...... ~ I.

11111 \ 1_......

- - RH OD E I SLAND HI STORY

Published bv Issued Quarlt'rh a l Providerx e. Rhode lela nd. THt kIlOIiE. 1\1.""0 lIl'OTORICAL ~IET¥ Februarv . :\Iay, :\u~u'l. and Xovember. Second 52 POWFR HRFET. PRO\'lJ)t:SCf.• R IIODI:. I!ioU:>o'O eta, postage paid at Provideme. Rhode Island . 02906 and primed b~ a graeu of the ST ..\Tf. OJ' RItODf '''I.ASO "SO PRO\ "IDE>,;CE The Rhode tstand llutonca! SOflt'/\' Q Hllmt'.l no nASTATlO:lOS. Ph ilip W. Xoel. Gmernor. rt'.spon .llbIlItV for optrnons of contributors,

Duncan II Unlt'1 vtaura n. prt'.lldnlt Gt-or~t' C. D,n i.., {' l et' prendenr Lawrence La npher, vue p resident Da vid W. Du mas, .\('(Htarv Denni.. E. Stark. a,ul,ltanl It'ot'tar)' Table of Con lt'nu G(''OIj.t(' H . Cicma. trt'4.wrn Le wis L.. Taylor. assistant t't'(uura Alben T. K1 l l>t"r l(. director The Revolution and the T own: Cli Hold P . :\1f1llahon, dsrectar emeritus Providence 1775-1783 by Na ncy fi.~h n ChudacoJl 71

Carl Bridenbaugh . Jt'tloU' oj lilt' Soc/t't)'

P l:BU CA T I O S .~ COM~l l n u: Political Sacrific(' and Demi se ­ Stua rt C. S herman . chairman J ohn Collins and Jonathan J . Hazard Henr y l.. P. Ber kwi th. Jr. 1786-1790 M r ~ . Ph ilip [)d \' i ~ by Jo hn P. KarnjT15JtI 9 1 \\'elHlt'lI Il Garrell Cha rles E. Ne ll Norma n W. Smit h Gordon S. W,MM! VOLU ME 35 N UM BER 3 AUG UST 1976

STAn :\'anq Fisher Ch udacoff. editor NOl'I P. Co n lon. manngrng editor ~I a r s h a Peters. PIt" tUTt' t'd/Ior Rh Dd,. lilarld I h.llory ( I!H2- Land lIS ptedecevsorv R hod" I Jlarld IIn lo .,. QI Sot"''''11 CoUn/""'.1 ( 19 UI·19~ I I and P r.b llt lllWrlJ H. hod,. IJla"d lIu lor'(/I1SOlin)' (11'19]· 190 11a 't" ,....ildhlt" in mit TOf",," from Xt"nJ" l · n i . t"r ~i l " :'o h ff olil m ~ . ~UO ~ nll h 7,,",b Roa d...'nn Arbor, :'oli,higan ~SI06_ ( ' UI 7 fi l · ~ 7 00 Plt"...... "'lit" In, compjere infor ma tion . n '" , and ,,,,~,iI"l"n had «'''''' 10 !'" "" d,.,(l'. l n a i)'mho/,( " I,.U' "f Ih,. "" \, d,.p, (/,.d In Ihu ro pv of a Ji7i pou'd,., nom "",p. b" d., du,. bu,ld'Il/{ J p,/,.d 0" to p 01 l'Q(h (Jlh,." (O<'trI." u'IIn III fo,t bn.I1"' fiI u,,'h " m llon and wQ,­ Jh,p .• In tnl' ha,bm . " 'a' ",'a.' n,,. P,,.Jl'.,, bid I" " u'o tt on ,

/...... w,....ft fflH\ I ...... ,. 71

The Revolution and the Town: Providence 1775 -1783 b)· Na1U')' Fishrr Chudacoff-

For two hundred years h istorians o f th e Amer ican some of which co ntained living q uarters. Al­ Revolunou han" foc used on political events. mil i­ th ou gh a few bric k ma nsions had been built. tat v affairs, economic aspects and socia l str uc tu re, most of the houses and shops were of wood. 1 hUI Iew have auempred to as ...e...... the war's effect Sho ps a nd StOTt'S a long both sides of the 011 u rba n areas and inc nrutirms. Most gene ral his­ Provid en ce River co ntained a variety of businesses tories of individ ua l cities a nd eve n studies of wh ich ma de the town a diversi fied com mercial urban America conclude one cha pter with 1776 area. ch allengi ng New port by t77.') as the co m­ and begi n the next wirh 1783. co mpletely mercial ce nter of Rh ode Island. Its loc at ion a t the ignoring lilt' intervening yea rs when wa r betwee n head of Na rraganset t Bay made it a logical d istn­ Great Bri ta in and the United Stales severely dis­ bunon po int for a growing hinterland. So­ ru pted ur ban life. ciolog ist :\1a x Weher·... p hrase "r-onsumer city" Using co ntempora ry d iaries. correspondence, could de ...r ribe Providence in 1775. o ne in wh ich IH" ....-spapers. military, educatio na l, ch urc h, com­ "t he p u rc hasing power o f its larger co ns umers mercia l, [own and sla te records along wir h rests 0 11 th e retail for p rofi t of foreign products on secondary accou nts. I ha ve at te mpted to recon­ the local market .. , the foreign sale for profit of struct lite in Providence from 1775 to 1783. T he local p roducts OT gonds o btai ned from native pro­ ana lysis suggesls th at while the war di sturbed d ucers ... or the p urch ase of foreign prod ucts norma l aruv iues a nd created new pr oblem s or and the ir sale , .. outside."! enlarged old ones. it had virt ua lly no las ting Mo st of those eighreemh-ceruurv merc hants impact, The war probably had similar effec ts who helped make Providence a "cons umer city" upon o the r u rban areas whic h. like Providence, were well established in business by 1775. suffered no enemy occ u patio n or wartim e dam­ Nicholas Brown and Company, Joseph and Wil­ age. liam Ru ssell , and Clark and Nigh tinga le were AI the outbreak of war. the town ex tended the biggest firms :'ielling, bot h wholesale and north and south about a mile and a half along retail. n ative and imported merchandise. In addi­ both sides of the Providence Ri ver. th en east to tion 10 these big three there were at least 115 the Seekon k Ri ver and wes t to wha t is now 01her firms lar ge and small.' Johnston.A 1771 census en u merated 4,321 in ­ Although the textile industr y had not yet habitants in Pro vidence a nd 655 families. A list o f brought fam e and fortune to Rh od e Islan d , Pro ­ buildings made in 1779 indica tes about 370 vidence was already a bur geoning industria l houses in the tow n. Si nce virtually no new center. Within its boundaries were six di sutlenes buil ding was undertaken during the war years, and two spe rmaceti candle works sup ply ing both the fig ure was probably abou t rhe same in 1775. local and foreign market s. T wo tanneries. two T he 1779 list a lso shows 278 shops a nd stores. suga r houses. two chocola te houses. two gr ist-

