Notes by the Editor; Wm. and Mary Qrtly., Vol. 2, No. 3 Transcribed by Kathy Merrill for the USGenWeb Archives Special Collections Project ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** Notes by the Editor Lyon G. Tyler William and Marya College Quarterly Historical Papers, Vol. 2, No. 3. (Jan., 1894), pp. 198-203. NOTES BY THE EDITOR. (1) Page [8]. The persons referred to here were James Madison - Bishop of the Episcopal Church, and Revs. John Bracken and Robert Andrews, some time professors at the College. (2) Page [8]. "These gentlemen" were Judge John Blair and Chancellor George Wythe. (3) Page [11]. "The organist" was Peter Pelham, son of the early New England artist of the same name. He taught music in Williamsburg and was committee clerk of the House of Burgesses. His son, Charles was Major in the Revolution, and died Aug. 29, 129. See Vol. I., No. 1; Heitman's Historical Register. (4) Page [13]. The palace was made by law a two-story building (Hening's Stats). There were three rooms below besides the garret rooms" (Dinwiddie Papers). The rooms below were doubtless constructed on the same plan as at the president's house at the college - two of them large enough for two ordinary rooms and the third the reception room, running half the front and the entire depth of the building. The "garret rooms" were so called because they were next tot he roof, but they were so in name, the roof being nearly flat (Map of Williams- burg about in 1790, College Library). There were no dormer windows, and the upstairs rooms were doubtless four in number and very large and commodious. Then there were the closets, probably one for every bed room, and the Hall, which were large enough to hold Lady Gooch's house in London ("Descendants Roger Jones"). There were convenient cellars underneath. From inside to inside the "Palace" was 54 feet in length and 48 feet in breadth. It was lavishly ornamented within and without, had extensive grounds, gardens and outhouses, among them two offices standing up to the war, each of which contained two large rooms below and two above with dormer windows. (They have been described to me by one who occupied one of them). Up to April 22, 1737, the amount expended upon the Palace for all purposes was L6,600 (Spoots- wood's Letters, I., 10). (5) Page [14]. This reference is to J.F.D. Smythe, Esq., who published, in 1784: "A tour in the United States of America", 2 vols., London. (Republished in the Va. Historical Register, Vol. vi.) According to the account in the Register he was a Captain in the British army and fought at Princeton. Of his work John Randolph, the stepson of Judge St. George Tucker, declared that, while it contained much that was true, it was "replete with calumny and falsehood". It was a work inspired by the same feeling as actuated Rev. Samuel Andrew Peters in his "General History of the New Haven Colony." Page 199. in which book originated the story of the "Blue-Laws of Connecticut"; although those laws could not be called mild which, as they read in the published "Code of the general court of Connecticut of 1650", denounce death on athesists, witches, blasphemers, adulterers, man- stealers, children who strike their parents and rebellious sons. (6) Page [14]. The Asylum now contains (1893) 428 inmates, male and female. (7) Page [14]. The total number in attendance at the college in 1795, from Judge Tucker's figures, was between 80 and 100. The numbers I have seen usually given to this period omit the grammar boys. In the Richmond Argus for Oct. 6, 1805, it is stated at Edward Johnston, of North Carolina, who d. Oct. 8, 1805, was the fourth student who had died at William and Mary College in the 35 years previous. "The number at the college within that time had ex- ceeded 2,000." In 1737 there were 60 students at William and Mary (Va. Gazette for 1737). In 1794 there were, according to "Wansey's Travels", 94 students at Princeton. (8) Page [15]. Dr. James Thacher of Plymouth, Mass., surgeon in the American army, visited Williamsburg in 1781, and says of its public buildings (See his "Military Journal"): "The main street is more than one hundred feet in width and exactly one mile in length - at one of the extremities is the capitol or State house, a handsome edifice, and at the other end is the college, capable of accommodating 300 students, but the tumult of war has broken up the institution. The college library is said to contain about 3,000 volumes. Near the centre of the city is a large church, and not far from it the palance, the usual residence of the Governor, which is a splendid building". Weld, in his "Travels" in 1795, says of Williamsburg that it then contained about 1,200 people, and the society in it is thought to be more ex- tensive and more genteel at the same time than any other place of its size in America". Weld further states as to gambling and cock-fighting: "It is chiefly the lower class of people that partake of these amusements, at the taverns; in private, there is, perhaps, as little gambling in Virginia as in any other part of America". Speaking of the appearance of the town he says: "On either side of it (the church) is an extensive green surrounded with neat looking houses, which bring to mind an English village". However much Williamsburg fell short of the traveller's expectations in 1787, its public buildings, when first put up, were much better than those of any other colony - in fact, as Beverley, in his "History of Virginia", says (edition of 1722), and Rev. Hugh Jones, in 1723-'24, in his "Present State of Page 200. Virginia", "the most magnificent (!) of any in British America". And yet we can easily understand how, to an Englishman who had seen St. Paul's and London they had nothing imposing about them whatever. (See "An Itinerant's Observations in America", London Magazine. 