Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

THE DUANE LETTERS.

(To be continued.)

[Through the kindness of Dr. Thomas Featherstonhaugh, Washington, D. C., the Association has come into possession of some interesting selections from the large correspondence of Judge James Duane, which have never before been made public. Thy bear on Revolutionary, Southern and early educational history. The first instalment, that in this issue, relates largly to Duane himself, at the same time throwing light on the life of the day. The originals have been stored away in old hide-covered trunks all these years in the Duane Mansion, Duanesburgh, N. Y. This mansion was not the residence of James Duane, but was built by his daughter, Catharine Livingston Duane, and is now owned by the Featherstonhaugh family, which is directly descended from Judge Duane.

The letters are well preserved and many of them look as fresh as though written a few months ago. Among them may be seen the handwriting of many of the prominent men of the time, such as Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton, Generals John Stark, Horatio Gates, Philip Schuyler, Chancellor R. R. Livingston, Philip Livingston, Samuel Chase, Sir William Johnson, etc.

The letters need no editing and are presented as written, preserving the capitalization, punctuation and orthography of the original manuscripts.

James Duane was born in New York city on February 6th, 1732. After a liberal education he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1754. In 1759 he married Mary, a daughter of Robert Livingston, then proprietor of the Livingston Manor. He devoted himself to the practice of his profession and was engaged in most of the important causes of his time. He was a member of the Continental Congress during its whole existence, and served as a member of the Provincial Congress of New York. He was also a member of the committee of safety and many other important committees of the Revolutionary period. In 1784 he was appointed mayor of New York by the Governor upon the petition of the common council, in which it is said: "No one is better qualified, so none will be more acceptable to us and our constituents at large than Mr. Duane. Few have sacrificed more or deserve better from their country." For more than five years James Duane fulfilled the varied duties of mayor of his native city, and among these duties was that of holding a mayor's court.

In 1787 he was a member of the Philadelphia convention to consider the adoption of the Constitution of the United States, where he both spoke and voted for its adoption.

In 1789 he was nominated by Washington as district judge and served as such for five years. His letter to his wife announcing this nomination, copied from the original manuscript, is found farther on. Somewhat broken in health from his many years of arduous pub

lic service, in 1794 he addressed a letter to the President announcing his wishes to resign his judgeship and retire to Duanesburgh. On April 8th of this year his resignation was accepted and his successor appointed. In leaving New York he presented Gramercy Park, which was a part of his estate, to the city, and resigned as warden of Trinity church. He then devoted himself to settling his almost wild land in Duanesburgh. He built and endowed a church, which is still in use, and beneath which his body rests. He commenced to build a magnificent house not far from the church, but just as the foundation which still stands, was completed, this earnest and upright patriot died suddenly on February 1st, 1797.]

ABRAM DUANE TO JAMES Duane.

LONDON, 14th March, 1761.

DEAR BROTHER Your favors of the 19th Sep" and 4th January 1761 I received with pleasure I wrote you a long letter by the Earl of Leicester Packett, (If I mistake not her name) who was lately taken by a French Frigate, and carried Into France. I am Sorry to Inform you, that my Situation is the same, as when I wrote you last. I have Endeavour'd to go on the Expedition, which will sail in a few days, for the, Mauritius, in the East Indies, But cannot get a Sufficient Recommendation, to the Commanding Officer, as I have no Friends in Power. Capt Tyrell is still Unemploy'd, and will Remain so Unless they Promote him to an Admiral, or give him a Separate Command, the Latter he will Scarecly Obtain, as he has no Friends to support him, Notwithstanding he is so much Esteemed for Humanity, Good Sence, Bravery, Diligence, Capacity, and in Short every accomplishment necessary for a Gentleman and an Officer. If a man at Present, has Parliamentary Interest, he is promoted, without the least Scrutiny, into his Merit, or Charecter. I have been near 16 years In the Service, at a Great Expence, and for what I know, If I behave well, and live long Enough, I may double that number of years upon the same Conditions, Chance and only Chance, may turn the Scales, But I am very Dubious of Her, as she is Sworn foe, to my most Inveterate Sister, Miss Fortune, who Seldom re