-Librarian of the Rhode Island Hi storical Sod... ty. Mrs. Chudaroff is a lso ed itor o f th is journal. 72 Rn'OU 'TI ON m ilh, a slaugh te r house . a potash works and a a nd in rhe ba ttle of Rhode leland." p'lpt'r m ill wi th clothier a nd fullinF; fac ilities Soon after Lexin gt on a nd Concord th e to w n se-rviced local needs. An iron wo rks, rhe Browns' nu"t'linK look SI('p" 10 prt'part' (or defe nse. On II OfX' Furn ace. was located just outside the town.' :'Il a ~ 10 six men w ere appoirued 10 ma ke a sun.e)' Some 1....·0 hundred tradespeo p le a nd artisans of avai lable me n a nd a rms, nOli nR those ..... ho reprev-nung over rbinv-five different trades oper­ could not afford a rms and ammunition. Sta listics at("(! local industries a nd supplied goods a nd art' nor recorded hom th e I77S COU III bUI a sim­ '>t' r"ict', for P ro vide nce a nd su rrounding a reas . ilar ..ur vev in 1776 she..... ed 726 men capable of Amo ng them ....'err houwwright-, and carpenter.., bea ring arms a nd -1 97 wea pons . On Ma v 15 the chai'tt, and vhav rnakerv, I oopers , s hipw r i ~ h l'>, mt't'l inll: requested a n imenlory of g u npo.....d er hlac bmirh,> . bu tr her v. lailor \, ha uerv, barber'> , and lead and ordered ca rtridge made a t the pe-wte-rers. silversmnhs a nd wat r h a nd ckx k town's {' x p(' n St'.~ makerv.! NC'xI , preparation began for Iunificauons and a Providence ..... as rJutlTi,>h in Jo: a'> 1775 began, wa rning system. On july 10 Ihe meeting ap­ l.ooki nF; back in 1778 afte r 111It"t' years of warti me proved erection of a bear-on on thr- " h ill lO the deprivations, citizt'IIs recalled th e prewar to w n: Ea stward of the Town 10 warn tilt' co u ntry in r-a se 11.\ tra de was o pe n to alm m t all parts of the of an En emy's approach ." TIlt' beacon stood OIl world. ItJ 'lali lgatlo" t'xtnl.Hllt' and prosp ero us, il.~ the hi ll:llt'sl point o n Prosl)('( t Hill near the pres­ ,~ h o tH and u.arrhuuses crcn oded with all so rts of em imersecuon of Prospect a nd xteeung Sneer s. merchandise, Its strf't'b thronged Wit h [oreignrrs when il ....-a v com pleted n n AURust 17. primed u,ho carne hahn to advance their [ortunes by nnr ice-, w ere d istributed in the to..... n and vur­ trade and commerce. Shlpu'tl.liChts , houseierights, ro unding coun tr vside to info rm people w hal S lli!:­ ma.I01I ,1 and all sorts of mecharncs an d laboring nal v ..... o u ld be used . One accoun t not ed th at mnl. pressed w it h usetul: and prufltablt' business persons in Xe..... port. :\'("w Londo n . Norw ich. and empto.... m t'llt. and It.1 t'xtt'n,llI't' !ort'lgn trade Po m fret a nd Cambridge spotted lig h t from a trial w hu h IS th t' "rn: bt'lTJtil: arid 11ft' of a sea port, firinR o n the night ot AURU ,> 1 17.' futTIuht'd bU, .SlTlt'H and sup po rt for aU ItS numer­ In julv rhe m eeung a lso vo ted to build en­ O U.I dependents and mmearated t'l't"T)I claH of rrenchme rns and breast..... orks a t Fteld'v Point a nd pt'oplt'lTJ tow",· Sassafrass Poim. Fonificauons wert' specified for Pauioue fer vo r had been xrc....·inK (or several Foxev lI ill o n Fox Point in the vici n uv o f w ha l i,> \'('a r\. Loca l Cll llen,> III 1772 had pl anned and no ..... Brook. Thomp '>On suet'1s a nd C.eoTKt' ~1. C":t"f u led bu rn ing Ihe Rriti,h , hi p Gaspt't'. Early ('.ohan Roult"\"ard , 10 cOllla in six ca nnon, each an in 1775 m an ~ ' n f Iht' rt',idc·nts burned tea in eiF;hl ttn- poundf'r. Tht' ml"t"linK a~ ked Iht' depull .\fa,kt'l Squart' 10 ..ho ..... ' UPPOIl for the Congrt's- KoveTllor 10 rt'qut',>t tht' ('..olllint'ntal C.ongrt'S'> to ..ional bo ynlll o( tt'a , So lhc' town wa ~ rt'ady for reimbllJSt' (he to..... n for "t'rt'clinK IhoSt' It'mporar y

;1{ lion ..... hen nt'..... s from l .( ·xill~ton and ('..oncord IhOllKh Ilt'n 'ssary \\'orks of D('(t'IISI'." Laler, in ani\,t'd OlJ April 19, 177" . juhn I lowland, a R('\," Ma l 1777, upon requesl or til(' tOWIl 10 General o lu tio na r)' War \'eler;lII , l('('allt'd IIw da y. He .....as jlm'ph Spt'nc('r, commandt'r of IIlXlP, in Rhode ..... orki n g- 0 11 th e ..... harn·s whc'lJ a mC 's\('n~ {'r ar­ Island. fonifications ..... ere COnSITl lC lea around th e riw d : "We a ll (ollowed and '>;I ..... lh (" o ffic("rs o( the beacon on ProSpl'cr lIil\.l° (olllpanie<, a nd mall )' OIhn s o n Ihe paradt' before Ll.lt' in 1775 a number o f ~ e ""'IXlTI residellls, ( ; m t'TIlm Ro.....('n ·' 'tt"t' ki nR illl eJli l';:t'n( t'. The fearillK British a ttacks. £It'd In PrO\'idellce. British drum, u( tht' fou r in dl'lx'rulf'tlI ton !oe \er­ dt' llIs ..... t'rt' in a conMa lll sta lt' o f appTeht'ns ion. a l da~'\ LueJ. In tht' <,('\t'n ~t'ar.. (ollowing Iht"), On J ul)' 19. 1777 Ihe Prot1ldt'flet' Ga::rttt' informl-d would fighl OI l Pr incelon a nd T,t'nlon. Lonll: is­ ils rt'ad t'ls Iha l Ihe e nt' m ~' .....a\ c:-arr,.- ing o n a "'\ \'ar land a nd Ha rlem Hf'ig h h , Q uf'hec . Delawa re of Plund t'r. Ra pine a nd R ob bel~' a nd ma s' ha\'t' RI H"r (ons. Spring(jt'ld . Yor kln ....·n. :'Ilonmo Ulh . de\iKm u pon Pro \,idt'll u ' and nt'arb\' lo ....·ns . .. n REVOLUTIOS

, great part o f the uight." About the same time ,J--;>- -r Sarah Drowne wro te to her sis ter-i n- law in Bos­ Boston: vI•' • • Solomon [Saran's brother D r. ....,·olomVlI D rau me] arrived (HI W ednt'sday JUM Bef ort' Dvn­ I 1/er. BUI set'irlg him u.ithout the h015e and Chaise , a eood deat lessened the Jo y Wt" should otherwise have fell all his return for we have Bee n 111 almost f cOtlJlarll alarm this wt'f'k arid at StICh tones You k nous 0 horse and Cnaisr 1.1 verv Necessarv. But through M eTl)' we hallr 'lUI Been obliged to flt't' yet . But doni RrIUW how soml we shall. T he re Wt'Tt' somr deserters who camr off Neuipnrt at the r.nurols this Euening w ho soy till" Enemy are Coming 10 Night. Bu t h o w true II is Coni SO)' . T here has Bu n [our or ivoe forts B uill this u't'eA fOT their R ecep tion R UI thai Ihe}' may be [rustmt­ I'd i l l their u.icked attempts 10 [)t'st roy this T o w n IS my incessant prayeT.II Fortunately the Brinsh never attacked Provi ­ dence. The town al so escaped their raiding parties th at harassed reside nts of North and Sou th Kings­ town , East Greenwich and Warwick. Good fortifi ­ cations at Providence proved an effective deter­ rent. Although the town did nor suffer en em y occ upa tion. la rge numbers of Americans and later French soldiers were quartered here for much of th e war. William R. Staples estimated 2000 men under arms in Pro viden ce Cou nty early in April 1775. In hi s diary Theodore Foster recorded 2000 ['rot',drtlH' bran", rrn-I rd ltl 1775 (J/ what prr.lrtllly ' .1 fhr ~ooo corner of .\1('('llng and Prospect Siruis 0'1 Collr~r HI li. to men quartered in town on April 3. 1776. On Del-ember 20 of the same year. Gen eral Fran­ coi s L. de :\1almedy, the Arm y's ch ief eng ineer, wrote Oeneral Charles Lee that there were 1000 to 1100 troops." upon appearance of th e En em y the Beacon will The number of uoops in Providen ce on any be lighted and three di stinct cannon fired as an given day varied. The largest number were quar ­ Alarm at the Approach of the Enemy when all tered there while rhc British occu p ied Newport. Persons ca pable of bearing Arms are requested Some of the 2000 to ~ooo men Theodore Foster immediatelv to rendezvous at their several Alarm observed on April ~, 1776 were only gather i ng posts in order to repel those Sons of Rapine." before marching on to other cam ps. Troops SIKh newspaper sto ries with reports of ill treat ­ ma ssed in town in October 1777 and August 1778 ment of patriot s by British in Newport and else ­ in preparation for attack s on Rhode Island. where kept people in Providence constantly on French troops moved in and ou t of Providence edge in spi te of the large number of American (rom June 1780 to May 1782. The on ly French troops sta tio ned in town. Several o bservers re­ remaining in town for an ext ended period were corded the anxiety of the rim es. Theod ore Foster , sick so ld iers housed at a French army ho sp ital on town ch-rk. noted in hi s diary for June 7,1778: the Brown University campus and a lso in the " Expected an attack upon the town from the work house. Claude Blanchard. chief French corn­ En emy at Rhode Island many people set up the mi ssar v offi cer , noted 340 Frenchmen in the Uni - 74 U VOl.lJTIO!\; vf'rsi l)" Hall hospital on September 12, 1780.1' sated for anvthme taken from Iht:'m.·· From Iht" various accounts and from references Orderlv hoo"s of General john Sullivan. Golt"" in miluarv orderly books it i~ my imprescion rhat prederescor in Rhode Island. reveal that Sullivan there were some 1000 ...oldiers in Providence fro m wa-, paruc ularlv ,f'act' .....as sli ll three ~eaT\ away and All persons, mili tar y and ci\'ilia n, should lx-ar Ihe town .....as now ca lled upon to hou'>t' sit k and burdens of war t'qually. Therefore, Gales was wounded sold iers from tht' h em h Ar m~·. Accord" asked to ~ that soldiers were supplied through ing to records and obst'l\'a lions, rf'sident s did nnt rt'gular chan nels and thaI citizens were ca mpe n· welcome the Frenrh with O'}('11 arm\. 7S la:VO Ll' TIOS

