ten sheep from attach- 
 ment for debt ; a bounty on fulbblooded sheep ; that any 
 militia that would wear homespun should be entirely ac- 
 coutred at public expense, etc. 
 
 In the course of his speech supporting his bill he says: 
 "Patriotism conspires with interest to urge [us] to take 
 some effectual measures upon this subject. The measures 
 to be effectual must be liberal. It is notorious. Sir, thai 
 < '.reat Britain has united with the enemy to restrict our 
 Commerce. In consequence of their injustice our Govern- 
 in. nt have thoughl il necessarv to lav an embargo. With- 
 out now entering into the enquiry whether the measure was 
 proper or not, n certainly is our duty as good citizens to 
 submit to the inconveniences it produces — to obey the laws 
 with all possibli ch< > 'fulness, and to relieve ourselves from 
 the evils we sutler, as early and effectually as we can. And 
 how i« this to be done? By manufacturing those articles 
 if which v tand 1 need and which « 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 51 
 
 import from Europe. Seven-tenths of the woolen clothes 
 we wear are the manufacture of England. Cannot we 
 manufacture them for ourselves? Sir, our wives, our 
 daughters, our sweethearts are industrious and patriotic 
 enough to clothe us all in homespun if we will furnish them 
 with the materials. How shall we do this? Improve your 
 breed and number of sheep." He probably was clad in 
 homespun at this time, for he wore it as an object lesson. 
 
 Of another bill of this session he says: "Another resolu- 
 tion introduced by me proposed the inquiry, whether any 
 legislative measure could with propriety be adopted to pro- 
 mote vaccination for kine pox. The subject was referred 
 to a committee, and with their consent I prepared and pre- 
 sented a report thereon." [Which was passed, printed and 
 widely circulated, thus "bringing the matter in an official 
 form before the people" and doing good educative work]. 
 
 "I did not see clearly, on introducing my resolution, what 
 steps of practical utility could be taken by the public 
 authorities ; but my main purpose was to bring the matter in 
 an official form before the people ; to make it a matter of 
 discussion: to arouse a spirit of inquiry; to dissipate a 
 prejudice; to diffuse information; and thus, through every 
 pari of the community, to extend vaccination for the kine- 
 pox. My motives and efforts, I had the pleasure to know, 
 were duly appreciated. Intelligent philanthropists in vari- 
 ous parts of the state, in and out of the medical profession, 
 and especially in Philadelphia, corresponded with me upon 
 the subject; and among them I have particular pride in 
 naming the late John Vaughan. one of the most unwearied 
 of philanthropists that ever lived or died. To know r would 
 be happiness, to believe is a pleasure, that I was the means 
 of saving one life; a single son to the hopes of his father; 
 a single daughter in health and unimpaired beauty to the 
 embraces of her Mother." 
 
 On January 7, T809, a resolution was offered, proposing 
 
- » I HARLES MINER, 
 
 that Pennsylvania's senators and representatives in Con- 
 gress be instructed to use their influence to have the Con- 
 stitution amended so that the several States might elect 
 their senators in the same manner as they did their repre- 
 sentatives. Taking the same position as a firm supporter 
 of the Constitution as it was, that he later maintained in 
 the House, Mr. Miner spoke against the proposal. "It must 
 be evident," he said, "that the Constitution was so formed 
 on purpose to prevent the individual States from constantly 
 interfering with and troubling the Nation by applications 
 
 r amendments." 
 
 Again re-elected, in 1812, one letter remains, announcing 
 hi-- arrival at Harrisburg, where the Assembly convened 
 that year. "My old acquaintances seem glad to see me, and 
 there appears nothing yet like passion or party feeling." 
 
 On the 91 h of December the legislature was invited to a 
 "bull-bait," and on the next day Mr. Miner wrote a horrified 
 letter to his paper, "The Gleaner," and also introduced a 
 ilution. which was adopted almost unanimously, the 
 other members being equally shocked. "Conceiving that 
 every wise and humane Government ought to protect ani- 
 mals from cruelty ; that the practice is disgraceful," etc. 
 "Therefore. Resolved, That a committee be appointed to 
 bring in a bill suppressing the practice of bull-baiting, and 
 providing for the more effectual punishment of persons who 
 shall be guilty of cruelty to animals." 
 
 The next, and last bill to need mention, is benignly en- 
 titled " \n \ct to Promote the Comfort of the Poor." in 
 which he said : "The first aim of a wise Legislature should 
 be to guard the weak from oppression, and so far to re- 
 strain the hand of power that it should not even in pursuit 
 of its own rights of property, be enabled to trample on the 
 rights of humanity. * * * Is it not an error that under 
 the present laws, every article of property * * * earned 
 by the industry of the wife, may be taken for the debt of 
 the husband. Resolved. Therefore. That the following 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA IMONKKk. 53 
 
 articles should be secure to each family from execution or 
 other legal process for debts hereafter to be contracted, to- 
 wit : Two beds and the necessary bedding ; household 
 utensils not exceeding in value 15 dollars; one cow; the 
 necessary tools of a tradesman, not exceeding in value 20 
 dollars ; a spinning-wheel." The sufferings of the poor al- 
 ways bore heavily upon him, so this "Act" gave him more 
 "pleasures of memory" than any other of his legislative 
 career, the exclusion of small bills coming next. 
 
 In one of his letters is the characteristic exclamation : 
 "Oh, how I wish I could make everyone happy ;" on the 
 margin of Pope's Universal Prayer he wrote opposite the 
 stanza : 
 
 "Teach me to feel another's woe, 
 To hide the fault I see : 
 
 That mercy I to others show, 
 That mercy show to me." 
 
 "I would rather have written this than any other verse 
 in the English language," while the passage from the Bible 
 most frequently on his lips was : "pure religion and undefiled 
 before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and 
 widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted 
 from the world." 
 
 Meanwhile, at home, in the intervals between legislative 
 work, he was not only a busy printer and editor, but engaged 
 in other laborious and responsible toils ; contracting for the 
 transportation of the mails between Wilkes-Barre and 
 Northumberland, etc., and acting as assistant in taking the 
 Luzerne county part of the census of 1810. 
 
 Returning with empty saddle bags from one such mail 
 carrying tour he overtook a stranger, a surveyor, loaded 
 heavily. "Let me relieve you of part of your load, friend. 
 You are going to Wilkes-Barre, I suppose, — he said 
 he was — and without more ado * * * he put into my 
 saddle-bags, compasses, chains, and some few other 
 things." Taking them 40 miles Mr. Miner delivered them 
 
e^ ■ HARLES M !XI:K. 
 
 and thought no more about it. but years afterward, on his 
 removal to Chester county, the man came to thank him. 
 "His son was then Prothonotary or Recorder of the County 
 of Chester — both of course thorough-going opponents of 
 my Federal Principles — so that their good word, freely 
 given, that, however, much of a Heretic in Politics, I was 
 personally a clever fellow, was of very great service in es- 
 tablishing for me a good name." 
 
 As has been seen, at one time, on the suggestion of a 
 friendly opponent in the village debating society, he had 
 thought of becoming a lawyer, entered his name as a stu- 
 dent, and read his Blackstone through twice, as well as 
 Jones on Bailments, etc., but reluctantly gave up the ide 
 he said, because of the pressure of "this day our daily bread. 
 given to faith but faith attended by work." Again, in the 
 fever-autumn of 1804. in the valley, he showed the versa- 
 tility of his usefulness by acting successfully as a volunteer 
 nurse, in which capacity he was often summoned, in later 
 years, especially in severe fever cases. In those days trained 
 nurses were almost unknown ; so that Mr. Miner's sagacious 
 foresight was illustrated by his remark, in the Autobiogra- 
 phy, that "when population becomes dense, a few persons, 
 fitted by gentleness, watchfulness, and care, should be 
 trained to the profession, they taking the lead, the neighbors 
 i sting." 
 
 In 1807, on one of his trips to Philadelphia, he met a 
 kindred spirit, an Irishman who, in the course of an inter- 
 esting conversation, spoke of having been freely with the 
 -irk during a very severe run of spotted fever. "Were 
 you not afraid of catching the disease?" "Oh, I was willing 
 to take chances with my neighbors ! There was goodness 
 and philosophy in that. Son of St. Patrick I wish I knew 
 your name, you have often been present to my thoughts." 
 
 In 1809 he had sold the Federalist to Sidney Tracy and 
 Steuben Butler, but in Septemebr, 1810, resumed its con- 
 duct. Butler and Tracy retiring. The next year, according 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 55 
 
 to the fashion of frequent and sometimes confusing changes 
 of newspaper names which has always prevailed in the his- 
 tory of American journalism, it became the WilkesBarre 
 Gleaner and Lucerne Advertiser, the latter part of the title 
 being afterwards dropped. 
 
 To the Luzerne Federalist for September 7, 1810, when 
 still "printed by Tracy and Butler," Charles Miner con- 
 tributed a little story which was destined to be copied from 
 one end of the country to the other, to reappear in school 
 reading-books down to this present year, 1913, and to fur- 
 nish America, as has been said, with its most frequently 
 used familiar quotation — "to have an axe to grind." The 
 story — "Who'll Turn Grindstone?" afterwards became the 
 first in the series entitled "Essays from the Desk of Poor 
 Robert the Scribe," the title of which so closely resembled 
 Franklin's "Poor Richard" that the famous quotation has 
 sometimes been assigned to the elder philosopher. But Mr. 
 Miner wrote to the Norwich Jubilee of 1859 that he got the 
 idea of such a series from Samuel Trumbull, the son of the 
 editor of the local newspaper in Norwich : "a young man 
 of a good deal of reading, and of ready wit. He wrote 
 several essays under the head of 'From the Desk of Beri 
 Hesden ;' the hint and name of the essays 'From the Desk 
 of Poor Robert the Scribe' I am sure I owed to him." 
 
 As the famous tale was somewhat modified in its later 
 issues, a verbatim reprint of its first appearance has literary 
 and biographical value. 
 
 Who'll Turn Grindstone 
 When I was a little boy, Messrs. Printers, I remember 
 one cold winter's morning, I was accosted by a smiling man, 
 with an ax on his shoulder, — "My pretty boy," said he, "has 
 your father a grindstone?" "Yes, sir," said I. "You are a 
 fine little fellow," said he, "will you let me grind my ax 
 on it ?" Pleased with his compliment of "fine little fellow" 
 
i iiaki.es miner, 
 
 — '•( i, yes, sir," — I answered, "it is down in the shop.'' 
 "And will you my man," said he. patting me on the head, 
 "get a little hot water?" How could I refuse? I ran and 
 soon brought a kettle full. "How old are you, and what's 
 your name," continued he without waiting for a reply. 
 "] .in >nre you are one of the finest lads that I have ever 
 seen, will you just turn a few minutes for me?" Tickled 
 with the flattery like a little fool I went to work, and bitterly 
 did 1 rue the day. It was a new ax — and I toiled and 
 tugged, till I was almost tired to death. The school bell 
 rung, and I could not get away, — my hands were blistered, 
 and it was not half ground. At length, however, the ax 
 was :diarpened, and the man turned to me. with "Now, 
 you little rascal, you've played the truant, — scud to school, 
 or you'll rue it." Alas, thought I, it was hard enough to 
 turn grindstone this cold day. but now to be called "little 
 d" was too much. It sunk deep in my mind, and often 
 have I thought of it since. 
 
 "When 1 see a Merchant, over polite to his customer^, 
 begging them to taste a little brandy, and throwing half his 
 goods on the counter — thinks 1, that man has an ax to grind. 
 
 "When I have seen a man of doubtful character, patting 
 a girl on the cheek, praising her sparkling eye and ruby 
 lip. and giving her a sly squeeze, — Beware my girl, tho't 
 I. or you will tind to your sorrow, that you have been turn- 
 ing grindstone for a villain. 
 
 "When I see a man flattering the people, making great 
 professions of attachment to liberty, who is in private life 
 a tyrant, Methinks, look out good people, that fellow woidd 
 set you to turning grindstone. 
 
 "When I see a man. holding a fat office, sounding 'the 
 horn on the borders,' to call the people to support the man. 
 on whom he depends for his office, Well thinks I, no wonder 
 the man is zealous in the cause, he evidently has an ax to 
 grind. 
 
 "When 1 see a Governor, foisted into the chair of state, 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. S7 
 
 without a single qualification to render him either respect- 
 able or useful, — Alas ! methinks, deluded people, you are 
 doomed for a season to turn grindstone for a booby. 
 
 "When I see a foreigner expelled from his own country, 
 and turning patriot in this — setting up a PRESS, and mak- 
 ing a great ado about OUR liberties, I am very apt to think, 
 — tho' that man's ax has been dulled in his own country, he 
 evidently intends to sharpen it in this." 
 
 In the reissue in book form the last three paragraphs were 
 replaced by the following: 
 
 "When 1 see a man hoisted in office by party spirit — 
 without a single qualification to render him either respect- 
 able or useful — Alas! methinks, deluded people, you are 
 doomed for a season to turn grindstone for a booby." 
 
 This was the only "Poor Robert" essay to appear in the 
 Federalist; but when, after a few months cessation, the 
 paper reappeared as the Gleaner the series was resumed, 
 not in consecutive issues. None of the later essays attained 
 the currency and fame of the first ; but, as Captain Abraham 
 Bradley, father of the then first assistant postmaster gen- 
 eral, wrote from Washington in 1815 to Jesse Fell: "The 
 editor of the Gleaner has acquired the highest reputation 
 among all ranks of people and served his country and the 
 cause he has espoused, at least equal to any editor in the 
 United States. His productions are copied into most of the 
 papers from Maine to Ohio, and some of those in the south. 
 Even the editor of the National Intelligencer cannot with- 
 hold, with all his Democratic austerity, from republishing 
 some pieces which have no acrimony against his beloved 
 system of democracy. Everyone is charmed." 
 
 August 6, 1813, appeared the following prospectus of the 
 complete series in book form : "Proposals, at the Gleaner 
 office, are now made, to publish the 'Essays From the Desk 
 of Poor Robert the Scribe/ containing lessons in Manners, 
 Morals, and Domestic Economy." Subscription papers were 
 requested by October 1, and were also received at the office 
 
;s VRLES MINER, 
 
 of the Literary Visitor, a creditable little monthly miscel- 
 lany issued in Wilkes-Barre by Steuben Butler. The volume, 
 however, did not appear until July, 1815, when it was issued 
 from Asher Miner's office in Doylestown. Thirty-two 
 essays and a piece of verse comprised its contents, in a 
 sixteen mo. of 120 pages. 
 
 Mr. Miner himself hardly seemed to realize the wide- 
 spread vogue of his famous saying, though he once wrote 
 of the series: "They made me many friends; among the 
 rest the pioneer of American literature [Joseph DennieJ 
 complimented me by a friendly note and a volume of his 
 Port Folio." 
 
 1 once began to keep note of the times I found the phrase 
 in current print, but soon gave up the attempt as indefinitely 
 extensive. Three or four illustrations are as good as a 
 hundred : '"The letter indicates that the writer had an ax 
 to grind" ("Great Cases of Detective Bums," by Dana 
 Gatlin, McClure's Magazine, April, 191 1 ) ; "I've no ax to 
 grind for myself" ("The Street Called Straight," Harper's 
 Magazine, June, 1912) ; "To put the power of directing the 
 finances of the American people into the hands of politicians 
 with 'axes to grind' would be an irreparable blunder" 
 (Boston Daily Advertiser, June 26, 1913) ; and so on con- 
 stantly. In Robert Grant's novel, "The Chippendales," the 
 phrase is used in four separate places; I have seen it pasted 
 over the whole side of the delivery wagon of a New York 
 daily newspaper in an exciting city election; and I have 
 heard it in a London theater in a translation of a play from 
 the French, 
 
 "If we had to turn our own grindstones we wouldn't have 
 50 many axes to grind." (Cincinnati Enquirer, October, 
 [914.) 
 
 "I fear it is that kind of axe that people bring not to use 
 but to grind." (G. K. < Ihesterton, Illustrated London News, 
 November 14, 1914. ) 
 
 "Publishers, critics, and reviewers who have axes to 
 grind." (Nation, March 4, 1915.) 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 59 
 
 Everyone who has studied the newspapers of Washing- 
 ton's, John Adams', and Jefferson's time knows that the 
 asperities of political debate were such as to make the 
 journalistic exchanges of the Taft-Wilson-Roosevelt cam- 
 paign of 1912 seem comparatively gentle. Here is an ex- 
 ample: "C s M r, answer to these, and then blush 
 
 for the blackness of your designs, the corruption of your 
 heart, the malignity of your soul." This was from the 
 Luzerne Democrat of November 15, 181 1, the local organ 
 of the rival party, which had, four months before, cordially 
 remarked (the "wretch" being the same innocent Mr. 
 Miner) : "The wretch who could deliberately call a democ- 
 racy a tyranny, merits the curses of a free people, and is 
 justly entitled to the epithet of villian." 
 
 Mr. Miner was able to retort in kind : one of his political 
 opponents, he characterized on July 24, 1812, as "a nui- 
 sance that disgraces the county ;" and "without character to 
 lose." A more general attack, which reads strangely as com- 
 ing from so temperate a man, was this [October 8, 1913 1 : 
 "He that is in favor of burdening the mouth of labour 
 with a tax on whiskey so enormous as to be more than 
 double what it was in Adams' time, why let him vote for 
 Democracy." The most ardent tariff-reformer of our day, 
 or the most earnest vote-getter, would hardly venture to 
 make such an appeal ; but it must be remembered that liquor 
 was then considered a food, to be dispensed, not dispensed 
 with. 
 
 The Gleaner's attitude during the war of 1812 was that 
 of the Federalist press generally : the war was a mistake, 
 and badly managed after it was begun ; but, once started, 
 had to be carried through. Its conduct, however, was a 
 legitimate subject for criticism : "How fatal have been 
 our errors! How poor, weak, and miserable our policy!" 
 [October 2. 1S12.] 
 
 In his last number for 1813 and the following issue Mr. 
 Miner wrote favoring "the opening of a communication 
 
OO HARLES MINKk, 
 
 :.) the Susquehanna to Philadelphia, by a road or railway 
 iruin Wilkes-Barre to the Lehigh, thence by that river to 
 the Delaware, and thence to Philadelphia." * * * "( >ur 
 public improvements must grow with our growth and 
 strengthen with our strength. : * * I appeal to the judi- 
 
 us men who have witnessed the failure of our grandest 
 i lans, if they have not miscarried because they were dis 
 proportionate to the necessity ~md ability of the countrv. 
 1 hope our grand-children may live to see a com 
 rail-way from this place to the Lehigh, and a canal 
 from thence to Philadelphia." 
 
 This was certainly a very earl)- prophecy ; and it is a 
 curious fact that while seven railroads now enter Wilkes- 
 Barre, two of them circuitously rising over the mountain 
 1>\ the customary locomotive haul, thousands of tons a year 
 are -till drawn to the heights above the Lehigh by an in- 
 clined plane such as Mr. Miner must have had in his mind. 
 1 1 e was not the pioneer in coal-development in the Wy- 
 oming valley, but he materially promoted it by his articles 
 in the Cleaner, in 1813-1814, and otherwise. The story of 
 his introducing Mauch Chunk coal into Philadelphia has 
 been often told, by himself and others; perhaps the best 
 account of the early enterprise is given in a letter he wrote 
 to Samuel J. Packer,* twenty years after, in which he shows 
 that he and Jacob Cist were the first to make practicable 
 the use of anthracite in Philadelphia: 
 
 Wilkes-Barre, Nov. 17, 1833. 
 
 Dear Sir: "Your favor of the 7th instant was duly 
 received: 1 avail myself of the first moment of leisure to 
 give you 'some account of the discovery of the Mauch 
 < "hunk coal, and the measures devised, at an early day. to 
 bring it to market.' 
 
 'A hunter first discovered the black earth that covers 
 
 r. Packer was chairman of the committee of the Pennsylvania 
 Senate on the coal trade, and had asked for his expert knowledge. 
 Hi- letter was quoted entire in the report read in the Senate, March 
 4, 1834, and printed at Harrisburg, 18.^4. 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONKI.U. 
 
 61 
 
 the coal, at the old mine at Mauch Chunk, and reported 
 the extraordinary appearance to J. Weiss, Esq., an intelli- 
 gent gentleman who resided at Lehighton, within ten or 
 twelve miles of the spot. An examination was immediately 
 made, and anthracite coal found within a few feet of the 
 surface. The land, being extremely rough and barren, had 
 not been appropriated. The land was taken up by Mr. 
 Weiss, and a company formed, principally of public-spirited 
 citizens of Philadelphia ; the mine was opened, and some 
 small parcels taken to the city ; but the difficulty of kindling 
 the coal and the facility of obtaining that from Liverpool 
 and Virginia prevented its introduction into use, and with 
 a hundred other speculations of the day it slept, was for- 
 gotten by the public, and scarcely remembered by the 
 owners of stock. 
 
 "After twenty years' repose the subject was awakened by 
 the war of 1812. Jesse Fell, Associate Judge, one of the 
 most estimable citizens of Wyoming, after various experi- 
 ments, had shown the practicability of burning anthracite 
 coal in grates, and the article hid been in extensive use in 
 Wilkes-Barre and the neighboring towns for several years 
 previous to the commencement of hostilities ; and its value, 
 therefore, was known and properly appreciated. Com- 
 merce being suspended with England, and the coasting trade 
 interrupted by British cruisers, so that foreign or Virginia 
 coal could not be procured, fuel, and especially coal for 
 manufacturing purposes, rose in Philadelphia to very high 
 prices. Jacob Cist, of Wilkes-Barre, my intimate and much 
 lamented friend, had derived from his father a few shares 
 of stock in the old Lehigh Coal Company ; and in conversa- 
 tion at his house, one evening, it was resolved to make an 
 examination of the mines at Mauch Chunk and the Lehigh 
 river, to satisfy ourselves whether it would be prudent and 
 practicable to convey coal from thence to Philadelphia. 
 Mr. Robinson, a mutual friend, active as a man of business, 
 united with us in the enterprise. In the latter part of 1813 
 
62 I BARLES MINER, 
 
 we visited Mauch Chunk, examined the mines, and made 
 all the inquiries suggested by prudence respecting the navi- 
 gation of the river Lehigh ; and made up our minds to 
 hazard the experiment if a sufficiently liberal arrangement 
 could he made with the company. Our propositions were 
 met with the utmost promptitude and liberality by Godfrey 
 Hagar, the president, Mr. Wampole, secretary, and the 
 Other members. A lease was obtained, giving us liberty for 
 ten vears to take what coal we pleased, and to use what 
 lumber we could find and might need, on their tract of 
 10,000 acres of land, the only consideration exacted being 
 that we should work the mines, and every year take to the 
 city a small quantity of coal — the coal to remain our own. 
 The extremely favorable terms of the lease, to us, will show 
 how low the property was then estimated, how difficult 
 a matter it was deemed to bring the coal to market, and 
 how great were the obstacles to bringing it into general use. 
 
 '"During the winter of 1813-14 Mr. Robinson commenced 
 opening the mines, both at Rover Run and on the mountain ; 
 but other more inviting objects presenting, he sold his right 
 to William Hillhouse, of New Haven, Connecticut, in the 
 spring of the latter year. Mr. Cist then managed his own 
 part of the concern ; Mr. Hillhouse and myself entered 
 June 2, 1814) into business together, the management of 
 it to be left principally with me. 
 
 "The situation of Mauch Chunk, in the midst of barren 
 mountains and a sparse population, rendered it necessary 
 to obtain provisions, teams, miners, ark-builders, and other 
 laborers from a distance. I made immediate arrangements 
 to enter upon business, and on the 8th June arrived at 
 Lausanne with my hands. * * * On Tuesday, the 9th of 
 August, I being absent and there being a fresh in the river, 
 Mr. Cist started off my first ark, sixty-five feet long — 
 fourteen feet wide, with twenty-four tons of coal. * * * 
 The stream wild, full of rocks, the channel crooked, in less 
 than eighty rods from the place of starting the ark struck 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 63 
 
 on a ledge and broke in her bows. The lads stripped them- 
 celves nearly naked, to stop the leak with their clothes. 
 * * * At dusk they were at Easton, fifty miles. On Wed- 
 nesday they sailed from Easton, * * * and at night arrived 
 at Black's Eddy. Thursday, nth, went six miles below 
 Trenton to White House; * * * Friday, 12th, arrived at 
 Burlington; 13th, to Ten Mile Point; Sunday, 14th, ar- 
 rived in the city, at 8 a. m. Monday unloaded and delivered 
 the coal. * * * 
 
 Expenses on the voyage and returning. . . .$ 28.27 
 Wages, including three pilots 47-5° 
 
 $ 75-77 
 
 Ark cost us 130.00 
 
 24 tons of coal, raising from mine 24.00 
 
 Hauling 9 miles to landing* 96.00 
 
 Loading into ark 5.00 
 
 $330-77 
 
 "So that, in the first experiment, the coal cost us about 
 14 dollars a ton in the city. 
 
 "I have been somewhat minute in giving you the details 
 because this ark was the pioneer, and led off the coal trade, 
 now so extensive and important, in Pennsylvania. This 
 effort of ours was the acorn from which the mighty oak of 
 the present Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company has 
 grown. 
 
 "But while we pushed forward our labors at the mine, 
 hauling coal and building arks, we had the greater difficulty 
 to overcome of inducing the public to use the coal when 
 brought to their doors, much as it was needed. We pub- 
 lished handbills in English and German, stating the mode 
 
 *"The fact may not be uninteresting that we were obliged to pay 
 $4.00, and for much of the coal hauled $4.50 a ton, over an exceed- 
 ingly rough road, where now [1833] by railway, it is transported 
 for twenty-five cents a ton. Such are the triumphs of human indus- 
 try and art; such is the difference between the first experimental 
 steps of a great enterprise anrl the work effected bv capital and 
 skill." 
 
- MINER, 
 
 of burning the coal, either in grates, smiths' fires or stoves. 
 Numerous certificates were obtained and printed from 
 blacksmiths and others who had successfully used the coal. 
 Mr. Cist found a model of a new coal stove and got a num- 
 ber cast.* Together, we went to a number of houses in the 
 city and prevailed on the masters to allow us to kindle 
 
 3 of anthracite in their grates, erected to burn Liverpool 
 coal. We attended at Blacksmiths' shops and prevailed 
 on some to alter the Iron so that they could burn the 
 anthracite coal, and often were obliged to treat the journey- 
 men, who were some of them much averse to the trouble 
 of learning to use a new sort of fuel. Great as were our 
 united exertion- (and Mr. Cist, if they were meritorious, 
 deserves the most commendation), necessity accomplished 
 more than our labor. Charcoal advanced in price, and wis 
 difficult to be got. Manufacturers were forced to try the 
 experiment, and everyday's use convinced them, and thos< 
 
 i who witnessed their fires, of the great value of anthra- 
 cite coal. Josiah White, then engaged in some manufac- 
 ture of iron, it was understood, with characteristic enter- 
 prise and spirit brought the article into successful use 
 hi- works, from purchases made of our agent, and learned 
 its incomparable value. 
 
 "We sent down a considerable number of arks, three out 
 
 of every four of which stove and sunk on the way; the 
 
 loss, however, though heavy, was lessened by the sale, at 
 
 a moderate price of the cargoes, as they lay along the shores 
 
 in the bed of the Lehigh, to the smiths of Allentown, 
 
 thlehem, and the neighborhood, who drew them ;r 
 when the water became low. We were just learning that 
 our arks were far too large, and the loads too heavy for 
 the stream, and were making preparations to build coal boats 
 
 rs rhoraas used to tell a story that amused her father, of a 
 man trying to make the hard coal burn. He poked till he was tired. 
 1 the stove door, saying: "Well, go out then," went a\va>. 
 ished on returning later to find a clear red hot fire! 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 65 
 
 to carry about ten tons each, that would be connected to- 
 gether when they arrived at Easton. Much had been 
 taught us, but at a heavy cost, by the experiments of 1814 
 and '15. Peace came, and found us in the midst of our 
 enterprise ; the Philadelphia harbor was opened ; Liver- 
 pool and Richmond coal came in abundant supplies ; and 
 anthracite fell to a price far below the cost of shipment. 
 I need hardly add, the business was abandoned, leaving 
 several hundred tons of coal on the bank at the mine, and 
 the most costly part of the work done to take out si 
 thousands of tons more. Our losses were met with the 
 spirit of men of youth and enterprise ; we turned our at- 
 tention to other branches of industry. * * * 
 
 "As one of the pioneers in the great work of introducing; 
 the use of anthracite coal into our cities and upon our sea- 
 board, I cannot but look with great pride and pleasure upon 
 the success which has followed, and grown upon, our 
 humble exertions — a success, I need hardly say, infinitely 
 beyond the utmost stretch of our imaginations." 
 
 His imagination had certainly been prophetic, and so it 
 continued to be. For convenience sake a few later antici- 
 pations and verifications may be given here. In 1830 he 
 wrote an extended article for the Anthracite Register. 
 Philadelphia, estimating the selling price of coal lands in the 
 Wyoming valley, at that time, at ten to twenty dollars an 
 acre, but declaring that while previously there had never 
 been taken to market, from all the mines in Pennsylvania, 
 more than about 150,000 tons in any one year, the demand 
 must greatly increase. A prominent point for business 
 would be "Wilkes-Barre, the county town, a borough of 
 more than 1,000 inhabitants, and now having eleven dry- 
 goods stores. The situation is eligible, the town-plot large 
 and handsomely laid out; and it must be the centre of an 
 extensive trade and the site of a large business." Twenty- 
 four years later, March 22, T854, he was writing to his 
 friend, Hendrick B. Wright of Plymouth (Democratic 
 
66 C QARLES MINER, 
 
 congressman I : "Wonderful excitement prevails here in 
 ': speculations. Several have sold at 200 dollars an acre. 
 thinking it a great sum — intrinsically worth $2,000 an acre. 
 Bowkley, just returned from England, assures us of re- 
 peated sales there, to the amount of some millions, at 1000 
 pounds sterling an acre." The value of anthracite coal 
 lands has for a long time [191 5] been double his $2000 
 mark. At one time he foretold that there would be a Wy- 
 oming output (doubtless using the word "Wyoming" in a 
 general sense) of 20,000,000 tons a year by 1880. In 1882 
 the shipment from the Wyoming region alone was 14,000- 
 000 tons, and in 1880. from all the anthracite region, 25,700,- 
 000. In 1912 the Wyoming output was 37.000,000, and the 
 total 73,700,00. 
 
 Xor was his eye less keenly fixed upon the economic and 
 governmental phases of the anthracite problems of the far 
 future. In the 1830 article already quoted he prophesied 
 the monopolizing of anthracite coal by the "interests," which 
 has been fulfilled absolutely: "Should capitalists step in 
 and monopolize coal lands, a thing not difficult to be done, 
 in a great degree, as is generally imagined, they would then 
 realize from the public large profits; but it would be a sub- 
 ject for regret." 
 
 In j 855 he anticipated the great question of nationaliza- 
 tion of mines, in Alaska or elsewhere, which was outlined 
 by executive action by President Roosevelt in 1906, and is 
 stirring up all the four political parties in 1913. Said Mr. 
 Miner in a second letter to Hendrick B. Wright ( November 
 29, [855) : 
 
 "' hn -team navy is growing, and must greatly increase. 
 Bituminous coal may partly answer; anthracite better, and 
 where smoke is to be avoided, indispensable, indispensable. 
 Companies are fast monopolizing the comparatively limited 
 anthracite coal-fields, and presently can combine, and will, 
 to give law to the market, and the government be at their 
 mercy, as they .ire at the railroads' for the transportation 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 67 
 
 of the mails. The possession of 2000 or 3000 acres of coal- 
 land here, having an opening to the Chesapeake, and, more 
 important, to the lake frontier, where the tug of war must 
 be made, would give the government immense advantage 
 and security. They could buy in open market when the 
 price ruled fair. If an attempt was made at monopoly or 
 extortion, they could resort to their own. The very fact 
 of their owning it would prevent the attempt. The argu- 
 ment, advantages, probable necessities, certain conveniences, 
 and utility, might be followed out, — every advance with aug- 
 mented power of demonstration. * * * The cost of a single 
 steamship of war would now purchase 2000 acres in the 
 heart of the Wyoming valley." 
 
 But we must return to our chronological story of Mr. 
 Miner's life, and to his newspaper career in 1813. Becom- 
 ing sole editor of the Gleaner, he found time to start another 
 series of essays, in his familiar manner, this time entitled 
 "The Cogitations of My Uncle John." It never attained 
 the success of its predecessor, but some of the papers were 
 copied, as before, by distant journals. The publication of 
 the Gleaner was interrupted, between March 10 and April 
 16, 1813. by a serious fire ; in the same year Mr. Miner 
 built a house, at the corner of Union and Franklin streets, 
 which served not only for his family but for the news- 
 paper, until its sale in 1816. The building was torn down 
 as late as 1887. 
 
 Meanwhile, as usual, he continued to find spare time for 
 another employment, for in 181 5, he ran a "land-office," for 
 the sale of real estate. This business was disposed of after 
 a nine months' trial. 
 
 Somewhat less practical, but far more lasting, was the 
 publication of his famous ballad of "James Bird," in 1814. 
 Mr. Miner was no poet, but an occasional versifier. In 
 "James Bird" he found a thrilling subject of deep human 
 interest, and the ballad has never gone out of the public 
 mind. 
 
58 • HARLES MINER, 
 
 James Bird, a boy from Exeter, just across the river from 
 Wilkes-Barre, was a volunteer in the war of 1812; fought 
 bravely in the Lawrence, in Commodore Perry's battle of 
 Lake Erie ; was severely wounded, but refused to leave 
 the deck ; and was promoted for gallantry to be orderly 
 sergeant of marines. When Perry was ordered to the sea- 
 board, Bird deserted his post, not his country, in order to 
 rejoin his loved commander, and was arrested at Pittsburg, 
 rt-martialled, refused time to appeal to Perry, convicted, 
 and shot. Here is his story, as told by Mr. Miner, and 
 wept over by generations of readers : 
 
 The Ballad of James Bird. 
 Sons of freedom, listen to me. 
 
 And ye daughters, too give ear. 
 You a sad and mournful story 
 
 As was ever told, shall hear. 
 
 Hull, you know, his troops surrendered, 
 
 And defenceless left the west: 
 Then our forces quick assembled, 
 
 The invaders to resist. 
 
 Amongst the troops that marched to war. 
 
 Were the Kingston volunteers ; 
 ( aptain Thomas them commanded. 
 
 To protect our west frontiers. 
 
 render were the scenes of parting, 
 
 Mothers wrung their hands and cried. 
 Maidens wept their swains in secret. 
 Fathers strove their tears to hide. 
 
 There is one among the number. 
 
 Tall and graceful is his mien. 
 Firm bis step, his look undaunted, 
 
 Scarce a nobler vouth was seen. 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 69 
 
 One sweet kiss he snatched from Mary, 
 Craved his mother's prayer, and more, 
 
 Pressed his father's hand, and left them 
 For Lake Erie's distant shore. 
 
 Mary tried to say "Farewell, James," 
 Waved her hand, but nothing spoke, 
 
 "Good-bye, Bird, may Heaven preserve you," 
 From the rest at parting broke. 
 
 Soon they came where noble Perry 
 
 Had assembled all his fleet ; 
 Then the gallant Bird enlisted, 
 
 Hoping soon the foe to meet. 
 
