Documenting the American South: The Southern Experience in 19-th Century America

Autobiography
of Lemuel Sawyer,
Formerly Member of Congress from North Carolina:
Electronic Edition.

Lemuel Sawyer (1777-1852)

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First edition, 1997.
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Academic Affairs Library, UNC-CH
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
1997.

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Call number CCB S371s 1844 (North Carolina Collection, UNC-CH)

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Library of Congress Subject Headings,

19th edition, 1996

LC Subject Headings:

Sawyer, Lemuel, 1777-1852.
Legislators -- United States -- Biography.
Politicians -- North Carolina -- Biography.
Authors, American -- North Carolina -- Biography.
Authors, American -- 19th century -- Biography.

AUTO-BIOGRAPHY
OF
LEMUEL SAWYER,

FORMERLY MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM NORTH CAROLINA.

AUTHOR OF
The Biography of John Randolph

NEW YORK:
PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR,
1844.

IT is due to the reader, to assure him that no ingredient of vanity has entered into the publication of this trifle. I never imagined my own life of sufficient notoriety and consequence to entitle it to the especial favor of the public, in the shape of a separate and independent chronicle. I had prepared an enlarged and improved volume of the Life of JOHN RANDOLPH, and intended to prefix to the second edition, a brief account of my own. In composing it, I found it grew on my hands, and although "curtailed of many of its proportions" yet it threatened to intrude too far upon the prohibited grounds of the main work. The intended edition is a heavy and expensive undertaking, and I have postponed it to a more convenient season. In the mean time I have been advised by a friend, in whose judgment I place implicit confidence, to advance this pamphlet into the world as a precursor, instead of an accompaniment of that projected work. Should I be fortunate enough to receive the countenance of this enlightened community, it will afford an encouraging presage of its success, and expedite its future appearance. Should it fail, it will at least afford a salutary admonition to withdraw it altogether.

LEMUEL SAWYER.

Brooklyn, July 1, 1844.

AUTO-BIOGRAPHY

OF

LEMUEL SAWYER.

So far as my course has become a part of the history of the country, connected as it has been with many of its leading events, as the non-intercourse, embargo, and war, a personal memoir may be justifiable as a small link in the intricate chain of national affairs. A somewhat full and particular detail of a life under such circumstances, if it were found not destitute of eventful interest, and, as it is hoped, not an ignoble one, it would present still stronger claims to the reader's acceptance. In the Sunday Atlas of New York, of the 13th of August last, was given a sketch of the writer, under the head of Portraits of the People, and it is intended to make that the groundwork of this memoir, with the alterations and additions that the occasion requires, by which it will necessarily be extended to much greater length. The Atlas stated truly, "that the subject of this memoir was the youngest of nine children by the first wife, all of whom arrived at years of maturity, and most of whom reared numerous families, thrived well, and rose to independence and consideration in their several spheres of life. Although he was the most delicate of all his brothers, and has been heard to declare that he could not safely assert that he was ever well a day in his life, but suffered some ailment, local or general, yet has he survived all his brothers and sisters, and has been for six years the sole survivor. His situation is a deplorable one, and deserves the commiseration of every feeling heart. He lost his parents in early life, his mother dying in childbirth, before he was a month old, by which he was deprived of the blessing of that maternal affection, nurture, and moral discipline so necessary to his well- being, to which he may add the death of his father in his fifth year, by which he was left an orphan, unprotected and almost unsupported, to blind chance, to make his way through the world - devious and difficult at all times, dangerous under the untoward circumstances in which he was placed. It is no wonder, then, that his life has proved unfortunate and unhappy, from the want of parental instruction and authority, aid, and advice. Having no brother nor sister, having lost his two first wives, with "all their little ones, at one fell swoop," he stands like a solitary pillar in the desert, tottering on its base, ready to tumble amidst the ruins that surround it.

He was born in Camden County, N. C., in the fall of 1777, at the new family mansion on the banks of the river Pasquotank, the location of the ferry since established by the erection of a floating bridge. He received his Christian name Lemuel from his father, as the favorite child of his old age, and as large a share of his property as any of his brothers, except Enoch the oldest, to whom was devised the family seat, with its extensive domain, and where the first custom-house for the district was established. Enoch

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was appointed the collector in 1791, under Washington, and filled the office satisfactorily till the day of his death, in March, 1827.

In August, 1793, in his sixteenth year, after reaping such benefits as common country schools afforded from the period of his tenth year, he was taken by one of his brothers by sea to Flatbush Academy on Long Island, then in the meridian of its renown under the direction of Dr. Peter Wilson. He was placed there, not more for the purpose of education than for the restoration of his health being then afflicted with a tertian ague, following a bilious fever, and of eighteen months standing. It had reduced him to the brink of the grave. It was hoped that the sea voyage, with the change of air to a more salubrious climate, with good medical treatment would, by their benign influence, conquer this most obstinate form of chronic fever. For the benefit of all similar invalids we may mention, that by the end of three months he was restored to health, except the remains of a swelled spleen. A physician of New York was consulted. He prescribed flannel next the skin, and an emetic divided into portions, to be taken upon the accession of the chill, which never failed to occur every third afternoon. The advice was followed; as soon as the symptoms supervened, the doses were taken, and repeated till they operated. The patient then went to bed as usual, waiting for the recurrence of fever; but after an hour's expectation of his unwelcome visitor, he arose from his bed, went about his business, and never had another fit of the disease. In May, 1796, at the repeated solicitation of his brother-in-law, Demsey Burgess, the member of Congress from his district, then in session at Philadelphia, he reluctantly and unadvisedly left his numerous class, standing at its head, which is paying no small compliment to his proficiency, when such distinguished scholars and eminent men as the two brothers, Wm. and John Duer, the Rev. Peter Vanpelt, lately of Staten Island, Governors Troup and Telfair, of Georgia, were his colleagues. While he resided at Flatbush, he was very properly subjected to a rigid economy, his pocket money being limited to a shilling a week, which proved sufficient, where there was no temptation to dissipation or extravagance. But on arriving at Philadelphia the scene was reversed. He was ushered at once into gay and fashionable society, and his brother-in-law's purse being almost forced upon him, he spent more in six months than he had the whole time he was at Flatbush. But that was not the least of the evils entailed upon him by that ill-advised visit. He acquired habits of extravagance and recklessness in money matters, that followed him through life, and has occasioned many bitter pangs and vain regrets in after life. He attended awhile, though not regularly, as an honorary student of mathematics, under Professor Robert Patterson, of the University of Pennsylvania, occasionally occupied a seat in the gallery of Congress, and heard the debates in which John Nicholas, William B. Giles of Va., Mr. Gallatin, and R. G. Harper bore the leading parts. He was frequently gratified with the sight of the great Washington, and has been at the theatre on one occasion, the first appearance of Cooper in Richard the Third, when Washington entered the box assigned him, and the audience rose simultaneously, and saluted him with three cheers. As he boarded opposite to Andrew Ellicot, the astronomer, in North Sixth street, he was soon introduced to him and became intimately acquainted with the family. He was much attached to Andrew the son, and felt more than common friendship for the eldest daughter, Jane, which unfortunate attachment was the only cause of his refusing the offer by Mr. Ellicot, to take him in his suite at thirty dollars a month, with a horse found, as his secretary, on his mission to Florida as commissioner to run the boundary between this country and the Spanish colony of Florida. He regretted much afterwards, of the loss of that excellent opportunity to gain a knowledge of the country by travel, to acquire a practical knowledge of surveying and

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astronomy by a master, and one of the kindest and best of men, as well as of learning the value of various tracts of unoccupied lands, and the opportunity thus afforded of making up for his expenditures by successful speculation. He, however, did not remain long after Mr. Ellicot had left Philadelphia for Pittsburg, to descend thence down the rivers Ohio and Mississippi to Baton Rouge or Natchez, where he was to land. and begin the line of survey through to the head of the St. Mary's, on the Gorgia frontier. His attachment cooled by degrees, and his pockets collapsed as rapidly, and he returned to his native home in August, by a coasting vessel belonging to an old schoolmate and neighbor, and entered the State through an inlet near Roanoke Island, which has long since filled up, and left not a vestige of its former site. He had grown so much, and was so improved in personal appearance, that some of his nearest relatives and old playmates did not know him. On reaching the court-house, the court then sitting, he saw a very handsome young gentleman in the crowd, and upon asking who he was, he learned it was his youngest brother Wilson, born of a second wife. They had been separated when children, and had not met before. His patrimonial estate consisted of a farm, much exhausted and dilapidated, and a dozen slaves, which he took possession of, though but twenty years of age, to gratify the hands, who were tired of being, hired out, and wished to be put to work upon the farm, under the direction of their master. But he knew little or nothing of the business, was too easy and careless, and did not exact from them that full amount of labor, which they were not disposed voluntarily to render, and for three or four successive years the loss was so considerable that one of the gang had to be disposed of annually, to supply the deficiency. He took sides with the democratic party, entered with zeal against the administration of' John Adams and was elected a member of Assembly in the summer of 1800. Though the youngest man in the House, being barely eligible, he was the first to deliver a speech, soon after the house was organized, and succeeded in defeating the usual resolution to continue the old officers of the house, and substituted one by nomination and ballot, by which means he was enabled to promote a young friend from the ranks of private life, to a clerkship, from which he rose to be Secretary of State, and has filled that office with fidelity ever since. William Hill, the gentleman alluded to, acknowledges with gratitude that he was indebted to this decided step of Mr. Sawyer, in abolishing this unfair monopoly, and introducing the more just and liberal one by election. The Speaker's chair was filled by a Frenchman, Stephen Cabarus, a respectable and wealthy farmer from Edenton, from whom the County of Cabarus, the first where a gold mine was discovered, was named. Although he had lived among us from boyhood, yet his pronunciation had much of the foreign accent, and his reciting the captions or titles of bills and resolutions, invariably forced a smile from the members. On his return from the usual short session of two months, he divided his attention between his farm and his studies, which he now directed mainly to the acquisition of the law. Even then he had an eye to a seat in the national councils, and he made that profession a stepping-stone to mount to that post of honor. In the course of three years, he obtained a license to practice at the bar, which in that State, costs something besides hard study - a fee of twenty-five dollars to the examining judges. His first appearance in the forum was in defending a criminal on a trial for murder. He had volunteered on the case, and had fully prepared himself. He of course was enabled to make a powerful appeal to the jury, his client was acquitted, or, what is tantamount, was brought in guilty of manslaughter only, which is seldom visited by the moderate penalty of the law by branding the letter M on the brawn of the thumb of the left hand. His fame as a counsellor immediately spread, but there was not much business in the courts of that district. Though the reapers were

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many, the harvest was poor. A county court fee was only four dollars, and a Superior Court fee only ten, and there was no charge allowed for intermediate services, by long attorney's bills for preparing the case for trial. The large accumulation of fees and costs, seen and felt here, and "the law's delay," which frequently place the suitor in the predicament of Gulliver, who was ruined by a suit in chancery going in his favor with costs, are unknown there. The laws are few and simple, and justice speedy among that pure and unsophisticated people, nor was it ever heard of, as in New York, that a husband could not claim and receive his wife's personal property, though standing in her maiden name. It remained for the sapient conscience of Vice-chancellor H----n to introduce the interpolation upon all precedents in equity, but which will be no more regarded by future chancellors than the decisions of preceding ones were by him. The bench, however, has since got rid of him by a removal, and a happy riddance it was. We may conclude from its effects, as well as its etymology, that a chancery is a court wherein the causes are decided by chance, and wherein the goddess Fortune, perfectly blind, presides. Would it not save much time, costs, and trouble, instead of the present mode of bill and answer, and all their interlocutory proceedings, to adopt the more summary, popular, and just mode of appealing to her by the usual tools and implements, a raffle, a pack of cards, or heads and tails. Let the parties accommodate their difference by the fashionable game of old sledge, or whist, or brag, or a throw of the dice, and I will warrrant they will have as fair a chance at least, and save thousands in money and years in time, consumed by the present system. It is a monstrous excrescence on the fair face of our jurisprudence, and ought to be lopped off.