priva te ho mes. T he French also requested permis­ sion 10 srme ba RRaKI' ill the \Ia rk el H ouse. Gen­ eral Rochumbeau. believin g th a t Providen ce inhabitant ... c ha r~ I'(1 too m u ch fo r forage. deci ded 10 q uarter troops in Con ner- ncur in stead .w Some Fren r h ,nldi('", d id slay in Providence for a vhon nme "IUOllle 10 Con ner-rieur in November J7RO, Cla ude Blamhard commented o n problem ... of q ua uenng French troops: "":\11 th ese details else where \ t'ry ea-,v, n-vert hele mel wit h many d ilficulun among the American who di slike 10 lodRI' troop' a nd who a ... I ha ve a lready mention­ ed are slow a nd m i... tlUSlful.Ht1 :\"0 1 everyone in Providence di... liked having the

'111/' I"".,, French in 10WIL Pro m inent r itizens such as Jos ­ eph. Xie hola... and John Brown hosted French off it"er~ on several occasion v. Jo h n Bro wn wrote C /G"uJ< .m . 01 ( ''1 ''''''''''' 1If1l1lwnamt' hmp"GI rf>Qm s 1m to hi... son Jam!'s on Xovern ber I I. 1782 that "Our ...... ,G/,"'a .. d .. ,m,lC th", R ...·of ..'IO'IGry U'G' , Houw . wharf. 'table a nd LOll is j ock ful l of French men. 1I01'ot" , \\· a ~R in s ere. etc. Everv Cen­ rleman in town la lMo Ihe came o Hifers a ... thev d id o n their \la Jfh westward last su m mer.""2f .\ 1 the end of 1779, in res ponse 10 a pe mion w h ile cuiren ... frequt'ntly vo iced com plai nts from the corporation uf Rh od e-Island CoIIl:"Kt' about ITtXl" ... . soldiers ofte- n had grievance... o f (Bro ..... n l ·ni n 'r , il y). the Cou nci l o f War. aClin!':: in the-ir o wn . Ft)(MJ a nd d oth in ~ were usually in the abwnee fli th e- Gene ra l Awemhlv, vot ed 10 shon cup plv, ~ l y wav ina dequate a nd often delay­ di,colllinu(' U,t· o f 11ll' college edifice a, a barracks ed. Two m uu nies on ur red in P rovidence in win­ a nd ho spi tal. Bro w n 'v pH·... ident. james ~I annin !,:: . ter I77R{1779 Ill "("" U '>1' of inadequate pay and advent ...ed in the Prmndrnc r (;a :.,.II,. o n April ztJ, ano ther In \ pli nl( 1779 when sup p lies of flour l i RO rhut d,l\'t('\, vuvpe-nde-d ... in n ' December 1776. wer e ex ha uvredae w o u ld H ·...U IlH" o n \Ia y lOth . Be-lo re r-lavce could xrorale was low throughout the a rm y after 1776 re-... ume. the rn'lll h Il:'t pw,(('d uw Ilf Universuv and u oops hen- must have been no di fferent from Ha ll for a hov p ita l. M annin ~ v-r ured a pctiuon those elwwhere. Called away (rom families a nd from th e lOw n n l('t · till ~ 10 tilt' GI'lleTal A...... ern blv homes 10 prorert the town, end uring pnvaticns which ' tilIt'd Iha t ""l'\o lh iIlK hUI Ill(' utmost neces­ and \{'ve!t· weather. Ihey cannot he blamed if their , ity ca ll ju\tify illltod lll"l l1R'1 Llt~ t' number of ternpe'rs so merimes flared. Coun martial proceed­ Sick into a PopuloU\ Town - WI' apprehend inKS for JUIH' 177H recorded th e raw of "Eleazer rhat 110 vuch llt'n ·... , ily I'xi,ts in the plesellt r-a ve." Hathaway , trv'd for whisbing Ihe town of Pro\'i­ En 'll Ihough Iht' huildin g had n'(('lllly hom.ed dl'ncl' nn fir(' - I'leads Guilty Sa ys il was Spoken ... it k Amer it 'lIl ... o ld il'n, tilt' town wa ... 110..... wear y in a Passion in C'(Hl...t'l)uenct' of abun' RN"eived of Ilt"a ting ..... hal It k it wa' mOI l:' than its sha re of from su m of thl' inhabitants ."" 26 the hu rd l'1l o f ljualtnill K I((Xlp"' , FIt'rICh or Aml'ri ­ Quitl to ( ha\ti'ot" hi s ,o ld il'rs (or di slUrhing res­ ca n , ~ 011 JUlll' 19 thl' Ge nt' ra l As...em bly a/l:reed idents' peat-I' and properlY, Gellt'ral Sullivan di d to ho pitalitt· Frl'lIch <;(lldiers in Bri \l ol inslead, not hesit a te to I'X ('fci"e hi ... aUlhority whell civil­ hUI hile Iht· a ...\(' m bly wa ... adjourned Ihe co unci l ians inter(('Jl'd with orderly 0I)f'rat ions of hi s of war rea pp rnpl ial n:1 11ni" er,ily lIall. The troops - Frl"nt h U'I,'tl lh l" hu ild inK a, a hosp ita l from June T h,. ' Ht'.f{u/ar and duordnl)' bt'hal'lOr oj .w m t' 26, 178010 \1 3)' 27 . 1782.21 rncon.udnatt' a"d r lO tOlH p ,. r .lO n .~ l"hab,la" '5 or In Odobel 1780 p lans we re made 10 house 120 rt'l ,d,.nI5 of Ih'J lou'" who makt' if a Constanl Frl"nch IfOOp'" in Ih(' " 'OIl.; hOllw a nd n lhe " in Pracl'u to rnlt'l i" th,. ,\" ,f{hl. Patrol lh,. Struts, 76 RE\'OLl'TIOS