signs her Connections. Judge my Dear Brother, How unhappy I must be under those Circumstances tho it avails me nothing, all the comfort I have is Reflecting on an Old, though Vulgar Proverb, Vez, It's a Long Lane that has no turning. I seem to be in that Identical Lane. I Cannot agree with you, in one part of your last letter, where you Say, Prudence and Industry Seldom fail of Bringing us to the attainment of the object of our Pursuit, I Presume you, as well as myself, have seen many Prudent and Industrious People, Reduced to the Greatest Misfortune, whilst the most Careless and Abandon'd have been in the most Thriveing Circumstance, don't Imagine I am not an Advocate for the Former. But much is owing to Chance, and more Especially the Road that I Have Unluckily Pursued, and must Continue, If I can't Get on board a Flagg shortly, I must and will get In a Private Ship, as I don't Chuse to be Idle on Shore. I never in ye least accus'd you of not Remitting Punctually the monies advanced me by Sr Wm Baker, as you seem to Hint, far from it. I am Greatly Obliged to you, for your Exactness, the last forty Pounds I borrow'd of him ye 10th December which I hope will be Remitted to him as soon as you Receive Advice of it. You say the last £50 Came a little unseasonably, I am sorry for it. But I Really Cannot Help it, as I have no Subsistance but what Comes from New York, it's true I have Half Pay, which is Called two shillings pr Diem, but the Government always Keeps Eighteen months arrears in their Hands, so that when we have two years due, we Received one Six months which Exclusive of all Charges will not amount this year to £17 Oaths Fees etc. Running away with the Remainder.

I have Lately Borrowed £50 of Mr Neat, which I am to pay him Interest for, as it would be Improper to bear too hard upon the disinterestd Civility of Sir Wm.

I assure you It hurts me Greatly to Reduce the Little I have in America. But its out of my Power to Redress it, and that you are very sensible of.

I hope I cannot be accused of Extravagancy. Indeed I spend Perhaps more than I can afford. But its only for the Present, my Being Employed soon will put a stop to it, Therefore seriously I must be supply'd whilst I have, and want it. If you Can Lend me money I am willing to Pay you Interest for it. If not, some of the Houses must be sold for my Subsistance which I shall be very Sorry to Part with, the sad alternative is a Jail Subsistance Bread and Water. If it deserves that Name.

Its a malancholy Subject, but strictly true, Brother. Therefore whilst you have any Effects of mine, For my Peace and Happiness, do Honour to my Creditors.

I am very Sorry to Hear my Sisters Misfortune and hope she has Intirely Got the Better of her Illness, and Beg she will accept of my most Affectionate Regards, together with my Mother and Brother, I am Dear Sir

My Comps to all Friends

Your Affectionate Brother

& Most Humble Servt

I Beg you'l write by every opportunity I shall answer Cornelius by the

next vessell.

Abram Duane.

TENANT'S PETITION TO JAMES DUANE.

We your Most Loyal & Dutiful Tenants Have Lived here Now Three Years & have Not been able to Raise our Bread as yet the First year the Vermins Destroyed it the Second our Crops Froze out of the Ground & our wheat Turn'd into Drips and This year: as to this Present time there is no sign of Summer or Spring yet: whereas the snow is yet at this resent Time in Duanesburgh all over amongst us Two feet & a half deep & so hard that there is No signs of Spring: & the Winter has been so Very hard & severe Ever since the beginning of Last December that we have not been able to Clear any Land or do anything on the Land to signify and

Now when we should Look for the Season To be Preparing our Ground for to Put our Spring Crops and seed into the Ground: We Cant do Nothing but Cut Timber & get out Fire wood for the Severe Cold Wether Snow & frost.

Therefore We your Most Destressed Tenants Humbly Prayeth That your Honor would Take it into Consideration that whereas we Your Poor Tenants Lives in a Very hard Place of the Country Heavy Timbred & a Long Destressing & Tedious Winter: And we are over Burdened with the Penalties & Restrictions that are Laid upon us Besides as we are to Pay the Interest from the First: That instead of our Raising Any Produce of off the Land to Payou Interest We are obliged to Run our selves further in debt for our bread and other Necessaries of Life: that unless we Can be Reconsidered and Lighten'd of our heavy burden that we now Lie under we can not Stand it any Longer, and must be obliged to Leave the Place and this is the General Reason that your Land is not Settled it being so heavy Timbred & upon Interest to be Paid immediately From the Time of Purchase: and this has been the Case ever since we have Lived here: there has been a great many People here To see the Land & to Vew it but when they Come to see the heavy Timber & the hardness of the Country & understand the Forms of Paymt They immediately would have nothing to do with it: there were Five Men here the 25th of March from below where it was Spring Like wether but when they Came here found a severe Winter with Snow Three foot Deep which Discouraged them as well as all others.

Therefore we Humbly Pray that your Honor: would take These The Hearty & sincere Prayers of us Your Most Destresed Tenants into due Consideration: & if you Cannot find freedom to Lighten our burdens when you shall come up in the summer we shall be obliged to Leave the Place or Else to become we and our Children intire slaves: as we are obliged to Run our Selves in Debt here and there where we

« AnteriorContinuar »