 Where is Bird? The battle rages; 
 
 Is he in the strife or no? 
 Now the cannon roars tremendous ; 
 
 Dare he meet the hostile foe ? 
 
 Aye ! behold him ! see him, Perry ! 
 In the selfsame ship they fight ; 
 Though his messmates fall around him 
 "thing can his soul affright. 
 
 But behold ! a ball has struck him ; 
 
 See the crimson current flow ; 
 "Leave the deck !" exclaimed brave Perry ; 
 
 "No!" cried Bird. "I will not go." 
 
 "Here on deck 1 took my station. 
 
 Here will Bird his cutlass ply ; 
 I'll stand by you, gallant captain. 
 
 Till we conquer or we die." 
 
 Still he fought, though faint and bleeding. 
 
 Till our stars and stripes waved o'er ns. 
 Victory having crowned our efforts, 
 
 All triumphant o'er our foes. 
 
jO CHARLES MINER, 
 
 And did Bird receive a pension? 
 
 Was he to his friends restored? 
 Xo ; nor never to his bosom 
 
 Gasped the maid his heart adored. 
 
 Rut there came most dismal tidings 
 From Lake Erie's distant shore ; 
 
 Better far if Bird had perished 
 Midst the battle's awful roar. 
 
 "Dearest parents," said the letter, 
 
 is will bring sad news to you; 
 Do r.ot mourn your first beloved, 
 Though this brings his last adieu. 
 
 "1 must suffer for deserting 
 
 From the brig Niagara; 
 Read this letter, brothers, sisters. 
 
 Tis the last you'll hear from me." 
 
 Sad and gloomy was the morning 
 Bird was ordered out to die; 
 
 Where's the breast not dead to pity 
 But for him would heave a sigh? 
 
 Lo ! he fought so brave at Erie, 
 Freely bled and nobly dared : 
 
 Let his courage plead for mercy, 
 Let his precious life be spared. 
 
 See him march and bear his fetters : 
 Hark ! they clank upon the ear ; 
 
 But his step is firm and manly. 
 For his heart ne'er harbored fear. 
 
 See him kneel upon his coffin. 
 
 Sure his death can do no good ; 
 Spare him ! spare ! O God, they shoot him 
 
 Ob ! his bosom streams with blood. 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. /I 
 
 Farewell, Bird ; farewell forever ; 
 
 Friends and home he'll see no more ; 
 But his mangled corpse lies buried 
 
 On Lake Erie's distant shore. 
 
 As this poem and its facts are continually being asked for 
 in the press it has been thought best to add Mr. Miner's own 
 account as given in The Gleaner, April 28, 181 5: 
 
 "At the commencement of the late war, a company of 
 men from Kingston, in this county, under the command of 
 Captain Thomas, volunteered their services to the govern- 
 ment. When the fatal disaster befell our army under 
 Gen. Hull of Detroit, and large reinforcements were 
 wanted, the Kingston Volunteers were called upon to per- 
 form their tour of duty. They marched with alacrity, and 
 remained under the command of General Harrison, until 
 the reduction of Upper Canada rendered it prudent to dis- 
 pense with their further services. 
 
 "Among the Volunteers, was a young man by the name 
 of James Bird, aged about twenty years ; he was born in 
 Exeter, where his parents now reside. Bird enlisted in the 
 Marines while at Erie, and in the memorable engagement 
 of September 10th served on board the Lawrence, under 
 the immediate command of Commodore Perry." 
 
 The following notice of his conduct in the engagement 
 was derived from Mr. Carkhuft, one of the Volunteers, and 
 appears in the Gleaner of Nov. 26, 1813: — 
 
 " 'James Bird, son of Mr. J. Bird, of Exeter, was on board 
 the Lawrence, with the gallant Perry, on the glorious tenth 
 of September. The battle raged — many a poor fellow fell 
 around him — Bird did his duty like a hero. Towards the 
 close of the engagement, a cannister shot struck him on 
 the shoulder as he was stooping to his gun. He was in- 
 stantly covered with blood, and his officer ordered him be- 
 low. He ventured to disobey, preferring to do duty whil 
 he had life, to abandoning his post. But the blood flowed 
 
-J ( II \RI.I S MINER, 
 
 so fast that another order was issued to go below. He ran 
 down — got a hasty bandage on the wound, came again on 
 deck, and although his left arm was useless, yet he han 
 cartridges, and performed the utmost service in his power 
 with his right, until the stars and stripes waved glorioush . 
 victorious over the foe.' 
 
 "The following extract of a letter from Bird, will speak 
 for itself, and show the vicissitudes of fortune, attending 
 a state of war. I called on his parents for the letter. Hi- 
 father was not at home, — The anguish and the tears of his 
 mother made me almost regret that 1 had mentioned the 
 painful subject. If you, reader, had been there, I think you 
 would have agreed with me, that the public ought to reap 
 great and certain benefits from a war that creates so many 
 causes of private grief, — I do not mean to complain of any 
 officer, or of any man, but I could not help thinking that 
 the bravery and good conduct of Bird in the battle, mighl 
 have plead for his pardon. Hull gave up a whole army, 
 yet he was pardoned. Brack murdered poor Dixon, but 
 Brack was not sentenced to die. Bird had performed more 
 services than either, and his crime was much less injurious 
 or malignant, but there was no pardon for him. It was 
 the fortune of war. Indeed war is a cruel monster, at 
 least I thought so when I reflected on the death of the brave 
 Bird, and saw his mother's tears. But I detain you from 
 the letter : — 
 
 'Dear Parents, 
 
 '1 take my pen in hand to write a few words to you which 
 will bring bad news; but do not lament, nor make sad 
 moans for the loss of your first beloved and dearest son 
 James. 
 
 'Dear Parents, brothers and sister, relations and friends. 
 I do write to you a most sad and dismal letter, such as 
 never before came from any your beloved children. 1 
 have often sat down and wrote a few lines to you with 
 pleasure; but 1 am sorry at present to let you know my 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 73 
 
 sad and deplorable situation. 1 am the most miserable 
 and desolate child of the family,— Dear Parents, let my 
 brothers and sisters read this letter, for it is the last they 
 can ever receive from my hand, for by the laws of our 
 country I am doomed and sentenced to death, for deserting 
 from the marines at Lake Erie, and am now confined on 
 board the United States brig Niagara. 
 
 ' And O! loving Parents, my time is but short here 
 earth. 1 have but a few moments to make my peace with 
 my maker, — I leave you only for a short time here on earth. 
 I leave you only for a short time here in this most trouble- 
 some world; but I hope that by constant prayer, we shall 
 meet in the world above, to part no more.' 
 
 [The remaining part of the letter consists of urgent and 
 pressing requests to his friends to prepare for their end, 
 and in expressions of a lively hope of salvation for him- 
 self.] 
 
 T remain your most affectionate and beloved son until 
 death; so Amen, This from me, James Bird.' 
 
 'November the 9th, 1814.' 
 
 "Soon after the receipt of this letter, there came another 
 from an officer en board the squadron stating the execution 
 of Bird, on the next day. So perished as brave a soldier as 
 belonged to the army." 
 
 A better illustration of the difficulty of unquestionable 
 historical accuracy, as well as of the power of a ballad, could 
 hardly be found than is given by this wooden piece of verse. 
 One turns hither and yon and finds details conflicting in 
 suggestion if not in statement. With regard to the often 
 used term "The Kingston Volunteers" be it said, in his 
 letter to Governor Snyder, printed in the Pennsylvania 
 Archives, 2nd series, Vol. 12, p. 545, Captain Samuel 
 Thomas offers his command under the name of "Luzerne 
 Volunteer Matross", but the letter is dated "Kingston, Tune 
 10, 181 2", Kingston, Luzerne county, Penn'a., evidently 
 being headquarters. 
 
74 ( HAELES MINER, 
 
 In the official record in the State Papers, Naval Affairs, 
 Bird appears in the list of those severely wounded on the 
 Lawrence, as "lame- Bird, Marine," and in the list of those 
 receiving a share of "the distribution of prize money on 
 Lake Erie" as "James Burd, Private", whose share was 
 $214.89, paid on January 10, 1815, to the "Attorney of his 
 father." In fact, he was first private and then marine, but 
 in both these eases he was marine. 
 
 Perry, in his letter to the Secretary of the Navy, Septem- 
 ber 13, 1813, reports "those officers and men who were 
 immediately under my observation who evinced the greatest 
 gallantry", but among the names does not mention Bird, or, 
 indeed, any other "man". A very similar story of several 
 nameless wounded men, and of a sick man who refused to 
 stay below, is told by Dr. Usher Parsons, the surgeon on the 
 Lawrence, who. in various commemorative addresses, does 
 not speak of Bird, though one may have been he. 
 
 There is a tradition stated in the text, that may have come 
 to Mr. Miner from Bird's family, that he left his post on 
 the Niagara, in the hope of rejoining Perry, and so did not 
 in intention desert his country; and another that Perry sent 
 a reprieve, of which later. 
 
 Again, in a paper entitled "The Battle of Lake Erie in Bal- 
 lad and History, by Charles B. Galbreath, published in the 
 Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly, in 191 1, a 
 number of pages are devoted to Bird's history : "presented 
 in paraphrase from authentic source-." Here it is stated 
 that Bird joined the marines, on the suggestion of an officer, 
 to escape punishment for having allowed stores in his keep- 
 ing to disappear; that after desertion he was recognized in 
 Butler, Pennsylvania, and reported, though it is not said he 
 • ted there; that "efforts were made to have Bird's 
 sentence commuted to imprisonment, because of his gal- 
 lantry in the battle of Lake Lrie, but without success. The 
 ident refused to extend clemency to Bird on the groun 1 
 that 'bavin- deserted from his post while in charge of a 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 75 
 
 guard, in time of war, he must therefore suffer as an ex- 
 ample to others.' " * * * He with two others "were exe- 
 cuted on board the Niagara in the road stead at Erie in 
 October, 1814, and were buried in the 'sand beach.' " 
 
 The ballad itself is quoted by Mr. Galbreath with only 
 some natural verbal changes, and the omission of one stanza. 
 The writer, who often heard it sung "to an old church tune", 
 tenderly describes the singer and the effect of the ballad : 
 "Those who hear with impatience three or four stanzas 
 of a song in these days, can hardly believe with what tense 
 interest this old ballad was heard to the last word. Tears 
 often came into the eyes of the young listeners. * * * This 
 event [the battle] was known along the borders of the 
 lake, not alone through the valiant deeds of Perry, and the 
 far reaching results of his achievement, but even more 
 through the tragic fate of one who fought beside him under 
 the splintered masts on the slippery deck of the Lawrence. 
 
 "Judged by modern standards, our ancestors of seventy- 
 five years ago enjoyed only primitive advantages. * * * 
 Many of them knew of the Battle of Lake Erie only through 
 the ballad of James Bird. Corn huskings, apple cuttings, 
 log rollings, and even quilting bees of the long ago not unf re- 
 quently closed with the rendition of the quaint, pathetic 
 song, written by a bard unlearned and unknown, but not 
 without the gift to tell his story well. Who wrote it is 
 not known. [The italics are mine.] As a local historian 
 observes, the author was apparently familiar with the true 
 story of Bird's home, and he adds : 'That there was wide 
 spread sympathy felt for Bird chiefly because of his service 
 on the fleet, there can be no doubt. The tenacity with which 
 the popularity of the ballad endured is proof of this. It is 
 now rare ; rare enough to excuse its appearance as part of 
 the history of the region on which it was so long a popular 
 feature of nearly every entertainment or public gathering.' " 
 
 On another page Mr. Galbreath says : "Ten years ago he 
 who had sung the old song was a little disappointed to read 
 
-!. CHARLES MINER, 
 
 a paragraph in a paper to the effect that James Bird was a 
 myth and the old ballad was fiction with no basis of reality." 
 
 An element of romance is added by "K. T. B.", a corre- 
 spondent of the Philadelphia Press, January 13, 181 4, who, 
 telling the familiar story of Bird's refusal to go below, adds : 
 "For his bravery he was honored and excited the envy of a 
 j 1 >ung lieutenant. * * * The war was over, Perry was 
 away, and Bird and a young man named Rankin left, it was 
 supposed, to join Jackson at New Orleans. They were 
 brought back and condemned to be shot. A reprieve was 
 sent, two men riding on horseback were seen in the dis- 
 tance, waving it, but they were too late. That night the 
 lieutenant ordered a guard put in his tent to keep away 
 Bird's ghost. The second night he committed suicide." 
 
 Thus, a hundred years after it was written we can see th^ 
 Ballad of James Bird going through the process of becom- 
 ing a true folk-ballad: "facts" contradict each other; tradi- 
 tion developes ; the hero becomes a myth ; jealousy and the 
 supernatural are added, and the writer is lost in the mists 
 of Time. It seems almost a pity to have done this much 
 in the interest of the plain light of truth. 
 
 Mr. Miner's first period of residence in the Wyoming Val- 
 was now over, for in 1816 he sold the Gleaner to Isaac A. 
 Chapman, and went in June to Philadelphia as editor and 
 part owner (with Thomas T. Stiles) of the True American, 
 a daily. To his wife, whom, in the uncertainties of his new 
 work, he left behind, he wrote: "1 am obliged to be proper 
 busy ; the editor of a daily paper has little time to himself." 
 In the True American, according to his custom, he started 
 a series of moralizing essays, this time entitled "Lectures 
 of Father Paul." The Philadelphia experiment was not a 
 long-lasting one, though in addition to the True American 
 work, he was for a time assistant editor of a Political and 
 Commercial Register. The next year, unable to stand the 
 city life, he was back with his family in Wilkes-Barre, and 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. JJ 
 
 though soon offered the assistant editorship of the well- 
 known United States Gazette, in what he used to call the 
 "metropolis," he declined it; in July, 1817, buying the 
 Chester and Delaware Federalist, at West Chester, Penn- 
 sylvania, to which place he removed his family, and which 
 was to be his home for fifteen years. 
 
 Undeterred by the national defeat of his dearly-loved 
 political party, for four presidential terms, he hoisted his 
 banner as of yore, and in the initial number of his new 
 sheet printed a salutatory which left no doubt as to his 
 position: "My principles, although somewhat old-fashioned, 
 and not the most popular, I am proud to avow. I am a 
 Federalist !" 
 
 The early printers, from the days of Gutenberg to those 
 of the Franklins, were accustomed to wander from place 
 to place in search of business; so that the migrations of 
 Charles and Asher Miner, sometimes types and all, were 
 not exceptional. The frequent changes of name to which 
 they subjected their various papers w r ere also, as has been 
 said, in accordance with the fashion of the time, which, 
 indeed, continued to the period of the journalistic consolida- 
 tions of the latter half of the nineteenth century. Soon, 
 the Chester and Delaware Federalist became the Village 
 Record, under which title it was for years one of the best- 
 known provincial weeklies in the country. Thurlow Weed, 
 the veteran editor and influential Xew York politician, wrote 
 in the New York Observer in 1882: "The Village Record, 
 a weekly paper published and edited fifty years ago by 
 Charles Miner, was my model newspaper. The articles en- 
 titled 'From the Desk of Poor Robert the Scribe' were gen- 
 erally copied and read with interest and instruction by pro- 
 fessional men, mechanics, farmers, etc., etc., each and all 
 finding much to improve their minds, to regulate their con- 
 duct, to soothe their sorrows, to soften their manners and 
 to brighten their lives." 
 
 That Mr. Weed, writing so long afterward, should have 
 
j8 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 put the Poor Robert articles into the / 'illayc Record was 
 nut an unnatural slip. Mr. Miner's familiar essays, soon 
 Started according to his usual plan were this time called the 
 "Juhn Harwood" papers. In other ways, too, the active 
 printer sought to raise the intellectual and moral ti 
 the community, for in one of his issues he inserted a notice 
 of books to lend. 
 
 In all matters of new inventions or interesting discoveries 
 Mr. Miner was always a pioneer; thus he was the first in 
 his neighborhood to get and use sulphur matches. His 
 Franklinian or Jeffersonian interest in all things useful, new 
 or old, is taken for granted in the following letter from 
 Nicholas Biddle, the famous financier of the United States 
 Bank : 
 
 "Andalusia, April 25, 1822. 
 
 "] am going to take a liberty for which I am sure I shall 
 find an apology in your desire to diffuse any valuable in- 
 formation. 
 
 "A gentleman in Boston has requested me to obtain the 
 best information I can procure with regard to the machine 
 for mowing invented by one of our citizens in Chester or 
 Delaware county, about which he has heard very extraordi- 
 nary accounts. The machine is, I presume, that of Mr. 
 Bailey ; of this I know nothing except from report ; but Dr. 
 Meade tells me that he has seen a certificate in its favor 
 signed b) a number of gentlemen, of whom you were one. 
 I cannot therefore attain my object better than by asking 
 you to have the goodness to let me know your opinion of it 
 in detail. I should wish to understand exactly what is the 
 size and structure of the machine; its mode of operation; 
 whether it really overcomes the great obstacle in all instru- 
 ments hitherto used for that purpose; the difficulty of lay- 
 ing the swath down so as not to choke the machine; the 
 price; the character and occupation of the inventor; and 
 how the machine could be obtained. The object is certainly 
 one of great interest, and 1 should feel a pride, which I 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. /O, 
 
 know you would share, if our state could present to the 
 world an improvement which the genius of Europe has so 
 long sought in vain.* 
 
 "Very respect'y and truly yrs. 
 
 "Nicholas Biddli:." 
 
 Mr. Miner had not been in Chester county long before 
 he was asked to enter active political life, for which his 
 vigorous editorials had shown his fitness; and in 1820 he 
 was the Federalist candidate for Congress in the Chester 
 and Montgomery district. The candidacy was unsuccess- 
 ful, for the rise of the Federalist-National-Republican tide 
 was to be postponed for four years ; but he made a good 
 showing. By this time, though not now in public life, he had 
 become the friend and sometimes the valued confidant of 
 men of the largest national prominence. Thus Chief Jus- 
 tice Marshall wrote him from Richmond. July II, 1821 : 
 
 "I thank you very sincerely for your politeness and at- 
 tention in forwarding to me the Village Record of the nth, 
 containing the proceedings of the Washington Association, 
 in conjunction with the Washington guards, in West 
 Chester on the 4th of July, which I received this morning. 
 
 "Feeling deeply, as every American must, the great event 
 commemorated on that day, throughout our nation ; and con- 
 sidering the opinions expressed on it, as indicating, in 
 no inconsiderable degree the public feeling, I take an inter- 
 est in what is said on that great anniversary, and was much 
 gratified on reading your toast, and the truly American 
 sentiments with which it was so handsomely introduced. 
 I was the more gratified with those sentiments because the 
 time is arrived, I think, when the good and the wise are 
 urged by the strongest motives of genuine patriotism, to 
 assuage by lenient application those asperities and jealousies 
 between the stites which have been. I believe, excited with- 
 
 *Up to that year, 1822. there had been no practical reaper or 
 mower in Great Britain or the United States, the first successful 
 machines being Bell's, in Scotland. 1826. and Hussev's, in Obi<->. in 
 
80 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 out sufficient cause, and which too many are not unwilling 
 still farther to irritate; — asperities and jealousies which may 
 I to consequences all must deplore, when the time for 
 preventing them shall have passed away. 
 
 "I have seen no paper containing the proceedings of the 
 4th of July with which I have been so highly pleased as 
 with those of the I'illage Record of the nth. Accept my 
 thanks for it, and believe me to be with great respect 
 
 "Your obed' Serv't 
 
 "J. Marshall." 
 
 James Buchanan, too, — then a Federalist, — asked his as- 
 si stance in following that "middle course" which was to 
 characterize the future president to the end of his days: 
 
 "Washington, rst March. 1823. 
 
 "B) this mail 1 take the liberty of sending you the 
 National Intelligencer containing the remarks which I made 
 on the subject of the tariff. You will perceive that I have 
 pursued a middle course, which I believe to be the best 
 policy of the country generally and peculiarly adapted to 
 the middle states. As this subject will certainly be before 
 • longress next winter, and as I believe there can no doubt 
 but that some changes will be made in the tariff, 1 wish the 
 public in our district to become acquainted with it and ex- 
 press their opinion. With this view I would request that 
 when you can do it without crowding out more important 
 matter, you will either publish the whole or such parts of 
 my remark- as will call the attention of the people to the 
 
 si important measure which in all human probability will 
 I e lie fore the ne r<<s. I should be pleased to know 
 
 your individual opinions of this and other subjects about 
 which I hope ere long to have an opportunity of conversing 
 with von. 
 
 "From your friend. 
 
 "Tames Buch <\n \n\" 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 8l 
 
 By 1823 Henry Clay was consulting him in an intimate 
 fashion : 
 
 "Ashland, 4th July, 1823. 
 
 "I received your very obliging favor of the 19th ulto. 
 and owe you many thanks for the communication which it 
 contains, and the kind feelings which dictated them. 
 
 "There is some foundation for most of the precious con- 
 fessions made by the leaky supporters of Mr. Calhoun to 
 your friend. With respect to the great effort to be made 
 to elect that gentleman, the past tense as well as the future 
 might have been employed. I am disposed to doubt, for 
 the sake of the President himself, his intermeddling in that 
 object, otherwise than by promotions of the friends of Sec. 
 of War. Mr. Meigs was my friend, and that circum- 
 stance may have contributed to his ejection ; I have no 
 doubt he will be succeeded by some friend of Mr. Cal- 
 houn's whose influence in the affair of appointments evi- 
 dently is predominant ; and I think it probable that 
 MacLean of Ohio will be appointed. But the election, after 
 all, of Mr. Calhoun is almost next to impossible. The very 
 means employed to produce it, will, as heretofore, operate 
 to his prejudice. Where is the interest to elect him? Give 
 him So. Carolina, and yield him also Pennsylvania (con- 
 trary to probability), and it is impossible to take him into 
 another state. He may everywhere have some warm ad- 
 mirers, and a few zealous supporters, but, except in these 
 two states, he has no practical interest to be counted upon 
 in any other. I do not think it is in the compass of all the 
 accidents in the chapter, aided even by intrigue, to secure 
 his election. 
 
 "I think the contest at present may be fairly considered 
 as confined to them. If New York and Penna. should fail 
 to indicate their respective preferences, so long before the 
 election, as to operate upon the American public generally, 
 the probability is that the election will devolve on the H. of 
 R. On the contrary, if New York should declare her choice 
 
82 .1INKK. 
 
 within the next eight months, by some ambiguous art, the 
 result would be as follow s : 
 
 "If that choice should fall on Mr. Crawford, there is an 
 end of the Adams pretensions; and the content would then 
 be between Mr. Crawford and me. 
 
 "If on Mr. Adams, there would be an end of Mr. Craw- 
 ford's pretensions, and the contest would be between Mr. 
 Adams and me. 
 
 "If for me. my election would take place by not less than 
 two-thirds of the Union. 
 
 "In the first and second suppositions, the contest would 
 be somewhat doubtful. Xew England would hold the bal- 
 ance between Mr. Crawford and me. I should, I think, 
 enter it with a plurality of votes. 
 
 "In the second supposition, much would depend upon 
 Pennsylvania, but I think I should get against Mr. Adams 
 nearly all south and west of Xew York. Mr. Adams is 
 undoubtedly stronger in the west than Mr. Crawford; he 
 has everywhere some interest, though not an available inter- 
 est, in a contest with me. Mr. Crawford has nowhere, ex- 
 cept in East Tennessee, any interest in the tern states. 
 In a contest between them I believe Mr. Adams would 
 get the western vote with the exception possibly of Ken- 
 tucky and Missouri. 
 
 "I write you in confidence and subscribe myself 
 
 "Faithfully your Obliged & Ob. Set-.. 
 
 "H. Clay." 
 
 JnM how Mr. Miner came to be so much of a political 
 influence in Washington before he went to Congress it is 
 hard to say. Me was a power in the press; through his 
 terms in the Pennsylvania Legislature he knew many men 
 in public affairs, and had visited Washington several times: 
 perhaps it was chiefly through Mr. Claw with whom, des- 
 pite their divergent views on many points, he was on cordial 
 and social terms before, during, and after his Congressional 
 career. But thai he was an influence with others, is shown 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 83 
 
 by a torn piece from an old family friend, Dr. Bradley, who 
 writes : 
 
 "28th Feu v., 1824. 
 « * * * j f ear there is mischief brewing and you alone 
 can prevent it — I do not think it useful to be more explicit 
 
 until I see you. Mr. C. y I am told desires greatly to see 
 
 you here." This is endorsed : "I went and prevented the 
 removal of Dr. Bradley, whose place was wanted for Col. 
 McKinney. Through Mr. T. Johnson, then chr. com. P. O. 
 & R. Roads, Mr. McLean was induced to forbear & Col. 
 McK. was immediately given a place in the Dep. of Com. ' 
 
 In 1824, being, by his writings, correspondence, and work 
 in the State Assembly, a man of a reputation distinctly 
 more than provincial, Charles Miner was elected to Con- 
 gress from the districts then comprising Chester, Delaware, 
 and Lancaster counties, James Buchanan, still a Federalist, 
 being his colleague. A friendly letter from Mr. Buchanan, 
 prior to the re-election of both of them two years later, 
 shows the beginning of the political cleavage which was to 
 make Buchanan a Jacksonian Democrat and a believer in 
 the idea that even the discussion of slavery should be pro- 
 hibited in Congress : 
 
 "Lancaster, 8 September, 1826. 
 
 "In my opinion there neither is nor will be any foundation 
 for the suggestion that Lancaster county should throw you 
 off for being a friend of the administration. There is, with- 
 out doubt, in the county, a very great majority of both 
 parties in favor of the election of Gen. Jackson, but the 
 Federalists believe and believe correctly, that they could 
 not with propriety oppose the candidate selected for Con- 
 gress by the party in Chester county, and thus violate the 
 implied faith existing between the two counties, merely 
 because he differed from them concerning the comparatiw 
 claims of Mr. Adams and Gen. Jackson. They have no 
 other objection against you ; on the contrary, they feel 
 grateful to you for the able, fair and persevering support 
 
84 ' HARLES MINER, 
 
 which you have always given to the cause. It is possible, 
 nay, probable, that a few of the very warm Jackson men 
 hero may not vote for you, as there will be a few very 
 warm Adams men who will not vote for me ; but these scat- 
 tering votes, if there should be such, will be lost in the gen- 
 eral result. Upon the whole I should be disappointed if 
 you should not, in this county, run fairly with the Federal 
 ticket, and it is the best and most popular ticket which has 
 for many years been presented to the party. 
 
 "The Federal candidate for the Assembly from the city 
 of Lancaster, Cyrus S. Jacobs, Esq., is the decided friend 
 of Mr. Adams, and there was no objection made to settling 
 him upon the ticket on that account. I need not tell you 
 that you shall have my fair support, and that I will do every- 
 thing in my power to prevent any Federalist from striking 
 you. if I should hear that such is the intention of any. 
 
 "By the by, some weeks ago, there were one or two Fed- 
 eral gentlemen from Salisbury township in Chester 
 county. They returned under an impression that your 
 friends there would oppose my election. They received this 
 impression from some intimations of the kind which they 
 heard from persons in West Chester. I will not mention 
 the names of the persons, because it could do no good. 1 
 feel satisfied that I have prevented any injury which might 
 have been occasioned by such a report in that township. 
 The name of one gentleman in West Chester was men- 
 tioned to me as an enemy to my election, but I did not 
 believe it, and therefore will not repeat his name even to 
 you. 
 
 "I have imt abandoned the hope of paying you a visit in 
 the course of the present or next month. T wish to make 
 an excursion to the State of Delaware, and if I should, I 
 will pass through West Chester, and return by Chester and 
 Col. Wayne's. 
 
 "Tf you should hear an) report that the Federalists in 
 any portion of this county intend to strike you. write to me 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 85 
 
 without reserve, and I will immediately inquire into the 
 truth of it, and if there should be any foundation for it 1 
 shall endeavor to prevent it. 
 
 "From your friend, 
 
 "James Buchanan." 
 
 Mr. Miner's two terms, closed by his own decision not to 
 run again, pleasantly coincided with the administration of 
 his friend (as he speedily became) John Quincy Adams — 
 the four years that constituted the only gleam of light, in 
 the Federalist- Whig view, in the four decades of national 
 darkness that began with Jefferson and ended with Van 
 Buren. Intimate letters from President Adams will later 
 be given ; and it is interesting to note that the next Whig 
 president, with the exception of the speedily dying 
 Harrison, fully agreed with Adams in his estimate of Mr. 
 Miner; he was, said John Tyler in 1850, the ablest man he 
 had met with from Pennsylvania. 
 
 In 1825, when Mr. Miner took his seat, Asher came to 
 West Chester, and, the old-time partnership being resumed, 
 the Village Record, during the four years of the junior part- 
 ner's absence in Washington, was "edited and published by 
 A. & C. Miner." 
 
 Mr. Miner's first motions and speeches in the House of 
 Representatives were as they had been in the State Legisla- 
 ture, of a practical nature : 
 
 1. Regarding the domestication of the mulberry tree as 
 permitting silk-culture in the United States. 
 
 2. Regarding national aid in the construction of the Del- 
 aware breakwater. 
 
 As to the first of these measures it must be recalled that 
 Mr. Miner* at one time imported mulberry trees and silk- 
 worms and had them on his West Chester farm, where their 
 uncertain care was something of a trial to the willing but in- 
 experienced Mrs. Miner. The children gathered the leaves 
 
 *See letters Jannarv 14, 1826. January 27. 1P-27. and February 11, 
 1828. 
 
86 Ml VRLES MINER, 
 
 to feed the worms, and Mrs. Thomas said they could hear 
 the little nibbling sound as the worms ate. An appreciative 
 letter from David Trimble, Trimble's Furnace, Ky., says: 
 i March 3d, 1828) : "I beg leave to present my best respects 
 to you, and to ask the favor of one copy of the printed 
 Report — including all the Documents — upon the Subject of 
 Silk, Worms, etc. The request is made of you in particular, 
 because I wish to have a Copy — as a sort of keepsake — from 
 the member who made the first movement on the subject, 
 and who is likely to acquire some fame by his foresight in 
 the matter." As far back as 1732 the Colonial trustees 
 granted lands to Georgia settlers on condition that they 
 plant mulberry trees, and raise silk worms. About this 
 <aine time South Carolina, and by 1762, at least, Connecti- 
 cut, was experimenting with silk culture, and for a time 
 these efforts were active in different parts of the country. 
 In his brochure on "The Silk Industry in America." in a 
 chapter entitled "Workers in Silk Culture from 1825," Dr. 
 L. P. Brockett makes no mention of Mr. Miner, but says: 
 'Many men of honorable and patriotic characters, who 
 honestly believed that by some of the measures proposed, the 
 culture and production of silk might become a national in- 
 dustry * * * demonstrated their faith by their works. 
 \.mong these the Hon. Peter S. Duponceau deserve- 
 perhaps the first place * * * by dint of his personal influ- 
 ence and at great cost of time and labor Mr. Duponceau 
 brought the matter before Congress at several successive 
 sessions." 
 
 But in an article on "Silk*' in the American Quarterly 
 Review, in December, 1831. it is said: "About the year 
 [790, Mr. Aspinwall made some effort to introduce silk- 
 culture into the States of New York, Xew Jersey and Penn- 
 sylvania. The period which Mr. Aspinwall chose for intro- 
 ducing the silk culture among us was not well chosen. Com- 
 merce in the North, and culture of cotton in the South en- 
 grossed the whole attention of our citizens. Xo more was 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 87 
 
 heard of silk in this country until about the year 1825. 
 The cotton trade was declining, silk had everywhere taken 
 the place of muslins. The attention of the people of the 
 United States was once more drawn toward the silk culture 
 as the best and most effectual means of advancing at the 
 same time, our agriculture, our manufactures, and our 
 commerce, and thus shaking off our too great dependence 
 on the manufacturing nations of Europe. On the 29th of 
 December, 1825, on the motion of Mr. Miner, a member 
 from Pennsylvania, it was resolved by the House of Repre- 
 sentatives of the United States, 'that the Committee on 
 Agriculture be instructed to inquire whether the culture of 
 the mulberry tree and the breeding of silkworms, for the 
 purpose of producing silk, be a subject worthy of legislative 
 attention, and should they think it to be so, whether any- 
 legislative provision were necessary or proper to promote 
 the production of silk.' ' On the 2nd of May the committee 
 made an elaborate report in which they proceeded to prove 
 not only the expediency, but the indispensable necessity of 
 encouraging that culture "principally for the reasons of 
 the enormous amount of our annual importation of silk 
 goods, compared with our exports of bread stuffs." The 
 committee called for information, and Secretary Rush, who 
 was much interested in the matter, addressed circular letters 
 to all interested. On the basis of this investigation a man- 
 ual was prepared and presented to the House on February 
 11, 1828, of which 6,000 were ordered printed. So that 
 it would seem that Mr. Miner was the one to revive interest 
 in silk-culture after a lapse of thirty-five years, by bring- 
 ing it before the House. President Adams speaks several 
 times in his Memoirs of his interest in trying to raise silk- 
 worms in the White House gardens. 
 
 In supporting the second of these measures Mr. Miner 
 put himself on the federal ground now occupied by all 
 parties, and especially by the newer socialistic propagandas, 
 but then avoided by the "strict constructionists." "Your 
 
88 I HARLES MINER. 
 
 imercial cities,'* said he. "belong to the nation, not f .o 
 the States where they are located ; and it is for the general 
 interest that they should be guarded and protected." The 
 bill was at first rejected, then adopted, not without dissent- 
 ing votes, but without a division : and Mr. Miner, with 
 three members from Philadelphia, was the recipient of a 
 vote of thanks from the Philadelphia Chamber of Com- 
 merce. 
 
 December 27, 1827, he spoke on the subject of Revolu- 
 tionary land-warrants, pleading for means of giving old 
 soldiers a knowledge of their claims, and the power to guard 
 them against shyster speculators. 
 
 On February 25, 1828. he delivered in the House another 
 clear and cogent speech in favor of the constitutional power 
 of Congress to make internal improvements, especially in 
 the case of canals.* The Georgia legislature had just voted 
 that the General Government had no right to exercise any 
 power to encourage domestic manufactures or to promote 
 internal improvement ; South Carolina, as usual, had done 
 the same thing: and the governor of Virginia, in submitting 
 to his own legislature the resolutions of the two States, 
 had squarely suggested secession, saying that, "in the worst 
 state of things * * * the oppressed sections of country afford 
 abundant means to the local authorities to secure to them- 
 selves, in their intercourse with the world, all the salutary 
 independence of nations; to protect themselves, without the 
 least hazard, against physical force from every quarter." 
 
 Defending his argument by citations from the reports 
 of the Constitutional Convention, the "Federalist," and 
 other authorities, Mr. Miner asserted his own belief that 
 *'ln peace or war, for commerce and defence, the means of 
 
 *He had already received from the city of New York the gold 
 medal struck in honor of the arrival, in 1825, of the "Seneca Chief," 
 the first canal-boat from Lake Erie, "and," says Mr. Harvey, Lodge 
 No. 61, "Mr. Clay, recognizing at once the abilities and usefulness 
 of the member from Pennsylvania * * * looked to him, more 
 than to any other member of the House, to carry out his views upon 
 the ts of improvement, the tariff, and a United States bank." 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 8q 
 
 rapid transportation are indispensable. The power of regu- 
 lating, exclusively, external and internal commerce would 
 seem to carry with it the means of facilitating the trans- 
 portation of foreign and domestic produce, which is the 
 very life of commerce. All commercial nations have con- 
 sidered the power important to commerce, and have exer- 
 cised it. * * * The right to make internal improvements 
 would, therefore, seem naturally to flow from the duty of 
 regulating external and internal commerce. But the duty 
 of the common defence, the power of making war, carries 
 with it, by irresistible necessity, the power of facilitating 
 the means of transportation and rapid movements. * * * 
 \nd can it be conceived, sir. that this government had the 
 power to add an empire to the republic, and that it has 
 not the right to make a road to that empire ?" 
 