insult Sentries; brakl' OPl'Tl and sl'arch I/OUSl'S un­ and must go and mend my shoe :-.;0w for I must der preten ce of Authority, rarsr tumults in me go on gard tomorrow.">! StruB and Commit OutraRl's: wh,ch disgrace 1/ 11. ­ Drinking alcohol ic beverages seems to have man Nature arid of cou rse dl'stroy that T ran q ui l­ been a pri ma ry leisure urnc activit y for sold iers. ity of mind which l'l'l'ry peacable inhabitant in a On J un e -1 . 1778 ad jutant 10 the general William Garruon T own has thi' "Rht to expect ha.s occai­ Peck w rote 10 Art h ur Fen ner, p resident of the soned the Gl'nnal to gurl' o ut a Countns'gn to w n co uncil: "Sir - I am directed by General w hu h u to br de manded from l'lli'ry person pass ­ Sullivan 10 r<"Quesl that vou'tt move in the Town in g aftn eleven o' Clock at Sighl.t 7 Council for some method 10 be taken 10 suppres!> Officers attempted to keep so ldiers busy 10 pre­ the progress of the man)' Tiphng Houses and vent bo redom which ro n mbured 10 low morale. Grogg Shops in T own whic h are so fata l. not Keeping t r ()()p ~ occupied was nOI easy since on ly o nly In many of the inhabitants but 10 the Sol­ once was a baule Ioug fu o n Rh od e Island soi l. d iery in general - you may depend o n a ny Orderly books and diaries provide imiRh ls about asaistance you shall request from the Ge neral 10 soldiers' daily !iH·S. Reveille sounded alone half reduce their grow ing number.r u hour before su nrise and d rums beat a laHOO 10 Obviously some resideruv ..... ere making money end the day' OIl len p.rn. T roops paraded (our by' providing soldiers w irh their daily drams. Lim hours daily, once beginning at len a .m . for two of tavern licenses granted by the town counc il hours a nd a nother IwO ho urs OI l four p.m . Parad ­ show tha t from 1770 through 1775 .h ert" were an mg ....'as one of the few mea ns of exe rcise (or average of founeen licen ses gra rued each year troo ps 1I0t match in g from place to p lace or en­ w uh a hi gh o f nineteen in 1 77 ~ . By 1776 the gaged in baule.te number had jumped ro Iw entv-seven. From 1776 Strict rules regu lated behavior a nd dress. Few th ro ugh 1781 the ave rage number of pe-rsons aspects of soldiers' routine were overlooked. nor licensed each year .....as thirty· o~i x with a high of even bathing habits. One orderly book recorded fihy in 1778. In 1782. after most troops had left , rhat "neither offi cers nor so ldiers in rhi s regiment go the n u mber dropped to seven teen . So in 1778 int o the wate-r 10 wash themselves more than twice a there was one tavern or in n dispenving akoholic week and that tht·y do not stay in the water more th an beverages (or everv 100 persons - ma n ...... oman. eigh t min utes at one lime."29 Evideru lv the gen er­ child and so ld ier - in town. Army officers had al soon reco nsidered the twice a week rul e, for a jus t ca use for complai nt. short time la ter this order was reco rded: "The The tow n council apparently look no action on General has been informed that the So ldiers enger Sullivan's initial request . for in September ad ­ their health by going into the ....-arer too frequent­ jutant Peck wrole again to Fenner." By' October 1'1' and Remain ing in 100 long; he therefore De­ the council's only response was a threat to pro­ sires the officers will Recommend to the ir Soldiers secu te those ....-ho auempted to M"11 liq uor w irhout not 10 go in to th e- wa ter , on ly Night and MorninR a license. The council's warn in g: did not s a l i~ fy and then not to stay in but a lillie while."'o Sullivan 's successo r. Major Genera l Gales. who Exta nt dia ries ind ica te that much of the average asse rted hi s mili tary a ut hority by ordering hi s day of a soldier here was spe nt gathering prov i­ adjuraru 10 "forthwith ,'isit all suc h persons as sions or sta nding guard. Pr -i vat e Nahum Parker o f Comes wit hi n the description of suners. dram Shrewsbury. ~l a \S.a. c h u S(" II ~ , stationed in Provi­ suners or keeping of Tiphng Ho uses 10 Seize the dence from October 7 10 December 25, 1779, gi,·es liq uors abolish the traffick if necessary 10 confine several exa mples: October 19, 1779 - "I came o f the persons w ho are to be tr ied and punished at Gard Dull DOin/l:s 1 had a It"Her from Home." Iht" Discrelion o( a Brigade Court Man ia!. " If Ihis NO\'emlX"r 9,1779 - "I was on g:ard La!>! Ni/l:ht order ....·ere carrit-d o ut. it would have t:N;"ell o ne o f and Slood Eighl hours and a Toof Spell we had the ft'w times. except for sell ing cu rkws or re­ of h . We ..... as Relie"ed Dra ..... d Pro\·isions." No­ q uisitio ning su pp lies. Ihat mili tary off icers '·ember 10, 1779 - " Hemen way and we .....ent aftt"T usurpt"d the to ..... n go\"ern mt'nt's author ity·. S o .....ood I had a ..... rite good di nnt'r today and it is referen et's to enforCt'ment of the order appear in the firsl good Diner I have had this /l:ood ..... h ile lo ..... n TNords.U 1 77 IIH'OI.UTI OS

Except for Iht, Iew in slall n '.. noted above. th e eac h ..tat e e..tahli..h a ..e he-dub- fixing wag't·s and m ili tar y \(·t'm .. to have interfered seldom in Prov­ pri ce... Pr« e fix itlK was norhing' ne-w 10 Americans ide-nee's govenum-m. Ho we-ver the militarv had for it had Ilt·t· I1I1\(-.:1 sinn' th e- early ..even tee n rh o- n­ aur ho ritv 0 \'1'1 lh l' to wII in defen se matters suc h as tu rv. Rh ode 1..land'..Ocuerat Assem blv enacted COIl­ positiunillK of Ioruficauon-, a nd postinK of tr o l -, in Janual) 1777, hut these voon fell into d isu se. guard.., ~lili t a r ) n m trol in these matters actually T wo more conference.. in 1778 ronunued to re­ relieved a burden lhe town had a....umed in 1775 comme nd ron nol... bUI price fixing n ever bec ame a n and 1176, Town 11"(oub m d irar e no rla..hes be­ effrt li\e method o f Irmit in ~ infla tion sinn' mer­ tween loca l ~O\t'lI l1 nt'll t and rmlitarv authorities. c hants ill::llored It'Rttlation.. or held good.. off the ~ ti li t a " oer upariou caused lmle cha nge in the rn ar ket-, umil price.. rll\(',u structure of loca l J!:0H'Ulmenl. The town rneen ng Shortage.. and high p rien which occ u rred here and counr-rl governed a.. usual with advice a nd and elwwhere earlv in the war ....'ere borh real a nd co n-em of th e- freemen . Elfilions were held regu­ artifirial. Providence had never purchased all it'> larl~ although rhe number o f proxn voted drop­ food supplies III Rhode Island , relving on pro­ ped from a high of 226 III 1776 10 a low o f eiehtv­ d ucts from ('.on llt'( lit ut, ~l a " '>iI c h u ,>("lI s and Xew rive in Ii7H . Xu l unul 1782 did rhe number again York. BUI at the ~inni llR of ....·ar th ese states rearh mer 200. Len..' fi1{ttrl"s fro m 1777 th ro ugh placed ernbargoe... o n 0111 of ..tate food vhipmerus 1781 probabh ll"f1t"f 1 freemen a bsent servtng in cau..inll:: cnucal shullag:l"s in Providence. Rhode rhe militia 01 army 01 those- residinK elsewhere for Island g:o\t·rllor.. wrote lepeillrol) to rhe o ther the durattnn of the war . There must ha n" been states and 10 the Conunemal Congre-,s U1l1:ing diffiwlties filli n li; m any appomnve and elective th at embargoes be ended. Fina lly in spri ng lii9 to w n offin.... Connecucur agreed 10 '>(' 11 grain tn Rhode \\'h ile tht, ..n urture of tow n govemmenr wa .. lsla nd.se not altered...orne normal r-oncerns ....'ere su bordi­ Bread shortag:('s wete e..,)('('iall) severe. In Au ­ nated while others we re- e-nl arged and new re­ gus l 1778 Paul All en , son-in-law of former gover­ sponslbilitil"s added. Roa d bui ldi ng and repair nor Xich ol as Cooke. wrote to Deputv Go vernor whi ch lI\u a ll~' aO'>l:ulx-d much (If th e town '.. at­ Jabt-l Bowen: "T he univer sa l ny fnr bread IS \'t'ry tention \'ill udll y u·a'>l:·d fro m 1775 to 1782 ex c-e pl alarming: in n ur \ trt't"t'> . I llt" lil'\'e I speak with in when m-.:essaq- fOl acu'ss 10 fort ifi cation... The bound.. when I Il'Il yOIl th at Ih el e are a hundred lo wn co unc il eo nt in ut"(l tU dl'\'Ule ilself 10 admin i­ families in Ihe T llwn wh o hale not a mouthful o f slra li\,t· m allt'" such as ap poin ling guard ians and bread in lh eir hou'>t· ... nO! ('all tlwy g:t't it wilh execUlo r.. and i.... uillll: li( eIlM's. but problem.. of their money, \\'heJl('\er 3le James B. HNl!l:c" in di cal es that ~ i ( -h ola .. Bro ..... n at fi\ t' 10 six hundred pl'lnn l a bove Ih e pr im e cm t held flour in "lorag:t' in ~ew Bedford wh ile shOIl­ and retallinll: al fort) to fifty pernnl abo\"e whole­ ages exi..tro in l'rm 'idl'nce a nd t" lsew he re, ~o ..ale. The Pro\'idenfl' Hmkrl"nce rN'ommt'nded that doubt ot her mel( ham.. Ih w ughollt the Slales d id iH RF:\ 'Oll'TIOS

Stat: of Rhode-Hlend and Providence Plantations.