1746.) LETTER OF JUDGE JOHN TYLER, [TO JUDGE ST. GEORGE TUCKER,] Greenway, July 10th, 1795. Dear Sir: I received a Pamphlet written by a Citizen of Williamsburg, by the hand of Mr. Semple, from you, in answer to Mr. Jedediah Morse, whose silly and prejudiced Opinion of the People of Williamsburg and everything belonging to it is truly and sensibly refuted and brought into contempt. The name of this Geographer evinces his locality of sentiment and the place of his Birth, where I will undertake to say there is scarcely such a thing as a fellow-feeling prevailing, although we are consolidated and made One - no Philanthropy - nothing like that liberality of Sentiment which pervades and animates our Southern world. To be sure, how many dirty efforts are made by these Northern cattle to reduce the con- sequence of Virginia. Every circumstance of human Life (both civil and political) proves how unfit the States were for such an Union as ours. How many Males and Females are there, who might live tolerably happy merely as Friends and Neighbors, who would not be happy if married together? Tempers, customs, manners, Education and a thousand things more shou'd be weighed and con- sider'd before an Union should take place. But God help us! we are allied too closely and strong to be divorc'd easily, although our Husbands and Wives shou'd be every so tyrannical. But enough of this for the present, and if this is not enough, the Treaty will make up the deficiency, and of this I am not in temper to speak either with temper or in words of respect for the great Agent who has been so kind as to legislate in conclave with Granville our best Rights away; and moreover to establish a court of Judicature within the States Page 201. to grant Judgments on British debts vs. the American People - O People, where is thy Spirit? To return to the Pamphlet. I hope Mr. Ja Morse will be convinced that there is yet at poor old Will: Mary one professor whose abilities and Virtue are fully equal to the Task of retrieving that station to which she is justly entitled in ye eyes of the learn'd and rescuing her from the hands of ignorance, the parent of prejudice and violence, and that this professor is St. George Tucker, a Judge of the Genl Court of Virginia and Professor of Law in Wm & Mary College, who I am sure professes also humanity, liberality of sentiment, and Geographical knowledge enough to deteck a falsehood utter'd by whom it may. I think, my Friend, you have all the wit and Satire of the old Dean of St. Patrick. And I do sincerely wish you would be as industrious in lashing the iniquities of the Times; would have a good effect. If I had your literary advantages, I wou'd never cease to scourge, until I had in some degree worked a reformatian. Dam the Treaty, Jay and Morse, how they perplex me -- one by his universal Georgraphy confined to a spot, the other, by his universal and everlasting peace, which his Britanick Majesty invokes God to forbid should ever be interrupted, which can last but a moment of on the faith of him or his Creatures our peace is to depend. I wonder what Idea these genn have of universal and everlasting, and particularly what Jay understands by reciprocity. I am sure if George is to be damn'd forever, if his peace with America is interrupted in a very short time, I wou'd not feel the Weight of the paltry crown for his chance. But he has the comfort which Pit may minister to him, that it would take away from those attributes which we all ascribe to the divinity, to suppose an Ass the Object of his vengeance forever. Jay's reciprocity is to exchange the substance for the Shadow, for let the words of the Treaty be ever so plausible, yet we can not be benefited in the same manner, as we do not, nor ever will stand in the same situation with England. Page 202. We have no funds in England to be sequester'd in case of War, but they have in America, and here he has given up the security for a lasting peace. It wou'd be novel indeed to see Englishmen drawing from our Treasury the sinues of War, while we were really in that state which we all shou'd prevent if too great a sacrifice was not to be made for it. What is the difference between 500 Tun Burthen and 90? Such are the mutual advantages resulting from Jay's Idea of mutuality. But Jedediah's universality is like his mental Faculties, confined within a very narrow circle, indeed. Such also his moral obligations or he wou'd not have departed from the Truth so grossly. Have you made any more attacks on the Bishop(1) either in the political or Scientific Line? Ah Tucker, you have as much mischief as I, though with a better face you can do it, because, while I rely on Parent nature, you bring to her aid the mighty Phalanx of the schools. And by Heavens! Madam Dacier(2) inspires you too, as if she was determined that no Brother Judge should vie with you nor Judge's Wife with her. By the great God, I am too much a republican to bear such inequality, therefore I will make it up in raising at least one Henry and McCawley in my Family to be on a footing with you(3). __________________________________ (1) Bishop James Madison, president of William and Mary College, from 1777 to 1815. (2) Anne Dacier, daughter of Tanaquil Faber, or Le Fevre, and wife of Andrew Dacier. She was born at Saumer, in 1651, and was a prodigy of learning. The allusion here is to the second wife of Judge Tucker. St. George Tucker married, 23 Sept., 1768, Frances Randolph widow of John Randolph, and daughter of Theodorick and Frances (Bolling) Bland, of Lawson's, St. George Tucker married, second, 8 Oct., Lelia Carter, widow of George Carter, of Corotoman, and daughter of sir Peyton and Anne (Miller) Skipwith. (3) Judge Tyler named his eldest son, Wat Henry Tyler, after the two greatest British rebels (as his wife told Mr. Henry, who was resent at the baptism) - Wat Tyler and Patrick Henry. Page 203. Remember, when I speak of the Bishop, I feel the highest veneration for his character as a man, but I like him not the better for his canonicals, they will not let men be enough of republicans; besides he went to Great Britain for the exalted station(1). Now who wou'd even be sent to Heaven by such a People? Even it it were possible they cou'd in the hight of human depravity work such a wonder, I am well assured that God will never make choice of such an agent. This must have tired you, therefore I must come and see you and take more time to com- municate by mouth what the pen wou'd be tedious in uttering. I am yr most obt Sert and Friend, JNO. TYLER. _______________________________________ (1)James Madison was ordained first Bishop of the Episcopal Church of Virginia by the Bishops of England. See Sprague's "Annals of the American Church" for sketch, and the National Cyclopedia of Biogrphy, published by James T. White & Co.