In October, 1804, Mr. Sawyer was elected one of the electors of President And Vice President for the district of Edenton, composing six counties, notwithstanding he lost the vote of Currituck, by the sheriff failing to attend with the returns, at the appointed place. The college met at Raleigh, the December following, during the sitting of the Legislature, and he then made a lengthy and able speech in favor of the republican candidates, which was listened to with earnest attention by the members of the Legislature; after which he deposited his vote for Thomas Jefferson and George Clinton, who received eight votes each, out of the twelve. This introduced him so favorably to the majority, that he was immediately afterwards chosen one of the seven counsellors of State, a post more of honor than profit, for they were not once convened during the whole period, and, of course he received nothing.

In the spring of 1806, upon his return from a visit to Washington, he learned that Col. Thomas Wynns, the representative in Congress, had declined a re-election, and he thus found the opportunity he had much desired, of becoming a candidate under favorable circumstances. He had some weeks the start, a no inconsiderable advantage in an election race, of his opponent, William H. Murfree, of Murfreesboro, and gained the victory by over a thousand majority. Mr. Murfree succeeded him, however, six years afterwards, Mr. Sawyer, having declined in consequence of ill health which debarred him from the house a whole session.

Congress was convened on the 26th of October, 1807, by the proclamation of President Jefferson, on account of the irritation of the public mind arising from the attacks of the frigate Leopard upon the Chesapeake within our waters, and the imprisonment of four seamen from her crew, on the pretence of their being deserters. Mr. Sawyer gave his hearty support to the administration both by his votes and his speeches, through its long and arduous struggle with Great Britain, in the successive measures of embargo, non-importation, non-intercourse, and war, and vindicated the rights of his country against the insults and oppression of that domineering power. In

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August, 1810, Mr. Sawyer married Miss Mary Snowden, a beautiful young lady, of the vicinity, the niece of his brother Enoch's wife, and grand-daughter of General Isaac Gregory, who commanded the militia at the battle of Camden, on Gates' defeat, when, on endeavoring to rally his men, he was wounded. They lived with her parents for the present, and until Mr. Sawyer returned from Congress, to which he was again elected over his old opponent by the usual large majority. When his time of departure arrived, Mr. Sawyer took a most affectionate leave of his wife, whom he left in tears and proceeded to a friend's that afternoon, at a distance of ten miles on his rout, intending to remain with him that night, and start for Norfolk the next morning. He loved his wife so dearly, he felt the pain of separation so severely, that he found it impossible to go without her. He therefore returned before night to the family, and persuaded his father and mother-in-law, to allow their daughter to accompany him. She was their favorite, but his wife and sister joining with him, their consent was obtained. The next day they visited his brother Enoch, for the purpose of prevailing on his eldest daughter Sarah to accompany them to Washington. The family agreed that Sarah should accompany them, as there were four daughters left to console them in her absence. They remained a few days with their relations in Norfolk, and thence proceeded by a packet to Baltimore and reached the seat of government the next day.

Mr. S. engaged board in the same mess with Mr. Clay, and his amiable wife on Capitol Hill. Their families became inseparable, and joined in all the numerous parties, of which not a week passed that they were not invited to two or three, by the heads of departments, the President's levees graced by Mrs.' Madison and of the foreign ministers. Vice President Clinton was also a member of our mess, and showed such marked attention to the ladies, that my niece was joked upon her mighty conquest, and nick-named Mrs. Vice. My wife divided with her the admiration and attention of the young members, and the military officers, several of whom were in the suite of General Wilkinson, who was then present attending a court of inquiry, ordered at his own request for charges made against him by Mr. Randolph. It was universally agreed, that they were two of the most beautiful women in the city, and my niece having been educated at a female seminary in Philadelphia, added to her personal charms a highly cultivated talent for music, which was on every evening that we remained at home, called into requisition by a numerous and attentive audience, with V. P. Clinton at their head. My wife among others made a conquest of the French Minister, General Tureau, who was an old widower, and who called upon us frequently for the purpose of meeting with the ladies in the drawing room. - In fact, we passed a most delightful season till the 4th of March, when we broke up, and I look back upon that winter as the happiest in my life, since those gay, innocent, playful school-boy days, which are always excepted. The house where we boarded on Capitol Hill, belonged to Thomas Law, the brother of Lord Ellenboro who had laid out a fortune of $100,000 and upwards on lots and improvements in Washington. He boarded (being separated from his wife, the niece of Mrs. Washington, Miss Custis) a part of the session with us. He was an eccentric man. of great nervous excitability and quick impulse. He often joined us in a game of whist, and though the rapidest player that probably ever was seen, he was one of the best. His stake never exceeded one dollar, while that of the members generally were from 5 to $10 on the game. Had it not been for Mr. Law, my expenses would have exceeded my pay, and I should have been straightened for means to get home. I agreed with him to stake $5 or $10 on every game he played, I would risk the balance and what he lost over his stake, I would make good, and what he gained he should give me. That relieved him of

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the embarrassment which his low bets occasioned. Upon retiring early in the evening, I offered him on that occasion $20 as a fund to start with, but he refused to take it, saying he had enough to meet all his losses. The next morning after breakfast, he handed me thirty dollars as my share of the gains of his skill and good luck, and frequently afterwards, on his return from Whist parties, he would give me sums from 5 to $20, and not more than once or twice, had I to make good any trifling loss. His son John, was a very respectable counsellor, and was engaged by Wilkinson to defend him in the court of inquiry. He had a most beautiful daughter about 15 years old, and although she was with her mother, she frequently called on him at his room. She seemed to be an angel of light and appeared as a peacemaker between them, and I never saw her leave the door without being suffused with tears. But it all would not do - He remained irreconcilable to the day of his death.

We left Alexandria the 5th of March, 1811, in the packet for Norfolk, attended by a number of young gentlemen, the fruits of Sarah's conquest, to see the last of us, and bid us adieu. We reached home in good time, meeting the smiling spring, the croaking music of the frogs (always grateful to me, but now seldom enjoyed,) and passed, a part of our way, under festoons of yellow jessamine, suspended from the highest trees and perfuming the whole atmosphere with a delicious incense. Soon after our return, my wife from prematurely leaving off her flannel, took a cold, and had a violent attack of inflammatory fever, with congestion of the lungs. Nothing but the most unwearied attention and the best medical experience saved her. She was bled, during the fever, three times copiously, the two last at my suggestion because I perceived that her pulse indicated it, though strongly opposed by her parents. Before she finally recovered, her kind, affectionate, and attentive mother was taken sick, no doubt from great excitement at the danger of her daughter, and exhaustion upon setting up by her. Her disease was nervous fever, and her end was hastened by depletion while I happened to be out of the way, she having seen its good effect upon my wife, requested the doctor to bleed her, and he was fool enough to do it, though her pulse was then weak and rapid, and of a typhus grade. She sunk rapidly, and in three days, we lost our dear parent, and best and steadiest friend we had in the world. I have dwelt somewhat upon the particulars of Mrs. Sawyer's illness, and my constant attendance on her from which I derived the gratification of having done my duty, and aided in her recovery, for the purpose of contrasting it with a future occasion, on which I have to reproach myself with a want of this conjugal tenderness, and which above all other sins I ever was guilty of, was heaviest on my conscience.

In the fall of 1811, my health suffering from the effects of that sickly season, I travelled to the north as far as Baltimore, and among the hills in that neighborhood, from thence I went to Philadelphia, where I had a niece at school. I recovered my health before the end of September, but delayed my return, without any assignable reason, till the middle of October, when I was attacked with my tedious and distressing complaint, gastro-enteritis, or dyspepsia with nervous irritation. I immediately gave up all hopes of returning home, and would have compromised with fate for a safe arrival at Washington before the session commenced.

I placed myself under the care of my old physician, Doct. Benjamin Rush. After a few days attendance, I discovered the drift of his remedy, and it immediately lost its charm. He invariably began by asking questions, and introducing political subjects, to draw my attention from my disease by making me think of something else. But I could not be led away from the sore point, but sat brooding over my ills, and venting my complaints and discontent, and would not be comforted. The Doctor applied few or no prescriptions but mental ones. I was not confined, however, and as the

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term approached I felt great anxiety to escape the severity of the winter and enter a more genial climate, and he encouraged my intention of endeavoring to reach Washington by easy stages, in company with some travelling friend. I reached Baltimore by moderate journeys, and after a few days' rest, started with a horse and gig for the city. It is the nature of the disease to render the patient restless, impatient and to urge him on beyond his strength. I can compare him to nothing more suitable than a mad dog, who the moment the symptoms appear, starts off in a brisk trot, and never stops till he is knocked in the head or falls exhausted. I named it restphobia. The nearer I approached Washington, the more anxious was I to reach it. I arrived at Rossburgh to dinner without suffering much from fatigue, and had I remained there all night, and the next day, all would have been well, and it would have saved me much of suffering, besides other dreadful consequences arising from my imprudence. I was irresolute for some moments after dinner, whether to remain or not. But at last I hastily decided by a sudden impulse, without any new light of reason or cause, to go on that night. After proceeding four miles, I began to feel overcome, but there was no comfortable quarters on the road from Bladensburg, and a kind of fatality which had before led me into such predicaments, or wilful obstinacy urged me on, and although I did not proceed out of a walk, when I reached my quarters I was completely exhausted. My symptoms were aggravated two-fold. I was a miserable invalid the whole winter, and never once took my seat during the session. I employed a doctor and took a great deal of physic, but nothing did me any good. Were I to be put on my oath, I do not know but that I should be obliged to swear on my conscience, that I never took a dose of medicine while laboring under these chronic diseases, that did me any good, but that in many instances they have done me harm. I depended on exercise and diet, and as soon as the river was clear of ice, the first of March, I took passage for Norfolk. My wife found me there in a few days. The sight of her revived me. By the advice of Doct. Rush, I put myself on a milk diet, and as I could not endure travel, (I will not say fatigue) by land, we took the water route, by the Dismal Smamp Canal, which saved me all jolting for more than half the journey. It took me three or four days however, to accomplish the journey of forty miles. I gradually regained my health by a milk and vegetable diet, and exercising much on horseback, and by the first of June, I had serious thoughts of returning back to my seat. But upon making a demonstration on a very hot day, of twelve miles, I was completely cured of my travelling fit and was glad to get back next day alive. My little farm was flourishing. It was a beautiful and central location, and now belongs to my successor, W. B. Shephard, whose land adjoined, My wife was six months advanced in the family way. I thought the house (which was a mere shell, and low pitched,) an uncomfortable one, I persuaded her to return with me to her father's roof in August, much against her will, and as it appeared afterwards against the judgment of her father, who wished to see me do well and to apply my time steadily to the business of the farm. I afterwards perceived my error, when it was too late to correct it, and was sorry I did not remain over and run the risk of a relapse, or a billious attack; rather than incur the displeasure of my wealthy father-in-law by such childish and fickle conduct. I soon afterwards, feeling some unpleasant symptoms, took a trip down to the sea-shore to fortify myself against the insalubrity of the approaching fall. When I returned after a week's absence, my father-in-law received me coldly, and my wife was not in the best humour. She required as much attention and caressing to retain her affection as she did to gain it, and I was not a person to submit to such terms. I was getting unwell as the month of September progressed, (the most sickly