In CO UN elL of WAR, October 2, ' 779.

ES OLV E D. T h:lt there be three: rboufand pair or good ya rn flock­ !ng& collected (r~m , the towns !11 tbis Srarc, 10 be proportioned ::leeor.d­ R Ill£:: tn 'he ooypOftTODII1 U It mAde In s eprembcr J 77$, and 1S as full a W S, T1C.

P3ir. Pair. Providence 408 Exeter 9" \ \' :> n d ck ,80 Briflol 8+ w crtertv 108 'T iverton ,- Nonh-Kingflcwn . 68 Linle-Cornptcn 1'0'"" Soutb -Kingflown 3'4 w arren 36 E JIt·Grccuwicb 96 Cumbe rla nd 8+ Smilh JiclJ 19: Richmond 7:- Scituate ' 44 Cranllon J3 Z G lolled l cr 1 2 0 I H opkinton 9" C harlctlown 8+ j oba flon 6 0 \ Vell-G reen wich 7 2 Nonh-Pro\'idence 60 Ccvcuny 8+ I Bcrringtou 48 3,OO()

11111' I ,b .. .. 10" if/" I ' /Mld .. (/II~"''' ""'I",./"d II". '''''' "//,,./ '" ",a,,\' lo'a\1. T h" ,,,,Hum of a h.,,,,d,,d,, .H"'O'''''''''''' ,/"'."'" I",..., md"au.li(Jlo· p,,,,,, ,,,, 1< .... II, .. " ....d for "I'"'' Iii" ""Ht " ,4",...\, '/""", T .. , ","....'"" /JU.411...... / II, .. H'K."'ll" to, "ul "'0'" ,Ii.." 11""" p",md, /llllo·,,,1 "'''''n') "... 1'"''

likt'w i'>t'. People ....-ho purc ha-e-d Iarge- quanune-, hi~h price-, l'au-.c"d by ellg-rO\~ ill!{ and for t' ~ l a ll i ll ~. of goods 10 n-tail at hig-hel pric r... r-a uved another bur the y wert' Iorced to com pelt' with rhe a rruv for problem. On SI"pU"mht'f 6. 17ii Iortv-t ....-o freem en limned supplie-, ur rood and rue). C,ommw-.ary sie ned a pennon prnlt'\ling- "t he Exhnrbilant "Hi(t'I.. were t·mpCl....-eted to n '(lui"illOIl vup phe.. Pnce-, or many or rhe- Xeoe.. a 1779 li..t or open ma rke t and sn p ulau ng rha r 110 o ne p ur,haSt' houses in Providenre shows. T ht'odOlI' FOSler", a glealer qualllit~, nr ~oo{h Ihan judged ne(e....a ry diaries ('ontain """\t'ra l r('{erenrt's 10 wnrking io by (}\erSt't'l~ of Ihl' [>00r. ' 9 his ~ar de n . C;ardt·flS m ig h t ha \'t' a llt'\'ia ted rood 1'101 only did u"sidrnts ha \'e to (olllelld wil b , hon ag:es ror SOlllt' farnilit,s bill , o u ld not pro\'ide 79 RE:VOLV TlO :>; stapit's such a" flour, su ga r a nd sa il. l\'ecessilY di d age or illness. wert' bo arded ill homes o f re lativt's "park ingen uity. An enterprising: citizen placed o r neighbors a t the town's ex pe uw. T he work the fo llowing: a d verti sem en t in the Providence h ouse also housed the poo r hill dming- war years Gaxcne on Au gust 30, 1777: " l\tr Ca ner: Please to ITOOPS we lt' ha rrar-ked there- III spite of to wn meet­ insert the fol lowing for the benefi t of yo ur Read­ ing protest s th ai the- space was needed for the ers . T he ju ice of Co m-Stalks w he n we ll g ro und, h omel es s Shortage of pl a ces for a ll th ose who strained a nd bo iled is a lmost equal to Cane-Juice needed 10 he boarded OUI forr ed overseers of the for the Pu rpose of making guod Mel a sses. Plenty poor to pl a n ' a n adver tis eme-n t in the- Prm.idence of good sugar ma y likewise lx- produced from it," (;a;:f'tt" as king persons ill lilt' (o u nt ry 10 la ke in Unfor tunately wi th rorn in suc h short supp ly. SO IlW o f the to wn " poo r. H corn stalks must not ha ve bee-n pl entifu l. Wh ilt, -eventeenrb- a nd etg tueemh-c-nturv Providenre was nOI the o n ly to wn 10 suffer America n towns willi ng ly ass u med res pomibilllY shortages during th e wa r. Newport also end ur ed for rari ug for th ei r own reSIde nts who well' ill need , e-xuerne hardships as d id many to wns in a ll th ey ;t1\0 atn-mpted 10 exc lude from res idence non. thin-e-n stau-s. Although local records and rorre­ res ide n ts who m ig ht require fina nrial assistance. vpondenre portray the distress food sho r tages Per jod irallv th e tow n counci l examined u ndesir­ ca used. none of the documents indirat es if peo p le ables a nd "warned" rhern out 01 10 WII . II 0 w('\ t'I , die-d nr W ('Il' di sea sed bec ause of la ck of Iood.u th e council wa rned OUl fewer pe rso ns th an III the Care of th e poor. whic-h in o rd in a ry times too k vears nn mcdiat ely pn ', cdmg and follo wing the murh of a ny eiglueen th-rcru urv town 's budge t, war. Rt'(()fd s iudiran- a su hstanual drrl ine in the be-arne a n even greater burden during th e wa r. number of pe -r so ns wa rned o ut or denied v-nle­ T o the us ua l com ponent of Pro vid ence's poor ment rights. In 177·1 the cuunci l had Inlt'nif'wt'{l we're added refugees fro m Aquidneck Island ­ th irty-four peo p le a nd n-jevu-d eac h one. By 177.1 Newport , Portsmouth, :\t idd lt,town - m ade de-s ri­ th e number wa rne-d out d w in dl ed to two. Between tu te by in flarion . Soldie rs fa m ilies un able to sup­ 1777 a nd 1782 no mort' than thr ee we re ....-a rned port the mselves wh ile husbands a nd lathers were OlH. In 1783 th e number rov- 10 seven. to twelve III service a lso required aid, Although il is im­ in 1784 and (f) rwemv-twn in l i BS. possjble to calc u late exact figures fro m town :-';0 ev ide nce l:'xists 10 ex pl ai n t he smaller num­ reco rds. sca ttered evideur-e of ex penditures indi o bet o f wa rn ings o ut fro rn 1775 to 1783, Perhaps ca tev a sivea bh- iur rea sr- in the number of IXlOl th e to wII was 100 bu sy wit h ot her mailers or wav ca red fOl a t the la wn 's t'xpt'nseY moved bv a senS<' of sym pathy fo r tho se div plao-d DlITinR war years the sta te of Rhode Island hv t he wa r. 011 th e o the r hand, ir is a lso posvih!e vuspended its usual pract ice of lea ving pOOl' relief that the nu mber of warnings OUI declined because e ruirelv in the- hands o f the towns by agreei ng to no a nt' desired to come to Providence while rln-re­ re-imburse Pro vidence a nd other to wn s for r-are of was danger from th e British and w hile food was Newport's IXlOl. But the (Own still had to provid e ill short supply. Even residents of the IOW II fle-d the immediate funds. Malley for poor relief was elsewhere. ll\ ually ra ised by ta xa tio n but an a lready o ver­ Ne"l to poo r rel id, exp enditures rcla ung to burdened dt ile n ry could not bea r con tin ua l tax r-a re and prevent ion of sma ll pox a bsorbed most o f le\'ie\ , In I77H lilt' to wn round l r e SOllt~ to 1('­ th e town's trea vurv. While every one- rhr or ~ho ll t IIm'slin g public dona llon\ to ca re for o ver 300 Arm--r ica fea red small pox, Rhode Island('l's' fea rs 1J('( ~ y :'I/ t'WpOll t'lS. l.oul ch urches a ho helpt'{l. ofte n \'t'rged on hyslt'ria as wa rt ime pTt'("aUl iolls Tht' First Baplist Ch urrh lOok a biwet'kl y col­ itl di c at t' . f ~ lecti on a nd Rhode Island Friends a ided Io<' a i MO\'t'nwnt o f la rge numbns of lloo ps a nd o the r Quakef.S in need ,'" persons into and thro ug h Prm·idt'n ce pro m pt ed Findi n g: ho using to accom moda te Ihose in need o ffida ls 10 lak<' t'\,('ry step po \sible to pr('\'t'n t a n lx', ame a pl'Oblt'TTl . The lT aditi onal system of ep ide m i, of Ih f" dread d m 'ase. In June 17i6 wh ell ('a ring- for th t, p OOl' was Olltdoor re lief - d iTt-ct th e G en era l Asse mbly passed a law perm ill ing grants to individual s or fa m illt's to mailllain innonJiation hospital s in t'arh COllllty. th e IOwn Ihem sel \'es in the lT own homes. Otht'fS. ht'caust' of began sea rch ing- for a sllila ble sill'. By Au gust th e xo Rt \' O l l TT 10:-;