 The speaker did not live to hear the clamors of some 
 parts of the South, after the Civil War, for "the old flag 
 and an appropriation," in Petroleum V. Nasby's phrase ; 
 nor did he dream, with all his prophetic foresight, that he 
 was anticipating the Interstate Commerce Commission or 
 the fortified Panama canal of our own day. But in 1859, 
 within six years of his death, he picked up this speech, 
 re-read it, and wrote on the cover : "The argument is un- 
 answerable." 
 
 During his term of office he took part in many other 
 debates : on the tariff, the Panama Congress, the Marigny 
 D'auterive case : on a proposed amendment to the constitu- 
 tion, etc. When a bill for pensioning Revolutionary sol- 
 diers was introduced into the House [February 24, 1829], 
 he is recorded as enquiring "zvith some anxiety as to the 
 probable amount which the bill would withdraw from the 
 treasury, and its effect in retarding the discharge of the 
 public debt." He was a useful worker on committees, in- 
 cluding the one on re-furnishing the White House referred 
 to in the account of his trip to Washington twenty years 
 earlier ; but far more important than anything else done in 
 
OX) ( HARLES MINER, 
 
 igress, was his brave, serious and continued effort to 
 mitigate the evils attending the sale of slaves in the Dis- 
 trict of Columbia, and ultimately to abolish slavery therein. 
 That he intended to make this his first work is shown by a 
 letter from his wife congratulating him on his resolutions in 
 favor of sending a delegate to the Panama Congress* called 
 by the new Republics of South America. 
 
 "West Chester, February 2, 1826. 
 
 "So the President was pleased to compliment you on you r 
 [Panama] speech. It was very appropriate, well-timed. 
 The administration is pleased with it and so am I. I was 
 afraid you should meddle with the subject of slavery; I 
 thought it a dangerous one, but did not wish to discourage 
 you, so 1 said nothing about it in my reply to your letter 
 in which you mentioned your intention of noticing it." 
 
 Indeed that the Southerners, always on the alert, found 
 in this whole subject and in Mr. Miner's Declaration of 
 Independence expressions "rights of man/' ''free and 
 equal," etc., in his speech a covert allusion to slavery, is 
 evidenced by a reply by Mr. Floyd of Virginia, January 
 31, 1826: "Is this Congress [Panama] to tell * * * all of 
 us from the Southern States, that 'all men are free and 
 equal' * * and if you join us to command the emperor 
 of Brazil to descend from his throne we shall then turn 
 round to you, and say to the United States, 'Every man is 
 free, and if you refuse to make them so we will bring seven 
 Republics in full march to make them so?'" "Will any 
 man pretend such a state of things could exist here?" After 
 Mr. Floyd's impassioned speech Mr. Webster rose and said 
 "he hoped the House would discuss this subject in a man- 
 ner which became the subject." 
 
 In particular fearing the possibility of having to meet a 
 delegate from Hayti on an equality, at this congress, and 
 in general having learned through the struggle over the 
 admission of Missouri, the need of an opportunity to 
 
 ♦See letter January 26, 1826. 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 91 
 
 spread their pro-slavery views, the slave-holders used and 
 extended this Panama discussion for their own purposes. 
 "The slave-holders had registered their claims. This gave 
 a permanent meaning to the otherwise absolutely fruitless 
 and aimless struggle over the Panama Mission." (Von 
 Hoist, Vol. I, P. 433). Mr. Webster supported the presi- 
 dent in this matter, and, says Edward Everett, in his 
 Memoir of Daniel Webster, p. 76 : "The speech on the 
 Panama question was the most considerable effort made by 
 Mr. Webster in the nineteenth congress." 
 
 But it was not until the 13th of May, 1826, that Mr. 
 Miner felt his knowledge of the situation to be full enough to 
 permit him to offer a series of resolutions in favor of doing 
 away at once with the slave trade and the gradual aboli- 
 tion of slavery in the District of Columbia. The House 
 Debates are silent on this subject, as is the National Jour- 
 nal in its report of the day's proceedings, but on the 15th it 
 has an editorial note saying that Mr. Miner offered reso- 
 lutions in favor of changing the population of the district 
 in order that a higher white class might come in, and that, 
 though the resolutions were denied at this time, it hoped 
 Mr. Miner would bring the matter before the House later. 
 The National Gazette of Philadelphia of May 16, 1826, ex- 
 plained that this "gradual change of population" was to 
 be brought about by the gradual abolition of slavery in the 
 District, and a few days later the same paper printed the 
 text of the resolutions in full. 
 
 As these resolutions are important in Mr. Miner's life 
 history as well as in that of the movement and are difficult of 
 access to the general reader (Journal of the House, 19th 
 Congress, 1st Session, 1825 — 6, p. 559), and are ignored by 
 all but one historian, the text is given entire from the 
 National Gazette, Philadelphia, Thursday, May 18th, 1826. 
 This source is chosen because of correlative matter in the 
 same issue. 
 
92 I HARLES MINER, 
 
 "The following are the resolutions of Mr. Miner respect- 
 ing the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, 
 which were mentioned on Tuesday in this gazette : 
 
 "Resolved, As the opinion of this House, that it is 
 worthy of inquiry, whether the agricultural, commercial. 
 and manufacturing interests of the District of Columbia 
 would not be promoted by the substitution of a free white 
 population, in the place of that portion of a different de- 
 scription now existing therein, in as much as it would lead 
 to the purchase and cultivation of the waste lands, con- 
 verting barren fields into fruitful gardens, promote enter- 
 prise, and useful improvements, and greatly enhance the 
 value of property in and near the seat of the General Gov- 
 ernment. 
 
 "Resolved, That, considering the number of valuable 
 lives, and the great interests, concentrated in this District, 
 it is worth\ the distinct consideration of Patriots and 
 Statesmen, whether those lives and interests ought not to be 
 surrounded by a free white population, interested in the 
 Government, connecting society throughout all its ramifica- 
 tions, and binding it by the sympathies of a common inter- 
 est ; substituting, for the present sub-stratum of society, 
 a band of freemen, an efficient and patriotic militia, the will- 
 ing, prompt and able defenders of their Government and 
 country, doing away with the necessity of having here a 
 standing military force, so dangerous to liberty, and which 
 must, otherwise, be increased with the increasing evil. 
 
 "Resolved, That it is worthy of inquiry, whether the 
 domestic slave-trade, as concentrated and carried on from 
 this District, not growing out of property owned within 
 the District, or connected with the interests of person •= 
 here on public service, (the public prisons and persons em- 
 ployed therein, being extensively occupied in such traffic) 
 be not an evil which requires legislative interposition to 
 remedy. 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 93 
 
 "Resolved, That the District of Columbia being placed 
 under the exclusive legislation of the Congress of the 
 United States, ought to exhibit to the nation and to the 
 world, the purest specimen of government, vindicating the 
 superior excellence of free institutions — that, as we arc- 
 here establishing a city intended as a perpetual capital of a 
 great republic, it is due to ourselves and to posterity, that 
 the foundations thereof be laid in wisdom, and that no 
 fundamental evils in the structure of its policy be permitted 
 to take root, which might become inveterate, by time, but 
 which a prudent and timely policy may eradicate. 
 
 "Be it therefore Resolved, That the committee on the 
 District of Columbia do take the subjects herein referred 
 to, into consideration, and, if they shall, after full inquiry, 
 be of opinion that the public interests would be promoted 
 thereby, report a bill for the gradual abolition of slavery 
 in the District of Columbia, and such restrictions upon the 
 slave-trade therein as shall be just and proper." 
 
 In the same issue of the National Gazette a letter is quoted 
 from a gentleman who was in the House when these resolu- 
 tions were offered, telling a friend in Philadelphia about 
 them. Their reading, he said, caused great excitement; Mr. 
 Miner did not ask to have them considered then, but on 
 another day when he would be able to give statements that 
 would induce the House to unite with him in opinion — he 
 hoped unanimously ; it had been his intention to bring this 
 up earlier, but he had been busy collecting facts to sustain 
 his proposition. "'Many Southern gentlemen seeming much 
 excited it was thought impolitic to bring on the discussion 
 * * * and the object of bringing this very delicate, but most 
 important subject distinctly before the House and the 
 Nation having been effected the House refused to consider 
 the resolutions." "Negatived by an apparently large ma- 
 jority," says Niles Register, May 20, 1826. 
 
 The House adjourned on the 22nd of May, 1826, and 
 needless to say "another day" was not given to Mr. Miner, 
 
94 ' SABLES MINER, 
 
 hut the subject having heen brought "distinctly he fore the 
 House, and the Nation," it was considered so important a 
 step in the history of the anti-slavery movement as to call 
 forth, before the beginning of the next session, a resolution 
 of thanks from the old "New York Society for Promoting 
 the Manumission of Slaves," the substance of which was as 
 follows : 
 
 "Resolved, That the thanks of the Society be given to 
 the Hon. Charles Miner, a member of Congress from Penn- 
 sylvania for the resolution brought forward by him at the 
 last session of that body, proposing the abolition of slavery 
 in the District of Columbia, and for the determination ex- 
 pressed by him to renew the application for this purpose at 
 the approaching session; and this Society will be much 
 gratified to hear that such application is renewed at the 
 earliest proper opportunity. 
 
 "In performing the duty assigned them, the committee 
 would improve the opportunity afforded to express their 
 most fervent hope that the measure you stand pledged to 
 the nation to bring forward will be prosecuted with an earn- 
 estness of zeal commensurate with its importance. * * * 
 
 "If there be a spot of earth which more than any other on 
 this globe should be regarded as the consecrated ground of 
 freedom, it is the District of Columbia ; and the existence 
 of slavery there, by the permission of our republican con- 
 gress, presents an inconsistency too gross for palliation ; and 
 rest assured, sir, that the man by whose instrumentality the 
 stain of this inconsistency shall be removed, shall, besides 
 the high satisfaction arising from the consciousness of 
 having discharged a most important duty, receive the thanks 
 of his country, and live long in the remembrance of grate- 
 ful posterity." 
 
 This tribute was signed by Hiram Ketchum. Thomas 
 Hale, William L. Stone, Ira Clizbe, and Goold Brown. 
 
 From the very beginning Congress had been besieged 
 with memorials and petitions, the efforts of the Quakers 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 95 
 
 being especially earnest in this line. The extinction of the 
 foreign slave-trade, the domestic slave-trade ; the abolition 
 of slavery; the betterment of the condition of slaves, etc., 
 found their way into the discussions of the House. Even 
 John Randolph of Roanoke, as far back as 1816, had moved 
 to appoint a committee "to inquire into the existence of a 
 inhuman traffic in slaves carried on in and through the 
 District of Columbia; and report whether any, and what, 
 measures are necessary for the putting a stop to the same." 
 Such a committee was duly appointed, with Randolph him- 
 self as chairman ; and a subsequent report set forth some 
 facts in the case, but recommended no measure for the sup- 
 pression, or even the regulation, of the traffic, so the matter 
 dropped. Slavery had been hotly denounced on the floor, 
 as when, for a single example, Tallmadge of New York, in 
 1 819, called it a "monstrous scourge of the human race,"' 
 in the exciting debates leading to the Missouri Compromise ; 
 but with all this it would seem that only once before had a 
 resolution favoring the abolition of slavery, per se, been 
 offered to the House. It would be a bold person who 
 would state definitely that this is the case, but a diligent 
 search back to the first Constitutional Congress has found 
 only one earlier series of resolutions offered on the floor of 
 the House in favor of the abolition of slavery. On Feb- 
 ruary 5, 1820, Mr. Meigs, of New York, submitted resolu- 
 tions asking that a committee be appointed to consider set- 
 ting aside public lands as a fund, ist, for a naval force to 
 annihilate the slave-trade ; 2nd, the emancipation of slaves in 
 the United States ; 3rd, colonization of Negroes. It will 
 be seen that this went farther in suggesting unlimited aboli- 
 tion, but Mr. Miner felt that to be impossible and thought 
 that if it could be abolished in the District a lever would 
 be furnished with which to accomplish the rest. Mr. Meigs' 
 Resolutions died at their birth, but Mr. Miner followed his 
 more and more trenchantly to the end of his terms, (p. 188. ) 
 In his Memoir, Vol. 4, p. 518. under date February 5. 
 
96 ' HARLES Ml NEK. 
 
 1820, Mr. Adams say- : "Walking to my office, Mr. Henry 
 Meigs, member of the House from New York, told me that 
 he had offered this morning several resolutions, with a vievv 
 to appropriate the proceeds of the public lands to the eman- 
 cipation of the slaves throughout the union. This, I sup- 
 e, is to serve him as an apology to his constituents for 
 voting against the restriction." 
 [In the Missouri debate.] 
 
 The second session of the 19th Congress convened De- 
 cember 4, 1826, and doubtless much encouraged by the ap- 
 proval of his earlier resolutions Mr. Miner seized the first 
 opportunity to speak again on the subject. To his wife he 
 wrote December 27, 1826. 
 
 '"Where have you been to-night. Master Charles? You 
 shall hear. It is now half-past 9; I have been to Mr. Clay's. 
 I did not intend to go, but Mr. Williams came in and per- 
 suaded me. The night before I was at Gen. Jessup's ; but 
 did not stay long, for I had pressing business at home, a 
 debate coming on to-day in which I felt a lively interest. 
 It regarded the poor blacks in the District. Col. Ward had 
 introduced the proposition, and he came and asked me to 
 aid in its passage. The House was in the highest possible 
 state of excitement. After some effort I got the floor. 
 Fortunately 1 was cool — self-possessed — spoke sad things to 
 hear, yet in the mildest and most persuasive manner I pos- 
 sibly could. The House listened with all the attention I 
 could wish till I had got nearly through. I wandered a 
 little on purpose ; there were some things I wished to intro- 
 duce, and I took the opportunity to do so, on the subject 
 of the enormities of the slave-trade, etc., in the District. 
 When I had gol nearly to the end Mr. Brent called me to 
 order, not angrily. I do think, pardon me for saying so. 
 that from my mild, conciliatory tone and manner, though 1 
 ^aid most unpleasant things, yet the feelings of irritation 
 were soothed. You will see the report in the papers. Mr. 
 Reed of Massachusetts took me by the hand and thanked 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 97 
 
 me. Mr. Wright of Ohio told me he was sorry Mr. Brent 
 interrupted me, etc. The feeling was certainly favoraMr. 
 'So much for so much' as my good father used to say." 
 
 In the course of Mr. Ward's long speech inquiring if 
 there was any law authorizing the imprisoning and selling 
 free men of color, Mr. Miner introduced this, his second 
 annual resolution looking toward the gradual abolition of 
 slavery in the District of Columbia. The resolution was 
 objected to by the speaker and withdrawn by Mr. Miner but 
 later in the day he spoke on the subject, saying: "He rose, 
 especially to reply to a remark by several gentlemen, seem- 
 ing to imply that this matter ought not to be discussed be- 
 cause it created so much excitement and irritation. Such 
 certainly was the case, and he regretted that it was so. The 
 whole interests of the District are confined to our juris- 
 diction. No power but that of the General Government 
 could operate here. Slaver)' existed within the District and 
 the subject must be regulated by Congress. It was not only 
 our right but our duty. It was impossible to do this intelli- 
 gently without inquiry and free discussion. This was felt 
 to be a subject of delicacy; no one felt it more sensibly 
 than himself. It is always painful to excite unpleasant 
 feelings ; such was never his wish ; and it was a matter of 
 regret with him when, in the performance of duty, such was 
 ever the consequence. In his opinion every subject that it 
 was our duty to regulate and legislate upon, ought to be 
 considered proper to be introduced here and freely dis- 
 cussed, without exciting pain or passion. It was in fact 
 the case, that owing to the painful excitement growing out 
 of any motion on the subject here, it had been utterly ne- 
 glected. Gentlemen from neither section of the union like 
 to take any step in relation to it. The consequence was there 
 had been no amelioration of the laws growing out of the 
 system of slavery here, for the thirty years the District 
 had been under the jurisdiction of the General Government. 
 Tn other States improvements had been made : their codes 
 
98 I ilARLES MINER, 
 
 had been ameliorated ; here, from the cause alluded to, they 
 had been entirely neglected." He then went on to state sad 
 facts, and added. "All would go to show that the whole 
 subject of slavery within the District needed our interfer- 
 ence, and ought to be discussed with freedom and good 
 temper." To which it was replied that ii was a "delicate 
 subject" " well calculated to produce excitement and alarm 
 in the slave-holding states." [Summary in Congressional 
 Debates, 1826-27, p. 563.] 
 
 These speeches of Mr. Ward and Mr. Miner had the 
 effect of leading the committee to introduce a bill, on Jan- 
 uary 11. 1827, to repeal the objectionable laws. The House 
 however, refused the bill. 
 
 On Xew Year's day of 1828 Mr. Miner wrote to his 
 friend. Jacob Cist, in Wilkes-Barre, who. in addition *o 
 many otber gifts was an artist of no mean ability: 
 
 "I am employed in gathering information respecting 
 slavery and the slave-trade in this District. It has increased 
 more than any other business since you were here, and is 
 now carried on at wholesale. Besides hundreds in the 
 prisons, brought in and confined here for sale, there are 
 houses kept for their reception, where pens are made and 
 the southern traders hold their headquarters. Are there any 
 facts in your knowledge that would apply to the subject? 
 or can you give me information or advice where to apply 
 or bow to proceed? It is so long since you were here I can- 
 not hope for much, but should like to know whether it 
 prevailed when you were here. I have also to beg the favor 
 "i you to give me a sketch for engraving of a gang of four- 
 teen negroes, men chiefly, one or two women, hand-cuffed, 
 and chained together as they iron them here to send them 
 off. An ox-chain runs from front to rear in the centre ; then 
 the poor wretches are hand-cuffed, right and left hand, to 
 this chain in pairs. Perhaps fourteen figures would be too 
 many to task you to sketch. I wish also, if you can (how 
 much labor is it?' no matter, it is in a holy caused. 1 wish. 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 99 
 
 you would sketch a mother forced from her children — 
 turning, wringing her hands, and in despair exclaiming: 
 'Oh! my children! my children!' 1 mean to bring the mat- 
 ter before Congress, and I wish to be armed at all points for 
 offence and defence." It is not known whether or not 
 these drawings were made, but on March 24, 1828, he pre- 
 sented the "memorial" he was then preparing, which is 
 printed in full, "House Document 215," in the "Executive 
 Documents." 
 
 This "Memorial of the Inhabitants of the District of 
 Columbia, praying for the gradual abolition of Slavery in 
 the District of Columbia," was far-reaching in its scope. 
 Pointing out the inconsistency between the laws making 
 the foreign slave-trade piracy, punishable with death, and 
 the District laxity which permitted a possibly free negro 
 to be seized, imprisoned, and auctioned off for life for non- 
 payment of jail fees, the memorial went on to attack the 
 institution of slavery itself, as having "an evident tendency 
 to corrupt the morals of the people, and to damp the spirit 
 of enterprise by accustoming the rising generation to look 
 with contempt upon honest labor, and to depend, for sup- 
 port, too much upon the labor of others." It accordingly 
 proposed laws "to prevent slaves from being removed into 
 this District, or brought in for sale, hire, or transportation ; 
 without, however, preventing members of Congress, resi- 
 dent strangers, or travellers from bringing and taking away 
 with them their domestic servants;" the repeal of laws 
 authorizing the selling of supposed runaways for their prison 
 fees or maintenance: and a system of gradual emancipa- 
 tion whereby "all children of slaves born in the District of 
 Columbia after the fourth day of July, eighteen hundred 
 and twenty-eight, shall be free at the age of twenty-five 
 years." Slavery had been or was gradually being abolished 
 in the Northern States. Many States had done much for 
 the betterment of their slaves ; his own State with its oldest 
 society for abolition in the country, was behind him in this 
 
IOO I HARLES MINER, 
 
 special effort ; many petitions from various sources had been 
 sent to Congress, and he had been the medium through 
 which some had been presented ; but the present petition — 
 one of the signers being Chief Justice Cranch of the Dis- 
 trict, father of the poet — was especially important being 
 "sustained by sixteen slave-holders in the District and more 
 than one thousand property-holders in the District." Be- 
 sides this petition was his own : the work of his own brain, 
 hand and heart, and the hard work he put on it, gathering 
 facts and securing signatures, caused it to stand out particu- 
 larly in his later memory. A little before the presentation of 
 this petition a constituent in West Chester wrote urging 
 him to be more cautious : "You must be a Colonization man 
 and vou must not push that Abolition of slavery in the 
 District too hard — the rusty old gun will kick most con- 
 foundedly — this is not the time — wait a little — let us get 
 more friends in the South and West — and let us deserve 
 their friendship and confidence by a cordial co-operation in 
 their Colonization plan." But letters like this did not dis- 
 courage him in the least. 
 
 His final effort, into which he threw himself with all his 
 powers, was the introduction on January 6, 1829. of his 
 preamble and resolution, directing the committee on the 
 District to inquire into the slave-trade in the District, and 
 closing : "That the committee be further instructed to in- 
 quire into the expediency of providing by law for the grad- 
 ual abolition of slavery within the District, in such manner 
 that the interests of no individual shall be injured thereby." 
 In offering it he represented not only his own opinion but 
 that of bis State; for the Pennsylvania Houseof Representa- 
 tives had, at its previous session, almost unanimously ex- 
 pressed its opinion that slavery in the District ought to be 
 abolished, "in such manner as they [Congress] may consider 
 consistent with the rights of individuals and the Constitu- 
 tion of the United States." As was his wont he prepared 
 himself with the greatest care for this speech. Tt was his 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. IOI 
 
 custom all through his residence in Washington to visit the 
 prisons and the auction sales ; to know all that could be 
 known of the private "dens" where kidnapped free negroes 
 were packed as closely as possible ; to learn all he could 
 by private conversation with keepers ; and in every way to 
 be sure, especially when approaching a speech, that his in- 
 formation was full and accurate. On the 7th of January, 
 the day after the introduction of the resolutions, he sup- 
 ported them by his speech. Naturally the atrocities cited 
 and the arguments offered were largely the same as in 
 previous speeches. Having set forth the constitutional right 
 (and duty) of Congress to correct abuses in the District; 
 — "If evils exist we alone can remedy them. If injustice 
 and oppression prevail we alone are responsible" — he went 
 on to marshal his army of facts. He had papers furnished 
 him by keepers of jails showing the hundreds of negroes 
 who were yearly imprisoned on the plea of debt, or for no 
 cause ; he drew the distressing pictures that later became so 
 familiar of negroes ruined for life by the dampness, black- 
 ness and vermin of their cells ; of the separations of fam- 
 ilies, the chain-gangs, etc. 
 
 He suggested what must be the feelings of a foreigner 
 who should come with "anxious pleasure" to the "ten miles 
 square, where the united wisdom and unrestricted power of 
 the nation operate. * * * And what objects are presented to his 
 view? At one market he meets a crowd, and as he passes 
 near, behold it is a constable exhibiting a woman for sale 
 subjected to the scoff's and jeers of the unfeeling! He is 
 selling her for a petty debt, under the authority of the sanc- 
 tion of Congress ! Well may he exclaim 'The age of chivalry 
 is gone forever'! To remove the painful impression, he 
 takes up a newspaper and reads : 'Cash in the market and 
 the highest price for men and women.' He walks abroad, 
 sees a gang of slaves hand-cuffed together, a long chain 
 running between them connecting the whole : miserable 
 objects of horror and despair, marching off under the com- 
 
I HARLES MIXER, 
 
 mand of the slave-traders." While the States from which 
 the District had been set apart had been bettering the condi- 
 tion of their slaves Congress had failed to keep pace with 
 them : "This District ought to be the best governed in the 
 Universe. It is absolutely the worst." He urged that 
 "nothing can contribute more to the insecurity of propertv. 
 than instances of cruelty, shocking to the moral sense pub- 
 licly exhibited ; that the South are therefore interested to 
 put a stop to the slave-trade here." He charged that "offi- 
 cers of the Federal Government had been employed and 
 had derived profit from carrying on this trade," and so on 
 through the whole sad gamut. Then, as in the earlier 
 speeches, in the hope of avoiding rupture, he went on to 
 propose indemnity: "1 would not," said he, "be rash; I 
 would propose no sudden disruption of existing interests; 
 I am no friend to sudden revolutions ; what I would pro- 
 pose would be that measures should be advanced to effect 
 the abolition of slavery here gradually. The slave-trade, 
 and the public sale of men and women, I would instantly 
 interdict. Provision ought to be made that no person should 
 be injured in his interests to the least amount. Should 
 any such case occur, ample indemnity should be given. Ten 
 years is much in a man's life, yet it is a brief space in the 
 life of a city. The change ought to be so gradual that it 
 should only be felt and known by the blessings and pros- 
 perity it would shed abroad over the whole District. By a 
 law that should protect the District from being overrun by 
 free negroes, which should exclude the further introduction 
 of slaves to reside here permanently, and which should 
 provide that persons born after a certain period to be fixed 
 upon, should be free, with other salutary regulations, this 
 ■ K^raded caste would gradually disappear, like darkness 
 before the opening day." 
 
 The principal reply to Mr. Miner was made by Mr. 
 Weems, of Maryland, who, like his predecessor in the de- 
 bate, was serving his last term as representative. It relied 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. IO3 
 
 largely upon the "Cursed be Canaan" argument ; and as- 
 serted that legislation on moral subjects tended to set up 
 "the edicts of an ecclesiastical hierarchy." He stated that 
 every master loved good slaves, but called the men of color 
 on sale in Washington at once "worse than wild beasts" and 
 "the most sprightly fellows." His neatest hit was "an awful 
 inquiry, to be found in the sacred volume of truth * * * 
 'who art thou, oh, vain man, that condemneth another man's 
 servant ; before his own master he standeth or falleth.' ' 
 Mr. Miner having accepted an amendment with the modi- 
 fied expression "it is alleged that," etc. the preamble was 
 nevertheless rejected (January 9), yeas $7, nays 141; but 
 the resolution directing inquiry into the slave-trade was 
 adopted, 120 to 59; and that regarding the expediency of 
 gradual abolition was also adopted, 114 to 66. Notwith- 
 standing this two-to-one vote, the slave-holding speaker, 
 Stevenson, says Henry Wilson, in his "Rise and Fall of the 
 Slave Power in America," "so constituted the committee 
 that no further action was taken on the subject." Wilson 
 characterizes the speech as "earnest and effective ;" but fam- 
 ily tradition, often voiced by his daughter, Mrs. Thomas, 
 gives it greater praise from a higher source, for she re- 
 membered that after the speech Daniel Webster, despite 
 his general views, put his arm over his shoulder and ex- 
 claimed: "Mr. Miner, you have lighted a torch that will 
 set fire to the whole country." Mrs. Thomas also remem- 
 bered that his family were very anxious for his personal 
 safety. Naturally he was delighted at his success, and im- 
 mediately scribbled a little letter to Mrs. Miner : "My reso- 
 lutions have occupied the chief part of the day. The reso- 
 lutions were both adopted by large majorities; the pre- 
 amble, as I expected, rejected. I am, so far as I can be, 
 away from you, the happiest dog in Christendom." To 
 a relative he wrote next day : "I have been so busy the 
 ten days past I have neglected everything but my slave 
 resolutions." 
 
104 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 On a stray Leaf that seems not to be from the Autobi- 
 ography Mr. Miner begins an account of the passing of 
 these resolutions, and their reception : "It should be ob- 
 served that Resolutions similar in purpose had been intro- 
 duced so early as 1825 [this must be a slip for 1826, for 
 none such can be found in 1825 J, and again at a later period 
 but aware of its importance I thought it decorous and 
 proper — just to the people of the District, indeed to the 
 whole country not to press the matter to a hasty decision. 
 The House acted on it after full deliberation, and as will 
 be seen, with the hearty acquiescence of those most inti- 
 mately concerned — the People of the District themselves. 
 This has been so entirely misrepresented by the slave- 
 traders, an active, fearless and influential class, * * * and 
 misunderstood by large numbers of truth-seeking citizens, 
 that a more full exposition of the matter is evidently de- 
 manded. * * * 
 
 "It will be noted that introduced on the 6th, they were not 
 finally disposed of till the 9th, allowing ample time for de- 
 liberation. The majorities were increased (I think) by ten 
 or twelve members from slave-holding states." Then follows 
 the only apparent bitterness in any record : 
 
 "But it is painful to add that the Hon. John Beli 
 though fully apprised (as the documents now adduced will 
 show) of the earnest wishes of the people of the District. 
 and of the deep enormity and cruelty, and shameful pub- 
 licity of the slave auction on Pennsylvania Avenue, and the 
 numerous [illegible] in different quarters, yet he recorded 
 his vote, each and every time, against the proposed meas- 
 ure. 
 
 "What seems irreconcileable with any idea of justice and 
 liberality is his vote against the first resolution to enquire 
 into the laws within the District in respect to slavery and 
 the slave-trade. 
 
 "The refusal even to permit an inquiry was the more 
 extraordinary, as the Grand Jury had presented the slave 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. IO5 
 
 trade as an insufferable nuisance. And more than a thou- 
 sand of the intelligent, opulent, business men (a majority 
 of them it is presumed slave-holders) had the preceding 
 year presented a petition expressing their wishes on the 
 subject, which was then before the House and Mr. Bell. 
 Its vast importance will more than counterbalance objec- 
 tion to its length. It shows the Popular Sovereignty opinion 
 of the inhabitants — it refutes the slander that the free 
 States interf erred against the wishes of the People. It 
 exhibits the recorded opinion — feelings and doctrines of the 
 Hon. John Bell." 
 
 Anti-slavery opinion outside of Washington promptly 
 recognized the service he had done ; thus William Rawle, 
 S. Dist. Col., wrote from Philadelphia, January 14, 1829: 
 
 "Permit me to express the great pleasure I feel at your 
 efforts in respect to the disgraceful continunace of slavery 
 in the District of Columbia having so far succeeded as to 
 go to a committee. It will, I hope, prove an entering wedge 
 on this important subject; and if nothing effectual should 
 be done during the present session it will be at least laying 
 a foundation which your successors will not, I hope, lose 
 sight of. I could have wished you to have received more 
 support from your colleagues, but the honor to yourself 
 is greater by standing so much alone." (See p. 184.) 
 
 At that time anti-slavery opinion in Philadelphia and 
 New York rather looked toward purchase, colonization, and 
 milder measures of removing the evil ; while in Massachu- 
 setts, Vermont, and Maryland just a little later, the young 
 Garrison was beginning to write newspaper articles advo- 
 cating speedier or more violent measures of emancipation. 
 In passing it may be said that the writer has read a private 
 letter by Mr. Garrison (years since but the memory is vivid) 
 speaking coolly of Mr. Miner and his hope of gradual eman- 
 cipation, as too moderate — as it naturally would seem to the 
 radical — but let it be remembered that in his first anti- 
 slavery address in Boston, July 4th, 1829, after all Mr. 
 
I06 < HARLES MINER, 
 
 Miner's work was done in the House. Mr. Garrison said 
 (Old South Leaflets p. yj : "The emancipation of all the 
 slaves of this generation is most assuredly out of the ques- 
 tion. The fabric, which now towers above the Alps, must 
 be taken away brick by brick, and foot by foot, till it is 
 reduced so low that it may be overturned without burying 
 the nation in its ruin. Years may elapse before the com- 
 pletion of the achievement ; generations of blacks may go 
 down to the grave," etc. 
 
 J i may be doubted, however, whether any reformer in 
 the twenties was doing more good, or spreading a wider 
 influence, than Charles Miner. Never a radical regarding 
 immediate measures, but never yielding in his general hos- 
 tility to slavery, he proceeded along those conservative but 
 finally irresistible lines which, thirty-three years later, were 
 followed by Abraham Lincoln, who it is well known, at the 
 end of the war. seriously contemplated that other plan of 
 Mr. Miner's which the radicals despised — remuneration. 
 "He [Lincoln] went on to say that he would be willing to 
 be taxed to remunerate the southern people for their slaves 
 * * * he should be in favor, individually, of the govern- 
 ment's paying a fair indemnity for loss of the owners." 
 Rhodes, History of the United States, Vol. 5, p. 71. 
 
 During his congressional career Mr. Miner sent to his 
 wife — who, as their financial circumstances were narrow. 
 remained with the children in West Chester — a series of 
 letters which give bits of the panorama of Washington life 
 through the period of one administration; glimpses of the 
 personal and social features of a capital which in some way- 
 was on a level with the best Luropean courts and in some 
 rather in the rough, notwithstanding the proper aristocracv 
 of President Adams, Daniel Webster, Henry Clay and 
 others, and also offer nearly the best picture of his own 
 happy, optimistic, loving nature, almost boyish in its enthus- 
 iasms and its naive vanity, and at the same time broad, far- 
 sighted and serious in its aims. Lxtracts from them may be 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. IO/ 
 
 given in chronological order, with such notes as will make 
 clear the puhlic allusions. 
 
 [December 6, 1825. J 
 
 "Mr. Webster came to me to-day to challenge me as a 
 New England man. 1 told him that my heart was all 
 Pennsylvania!! ; but yet I loved the place of my birth. Mr. 
 Everett does not look the least as I expected ; he sits with a 
 modest downcast eye, and you would not suppose he ever 
 spoke above his breath in his life." 
 
 [December 17, 1825.] 
 
 "I suppose the President was not displeased with my 
 frank, unceremonious, but awkward introduction, as he has 
 sent me one of the earliest invitations to visit him ; but I 
 suppose that was mere chance. He gives all the members 
 dinners ; it is a matter of mere ceremony without any heart 
 in it." In his Memoir, Vol. 7, p. 74, date December 8, 1825, 
 Mr. Adams says : 
 
 "I had a continual succession of visitors. 48 members 
 of the House and 4 Senators. Mr. Miner of Pennsylvania 
 came and introduced himself, but stayed not more than five 
 minutes." 
 
 [December 21, 1825.] 
 