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month in the year,) I felt myself uncomfortably situated, and I concluded to take the sea-shore on my route to Washington, and though a few miles out of the direct way, to stop a while at Curntuck Court House. It is situated on a high shore on the sound, which is there ten miles across to the inlet and the sea-shore. Before I left, my wife grew ill, but not so much so as to require particular attention, and she kept an obstinate silence from me of the state of her feelings. The night before I left, she lay quiet, and never complained once. Only that her sister declared she was sick, while she was carrying a hearty breakfast to her, I should not have known it. She did not make any objection to my excursion, and I started in a horse and gig, having a neighbor with me to bring them back, should I conclude to go on. Our family physician being on the route, I called on him to request him to visit my wife, but not finding him at home I left order to that effect which he complied with. Had I seen him, I should have bethought me to get him to promise to send for me, should she grow worse. I remained there four or five days, but heard nothing from my wife. When I started in the morning, I was so divided in my opinion what course to pursue whether to return, or go on, that I stopped to deliberate before I entered the main road, which was the Rubicon in my destination. I asked the advice of my nephew, a lad about sixteen, but he was undecided too, but I think rather inclined to visit Norfolk. In this state of indecision, bordering on distraction, I determined to submit the event to chance, and starting the horse in a gentle trot, I threw the reins down, and left it entirely to his decision. On what trifles do the most important events hang. He turned into the road for Norfolk, and I was a ruined man. I went on about twenty miles, and stopped for the night at a friend's. I was only twenty-five miles from home. My wife grew worse. She sent an express after me which went to the court house; but not finding me there, instead of pursuing me, and he might have come up with me that night, he returned home. I reached Norfolk the next day, and sent the gig back, remaining in total ignorance of the sad change which had taken place at home, which for ever blasted my hopes of happiness in this world. I had been at my sister's in Norfolk at least a week before we had any tidings from Carolina. She had learned from a market man the account of my loss, and imparted it to me in such a delicate way, with such an air of doubt, that I immediately went to the market to learn the particulars. I there found the man a neighbor of mine, who informed me that my wife was dead and buried, and that he was at her funeral. She had been delivered of a seven-month daughter, and expired from the exhaustion, preceded by ten days illness. I was overwhelmed with sorrow, remorse, and a most guilty conscience that whispered in my heart, that I had been negatively guilty of murder. I returned to the house so overcome, that I was taken violently ill, so that my sister called in the aid of a physician. It was a week before I retained sufficient strength to attempt a fulfilment of my resolution to return home. My sister accompanied me. I had a brother living near the Dismal Swamp Canal which was about half the distance, and by going by water I was enabled to reach there the second day, but found my strength entirely insufficient to enable me to reach home, without resting and recruiting several days. My sister consented to go on, as she felt much interest in seeing my daughter, and she had a sister and brother in the neighborhood, whom she had not seen for a year or more. She found my little daughter with a wet nurse employed, and the old gentleman devoted to the little grand-child. Everything was explained to the family, and my unfortunate ignorance to the last, of the real condition of my wife. She remained a week with her relatives, but before she returned my dear little infant had expired, it is supposed from being overlaid by the nurse, and thus one major inducement for

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my visit to the family was destroyed. I, therefore, mending but slowly, and being half way on my journey to Norfolk, concluded to retrace my steps, and by the tenth of November I again took shelter under my sister's roof. My father-in-law, as he had a right to do, and as there was no one there to take care of them, carried the negroes back to his house, together with the stock and furniture. I have since been very sick and thought myself at the point of death; and upon a retrospect of the black catalogue of a long life of sin and shame, this act of mine towards my wife presses heaviest upon my soul. It overbalances all the rest, although I have repented in tears, although I have confessed the odious offence to my confessor, and received his absolution, which I have prayed may be ratified in heaven. I never shall be able to clear my conscience of the stain of cruelty, inhumanity, and a want of conjugal affection in thus abandoning my wife at such a critical moment. None of the circumstances attending the case can afford the least excuse or palliation on my part. I ever shall believe, had I remained with her, had I nursed her with the tenderness I did on a former occasion, had I watched her symptoms, and I have much medical skill and experience, had I manifested that anxious concern and kind sympathy which was due to her and which she had a right to expect, she would have recovered or at least she should have had the consolation of dying in my arms. But by that one false step, I was deprived of wife and child, and an ample fortune, and committed such a heinous sin, that a whole life spent in penitence can never atone for. Mr. Snowden lived only two years afterwards. His whole estate, worth at least $40,000, fell to the surviving daughter. She had married, against her father's advice, a dissipated and insolvent Englishman by the name of Charles Bowring, a relation of Doct. Bowring of London, and in less than three short years the whole estate was squandered. They moved to the neighborhood of Norfolk, and undertook market-gardening, with one or two slaves all that remained out of forty. But he kept constantly drunk. The neighbors' castle got in and destroyed all the vegetation, and as a last refuge they moved to Norfolk. Here the scenes soon ended. He had neither money nor credit left. He died a miserable sot in the street, and she soon followed in a state of degradation, little short of starvation, and broken-hearted. I proceeded to Congress and served my term out, which ended in the year 1813. Feeling that I ought not to press my claims for a re-election, after losing the whole of the preceding session from indisposition, I wrote to my principal friends, that if Mr. Murfree would again declare himself a candidate, I would yield the field to him. He did so, and was elected the May following. I returned home in tolerable health, and retired to my little farm. I felt rather solitary and unhappy, and preferred more society and busier scenes. In the course of two years I sold my place at a very great price, and with the avails, about $2,000, went to Norfolk with a view of engaging in some other business. I consulted a friend there, who had been an extensive shipping merchant, and he advised me to enter into the book and stationary line. I entrusted him with the money to invest in that merchandise, and in the meantime became an inmate of his family. He became embarrassed and failed to procure the goods I wanted. A young man whom I saw daily in attendance for the purpose of obtaining means to set up a country store, I thought would meet with success, in case he succeeded in obtaining the capital; he went to Carolina, and opened in my old neighborhood, at a place called Sawyer's Creek, where my guardian had lived, and where I was admitted as one of the family and received as full a share of affection and partiality as either of my companions, their son and eldest daughter, nearly of my age. He had a store here before I left him for Flatbush, in 1793, where he made considerable money. But both himself and wife were dead when I returned home

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in August, 1796, and I was ushered into the world in my 20th year, and put in possession of my little property, without their sage advice and direction, and without any knowledge of the world, or judgment to manage my pecuniary affairs.

After some persuasion my friend entered into my views, and equiped the young adventurer with a small assortment of dry goods, groceries, and hardware; and he arrived at the spot with his cargo in a lighter through the Dismal Swamp Canal, and opened his store without competition for ten miles around. He had a good run of business, and kept the boats steadily employed in bringing through the Canal, the grain, lumber, and other produce he received. I was charged with the sale of the produce which came to my order, and the purchase of all the supplies necessary to keep up the assortment at the store. We continued the business until March, 1817, when the store-keeper, after long complaining, grew worse, and was incapable of managing the concern. Being a Jersey man, the climate disagreed with him, and he determined to return home as soon as the warm season advanced. I willingly consented to accept the commission of visiting the store, and taking charge of the business, as it again threw me into the arms of my old playmates and schoolfellows, and recalled the pleasing associations of my boyhood, by returning to a shop endeared to me by a thousand recollections. On my arrival, I found our partner laid up with the rheumatism, and as the busy season was nearly over, and the stock of goods wanted replenishing, we came to the conclusion to sell out, by auction, for cash, and wind up the concern. We accordingly put up advertisements, and about the middle of April fixed the day of sale. A large concourse of people attended; goods were scarce, and money plentiful, and the stock went off briskly at fair rates. I received the avails, settled with the store-keeper, who soon left for his former home, and I indemnified myself for the loan of $2000 and interest, out of the avails.

Among the company in attendance, was the sheriff of the county, a next door neighbor of my brother Enoch, and an energetic and popular man. I had been absent from the district fifteen months, and could not be fairly deemed a resident. I learned that Mr. Murfree had refused to serve any longer, alledging that he lost more money by it than he gained honor. There were two candidates for his place. But it seemed the people generally did not like either. My presence, in the centre of my old constituents awakened all their predilections, and revived feelings similar to those aroused by Bonaparte on landing from Elba at Frejus. The sheriff solicited me to declare myself a candidate. It never for a moment entered my head, when I left Norfolk, a few weeks before, that I should find an occasion, or the wish of the people, to renew my former political connection with them. But I found I had hit upon the lucky moment, and I determined to seize it. The multitude gathered around me, I made them a short address and concluded by declaring I should be proud and happy to serve them again, if they thought me worthy, and was greeted with loud huzzas.

I then commenced my electioneering tour, with the requisite funds, as an election in that State is a very expensive undertaking, and every cent a member can save out of his earnings, out of his pay and mileage, is consumed in the next campaign - an election, a week before the general one, was held in the uppermost county, Hertford, that I was not aware of, and of course did not attend, so my two antagonists divided the vote there nearly equally. But I met them in the next county, Gates, where I was less known than in the middle and lower counties, but where one of the candidates stood the strongest. I received only 80 votes there, however, out of 500, and being quite unwell, stopped at the public inn at the Court House, to rest and take some remedies against the bilious symptoms which

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affected me. As the court was about to set, which would collect the greater portion of the people, I concluded to stay until its adjournment, in order to learn the result of the election before I left, and to form a better acquaintance and strengthen my influence in that county. For four days we had not heard a syllable from the rest of the district; and from the returns in these two counties, my chance appeared desperate. In the afternoon of that day, the sheriff of Pasquotank, one of my strong holds, and the backbone of the district, rode up to the door, having business in the county above. We met him as he entered, all anxious to hear the news. He remained silent for some minutes on the subject, and talked on indifferent matters. When he did commence to open his budget, he merely asked me how I came on in Gates, and how many votes I had got there. I told him. What said he, 80 votes. Then, by G-d, you are elected. It was so close, that I only cleared my nearest antagonist by about that majority - or plurality over the two, as a majority over all is not required there. A loud huzza was raised; the largest bowl on the premises, and it was a monster, was filled with the best of toddy, composed of that most delicious of spirits, the apple brandy of the county, was handed to the sheriff, who did ample honor to my success, and thence circulated. It was drained and refilled, till they all had sufficiently manifested their cordial approbation of my triumph. I received the congratulations of many who voted against me, which I took in good part, and to which I knew how to make suitable acknowledgments. The next morning, though a little feverish, I started on my return. I had but 60 miles to go, to reach my home, Elizabeth City, which was the centre of my popularity, but on arriving at my brother Frederick's, who lived on the canal, and about half way to Norfolk, I was obliged to lay by, and concluded to give up my visit to the lower part of the county, where my friends expected me. I felt too unwell to perform the journey there and back. I feared I should be seriously attacked with bilious fever. After a few days' rest, I took passage by water, through the Dismal Swamp Canal, being too weak to ride, and arrived at Norfolk close upon the news of my election. It was news indeed to my numerous friends and relatives there, who had no thought upon my going out to Carolina, five months before, that I could become a candidate. Among the first persons I met, was a young lady, with whom I had fell, not head and ears, but about up to the middle in love, and to whom I had sent through a friend, on the eve of my departure an offer of my affection, or if that was too strong a dose, my friendship. She refused to receive either. She was now radiant with smiles, but by a cold, frosty look, and a formal stiff bow, I "nipp'd these blushing honors thick upon her," and let her know if she could not love the man, she should not have the Congressman. I ought to confess that I had previously given her cause of offence, by giving her name' to our lighter, which she thought degraded her. To regain my health. I chose a sea voyage, and took passage, in a small packet, only 80 tons, with about 30 passengers, for New York, about the 26th of August. Upon going on board, and witnessing so many persons embarked, men, women, and children, it occurred to me that some of them would have to go without berths, and I immediately entered the cabin and secured mine. It was well I did, for when night came, six or eight of them had to pick out the softest plank, or to lay on the cabin floor. We, however, had a short passage, having a fair wind, and were only two nights subjected to the hard trial of a soft plank. I arrived as soon as the news of my new honor, and passed a few most pleasant weeks between Flatbush, my old Alma Mater, and the city. I regained my health, enjoyed the hospitalities of my old, and made acquaintance with many worthy new friends, and left the city in November, with very favorable impressions, to arrive at the seat of government

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a few days before the meeting of the house, in order to choose a good seat in the Hall, and obtain a choice lodging room: both of which I happily accomplished.