Colony if Rhode-Llcnd, (Jc.

In G EN E R 'A LAS S E ~I D L Y, June Sdti::::1 , J i ;0.

An ACT permitting b a CU!.ATIO'll for the S f-U .LI- POX Colony.

H ER E AS I": e 5:nJ!I-Pc:'C h::: th ",wle the ~ oft rlreadful ROI vaGr\ i., I ;'(! ti.rrr.v I-···jl.' be, !ore !i..."!~f( , wh:ch WA! a pr:ncI.' ;''' Caufe of r.llrl,;l8 the 8 1 ~k1d~ of dUl ('11\" , ..".I "lhere Il gt c: ..r D I"l f-cr tn:at the I.,n:a nlunrs of the U nf: ~ Cclcniee mOl }', by the Prevalence uf th a! d rne fu l Dukemper, berendered incapable 01 Defence, at a T ur;e .... hen thelf :3Jk tv mav W lP:' ~r 'depend upon the moll vigorou! l:':x crtiOnl : Alld ..u that Dncrder, UKtn by In"culation, is I;') 0: .11v a"d lig'l!, and the Metnl)

" " .110" " , .. b'OIJd"d,...... IOLm''''~ "",....HJ,,.j 10 p,"" ....., ,h,. ./,.,...d .., j..".. 11 po, Th,. 1)(/ p"" ,d,.d 'm ,..,..bl,.h"'l: .. hO'PIIQI '" "1J~ h "-0","1", ot ,h.. jllJl,. end .. " '.1,...,, "f p"" QI" ,.. 10 1?"IJ.d "l1:d""1 .lp .,."d" ' 1? Ih,. dn,.".,.j,..,.. th,. hQ.,p'f,,1 '0 .,.....,...... d mll: "'''d'.

h o \pila l wav o pe ral lllR .:I 1 Tock ....'rmon and 100 be (ell ifia h h Itt, · o f \ mall lM"lx. bur a l '>( l Ih t" ceru­ paue-ntv had b e-n inoc u lated. Early III lin f~i ll~ doc to r wa c n-quin-d 10 (ha n ~ t' a nd wa ..h hjv when lilt' nuluarv j udgr-d Ihc' Toe kworton ..ue 10 ( IOIht'\ irnmediau-lv a ftl' l CfllnillR n il ..h ip.st 1)(' o f \ ltillc'/o: 1I imp"ll;tfl(c'. the- hovpual was closed whr-n Ilt ' ''' ' ~ 0 1 a ..mall l MJ x outbre-ak III Bost on and lill l'l m o \ t'(l In Xorr h Prucidenre-. III o rder 10 reae la-d P ren nit-lin' in j u lv 1770. thl' town m e-e- t­ e ll rO I H a.~ c· a-, ma uv J('\ idt '1I1 \ iI\ 1)(1\\i hl t" 10 under " in ~ lool d a IMJI

war. it i.. a h~ollll d~' ( ' ~ '>('nli al Io r our \a fely tha t th e While the town KO\l'lnITWIlt was fac ing addi­ inhabitants o n Ihi ~ to wn ..tum id nOI dt'M'1l lhe tional p roblems. war was al ...... affecting normal "arne by R t 'lIl o\-II1 ~ in ln thr- Counuv." The meet ­ commercial ani\'ilit,\ , Con tem porarv co mmerna­ illK appointed a com mi m-e 10 d raw lip reg ul a­ lor~ a nd rec__ em h i..ronaus ha ve painted differing lio ns ((met'fning removal but vub..equcm J('C OId.. plume.. of rhe ('xlem In whic h war im paired bu st ­ do nOI m dica le if a ny at non wa.. ta ken . A 1777 ne.... elllt'rpI i'ot"... ln ronesponde me wuh govern­ report ..rated rha t 130 ra ta ble po ll \ had It'h , rau..· o ff it ial~ ill e \ ~ ment and bu.. associates. Providence inK real e\lalt' value 10 .. ink twemv-Iive perce-nt. bu\ine"~Illen ernpba..iled hardships a nd sbonages :0-:01 onlv did the- W,IT hall popula tion jl;ro""- Ih in duri ng tht' war ~eal", In comrasr. usi ng business Pro viden ce. but by 1782 the number of inhabit­ rNOId.. of v-veral Iirmv. two recent h istorian.. am.. (H IO) had droppt'(llx'low rhe l ii4 fig ure found e\"idt'n<-e 10 (0111radit-I comemporarv ac­ ( H 2 I),~1 counh. The war'v en)Jlnlllic imparr wav no t (onstanI .\ pennon hom rown I1H"t'lin.l!: 10 the General from 1775 10 1783. From lilt' begm ning of 1775 <,embl~ ' A.. prolt*'olillg tbe 10WII '\ ..hare o f a state unri! Brili..h Oct upauon of :O-: ('w J-.K lrI in December tax len tvpifie-, the rrmtemporarv public version 1776, PrO\ idene e merr hantv, unfettered by Brni..h of rhe ..Iale of bmille\\ affairs: trade resuil linn.., "I't'm to ha ve profited. Colonial Our port "a~ bern blockaded lor mor~ than import dune.. we-re re-moved and Xewporr'v UI,,­ l u ' ~ll '~ months; o ur stores arid shops art' almost IO IIl home monopolv wa .. climinand. John 11 0 ""'­ ernptv, o ur na l'lfi!:atum demalished, our Jhlp land la ter ft'("alled , "T' he yt'a l 1776 wa .. mu..tl~ buildl1lfi!: at an end, OIH hOIH~ .s alr~ad)' built, emploved ill pri\-alt't'r illR a nd manv whom 1 had man)' oi them sta lldm, fi!: t'mpt)' and ,fi!: o m g to dual' leh III poot ('i rnlrn,I;UllT" we rt' no w ric h men. b" dot!, degrees. or morr suddt'nfy and usantonlv T he whal\e" were ffowdt-d wnh large ..hip.. hom ruined and de strnved by baHacJr.mg troop-s In j a ma ica and orber lvla ud.. loaded w ith Ri c h p rod­ them, mallY 10rl'I,e"It'TS resident among U.! a.1 u't'li IRh ." Ezra Su les, terme r IM..lor of th e Sec ond as otners 0I4r mO,!1 u't'alth )' mhabuants who made Congrega tional C hnn h in :-':t'wpOtl a nd lat er thr !Hmnpall'it,urt' m our trad~ ha lll' paclc~d up p n-aidem o f Yal e, wr ot e in Xovernbe-r 1776 rha t tht'lr lartlml',\ amI rt'mOl,~d to plauJ of Kualn PIf l\-idt'l l(e t'lIltt'pn'lw ur s ,Ut UIllUla led "!lea r .'i u llritv. T ht' com mOil .UHt of pt'oplt' who art' It'lt Tlu t't" Hundred Thnu..and S It' r1 i n,~ wh IC h i.. do u · b ~hmd art' mmtl)' a ul 01 ~mploymt"lt , and t h ~ ble Iht , 1'lOpt'II\' of lht, ..... holt, '1'0""'11 IWO yea l.. poor ar~ \'~ t a11ltm,r.: IH to b ~ sup p ortl'd b)' th~ a ~o . " ~2 rnlla"'''',fi!: pn_Imu of pro/urt)', All t'r the Bril i,h l)(cupit'd :\'ewI XITl Ihe Sll ua­ S ill( e lhi ~ pt'lilion wa.. illU'lIded 10 ..upport lh e lion dl,lIlJ;!;t'tl, for a ltho ug h 'O lllt' ho al s managed lown 's a rKU lIlt'n l for a reduced share of the \l ate 10 '''It'i1k t1noliKh till' hlock adl' of :o.;'arra galht'U lax, lIS propaKanda va h ll' IIlU.,t tx'rtTOKnized.19 Ray, lIIt'r('halll" had 10 find new wa y.. of bl inging There wa ~ ~O lll t' lHlth in lhat I77H dt'M'riplion, gOI)(1s illlo I'rovid t'IH t" Ratht'r lhan risk t a rg:o('.. Tht' " Li..t of lIou..t's in l'rovidelHe in 1779" re­ and lin'" by allelllilling 10 run lh e blockade, the cordrd many huildln Ks ~ l a nd i n g vaca n t or In dis­ Browns, Wt'!l-olllt' Allu,ld anti o lhers hroughl repair, A Ill/mlx'i of inhahilants lTlo\'t'd for the t1wir ..hips illlo Ileighhoring pOll .. such as ]\'ew war ' ~ duralioll illl o itllt'rio r art'a s in nonhweSiern Bedford 01 :'I/ew London , GOOtb wtTe th t'n ca Tled Rhode Island, ea..lt'rn l'