 "According to invitation 1 dined [torn] with the Presi- 
 dent. I understand it is [torn] to be invited before the 
 Holy-days, so [torn] said he had refused to [torn] Mr. 
 Munroe because he was invited after them. * * * Mr. 
 Adams stood in a circle of gentlemen, met us, shook 
 hands and led us in to Mrs. Adams, who sat at the dot, 
 [Mr. Miner often accompanied his descriptions by plans or 
 pictures] nearest the fire; the other dots represent other 
 ladies, to whom there was no formal introduction. Mr. 
 Adams presently came up and chatted a few minutes. I 
 asked after his father, speaking of his faculties. I told 
 him I hoped he retained his hearing well ; he understood my 
 
108 CHARLES MINES, 
 
 allusion and [quoted fromj 'Tristram Shandy.' * * * Din- 
 ner was now announced. * * * Mr. Clay early caught my 
 eye and asked me to take wine with him; that seemed 1:0 
 be the fashion. Gen. Van Rensselaer did so, and so did 
 another. In my turn I challenged Mr. Cook, and after- 
 wards Mr. McDuffy. On each plate was a napkin, I need 
 not say of the finest and whitest, in which was wrapped up 
 a little loaf of bread. In the middle of the table, as you 
 see represented, was a — I know not its name — like a large 
 tea-tray, or waiter ; it must be fourteen feet long, of bronze, 
 the bottom of silver, bright as possible, highly wrought 
 and beautifully ornamented. At intervals of every two 
 feet rose on the verge a female figure about eight inches 
 in height, of line attitude and proportion, holding in each 
 hand a candle, which made twenty-eight candles around the 
 edge. In the inside were four groups of figures, a foot 
 in height, of elegant forms, attitudes and proportions, and 
 a fifth in the centre. * * * Each hoop held on the heads 
 a basket of artificial flowers (I can't draw). The centre 
 was a large golden vase, held up by dancing Bacchants filled 
 with wine and grapes and flowers. It was very classical, 
 and the most splendid thing I ever saw. It belongs to us 
 the people, and must have cost many thousand dollars.'" 
 
 [This elaborate structure has come down to our own day. 
 In response to a query as to its survival, Mrs. William H. 
 Taft kindly wrote to Mrs. Richardson, May 16, 1913: 
 
 "When 1 was in the White House I used for state dinners 
 a decoration which has come down from Monroe's time. He 
 got it in Paris, and there is a full account of it in the "His- 
 tory of the White House" in two volumes. It has gone out 
 of print now. That, 1 think, was the decoration that your 
 grandfather spoke about. * * * The decoration is twelve 
 or fourteen feet long. The candlesticks, four, with 
 brandies for twelve candles, and fruit dishes with figures on 
 them, make a fine addition to the set; and probably in your 
 grandfather's time they used the candlesticks round the 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. ICK) 
 
 edge. True, it is gold now, but perhaps it was formerly 
 bronze and silver. At any rate, Monroe got it for the 
 White House, and it was undoubtedly that decoration. Mrs. 
 Draper, who lives in Washington, has the same decoration, 
 which her father, General Preston, left her. He was min- 
 ister to Spain, and he got the decoration in Paris, the same 
 as Monroe did, and T think they are the work of some noted 
 decorator."] 
 
 "From the ceiling hung chandeliers full of lamps. A ham 
 that stood before Mr. McDuffy was not skinned, but the 
 skin cut in figures, part only being taken off. * * * We 
 had many things which from the cooking 1 could 
 not judge what they were, but we had birds, 
 venison, hams, chicken-pie, canvas-back ducks, soup 
 at first, of course, the canvas-backs the last of meats. 
 Then came ice cream, pineapples, oranges, apples, grapes, 
 raisins, olives, and golden-bladed knives with pearl handles 
 to help eat them with. After perhaps an hour the gentle- 
 men rose, and the ladies left the table. This brought Mr. 
 McDuffy next to me and we fell into chat ; we sat perhaps 
 a quarter of an hour when we all rose and went into the 
 drawing room." * * * 
 
 [January 14, 1826.] 
 
 "My trifling silk resolution brings me abundance of let- 
 ters, notices, and communications. It takes exceeding well. 
 1 think it proper ; but it is still a trifle. * * * Did I tell you 
 Gov. Cass was added to our mess ? A very pleasant man ; 
 full of sprightliness and intelligence. * * * Yesterdav I 
 dined with Mr. Buchanan ; he had delivered a great speech, 
 really a great one,* and is not very well, so I went to dine 
 with him. He feels the force of it and well he may. He 
 made this remarks : That House is no respecter of persons ; 
 it exalts the humble and abases the proud' — that is every 
 bill must stand on its own bottom." 
 
 *On the Judiciary system, January 14. rS26. 
 
110 CHARLES MIXER, 
 
 [January 26, 1826.]* 
 
 "To-morrow's Intelligencer will bring you my speech and 
 proposition, on a most important subject. I was, in speak- 
 ing, very much embarassed, but, my friends assure me, not 
 so much so but that 1 was perfectly understood. They tell 
 me my voice fills the hall entirely, which is something here. 
 1 produced a stir among the colts. Mr. Forsyth rose after 
 me and spoke some time. Col. Trimble has just been in my 
 room ; he had been in before to tell me that I must speak 
 on a resolution that will be called up to-morrow, calling 
 fur papers relative to the Panama Mission. He assures 
 me my resolution was well timed, and the Administration 
 will be obliged to me. I can't be more particular now. 
 Though nothing to boast of as to manner, you need not be 
 ashamed of your Charles, whose special pride would be to 
 deserve your praise and love, dear Letitia." 
 
 And two days later: 
 
 "I am called by name might} familiarly by dozens since 
 Thursday, who did not know me before. But this is to 
 yourself, 1 charge you, when I venture to be a little vain, 
 a very little for I have very little reason, it is not what I 
 have done, but that I have broken in on the House. You 
 must not expose me. The highest wish I have is that 1 
 may make myself worthy of your love. * * * I am indus- 
 trious still; when well am up an hour before day — I begin 
 to hope not without some utility. The thing is whispered 
 about and I get credit for my industry if not the fruits of 
 it. Mr. Everett and myself, though not very intimate are 
 becoming very sociable. He told me to-day that two or 
 three times he had almost taken the floor, but did not. The 
 truth is the greatest and strongest man is awed here. The 
 man without sensibility is awed nowhere. And though I 
 tumbled heels over head on the floor to force myself there 
 
 ♦Evidently this is a slip for January ^5, as the National Iittclli- 
 gencer, of January 26, [826, records: "The subject of the Panama 
 Mission has. it will in- seen, been introduced into the House of 
 Representatives by Mr. Miner of Pennsylvania." 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. I I 1 
 
 I would not be placed back again where I was last Monday 
 for the best cause in Christendom, or the best 1,000 pounds, 
 as you please. I yesterday spoke again a few words, called 
 for by the occasion, pretty well and without much embarass- 
 ment. So we go." 
 
 [January 28, 1826] Second letter. 
 
 "I have been to the French Minister's party. Gen. Met- 
 calf and myself set out in a carriage at 8. The fog was so 
 dense the driver got lost ; it was very strange ; one or two 
 coaches were upset ; and some quite lost. At last we ar- 
 rived, the doorway was crammed with carriages. We left 
 our cloaks and hats in the entry. Well, this is the house 
 [plan] : 4 is the entry where we left our cloaks; we turned 
 to the left into No. 2, where were ladies and gentlemen, 
 and we were introduced to the Baron Montreuil — you have 
 the card I believe. The little figures thus ; in the room 
 was a mirror — like a door reaching from the floor, and 
 many thought it was a door into another room. In No. 3 
 was a crowd so closely packed it seemed impossible to 
 move, and yet two sets of cotillions were dancing. A few- 
 sat down on the outside, but four-fifths stood up. In the 
 recess, No. 5, sat the musicians. After cotillions came 
 waltzes, very sprightly, but I do not think modest, then 
 cotillions again. Servants dressed in black carried around 
 refreshments constantly, consisting of wine, punch, choco- 
 late, cakes, figs, raisins, and beans, I believe, and ice-cream. 
 I was introduced to Gen. Smith of Baltimore ; talked with 
 Gen. Harrison about minuets and ladies' hoops ; you 
 elbowed a general or a count — or a minister, or a great 
 lady every step you took ; but they were not near so hand- 
 some, nor better dancers, nor more easy nor graceful than 
 our Chester County ladies. The rooms were well, but not 
 very richly furnished. Over the doorlike mirror in room 
 No. 2 was a beautiful picture of the late King of France. 
 On the mantel, as an ornament, was a clock, with a bronze 
 figure leaning over it. in a graceful attitude, on each side 
 
II- ( BARLES MINER, 
 
 a female bronze figure about two feet high, the hands to a 
 basket on the head, the basket was a candlestick. No. 2, 
 the dancing-room, was lighted by elegant chandeliers. In 
 No. 4 were four parties playing, three at cards, one at chess; 
 among those at card- was the British Minister. The Brit- 
 ish secretary of legation, who has just arrived, was there. 
 He wore mustaches th.it is his upper lip was not shaved 
 and the beard was an inch long and looked singular. He 
 is near-sighted and used his eye-glass constantly as the 
 parties danced. I have only room to tell you. and I do it 
 in the strictest confidence — not even Ann is to know it, 
 nobody but Sarah — that a member came to me to-night who 
 had been at the President's, who said: 'The resolution of 
 Air. Miner was proper and well timed.' The Administra- 
 tion were pleased and the accompanying remarks were no 
 less appropriate. There, hussy !" 
 
 To which she replies: "I must not be called hussy, it 
 sound too Swift-ish, and you know I do not like him, you 
 may call me goose-cap. madam impudence, or anything 
 but hussy." 
 
 I February 1, 1826.] 
 
 "I am this day 46. My life has been full of events. From 
 a poor boy, a wanderer in the Susquehannah wilds, I for- 
 tunately found my way to your arms (I wish I was there 
 now), and step by step to this position — no mean position — 
 to the honored councils of my country. I have had many 
 trials, but a thousand blessings have been showered upon 
 me. E desire to be humble and grateful. * * * T would 
 give half the world to spend a couple of days, dear Lete. 
 with you. Write to me; tell me you love me; and when 1 
 come home and go t<> work, and give up public life, you will 
 still love me, and then I shall be happv." 
 [February 13, 1826.] 
 
 "Gov. Cass has gone ; we were all sorry to lose him. He 
 is below the middle height, thick-set, full round face, with 
 an agreeable expression of countenance. On his upper lip. 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. I I 3 
 
 on the left side, a mole. Bald head, but the hair behind 
 gathered into a roll, and brought forward so that at first it 
 would not be discerned. A fine scholar, writes well, ex- 
 tremely pleasant in conversation. * * * I have dropped 
 my watch and injured it. Did I tell you before? I could 
 cry. It was the prettiest thing I ever had. It seemed as if, 
 in the night, I touched the spring it could talk to me. It 
 kept excellent time, and intimate as we were together there 
 is not one in the mess who knew it was a repeater. I men- 
 tion this because you and father would think that I should 
 be like William, delighted to let everybody know what a 
 pretty plaything I have." 
 
 [February 15, 1826.] 
 
 "You will see the debates on Mr. Miner's resolution, 
 calling for information. At least you will perceive that I 
 touched no idle string. I don't know what I may make yet, 
 but begin to have hopes of myself. I have made no great 
 figure here; not so much by half in the House as in the 
 newspapers ; but so far * * * I would not change situations 
 with any new member of the whole 85 who has come here, 
 and that is saying something — even though they should 
 give me all their wealth to boot — unless it were for giving 
 the money to you, deary. But this is for yourself alone. 
 * * * The debate of day before yesterday, is thought, on 
 my part to have been direct and pointed, except the geese 
 that lay golden eggs, and that was thrown in on a full de- 
 liberation and has done me some service."* 
 [February 25, 1826.] 
 
 "I have received a complimentary letter from New Eng- 
 land with ten skeins of beautiful sewing silk of different 
 
 *On February 13, 1826, Mr. Miner asked for information as to 
 tonnage, etc., in Delaware Bay, in order that the House might be 
 in a position to discuss wisely the need of a breakwater. In reply 
 to a question from Mr. Webster as to whether Mr. Miner desired 
 this simply because it would be locally helpful to Pennsylvania, Mr. 
 Miner formulated his guiding principle in all such matters: that in 
 the House nothing should be promoted for local reasons, only, but 
 for the good of the whole country. His bill was adopted February 
 16, 1826. 
 
I 14 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 and most elegant colours. I have shown them to many 
 members, and shall send them to Mrs. Adams to examine. 
 Inless the General's lady beg.- them. 1 mean to keep them 
 to send to one I love better than any general's lady in 
 ( "hristendom." 
 
 I March II, 1826.] 
 
 "Asher will show you my letter, or tell you of Professor 
 Everett's great display.* It was not the weight of argu- 
 ment so much as the astonishing, overwhelming outpouring 
 of a torrent of eloquence. Every word was made to weigh 
 as much as ten from an ordinary man. Ah, it was sur- 
 prising and delightful — except his. I had almost said foolish 
 confession of faith respecting slavery and in favor of it. 
 Oh, that he might be made to feel the impolicy and impro- 
 priety of it!" 
 
 Mr. Mitchell of Tennessee, and John Randolph of Vir- 
 ginia, both slave-holders, objected, with others, to Mr. Ever- 
 ett's statements with regard to slavery in this speech. 
 I March 15, 1826.] 
 
 "Well, haven't 1 told you where 1 dined? You shall 
 know. Mr. Webster came as unexpectedly as anything 
 possibly could be, and gave me one of those frank and 
 hearty invitations to dine with him and Mr-. Webster, 
 that \\a> worth a thousand billets. 1 went ; met a few- 
 Boston friends of Mr. W.'s ; was of course treated with 
 cordiality — taken after dinner to the library, and some con- 
 fidential conversation passed. I suppose you know what 
 an eminent man he is. 
 
 "Since Mr. Everett delivered his great speech. 1 have not 
 spoken to him till to-day, though we sit near. We met on 
 committee, and after adjourning and the rest went out. he 
 chid me for not speaking, and said he was afraid I was 
 offended at his declaration in favor of slavery. 1 told him 
 with perfect candor and truth my impressions that his 
 first position was erroneous; that it was felt to be so by all 
 
 'Mr. Everett's speech in tin- lebate "ii tin- Constitution, March o, 
 1826. 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA LMONKKR. I 15 
 
 the House ; that some began to look down, some to read 
 their letters and papers; that when he came to declare his 
 sentiments on the subject of slavery, it was like pouring 
 cold water down our backs ; that it was liable to misappre- 
 hension, though sincere, for just then the Senate were de- 
 laying to confirm the nomination of Mr. Sergeant on ac- 
 count of his opposition to slavery, and it would look ( and 
 be so ascribed) like a sacrifice to the southern opinion to 
 pave the way for an easy confirmation of himself should 
 he be nominated. With regard to the first position, he told 
 me he had submitted it to Mr. Webster and he had ap- 
 proved, etc. I told him Mr. Webster was wrong with 
 respect to slavery.* He said he had consulted [illegible] 
 on that subject, fearing it would bear the look I suggested, 
 who told him it would not. I bade him prepare himself 
 for a fiery ordeal, for he would have to pass through one; 
 but I gave him due praise for his succeeding effort. You 
 see the consultation was free and confidential, and I wish 
 no one to see this part but Asher and Dr. Thomas. t I am 
 
 *The conservative attitude of Webster, Everett, George Ticknor, 
 and others of the inner circle of aristocratic "Webster Whigs" in 
 Boston, for many years, is well known. Two months later than this 
 — March o, 1826— Air. Everett said : "The great relation of servi- 
 tude, in some form or other, with greater or less departure from 
 the theoretic equality of men, is inseparable from our nature. 
 Domestic slavery is not, in my judgment, to be set down as an 
 immoral and irreligious relation. It is a condition of life, as well 
 as any other, to be justified by morality, religion, and international 
 law." When governor of Massachusetts, in 1836, he intimated in a 
 message to the legislature that abolition newspapers and societies 
 in that State might be made subjects of local prosecution : "What- 
 ever by direct and necessary operation is calculated to excite an 
 insurrection among the slaves has been held by highly respectable 
 authority an offense against the peace of the Commonwealth, which 
 may be prosecuted as a misdemeanor at common law." 
 
 fAsher was, of course, his brother and partner, then living in 
 West Chester. Dr. Thomas, sometimes called "the Doctor" in these 
 letters, was Mr. Miner's son-in-law, Isaac Thomas, an honored 
 physician in West Chester, who had married his oldest daughter, 
 Ann Charlton. "Joseph," to whom confidential communications 
 were also sometimes sent, was another son-in-law, Joseph John 
 Lewis, long afterwards Lincoln's Commissioner of Internal Revenue, 
 who had married Air. Aliner's third daughter, Alarv Sinton. 
 
! If/ < BAKLES MINER, 
 
 invited to the Dutch Minister's to a party, day after to- 
 morrow evening ; shall I go ? I have kept away from 
 parties for a good while, being much engaged in business, 
 laborious and requiring careful investigation ; but making 
 no show on committee. I do not know of anything else 
 that would please you; if I did I would say it. Cherish 
 kind feelings for me ; we have had many, many happy days 
 together; I do not know that life could have gone more 
 smoothly, considering we have always been poor, and the 
 vicissitudes of sickness will inevitably occur. I think as 
 now I grow an old fellow, 46 last month, of your song we'll 
 'sleep thegither at the foot.' But you are young, I see you 
 as you were at nineteen, and love and respect, and sincerely 
 regard you for your mind, which is kind, and pure, and 
 intelligent ; and 1 feel, as I think I ought to feel, thai i:i 
 sickness it would be the greatest relief to have you near 
 except that it would give you pain ; and that in health and 
 prosperity- and joy, if such should be our lot. it would all 
 be doubled by laying my cheek to yours and having you 
 kiss me and say — Well, this is pleasant !" 
 
 I March 29, 1826.] 
 
 "I wrote yesterday, and I thought I would write a long 
 one to-day, but don't feel a bit in the humor. I feel as if 
 there was a ton weight off my mind. My speech, they tell 
 me. must also be printed in pamphlet form. Gen. Van 
 Renssellaer has been to me and wants a parcel. Gen. Mc- 
 Keen wants some ; Mr. Webster says it must be carefully 
 reported and sent out. Mr. Hopkinson, the great lawyer, is 
 here. He came to me and got me by the hand and thanked 
 me for my speech ; agreed with me in principle, etc. 1 am 
 as vain as Ellen with a new lace. I am glad I did not 
 know he was in the House, yet I am glad, as it happened. 
 that he was.* 
 
 Mr. Miner spoke on February 24, 1826, and again on 
 March 28, 1826, on the conservative side in the debate on 
 
 *Scc letter of May ,}. : 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 11/ 
 
 amending the constitution with regard to the election of 
 president and vice-president. The closing words of the 
 second speech commend themselves to constitutionalists in 
 191 5. "To change, to change, to change is the highway to 
 disorder in private affairs, and to anarchy in public, and 
 anarchy is the broad road to despotism." He shortly after 
 received the following leter of congratulation from De Witt 
 Clinton : 
 
 "Albany, 19th April, 1826. 
 
 "I am much indebted to you for your excellent speech. 
 As far back as 1802, I proposed an amendment to the Con- 
 stitution for the establishment of electoral districts and am 
 still of opinion that it would preserve the purity of the 
 choice of electors, better than any other system, in bringing 
 the subject to the people who cannot be easily corrupted, 
 and in breaking down extensive combinations. I agree with 
 you, however, in the general tone and spirit of your views, 
 believing frequent changes dangerous ; and that favored as 
 we are with the most distinguished blessings, we ought not 
 to endanger the whole in speculative attempts. 
 
 "Your hasty account of the affair between Randolph and 
 Clay turns out to be accurate. It is much to be regretted. 
 A member of Congress is for everything done or said in his 
 place to every person not a member, a non-combatant, and 
 I should suppose that there is no canon in the code of duel- 
 ling which requires a Secretary to call out a member. The 
 precedent is pernicious : and as its spirit is very easy of 
 infusion into our ardent young men, I should not be sur- 
 prised to see imitations follow closely and frequently on its 
 heels. 
 
 "I am sincerely and respectfully your friend, 
 
 "DeWitt Clinton." 
 
 The latter part of this letter refers to a subject that 
 troubled Mr. Miner all his life : the practice of duelling, 
 especially in the Southern states. Down to the assault of 
 Brooks on Sumner, in 1856, he never ceased to denounce it 
 
Il8 ( HARLES MINER, 
 
 as not only anachronistically brutal, but cowardly, — the 
 very prevalence of the custom in the South giving the men 
 of that section a familiarity with "drop shots" which was 
 not, fortunately, existent at the North, and therefore offered 
 to swaggerers an unequal chance in the field, which they 
 mistook for courage. 
 
 [April 8, 1826.] 
 
 "I went to the President's yesterday ; the interview was 
 very agreeable, frank and social." 
 
 I April 10, 1826.] 
 
 "I always loved you better than you did me, and I never 
 wished for goods, wealth, anything, only as I could share 
 it with you, and make you happy. Your poetic quotations 
 were too flattering, but still agreeable, as they showed good 
 taste and reading. I always knew your mind was of the 
 higher order. I do not know in a single instance you have 
 judged erroneously in matters of literature or taste. Since 
 you first came to my bosom I have loved your mind for its 
 correctness and purity, as well as your person for every- 
 thing that could render one near us agreeable : and the 
 wish for your happiness and the children's is the first in 
 my heart." 
 
 [April 22, 1826. J 
 
 "Oh, the President's ! Yes, we had a charming time. 
 Mr. Adams received us standing up, with the gentlemen 
 around him; the ladies we bowed to, they sitting. Mr. 
 Adams then entered into conversation with me, with great 
 frankness ; some other gentlemen came up, and he went to 
 meet them. Having taken up as much of his time as 1 
 thought fair, I retired and was chatting with some others, 
 when Col. Trimble came to tell me the President expected 
 me to return, so back I went, and we got our heads to- 
 gether again. * * * We did not dine in the long room, but 
 in the usual dining parlour. The plateau and candlesticks 
 were superb ; but not on so large a scale as in the other 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 119 
 
 room. The party was more select ; the wines, particularly 
 a kind I never saw before, delicious. Indeed, these things 
 before I had cared nothing about. The truth is, the Pana- 
 ma question had just been settled by a glorious vote in its 
 favor; I had taken a deep interest in the measure, and 
 had contributed by my resolution and remarks a good deal 
 to advance it. Mr. Adams was well pleased ; and why 
 should I not let feelings flow a little? I then thought, 1 
 wish my Lete was here." 
 
 [May 3, 1826.] 
 
 "I have just returned from the President's drawing- 
 room. * * * I pointed out the chief great men to [some 
 Chester and Delaware County constituents]. Introduced Mr. 
 Pennock, who was next me, to Mr. Clay, Mr. Storrs, Gen. 
 Brown, Mr. Adams, and young Mr. Adams. They got 
 ice-cream, coffee, and punch, and seemed to be, I presume 
 they were, very happy. Mr. Webster came to me with more 
 than ordinary kindness, quite out of his usual course; got 
 his arm around me, and declared to Gov. Barbour that my 
 speech was the best and soundest argument on the Consti- 
 tution that was delivered.* It was part flattery, doubtless ; 
 but before such company, and the manner, it being uncalled 
 for by the occasion, was not to be disregarded. He came 
 to me afterwards to have some confidential conversation 
 about an important matter ; I gave my opinion, clearly and 
 firmly. I told him in relation to it : T would not recede an 
 inch.' 'Nor I, Mr. Miner,' said he. So I was glad we 
 agreed. * * * I had business with the Postmaster General 
 to-day, I wanted a new post-office created, and a friend 
 appointed post-master. There were several gentlemen in. 
 and I told Mr. McLean I would leave the application for his 
 consideration. 'Oh, no,' said he, putting everything else 
 aside ; T will attend to it immediately.' He did so, and 
 made the appointment before I left him. This for you. It 
 was not so when I came here, my lady! So I talk of self, 
 self." 
 
 *See letter of March 20, 1826. 
 
120 ( IIARLES MINER, 
 
 There are very few letters of the short session of 1827, 
 
 and they hardly refer to public work at all ; the reports of 
 
 the House show Mr. Miner taking an interest in public 
 
 buildings, relief for sufferers by fire in Alexandria, etc., 
 
 and opposing an ill-digested bill for the grant of canal 
 
 lands to llinois in which he brought out the present Panama 
 
 toll question ; Shall the United States build a canal, and 
 
 pay toll indefinitely for the use of it? But a letter written 
 
 to him very soon after the close of this session has more 
 
 than passing interest : 
 
 "State Department, 
 
 "Washington, March 28th, 1827. 
 "Dear Sir: Yours of the 22nd instant has been duly re- 
 ceived. My best exertions shall be devoted to merit your 
 good opinion, and the many kindnesses you have lav- 
 ished upon me, as well as to justify the choice made by 
 the Secretary. Mr. Clay treats me with a politeness, con- 
 sideration, friendship and confidence which is highly flat- 
 tering, although recognized as almost entirely owing to the 
 warm recommendation which you have been pleased to give 
 me. 1 am very much in company with the Secretary, and 
 believe I am daily gaining ground in his good opinion. * 
 
 "Yours Respectfully, 
 
 "W. S. Derrick. m 
 
 I wo years later is another letter from the same hand, 
 showing that in Mr. Clay's case, at least, a man may be a 
 hero to one in almost as close connection as his valet. 
 
 f Washington. [2 March. 1829.] 
 
 ".Mr. Clay and his family intend to leave Washington to- 
 morrow evening or Saturday morning, for Baltimore, on 
 their way home to Kentucky, lie will of course, be much 
 delayed by dinner invitations and bad roads, and will hardly 
 get to Ashland in less than a month. God speed him! The 
 good wishes of thousands of his fellow citizens attend him. 
 As a statesman — as an orator — as a patriot — as a man — he 
 leaves not a peer behind." — W. S. D. 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. T2I 
 
 [January 13, 1827.] 
 
 "1 think I confine myself too much and study too much; 
 I have nowhere to go where there is heart ; and for these 
 great parties, they have very little pleasure for me; but I 
 think I am gaining knowledge that may be useful. The 
 prudence, if I may say so, of last year, has given me on our 
 committee all the consideration I desire. We meet twice a 
 week and do a good deal of business. I ought to be happy, 
 but without you I cannot be and am not. I don't know 
 that that is strange; why should it be? that as I grow 
 older I seem to feel that you are nearer to my heart and 
 necessary to my happiness more than ever." 
 
 [January 21, 1827.] 
 
 "I had a letter from James Sinton to-day ; he wished me 
 to obtain for Mr. Sitgreave's son a berth in the West Point 
 Academy. I will if I can; the applications to me to aid in 
 getting offices are numerous." 
 [January 24, 1827.] 
 
 "Being dressed, and Judge Clark, and Mr. Williams both 
 saying I should go, 1 went up to Mr. Clay's party. It was 
 full and pleasant; cotillions and waltzing up stairs, whist 
 and wine below. The young ladies were neatly dressed, 
 their hair all put up with wreaths of roses, lilies and wheat. 
 The whirligig waltzing I did not like, but they did. The 
 English beau with mustachios whirled them around at a 
 great rate; they say he catches hold of their dresses behind 
 and rumples them too roughly. The English Minister, 
 French, Danish, Mr. Biddle, President of the U. S. Bank ; 
 the Postmaster General, Secretary of War, Judges John- 
 son, Story and Trimble of the Supreme Court, Mr. W T ebster 
 and others were there. Wine, punch, coffee, tea, and cakes 
 were handed around. I took a single cup of coffee, nothing 
 more. * * * I dined at Mr. Giles' a few days ago, so was 
 not at the party given last night. I now mention it for an 
 odd circumstance. Mrs. Estill, wife of Mr. Estill of Vir- 
 ginia, has a baby since being here last winter, and it was 
 
122 I HARMS MIXER, 
 
 christened at Mr. Giles' last night, and the British Minister 
 stood godfather, and made it a present of a breastpin. Some 
 of our backwoods folks don't like it very well, the christen- 
 ing and dancing all together; but if both are innocent I 
 don't see much harm in their going together. Yet on recol- 
 lection one is a solemn dedication to God, and hardly a 
 proper ceremony for a ballroom. * * * Mr. Clay as he 
 saw I was going came and took me by both hands and men- 
 tioned his desires * * * with some kind expressions. 
 This is nothing to mc but I tell you everything. This letter 
 of course is for the family only." 
 
 [January 27, 1827.] 
 
 "To-day, having received a special note to visit Secretary 
 Rush, I went up at 11 to the office and sat an hour. He 
 is as much of an enthusiast about silk as 1 am. With the 
 advice of President Adams he has, besides obtaining all 
 the information possible in this country, sent to our minis- 
 ter and agents in London, Paris, Italy and elsewhere in 
 Europe for books and all the facts that could be obtained. 
 He took me into the library to show me what books he had 
 got. His report will not be ready before next session, but 
 he is making every exertion to render it useful to the nation, 
 the subject, and his own fame and character ; all which 1 
 very much approve, and confidently hope something valu- 
 able may grow out of it." 
 
 I February 1, 1827.] 
 
 "It is my birth-night. 1 am 47 years of age. This morn- 
 ing I returned thanks and prayed devoutly, humbly and 
 sincerely. 1 hope acceptably, to our Heavenly Father. 
 Many blessing- has he showered upon me. and permit me 
 to say, no one for which 1 am more deeply grateful than 
 the bringing me to your love and your bosom. 'We clim'd 
 the hill thegither' and will totter down hand in hand, 1 
 trust, in increased love, respect, kindness, affection. * * * 
 I love you dearer than anything else on earth. Had I come 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 123 
 
 here ten years earlier I do think I might have been dis- 
 tinguished. As it is, I trust I am respectable, as much as 
 my friends had any reason to expect. I pray God to bless 
 you and the children and all of us. May my heart be grate- 
 ful." 
 [January 12, 1828.J 
 
 "I entered into close, pretty solemn discussion with Mr. 
 Sprague of Maine, one of the very first men in our House, 
 on the same subject that I had the serious conversation 
 with Mr. Everett this morning. They are both wrong, or 
 I am, and I don't believe I am. My hope is to prevent their 
 speaking in favor of the D'Auterive negro claims. Both are 
 prepared to speak. I have given my reasons to them for 
 rejecting the claim. Time only can determine whether my 
 argument avail with them." 
 
 Time disappointed Mr. Miner for Mr. Everett spoke in 
 favor of the claim of Marigny D'Auterive for payment 
 for a slave of his killed in government service; Mr. Sprague 
 seems not to have taken any part in the debates. Mr. Miner 
 spoke on this claim on February 7, 1828, and on February 
 25, 1828. He opposed it chiefly on two grounds : it was 
 unfair to the free man who might be killed in government 
 service, whose family could get no pay ; and the govern- 
 ment had power over all men, slave and free, in time of 
 need. Mr. Brent in reply made an anti-slavery argument 
 out of these speeches, saying if these "ideas were ever gen- 
 erally entertained by the House, Southerners would return 
 to their constituents and by their sides meet such arguments 
 the only way they should be met," and again: "He [Mr. 
 Miner] asserts — what no man has done before him — that 
 the government has a right to enlist our slaves * * * with- 
 out compensation for their services * * * and then says 
 he does not wish to interfere with our rights to our slaves," 
 etc. The bill was recommitted to the committee of claims 
 and not heard of again. 
 
124 < BARLES MINER, 
 
 [January 29, 1828.] 
 
 "I think with you, as in matters of taste 1 am proud to 
 do, that the 'Red Rover' is better than the 'Chronicles of 
 the Cannongate.' 1 am glad if they have afforded you 
 pleasure." 
 
 It was his custom to leave a standing order for new books 
 of significance with a bookseller in Philadelphia ; and his 
 children always remembered their keen delight when the 
 books were opened, and he or their grandfather, Joseph 
 Wright, read the last "Waverly" to the gathered family. 
 They read so much and so wisely to the blind daughter. 
 Sarah, that she became an educated woman. His daughter 
 Ellen often spoke of this reading aloud together as one of 
 the chief family pleasure.-, and the tired mother, after all 
 the rest were sleeping, would sit and read far into the night. 
 Sometimes she would speak of their reading; in a letter 
 of an earlier date she says: "The bookseller has never 
 sent the Annals of the Parish, they were not to be had, 
 but we do very well without them. We have history and 
 poetry and many very interesting books to read. I found 
 a small volume of Littleton's letters in the bookcase whicn 
 were read with great pleasure. 1 thought them excellent 
 and was speaking of them and inquiring how they came 
 to be published, when 1 was told they were not genuine 
 letters but all a fiction. Now can you tell me if that was 
 the case? However they are well written let who will write 
 them." Again she paints a pretty picture of the home life 
 he so often longed for: "Charlotte is well enough to be 
 playing chess with her Cousin Sarah M. in one corner; 
 Cousin S. B. is reading Robertson's Scotland in the other. 
 Sarah, our Sarah, is knitting Williams Mittens; Mary sits 
 by our side knitting a pair of stockings, Grandfather is 
 blowing the fire, and Ellen i- nursing Frisk. William says 
 'What will you say about me?' I tell him nothing good if 
 he makes so much noise, but he is a pretty good bov and 
 delighted that he is thought of consequence enough to write 
 letters to his dear father, and to receive answers to them." 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. I25 
 
 [February u, 1828.] 
 
 "Our silk report is, to-day, ordered to be printed — 6,000 
 copies. The chairman, Gen. Van Renssellaer, referred the 
 report of the committee to me, before he offered it to the 
 House, and I approved. It will be valuable, and I shall have 
 some credit for it. and really fondly hope not to have been 
 here wholly in vain." This letter shows that the statement 
 found in two places that he wrote the report is a mistake. 
 
 [February 12, 1828. J 
 
 "The people have a right to my services, if they choose 
 to command them, aye, to my life, cheerfully. I am their 
 servant, as they have been my friend. But to you and 
 Joseph, I say confidentially, 1 have great doubt whether 
 our ticket, in the present disturbed state of parties, can be 
 elected. I should hate to fail, and am quite willing to re- 
 tire with character and applause, rather than be run out. 
 This is not, however, to be breathed beyond you two and the 
 Doctor. 1 conceal nothing from Joseph and the Doctor. 
 My heart is open to them as to myself. Write me what 
 you think exactly. I will be guided by you. I can pro- 
 duce a powerful impression if I set out. Had I best? 
 or better look to our Luzerne lands and try to make the 
 children independent ?" 
 