I did not renew my acquaintance with my old fellow members, nor extend it among the new: and few persons were aware of my being in the house. The first knowledge they had of me, was on the occasion of my old friend, Col. R. M. Johnson's commutation bill, when I arose like an apparition before them, and opposed its passage. The Col. among others was amazed, and after I sat down, came up to shake hands with me, and to express his sorrow that my first appearance on the stage, for the last six years, should be on such an occasion. The Colonel answered me with his usual urbanity and good temper, but he lost his favorite measure. Though it is not my intention to detain the reader in the current of his reading of this narrative, by laying in his way any abstraction of a long, dull speech of mine, I trust he will allow a few pages of some of the lighter ones to be strewn in his path. It was on the 17th December, 1817, the bill came up for discussion. The first section contained a provision authorising the government, through its pension agents in the different States, to commute with, or buy from the holders of patents of bounty lands issued to soldiers of the late or present army, by allowing them in four annual payments $140 the acre. The speech as reported in the Intelligencer is a very condensed and brief summary of my observations. It states it thus, - "Mr. Sawyer of N. C. opposed the bill by a variety of arguments, but principally upon the heavy demand it would create upon the treasury. Money he said was power. He did not wish to live to see another empty treasury. We had enough of that the last war. If that had continued another year, I do not know what would have been the consequences arising from "a plenteous lack" of money and credit, (after advancing various illustrations of the advantages of a full treasury) Mr. S. added, that he considered this bill as merely offering a premium in speculation. It was surprising, he said, how industrious we are, as soon as we find we have a balance in the treasury, to get it out again. But of all the schemes contrived for such drainage, the bill appears to be the most ingenious. No prodigal was ever more anxious to lavish a rich inheritance than we do that whenever intrusted to our care by the people. For his part, he wished there could be stationed at the gate of the treasury, an angel with a flaming sword to prohibit entrance to all who had not an order from the genius of economy, countersigned by the hand of justice."

This is but a skeleton of the speech I delivered. I recollect it was given at length in some of the papers, and that I forwarded several copies among my constituents, not forgetting my useful friend, the sheriff of Camden, among whom it was well received.

It was not long before I had another opportunity of gratifying my oratorical propensity, though I should not have been so hasty or rash had I known I should have provoked two such champions as Mr. Clay, and Henry St. George Tucker, the half brother of Mr. Randolph. The latter, as chairman of the committee of Roads and Canals, or internal improvement, for the purpose of testing the sense of the House on that doubtful and unsettled policy, introduced some resolutions, with a view of authorising and instructing that committee to report a bill to effect the object of internal improvement.

Mr. Monroe had but just commenced his first term, and, in his message, had distinctly stated his objections, on constitutional grounds, to any measure or act that might be presented to him for his approbation to any such measure. On the 6th of March, as soon as the house resolved itself into a committee of the whole, and took the resolutions under consideration, I

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moved the committee should rise, with a view of getting the subject immediately in the House, for the purpose of moving its indefinite postponement I stated as my reasons for the motion, that as the President had expressed his insuperable constitutional objections to the policy of internal improvement, I thought, unless we felt confident we could carry the measure by a two-thirds vote, or a constitutional majority, it would be an idle waste of time to discuss it, and urge it forward. It was known also, that there was before the Senate, a proposition to amend the constitution, so as to give this. disputed power to Congress; from which it might be inferred that branch did not conceive the power existed. To prevent a tedious and useless debate, to the delay of more important and practicable business, I felt it my duty to make the motion that the committee rise and report progress, to which I for one should not grant leave to sit again. Mr. Tucker was up in a moment, to protect his offspring. Mr. Clay followed, and expressed an earnest desire that the debate should not be thus early strangled by my motion, but that every member should have an opportunity to express his opinions on this great and important question. He expressed a preference in seeing me come out in a constitutional speech in favor of this wise policy, than to be the first to try to stifle it at its birth. The committee felt disposed to accommodate the gentlemen in their wishes, and my motion was lost.

A long debate ensued. I had an opportunity of making, if not a constitutional speech, at least (as I said), not an unconstitutional one. I find it reported at length in the Intelligencer of the day.

Though I am convinced that I took the wrong side of the question then, and have changed my ground, yet as this speech, though upon the whole rather a foolish one, contained so much humor, drollery (and not to say wit), that makes me laugh while I am transcribing it; in hopes the reader may join me in the laugh, not at me, but at my manner of treating the question, I give it, word for word, as I find it.

"If my opinion should correspond with the President's I shall not think the worse of it on that account. I do not entrench myself behind the President's veto, but as the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Clay), has placed me there, I am perfectly satisfied with my station. While I am defended by his shield I feel safe from the gentleman's attacks. If it were any gratification to the gentleman to notice the cordiality with which the President was received on his Northern tour, I hope another opportunity may be shortly afforded him for a similar gratification in a Southern tour. Like the sun, I hope he will soon visit us, cheer and enliven us in his annual course. I for one will be ready to hail his approach, and give him a warm and hearty welcome, if for nothing else but the very course he has observed with regard to the subject before us, which other gentlemen have thought proper to condemn. I stated on a former occasion, that so far from feeling any repugnance at his interposition on the first instance, I was glad of it, as it was intended to save us all the useless waste of time and treasure which this discussion would necessarily give rise to, and I am only sorry we did not improve the hint. It was for that reason I moved to postpone the subject indefinitely; for as I anticipated the result, that there would not be a constitutional majority in favor of it, I was unwilling to see the commencement of this wordy war, which has been waged for several days, with unabated warmth to the no small entertainment of the audience, but, very little, in my apprehension, to the settlement of this question, or the furtherance of the important business of the nation. And although I may not be able to satisfy the gentleman's (Mr. Clay's) call on me for a constitutional speech, I will promise him it shall not be an unconstitutional one, which is more than I can say of some speeches I have heard.

"On the constitutionality of this question, I stated that I did no think it

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worth while to enter into a discussion of that point. I have too humble an opinion of my own powers to expect to convince others, and if I can advance enough on that head to satisfy my own political friends, as I can my own mind, of the propriety of the vote I shall give, I throw my javelin of hope no farther.

"I have a sufficient reason to satisfy my own mind, on the ground that there is no express provision delegating the power to Congress; if there be, let those who assert it point it out. Do they expect to show it by a long course of argument? I, who have sworn to support the Constitution, must have something to satisfy my conscience more positive and clear than any labored attempt at a constructive power, by so fallacious a method as argumentation. Nor shall I feel satisfied with the production of precedent. Precedent without law has no weight with me. If other persons have deemed the right constitutional, that is no reason I should: for that would be to make other's consciences the standard of mine, which I will not do in politics or religion. I must have a proof so clear, that there must be "no hook or loop to hang a doubt upon." Did I understand some gentlemen to say that this government could and ought to exercise this power without the consent of the several States interested? Such language would be more suitable to that of a Nero to a Roman senate, than the occasion to which it was the other day applied by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Mercer.) Strike out the words in the resolution "with the consent of the States," and undertake to enforce this high-handed doctrine, and the constitution will be in a fair way to be cured of that plethora the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Clay) spoke of: for if it requires depletion, it will assuredly be let blood. If such a violent course be attempted, I apprehend it will be met with more arguments than any used here. Those who may come with their pick- axes, spades, shovels, to tear the virgin bosom of our country, in defiance of us, may plant themselves behind the first bank they throw up. The very first hole they dig may prove their grave. Should my State unfurl her banner, I, for one, would plant myself under them, and resist till the flesh was hacked from my bones, before I would submit to such despotism. If the States have a mind to fold their arms, and suffer themselves to be tied and bound together in this cord, like a knot of slaves, let them - but while our hands are free, I trust we shall use them in defence of our rights, from whatever quarter they may be assailed. I was born free, so have I lived, so will I die. It is true as the gentleman from Kentucky stated, it might be prudent "to obtain the consent of the States." Indeed, I think it would. Under what clause of the Constitution is this right conveyed? The 10th article of the amendment declares, that the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States themselves, or to the people. This question resolves itself into a syllogism, and they must first prove the major and minor, before they draw the conclusion. They must show that the power is delegated to the United States, or is prohibited by the Constitution to the States, or the category must follow, that it is reserved to the States or the people. Perhaps it may be looked for in the 1st clause of the 8th article, under the terms "general welfare." What would a plain unsophisticated man say was the meaning of the words "general warfare." Political health, the full enjoyment of the constitutional faculties of the whole Union. It is a relative term, and means no more than that the General Government should have a watchful eye over the common weal, and see that each member of it enjoy that portion of political sanity, and maintain that true course around its own axis, imparted to it at its creation. They have all hitherto existed and flourished under this wholesome constitutional supervision of the General Government nor do they now see any occasion for this extraordinary and

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officious care proffered to them by the resolutions on the table. They have gone on very well in their old course. Enjoying a good share of health, they feel no necessity of being obliged to swallow drugs, because their family physician may prescribe them. I have known children being killed with too much care, and I believe it has fared with States as with individuals.. Augustus C�sar, out of a kind concern for the "welfare" of his country, generously took the management of it into his own hands. Oliver Cromwell promoted the general welfare of England by a similar token of parental kindness. Bonaparte manifested the same disposition, and extended the same fostering hand over his countrymen. I only hope this is the last practical commentary upon the text of general welfare. Let us examine the 8th section of the 1st article: "To establish post offices and post roads" On this head, the gentleman from Kentucky admitted there might be a concurrent jurisdiction, and that the principle might be pushed so far as to produce collision between the State and General Government. Does not this prove that the right is not clearly delegated to the United States? For if it were, this collision could not take place. There is no collision between the parties in the exercise of other delegated powers. The instance the gentleman puts of an excise on the same article by the States and General Government, is not applicable to the case, because the jurisdiction of each might be complete and independent over the subject, and that of the General Government is expressly given. The Constitution does not grant power by halves, it does not. create a partnership between the States and General Government with an equal contribution of political capital. When it professes to make a transfer of power, it does it completely and absolutely. The idea of the United States keeping the roads in repair, and at the same time leaving murders and other felonies committed on them to the State Courts, is entirely irreconcilable to the power and jurisdiction of the United States in analogous cases. Murders committed in forts and arsenals are exclusively under the cognizance of feudal courts: and if the United States had jurisdiction over post roads, their tribunals would be equally exclusively paramount. A great display of etymological learning has been exhibited on the word "establish." The gentleman from Kentucky contends that its meaning is to construct, - to make. I cannot think it can be tortured into such a meaning in regard to roads. Its true meaning will be found in its application to the nature and character of the object expressed. Thus, to establish post roads, is merely designating the transportation of the mail by a certain route. If the framers of the Constitution meant that Congress should make and construct roads, they must have said so in so many words; because they could not find any other expression of such intention. When a new road is about being made, the common definition of operation is to open, run, or cut, but never to establish. How could they mean to make and construct, when they were already made and constructed under the authority of the States. The question has been already so much debated that I shall not detain the committee with such other reasons as occur to me on the constitutional points; I merely meant to show that I, at least, entertain doubts on the subject. When I once doubt on a constitutional point, I cannot give it my support, particularly when it proposes the transfer of power into my own hands. Nor are these doubts to be removed by the uncertain deduction of argument. When I hear a speech of one hour, attempting to establish a constitutional point, I naturally begin to have my doubts about it, and several speeches of two or three hours each, with the same view, may remove them, but in a very different manner from what the speaker intended. If the power be granted, why all this pains to show it? It is only necessary to turn to the clause, and if it be there, we have ocular demonstration, and the question is decided. I have seen so much of the fallacy of human judgment, and of the