Wh ilt' tht' n u m ber o f different rerailers ad veruving in that cat('f;!;(lI\ . In 'he inu-rval rbev neither vuf­ rn the Prooidence (;a::rtll" dimmivhed d uring the Iered catavuophu- reverses nor ;lC hiev ed astonish­ war, la rge-r r o nce m -, ..IOC"ed a widt' varietv o f ing successes." Sinn' none of the- large- merchant merrhandiw for rho-,e who had mour-v. In Febru­ firm .. wen t out of busine,\, it appt'ar' that Finan­ ;IJ~ 1778 jowph and Will iam RU\\I·11 advertised riallv the bu,int'''' rommunirv Ot ;It lea" it.. "a Iew Bras\ Kl'lll (·... \\ ' arm i n ~ 1',11I \. Pewter di sh , u pper stratum remained te lalln ·h ' table d uring t', and plates. kni ve- , and For b . Bra" handle, a nd the war.» E,( u u-heonv. Ile"" lockc." J ohn Brown on :-': 0 ­ Coy le r-ouu-ndv rhar co m po,itioll o f the mer­ vt-mbe-r 22. 1777 had "for raxh on ly (;ood bohea. (han! cia .... n-maiue-d su bs ta uuallv t he- same (',OligO and lx-vt g n>t'11 lea ; a few hogsheads of St th ro ug hout tln- war , and In COlll la,1 to claim.. of Cro ix rum. a [e-w holts of Ru vsia duck and gen . ..nch histor ian-, ;1' Richard Hildu-rh. Charles and hrig, . 6 or iOO Y,lId, of shilt i n ~ lim-n or Britan­ Ma ry Beard . J . Franklin j am eson and ot hers. he ni a' ,., SUK,II , .. a Iew ca<,(", of ~ t· lIe \·a. IWO bags mairnainv that lilt' Revo lution d ill 1101 u pset tbe of cotton wool a nd a ( ~u a nl ll~' of 10Kwood and t'x i\ li nK rla..s struct ure bv creaung a newlv rich mahogany." If food and fin-wood were in shOJI g:roup wh ite o lde r el ite.. declined. t '..inK lax re­ supplv . consumer Kl.XXJs did 1101 se-e m 10 be _ ~ ' rordv, censu-, Ii, .... Ilt'\'o"papt'l ;uln·tli'ot'mem,>, lOW II and ..tare an hivev a nd bu ..illt'" records. Co vle fo und lUI merc ha n t firm, ,ttti\(' before rhl' To be Sold by war . Seveurv-one we-tr- ..1111 in bu..lllt'.... at w ar' Jofeph and William R ufi"e1l, en d "" h ilt" nineteen mercb ams had died and fi ft ~ BRoa la ke here th('",· lJ a de ~ p("Op l e m i.c: hl ha ve rem ain­ g:tealll ( h'lIlg:e d lt'i r po ..il ion in lh t' \ca le of bllSi­ t'd where lhq wer t' or mO\f'd O il rallwt Iha n l it''' promiJlt'II«'...\ t irs heg innin ~ tht'y helong:t'd retutn wht'll war was o\'(·r. Sotnt' TTlay ha\'e mOH·d to th t' '>o mt'whal 'ot" k n grou p of lon~ established inland and tlllrit'd rn farmlllg 10 ked lh t'I!l'>t'he.. 'U( It"sfu l bll 'lJlt·"nlrJl. At il\ e'nd th ey wert" '01111 and lheir falll ilit ·... Similarity of En gli 'h names •

83 RF.VOL VTIOS

and lac I. of othe r idemifling data make tr aci ng 1777 10 1781 n-veals no change in distribut ion of individuals in ce ns uses and tax lists difficult. If ....-ealth in Pro vid ence. In 1784. as in 1776, a hand­ adeq ua te mel hods of record linkage were avail­ r'll l of families control led the maj or pa ri of rhe­ able, it would lx, IlO...sible to see if Providence to wn 's property wh ile ttll' bul k flf rhe populat io n tradespeop le moved ro other town.. o r n ea rbj divided rhe remaining: franio n ( .ll't' appnldu:). areas of xtassacb useu s and Connecucut.» T here wa.. no di-cemible change in women's While certain trades ,> uch a ... house and ..hip economic role... . SOffit' women. perhaps. tlM, k over huildinR were in less demand during rhe war , buvine-..sf'\ whrh- men ...-ere in service . One wh o need for orhers should ha ve remained relatively tried 10 fill in dming: IWI b rother's absenc e was cons tant . Tailo rs and ..earn vuesses we-re kept busv Sa ra h Drowne. sis ter o f Solomon Drowne. phvsi­ ..upplyi ng clo the.. for the army , Disullerie.. must dan and apothvrarv. to whom ..he ...-rore 0 11 Au­ han' been in fu ll production making rum for g:U\1 17, Ili8: soldiel'> and the ro w n '.. many taver ns as well as Dadda savs 1/ ht' should [md h,m.lt'll aalt' ht' for eXfxnl. Ad\ eru <,t'ment s req uested tailors to ma)' .~ o to Boston but dont expect II tho ht' IS a ma ke- r lorhes for th e army and soual u ap p re-n tices IlItlf' Bt'IIt'T lor I am turned Apot()(aT)' SHUt' )'our in pri m ing. papt'r making and o ther businesses. A bsence. R UI Doni n nplll,. his n,."" l!, Bet ter to BtU If skilled labor were ill such ..ho n su pp ly, that I },m'.- made 111 m ,H m l t' pills off Cht'rr,' tree ...-hv did '>0 rnanv ..killed workers It-ave town?U and Barbary Baril. Of one hun dred ne w tradespeople w ho ca me It I.! a eood Deal Si ckly m tOt..." w hich ma'u'.! during rhe war. ..o rne transferred bu sineo n 10 merchants - its si.l't ni fic-a nce rna}' be a nd aher the war. lJn forl u na rel~' , Prm ·idenl e rec­ Ihat ....ar hit the ..killed worker and small trader ords for the perilx] are n Ull,ntl} Ullas"ailabk, The ha rder Ihan il did Ihe lar Re busines..man, on l ~' indrx of t'xtent o f cr im inal al li s·iut·... is ad­ An ana lysl" o f propeny \'aluation list ... fr om \"er tl st'l1lt'llI s for ... tolen !)/oprTlY. SUfh n OI\(('s ,md aC(o Ulih of bU'a kill R a nd t'lIterillJo: ino ea,>t'd sub­ slalll ia lly from 1776 to 17M2 . As orderl y hoo b indicale, ~ me Ihi en'.. were prohably so ld iq"; ANT F. 0 to be mad< up, , gr. " howt" \ t'r, .... ilh food , fu el and c1olhing: in , horl W ~13.ntH y of Yo oollen Cltlathing. tor " lI ppl~ ' . many, lxu h sold ier.. a nd ci\ iliam, m m l t he Comlllental Ar my" All Taylors who ha\"e ht't'n drin"n to desl)('ration , :lre ddirous o f Emj; !o)'. are H·(jlJdh:c.l to At leasl o ne minister .... ;IS co nu'IIwd aooul th e call on Colond Daniel TilhnghaH. Or war\ ('(feCI 0 11 morality. Two kllt'rs by Jamt' ... N icholas and J ohn Brown, and lake th~ Mannin.l't 10 a fellow [1I ~Ii ,h c1er g ~man , OIU' ~1J.te rl:l.l s as loon :IS ['cffible, as th e Cloaths ea rl y in Ihe war and o ne al Ihe end. A:i\"e in...~ h l are mu ch w:lOttd in the /hmy, illl o thf' to wn'.. religious slale. The fir"l dt'suiht'.. a greal religiou s r(', i\·al here in lal(' 177-1 a nd early 177:-' dur in!>; wh it" h ~I annin ~ ba pli,,'t! o\'er 100 pt'rso!lS in six month ... , Tht'll Lt'x inglon and R4 MHOl-UTtOS