 [February 26, 1828. J 
 
 "I write you to-day a hasty note. I am not in the letter- 
 writing humour, but can't let the mail go without dropping 
 you a line. I received yesterday a most friendly and kind 
 letter from Mr. Pennypacker (formerly in the Assembly 
 with me). He urges me to be a candidate again; greatly 
 overrates my merits, etc. I have not yet replied, but, my 
 dear Lete, my most solemn impressions are that I ought 
 not. I do not wish to. Then, it is true, there are moments 
 when it seems as if it would be pleasant. Should I not, 
 I am sensible there will be moments when I should wish it 
 were otherwise. Still, my steady prevailing opinion is that 
 
126 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 my interest and my credit both require me to retire, while 
 I can retire, with a fair name and the public good-will. 
 Character may be useful to me and you and the children 
 hereafter, and I should husband it. Xo money is to be 
 made here. (Mr. Randolph has just come in, not having 
 been here before for a fortnight.) The demand for cash 
 onstant, and can't be set aside. 1 sacrifice a great deal 
 in my business at home, 1 neglect much. I am from my 
 family, and have no countervailing pleasure here. It is 
 perfectly fair some other Federalist should have a chance 
 to come. I shall gain no further favour here. My want 
 of hearing daily increases ; prevents my entering into debate 
 with ease, and shuts me out from social converse. Is it not 
 best to retire while I can do so, well? Why wait, at the 
 utmost two winters more, and then be obliged to retire? 
 In the meantime I lose many friends, and I risk being run 
 out, for really I consider the result doubtful. Buchanan 
 is really a strong man, and much as we differ on the presi- 
 dential question, I should be sorry to see him out of Con- 
 gress. This to your private ear. 1 am in solemn earnest. 
 I stand well, — very well. now. The higher offices do not 
 open to me. Such are my thoughts. I spoke yesterday 
 about an hour, wanting five minutes of it. My own 
 opinion is that 1 presented a strong constitutional argument 
 on the power of the Government to make internal improve- 
 ments Ybu must judge; it will be out in a day or two. ' 
 
 With regard to this speech his wife wrote, March 14th. 
 1828, what must have >truck any one on reading the 
 speeches of the time: "I have been reading your speech on 
 internal improvements again and am much pleased with 
 it. There is one thing T notice in your speeches that is not 
 always to be seen in others, you never lose sight of the sub- 
 jecl bul -crin to understand exactly what you are saying. 
 Your speech is a matter of fact one and carries conviction 
 with it." 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 1^7 
 
 "House Reps., March 24, 1828. 
 "My Dear Letitia: 
 
 "It seems that we must postpone the pleasure of meeting 
 until after Congress shall rise. Day after day brings with 
 it new subjects of interest which cannot be so long left as 
 the time it would take to come home — dear home, sweetest 
 spot on earth, to me. * * * I love you all dearly — you 
 best and dearest — Ann. the Dr. and little Miss Caroline, 
 Sarah, sensible, good, dear Sarah — Mary and Joseph, who I 
 feel toward as a son — Charlotte — Ellen — William — Father — 
 and Asher's family, are all dear to me. I have gratifications 
 here, but many privations. It has been pleasant to be here. 
 It is pleasant, but except the personal gratification I see no 
 great use in it. What hope is there beyond? If my hear- 
 ing was perfect and I could look with fair hope to distinc- 
 tion, O, I would make a noble effort. That is hopeless. 
 Very well. Let a man know when he ought to be satisfied. 
 Now give me independence, let me get out of debt. Let 
 me make home pleasant, if I live, to enjoy — if I die — for 
 those who are dear to me — that's my feeling — such are my" 
 opinions ; and I earnestly hope to be saved from what 1 
 deliberately deem the folly of trying to come back again. 
 * * * I am writing in the midst of business. This morn- 
 ing I presented a petition from this District containing 
 more than 1,000 names in favour of the abolition of slavery 
 here. Joseph's letter came yesterday ; he says you are 
 gardening. Let plenty of peas and potatoes be put in for 
 ourselves and the Doctor and Joseph. We have a great 
 caravan of wild beasts here; tell Sarah the little monkey 
 is among them and the pony, and three noble lions." 
 
 After this date there are very few letters, and in those 
 that do remain the absence of any echoes of the rancors of 
 the time, noteworthy, perhaps even in Washington, for its 
 bitterness, suggests the thought that they may have been 
 destroyed with special care. During the recess between the 
 first and second sessions of the twentieth Congress Gover- 
 nor Metcalfe of Kentucky, wrote him a letter interesting 
 
I BARLES MINER. 
 
 enough to be interpolated here — later, after the 1829 anti- 
 slavery speech, Governor Metcalfe wrote him another 
 sympathetic, congratulatory letter — 
 
 "Frankfort, Ky., 14th Oct., 1828. 
 • - 1 have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt just now 
 of your letter of the 3rd inst — not the formal expression of 
 the term merely, but a most sincere and heartfelt pleasure', 
 springing from recollections which it will he my delight to 
 cherish through all the vicissitudes of life. For permit me 
 to tell you. that among all my fellow sojourners here, with 
 whom 1 have been thrown, either by accident or design, it 
 would be hard for me to single out the man whose hold 
 upon my affection-, is as strong as that of the Honorable 
 Charles Miner. * * * Stand up; thou firm and steadfast 
 patriot — stand — and continue to love thy country more than 
 thyself, worth) as thou art of the love of those who know 
 
 thee best -Thomas Metcalfe." 
 
 .••Washington. Thursday night, after 9; Dec. 11. 1828." 
 ■'Mv Dear Letitia : 
 
 "I meant to write 
 
 A long letter to-night. 
 
 But you'll have to take up with a short one. 
 
 "Why that isn't very good poetry — Thank you for your 
 letter yesterday. 1 did kiss the name; * * * Dressed up 
 to-day, Madam, in mv best bib and tucker, had mv hair 
 cut. and waited on Mr. Adams. 1 found him alone, went 
 through my business, and finding him disposed to be un- 
 commonly sociable I sat near an hour. He threw off all 
 ■ rve; the conversation became animated and interesting. 
 Finding himself going far, he said: 'But. this, Mr. Miner, 
 is to be understood as entirely confidential,' etc. So, 
 Madam, you cannot at present know anything of the matter. 
 Joseph, the Doctor, and Asher alone are to know that 1 
 have said even so much. Do you smile at seeing the little 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 1-9 
 
 gray-headed fellow that takes your arm to go and feed the 
 chickens, sitting in the palace in confidential conversation 
 with the President ? * * * I have been reading Telham,' a 
 new novel. You shall have it ; there is love, two duels, a 
 rape, a murder, much of fashionable high and low life, much 
 wit, a great deal of learning, and some prosing. Will you 
 read it?" 
 
 [December 11, 1828. "Miner asked me if I had deter- 
 mined definitely to withdraw from all public service after 
 the expiration of my present term — I told him that my in- 
 tention was absolute and total retirement. But my principle 
 would be what it had been through life. * * * It was not 
 for me to foresee whether my services would ever be desired 
 by my fellow-citizens again. If they should call for them, 
 I should not feel myself at liberty to decline repairing :o 
 any station which they might assign me to, except for rea- 
 sonable cause. But I desired him to receive this in confi- 
 dence as a candid answer to his question, for I wish not even 
 to give a hint to the public that I am yet eligible to their 
 service." Memoirs of John Quincy Adams, Vol. 8, p. 81. | 
 
 For the reasons stated in the letters of February 12 and 
 26, 1828, — chiefly his increasing deafness — Mr. Miner de- 
 clined to run again, and returned to West Chester in March 
 of the following year. He added to his other elements of 
 power a thing by no means common to humanity ; knowing 
 when to stop. 
 
 His wife's opinion on this subject had been clear, though 
 her patience for four years, away from him and even the 
 slightest connection with Washington society, had proved 
 that she was not unwilling to do her part toward her hus- 
 band's success. She wrote from "Spring Grove," their 
 West Chester home, March 8, 1828: "You must not be a 
 candidate at the next election ; I am tired of keeping house 
 alone, now the farm requires so much attention ; and you 
 know I have neither health nor taste for farming, so you 
 must stay at home." 
 
I30 I HARLES MINER, 
 
 Mr. Miner, in Washington, had speedily shown an un- 
 usual power of winning and retaining the regard and con- 
 fidence of the leaders, especially, of course, the men of the 
 administration, with whom he was most closely brought. 
 Correspondent after correspondent, for the rest of his life, 
 wrote him with hearty esteem, and desire to elicit his opin- 
 ion. President Adams' letter-, during and after his presi- 
 dential term, were intimately personal, and of a length 
 that would seem surprising in these days of hurried dic- 
 tation, did we not know their writer's habit of living with 
 pen in hand. Not often does one receive from a president of 
 the United States an estimate of the character of another 
 president, his father : but such was contained in the letter 
 John Quincy Adams wrote Mr. Miner (who had written a 
 note of condolence after John Adams' death) from Quincy. 
 
 Jul) 31. 1826: 
 
 "My grateful acknowledgments are due to you for your 
 very feeling and friendly letter of 16 July, the sentiments, 
 contained in which are alike patriotic and philosophical. 
 My father's character as a public man has long been be- 
 fore his country and before the world — much and grossly 
 misrepresented, and not perhaps yet correctly understood. 
 \ disposition to do justice to it has however gained strength, 
 and will I have no doubt in a few years survive all con- 
 troversy. What he was in the concerns of private and do- 
 mestic life is of course known to few — to none more in- 
 timately than to me — and has given a pungency to the mis- 
 fortunes sustained by his loss, which the heart of an af- 
 fectionate son can alone conceive. Yet even to the senti- 
 ment- of filial gratitude, the circumstances of his decease 
 are consolatory. With a body so decayed that 'dying all 
 he could resign was breath,' it is soothing to know that he 
 did not survive his intellectual faculties an hour — that the 
 day of his death seemed as if selected by Providence to 
 -tamp upon his country the memory of his life, and that hi- 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 131 
 
 spirit took its flight, hand in hand with that of his great co- 
 patriot, rival and friend, to regions where patriotism and 
 friendship may still contribute to the joys of existence, 
 and where we may humbly hope that rivalry will have no 
 place. 
 
 "With my cordial thanks, accept my respectful and 
 friendly salutations. „ John QmNcy Adams/ , 
 
 With Daniel Webster Mr. Miner's relations, as his own 
 letters have repeatedly shown, were also most cordial ; and 
 here, as elsewhere, it seems strange that a man who was only 
 four years in public life, should so have retained the inti- 
 mate affection of those left in the hurly-burly. Mr. Web- 
 ster wrote from Philadelphia, March 24, 1827 : 
 
 "Your acquaintance and regard are valued by me most 
 highly, and I trust we may be mutually useful to each other. 
 * * * Do not fail to expose that abominable job, the Mis- 
 souri business. See that the public know all about it." 
 
 New Year's 1830, Mr. Miner wrote a rhymed "carrier's 
 address" of the sort that remained in vogue as late as the 
 sixties, eliciting from Mr. Webster a pleasant acknowl- 
 edgment : 
 
 "Your muse is happy, and the verse flows easy. The 
 oftener I hear from you, in any way, the more gratified I 
 shall be." 
 
 A portrait of Webster, given to Mr. Miner with the 
 autograph inscription, "To my highly valued friend, the 
 Hon. Charles Miner," remains in the possession of the 
 family. 
 
 From Washington, January 30, 1847, Mr. Webster wrote : 
 "I can only thank you for the kind things you say of me in 
 your address of the 4th of December, and for that steady 
 friendship you have manifested from our first acquaintance. 
 It does me good to think of you, to cherish your regard, and 
 to remember our ancient intercourse. It would do me still 
 more good to be useful to you. in any way in my power." 
 
I 32 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 And later, within the shadows of the great state- 
 man's disappointment and death, he sent to Mr. Miner 
 his most affectionate remembrances. Mrs. Sarah Hollen- 
 back Butler', of Wilkes-Barre, was in Washington in 
 March, 1850. and met Webster. "It was incidentally men- 
 toned." wrote she to Mr. Miner, "that I was from the 
 valley of Wyoming. 'Indeed, said he, 'well, pray, madam, 
 tell me if you are acquainted with my old friend, Charles 
 Miner?' You may imagine my delight in being able to 
 say that you were one of my earliest and best friends. He 
 seemed very much pleased ; asked many questions, and 
 showed the liveliest interest in everything relating to you. 
 At the close he said: 'Well, now, my dear madam, I want 
 you to get Mr. Butler to write to him to-morrow, and tell 
 him he is one of the few in the world that I love to think 
 about. Tell him (more impressively) that I love to think- 
 about him." 
 
 A remarkable illustration of his power of eliciting and 
 deserving the most intimate confidences from the leaders of 
 American public life is shown in the following letter from 
 Richard Rush — at various times controller of the treasury, 
 United States attorney-general, secretary of state pro 
 tempore, minister to England and France, and secretary of 
 the treasury under John Quincy Adams, during Mr. 
 Miner's congressional term. The letter is marked "private," 
 but may legitimately be printed, eighty-five years after it 
 was written, as a contribution to political history: 
 
 "Washington, June 7, 1828. 
 "1 cannot budge from Washington, much as I should 
 like to visit Pennsylvania ; no. here I am, tied by the foot, 
 and here must remain until the scene is over. My service 
 in the Treasury has been peculiarly severe. It is admitted 
 by all that its business is never of a light kind. Its investi- 
 gations, its calculations, its anticipations, its decisions, al- 
 ways imply labor. The mind cannot doze over them. It 
 must dive into them seriously and in earnest, and wo be to 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 133 
 
 him who makes mistakes. Nothing but constant, intense 
 thought will ever carry a man through the business of the 
 Treasury. There is no help or hope for him otherwise. And 
 under what circumstances did I come to this business? 
 After an interval of seven years passed in our foreign ser- 
 vice. To all Treasury business I had necessarily become. 
 1 may say, a total stranger. It is too exact, too minute, too 
 technical in its nature ever to be followed up by a citizen 
 who is abroad, and anxiously engaged while abroad in other 
 duties of high moment to his country. Besides, our country 
 is perpetually going forward in its home affairs. The cres- 
 cent principle is astonishingly active. Every night, when 
 the sun sets, we have grown somewhat larger as a nation 
 than we were when it rose in the morning. To those who 
 are on the spot it is easy to keep up with the daily increase ; 
 but think of taking seven years' accumulation suddenly, and 
 having to manage it all, off-hand, under the heaviest offi- 
 cial responsibilities! During the time I was away a multi- 
 tude of new laws had passed — respecting the public lands, 
 the customs, and an endless variety of subjects bearing upon 
 the finances, with all of which I had to make myself ac- 
 quainted, whilst the daily current of new business was at the 
 same time pressing upon me, for that would never stop for 
 an instant. I had no time to rest, scarcely any to sleep, to 
 breathe. Leeway was only to be made up by working at 
 extra hours, and how were these to be rescued from the 
 everlasting calls of accruing business? Moreover. I found 
 the department, into the midst of which I was plunged, 
 half filled with worn-out incumbents, which is the case 
 still. These are some of the difficulties I had to face. It 
 has been my fortune not to have been crushed by them, and 
 I have even the satisfaction of reflecting that up to this 
 point of time there have been no financial embarrassments 
 of any kind, during the period that I have been charged 
 with directing this part of our public affairs. But I have 
 had my trials. I have suffered in body and in mind : the 
 
134 I HARLES MINER, 
 
 sufferings of the latter have been the sharpest. I complain 
 not, always foolish in public men; but only state facts. 
 After my first report 1 was arraigned, in effect, before the 
 nation, for imputed mistakes, to the amount of millions 
 and millions. I had no name, however poor, in this diffi- 
 cult and trying branch of our affairs, to cover me as with 
 a temporary shield. Those who assailed me had. I was 
 reviled, scoffed at. Would the South have left one of her 
 sons so unprotected? I had to live for a long year under the 
 agony of suspended reputation. Time came to my relief. 
 It fixed the mistakes on those who assailed me as I said and 
 knew from the beginning that it would. But I had no state 
 to stand up for me and see fair play in the interim. 
 
 After adding, at length and with the bitterness of a 
 wounded spirit, that he had even been criticised as being 
 "no Pennsylvanian," though he had never been out of the 
 state save on public business; and declaring that such treat- 
 ment would not have come to one from the South, the West 
 or the North, he averred that time had brought his vindica- 
 tion, official and other, and closed : * * * "Whilst on this head 
 1 will barely add, that the finance committee of the senate, 
 at the session that has just passed (General S. Smith of 
 Maryland chairman ), made a report, in the course of which 
 all the important doctrines upon which I have practised 
 touching the public debt, and the sinking fund act, are con- 
 firmed, though they were much attacked at first. 
 
 "My dear sir. it is your kind and friendly letter of the 
 4th instant, just received, that draws from me; in the full- 
 ness of feeling, such remarks as the preceding. Perhap> 
 I ought not to make them, but as they have come from me 
 I will not recall them. There are indeed many grounds on 
 which, if I be rejected by my state, in comparison with 
 others I well know that 1 should have no right to utter 
 complaint; but to be rejected as being no Pennsylvanian — 
 would not this be a hard fate? I have simply unbosomed 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 135 
 
 myself under your letter, and will say no more on the sub- 
 ject, being always sensible, my dear friend, of your kind- 
 ness and friendship, and tendering you a full reciprocation 
 of all such feelings. <<R IC hard Rush." 
 
 Back in West Chester Mr. Miner continued his corres- 
 pondence with his old Washington friends. The follow- 
 ing [February 19, 1830J, from Senator Peleg Sprague of 
 Maine, with whom he had so frankly disagreed on the 
 slavery question, gives a near glimpse of the great Webster- 
 Hayne struggle: 
 
 "The debate between Mr. Webster and Mr. Hayne seems 
 to have attracted very much of the public attention. It 
 was indeed a very extraordinary discussion, and produced 
 a greater sensation here than any other I have witnessed. 
 As to the comparative ability of the two champions, you 
 know them and can judge. They both maintained their 
 reputation, and increased it. Nothing can be more false 
 than those representations which have been made by certain 
 letter-writers who would throw Mr. Webster into the shade. 
 The only comparison which can be made between Mr. Web- 
 ster and Mr. Hayne was that which exists between a giant 
 and a man of common strength." 
 
 Jackson's stormy reign had begun ; and his veto of the 
 bill chartering the United States Bank was shaking the 
 politics of the country from top to bottom. Ex-President 
 Adams, from his retirement in Quincy, looked at the storm 
 with the eye of an experienced observer ; and in his letter 
 to Mr. Miner of October 11, 1830, gave to his corres- 
 pondent — as now to the readers of this biography — a review 
 of his own administration : 
 
 "Quincy, ii Oct. 1830. 
 
 "Your very friendly letter of the 19th ulto. with the 
 number of the Village Record containing the analysis of 
 the Veto Message has been duly received and has given 
 me great pleasure. The suffrage of so near, so close and so 
 
l$6 I HARLES MINER, 
 
 impartial an observer as you were at the commencement 
 of the last Administration, is of itself worth a multitude 
 of others; and if, in the progress of the four years while 
 it continued the impartiality was merged in the sentence 
 of a candid and benevolent judgment, your voice is not the 
 less precious in my estimation, for the kind feeling by 
 which it is prompted at present. 
 
 "For the judgment of Posterity upon the Acts and policy 
 of the last Administration, so far as Posterity will take 
 cognizance of them, 1 never felt any concern — it was marked 
 by no signal Event, nor was an opportunity afforded me 
 of conferring upon the Nation any benefit which by its 
 magnitude would commend itself to the memory of the 
 ages. Such an opportunity would have required the con- 
 currence of others, which, from what ever motive was with 
 held, and as Posterity takes little account of good merely 
 intended for, but not enjoyed by them, I do not promise 
 myself much of their Gratitude or even of their Remem- 
 brance. My name will hold its place in our future Fasti 
 Consulares, but no Appian way, or Column of Trajan or 
 Arch of Titus, will exhibit to the eyes of men in future 
 Times, its achievements : and disposed as I am to look be- 
 fore as well as after, with an eye rather of philosophy 
 than of Ambition, I content myself with the slender por- 
 tion of regard which may be yielded to barren good In- 
 tentions, and aspirations beyond the Temper of the Age, 
 leaving the Temple of the Winds, or the Needle of Cleo- 
 patra, as more suitable monuments to commemorate the 
 virtues of my Successors. 
 
 "Your Analysis of the Message has detected its con- 
 cealments, and simplified its duplicities — Internal improve- 
 ment and domestic Industry must hang their harps upon 
 the willows — I lament their discomfiture, and live in the 
 hope of their restoration— The glory that consists in re- 
 pressing the energies of the Country directed to the better- 
 ing of its condition cannot last. 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. Iff 
 
 "The population dwelling South of Mason and Dixon 
 line, will naturally and perhaps necessarily always vote for 
 one of themselves to fill the Chair of State — So it will be 
 hereafter, as it has been heretofore. This is constitutional 
 right; and they cannot be censured for the exercise of it. 
 The North is more accommodating ; and will bear all things 
 for the sake of the Union — 
 
 "But it is time for us to look a little abroad again — The 
 affairs of Europe are re-assuming an aspect of deep inter- 
 est — The wheel of Political dominion is not satisfied with 
 one entire turn — It is again in motion — can you tell us 
 when and where it will stop? Talleyrand said that the 
 Restoration of the Bourbons was the beginning of the end — 
 Was it not rather the end of the beginning? 
 
 "I wish Pennsylvania may be so well represented in the 
 Senate of the Union as your expectation forebodes — and I 
 should rejoice to see your own seat in the Capitol resumed 
 — but there or elsewhere be assured of the respect and re- 
 gard of your friend, ((] Q ^^ „ 
 
 Edward Everett agreed with Mr. Adams in his detesta- 
 tion of Jackson's veto and admiration of Mr. Miner's scari- 
 fication of it. From Charlestown he wrote on October 22, 
 1830: 
 "My dear Friend (if you will permit me so to call you) : 
 
 "You wrote me a kind letter at Washington last winter, 
 which I fear I have not answered ; and you sent me the 
 other day your paper containing your dissection of the Veto. 
 How could a man of your mildness commit such a murder 
 as you have done of that innocent and guileless thing? 
 Seriously, it is the ablest comment, with the exception of 
 Mr. Clay's (and that is not abler) which has appeared on 
 this renowned paper. * * * I see Stewart is back. Would 
 that you were." 
 
 Even more significant was ex-Secretary Rush's state- 
 ment, as from an experienced authority, that Jackson knew 
 
138 I HASLES MINER, 
 
 nothing about banking but had probably been mistaught by 
 Van Buren. He wrote to Mr. Miner from York, January- 
 s' 1831: 
 
 "Since the President's second attack on the bank (a sub- 
 ject that he really does not understand, but in regard to 
 which he is probably misled by Mr. Van Buren) the subject 
 has acquired fresh interest. I have even received letters 
 from Europe, expressing apprehensions for its fate; par- 
 ticularly from England, within a few days, where much of 
 the stock is held. These letters are of course dated before 
 the knowledge of this second demonstration by the head of 
 the government had arrived, but under fears of it. * * * 
 
 "Whilst 1 was in the Treasury my attention was neces- 
 sarily and officially called, I may say almost daily for four 
 years, to the operations of this institution ; and I felt it a 
 duty to bear my official testimony to Congress and the na- 
 tion of its utility. This I did in my last annual report, in 
 which I endeavored to present, in a form as condensed and 
 intelligible as possible, its most important benefits to the 
 financial operations of the country. As always, 
 "Sincerely and affectionately yours, 
 
 "Richard Rush." 
 
 Later, in this same year 183 1, the Anti-Masonic excite- 
 ment was adding fuel to the political flame; and if the 
 excitement quickly burned out. it was, like brushwood, all 
 the hotter while it lasted. William Morgan, accused of 
 divulging masonic secrets, had mysteriously disappeared; 
 and the critics and enemies of the order accused it of 
 spiriting him away and murdering him. The charge was 
 heatedly and often denied, but the battle was on, with such 
 fury as materially to affect the field of national politics. 
 Sincereiy attached to his lodsre. and deeming the widely 
 current attacks on the Masons without justification in sober 
 reason, Mr. Miner deplored and withstood the agitation 
 Opposed to the order -and yet with sobriety, lohn QuinC) 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. I39 
 
 Adams as earnestly espoused the other side. Here, how- 
 ever, as before, Mr. Miner was confidentially consulted, or 
 cordially written to, by political foes as well as friends. 
 Daniel Webster, looking at the strife dispassionately but 
 anxiously from afar, wrote him at length from Boston, 
 August 28, 1 83 1 : 
 
 "1 wish I could say anything encouraging on the highly 
 important subjects mentioned in your letter of the 20th. 
 
 "The Kentucky election has not turned out to be rmite 
 as bad as it appeared to be, at the date of your letter, but 
 still it is unsatisfactory, and has produced an unfavorable 
 impression in this quarter. Speaking to you in the most 
 confidential manner, I must say that I concur with you in 
 the opinion that there is very little chance of electing Mr. 
 Clay. I believe we may hope for the vote of Kentucky 
 yet, but even with that I do not perceive where we are to 
 find enough others to make a majority. My private im- 
 pression is, there is but one chance to save the country 
 from further and worse misrule, and that is to bring for- 
 ward some man in whose favor the National Republicans 
 and Anti-Masons of Pennsylvania and New York could 
 be induced to unite, so as to secure the votes of those states. 
 With them, Ohio, New England, New Jersey, Delaware, 
 and Maryland would be able to elect a President. But 1 
 fear there is very little prospect of finding such a candidate. 
 
 "You say that you believe the Anti-Masons are intent on 
 pushing Judge M [McLean]. It will never do; our friends 
 in New England and else where will never be brought to 
 support him. As against him the election of Gen'l Jackson 
 would be certain. 
 
 "A gentleman writing from Philadelphia says : 'Let us 
 put up a candidate, if we make a change, in whom we have 
 perfect confidence, and if we fail, still a minority united 
 on principle, and with a sound head, is better security to the 
 country, than success in behalf of moderate talents or doubt- 
 ful principles.' I agree to all this ; at the same time that I 
 
I4O CHARLES MINER, 
 
 see the difficulty of finding the man. I confess 1 do not 
 know him. You are pleased to say that I possess a portion 
 of the confidence of the conflicting parties. Perhaps it 
 may be so, but 1 cannot think the country is inclined to 
 bring me forward, and it is certain that I shall do nothing 
 to bring myself forward. I have little experience in public 
 affairs, and have not been long enough before the country to 
 produce great general confidence. My only merit is an 
 ardent attachment to the country and the constitution of 
 Government, and 1 am already more than paid for all my 
 efforts, if you and other good men think I have done any 
 thing to defend the Constitution and promote the welfare 
 of the country. In the favor which those efforts have at- 
 tracted towards me, I see promise of a real, substantial, 
 fixed attachment among the people to the Constitution. The 
 great body of the community is quite sound on that point. 
 And that is the feeling which we ought to cultivate, and on 
 which we must rely. If we bring about a change it will 
 be done by us as a Union party. 
 
 "And now, my dear sir, will you tell me whether in your 
 judgment, there is any individual, who could so unite the 
 Anti-Masons and National Republican voters of Pennsyl- 
 vania as to carry the state against Gen'l Jackson ? I should 
 like much to know your present impression on that vital 
 
 question. 
 
 "The Anti-Masonic Convention at Baltimore will have a 
 
 most responsible part to act. The prosperity of the country, 
 
 perhaps the fate of its Government, hangs on their decision. 
 
 God give them true wisdom, and disinterested patriotism. 
 
 "I shall be glad to hear from you at your earliest leisure. 
 
 "Yours truly, 
 
 "D. Webster. 
 
 "You will of course consider this letter in the strictest 
 sense confidential." 
 
 In this correspondence it is obvious that Masons and 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA 1'IONEER. I4I 
 
 Anti-Masons were at that time, at least, united in their 
 desire to beat Jackson. 
 
 Three months later the same absorbing theme, among 
 others, was dwelt upon by Mr. Adams in what is, in some 
 respects, the most interesting letter in all the interesting 
 Charles Miner correspondence. John Quincy Adams, 
 though there have been plenty of book-makers among our 
 presidents, was the only poet in the list; and his verses to 
 Mr. Minsr are not only a remarkable indication of com- 
 plete impartiality and implicit trust in his political integrity, 
 but in themselves a neatly-turned literary product of the 
 old-fashioned Horatian order, derived from a sound, classi- 
 cal training. Those were the days when our colleges had 
 no boilershop adjuncts or courses in retail shoe-selling; 
 and Mr. Adams, it will be remembered, was an ex-professor 
 of rhetoric : 
 
 "Quincy, 18th Oct., 183 1. 
 
 "Dear Sir: "It is perhaps a puzzling question of minor 
 morals to determine how much of the pleasure which we 
 derive from the applause of our friends, or of the world, is 
 to be set down to the account of vanity, and how much to 
 the honest love of praise. These are very different things, 
 and yet I fear are very apt to run into one another. 
 
 "Mrs. Thrale tells us that Dr. Johnson was delighted 
 more than beseemed a philosopher, at a compliment from a 
 gentleman, who, upon seeing him upon horseback, declared 
 he rode as well as the most illiterate jockey in England. 
 Something akin to this I have experienced from the notice 
 in your letter of the Psalm annexed to my Anti-Nullifica- 
 tion 4th of July discourse, and of the Hymn at the close of 
 the Eulogy ; but of the high praise with which you honour 
 them, the larger half belongs to another. The Hymn was 
 not written by me, nor do I know the author. It was prob- 
 ably Dr. Doane, the respectable Episcopal clergyman who 
 read the prayers, and composed the long one, which was 
 much admired. The Psalm was one of a number at leisure 
 
142 ( HAKLES MINER, 
 
 hours versified by me, and which I gave to be sung by the 
 Choir, deeming it appropriate to the occasion. 
 
 "But to the numerous friends to whom I sent copies of 
 the Oration, many have in return expressed hearty con- 
 currence in its opinions, and very flattering appreciation 
 of its principles. You alone have spoken of the Psalm, and 
 the variety of applause from the 'bi forked hill' has given 
 an unusual value to yours. 1 have in the course of my life 
 wasted so much of my time in the composition of rhyme 
 as to have acquired some facility in tacking syllables to- 
 gether. 1 have chiefly confined myself to translations, with- 
 now and then a few original lines for a young lady's album 
 — or such as those herewith enclosed, which, as they happen 
 to please or displease you, may be put upon the file or in 
 the fire. 
 
 "1 am much indebted to you for a copy of your printed 
 Speech upon internal improvements, enclosed with your 
 letter. There must be some mistake with regard to the 
 Tract published during the sitting of the Convention of 
 1787, and from which the extract in your speech is given. 
 You will observe in the Eulogy, page 45, notice of a letter 
 addressed by Mr. Monroe to his constituents, after he had 
 been elected to the State Convention, which was to decide 
 upon the Constitution of the United States, and before the 
 Convention met. The statement that this letter was imper- 
 fectly printed, and that he sent a copy of it, among others, 
 to Mr. Jefferson, is made in the Eulogy upon the authority 
 of a manuscript of autobiography in Mr. Monroe's own 
 hand writing furnished me by Mr. Gouverneur, since his 
 decease. In that letter he says he stated his objections to 
 the Constitution, which he afterwards set forth more at 
 large by speeches in the State Convention. There he voted 
 against the adoption <>t' the Constitution, though he would 
 have been willing t<> accept it with previous amendments. 
 In the manuscript to which I have alluded not a word i- 
 said of any tract published while the General Convention 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. '43 
 
 was in session. If therefore the Tract to which you refer 
 was written by Mr. Monroe, it must be the same address 
 to his constituents, written after his election to the State 
 Convention. I should not indeed have supposed that there 
 was any period of his life at which he would have written 
 of the state governments the sentence quoted in your 
 speech — yet so it may have been. Mr. Madison had at that 
 time quite a little respect for the state governments, and 
 little did they deserve. A history of the Confederation from 
 the Declaration of Independence to the 4th of March, 1789, 
 would, as you have observed, be a most instructive moral 
 and political discourse for the perusal of the people of the 
 United States, but they would not read it. Who reads 
 any portion of our history? Twenty editions of the 
 Waverly Novels, in fifty volumes, would make as many for- 
 tunes for their printers before one thousand copies of a 
 History of the United States could be sold, were it written 
 with the pen of Cornelius Tacitus himself. 
 
 "With regard to the fiscal concerns of the States which 
 compose our Confederation, including those of the colonial 
 governments before the Revolution, my own information is 
 exceedingly scanty. Whoever should trace them out, accord- 
 ing to your suggestion, would make a very curious exhibi- 
 tion, and for aught I know, if he would give it the form 
 of a novel and season it with crossings in love, great say- 
 ings, and impossible adventures, he might make it an inter- 
 esting work. 
 
 "In 1652 the colonial government of Massachusetts Bay. 
 upon their own authority, coined silver money. Whether 
 it was high treason or state sovereignty might form the 
 subject of a learned and ingenious historical dissertation. 
 In Virginia and Maryland they did not coin silver but they 
 turned tobacco leaves into pounds, shillings and pence, a 
 metamorphosis, if not equal to any in Ovid, quite the re- 
 verse of that celebrated by Swift, of Ovid himself into 
 waste paper. About the time of the South Sea schemes in 
 
144 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 England, and Law's Mississippi gold mines in France, the 
 General Court of Massachusetts Bay made a land bank, 
 which swelled to as large a bubble, and shivered into as 
 many imperceptable atoms of vapor when it burst, as those 
 schemes of more notorious infamy. Paper money was al- 
 ways the besetting sin of Massachusetts Bay ; and one of 
 their greatest financiering achievements was an accurate 
 adaptation of the decimal arithmetic by making their pound, 
 lawful money, exactly equivalent to two shillings, or one- 
 tenth of a pound sterling. If no other instruction could be 
 derived from a history of colonial financiering, the pupil 
 would be dull indeed who could not acquire from them 
 some accomplishment in the art of committing national 
 bankruptcy. Perhaps they might teach the better lesson to 
 avoid it. 
 
 "While I was procrastinating the intention to answer your 
 letter I received your short note with two of your election- 
 eering papers ; and since then I have received your repub- 
 lication of Mr. Wirt's Letter to the Anti-Masonic Conven- 
 tion at Baltimore, with your declaration and that of several 
 of your masonic brethren, that you concur entirely with the 
 sentiments of that letter. The definite object of the Anti- 
 Masons in the United States is the abolition of the Institu- 
 tion. In consenting to be their candidate, Mr. Wirt ap- 
 proves this object, and the means by which they are avowed- 
 ly endeavoring to accomplish it — that is, by acting upon 
 popular elections. General Peter B. Porter and Mr. W. 
 B. Rochester in Xew York have expressed the same opinion, 
 by advising the surrender of the charters by the lodges. 
 You have seen by my letter to Edward Ingersoll that this 
 is more than I, Anti-Masonic as I am, would absolutely 
 require, though I earnestly desire it and believe it the best 
 course for the Masons to adopt, both for themselves and 
 for their country. But that they should discard forever 
 all naths, penalties and secrets I deem indispensable, and 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. H5 
 
 until that is accomplished I shall be a determined Anti- 
 Mason. Although in my letters to Mr. Ingersoll I made 
 repeated mention of your name, I did not anticipate that he 
 would communicate them to you. I authorized him to show 
 them to Mr. Walsh, because he had denounced me to the 
 public as a madman for my anti-masonry. But if you, and 
 Washington and others whom I love and revere, have 
 taken the masonic oaths and bound yourselves by them 1 
 can only say 
 
 'There's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple ; 
 If the ill spirit have so fair a house, 
 Good things will strive to dwell with't.' 
 
 "A difference of opinion with you will always be to me 
 a subject of regret, but will never impair the regard and 
 esteem with which I am, Dear Sir, 
 
 "Your friend and servant 
 
 "J. Q. Adams." 
 
 Enclosed was the following poem which the family still 
 have in Mr. Adams' handwriting: 
 
 "To Charles Miner, Esq., 18 October, 183 1. 
 
 "Idem velle atque idem nolle, ea demum firma amicitia est. 
 
 Catiline in Sallust. 
 "Amicus Socrates, Amicus Plato, sed magis Arnica Veritas. 
 
 Cicero. 
 
 "Say, brother, will thy heart maintain 
 
 The Roman's maxim still ; 
 That nothing brightens Friendship's chain 
 
 Save Unity of Will. 
 Ah, no, Unhallowed was the thought : 
 
 From perjur'd lips it came, 
 With Treachery and with Falsehood fraught. 
 
 Not Friendship's sacred Flame. 
 
146 BARLES MINER, 
 
 "To Roman Virtue shall we turn 
 
 To kindle Friendship's fires? 
 From purer Sources let us learn 
 
 The Duties she requires. 
 To Tully's deathless page ascend. 
 
 The surest guide of Youth : 
 There we shall find him, Plato's Friend, 
 
 But more the friend of Truth. 
 
 "And thou to me, and 1 to thee 
 
 This maxim will apply : 
 And leaving Thought and Action free, 
 
 In Friendship live and die. 
 Be thine the Compass and the Square, 
 
 While I discard them both — 
 And thou shalt keep and I forbear. 
 
 The Secret and the oath." 
 