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erroneousness of argument, that I begin to admire the policy of one of the kingdoms that Gulliver visited, when, after a politician had made a long speech in favor of a proposition, he is forced to turn about and vote against it. A few words on the expediency of the resolution. As to the detention of the Western mail for several days, which the gentleman so feelingly described, whose fault is that? If the ways of the western people are so bad, it is high time for them to mend them. Do the people of Kentucky mean to look on and see the other States making turnpike roads, and expending their wealth and enterprise in improving the face of the country, and then call upon the General Government to furnish them with means to make similar improvements? Do they wish to tax other States to make their turnpike roads and canals? If the gentleman's wagon sticks in the mud, let him apply his own shoulder to the wheel before he calls Upon Hercules. Look at New York, and behold the noble work she is engaged in? See New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and my own State through her Dismal Swamp Canal, intersected with turnpike roads and canals in all directions. Would it be fair now that they have made such progress in these works by their own means that their money should be taken out of the common stock, and given to other States who have supinely looked on, and made no exertions. The gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Clay), has told us of the constant stream of wealth that has flowed from his State into the treasury, without one drop stopping by the way to enrich the soil. I can say the same of my State, with the addition that it flows through channels dug with her own hands.

"Suppose the gentleman was to obtain a repeal of the acts he enumerated for facilitating our commerce on the ocean by the erection of light houses and buoys, who would he injure most by it. Is not the trade of Kentucky as much benefitted by the patent reelecting lamps of Lewis as any Atlantic State? How is the produce of the West to find a market except through her regular channels' These are the necessary means and instruments for regulating our commerce, indisputably vested in Congress by the 3d Article of the 8th Section of the Constitution, in which Kentucky is as much interested as North Carolina. or any other State of the Union of equal population. But the gentleman, although arguing for the expediency of the measure, confesses, that however expedien t, unless constitutional, it would not be proper to exercise the power, while I am so convinced of the inexpediency of it, that I could hardly vote for it, if I had no doubts of the Constitutionality of it, and if I should hereafter be in favor of the only mode to effect this object, a constitutional amendment, it must he upon the contingency of a conviction of its then expediency. We cannot afford to make the advances or to spare the money required by this measure, which is only the commencement of a system. I am not for giving away our money till we have paid off our national debt. We owe about 100 millions of dollars, besides a large amount of private claims; when they are paid and we have more money in the treasury than we know what to do with, 1 shall have no objection to let it be expended in the manner proposed, under a constitutional amendment. At present, I think the nation would be more benefited by this money remaining in the treasury, than by any use it could be put to in the way of internal improvement. The greatest improvement of the nation is to fill its coffers. Let our improvement, like charity, begin at home. Let us never forget the straits we were put to during the last war, for want of money, and which drove the nation to the very brink of ruin. We don't know how soon we may be involved in another. It behooves us to improve and take care of our resources and be always prepared for the worst. We should be just before we are generous; for besides the national debt, there are private claims on our table to an incalculable amount, and if a fair

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proportion of them only are allowed it will make a sensible diminution of the amount in the treasury. The gentleman from Virginia, (Mr. Tucker) seems to apprehend a great deal of difficulty about the disposal of our surplus money. If he will only wait till the end of the session, I will promise him an end of his difficulties on that head. Our conduct puts me in mind of the kings of Sweden and Denmark, when an island rising up between them, each claimed it, and after "note of dreadful preparation" between them to decide the title by arms, the island sunk into the sea again. Though this treasure is now floating above the surface of the treasury, it will before long be swallowed up in the unfathomable gulph of private claims. Three successive Presidents have labored under the same difficulty with the gentleman from Virginia, and have recommended a similar disposition of our money, but the House soon found there was no necessity to torture their ingenuity on that head. We have made some heavy appropriations already, besides several heavy blows aimed at the treasury which missed it by a hair's breadth. There are now before us, two claims alone, which, if allowed, will make a huge void space in our vaults, and cause them to "reverb a hollow sepulchral sound."

"I deem it the best and the safest policy to wait and see if we have any money to dispose of, before we fall out about the method of disposing of it. If, after a few weeks' contention we should decide in favor of the gentleman's proposition, the tidings should arrive, that the cause of our dispute had disappeared, it would be placing us in rather a ludicrous plight. Wherefore, having my doubts of the constitutionality of the resolutions, and feeling certain of their inexpediency, I am constrained "to vote against them."

Although the above speech may be deemed somewhat lengthy, but nothing in comparison to several delivered on that occasion, it is hoped that the reader may be sufficiently amused to keep up his attention to the end of it. It is a good joke, to hear me thus talk about economy, and to witness my wonderful care and sharp vigilance over the people's money. One would conclude, that if I were not a miser, I were a most provident and economical house-keeper, and were enjoying the satisfaction of adding daily to my growing "piles of wealth." There never was a greater deception. I was always as reckless and short-sighted in money matters as an Indian, and never knew the blessings, the cheerfulness, after manhood, of independence, except for a few short intervals when fortune in some of her freaks has thought proper to smile on me, but soon bestowed her darkest frowns, on seeing the ill-use I made of her favors. I may say, it was not the failing of any one of my seven brothers, all of whom made fortunes, and the youngest, Wilson, amassed $50,000 by his own industry and enterprise as a merchant, although he did not live long to enjoy it, but died and was buried at Saratoga Springs, in his 40th year, in September, 1824.

There were three distinct messes under one proprietor, a desperate black- leg fellow, who in order to monopolise the board on Capitol Hill, rented all Mr. Law's row, containing seven or eight houses, and having entered into an understanding. with other boarding-house keepers in the neighborhood, put up the price of board to 15 dollars a week. In consequence of this ex- action, which members generally would not submit to, some of his partners in extortion, for fear of losing their custom, gave way and reduced their charges. Our Landlord Bailey, in consequence, was not half full, although he had run largely in debt, in furnishing so many houses, and providing servants and a part of his winter's stock of provision. I took the old quarters that I so pleasantly occupied with my family in 1810-11, when we had an agreeable party of a dozen members, some of whom had their families. We fared tolerably well for a month or so. In that time we were joined for a short period by a notable personage, Bailey came into the drawing-room,

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where we were all congregated, and ushered in a gentleman, as Douglass, Earl of Selkirk, the first lord I had the honor of seeing. He was a very modest gentleman, of the light hair, blue eye and fair complexion of the Highlander, and some of us endeavored to smoothe the way to a better acquaintance, by a sociable conversation. He had planted a colony on our North-western borders, called Pembina, at a great expense, but on one of our engineers, Major Long, visiting that spot, in his tour of exploration, shortly afterwards and taking an observation for its latitude, he found it was two minutes or so within our boundary line. Lord Selkirk had to break up, and remove his colony further North, and nearer lake Winnepeg on the Red River of that region. He informed me that he was a partner in a new fur company, called the Northwest, and his traders coming in collision with those of the Old Hudson's Bay, a battle had ensued and several lives lost on both sides. His lordship among others, had been under arrest by the authorities of Upper Canada, for a charge of murder, or manslaughter, but was admitted to bail. After much disturbance, several fights, and a serious appearance of a civil war between them, the matter was finally compromised by a union of the two companies. In these operations his lordship had expended at least £60,000, and seriously, if not ruinously impaired his fortune. We introduced him to the ladies, among whom, the most conspicuous, was Mrs. Hunter, wife of the Senator William Hunter of Rhode Island. She was as agreeable as beautiful, and was the idol of worship to all the gentlemen of the mess, whose attentions she seemed no ways disposed to repel, but maintained a perfect impartiality to all that approached to offer up their incense to her attractions. The Senator did not interfere in the least, and showed no signs of jealousy at the marked, but respectful, behavior which was so generally bestowed on his lady. We had a regular contest every evening, for a seat by her side on the sofa, and it was amusing to observe the tricks played upon each other to obtain the favored place. While two gentlemen were up in a scuffle for that honor, I once slipped behind them and got it myself, to their discomfiture and the merriment of the company. We practised the game of battledore with the ladies, and one of us made it a point to challenge Mrs. Hunter, in order to have an opportunity of gazing on her fine person as she displayed it before us, in every variety of attitude which that graceful game was calculated to show her in. We got his lordship to join in the amusement, and he soon became a good proficient. He however maintained a grave and dignified countenance, though without the least tinge of lordly pride. He escaped the fascination which bound us, and left us very favorable impressions of his correct deportment, great intelligence and pleasing and unaspiring manners.

Our social enjoyments, however, were soon destined to a painful interruption, and our pleasant company dispersed among other messes. Bailey did not, with all his extravagant charges, meet his expenses. He was himself a gambler and possessed dissipated habits. He was living with a woman, in rather a questionable state of moral propriety, though she officiated as a helpmate in the culinary and other domestic duties of the establishment. Times began to grow hard and pinching among the messes. Sometimes the wood was out, and consequently our fires. The good provision of the table began to diminish and dish after dish disappeared, until we were in danger of being seated at another watery feast of Timon. The creditors applied in vain for their dues, and some of them anticipating the difficulty, had been beforehand with others, obtained judgment against Bailey, and for want of something more convenient took his precious body, and as they could not "coin it into ducats," put it into durance vile. We were for days put on short rations, and had to supply the deficiency by our own means. After Bailey had suffered confinement for a week or so, he contrived to escape, and

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in so doing, made a general jail delivery, for he took nearly the whole broadside of the building with him. Upon viewing the hole whence he made his exit, a chasm in the wall appeared, from the upper story window nearly to the basement, and large enough to drive in a wagon and team. The marshal, Mr. Ringgold, advertised a reward of $500 for the seizure and delivery of the said Bailey, or securing him in any county jail. In a few days afterwards, large placards were everywhere posted up offering a reward of $1000 for the said Ringgold to be paid on delivery of him to Robert Bailey, and a proportionate sum for both or either of his ears - signed by the said Bailey and dated from his retreat in Berkley County. Our sufferings at last became too intolerable to hear. Mr. and Mrs. Hunter looked out for another house, and we soon followed their example, and found not only cheaper, but better fare. The session closed in May, and I returned home and made the usual tour of the district. Whether it was from my invitation in my speech on the internal improvement resolution, or from a laudable desire to make a tour of inspection personally, as Mr. Monroe afterwards stated, in June he did us the honor of paying us a visit. He came out with about twenty gentlemen as an escort, besides four or five as a part of his family, among whom was his and his wife's nephews, James Monroe and Samuel Gouverneur, Esqrs., of New York. We received them as they reached us from Norfolk, by the Dismal Swamp road, they having passed a part of the day in visiting Lake Drummond, and spent that night at a public house on the Canal, about sixteen miles from Elizabeth City. In returning from the lake in a yawl boat, furnished from the Navy Yard at Gosport, and manned by four of the seamen, she struck on a stump, and canting to one side, threw a greater part of the passengers overboard. The water was not over four feet deep, but was plentifully intermixed with mud, and several gentlemen, among them Com. Elliot got a due proportion of both. When they arrived at the hotel, in the carriage, the Commodore hastened to divest himself of his muddy garments and to invest himself with those of a lighter complexion. His mind, however, was ill at ease with the accident, and in giving vent to his discontent, did not spare even his Excellency himself, who happened to be standing near the carriage at the time. The Commodore in loud terms cursed the folly of a President of the United States in attempting such puerile trips in such a place, and throwing his friends into such a ridiculous plight.