 To appreciate the full force of the feeling expressed in 
 the letters and the poem, one must turn to Mr. Adams' 
 historians and biographers; they vie with each other in 
 -tating his aloofness. Says Schouler : "He judged con- 
 temporaries harshly. Among men, great or small he had 
 hardly an intimate friend"; to which James Freeman 
 Clarke, in his "Anti-Slavery Days," adds "I suppose he was 
 one of the most lonely men of his time * * * he was full 
 of dislikes and distastes," etc. But still more must one 
 1 bis anti-masonic papers and letters; it is a strong 
 proof of his true greatness of character that he could s,» 
 thoroughly hate the sin. and so heartily love the sinner.* 
 
 His friend, ex-Secretary Rush, another anti-mason, con- 
 fidentially consulted Mr. Miner regarding the anti-masonic 
 presidential nomination of 1832. Mr. Rush, writing from 
 York, September 4, 1830, had advised no nomination, but 
 
 •See "Letters to Edward Livingston, Grand High Priest, published 
 in 1834. In these Mr. Adams objected (.specially to the oath of 
 secrecv and the use of God's name 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 147 
 
 a resolution not to support Jackson. Afterward, as indi- 
 cated in his letter of October 21, he accepted, as he later 
 supported, William Wirt as the presidential nominee. 
 
 As the election of 1832 approached, came another letter 
 from a politician still more deeply interested in the result : 
 
 "Ashland, August 25th, 1832. 
 
 "Dear Sir : The Kentucky elections have terminated 
 in the Jackson candidate for governor, by a majority of 
 1,260 votes, the Republican candidate for lieut.-gov. by a 
 majority of 1,506 votes, and in 60 out of the 100 members 
 that compose the house of representatives ; also in securing 
 in the senate, where the majority was against us last year, 
 a majority of 22 out of the 28 members that compose that 
 body. 
 
 "We have been so often mortified with the issue of elec- 
 tions in this state, that I do not know whether you will 
 take any interest in the causes of our recent partial defeat. 
 They were, 1st: the employment of extraordinary means 
 by the Jackson party, within and without the state; on this 
 point all the efforts were brought to bear, and every species 
 of influence was exercised. The patronage and means of 
 that party was profusely used. 2nd : an irruption of Ten- 
 nessee voters, who came to the polls in some of our border 
 counties. Last year official returns of all the voters in all 
 the counties were made to form a basis for the practical 
 adjustment of the ratio of our representatives. In some 
 of the counties, at the recent election. I understand that 
 the Jackson majority exceeded the whole number of the 
 voters, according to those returns. * * * 
 
 "I remain always 
 
 "Faithfully your friend, 
 
 "C. Miner, Esq. "H. Clay." 
 
 "P. S. Your own discretion will suggest to you the 
 impropriety of the publication of this letter. 
 
 "H. C." 
 
I48 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 The same year, 1832. afforded another proof that Mr. 
 Miner though in retirement was still looked to for help. 
 In Bethania, Pennsylvania, was published in pamphlet form, 
 by a body of men who wished to rouse and educate public 
 spirit on the subject, "An Extract from a Speech in the 
 House of Representatives in 1829 on the subject of Slavery 
 and the Slave-trade in the District of Columbia, by Charles 
 Miner; with notes." 
 
 This speech, the committee of publication stated, was un- 
 satisfactory in its suggestion of gradual emancipation, but 
 they chose it "on account of the author's personal knowl- 
 edge." Mr. Miner himself notes that his speech on this 
 republication was criticised as being too moderate to suit 
 the temper of the time, which he himself had helped to 
 create, but adds that at least it helped to spread information 
 and arouse thought. 
 
 In 1832, also, he finally left West Chester and returned, 
 for the rest of his days, to his wife's inherited farm at 
 "Wrightsville," afterwards Plains Township and now 
 Miner's Mills Borough, two miles and a half north of 
 Wilkes-Barre. The unpopularity of masonry in Chester 
 county may have had some influence toward the change ; 
 his deafness was an increasing trouble ; and another reason 
 was, as already given in a quoted letter as far back as 1828, 
 to "look to our Luzerne lands and try to make the children 
 independent," an ambition which he lived to see accom- 
 plished. The Village Record was sold to an employee on 
 credit, which was met by payments in installments ; and 
 Asher was left free to follow his brother to the Wyoming 
 Valley, which he did two years later. 
 
 That he was not forgotten in West Chester was pleasant- 
 ly shown in 1835, when, revisiting the town, he was given a 
 complimentary non-partisan dinner, and responded to the 
 toast : "Our guest, the Hon. Charles Miner — as the public 
 man we hail him for his services in promoting the interests 
 and happiness of our beloved country ; as a private citizen 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 149 
 
 we thank him for the example of his virtues ; and he has 
 our warmest wishes that his future years may he as happy 
 as his past life has been useful and honorable." 
 
 A few words quoted by Mr. O. J. Harvey from a private 
 letter show Mr. Miner was the same happy, helpful spirit in 
 WestChester that he was everywhere else : "The young Yan- 
 kee printer, ridiculed by the Democracy of Chester County 
 as a 'Yankee tin peddler,' won his way to the esteem and con- 
 fidence of the plain and practical Quakers, then, as now, 
 powerful and influential in that old county. He was a 
 popular man with young people, his kindly smile of recog- 
 nition being long remembered, and the pure sentiments dis- 
 seminated through the columns of his paper had a salutary 
 effect in elevating the moral and intellectual tone of its 
 readers." Again : "The Village Record was published for 
 many years in a small frame building on High street near 
 Gay. The personal appearance of Charles Miner in this 
 office is well remembered, especially on publication day.-. 
 when with a short apron of green baize or flannel he took 
 an active part in issuing the Record — his kindly countenance 
 and manner leaving a pleasant impression on the memory 
 that more than half a century has not effaced. He was a 
 genial and kind hearted man, very fond and considerate of 
 the young." 
 
 In a letter to Mr. Miner written in 1847, Mr. Henry S. 
 Evans, who took the Village Record on Mr. Miner's re- 
 turn to Wilkes-Barre in 1832, said concerning a new paper 
 he, with others was about to start : "Now my honored friend 
 we know that our fate depends upon starting right. That 
 is impossible without your aid in our opinion. We must 
 have the aid of your pen — as the only one that can place us 
 in the position we covet. With the aid of your pen. a few 
 weeks at least, and we have no fears. * * * Indeed to 
 decline would destroy all our calculations." And in 1858 
 the editor of a collection of Chester county verse, wrote Mr. 
 W. P. Miner : "We cannot get along without something 
 
I'O < SABLES MINER, 
 
 from Charles Miner; his name has been so long and hon- 
 orably associated with the ramified interests of our county 
 that we deem a contribution a sine qua non." 
 
 Their blind daughter, Sarah, (of whom he writes, ''cheer- 
 ful, intelligent, her society was agreeable, and for myself, 
 I may say, she has not only been an obedient daughter, 
 but an agreeable companion, and faithful friend," and of 
 whose poetry her family and friends were proud) has 
 described their new home on the "Plains" in the cozy, low- 
 browed cottage under the great sycamore that family tra- 
 dition says was once the riding-switch of an ancestress, 
 which still flourishes by the door : 
 
 M\ HOME BENEATH THE SYCAMORE. 
 
 There is a lovely, lonely spot, 
 In thought I often wander o'er; 
 'Tis far away, an humble cot 
 My home beneath the Sycamore. 
 
 The stream glides there with murmuring sound, 
 Forgetful of the torrents roar. 
 And mountain winds sigh softly round 
 My home beneath the Sycamore. 
 
 With waving vines the trees are clad, 
 And blossoms yield their fragrant store. 
 And wild birds warble to make glad 
 My home beneath the Sycamore. 
 
 My father and my mother dwell. 
 Within that cot so shaded o'er: 
 No wonder that I love so well 
 My home beneath the Sycamore. 
 
 Here he loved to keep open house. In two day-books, 
 combining diary and accounts, are many entries that show 
 his happiness as host, and many other items of interest of 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 1 5 1 
 
 which just a few must be quoted, they are so full of char- 
 acter: The books cover the period from September, 1839, to 
 May, 1853. Sandwiched in among minute statements of 
 accounts, come notes showing the generous habit of the 
 family ; orders on Hibler and Yosts ; Hollenback and 
 Rutter's, Z. Bennetts', etc. ; digging coal, selling coal lands, 
 butchering, setting hens, hiring or discharging men ; "Paid 
 Jacob in coal," "Gave Sylvia an order on Hollenback"; 
 "Sally Slaughback Cr when we killed and put up our meat." 
 
 August 28, 1840. "They charge 75 a rod fto dig a ditch] 
 and rind themselves. I agree to give it but think it not 
 enough if they do well. It is left to me to say what more, 
 or whether anything shall be paid." 
 
 December 19, 1844. "Letitia sent Mr. Sheppard a nice 
 turkey, 2 b. buckwheat flour, a ton coal." 
 
 Christmas, 1844. "Roasted two nice turkeys Sister 
 Thomasin, Cousin Eliza, Fuller and Charles Colte, E. Bow- 
 man Miner, Charles Miner dined with us. Wm. & Elizabeth 
 sent 1 turkey to Mr. Clayton— 1 to Mr. Dyer by Mrs. Ligget 
 1 to Mrs. Drake — Furnished 1 for Christmas dinner — 4. 
 Letitia sent 1 to Mr. Sheppard, the minister — 1 to Mrs. 
 Overton. I, 1 to Mr. Dorrance and we furnished 1 for Ch 
 Dinner — 4. Both families united sent 1 to Dr. Miner. I 
 sent Rev. Mr. Dorrance a load of coal." 
 
 1846. "Memorandum: Have this fall given Mr. Rev. 
 Moyster, order for ton coal at bed, sent him a ton to his 
 house. Wm. gave him 2b buckwheat. Pair fowls. Sent 
 load coal to Mr. M house. Ton to Mr. Sheppard. Hind 
 quarter veal (excellent) 2 b oats. Beans. * * * Welcome 
 but minuted for our satisfaction." In the midst of many 
 entries like these one is not surprised to come on the follow- 
 ing : "Finding that we have lived beyond our means, we all 
 resolve to, cheerfully unite in retrenching our expenditures 
 and practicing the strictest economy." 
 
 1840, May 13. "Christian took down a log to build the 
 Log (political Harrison) Cabin." 
 
152 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 September 24. "My esteemed son in law Jesse Thomas 
 with his wife Ellen, daughter Sarah & their daughter little 
 Anne came to visit us Sept. 19, exceedingly welcome." 
 
 1841, "Tuesday, March 16. * * * Yesterday, fair, 
 good sleighing — at 1 1 a. m. Dear Asher was buried. He 
 had been ill since Tuesday, the 2nd instant. It was of a 
 disease of the heart as was supposed. On Sunday the 7th 
 he had a stroke like Apoplexy, and from that time could 
 not turn himself in bed, but suffered little pain, was cheer- 
 ful, sometimes pleasant. On Saturday, 13, he grew rapidly 
 worse. Then the pain about the region of the heart was 
 severe — on our proposing to send for a doctor he said — 'It 
 will do no good, there is no relief but in Death,' and expired 
 a little before 5 o'clock, March 13, 1841. Aged 63 years 
 and 10 days, having been born March 3rd. 1778. * * * 
 His beautiful and lovely daughter Mary was buried about 
 a vear ago with consumption ; and his good daughter Sarah 
 was buried with the same disease on Friday the 5th, only a 
 few days before her father. Their house is indeed a house 
 of affliction." 
 
 184 1. "June: On Thursday about noon, 17th our dear 
 cousin Helen, brother Asher's daughter, died of Consump- 
 tion, and was buried on Saturday, a very large funeral. 
 * * * This is the 4th funeral in that family within 18 
 months." 
 
 1842. "April 15: William P. Miner, after a five weeks 
 absence at West Chester, returned with his wife, he having 
 been married on Monday evening, \pril 11. to Miss Eliza- 
 beth D. Liggit." * * * 
 
 1844, Tuesday 16. "This is the anniversary of our wed- 
 ding day, having been married Jany 16, 1804 — 40 years — 
 Letitia then being 15 years, 7 months and 5 days old — 
 Charles being 23 years, 11 months and 16 days. Lete born 
 June 11, 1788; Charles born Feb. 1, 1780. We have been 
 greatly helped by a kind superintending Providence. May 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 153 
 
 we have grateful hearts — pure and cheerful lives; and be 
 ready cheerfully to go when our Divine Master shall call." 
 "1844, July 3, Professor [George] Ticknor of Boston and 
 Professor Rogers here. Waited on them to the Monument. 
 Mrs. Ticknor and 2 daughters along." [In a letter from 
 Mr. Ticknor, dated July 25, 1844, he says: "I have been 
 absent from home for the last two months, travelling in 
 the interior of Pennsylvania and New York for Mrs. Tick- 
 nor's health."] 
 
 March 19, 1851. "I have been sick for 10 days— Yesterday 
 Dr. Miner visited me. On Saturday night I was crying out 
 with pain in my right breast. The old frame is nearly 
 worn out. Dr. Miner said, "Not now, Uncle Charles ; but 
 when I do come and find the shades of death gathering and 
 darkening upon you I will tell you." 
 
 April 16, 1852. "Letitia W. Miner— my dear— my 
 tenderly loved wife for 48 years, departed this life Friday, 
 February 27, 1852. Born June, 1788, she was 63 years and 
 8 months old. 
 
 "We were married January 16, 1804. She died of con- 
 sumption, having been sick several months. 
 
 "She was of fine person — very handsome in early life — 
 pure in mind — spotless in virtue, intelligent and of a fine 
 
 literary taste." 
 
 August 13th, 1852. 
 
 "On Friday came Win. Butler, Esq., and lady (our dear 
 
 Letitia Thomas that was) and their lovely daughter, our 
 
 great grandchild, their nurse and George and Mary Thomas, 
 
 son and daughter of our son-in-law, Dr. Isaac Thomas, 
 
 and Miss Mary Brinton that was, all cordially welcome. 
 
 On Saturday evening came my nephew Charles Boswell. 
 
 Esq., President of the Hartford Bank, rejoiced to see him. 
 
 A time of as perfect enjoyment as human nature is capable 
 
 of!" 
 
 October 16, 1852. "I was visited by Mr. Penn, G. 
 
154 CHARLES MIXER. 
 
 Grandson of Wm. Penn. He had called several weeks 
 ago, with Judge Woodward and 1 was not at home. Social, 
 pleasant, etc." 
 
 "November 27th, 1852. 
 "Thanksgiving Day. Had to dinner Mrs. Leggett, Mary 
 Overton. Mary Hancock. Win.. Elizabeth and the children, 
 Asher M Stout, lady, nurse and children. Mrs. Julia Miner. 
 Fuller, Charlotte and the 3 boys, Miss Abbott, Miss Searle 
 and brother, Mrs. Adams and Mr. Abbott (her brother) 
 Joseph W. Miner and Charles A. Miner. Had a turkey. 
 young goose — pair of ducks — chicken pie and baked beans — 
 boiled turkey and oyster sauce, mince pies (topping) apple 
 pies, pudding, etc. Then from under our own roof tree we 
 had grandmother Wright 84, myself ~$. Sarah, our be- 
 loved grand-daughters Caroline D. Thomas and Lete M. 
 Lewis, Jesse, Ellen. Lete. Isaac and the little ones. A de- 
 lightful day and happy time." 
 
 A contribution to the Pittston Gazette gives an interest- 
 ing picture: "* * * Young man! if you think you don't 
 know anything, that written, will interest others, let me tell 
 you what to do. Saddle up your horse some afternoon 
 next week, or if you have no horse, go on foot through the 
 mud— it will pay. Start from where you live, down the 
 road or canal, it does not matter which. Keep your eyes well 
 about you until you reach Sperring's old stand, upon the 
 Plains. If you think then you have seen nothing worthy 
 of thought, and of deep thought, too. turn down the cross 
 road, by Captain Baily's, take first right turn, and the 
 second house after you cross the bridge, (notice the beauti- 
 ful view as you descend the hill). A low. neat snug cottage, 
 with fine shade trees in front, is the 'Retreat.' Stop there, 
 you have gone far enough. Go boldly to the door, knock and 
 enter, ask if Charles Miner is at home. If he is, thank 
 your stars— take the proffered welcome of a fine old gentle- 
 man, and a seat. You are at home. Don't be bashful 
 
 that is bad anywhere, but you will feel as little of it there as 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEEK. I 55 
 
 at any place I know. If you are State born he knows your 
 father or your grandfather, or if from North or East, he is 
 sure to know those men of your county whose names have 
 been familiar to you from childhood. After you are com- 
 pletely at your ease, perhaps he will say to you as he did to 
 me once on a time when I called to pay my respects to a 
 man whom all know, respect, and love — 'Well, my young 
 friend, what is the news in your place?' Certainly an ordi- 
 nary question and 1 answered in the usual indifferent, 
 drawling way, 'Nothing new, I believe, Mr. Miner.' 'Noth- 
 ing new ! why that is strange indeed — you forget that we 
 cannot all live in one neighborhood and see with the same 
 eyes — My eyes are getting old, too, they do not see so sharply 
 as they did once, and I shall trouble younger eyes to see 
 a little for me. Let us see ! let us see if you have no news !' 
 and question followed question on subjects that had been 
 before me daily, and to me, were not new. 
 
 "Before I tore myself away, I found I could carry news 
 even to him who is read up in all which effects the pros- 
 perity and well being of the Country — yes, and even impart 
 information. 'You see,' said he, 'you know many interesting 
 things I did not know, if you will only give yourself the 
 trouble to think, and all my neighbors would be as much 
 pleased to hear them as I have been. So go home, my dear 
 boy, and write them down for friend Sisty, or some other 
 county paper ; they will all be glad to get them, and next 
 time you come, bring me as much news as you have to-day, 
 and you shall be as you and all are — very welcome.' 
 
 "I shall never forget the impression that visit made upon 
 me, and I hope I may never lose its influence. I am only 
 sorry I have not taken all the advice he gave." W. 
 
 But let us return to our chronological story. 
 
 Almost immediately on his arrival in Wyoming his 
 thoughts turned to a subject which had deeply interested 
 him for nearly thirty years: the history of the valley, with 
 special reference to the massacre of 1778. The following 
 
156 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 extracts from a letter from Chief Justice Marshall refers 
 to an error in his "Life of Washington," bearing upon that 
 massacre : 
 
 "Richmond, June 9, 1831. 
 
 "I am greatly indebted to you for your letter of the 5th 
 of May, and its enclosures. * * * It is certainly desirable 
 that historical narrative should be correct, and I shall avail 
 myself of the information you have been so obliging as to 
 furnish, so far, at least, as to omit the massacres and the 
 charge of Toryism on the inhabitants. 
 
 "Mr. Ramsay, I presume, copied his statement from Mr. 
 Gordon, and I relied upon both, as 1 knew that Mr. Gordon 
 made personal enquiries into most of the events of the 
 war. and that Mr. Ramsay was in Congress, and conse- 
 quently had access to all the letters on the subject. It is 
 surprising that they should have so readily given them- 
 selves up to the newspapers of the day. 
 
 "It was certainly our policy during the war to excite the 
 utmost possible irritation against our enemy, and it is not 
 surprising that we should not always have been very mind- 
 ful of the verity of our publications ; but when we come to 
 the insertion of facts in serious history, truth ought never 
 to be disregarded. Mr. Gordon and Mr. Ramsay ought to 
 1 ve sought for it." * * * 
 
 This, and one dated February 15th, 1831, are printed in 
 the History of Wyoming, but it may fitly take its place 
 here. The earlier one, Mr. Miner notes, was in reply to 
 one of his, after a lapse of twenty-five years, as if it had 
 just been received, and in a note in the second edition of his 
 "Life of Washington" Mr. Marshall states that, thanks to 
 Mr. Miner's information he had very materially modified the 
 story of the atrocities of the massacre." 
 
 In 1833 Mr. Miner zealously began to hunt up all avail- 
 able facts, in print or in manuscript, but still more by 
 sedulous inquiry of "thirty or forty of the ancient people 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. I 57 
 
 who were here at the time of the expulsion." In these in- 
 quiries, for years, he was greatly aided, in his increasing 
 deafness, by the companionship of his blind and highly in- 
 telligent daughter, Sarah, whose memory was extraordi- 
 nary ; as they drove about he asked questions and she stored 
 away the answers in her mind. The first fruits of his in- 
 vestigations appeared in a series of papers called The 
 Hazleton Travellers, published in the Wyoming Republican 
 and Farmers' Herald, at Kingston, just across the river. 
 The "Travellers" were represented as two men from Hazle- 
 ton, leisurely going through Wyoming, — one familiar with 
 all its history, the other anxious to learn it. The series 
 appeared sporadically between 1837 and 1839; but as the 
 material grew on his hands a more permanent use of it 
 seemed desirable, and it finally took shape in his chief 
 literary work. "The History of Wyoming, in a series of 
 letters from Charles Miner to his son, William Penn Miner, 
 Esq." ; Philadelphia : Published by J. Crissy, No. 4 Minor 
 street, 1845, and in December of this year he was elected 
 an honorary member of the Connecticut Historical Society. 
 The History was an octave volume of 594 pages, in- 
 cluding a revised and enlarged edition of The Hasleton 
 Travellers, (as far as material was not embodied in the 
 text) ; a contemporary ballad of the massacre, various col- 
 lateral matter, maps illustrating the Connecticut claims in 
 Pennsylvania, and a lithographic view of the monument 
 erected on the battlefield, for which Mr. Miner had been 
 working for forty years, — by newspaper articles, personal 
 appeals to the Connecticut legislature, etc., having written 
 to Mrs. Hamilton Bowman, March 24, 1839: "The half- 
 finished monument over those who fell at the massacre in 
 defense of Wyoming, uninclosed, wrings my heart with 
 anguish ; the stain partly on us, principally on Connecticut." 
 The shaft was completed, shortly before the publication of 
 the history, by the efficient work, as a collecting committee, 
 of the women of the region, some of them descendants of 
 
158 I 11ARLES MIXER, 
 
 those who had fought in the battle. L'nder its shadow, 
 every third of July for many years, have been held com- 
 memorative exercises. 
 
 The History was published by subscription, Mr. Miner 
 financing it. In his circular he said: "The author thinks 
 proper to say that no pains have been spared to obtain 
 information upon every point connected with his subject. 
 He has flattered himself, as Wyoming has become classic 
 ground, as innumerable errors have heretofore existed in 
 regard to its story, and as its very interesting civil char- 
 acter has been scarcely touched upon, that almost every 
 gentleman would desire for his library, in respect to it, 
 an authentic narrative." The title-page bore the follow- 
 ing mottoes: "Diligence and accuracy are the only merits 
 which a historical writer may ascribe to himself." "I have 
 carefully examined all the original materials that could 
 illustrate the subject I had undertaken to treat." 
 
 Certainly no American book of local history was ever 
 written with greater care in collecting and sifting original 
 materials; and the work, while not of noteworthy literary 
 form, has the merits of trustworthiness, interestingness, 
 and an uncommonly logical procedure in the general plan 
 and in the setting forth of subordinate details. It in- 
 stantly supplanted the slight preceding works: Chapman's 
 unfinished monograph and Stone's superficial "Poetry and 
 History of Wyoming" ; and it has remained the standard 
 ever since, — being now rather hard to find in the shops of 
 the antiquarian bookseller-. 
 
 The author's original purpose, as brought clearly into 
 his mind by the exaggerated accounts of the massacre 
 copied by Judge .Marshall, in the "Life of Washington." 
 had been to show that, sad as the real story was. it had 
 been magnified as a means of exciting American feeling 
 against the British during the Revolutionary war. Again. 
 says the preface: "Interesting as are the incidents growing 
 out of the Revolutionary war. other matters of scarcely 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 1 59 
 
 less moment will claim the reader's attention. For nine 
 years Wyoming, or Westmoreland, was under the jurisdic- 
 tion of Connecticut; derived its laws from that state, and 
 sent representatives to her assembly. For seven years civil 
 war prevailed or raged between Wyoming and Pennsylvania. 
 The events attendant on those unhappy conflicts demand 
 from the historic pen a faithful record." How faithful the 
 record, many commendations attest ; of which but one may 
 be quoted, as putting the whole into a nutshell. Professor 
 Benjamin Silliman of Yale wrote to Mr. Miner [New 
 Haven, April 21, 1846] : "The people of the valley, the 
 people of Connecticut, and the people of our wide country 
 are under great obligations to you for rescuing from ob- 
 livion so many interesting facts, and arresting, while it was 
 still possible, the traditionary stories of the surviving few." 
 In the comparative leisure of his life as farmer and his- 
 torian, Mr. Miner delivered several occasional addresses, — 
 for instance, at Wilkes-Barre, in 1839, on the centenary 
 of John Wesley's birth. In a Fourth-of-July speech, the 
 same year, on the fiftieth anniversary of constitutional gov- 
 ernment in the United States, he showed that absence from 
 public life had not dimmed his sense of civic responsibility, 
 or removed his opportunities of service to his fellow-citi- 
 zens. Said he, in words which are still needed, three- 
 quarters of a century after their deliver}' : "First, fellow- 
 citizens, with the deepest solemnity let me say that our Fed- 
 eral Constitution was the result of compromise, of conces- 
 sion, of the yielding up not merely of prejudices and pre- 
 dilections, but the surrender on the part of the states of im- 
 portant interests and powers, for the purpose of forming 
 the people of the United States, for all foreign and general 
 purposes, into one nation, yielding the strength and resources 
 of all for the protection, defense and prosperity of all. 
 Concession and compromise, conciliation and forbearance, 
 are inscribed on every pillar and column of the edifice. 
 
l6o CHARLES MINER, 
 
 'From turret to foundation-stone,' conciliation and com- 
 promise are blazoned all over in letters of light. Take this 
 home to your memories and hearts. Next to their Bible 
 and their prayers, teach this lesson to your children." 
 
 On Washington's birthday, 1849. he gave an address 
 on "Washington, Taylor, Cass, Van Buren, Fillmore." in 
 which he again urged that the spirit of concession and con- 
 ciliation, the parent of the Constitution and the preserva- 
 tive of the Union be sedulously cultivated ; and, in particu- 
 lar, declared that "the wise of all parties should be con- 
 sulted, that the distracting tariff question may be compro- 
 mised to general satisfaction, and established upon a basis 
 reasonable and permanent" — a task upon which the country 
 is still engaged, sixty-four years after. Mr. Webster's 
 commendation of this speech has already been quoted. 
 
 Meanwhile an occasional visitor of note came to his rural 
 home; thus J. R. Chandler of Philadelphia (then at the 
 height of his editorial and literary fame), having spent 1 
 little time as his guest, in 1844, wrote an article for his 
 United States Gazette in which he said that Charles Miner 
 was "the patriarch of the press" ; "a part of the boast of 
 the Valley of Wyoming ;" and that his cottage seemed "more 
 sacred than the abode of Wordsworth at Windermere.'' 
 Mr. Chandler described his host's conversation as stimu- 
 lating rather than didactic, and noted his gentle dignity and 
 quiet humor. 
 
 In a letter to his granddaughter. Mrs. William Butler, of 
 West Chester, Perm., Mr. Miner wrote, under date of Sep- 
 tember 12, 1850: 
 
 "Ten days ago I received a very high compliment — a 
 very distinguished honour — two carriages drove up, with 
 Dr. Miner in one, and the Hon. Mr. Beaumont in the other, 
 accompanied by no less a person than the Hon. Mr. Ban- 
 croft, the eminently distinguished historian, our late min- 
 ister to England. Immediately upon coming into the valley 
 he enquired for Mr. Miner, and rode up — said he had come 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. l6l 
 
 to bring me the British Col. Butler's official letter, giving 
 an account of the Battle, on the invasion of the British and 
 Indians. It was refused by Lord Aberdeen to my friend 
 Everett ; but Mr. B. said he told Lord Palmerston he would 
 not take No for an answer. To me a most welcome and 
 important document. Wasn't it kind?"* In the Account 
 Book he describes this kindness with many expressions of 
 gratitude, adding: "So — I set down Saturday, the 24th of 
 August [1850] as a bright day in the annals of my declining 
 age. * * * And moreover within the fortnight I had re- 
 ceived 5 documents from the Hon. Mr. Webster ; and from 
 Gen. Caleb Cushing his address at Newbury-Port July 4. 
 And since Aug. 28 a letter from him in which he introduces 
 to illustrate his subject the name of Mr. Bancroft." 
 
 Correspondence, however, was naturally more frequent 
 than personal visits. Letters from many men in public life — 
 senators, judges of the Supreme court, governors, cabinet 
 officers, full of interesting personal or public news and dis- 
 cussion, cheered him in his retirement almost to the end ; 
 while requests and thanks for his aid in securing government 
 positions were equal in duration. One of these has special 
 interest to the Wilkes-Barre reader. It is impossible to 
 make a 5 out of the date, but it is evident that it is to his 
 nomination by President Polk as Justice of the United 
 States Supreme Court, in 1845, that Judge Woodward has 
 reference. The judiciary committee failed to confirm the 
 nomination because of Judge Woodward's democratic 
 views. 
 
 Dear Mr. Miner : Words are too poor to express the 
 gratitude I feel for the generous support you have given 
 me in this trying crisis. Should I come out of the ordeal 
 alive, life with all its energies must be devoted to the work 
 (alas! I fear it will be a vain endeavour) of justifying the 
 too kind commendations of such men as Chs. Miner — Judge 
 
 ♦See "History of Wyoming," pages VII and 254. Unfortunately 
 the letter cannot be found ; it was the one that was "Disallowed at 
 the Foreign Office." He adds. "It corroborated all my conclusions." 
 
l62 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 Conyngham & G. Mallery. I am humbled to the dust by 
 such astonishing & unmerited demonstrations of confidence 
 from such men. God forgive the errors of their too partial 
 judgments, and reward the beneficence of their intentions. 
 * * * I do not know that you could do more for me, un- 
 less you write to Mr. Webster who is on the Judiciary 
 Comtee. I will not tax you with a request to do this. 
 But 1 know you have the confidence of that great man. and 
 if he could be propitiated, the whig party in the Senate 
 would be likely to follow his lead. * * * 1 remain, your 
 obliged and humble servant, 
 
 "G. \Y. Woodward.*' 
 His old friend, Richard Rush, wrote from Sydenham, 
 near Philadelphia, December 3, [839: "Mr. Woodward 
 gave me and my family the pleasure of his company out 
 here where we live, during one of the days of his visit to 
 Philadelphia. We talked so much of you that 1 cannot find 
 it in mv heart to let him return home without this line from 
 me; so you will have to receive it. nolens volens. One of 
 the ancients, Anaximander, 1 think it was, but no matter, 
 being asked how he would best like to have his birthday 
 celebrated, replied: 'Let all the boys of Athens have a 
 holiday, when it comes round.' Now I have learned some 
 of \oitr secrets; my kind. good, dear old friend. You beat 
 this ancient hollow. The thirty-acre plantation, the incom- 
 parable garden, and the annual offering of fruits and 
 flowers from 'Charles and Letitia' beats the old ancient all 
 to pieces. Johnson said that the 'Vision of Mirza' was 
 the most beautiful essay in the world. Wolfe declared to 
 a brother officer, as the boats with his army were descend- 
 ing the St. Lawrence, that he would rather have the fame 
 that awaited Gray's Elegy (that poem being then fresh 
 out) than any he could gain by successfully storming Que- 
 bec. Positively, your idea is as pretty as any of Mirza's 
 visions: and for my part I would rather have been the 
 author of it than of any T ever remember just now to have 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 163 
 
 heard of in the region of chaste and beautiful and benevo- 
 lent fancy. My wife and daughters and whole fireside can 
 do nothing but talk about it. You see I speak right out, 
 without beating the bush. * * * 
 
 "From yours, Always, Always, Always, 
 
 "Richard Rush." 
 
 An extract from a letter from his nephew, Joseph W. 
 Miner, written from Jalapa, Mexico, May 7, 184(6?), 
 shows what an "open Sesame" the name of Charles Miner 
 was during the Mexican war. 
 
 "Your letter to Gen. Gushing I had to leave at his room. 
 * * * I came down with him, and he showed me every 
 attention he could. You know he has been our Brig. Genl. 
 at San Angel. When I was first introduced to him he 
 asked if I was any relation to you. I told him you were 
 my uncle, and he told me you and he had corresponded for 
 a long time, and wished me to remember him kindly to you 
 when I wrote. He always treated me very kindly, and 
 made me Judge Advocate of Courts and Common Sessions, 
 several times. When I went to Gen. Patterson before 
 coming down he also asked me the same question, and 
 when I gave him my answer, he said you were an old friend 
 of his, and sent his best respects to you. Well, when ! 
 came here Col. Hughes, the Governor, asked me the same 
 question and said he knew you when in Congress. So, 
 you will perceive of how much benefit you are to me here 
 without actually knowing it. * * * I must tell you of one 
 other incident without being guilty of flattery. I was in- 
 troduced to an officer of the 9th Regt. 'Are you any re- 
 lation of Charles Miner who wrote the History of Wyo- 
 ming?' he said to me. 'I am his nephew,' I answered. 
 'Well, that's enough!' as much as to imply 'if you are a 
 nephew of the man who wrote that you need not aspire 
 to anything higher. That is inheritance enough.' ' 
 
 The following letter from William H. Seward show> 
 that Mr. Miner was in touch with the newer politicians as 
 
164 I II X l< I - 1 S MINER, 
 
 well as the older; and (apparently) that he was still inter- 
 ested in the slavery question : 
 
 "Washington, Jan. 28, 1S50. 
 
 "I availed myself of a brief recess of the Senate to visit 
 my family at Auburn ; and on my return I have the pleasure 
 of receiving your kind note of the 15th, for which I give 
 you my thanks. I like both of the suggestions you make, 
 and I thank you for them. You will perceive that I shall 
 need to exercise caution in bringing them out. They arc 
 bold, and wise. 
 
 "Accept for this once, a brief reply to a letter whose 
 kindness calls for one of generous confidence. Absence 
 and illness have brought me far in arrear to many corres- 
 pondents. 
 
 "I am with great respect, 
 
 "Your humble servant. 
 
 "William H. Seward." 
 
 This letter is endorsed "See N. Y. Tribune for Sept . 
 1850, for resolutions of Mr. S." which prove to be a bill to 
 abolish slavery in the District of Columbia, with the ap- 
 propriation of $200,000 (if necessary) for indemnity, and 
 the proviso that unless the bill received the approval of the 
 inhabitants within six months it should be void. It is inter- 
 esting to remember that these were the same suggestions 
 Mr. Miner made more than twenty years before; were they 
 the "bold and wise" suggestions of this letter? 
 
 The pamphlet mentioned in the following note. October 
 27, 1850, from the once famous Mrs. Sigourney, a fellow- 
 native of Norwich, was probably the Washington-Taylor 
 speech of the year before : 
 
 "A few hours since, some one left at my door a modc^i 
 looking pamphlet, to whose contents was appended your 
 well-known and honoured name. It is scarcely necessary 
 to write, what would be the experience of every reader 
 (Norwich born), that it was not laid down until finished. 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. [65 
 
 nor indeed without a second perusal. It is a perfect picture 
 gallery, and as vivid as those in Carlyle's Trench Revolu- 
 tion.' You possess the true graphic style, — those short 
 spirited sentences, which so few of the literati manage 
 well. Moreover there is no winter in your thought, though 
 you seem to intimate that your near approach to fourscore, 
 is almost a Methuselah date. Now I don't think so at all." 
 