In the midst of his soliloquy, Mr. Monroe put his head into the door of the carriage, and saluted the abashed Commodore with the question, "What is the matter, friend Elliot?" The Commodore laid an injunction of secrecy upon the cause of his complaints, and hastened his toilet in perfect silence. We heard of their approach; and in the afternoon I rode a few miles out to meet the cortege, the dust of which, for near a mile off, gave signs of their approach. The President's carriage, surrounded by a dozen attendants on horseback, was in the van, and Mr. Crowninshield and Calhoun followed, and I fell into the rear, and joined them at the City Hotel. Here I introduced a large number of the citizens, and at their motion I invited Mr. Monroe and his party to remain over the next day, to give our constituents the opportunity of tendering to him the hospitalities of the town, and to become their guest at a dinner the next day. He and his numerous escort accepted the invitation; and accordingly a large number of the citizens united on the occasion, and sat down with them to an excellent repast, in which a fine green turtle presented the most inviting dish.

My brother Enoch was Collector of the port, and with the other brother, Wilson, composed a part or the company at dinner. My brother's (the Collector's) residence; a spacious mansion, was three miles distance, across his toll-bridge, in Camden County. He invited Mr. Monroe, and all his escort, to spend the evening with him at his house. Upon his assenting, he merely

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wrote three lines, and sent a messenger to his wife, notifying her of the honor of the intended visit. Had the President come, like Lear with his hundred knights, he could have accommodated them. I took Mr. Calhoun in my barouche, and all the rest of the company followed in their carriages and on horseback. Among the number I may mention the Secretary of the Navy. Mr. Crowninshield; Mr. Basset, a member of Congress from York district; Mr. Newton, from Norfolk; Col. James Monroe, and Mr. Samuel Gouverneur, the President's private Secretary, and ten or a dozen private gentlemen, that joined the suite at Norfolk. My niece Mary, a beautiful and accomplished young maiden, entertained the party, after early tea, till bedtime, by some of her best airs on the harp, an instrument on which she excelled, accompanied by a sweet well-trained voice. Col. Swift was the gentleman, usher and cashier to the President. Before tea, it being the month of roses, Mary went to the flower garden, to prepare a bouquet for the President. Col. Swift watched her; and as soon as she came through the gate with a beautiful bunch of flowers, declaring that he must have it, gave chase to her: they had a hard race for it, but she reached the President first and put it in his hands. We passed an agreeable evening. The President appeared highly gratified at his reception, and always made it a point to inquire particularly into the welfare of the family upon meeting me afterwards. The next morning the President took his leave, and the whole cavalcade departed, on their return to Norfolk, and thence on their route homewards. Elizabeth city being the termination of their Southern jaunt that year; but I may state, the same party, with his Excellency, paid us another visit the following year, when I had the honor of meeting them at Educton, and introducing them to my constituents there; my brother, Dr. Sawyer, being among the principal ones to join in honoring the company by a grand ball and supper in the evening, after a sumptuous dinner in the large room of the Court-house. The President thence proceeded in a steamboat furnished by the mail contractor, down the Albemarle Sound, with Col. Swift and others, to make a reconnoisance about the Inlet of Nag's head, and the Narrows at Roanoke Sound: with whom I was especially invited to join, but respectfully declined. Mr. Calhoun concluding to proceed homewards, to S. C., we obtained for him a private conveyance from a friend near Windsor, in Berlin County, to Tarboro, whence he could obtain a seat in a regular stage. On the return of the party from Roanoke, we separated, they returning to the north, through Gates and Nansemond, and I finished my election tour by the end of June. Having "made my calling and election sure," and finding, for the first time, the track clear, I concluded to spend a part of my earnings, thus unexpectedly saved, by a trip up the Bay to Baltimore. I was absent during the day of election in August, a rather dangerous hazard, but it was not much known in the district. I was on my way back homeward, and reached the district on the evening of the same day; but finding all right, I again turned to the sea-shore, and took passage, at Currituck Inlet, in a small coasting vessel, as none other could find water enough over the bar, and made my annual tour from Baltimore to New York. In October I was joined by my brother Wilson, wife and eldest son Julian, then five years old, who came on by sea in a brig of his. We re-established our health, and passed an agreeable season, which that great emporium always presents in the fall, when the climate and the conflux of travellers combine with various other means to please and gratify the temporary resident.

I may here casually mention, that Jacob Barker was then in his zenith of prosperity; and the first time I had ever tasted of that popular dish, chowder, was at a supper at his house, to which myself and brother were invited. The company consisted of some of the first characters of the State, the Mayor, De Witt Clinton, Judge Smith Thompson, and' Ambrose Spencer.

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I found Mr. Spencer a remarkably pleasant and gentlemanly personage. He asked my advice on the subject of internal improvement, it being then contemplated to hazard a beginning of the Erie Canal, whether it would be worth while, or proper, to apply to Congress for aid in that vast undertakeg. I candidly stated my objections, and the difficulties they would experience, if they waited the tardy and doubtful motions of that body, to commence the enterprise. He was convinced by my reasons, and concluded it the best and most noble policy to rely upon the unaided energies of his own State. His son, John C. was then a member elect, and was to take his seat at the ensuing session of Congress. The Judge was polite enough to commit his youth and inexperience to my more mature judgment and direction. I could but smile at the suggestion, and answered the Judge, that I had too humble a sense of my unworthiness, and thought his son was much more able to advise and direct me than I him. The party passed off pleasantly; though I thought Mr. Clinton rather a dull companion. He said little; and all the observation he made at supper was, that the lawyers, of whom there were two or three distinguished ones present, governed the State. They ruled and controlled the Judges, and the Judges ruled the people; which aphorism, if applied to one branch of the justiciary, the Chancery, would not have been far from the truth. I did not relish Mr. Barker's chowder, which was a villainous compound of offensive tastes; in which artificial fire, in the shape of Cayenne pepper, predominated. The rest of the company thought otherwise; and as there is no disputing about tastes, I let them have their own way, without being convinced by their persuasion and example.

Early in December we set out on our return, and travelled a part of the way with some distinguished characters: among them Mr. Forsyth, who paid marked attention to Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer and their boy Julian. At Baltimore we separated, he going down the Bay to Norfolk and I proceeding to Washington. On arriving at Rossburg, three miles from Bladensburgh, I left the stage, resolved to rest there that night, for the roads were then so rough and broken, that I was so much jolted as to require a night's repose. Just before night a carriage and four drove up, in which I observed two gentlemen and as many ladies. I took the liberty of waiting upon the ladies, and handing them out. They were remarkably handsome, and one of them, the youngest, particularly. We entered the parlor together; and addressing myself to the youngest gentleman, mentioned the circumstance of my remaining over night, and that I thought it would pass more agreeably if could have the pleasure of forming their acquaintance. For that purpose I begged leave to introduce myself; and Mr. Stoughton immediately introduced me to Don. Onis and his daughters, now on his way to the city, as minister from Spain. The ladies spoke our language as well as natives.

We established a lasting friendship; and Mr. Onis gave me an invitation to call on him at his residence. Soon after arriving at the city, as the rule is, I left my card, and in three days received Don Onis in return, and was among the first guests invited to dinner; where I had the honor of a seat near the ladies. We frequently met at ball parties, given at their own house, and by the other foreign ministers, especially Mr. Hyde De Neuville, where I had the pleasure of dancing with them as partners in cotillions. I was the best representative from the South, on the floor; and it was no trifling art, but one which rendered me always an eligible partner to the ladies. The figure was not given out then as now, by a leader of the band, nor were there a regular series of them, but every tune had its own particular figure allotted to it, of which scores of promiscuous ones were played in the course of the evening. I have often been amused and flattered to observe the parties in the nearest sets waiting to see me lead off, which I always could do without hesitation. The ladies occasionally visited the sessions of the House,

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when I uniformly joined them in the gallery, Don Onis, owing to the ill treatment of Spain, and the exciting discussion going on between him and Mr. Adams on the subject of the cession of Florida, in 1819, was rather in bad odor when he came within the bar of the House, as the rules allowed, to witness our proceedings; none of the members, except myself, saluted him. I always approached him in a friendly manner, and entered into a sociable conversation. With Mr. Stoughton, who is since the Spanish Consul at the port of New York, and was then attached to the embassy as Secretary of Legation, I have maintained an uninterrupted friendship. The eldest daughter was married by proxy to the Marquis Heredia; and since their return home, about the year 1822, after we had closed the treaty of cession of Florida. I have not heard the fate of the youngest sister, though she deserved a happy one. The Chevalier died a few years since.

I was laid up the greater part of the session of 1820, at Baltimore, being taken with my old symptoms of gastric and nervous irritation and debility, on the road from the north; and the fatigue of the journey and cold weather aggravating the disease, so that I did not resume my seat till the 20th of April, about the time of the duel between Decatur and Barron. I had lost so much ground in the popular favor by this and other detentions from my seat, and long absence, by which my name was so often out of the list of the ayes and noes on the journals, that it was remarked and made an objection against my re-election. So that by the time I returned home, early in June, I found a competitor in the field against me, Gen. James Iredel, a gentleman at the head of the bar, and one who has had the honor since of being also at the head of the State government, and Senator in Congress. He, however, was not popular on account of his politics, being on the opposite one to the administration, or what was called a federalist. I had only to ride through the country, to associate among my old friends, to remove the unfavorable impression which they had felt, on account of my long and frequent absence from the house, and to turn the current of popular prejudice in my favor. But the course my adversary took against me completely ruined his chance, and that blow which he intended against me, rebounded on his own head. Some malicious personal enemy at Washington had been plying him with letters from that place, with charges and certificates to prove my previous connection with a woman of bad fame, which, though I am ashamed of confessing contained too much truth, yet I was not singular in that offense, though I was singled out as a victim to a base and unworthy motive. Mr. Iredel gave copies to the printers, two of whom were on his side in politics. They seized the food of slander with avidity, and distributed handbills through the district, with an expectation that I would be overwhelmed with the storm of excitement it would create. They fell into their own snare. General indignation was excited, but against themselves, and I rode on the wave of popular favor that engulphed them, while it landed me safe and triumphant in my seat again. My majority was over seventeen hundred. I felt, of course, an additional share of gratitude for this unmerited generosity, by which the people had consigned my offences against good morals to oblivion, and pressed me to their hearts notwithstanding my sin. I determined, however, to give no future occasion for a repetition of the offense, or of the accusation, and on going to Washington I decided to marry the first decent girl I met. I was fated to forego the pleasure of wife-hunting, however, and to suffer that privation among others from the effects of a severe cold caught on board the packet by sleeping near the door of the cabin of the packet on my way to Washington on the 1st of December. The disease settled in my head, and although it did not prevent my daily attendance in the house, yet the pain, which seemed to come on in regular paroxysms at night, was so severe that I could not lie in a recumbent

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posture, nor get a wink of sleep till near midnight. After suffering this till March, a friend called to see me; upon learning the nature of my . complaint, he gave me the pleasing assurance of an infallible remedy, as he had used it frequently in similar cases. It was warm French brandy, well applied at night, on going to bed, by the hands, and continued for half an hour, enveloping the head in flannel. I tried it, and went to bed a well man. A few days afterwards another acquaintance called on me, and hearing me complain of my lonely condition and of my determination quickly to change it, without waiting for the usual tedious process of courtship, informed me that he knew of a good opportunity of my being accommodated, as there were two sisters who occupied a part of the same house with his family. The father had been a wealthy farmer, represented the County of Bedford in the Senate of Pennsylvania, but had met with a great reverse, and was now living in poverty. He offered to introduce me, and I accordingly accompanied him to the house, and was presented to the family. The eldest sister, a most beautiful creature, was put forward to receive my onset. I was satisfied, that time, with a short reconnoisance. I called again the next afternoon, and observing the younger sister, who was refused to me, (as they term it in military phrase, where a wing of the army is not brought into action) busily employed in the labor of the house, I approached her, and after a few preliminary remarks, opened at once the business of my negotiation. I found her innocence personified, very handsome, and possessed of a sweet look and disposition, and though only sixteen years of age, while I was on the wrong side of forty, I at once proposed myself. She at first objected her tender age and inexperience in household affairs, but finally agreed to permit me to ask the consent of her parents. They knew something of me from the partial representation of our mutual acquaintance, and I did not leave their door till they had given their approbation to the match. Thus, within three days after I first saw the young lady, she became my wife I had no time to inquire into her disposition or temper, but I judged very correctly, from the unerring signs her physiognomy exhibited, with the few sentiments I heard from her lips; and knowing as I did that matrimony was a lottery in which the adventurer, no matter how deliberately he may put his hand in the wheel, was as apt to draw a blank as a prize, I ventured at once. I never had occasion to repent of my choice. She was the most gentle, modest, sweet-tempered creature I ever knew. She humored me in all my caprices and irritability of temper, and would never betray the least anger or obstinacy, however much provoked. She led me a quiet, peaceful, and happy life, the three short years she was spared to me. I advanced her parents funds to extricate their furniture from mortgage, and enabled the mother to open a respectable boarding-house on the Pennsylvania Avenue, where we took a room and had an agreeable mess of members for several succeeding sessions. She bore me three children, but they died in early infancy, except a son, who lived to be able to walk and begin to speak, but unfortunately she took; him with her in the summer of 1824, to our residence in N. C., which is a most unhealthy spot at that season, where he was soon after attacked with bilious fever, that settled into a bowel complaint that carried him off, dying in my arms on our arrival in Washington the following November. The year previous, in September, 1823, I had imprudently returned to my district the last of August, and before the close of September was attacked with my old nervous disease, accompanied with an alarming affection of the heart. I lingered till the beginning of November, before I felt sufficiently restored to dare venture on my journey to Washington, and that by short and easy stages. I made out to reach my niece's, living on the canal, twelve miles from Elizabeth City, who was married to a wealthy gentleman by the name of Samuel Proctor; and remained with them several

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days in a state of much debility. Unfortunately, the canal was emptied for the purpose of excavation, except to the first lock, a distance of six miles. I reached there by water, and remained at a friend's over night, the next day I started with a view of reaching Deep Creek, a distance of about twenty miles, but on going about half the distance, though only in a walk, in an easy gig, and frequently stopping to rest, I could reach only the second lock, where I hoped to find enough water to enable me to descend the balance of the way in a canoe or skiff. But I was disappointed. Nor was that the worst of it, for there was no house to stop at, but mere negro huts, without going over a logged road through a swamp, the place called Bear Swamp, two miles distant. It was night when I came there, and though the house was not comfortable, the landlord gave me a hospitable reception, and I lay down, hoping to attain that greatest balm to a diseased and fatigued body, but I found none. As usual in such cases, a reaction ensued, with most distressing symptoms. I arose next morning from a restless couch, and when I looked around and saw myself two miles from the canal, in the midst of a swamp, fit for the habitation of bears, I could not perceive by what infatuation I had got into such a trap, not being in my recollection one of those quadrupeds, though feeling very much like another, of harder hoofs and longer ears. I had to "suffer durance vile" for two weeks before I gained strength to reach the canal again. Then after waiting half the day, the promised skiff came, there being only six or eight inches water to float in. I made out to get to Deep Creek that night, and felt too weak the next day to leave, and was there a week longer before I could venture to be floated down to Gosport, where I landed and stopped at a friend's for a fortnight longer, though only a mile from Norfolk. I was too weak to make the least exertion to cross the river. I received the kindest treatment here for three weeks, during which time my wife joined me from Washington, and bestowed on me her tenderest and holiest care. We made out in December to get to Norfolk, and remain under the roof of my sister. But as the session was advancing, and ended the 4th of March, and my condition too precarious and weak to undertake the completion of my long journey of two hundred and fifty miles by water, and my friends at home writing discontented letters, and threatening me with a loss of my election if I did not go on, my situation was little short of distraction. The jarring of the steam- boat was always very prejudicial to me, especially on a trip when I had to remain all night on board, as I could not sleep for that vile noise of the machinery, and I apprehended the most disastrous consequences upon adventuring on it, the first of January, in my weak state. However, I was so importuned, and my wife being also anxious, I started. We unfortunately encountered a head wind and snow storm, and were thirty-six hours going the trip. Of course, I was taken out of my berth in a state of exhaustion, and carried to my mother-in-law's, where I lay so helpless that I could not turn in bed, and had to be fed with a spoon, like a child. My wife was an angel of mercy hovering over me, with healing in her wings. Her cheerful, soothing voice and constant presence kept me from sinking entirely, although I thought I must go to my long home, not having closed my eyes for nine nights and days. By a milk diet, which I commenced on the tenth day of my confinement, a little sleep was restored to me, and by constant and careful nursing, I began slowly to recover. All kinds of medicine so entirely disagreed with me that I dismissed my physician. It was March before I could leave my room, and the House adjourned without my being able to take my seat. I was able to return home in June, yet on trial I broke down in making the circuit of the district, and was beaten by a small majority. I had no right to calculate on being re-elected under such circumstances, as this was the third session I had entirely lost, besides several intervals and

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days, by indisposition. My wife, whom I accompanied to Norfolk, returned home and remained there the whole of the fall and winter of 1824.

I vamped up a manuscript comedy that I had laying by me, called Blackbeard, and paid a visit to my wife in Washington in May, 1824. I concluded to publish a small edition of the comedy by subscription, and for that purpose consulted with Mr. Clay, the Speaker of the House. He encouraged me to take that step, and promised to head the list, and give it a motion through the House. I accordingly handed it to him to which he put his name, and by the aid of the boys who attended on the members in the hall the list circulated freely, and the second day after came out of the House with seventy names attached to it, which just paid the cost of publication; so that I had a clear gain in the sale of about four hundred copies, at thirty seven and a half cents each. It does not become me to boast of any merit or praise which rewarded me in addition to the profit of the work. But I received enough of both to satisfy me - in fact, more than I deserved. I returned to my district after an absence of fifteen months, and although it might have been objected to me on the score of non-residence, yet the people disliked my successor, he had made himself so unpopular by voting against General Jackson for the Presidency.

The election took place in Currituck (the lowest county, and bordering on Virginia), the last week in July, and about two weeks before the general election. I visited the county about a week previous, intending to make a circuit through a part of it, but was unfortunately seized with a bilious remittent, which confined me till the day of the election. I then made a desperate effort, as my election in a measure depended on it, and reached the principal ground of election (there were eight or ten districts) as the polls opened. I resolutely kept on my feet, though quite feeble, until the polls were closed, when I found I had obtained a majority of 40 in that district. Though I learned the next day, my adversary, by the means of treating and other electioneering tricks, succeeded in the county at large by the usual majority of 300. That county always voted against me of late years, in consequence of my having beaten two of their candidates at different times, who opposed me in Congress, and in doing so excited them and their connections and friends against me, and made them my implacable foes. - The next Monday was the court week for Camden County, adjoining Currituck, and the place of my nativity, and the bones of my ancestors rested within a mile of the court house ground - I addressed my old friends, though showing the effects of my disease by a sallow look and sore lips, I concluded by encouraging them to support me, notwithstanding the loss of Currituck, for with their aid, I could easily balance that majority, and return triumphant from the upper counties. They promised to give it. Two days before the election in the district at large, I went to Perquimons, the middle county, where I thought the issue doubtful., where, from my non-attendance at the last election, I imputed my defeat. There was a separate election the Thursday or day before the principal one, in the upper part of the county, which I attended. I was induced to play their own acts upon my adversaries, and treated pretty largely to such entertainment as the place afforded, in the shape of melons and the distilled juice of the apple, which I repeat, is the most palatable in our opinion, of all the products of the still. I obtained a majority there of four-fifths with the news of which I return to Hertford, as a favorable prelude to the battle of the next day. Before the polls were opened on the morning of Friday, I distributed my file leaders at their posts, well supplied with proper ammunition and went up and down the ranks to encourage my partisans. We gained the day by an overwhelming majority, but it nearly cost me my life. I was overcome with fatigue. heat and fever, and had to remain at head quarters a week. Knowing the anxiety

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of my friends to hear the result from the centre where I was, and the upper county where my opponent went. I wrote them, somewhat in this form, and what was droll, sent it by a parson who was passing at the time.

Bulletin of the grand army,
Head-quarters, Hertfort,August 13, 1825
.

"I hasten to give you the result of the glorious victory gained over the caucusites. Finding they had made an impression on my vanguard, stationed in Currituck, by their sharp shooters, and in the use of all kinds of missiles, particularly in a large quantity of liquid fire, by which they gained a temporary advantage, and hoped to dispirit my men at the main battle, I determined to oppose them with the same weapons. I took my station in the centre, and having given the proper orders to officer Col. Morgan, commanding the right wing at Murfreesboro, and Gen. White of the left wing stationed at Edenton, I made my dispositions for a general attack of the enemy on the morning of the 10th. Hearing, however, that the enemy was preparing to establish a post at Newby, in the upper end of the county, and to attempt a sortie on me on the 9th, I hastened up there with reinforcements and an ammunition wagon loaded with a fresh supply of white ruin, melons, and gingerbread. We took them by a coup de main within two hours after the firing commenced, we made 120 prisoners, with the trifling loss of only 21 on our part. From thence I hastened to head quarters, at Hertford, to make arrangements for the great battle of the ensuing day. The sun rose bright and warm, and I mustered my officers, after they had partaken of refreshments, and distributed them at their respective posts. At 10 o'clock, I rode up and down the ranks with my aids, and encouraged my troops to maintain their reputation of veterans, which they had so well earned in seven great victories. They responded with three hearty cheers. I felt confident of success, and took my stand, a little in the rear, and near the Inn, where I could see the evolutions and operations of the lines, and be at hand to ply the ammunition as occasion required. I issued my commands to engage, as the hour of ten arrived, and the engagement commenced with great gallantry by my troops, but with an apparent apathy on the part of the enemy. Soon after the action commenced, their ranks were thinned by desertion, and by 4 o'clock the battle was gained in the complete rout of the enemy, horse, foot, and dragoons. Their leader fell in the engagement, while I received a contusion in the breast by a water-melon, which has confined me to my quarters for the present, but I hope to take up my line of march on my return home, there to dismiss my men, and give them their well earned honorable discharge from this war, till it may be necessary to re-enlist them in the sping of 1827, should the enemy then, under some other leader, attempt to rally the scattered forces of the caucusites."