 That Mr. Miner was still a careful and constant reader 
 is attested by the following characteristically discreet note 
 [May 24, 1852] from the icy author of "Thanatopsis" : 
 
 "It would be affectation in me to say that I am not 
 pleased with your favorable opinion of some lines of mine 
 lately published. Your commendation is of the sort I most 
 highly value, since it does not seem prompted by the mere 
 desire to say a civil thing. 
 
 "I am sir, 
 
 "Very respectfully yours, 
 
 "W. C. Bryant." 
 
 President Fillmore, on the death of Daniel Webster 
 [October 24, 1852], appointed Mr. Everett his successor as 
 secretary of state; he filled the office four months, to the 
 end of the administration. Intimately personal, and throw- 
 ing new light upon the noble character of their writer, are 
 the two following letters to Mr. Miner: 
 
 "Washington, Nov. 15, 1852. 
 
 "My Dear Old Friend: I have yours of the 6th, and 
 I assure you that I truly appreciate your kindness. You 
 will readily believe that I have not come here with any ex- 
 pectation, at the heel of an expiring administration, of doing 
 anything considerable; my only hope is to put the depart- 
 ment in creditable order to be handed over to my successor, 
 on the 4th of March. I have no expectation for the future ; 
 political advancement requires an amount of labor, not to 
 say drudgery, in the field and on the stump, for which I 
 have no strength or taste. I intend to devote the decline of 
 
1 66 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 my life to the superintendence of the education of the chil- 
 dren committed to my charge ; to works of private duty 
 (reckoning as the highest duty that of doing good to the 
 utmost of our ability) ; and to preparation for that great 
 'election' which does not depend on the popular voice 
 "I wish you would look in upon us this winter. 
 
 "Yours affectionately, 
 
 "Edward Everett. - ' 
 
 •(Private) " B ° ST0N ' ' 7 J " ly ' l855 ' 
 
 "My own health, greatly impaired last year, is consider- 
 ably improved, though far from being robust. I am wholly 
 retired from public life, which I have found to be a game 
 of violence, fraud, and dupery. I do not mean that all 
 politicians use these weapons ; but so many do, that they give 
 a character to the Career. 
 
 "Your ancient colleague and friend, 
 
 "Edward Everett/' 
 
 It is interesting to note, in connection with the second 
 letter, that considerations of the highest patriotism led Mr. 
 Everett to accept, five years later, the vice-presidential 
 nomination of the Constitutional Union party, the last at- 
 tempt to preserve the Union on lines of Whig conservatism. 
 
 Meanwhile, the first muttering of the war-storm was 
 sounding through the valley, and was deeply alarming the 
 anti-slavery pioneer of 1826, who was no less the conserva- 
 tive patriot of 1855, the year of this letter from the life- 
 long abolitionist. William Jay : 
 
 "Bedford, N. V.. Aug. 15, 1855. 
 
 "I was greatly gratified by your remembrance of me, as 
 evinced by your letter of the 5th instant, as well as by the 
 evidence it afforded that you continue, amid so many de- 
 fections, true to the cause of human rights. 
 
 "T regard the times as portentous, threatening not the 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 167 
 
 dissolution of the Union but the destruction of those rights 
 which render it worth preserving. The arrogance and vio- 
 lence of the slave power, and the meanness, servility, and 
 corruption of northern politicians, and most especially of 
 the so-called Democratic party, are tending to make our 
 whole country 'a land of tyrants and a den of slaves.' The 
 Democratic party, as a party, in the language of Scripture, 
 neither fears God nor regards man. No sacrifice of 
 northern freedom nor of the rights of humanity is, in the 
 esteem of this party, too base and wicked to be offered in 
 exchange for southern votes and federal office. Among 
 the Whigs there are individuals as utterly profligate in these 
 respects as Democrats; but they are exceptions, not the 
 representatives of the moral character of the mass of the 
 Whigs. 
 
 "The usurpations of the federal judiciary, as exhibited in 
 the atrocities of Kane and Grier, are alarming symptoms 
 of national degeneracy. What is to be done? You have 
 suggested, in my opinion, the only possible remedy — a union 
 of all opposed to the slave power, without regard to past 
 political affinities. How far this is practicable depends 
 upon the amount of virtue still left in our northern mem- 
 bers of Congress. With your permission, I should like to 
 send a copy of a portion of your letter to Mr. Seward and 
 Senators Sumner and Wilson. Its suggestions may be use- 
 ful to them. * * * 
 
 "At the present time there should be no timidity in the 
 expression of anti-slavery sentiments. There never was a 
 period when the words of the poet were more applicable: 
 'Fear, admitted into public counsels, betrays like treason.' 
 * * * 
 
 When four years later, John Brown attempted to abolish 
 slavery by the use of a dozen rifles, the old-time abolitionist 
 of over thirty years before wrote to Eli K. Price of Phila- 
 delphia in no uncertain words: 
 
n^ I EARLES MINER, 
 
 "Retreat, December 18, 1859. 
 "Here over the mountains, in Luzerne, we have 10,000 
 voters. I do not believe there is one — I never heard of one 
 — so wicked and foolish as to wish the Union to fall. Sev- 
 eral years ago, when Chester Butler was our representative 
 and the so often recurring war-cry of dissolution was 
 raised, I was frightened — absolutely scared, and I wrote to 
 him: 'The cry of Disunion sounds like the rattling terrors 
 of the vengeful snake. And for Heaven's sake put it 
 down at any sacrifice.' The present threat has not 
 alarmed me the least. The act of violence and treason of 
 old Crazy Brown has alarmed and distressed me. I said at 
 once: 'The man is crazy.' The means were so totally and 
 palpably inadequate to the proposed end ; they showed as 
 complete an aberration of the reasoning faculty as the 
 simpleton that should attempt to upset the Blue Mountains 
 with a straw * * * nor have I any notion of sympathy with 
 old Brown. Cook, or any of the gang. I said at once: 
 'Nonsense of his sincerity.' 1 have no idea of a fellow 
 going in to a community, scattering firebrands, arrows, and 
 death, tiring a magazine or stirring up a servile war. and 
 crying: T am a philanthropist ! I go by the Bible!' 1 
 
 Always a steadfast opponent of slavery, but unable to 
 follow the impracticabilities of Garrison, John Brown, and 
 other advocates of "immediate, unconditional emancipation 
 on the soil," Mr. Miner by lifelong conviction, study, and 
 political experience, favored methods of emancipation 
 which ranked him, as has been seen, with those who were 
 called "conservative opponents of slavery." But his moral 
 detestation of the "institution," and abhorrence of the tac- 
 tics adopted by its extreme supporters, were as deep as 
 theirs. A manuscript book of miscellaneous notes, entitled 
 Slavery or Freedom, and dated May 30. 1854, leaves no un- 
 certain effect in its stinging sentences, such as these: 
 
 " 'Your first duty.' said the emperor Napoleon, 'is to 
 me! I am the state!' 'Your first duty.' says the imperial 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 169 
 
 phantom of slaver)- to its vassals, 'is to me! 1 am t he- 
 state !" 
 
 "The Missouri Compromise is repealed. 1 tear it will 
 be a fatal blow to the Union." 
 
 "Shall the free states cry 'Craven,' swallow the leek, and 
 receive the brand ?" 
 
 "Has Gen. Gage arrived at Boston?" 
 
 "Is Lord North reinstated in the ministry?" 
 
 "Is Bunker Hill blown up?" 
 
 "Is Lexington laid desolate, and a lake of oblivion spread 
 over her?" 
 
 "Has the Declaration of Independence been burnt by the 
 hands of the common hangman?" 
 
 "Are the shackles forged?" 
 
 "Are the sons of the Pilgrim Fathers learning their new 
 creed : 'We believe our foolish fathers were mistaken in 
 supposing their mission was to establish religion and free- 
 dom ; modern light has taught us it was to extend the blessed 
 area of human slavery ?' " 
 
 Looking back, after just a quarter of a century, on his 
 congressional speech of 1829 concerning slavery in the Dis- 
 trict of Columbia, Mr. Miner found little gain; for, in these 
 notes, he sarcastically inquires: "As Maryland and Vir- 
 ginia, with the District of Columbia, pertinaciously insist 
 on retaining slavery at the seat of government, — of no use 
 to them and so obnoxious to the free states, — would it not 
 be polite to let Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and the other 
 slave states vote what appropriations they may deem proper 
 for the use of the District?" Elsewhere in the notes, he 
 suggests the advisability of moving the Capital farther 
 west. 
 
 Again: "Will the legislatures of the free states firmly 
 decline, out of self-respect, to send, or desire the present 1 
 tion of, wishes or resolves to this Congress?" 
 
 "Do not the free states stand much in the attitude the 
 colonies occupied at the beginning of the Revolution, in 
 
I/O CHARLES MINER, 
 
 respect to petitions to the king and Lord North's adminis- 
 tration ? Have not the humble requests of both been equally 
 treated with contempt, or disregarded ?" 
 
 In 1856 he had published a thirty-five page pamphlet en- 
 titled "The Olive Branch; or. The Evil and the Remedy." 
 It was composed of a Fourth of July address delivered in 
 West Chester in 182 1. with later additions, not very 
 felicitously put together; but its sincerity of conviction ap- 
 pears on every page, while the ability of the older portion, 
 at least, is attested by the fact that Chief Justice Marshall, 
 at the time of its appearance, caused its republication in a 
 Richmond paper. Mr. Miner's "remedy" for the evil of 
 slavery which he held to be recognized by the Constitution. 
 was the appropriation of $100,000,000 by the general gov- 
 ernment for the gradual emancipation of slaves in the border 
 states of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Ten- 
 nessee, Missouri, and Arkansas, "this money to be appor- 
 tioned among the states named, or either of them, which 
 shall pass laws in the nature of irrevocable contracts with 
 the Federal Government that no person born on or after 
 July 4th, 1876, shall be a slave; and that after that day 
 slavery shall cease to exist within the limits of the same." 
 
 As for the other slave states, "slavery confined to those 
 states whose productions of cotton, rice, and sugar are sup- 
 posed to require their [slaves'] labor, all danger to them 
 from within or without would cease, and the utmost degree 
 of prosperity they are capable of would ensue." The un- 
 characteristic weakness of this position is seen at a glance : 
 for the rest, he urged that the government place a number 
 of large steamers at the disposal of the Colonization Society, 
 "the healthful highlands of Africa should be explored and 
 purchased ; the colored race be aided home, encouraged, de- 
 fended ; * * * civilization, knowledge, Christianity, would 
 go in their train ; and that fine country, so susceptible of 
 improvement, so long a Paradise Lost, would, under Provi- 
 dence, by our and their instrumentality, become a Paradise 
 Regained." 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEEk. 171 
 
 If all this, viewed sixty years after, seems sufficiently 
 fatuous, let us remember that we too, in the early years of 
 the twentieth century, are coming more and more to see 
 that war is likely to be more foolish than peace; and that 
 it is by no means impossible that certain parts of middle 
 Africa will soon rival the extraordinary wealth of South 
 Africa, nearly all of which has been developed since Charles 
 Miner's day. 
 
 One little sign is all that remains to show that Mr. Miner, 
 when the war had actually come, retained his old habit of 
 frank suggestion or judicial commendation, in his corres- 
 pondence with men in public life; and that suggestion and 
 commendation were equally valued by their recipients. It 
 is a short note from Gideon Welles, then secretary of the 
 navy under Lincoln, to William A. Buckingham, the "war 
 governor" of Connecticut : 
 
 "Washington, 24th April, 1862. 
 
 "I am very much gratified with the complimentary re- 
 marks of the Hon. Charles Miner, which you were so kind 
 as to communicate in your letter of the 18th instant. The 
 character of Mr. Miner is well known to me, and I have 
 had some slight personal acquaintance with him in former 
 years, dating back to the period when he edited the Village 
 Record and was a representative for the double or triple 
 district of Lancaster, Chester, and Delaware, with James 
 Buchanan. His great experience and accurate and discrim- 
 inating observations make his commendation able indeed, 
 and I appreciate it most fully." 
 
 But the hurly-burly of politics was not the only thing 
 that occupied his mind in his old age. As so often before, 
 he turned a prophet's vision to the practical needs of tin 
 country. To Congressman Hendrick B. Wright he wrote. 
 March 22, 1854: 
 
 "My old eyes only catch glimpses of what is going on 
 in the world, so that I almost belong to the party of 'know- 
 nothings' ; but I think sometimes, if I had a seat there, 
 
172 I HARLES MINER, 
 
 and possessed \uur powerful elocution, 1 would carefully 
 prepare a speech of an hour; arouse the attention of the 
 House from the seeming waste of time to the national, all- 
 important matter: The Rail Road to the Pacific — indis- 
 pensable in peace or war, for commerce or defence, for 
 settlement and civilization of the vast world of the west." 
 
 There are to-day [191 5] eight railroads from ocean to 
 ocean. 
 
 Looking back on his own life when past the mezzo cam- 
 uiiii of Dante, Charles Miner estimated its success and 
 failure with the impartiality of an outsider. A stray leaf 
 from a "Common Place Book" dated November 1, 1843, 
 preserves some thoughts suggested by reading Boswell's 
 Life of Johnson, of which one is specially interesting: "I 
 do think Boswell's character of Goldsmith's mind is a just 
 representation of my own: 'His mind resembled a fertile 
 but thin soil. There was a quick but not a strong vegeta- 
 tion, of whatever chanced to be thrown upon it. The oak 
 of the forest did not grow 7 there, but (rather exaggerated) 
 the elegant shrubbery and the fragrant parterres appeared 
 in gay succession.' " In 1844 ne began his autobiography 
 by these dispassionate words : 
 
 "Tuesday, May 7, 1844. — Commenced this sketch of my 
 life. Checkered it certainly has been, as whose is not; 
 vicissitudes common to all I have experienced, and yet in no 
 remarkable degree. Joy and sorrow, prosperity and ad- 
 versity have mingled in my cup, but not in excessive pro- 
 portions. On the whole, my voyage down the stream of 
 life has been comparatively smooth, and happier than falls 
 to the common lot. At the age of sixty-four I look back not 
 on disappointment, the scene filled with regrets and tinged 
 with melancholy, but many a sunny hour springs to recol- 
 lection, and the retrospect is, in the main, cheerful and sat- 
 isfactory." 
 
 "Vain would be the attempt to make myself out," says 
 a later passage, "a great man. My true position I well 
 understand — respectable for talents and character, in the 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. [73 
 
 middle rank of life. Had my early sehooling been better, 
 especially had I received the training, the mental discipline, 
 of a collegiate and professional education, so as to have 
 given solidity, self-possession, and polish to the talents 
 nature had endowed me with, I might have made my way 
 several steps ahead in public life. * * * To the character 
 of philanthropist and clever fellow, anxious to promote the 
 best interests of his fellow-men, 1 assert a just claim. Im- 
 prisonment for debt, now throughout the United States 
 almost universally repudiated and condemned, was, when I 
 was a young man, and had previously been, not only the 
 law of the land but almost unquestioned as a moral code or 
 Christian regulation. In 1806 I published a column of 
 rhyme [on the subject]. If this and some other efforts to 
 abolish that barbarous custom had some slight effect to- 
 wards accomplishing the benign object, so far I should 
 not have lived in vain :" 
 
 "Where Susquehanna journeying to the main, 
 Wyoming's fertile fields divide in twain, 
 Lies a small village, little known to fame, 
 
 From Wilkes and Barre that derives its name. 
 
 ****** 
 
 "A little onward, rising to the view, 
 A public mansion's seen, of stone, and new ; 
 As you approach the gates of iron tell 
 Its awful name 'the sons of sorrows cell ;' 
 So the harsh creditor for sordid pelf, 
 Tears the fond husband from his dearer self. 
 
 *t* "r *F •r "r * 
 
 "Relentless lure his fellow man confines, 
 Who robbed of every joy in sorrow pines." 
 He urges the "Sons of Freedom" who fought for national 
 liberty to 
 
 " * * * take the name of tyrants, or no more 
 Punish a fellow man for being poor." 
 
 — Lucerne Federalist, May 9th, 1806. 
 
174 <HARI.ES MIXER, 
 
 Xo less ardent but in much better literary style, is a 
 prose plea on the same subject in one of the John Harwood 
 papers, in the Village Record for June 16, 1819: "If a man 
 steal your horse how is he punished? By imprisonment. 
 If a man governed by the passions of a demon, sets fire to 
 your house, how do your laws punish him? By imprison- 
 ment. And if a man perfectly innocent, by the change of 
 times and fluctuations of trade be reduced to poverty — 
 what is his punishment? Imprisonment! Imprisonment 
 for debt and imprisonment for crime confounds all distinc- 
 tions and violates, 1 conceive, the soundest principles of 
 policy and justice." 
 
 Xo part of the encomium passed upon him, after his 
 death, by the veteran journalist, John W. Forney, of Phil- 
 adelphia, would have pleased Mr. Miner so much as the 
 last: "Charles Miner was a model journalist and states- 
 man, the father of a school of sound thinkers, and the most 
 practical philanthropist of his time." 
 
 This philanthropy, like Abraham Lincoln's, was based 
 upon a deep inner conviction rather than glib external pro- 
 testation. In his religious belief he sympathized with the 
 Presbyterian church, but was never a member of it. No 
 more satisfactory summary of his views could be asked 
 than that given in a letter to his lifelong friend, Eli K. 
 Price, of Philadelphia : "I am deeply interested in the vast 
 and sublime theme of our immortal nature. 1 cordiallv 
 agree with you, if there be not a life immortal, and the 
 great doctrines of Christianity be not true, then is life 
 without fruits and creation purposeless." 
 
 In his old age at the "Retreat" as he called his Wyoming 
 home (the word not suggesting to his mind its later associ- 
 ations), he lived a long, simple, happy, helpful life with 
 nature, his friends, his books and his memories, but with 
 gradually decaying powers. Long before, in a letter to his 
 wife, he had spoken of himself as "the little grayhaired 
 fellow who takes your arm to feed the chickens," apparentlv 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 175 
 
 not fearing the too prophetic warning of a candid friend 
 who wrote to him : "Don't let your mind rust out with the 
 pigs and the chickens." The "cot beneath the Sycamore" 
 was not only a gathering place for a large number of rela- 
 tives and friends, but, as has been seen, a place of pious pil- 
 grimage. 
 
 Sometimes a simple anecdote is a true revealer of char- 
 acter, and a number of these, as they have arisen in the 
 minds of his descendants and others, may form a fitting 
 close for this sketch. His daughter Ellen's memories have 
 been often quoted. She used to say that his sincerity led 
 to very definite views with regard to the personal apparel 
 of his wife and daughters. Several times in his letters 
 from Washington, he expressed disapproval of women 
 flaunting ostrich plumes on their heads ; he did not want 
 them to use any kind of perfumery, and disliked very much, 
 to have them wear an old afternoon dress for their morning 
 work. A lady, he said, was much more a lady in a simple 
 print frock for the morning. All of which suggests Rus- 
 kin's teaching, later, that to be sincere in character, from 
 the inside out, one must also be sincere in dress. 
 
 Often he would go out to see the sun rise and quote : 
 
 "Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day 
 Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops." 
 
 To the end of his life his favorite supper was the mush 
 and milk of his early days by the Wyalusing ; but after 
 this simple meal he used to like to sit at the table and talk, 
 says his grand-daughter, Emily R. Miner, who took the 
 chief care of him in his very last days, until he would ex- 
 claim : "Em wants to clear up and make it ship-shape and 
 bristol fashion." 
 
 Several stories have been told to Mrs. Oliver by the 
 daughter of a woman who used to work in Mr. Miner's 
 family ; though not of himself, one that he would like to 
 have recorded, is, that when the maid was terrified at a 
 
I76 < 11ARLES MINER, 
 
 thunder-storm, his hlind daughter, Sarah, said she was "glad 
 to worship a God who made such a beautiful sound"! 
 
 "One day some one came to borrow their brass preserv- 
 ing kettle and for some reason they could not have it, so 
 Grand-father went to town, bought one, and took it to them, 
 only telling them to bring it back when through with it, so 
 he could have it to lend to the next one. Grand-mother 
 was puzzled at the mysteriously rapid disappearance of 
 little cakes she made, till she found he would fill his pockets, 
 and go out to 'make the children happy.' " Mrs. Oliver 
 adds : "The only thing I remember worth telling of Grand- 
 father is this: I was sitting on his lap eating an apple and 
 threw the core into the fire, and he said, 'My child, never 
 throw anything in the fire that any living creature can eat.' " 
 
 Through the memory of Miss Simpson, Mrs. Thomas' 
 loving companion and nurse for many years, comes another 
 story of the habitual generosity of the family. After one 
 of the good Christmas dinners such as are recorded in the 
 account book, Mr. Miner said to his wife: "Letitia. I feel 
 as if we ought to go see Granny Worden, and take 
 her something." So they told Jacob to hitch the horse to 
 the sleigh, packed a basket of good things such as they 
 been having for dinner, and drove to the house at the edge 
 of a wood, to find that the daughter had said : "Mother, we 
 ain't got a maouthful of food in the house." To which 
 "Granny" had replied: "Don't worry, daughter, the Lord 
 will provide." The next morning Mr. Miner sent them 
 potatoes, a barrel of flour and a load of coal. 
 
 Here and there are recalled incidents showing his sym- 
 pathy for his fellow creatures, other than human, to which 
 must be added the memory that one severe winter he 
 devoted a room in the house to the birds, carefully feeding 
 those that sought refuge there. 
 
 A vivid personal memory of his grand-daughter, Mrv 
 W. M. F. Round, is of his sitting by a window, in his big 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 1 77 
 
 chair, telling her of the loveliness and beauty of her grand- 
 mother. He would ask for her picture from a drawer 
 near by, would look at it, kiss it tenderly, and then have 
 her put it carefully back; while his grandson, Isaac M. 
 Thomas, remembers his grace of manner, not only to his 
 friends, but that on meeting an old Irish woman on the 
 street he would doff his hat with a courtly sweep and the 
 Irish greeting : "Goide mar ta tu" — "God be with you." 
 
 It has been said of him that he had a poetical quotation 
 ready to fit every occasion, and from his daughter Mary's 
 daughter, Mrs. James McKeen, comes a group of memories 
 illustrating this habit : "My recollection of our Grand- 
 father is of a dignified yet gracious personality. He al- 
 ways greeted us children with some playful remark, often 
 some quotation from his loved poets apropos to our occu- 
 pation or personal condition. 
 
 "I was playing chess with a young man whose visits did 
 not wholly please my grandfather, and the evening having 
 advanced to the seemly hour of nine, he entered the room, 
 and with a courteous gesture of salutation began : 
 
 'Too late I stayed — forgive the crime ! 
 
 Unheeded flew the hours : 
 How noiseless falls the foot of Time 
 
 That only treads on flowers.' 
 
 "It is needless to add the young man quickly retired. 
 Grandfather liked to take a nap in the evening by the big 
 blazing grate fire. One evening he suddenly wakened, and 
 probably had dreamed some vivid dream, for he plumped his 
 chair sharply on the floor and looking round began : 
 
 Tor who, to dumb forgetfulness a prey, 
 This pleasing anxious being e'er resigned. 
 
 Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day. 
 Nor cast one longing lingering look behind ?' 
 
 Mrs. McKeen also says : "He told me of Mrs. Sigournev 
 and how he had jumped the broomstick with her when they 
 
178 I SABLES MINER, 
 
 were boy and girl together [in Norwich]. His children 
 and grandchildren dearly loved him. and with a love and 
 pride which, as I now look back upon it, after sixty years, 
 seems to me exceedingly rare among the children of men." 
 
 Another picture of his personality in his last years as given 
 in a letter by his granddaughter, Mrs. William H. Sturde- 
 vant [July 21, 1913] to another granddaughter, Mrs. 
 Charles F. Richardson, is so vivid that it must be quoted 
 entire, even if repeating a little: 
 
 "I well remember the stately and dignified presence of 
 Grandfather Miner, and how we children felt that he was 
 one to be treated with great respect and consideration. I 
 don't know what his height was. but to me he looked quite 
 tall and handsome, with a beautiful white curl lying on his 
 shoulder. Mother grew to look like him, and [Charles F. 
 Richardson] is much the same style of man, more so than 
 any of his grandsons. 
 
 "He was very much interested in our education — that we 
 should form right literary habits. He encouraged us to 
 learn poetry by heart, and rewarded us with the gift of a 
 new dress for learning Gray's Elegy. I was to learn it all 
 because I was oldest, the rest of you a few verses accord- 
 ing to your years; you being a little thing, had probably 
 only two or three. 
 
 "He used to write formal letters of invitation for me to 
 dine with him. lie was given to making complimentary 
 speeches to the ladies; I remember some one saying: 'Girls, 
 here comes Mr. Miner: now we'll all hear how pretty we 
 are.' 
 
 "He was a very early riser; by four or rive o'clock on a 
 winter morning he might be found reading or writing by a 
 glowing coal fire in a big grate, Aunt Sarah beside him. 
 He read aloud to her whatever he wrote or whatever he 
 was reading for himself ; and you remember it was said that 
 as he drove about the valley visiting the survivors of the 
 massacre to get his information for the history, she went 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 179 
 
 with him to hear for him and retail to him what he wanted 
 of their long stories. You know he called the home where 
 he spent his last years 'Retreat' ; I suppose because he had 
 retired from the world and its business and imagined him- 
 self to be a farmer. He had chairs carried out to the field ; 
 took Aunt Sarah with him ; and they sat together husking 
 corn, and talking, I suppose of the history and literature of 
 
 past ages. 
 
 "He was often spoken of as a man a hundred years ahead 
 of his time, [and less politely as 'crazy Charles Miner') 
 for he was full of ideas as to the future of the valley, and 
 sometimes prophesied respecting the developments that 
 might be expected. You remember how beautiful the 
 junction of Mill Creek and Laurel Run used to be — almost 
 like a lake? He did not doubt but that some day there 
 might be boats upon the water ; and shortly after his death 
 a boat appeared there— a canal boat ; indeed it lay there as 
 his funeral crossed the bridge. * * * 
 
 "[Now] I must tell you about his geese. I don't be- 
 lieve you remember them, for he had geese and taught 
 them to dance for their food while he whistled the horn- 
 pipe ; I don't know how he managed to teach them, but I 
 know he was above the use of hot plates. [Mrs. Richard- 
 son remembers being told that once he was surprised and 
 grieved to find his pet goose dancing idiotically until it 
 dropped dead, having eaten pumpkin seeds that had been 
 spread to dry, and had fermented.] 
 
 "One morning when mother was very young, she and 
 Aunt Sarah were up unusually early. Mother went wild 
 over a rain of stars. Of course Aunt Sarah could not see 
 that it was anything extraordinary, and thought it was only 
 that mother was not accustomed to the early morning sky, 
 so she did not tell Grandfather the sky was falling, and hi? 
 distress was great, when the reports began to reach him 
 from the astronomical world, to think how narrowly he had 
 missed the wonderful sight. 
 
l8o VKLES MINER, 
 
 "He enjoyed having his friends about him, and enter- 
 tained liberally and graciously. Sally Slabach came to 
 make mince pies and apple-butter, and to roast turkeys, and 
 all that belonged to that rite, preparing for a family Thanks- 
 giving dinner; he watched actively to be sure all were well 
 served and appreciated the good things, but he ate sparingly, 
 perhaps pouring a glass of wine for a friend and setting his 
 own glass in the corner cupboard, where it remained un- 
 disturbed, which was as near as he came to obeying Dr. 
 Miner's injunction : 'Now, Uncle Charles, you must drink 
 wine to keep up your strength,' and you know mother said 
 he braved the indignation of his friends, while they were 
 living in West Chester, by being one of the first to take 
 liquor off of his sideboard. In the days that I remember he 
 was the only important member of the family, called upon 
 by all important strangers and home people, of course. I 
 never in later years saw Judge Conyngham's daughter, Mrs. 
 Parrish, when praise of him was not the principal topic of 
 her conversation — his dignity, graciousness of manner, and 
 handsome face and figure were never forgotten. 
 
 "Do you remember the pretty note Judge Conyngham 
 wrote asking permission to name his little son for Grand- 
 father ? 
 
 " 'There is something in a name,' he wrote, 'and as 
 yet my little infant has none — I want him to have one which 
 may be to him an example of good, one of which he may 
 hereafter be proud and which at the same time may gratify 
 the friendship of his parents — May we call him 'Charles 
 Miner'? I trust he will never disgrace it. 
 
 'truly yr friend 
 'John N. Conyngham 
 
 "Monday 27th July.' 
 "I often wished that mother and Aunt Sarah had had a 
 habit of talking more about their father, Charles, and 
 mother, Letitia. Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Beaumont told me 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 1&I 
 
 the most 1 ever heard about grandmother, her sweet voice, 
 beauty, and literary taste. 
 
 "I suppose I ought to remember more clearly than I do 
 about Grandfather; we lived in his house from the time 
 Nellie was three months old till about your birthday. "He 
 called grandmother 'Lete' and her name is mine." 
 
 [To the above letter of Judge Conyngham, Mr. Miner 
 thus replied:] 
 
 Hon. John N. Conyngham, 
 
 My Dear Friend, 
 
 Your kind note of the 27th 
 slept in my Brother's pocket till 3 this afternoon. 
 
 I cannot express to you the pride and pleasure the prop- 
 osition to name your son after me, awakened in my breast. 
 To obtain the favorable opinion of the wise and good has 
 been with me one of the strongest incentives to action 
 through life, and a manifestation of it, more flattering and 
 agreeable could not have taken place. 
 
 But, with my prayers for, and my Blessings on, the boy, 
 let me beg of you, while you call him Charles, that, for the 
 middle name you substitute another than mine. The early 
 loss of a lovely child named fully after me, by my excellent 
 friends John and Sybilla Townsend, leads me tremblingly 
 to fear, where I should dearly love, and causes the judgment 
 to disapprove the earnest wish. 
 
 With the truest esteem 
 
 Your obliged friend 
 
 T , iU o (signed) Charles Miner. 
 
 July 29th, 1840. * ' 
 
 Leaving a request that his body be buried in the old grave- 
 yard, where "the mould was soft and pleasant," and he 
 would be "surrounded by old friends," Charles Miner died 
 at his home October 26, 1865. Here he was laid, but on the 
 abandonment of the burying ground he was moved to the 
 cemetery by the river, where he lies at the top of the hill, 
 his grave being marked, according to his expressed wish, by 
 
1 82 CHARLES MIXER. 
 
 a monument of native stone. His health had long been feeble ; 
 indeed, as far back as 1845, ne na( i professed his in- 
 ability to walk without great pain in a masonic funeral ; and 
 the expression used by him in his letter seems to indicate 
 that the weakness was not temporary. In 1855 ne declared 
 himself "too deaf to hear his friends without exertion by 
 them in loud speaking." But to the last he was the punctil- 
 ious gentleman described by his granddaughter, of singular 
 benignity and courtesy of manners ; a kindly, suggestive, 
 but not strenuous or egotistic talker ; and one who radiated 
 an atmosphere of winning friendship. Hon. Eli K. Price 
 wrote to Mr. Miner's daughter, Ellen, November 10, 1878: 
 "They cannot know, who never saw him, the perfection of 
 his genial nature, his bland courtesy, his kindly politeness 
 and amenity, that sprang from his loving heart. Erom what 
 they may read they can judge he had a cultivated intellect, a 
 most refined taste, and the fine imagination of the poet, but 
 all the results of superior natural gifts." 
 
 In a commemorative address Mr. Price wrote : "I am 
 reminded by a quotation made in one of his letters written 
 many years ago, that he acted through life with a view 
 unto the end : 'Oh, that the winding up may be well.' Sel- 
 dom do we look upon one so good and perfect in character 
 as was he of whom we now write. We rejoice that he com- 
 pleted so perfect an example for his fellowmen." 
 Of the other tributes one only may be added : 
 "He was easy and winning in manners ; scrupulously neat 
 and precise in his dress, (and always a flower in his but- 
 tonhole, if he could rind nothing but a hollyhock), cour- 
 teous in demeanor to all who approached him ; open and 
 generous with his purse, even to his own detriment ; and 
 a lover of all those noble qualities which help to make up 
 the true and honest man. In conversation he was peculiarly 
 agreeable — no tongue more eloquent than his, so smooth in 
 compliment, so polished its language: and it is doubtful if 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER 183 
 
 anyone ever left his presence without a feeling of self satis- 
 faction and of pleasure for the interview. He never lost a 
 friend — at least not by fault of his own. All who knew him 
 intimately loved him dearly." E. Bowman Miner in 
 Record of the Times, Nov. 8, 1865. 
 
 One Sunday, as late as 1885, attracted by his charming 
 personality, and fine sermon, Mrs. Oliver, then living in 
 New Jersey, invited a visiting clergyman, Mr. Edwin Rein- 
 hart, home to dinner. On returning to the room after a 
 moment's absence she found him standing before her grand- 
 father's picture with the tears streaming down his cheeks. 
 "Mrs. Oliver," he said, "did you mean to spring it on me?" 
 Bewildered, she said : "Spring what"? "Did you mean to 
 spring it on me? Why Charles Miner was almost my best 
 friend ; his brother, Asher, was my best friend." Then 
 he told her of having worked in their office, and of its hav- 
 ing been Asher's influence that turned him to the ministry. 
 
 Very recently the daughter of an old friend has spoken 
 of her vivid memory of the beautiful picture Charles Miner 
 made when walking immediately behind the hearse of a 
 venerable associate, his hat in his hand and his white hair 
 floating in the breeze. Once seen, he was seldom forgot- 
 ten. Even in his dress he suggested, by his ruffled shirt 
 front and white cravat, the "gentleman of the old school" : 
 and all who knew him, in old age, bear uniform testimony 
 to the almost unique impression left by the snowy head, 
 aquiline nose, eye undimmed by age, and kindly ways of 
 him who, having begun life as a pioneer, ended it as a 
 sage. 
 
 THE END. 
 
T84 
 
 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 Referring back to page 105, where Mr. William Rawle, in 
 his letter of January 14, 1829, expresses the hope that Mr. 
 Miner's efforts to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia 
 would not be lost sight of", the Editor adds : 
 
 This hope of Mr. Rawle's has hardly been fulfilled ; many 
 writers of the history of his time in congress ignoring Mr. 
 Miner entirely; this is true even of some who have devoted 
 themselves to the study of the anti-slavery movement. In- 
 deed it is rather hard to avoid the feeling that fate has 
 worked against his due recognition. Misprints, wrong 
 dates, omissions in indices and in congressional reports, etc., 
 pursue him. In a large public library the small matter of 
 the date of his birth was wrong until a short time ago; 
 the date on one of the volumes of the Journal of the House 
 accessible to the present writer was insufficient, and a 
 wrong date in the text of that volume combined with omis- 
 sions in the official reports to cause a long, laborious search 
 through unofficial papers for facts that should have been 
 easily at the trained student's disposal. Of a dozen cyclo- 
 pedias examined only one gives a satisfactory sketch, and 
 there is a slip in it. Even the accurate Bartlett. in his 
 "Familiar Quotations," at first accredited "An Axe to 
 Grind,' to Benjamin Franklin. In the index of an unalpha- 
 betized biographical dictionary his name appears, but the 
 pagination is wrong, and the item unfindable. Inaccuracy 
 and omissions in the index of John Quincy Adams' Diary 
 required a hunt to find several pleasant allusions, some of 
 which are quoted. 
 