The reading of the bulletin created as much merriment as gratification to a knot of my friends at Elizabeth city, on the evening of the same day, and they enjoyed the joke also from the circumstance that so ludicrous a communication had been delivered by so grave a personage as an episcopal clergyman. I returned at the day appointed, having entirely recovered from my exhaustion and my wound; which, in truth, proceeded from the effects of the missile internally. My triumph, however, was marred by the dangerous state in which I found my only child Helenus, about sixteen months old, whom my wife had improvidently brought with her in May, from Washington, and who was a fine, promising child, just learning to walk, and to pronounce the endearing names of his father and mother. By proper treatment the fever abated, but the disease settled on his bowels, and became obstinately chronic, under which our dear child gradually sunk. My wife delayed too long her return to the city. Had she started soon after I went home in August, the child might have had strength to bear the journey. But by waiting till November,

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it was too near gone, and the jarring of the steamer from Norfolk to Washington, over two hundred miles distant, completely exhausted him, and he expired, as I stated, in my arms in ten minutes after arrival. Out of four or five born to me by my two first wives, this was the only child that bid fair to live to years of maturity.

I was always a great reader. Being of a delicate constitution, I seldom ventured out at night in search of amusement or pleasure, and was in a measure forced to supply their place with books, to occupy my mind agreeably on long winter evenings. The library of Congress afforded a rich literary repast, containing the contributions of the highest talents from all parts of the world, too costly for any private collection, and surpassing all other public ones in America for the number and value of its books. I gathered the best specimens and rarest articles from all the different kingdoms of knowledge, which I stored away, having a bad memory, in a manuscript volume, for future reference and use. This enabled me to be always ready, during the discussion of any important question, with some illustration, fact, or argument by which I could enrich my discourse, whenever I thought proper to take the floor. I had the advantage over every other member from this magazine of learning, and was like an armed man meeting a naked adversary in the field of debate. I had levied many contributions from Ross and Parry's voyages for the discovery of a Northwest passage, and fortunately they soon became available on a resolution introduced by Mr. Baylies, of Massachusetts. As great injustice has been done me, by snatching from my hand the honor of being the best projector in this country of a voyage of discovery, in justice to my claim I may here give a detailed history of the proceedings, and my speech on the occasion.

On the 18th of December, 1825, Mr. Bailies called up his resolution, which was in the following words: - " Resolved, That the Secretary be required to inform this House whether the sloop of war Boston might not be employed in exploring the N. W. coast of America, its rivers and inlets between the parallels of latitude 42 and 48 north, without detriment to the naval service of the United States, and whether the expense incurred on such service would exceed the ordinary expense of such vessel while cruising; and also whether it would be practicable to transmit more cannon and munitions of war in said vessel, than would be necessary for use." I proposed an amendment to the resolution as follows: - "and thence proceed into Behring's Straits, and, if practicable, to continue her route into the Polar Sea, or through the opening of Prince Regent's Inlet, or Barrow's Strait, into Baffin's, Hudson's and Davis' Bays, and thence down said bays to some port in the United States."

In support of my proposition I arose and observed, "that this amendment was predicated upon that part of the President's message which relates to our contribution of mind, of labor, and expense to the acquisition of knowledge, and has reference to those numerous voyages of discovery of a N. W. passage to China which have been fitted out of late years, particularly by Great Britain. In 1818 a ship was sent under the direction of Capt. Ross, who for the first time made the circuit of Baffin's Bay, and penetrated as far as 77° N., two degrees beyond the place called Red Head, the highest point reached by whalers. He not only enlarged the sphere of geographical science so much as to render the maps of this section of our continent useless, and added many facts and subjects to natural history, but led his adventurous countrymen through fields and mountains of ice to new harbors of the whale, where full cargoes of whale oil are obtained in a comparatively short time. He invented the deep sea clam, an instrument that brings up portions of the soil from a depth of seven hundred fathoms. He was succeeded in 1810, by Capt. Parry, the fearless champion of science, who in three successive voyages

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has discovered no less than three passages into the Polar Seas, that might lead through Behring's Straits into the Pacific. In his final voyage he discovered the openings which he named after his ships the Fury and Hecla; in his second and third, he found those which he called Prince Regent's Inlet, and Barrow's Strait. It is but three months since he returned from his third voyage, which failed from the loss of one of his ships, the Fury, that was wrecked by a flue of ice, while running through Barrow's Straits with every prospect of success. In his second voyage Capt. Parry obtained the bounty of 1000l., granted by Parliament to the navigator who should first reach the 110th degree of West longitude. He also passed over a portion of the magnetic pole, in lat. 74 and longitude 100 west, immediately after which the compass before varied 108. 58' changed to 165.50' east.

"Capt. Parry has enriched physical science by many valuable contributions. Contemporaneous with the last voyage was a land expedition under Capt. John Franklin, through the United British Fur Company's posts, down the Coppermine river to the sea. He arrived at the Arctic Sea in August, 1820, and navigated it in a NE. direction in canoes for several hundred miles. He discovered the group of Islands which he named King George the Fourth's Archipelago. He is now performing another journey in that direction, and contemplates meeting Capt. Parry at some given point on the Polar Sea. In about the latitude 64°N., he passed the zenith of the Aurora Borealis, which, as he proceeded, appeared in the southern portion of the heavens. He endeavored to ascertain whether this electric fluid emitted any noise, as is alleged by the Indians and factors, but left that problem still in doubt. He made many observations on the intensity of the magnetic forces in different stations, from the oscillations of the needle - and on meteorology, settled the latitude and longitude of many remarkable points, immortalized his friends and patrons by giving their names to them, and brought home immense spoils from the zoological, botanical, and mineralogical kingdoms.

"The enterprising king of Britain deserves much praise for the lead he has taken, in conjunction with France and Russia, and the perseverance with which he has pursued these hazardous, expensive, and disinterested expeditions for the common benefit of mankind. The time has come for this nation likewise to enter into this glorious career of discovery and human improvement. Are we for ever to remain idle spectators of those splendid exertions to trace our own continent? Will none but kings enlist in the cause of science? I had as soon borrow their money without any intention of repaying it, as to borrow their knowledge that they have been at such great pains to acquire. We ought to feel that unhappiness that Alexander felt, upon learning the conquests of his father, Philip, for fear he would leave him nothing to conquer. These views of policy, however, being new to us, I cannot flatter myself that they will be greeted by a majority of the House, I content myself by proving that I am willing to go as far, if not farther, than the avowed friends of the President on this part of his recommendation. Can it be pretended that a mere reconnoissance of seven degrees of latitude will be received as a discharge of our part of this debt to science, which the President justly pronounces sacred.

"The ship, according to this resolution, is to cruize within our acknowledged limits, which from the Spanish boundary of 42° to the British of 49° of N. latitude, includes a space of 420 miles. It is with the view of making a tender, on the part of my constituents, of their part of this debt, that I have offered this amendment."

As I anticipated, the amendment was lost, being opposed by Mr. Bailies himself, who had some fears that his own resolution would not pass, if encumbered with my amendment. His was therefore agreed to, but owing to the stupidity of the mover, in proposing it as a single, instead of a joint resolution,

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the President refused to carry it into effect. My speech was published the next morning in the city papers, and copied and circulated through all parts of the Union, and found its way in some of the magazines of England. The great credit which was awarded me for this effort to originate a voyage of discovery, amply repaid me for the failure, and the censure that Mr. Bailies received, even in his own State, would have atoned for any illiberal treatment towards me, which I might have accused him of. The impulse thus given, however, to the cause of discovery was not suffered to languish, or to cease with this first effort. The nation was aroused and caught fire at the imagination of the glory it might wrest from the grasp of a rival power on this untried field of enterprise, and would not rest satisfied until an expedition was authorized. Although our government thought proper to give its destination a southern direction, and others have arrogated all the credit of the enterprise, yet in truth and in justice it of right belongs to me, as the first originator and supporter of the proposition. I forwarded a copy of my amendment, with the accompanying remarks, and the subsequent defense, to Capt. Parry, and they were published, with handsome comments, in the Westminster Review, and re-copied in the North American. The pride and liberality of Great Britain was again appealed to, and the government entreated to persevere in its determination to find the long-sought NW. passage, before they were outstripped in the race of glory by the infant republic. I received a complimentary, letter from Capt. Parry, which is inserted below, and another expedition was fitted out under Lieut. Ross, which extended very much the field of geographical science, and found the location of the magnetic pole.

[CAPT. PARRY'S LETTER.]

Admiralty. London, Jan. 30, 1826.

"DEAR SIR: - I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17th of December, enclosing an account of the proceedings of the House of Representatives upon an amendment moved by yourself to a resolution on the subject of discovery on the N. W. coast of America.

In offering you my warm thanks for the very flattering manner in which you have been pleased to mention my humble services in the cause of science, as well as for your kindness in forwarding to me the account of your proceedings, I beg to assure you of the sense I entertain of the liberal and disinterested motives which have induced you to step forward in the same cause on this occasion. Enterprises of this kind, so liberal in their nature and their object, cannot fail to do honor to the country that undertakes them, even if they do not prove absolutely successful; and I cannot but consider it a proud distinction for you to have been the first individual of your Assembly to propose a measure so creditable as that of promoting science for its own sake. Though your first attempt in this way has failed, I trust, sir, that you will prove more fortunate in any future endeavors in furtherance of that end.

I believe it is not in contemplation at present to send out any further expedition from this country to the Northwest. It is, indeed, more than probable that we shall await the return of Capt. Franklin, who is now about to proceed down Mackenzie's River in order to determine the actual position of the Northern coast of America. Should any future attempts be determined on, I need scarcely assure you that I am at all times willing and ready to undertake the enterprise, which will, I doubt not, one day or other be accomplished.

Your faithful and obedient servant,
W. PARRY.

To the Hon. Lemuel Sawyer.

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On the 27th of January, 1826, I had to suffer a most severe domestic affliction in the loss of my faithful, kind and affectionate wife. As if she had a presentiment of her approaching fate, she had occupied a seat by me, every night during the winter, and while I was engaged till bedtime in reading books of general literature, she was intently engaged in perusing the Scripture. We had attended the Jackson anniversary ball on the night of the 8th, where she seemed to enjoy herself and was pronounced one of the handsomest women in the room being then in blooming health and only 20 years of age. In returning from the heated room, the night being cold, it is probable she took cold, for in a day or two afterwards she was troubled with a cough. She showed no serious symptoms, however, till the morning of the 18th, when she was seized with a chill, followed by a fever, and a violent affection, or inflammation of the lungs. Her breathing became quick and difficult, literally panting for breath with her tongue out. I never witnessed so violent a pulmonic affection, and saw at once her imminent danger. I attended her as constantly as I could, and frequently stole away from my seat in the house for that purpose and regretted one day in particular, when being called to the chair in committee of the whole house on a contested election case, I was detained from her till late in the afternoon, and upon flying to her bedside was shocked to find her fever much aggravated with the other symptoms, from the imprudent use of some cordials her relatives had given her. Her sufferings continued unabated and extreme, during the whole progress of the disease. I called in a physician, being a member of the house and a friend of ours, but I fear his remedy did harm. Her pulse was never under 140, and oftener 160 beats in a minute and yet he bled her three times. As it must have been of a typus grade, this depletion was injudicious. I called in another physician of the city of long established reputation, and be applied all the other remedies that suggested themselves, as a blister on the breast and m ild evacuation. But it was all in vain. Though she continued to suffer thus for nine days, such excruciating agony, without a moment's sleep or respite from pain, she never uttered a complaint. The violence of the disease, on the ninth day of its continuance, forced a premature delivery of a male infant which survived only twenty-four hours. She was sensible to the last. She began to sink gradually after the exhaustion from child birth. In the afternoon of the ninth day of her illness, seeing her friends seated around her with sorrow depicted in their countenances, she observed it and read her fate in their looks. I addressed her, and endeavoured to keep up her spirits, by assuring her I did not perceive any danger, and urged her to disregard any

Autobiography of Lemuel Sawyer, Formerly Member of Congress from North Carolina: Electronic Edition.