 Also, in his account of the "five ark-loads" of anthracite 
 coal starting from Mauch Chunk. McMaster makes no men- 
 tion of the senders, but tells the story of the man who 
 slammed the stove door only to come back to a red-hot fire 
 a little differently from the form family tradition has kept 
 it for this memoir — perhaps his is the more accurate version 
 of this trivial point. 
 
 The feeling of the House, too. that made it so difficult 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. 1 85 
 
 for one of Mr. Miner's genial nature to persist, year by 
 year in his self imposed task, has not been understood. A. B. 
 Hart, editor of and writer for the American Nation, says: 
 "Till 1830 there seems to have been no notion that slavery 
 was a question which must not be discussed in congress." 
 (Vol. 16, P. 164), while Von Hoist says: "It was not until 
 the next session, when Heister of Pennsylvania (Feb. 4, 
 1833), handed in a petition of the same tenor [as that of 
 Mr. Miner in 1828], that the first traces of disquietude on 
 the part of the south over this agitation showed them- 
 selves." Mason, of Virginia, said that "thus a course had 
 been entered upon the end of which would be the abolition 
 of slavery in the United States" (Vol. 2, P. 236), which 
 was exactly what Charles Miner hoped for when he offered 
 his first resolution on May 13th, 1826. 
 
 Again, as to leadership in the movement, James Freeman 
 Clarke, Anti-Slavery Days, P. 40, says : "Passing over these 
 preliminary skirmishes [of Josiah Quincy and Tristram 
 Burgess of Rhode Island 1825-35] we come down to 1835, 
 when the real battle commenced on the floor of congress. 
 * * * Then came to the front a man— John Quincy 
 Adams." While John T. Morse, in his Life of John 
 Quincy Adams in the American Statesman series, P. 190, 
 says: ' "It is possible now to see plainly that Mr. Adams 
 was really the leader in the long crusade against slavery." 
 
 Forgetting all the work by the opposers of slavery from 
 its beginning it is common to read, in many histories. 111 
 varied words, the statement even the careful Rhodes puts 
 into this form: "While this controversy was going on, 
 William Lloyd Garrison began the abolition movement by 
 the establishment of the Liberator at Boston. January 1st. 
 
 1 83 1." 
 
 If limited by some such qualifying phrase as "extreme 
 radical" movement, or by Von Hoist's careful distinction 
 that the early anti-slavery societies were humanitarian. 
 
l86 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 while the abolition movement was political, this is true, or 
 would be if it were not for the quaker, Lundy. 
 
 Returning to the question of the recognition of Mr. Miner's 
 work on the floor of the house, we rind that with one excep- 
 tion the historians ignore the resolutions of the first two 
 years, while several mention the petition of 1828, and the 
 resolutions of 1829. 
 
 Henry Wilson's "Slave Power in America," has already 
 been quoted in the text. A. B. Hart, in The American 
 Nation, says (Vol. 16, P. 165) : "The abolitionists opened 
 up a good point of attack against slavery in the District of 
 Columbia. About 1828, Miner of Pennsylvania made him- 
 self the leader of the movement, introducing petitions and 
 bills for the gradual emancipation in the District." 
 
 W. O. Blake in his "History of Slavery and the Slave 
 Trade," summarizes the 1828 petition signed by 1000 resi- 
 dents of the District (House Document 215), adding "A 
 stronger anti-slaver)' document has not in later years been 
 presented to congress ; nor did it receive any more efficient 
 action than similar petitions have since received." 
 
 Von Hoist quotes this petition in a note, and says "Here 
 (District of Columbia ) slavery could be abolished by law 
 at any moment [some still honestly thought it could not). 
 Therefore not only the abolitionists but also more moderate 
 opponents of slavery were convinced it should be done with- 
 out delay. The matter was frequently agitated in congress. 
 On the 6th of January, 1829, Miner of Pennsylvania moved 
 the appointment of a committee which was, among other 
 things, to 'inquire into the expediency of providing by law 
 for the gradual abolition of slavery in the District.' The 
 House rejected the cutting arguments advanced in favor of 
 the motion." (History of the United States, Vol. 2, P. 235.) 
 
 But it remained for McMustcr to trace each step, and do 
 Mr. Miner full justice. He says: "Petitions were pre- 
 sented from time to time praying for the abolition of slav- 
 ery in the District, but it was not till Charles Miner of 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. l8/ 
 
 Pennsylvania became a member, that the existence of slav- 
 ery and the slave trade was attacked in serious earnest by 
 the introduction of resolutions which the House refused to 
 consider. The attention which Mr. Miner could not secure 
 in May [May 13, 1826, when it will be remembered he was 
 refused a hearing amid great excitement J was readily se- 
 cured in December, 1826, at the beginning of the second 
 session of the 19th congress." 
 
 Again, first session of the 20th congress, 1828: "One 
 of the petitions [which Mr. Miner prepared, as has been 
 seen,] bore the signatures of 1000 inhabitants of the 
 District, but neither the number of signatures, nor the 
 number of petitions, nor the sources from whence they 
 came availed anything. The House went through the decent 
 form of referring them to the committee for the District. 
 The committee reported a bill that was not considered, and 
 the petitioners, nothing discouraged, besieged the 20th con- 
 gress during its second session, with the same energy 
 with which they beset the first. The cause, moreover, 
 again found a champion in Mr. Miner, who forced the 
 House to action by resolutions of his own. An effort was 
 made to strike out the preamble, member after member de- 
 clared he was willing to vote for the enquiry, but had 
 never heard of many of the allegations. Mr. Miner there- 
 fore proceeded to prove them." 
 
 McMaster then gives a full summary of this 1829 pre- 
 amble and series of resolutions and speech, so similar to the 
 one in this sketch as to suggest to the reader that one was 
 taken from the other, instead of both being from the 
 original. McMaster adds : 'The House instructed the com- 
 mittee to make the proposed enquiry, which proved as 
 fruitless as any that had gone before. The committee re- 
 plied 'that this constant agitation must sooner or later be 
 productive of serious mischief, if not danger to the peace 
 and harmony of the Union and was greatly to be regretted. 
 False hopes of liberty were held out to the slaves, exciting 
 
l88 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 them to insubordination, and creating a restlessness for 
 emancipation incompatible with the existing state of the 
 country. It upheld housing slaves of dealers in public 
 prisons. * * * Abolition of the slave trade was most im- 
 politic. It was best to let the matter rest.' " But "a few 
 evils resulting from the quartering of large numbers of 
 slaves in the city for a long time did need correction, and 
 this was provided for in a bill which died in committee of 
 the whole." 
 
 It hardly seems as if the work could be called "fruitless" 
 that caused one reluctant committee to bring in a bill re- 
 pealing the objectionable laws of the District, and another 
 to offer such a frightened retort. Rather, to revert to Mr. 
 Rawle's mixed figures, it seems as if Mr. Miner had cause 
 to feel satisfied with the effect of his "entering wedge," his 
 "foundation." Even though "nothing effectual" was done 
 that session and slavery was not abolished in the District of 
 Columbia until 1862 (when 3000 slaves were freed at the 
 price of $300 a piece) who shall say how much they helped 
 to produce the "serious mischief" of later years? 
 
 "Since this was in print it has been found that Mr. Meigs 
 renewed his resolutions in a somewhat modified form 
 (chiefly by proposing gradual emancipation by purchase) 
 on February 15. 182 1. Tabled by vote of 66 to 55." 
 
A PENNSYLVANIA PIONEER. [89 
 
 CHARLES MINER'S FAMILY. 
 
 Charles Miner, born at Norwich, Conn., Feb. 1, 1780; died 
 
 at Plains Township. Pa., Oct. 26, 1865. 
 Letitia Wright, born at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., June 8, 1788; 
 
 married Charles Miner, Jan. 16, 1804; died at Plains 
 
 Township, Pa., Feb. 27, 1852. 
 
 CHILDREN : 
 
 Ann Charlton, born at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Oct. 24, 1804; 
 married Dr. Isaac Thomas, of West Chester, Pa. ; died 
 at West Chester, Pa., Mar. 23, 1832. 
 
 Sarah Kirkbride, born at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., June 4, 1806; 
 died at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Jan. 14, 1874. 
 
 Mary Sinton, born at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., July 16, 1808; 
 married Joseph Jackson Lewis, of West Chester, Pa , 
 died at West Chester, Pa., Oct. 2y, i860. 
 
 Charlotte, born at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., June 30, 1810; mar- 
 ried Stephen Fuller Abbott, of Plains Township, Pa. ; 
 died at Plains Township, Pa., July 28, 1859. 
 
 Letitia Wright, born at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., 1812; died at 
 Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Aug. 14, 1813. 
 
 Ellen Elizabeth, born at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Aug. 14, 1814; 
 married Jesse Thomas, of West Chester, Pa.; died at 
 Laurel Run, Pa., Mar. 25, 1913, in her 99th year. 
 
 William Penn. born at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Sept. 8, 1816; 
 married Elizabeth Dewart Liggett, of West Chester, 
 Pa. ; died at Miner's Mills (formerly Plains Township). 
 Pa., April 3, 1892. 
 
 Francis Cope, born at West Chester, Pa., May 12. 1818; 
 died at West Chester, Pa., Sept. 6, 1820. 
 
 Emily Hollenback, born at West Chester, Pa., Aug. 12. 
 1821 ; died at West Chester, Pa.. Aug. 27, 1822. 
 
 Charles Townsend, born at West Chester, Pa., Dec. 19, 
 1823 ; died at West Chester, Pa., Feb. 23, 1824. 
 
190 
 
 CHARLES MINER, 
 
 MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE OF CHARLES MINER 
 AND LETITIA WRIGHT. 
 
 This is to certify that on the sixteenth day of January 
 
 A. D. one thousand eight hundred and four Before me 
 
 William Rofs one of the Justices of the Peace for the 
 
 County of Luzerne — Charles Miner and Letitia Wright of 
 
 Wilkesbarre Having the consent of friends and no objection 
 
 appearing were Legally joined in marriage — In Witneis 
 
 whereof the said Charles and Letitia (she assuming the 
 
 name of her said Husband) as I the said William Ross, and 
 
 other the W r itnefses Present, have hereunto subscribed our 
 
 names the day and year aforesaid 
 
 Charles Miner 
 
 Letitia Miner 
 
 W m - Rofs 
 Josephine Wright 
 Sarah Wright 
 Jesse Fell 
 Thomas Wright 
 Hannah Fell 
 Nancy Miner 
 Asher Miner 
 Mary Miner 
 Will m Wright 
 Sarah Ann Wright 
 Josiah Wright (Seal) 
 Nathan Palmer 
 Rufha Palmer 
 William Caldwell 
 Jane Caldwell 
 Sidney Tracy 
 Edwin Tracy 
 Steuben Butler 
 John Twiesdale 
 Sally Wright 
 
 Ezekiel Hyde 
 Thomas Welles 
 John Robinson 
 Isaac Bowman 
 Jon a - Balkeley 
 Laura Anibal 
 Charlotte Schott 
 Hanna Wright 
 Mary Gordon 
 Jane Ely — 
 Harriott Welles 
 Nancy Butler 
 Eliza Nafs 
 Ben. Perry 
 Mary Perry 
 Mary Nelson 
 Sarah Ingham 
 Sally Ann Wright 
 Annamaria Miner 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Abbott, Charlotte, see Miner, Charlotte. 
 
 Abbott, Fuller, 154. 
 
 Abbott, Miss, 154. 
 
 Abbott, Mr., 154- 
 
 Aberdeen, Lord, 161. 
 
 Abolition, see Slavery. 
 
 Adams, John, 59, 130. 
 
 Adams, John Quincy, 8;, 83, 84, 85, 
 87, 96, 106, 107, 118, 119, 122, 128, 
 U9, 130, 131, 132. '35. 137. Hi. 
 145, 146, 184, 185. 
 
 Adams, Mrs. John Quincy, 107, 114. 
 
 Adams, Mrs. 154. 
 
 Adams, Young Mr., 1 19. 
 
 Ames, Fisher, 34. 
 
 Anibal, Laura, 190. 
 
 Anheuser, Henry C 20. 
 
 Anti-Masonry Agitation, 138-41, 144-40. 
 
 Aspinwall, Mr., 86. 
 
 Ax to Grind, 56. 
 
 Bailey, Mr. Jeremiah. 78. 
 
 P.aily, Captain, 154. 
 
 Balkeley, Jona., 190. 
 
 Bancroft, Hon. Mr., 160, [61. 
 
 Barbour, Gov. James, 119. 
 
 Barlow. Joel, 14. 
 
 Barre. Col. Isaac, 173. 
 
 Bartlett, John, 184. 
 
 Beatrice, 28. 
 
 Beaumont, Hon. Andrew, 160. 
 
 Beaumont, Mrs. Andrew, 180. 
 
 Bell, John, 104, 105. 
 
 Bennett, Z., 151. 
 
 Biddle, Nicholas, 78, 79, 121. 
 
 Bird, Mr. J., 71. 
 
 Bird, James, 67-76. 
 
 Bird, Ballad of, 68-71. 
 
 "Blackberry, Billy," 35- 
 
 Blackstone, 27, 40, 54. 
 
 Blake, VV. O.. 186. 
 
 '•Bob," 21. 
 
 Bonaparte, Napoleon, 33, 42, 168. 
 
 Boswell, Charles, 153. 
 
 Boswell, James, 172. 
 
 Bowkley, Joel, 66. 
 
 Bowman, Lawyer Ebenezcr, 22, 25, 27. 
 
 Bowman, Hamilton, Mrs., 157. 
 
 Bowman, Isaac, Col., 190. 
 
 Bowman. Capt. S., 25. 
 
 Rradlev, Capt. Abraham, 57. 
 
 Bradley. Dr., 83. 
 
 Brent, William Lee, 96, 97, 123. 
 
 Bfrintonl, Cousin S., 124. 
 
 Brinton, Miss Mary, 153. 
 
 Brack, 72. 
 
 Brockett, Dr. L. P.. 86. 
 
 Brooks, Preston S., 117. 
 
 Brown, Gen., 119. 
 
 Brown, Goold. 94. 
 
 Brown, John, 167, 168. 
 
 Brown, Mr., 26. 
 
 Rronson, Enos, 34. 
 
 Bryant, VV. C, 18, 165. 
 Buchanan, James, 80, 83, 85, 109, 
 
 126, 171. 
 Buckingham, William A., 171. 
 Bulkley, Jonathan, 190. 
 Bullman, see Miner, Henry. 
 Burgess, Tristram, 185. 
 Burr, Aaron, 32. 
 Bushnell, Ebenezcr, 11, 12. 
 Butler, Chester Pierce, 13.'. 168. 
 Butler, Col. John, 161. 
 Butler, Gen. Lord, 25. 
 Butler, Miss Lydia, 25. 
 Butler, Mrs. Sarah Hollenback, 132. 
 Butler, Nancy, 25, 190. 
 Butler, Steuben, Mr., 24, 47, 54, 55, 
 
 58, i90._ 
 Butler. William, Esq., 153. 
 Butler, William, Mrs., 153, 160. 
 
 Cahoon, George, 24. 
 Caldwell, Jane, 190. 
 Caldwell, William, 190. 
 Calhoun. John C 81. 
 Carey, Matthew, 37, 38. 
 Carkhuff, Mr., 71. 
 Carlyle, Thomas. 165. 
 Carpenter, Isaac, 26. 
 Cass, Gov., 109, 112, 160. 
 Chesterton, G. K., 58. 
 Cist, Jacob, 60, 61, 62, 64, 98. 
 Chandler, J. R., 160. 
 Chapman. Isaac A., 76, 158. 
 Chapman, Lydia, Miss, 13. 
 Charlton. Anna, 30. 
 Chase, Mr. John, 13, 1?. 
 Chauncey, Elihu, 34. 
 "Christian.'* C51. 
 Clark, Judge, 121. 
 Clarke, James Freeman, 146, 185. 
 Clay, Henry, 81, 82, 88 note. 96, 106, 
 108, 117, 119- 120, 121. 122. 137- 
 
 139, 147- 
 Clayton. Mr.. 151. 
 Clinton, DeWitt. 1 17. 
 Clizbe, Ira, 94. 
 Coal, Mauch Chunk, to Philadelphia. 
 
 (,0-66. 
 Coleman, William, 34. 
 Colt, Arnold, 36. 
 Colte, Charles, 151. 
 ' olte, Fuller, 151. 
 Congress, Years in, 85- 129. 
 Connecticut Claims, 12-19, 43- 
 Constitution, Support of, 52, 116, 117. 
 
 119, 159. 
 Conyngham, Tudge John N\. 162, i8n. 
 
 181. 
 Cook, John E., 168. 
 Cook, Mr. Daniel P., 108. 
 Cooper. Thomas A.. 36. 
 Cooper, Judge Thomas. 38-43. 
 Cranch. Chief Justice. 100. 
 
\g2 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Crawford, Mr. W. II.. 82. 
 Crissy, J., 1 57- 
 Croswell, Harry. 34. 
 Cushing, Caleb, Gen., 161, 163. 
 
 Dana, Amasa. 27. 
 
 Dana, Samuel Whittlesey, 34. 
 
 Dante, 28, 172. 
 
 D'Auterive Marigny. 89, 123. 
 
 J >avison. Judge, 25. 
 
 ■are Breakwater, S;. - 
 Dennie, Joseph. 34 
 Dennis, Col. Joseph J.. 24. 
 
 1 lerrick, \V. S., I 20. 
 
 Dixon, -j. 
 
 Doane, Dr.. 141. 
 
 Dorrance, Col. Benjamin, 17. . 
 
 Dorrance. Ke\ . Mr. John. 151. 
 
 Draper, Mrs., 109. 
 
 Drake, Mrs., 151. 
 
 Duponceau, Peter S., 86. 
 
 Dupuy. Jean Francois, 12 note. 24. 
 
 Dwight, Theodore, 34. 
 
 Dwight, Timothy. 34. 
 
 Dyer, Miss. 20. 
 
 Dyer. Mr.. 1 - 1 . 
 
 Eliza. Cousin, 151. 
 
 Emerson, Ralph Waldo. 18. 
 
 Erie Canal. 88. 
 
 Estill. Mr., of Virginia. 121. 
 
 Estill, Mrs., 121. 
 
 Evans. Henry S., Mr., 149. 
 
 Everett. Edward. 91. 107. no. 114. 
 
 115 note. 1-3. 137. 161, 165. 166. 
 Ely. Jane. 190. 
 
 Fell, Hannah, 190. 
 
 Fell, Jesse, Judge, 22. 25, 35, 38. 
 
 57, 61, 190. 
 Fillmore, President, 160, 165. 
 Floyd, John, of Virginia, 90. 
 Forney, John W., 174. 
 Forsyth. John, no. 
 Franklin, Benjamin. 7. l8 4- 
 
 Gage, Gen., 169. 
 
 Galbreath. Charles B., 74, 75. 
 
 Gallatin, Mr., 37. 
 
 Garrison, William Lloyd, 105, 106, 
 
 t68, * v ;. 
 Gatlin, liana, s8. 
 Giles, Mr. William P... 121, 1 
 Goldsmith, Oliver. 172. 
 I iordon, Mary. 190. 
 Gordon, Mr. 'William. [56. 
 Gouverneur, Samuel L.. 142. 
 Grant. Robert, 58. 
 Cray, Thomas, 162. 
 Green, Col. Samuel, ti, 12. 
 Green, Thomas, 1 1. 
 Crier, Robert C, 167. 
 • iris wold, Roger, 34. 
 Gutenberg, Johannes. 
 Hagar, Godfrey, 62. 
 Hale, Thomas, 94- 
 Hamilton, Alexander. 
 Hamilton, William, 3;. 
 Hancock, Mary, [90 
 
 77- 
 
 ;-i 
 
 Hare. Charles W.. 47. 
 
 Harrison, General, 71. 85, ill, 151. 
 
 Hart. A. B., 185. 186. 
 
 Harvey. Oscar Jewell, 35 note, 88 note, 
 
 149.' 
 Harwood, John (pseudonym of Charles 
 
 Miner). 78. 
 Hayne, Robert J.. 135. 
 Hazleton Travellers. 157. 
 
 r. William, 185. 
 Hess, Mr.. 17. 
 Hibler, William, 27, 151. 
 Hillhouse, William. 6j. 
 Hodgkjnson, Maria, see Overton, Mrs. 
 Hollenback, Judge. 24, 25, 38, 151. 
 Holmes, Oliver Wendell, 18. 
 Hopkinson, Joseph, 116. 
 Hubbard. Thomas, 11. 
 Hughes, Col.. 163. 
 Hull. General. 71. 
 Huntington, Jedcdiah, 9. 
 Huntington, Enoch, 26. 
 llurlbut. Xaphtali, 24. 
 Hyde, EzeKiel. 190. 
 Hyde, Jabez. 18. 
 
 Ingersoll. Edward, 144. 145. 
 
 iiam. Samuel D., | 
 Ingham. Sarah. 190. 
 Internal Improvements, 87-89. 
 
 Jackson, Gen'l, 76. 83, 84. 135, 137, 
 
 139. 140. 141. 147. 
 "Jacob." 151. 176. 
 
 bs, Cyrus S.. 84. 
 Jay, William, 216. 
 Jefferson, Joseph, Sr., 36. 
 Jefferson, Thomas. 32. 35. 3", 47- 59- 
 
 85, 142. 
 Jessup. Gen. Thomas S.. 96. 
 nson, l'r., 141, 162, 172. 
 •-on. Judge W'illiam. 121. 
 Johnson. T. jl-'rancisj. 83. 
 
 Kane, John K.. 167. 
 Ketchem, Hiram. 94. 
 Kinney. Newcorob, 10. 
 
 Lamb. Col. Henry F.. 24. 
 Lathrop. Samuel, 26. 
 Law, John, 144. 
 
 . ett. Mrs.. 151, 154. 
 I A lb, Michael. 4?. 47. 49. 
 Leonidas (pseudonym of Charb .- 
 
 Miner). 33. 
 Lewis, Joseph John, n; note. 125. 
 
 127. 128. 
 Lewis, Lete M.. 154. 
 Lincoln. Abraham, ion. 174. 
 Livingston. Edward, 146 note. 
 Lundy, Benjamin, 186. 
 
 M., Cousin Sarah. 124 
 
 Madison. Tames. 143. 
 
 Mallery, G.. 162. 
 
 Manumission Society ot New York, 
 
 Letter from. 94. 
 Marshall. Chief Justice, yn. 80. 156, 
 
 158, 170. 
 
INDIiX. 
 
 193 
 
 Mason, James, 185. 
 
 MclHiffie, George E., 108, 109. 
 
 McKean, Gov. Thomas, 32, 48, 49. 
 
 McKeen, (Jen. Samuel, 116. 
 
 .MiKicn, James, Mrs., 177. 
 
 McKinney, Col.. 83. 
 
 McLean, Tohn, of 111., 131. 
 
 McLean, Tohn, of Ohio, 8i, 83, 1 19- 
 
 McMaSter, John Bach, 184, 186, 187. 
 
 Meade, Or.. 78. 
 
 Meigs, Henry, 81, 95, 96, 188. 
 
 Metcalfe, Gov. Thomas, m, 127, ' - s - 
 
 Mifflin, Governor Thomas, 49. 
 
 Miner, Ann Charlton. 21, 30, 44, 1 12, 
 
 127. 
 Miner, Anna Maria Stout, 31. 
 Miner, Asher, 9, 11, 12, 20-3, 25. j6. 
 28, 30, 31, 58, 77< 85. 114. "5. '27. 
 128, 148, 152, 183, 190. 
 Miner, Col. Asher. 21. 
 Miner. Charles A, 31, 151, 154- 
 Miner, Charles, passim. 
 Ancestors of, 7-9. 
 Children of, 189. 
 Editor Newspapers: 
 
 Federalist, Wilkes-Barre, 22, 27, 
 
 30, 3'. 32, 33- 37. 3j8, 54. 55. 57- 
 
 Gleaner, Wilkes-Barre, 52, 55, 57. 
 
 59, 60, 67. 71, 76. 
 True American, Philadelphia, 76. 
 Chester and Delaware Federalist, 
 
 West Chester, 77. 
 Village Record, West Chester. 77- 
 80, 85, 148, 149. 
 In Congress, 83-130. 
 In Pennsylvania Legislature, 41-53. 
 Letters to His Wife, 106-129. 
 Marriage Certificate of, 190. 
 "Retreat," Life at. 150-155, 174-180. 
 West Chester, Memories of, in, 14S- 
 150. 
 Miner, Charlotte, 124, 127, 154. 
 Miner, Clement, Sr., 9. 
 Miner, Clement, Jr., 9. 
 Miner, E. Bowman, Dr., 151. 153, 160, 
 
 180. 
 Miner, Elizabeth D. Liggett, 151, 152, 
 
 '54- 
 Miner, Ellen, see Thomas, Ellen E. 
 
 Miner, Emily R., 175. 
 
 Miner, Helen, 152. 
 
 Miner, Henry, 8. 
 
 Miner. Hugh. 9. 
 
 Miner, Julia, Mrs.. 154. 
 
 Miner, Joseph W., 154, 163. 
 
 Miner, Letitia Wright (Lete), 20, 21, 
 
 25, 27, 28, 29, 44, 85, 103, 125. 1511 
 
 152, 153, 162. 180, 190. 
 Miner, Mary, (Daughter of Asher). 
 
 152. 
 Miner, Mary Sinton, 115. 
 Miner, Nancy, 190. 
 Miner, Sarah (Daughter of Asher). 
 
 152. 
 Miner, Sarah Kirkbride, 21, 29, 44, 
 
 112, 124. 127, 150. 152. 157. '7". 
 
 178, 179- 
 Miner, Seth, 9. 
 Miner, Dr. Thomas Wright. 11, 31. 
 
 Miner. William IVnn, 6, 113, 124. 127. 
 
 149, is 1, 15*1 154. '5 7- 
 Minor, I homas, 7. 8, 9. 
 Minor, William (litli century), 8. 
 Minor, William 1 1683), 8. 
 Mitchell, James ('., 114. 
 Monroe, James, 107, 108, 109, 142, 143. 
 Montreuil, Baron, 1 1 1. 
 Moore, Hannah. 10. 
 Moore, Thomas, 26. 
 Morgan, William, ijS. 
 Morse, John T.. 185. 
 Moyster, Rev. Mr., 151. 
 
 Nasby, Petroleum, 89. 
 Nass, Eliza, 190. 
 Nellie, (see Round). 
 Nelson, Mary, 190. 
 Nevin, Mr., 26. 
 Norris, Dr., 22. 
 North, Lord, 161, 170. 
 
 Occom, Samson, 31. 
 
 Ogle, Gen. Andrew J.. 46. 
 
 Olive Branch, The, 170. 
 
 Oliver, Anna Miner, 6, 175, 176, 183. 
 
 Ossian, 77. 
 
 ( >swal3, Eleazer, 38. 
 
 Otis, Harrison Gray, 34. 
 
 Overton. Mrs Mary. 26, 151, 154. 
 
 Ovid, 143. 
 
 Packer. Samuel J., 60. 
 
 Palmer, Nathan, 25, 
 
 Palmer. Rusha, 190. 
 
 Palmerston, Lord, 161. 
 
 Panama Congress, 89-91, 110, 112, tig. 
 
 Parke, Mr. 15. 
 
 Parrish, Mrs. Charles. 180. 
 
 Parsons, Dr. Usher, 74. 
 
 Patterson, Gen. Robert, 163. 
 
 Peale, Charles Willson, 36. 
 
 Penn, Mr., 153. 
 
 Penn, William, 154. 
 
 Pennock, Abraham L., 119. 
 
 Pennypacker, Matthias, 125. 
 
 Perry, Ben, 190. 
 
 Perry, Commodore, 68, 69, 71, 74, 
 
 75. 76. 
 Perry, Mary, 190. 
 Pettibone, Oliver. 17. 
 Pickering, Timothy, 34. 
 Polk, President, 161. 
 Poor Robert the Scribe. Essays from 
 
 the Desk of. 57. 
 Porter, Gen. Peter B., 144. 
 Poulson, Zacariah, 34. 
 Preston, General William. 109. 
 Price, Eli K.. 167. '74- "82. 
 Priestly, Dr. Joseph, 40. 
 
 Ouincy. Josiah, 1S5. 
 
 Ramsay, David, 156. 
 
 Randolph, John, of Roanoke, v.. 114, 
 
 117, 126. 
 Rankin. Tohn, 76. 
 Rawle. William. 105, 184. 188. 
 
194 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Reed, John, 96. 
 
 Reinhart, Rev. Edwin. 183. 
 
 ' Is, Enoch, 19. 
 Rhodes, James Ford, 106, 185. 
 Richard the Third, 8. 
 Richardson, Charles F., 178. 
 Richardson, Mrs. Charles F., 6, 108, 
 
 178, 179. 
 Robinson, John W., 61, 62. 
 Rochester. Mr: \S\ R., 144. 
 Russell, Major Benjamin. '4. 
 Rogers, Professor Henry D.. 153. 
 Rolf, Samuel. 34. 
 
 isevelt, President, 39. I 
 Ross, Tames, 32. 
 Ross, William, 190. 
 Round, Mrs. \V. M. F., 176, 181. 
 Rush. Secretary Richard, 87. 122, 132. 
 
 tii< 137. 138, 146, 162, 163. 
 Ruskin, John. 175. 
 Rutter. Nathaniel, 151. 
 
 Schott, Charlotte, 190. 
 Schott. John Paul, 35. 
 
 uler, James. 
 Searle, Mi~s. 154. 
 Sergeant, John, 1 15. 
 Seward. William H.. 163, 104. 167. 
 Shakespeare. 19. 
 Sheppard, Mr.. 151. 
 
 maker, L. 1).. \-. 
 Sigourney, Mrs., 164. 177. 
 Silk Culture. N5-87. 
 Silliman, Penjamin, 159. 
 Simpson. Miss M. A.. 
 Sinton, James, 121. 
 Sisty, Amos, 155. 
 Sitgreave, Samuel, 121. 
 Slaughback, Sally, 151, 180. 
 Slavery. 89-106, 164, 167-170, 184-188. 
 Smith. Charles, 45, 
 Smith. Gen. Samuel, m, 134. 
 Snyder, Governor Simon, 43, 48. 73. 
 Sprague, "Joe", is, 42. 
 
 igue, Senator Peleg, 123. 135. 
 Sperring, W. II.. 154. 
 
 as, Miss, 25. 
 
 nson, Shaker (Andrew I, 
 Stewart. Andrew, 137. 
 Stiles. Thomas T., 76. 
 
 we, William L., 94, 158. 
 Storrs, Henry R., 119. 
 Story, Judge, 121. 
 
 '. I 'r. Abraham, 31. 
 Asher M.. 154. 
 Sturdevant, W. II.. 1;. 
 Sturdevant, Mrs. W. il.. 154, 178, 181. 
 Summer. Charles. 1 1 7. 
 Swift, Jonathan, 143. 
 "Sylvia.'* 151, 
 
 Tacitus, Cornelius. 143. 
 
 Taft. William H., 59.' 
 
 Taft, Mrs. William H.. to8. 
 
 Tallerand, 137. 
 
 Tallmadge. fames. 95. 
 
 Taylor, John M., 40. 
 
 Taylor, Zachary, 160, 164. 
 
 Thomas. Anne. 152. 
 
 Thomas. Capt. Samuel, 68. 71. 73. 
 
 Thomas, Caroline D., 127. 
 
 Thomas, Ellen E. [Mrs. Jesse], 21, 
 28, 64 note, 86, 103, 116, 124, 152, 
 154. 175. 176, 182. 
 
 Thomas, George, 153. 
 
 Thomas, Dr. Isaac, 115, 125, 127, 
 128, 153. 
 
 Thomas, Isaac M. t 6, 154, 177. 
 
 Thomas. Jesse, 152. 1 
 
 Thomas, Lete, see Mrs. W. H. Sturde- 
 vant. 
 
 Thomas. Letitia, see Mrs. William 
 Butler. 
 
 Thomas. Mary 153. 
 
 Thomasin, Sister, 151. 
 
 Thompson, Charles, 45. 
 
 Thornhill, Mrs. M. C., 21. 
 
 Thrale, Mrs., 141. 
 
 Ticknor, George, 115 note, 153. 
 
 Ticknor. Mrs. George, 153. 
 
 Townsend, John, 181. 
 
 Townsend, Sybilla, 181. 
 
 Tracy. Edwin, 190. 
 
 Tracy, Leonard, 13. 
 
 Tracy. Peleg, Captain. 13. 
 
 Tracy. Sidney, 54. 
 
 Tracy, Uriah, 34. 
 
 Trimble (Col. David?), S6. 110, 118 
 
 Trimble. Judge Robert. 121. 
 
 Truesdale, John, 190. 
 
 Tyler, John, 85. 
 
 Van Buren, Martin, 27, 85, 138, 160. 
 Van Rensselaer, Gen., 108, 116, 125. 
 Van Rensselaer, Jacob R., 34. 
 Van Renssellaer, Philip S.. 34. 
 Vaughan, John. 51. 
 Von Hoist. EL, 185, 186. 
 Walsh, Mr.. 145. 
 
 Warn pole, Mr.. 1 1 2. 
 Ward. Col. Aaron, 96, 97, 98. 
 Washington, 145, 160, 164. 
 Watt. James, 40. 
 
 C. P.. 34. 84. 
 Webster, Daniel, 90, 91, 103, 106, 107, 
 
 113-116, 119, i2i, 131, 132, 135. 139. 
 
 140, 160-162, 165. 
 
 ster, Mrs. Daniel. 114. 
 Webster. Noah, 34. 
 Tweed, Thurlow, 77. 
 Weems, John C, 102. 
 Weiss. Jacob, 61. 
 W< lies, Gideon, 171. 
 Welles. Harriot. 190. 
 W lies, Thomas, 190. 
 
 [ohn, 159. 
 Wheelock, Eleazer, 31. 32. 
 Whipple. Nathan, 14. 
 White, Josiah, 64. 
 Who'll Turn Grindstone? 
 Wilkes, Col. John, 173. 
 Wilkes-Rarre, Sketches of. 23-^^. 
 Williams. Lewis, 96, 121. 
 Wilson, President, 59. 
 Wilson, Senator Henry, 103, 167, t86. 
 Winthron. John, 8. 
 Wirt. \\ illiam, 144. 147. 
 Wolfe, General, 1 
 W "d ward, George W., 161, 162. 
 
I NDEX. 
 
 '95 
 
 Worden, Granny, 170. Wright. John Crafts, 97. 
 
 Wordsworth, 160. Wright, Sally, 190. 
 
 Wright, Grandmother (Mrs. Joseph), Wright. Sally Ann, 190. 
 
 '54- Wright, Sarah, 190. 
 
 Wright. Hanna, 190. Wright, Sarah Ann, 190. 
 
 Wright, Mrs. Harrison. 1S0. Wright, Thomas, jo, ai, 23, 24, 28, 
 
 Wright, Hendrick 15., 65, 66. 171. 36, 190. 
 
 Wright, Josiah, 190. Wright, Willm, 190. 
 
 Wright, Joseph, 24, 29. Wyoming, History of, 155-159. 
 Wright, Josephine, 190. 
 
 Wright, Letitia, see Miner, Letitia. Yost, Mr., 151. 
 
 Wright, Mar> (married Asher Min- Nevin, Mr., 25. 
 
 jo, 25, 28, 190. 
 
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