Cont"ord came- "like a n Elecmc Stroke. filled everv relief. Providence Quaker... illt hltlill~ Mo <,t>.. mind with HOTTo r and Cnnhl,i o ll. and Strange 10 Brown. were su bject to -.l:)tIIt" public r rjn r i..m for lell. evervone would have thollg: ht ir would have th eir p;u-ifi"l "lanl t'." promoted Senou..nes.. among: IIv. ope rated the As ~ lanl1ing noted in hi .. 1783 lener. war al so \ eT\ Rever-se. Ior since that fatal Oay (April 19. di srupted educauonal pUl,uia 111 Providence. li i ::' l. Languor and Abatement of h al for God. Two day.. after the British occ u pied Newport in v-ern g: rf'a l1 ~' 10 have obramed: and thf' In stances December 1776, America n troops ap prop riated of C..onvervion and Addition 10 rhe Church. bur t:ni \t'ni l~' Hall, the main w lle KI" building. rare-.... Records of Providence's Fir'l Rapli\l Cla..\Ks were suspe nded. hopr:luU" 10 rt"Opell III Church vu p pon :\o lannin'f ' dese riprion. Irs regis­ the cpring: but in :\ol ay vrudemv learned rhat "in lei of me-mber.. Ji..red 114 new names in 1775. the pre..ent Stare o f Public affairs. the Prosecu tion thirtee-n in 1776. four in 1777. I.im 1778-1 783 of Studie.. here is uuerlv impracticable. especiatlv appear im-ompl ere.w whjle this conunues a garrisone-d Tov..-n." Ameri­ In 1783 a wa r weary ~1ann i n,:; resumed corre­ can troops remained in l 'n i\'('rsity Hall unnl vpo nd e- nr e with hi.. Brui..h Iriend. movingiv su m" Apr il 20. 1780, Mannin g" , ahn the ('O lIe,:;e', p resi­ mariling- vnme of the w ar... effe{'!" - dent. immediau-lv attempte-d 10 re..ume classes. Thr calam i/in of lilt' War ft'll ht'at'ry upon us. hill by June the French wen' demanding use of f lnt tl I h\ I) t'T.~ lO r l of o u r Church and Co"guga­ lilt' building for a hosp ital. Desp ile Man ning's tum upon thr ro mmg of the l\ i" .'( 5 arm)' /0 at tempts to have rhe ho..pital located elsewhere. R llOdt' Island. ... Thu w a_~ Immt'diatt'fy [otknoed French troops occupied th e college from june un ­ u'lIh tht' n 'lu attendant orl a earrison as U't' be- Iii :\o 1a~ ' 12. 1i82.6t rame a iro ntia, Thr drt'adlul Ettt'Cls of ti ns u pon American and French IKTIl IMlion of Uni , 'er sil~ tilt' morals 01 the Inhabuants tch rch remained 1 Hall and two other S<'hCXlI buildings also inter­ need nol m t'ntlOn. BUI lJ.· llat of all thln_~i U'a5 to rupred secondary educati on. A grammar school m r th t' m oM dl.ltrt'HlTIg U' a_~ th t' Lukeu-arming of and a wtning school in t'ni, 'ersil~ Hall also vus­ alm()jl all and tht' lo laI Ap()jt acv 01 many of the pended dasws for the duration o f the war. I'm l t'H lOn. The con la_~lQ n became gt'nt'ral - The Wh ipp le Hall or the Nonh School hnuve ar Bene" Pillet's of lI'onhlp a tmo.~ t ab andont'd - alarms fir and Hatcev. and the Bri(k School house. mil 14prm alarms Ihrt'alt'nt'd 1.(.\ w llh Ihal dt' iolatm ,~ slandin,:; on ~ feeling: SUt"t"I. hou..ed wmi-public /) n 'aitatlOn w h'ch i pu ad lJ.· rlh jUch rapldil)' or frt"t" schools. Thf' .-\mf'rk a n army approprialed a lon~ our CoaJB - Tilt' Collt'ti:t' qUltt' broA t'T! up bolh for ma nufac::luring: ammunition. Like t ' n i­ a" d til t' Edifl u occuplt'd by a rudt' and U'astmg \'enill Hall the two s( hool buildill~" <,Us lai nt"d ,"'old,ny, frnt 1m Barra rb. tll t'n for a H m pilal. heal)' da magf' ., , 6 ~ tIll th ,..y Ihr"att'Tlt'd it.\ a{mml lrJlal l>,.molitivTl. Sorices for <,t"H"ral private <,choo]., app('ared in R... ,~ t l . a " ,~ u a g t'J would far! to pamt ITl prOfl'" 1778 and 1779. blll I foun d no t·\'idt"n(f' indicating CO / O f/ H. th ,. lI()rror.1 of Ih,.I,. [) a }' _~ . 6 1 thai a ny ac::l ua lly com mt'nct"d ( lasses , Nt'wspapel Wht'lher war afftTtl'd " II Prnvidt'nl l'd Ihe Firsl Co n­ homes, En'n so Providt'n c(" s t'ducatiollal imli· Kre~a tinnal or Prt",hylt'rian churt h. Thf' AnKlican tut ima Srt med 10 have sufff'rro Inmt heav il)' or Ep i"Copal church. Sl. John', wa.. torn by d ivi­ dur inR Ihf' war by an al mosl ab',olute cessa lio l1 of drtl 1m·allies. Irs rt'ttor imi'lt"d nn rf'ad i n~ the aCli,-ily lor al leasl fi"e ~ 'eau . i6 u..ua l p ra~e r s for the kinK. bUI ils a imosl lOlally AhhouJit h Ihe war )"ean were g:enerall y dreary palriOl ("()nJitrf'!itallon rehl't'(l In ht"al and rht" for Ihe to\o,'n 's re.,idenu. Ihere were momellls of ch Ulch do

85 RF.VOI.1JTlO:"l

S IUII I~5 07 n lfl ~p"' 5 rl'l"rud m an 18th ·untll.ry En ,J{luh catrhp,m n prm l.

parades, dinners. and balls. Theodore Fos ler des­ cou r urv party. "a sort of p ic-ni c g iven by a score cribed washington's arrival on August 5, 1776 en of men to a com pany of ladie s. The purpo\t' of route from Boston to New York: "T he re was a this party was to ear a nude weig hi ng" three or Great concourse o f People Many havin g come a four h u ndred pound s." Ca rl Bridenbaugh notes Nu mber of Miles to have a Sig ht of H is Excel­ tha t "turtle Irolir-s" were a popular form of enter­ lency the Houses through the Sneer were full of tain rnen r for co lon ia l ari\locrals.M Women the Eminences covered wi th Men ." T he An niversa ries of th e s i g n i n.~ of rhe Dectara uon next n ight prominent gent lemen entertained of Ind ependence provided opponuniues for o-le­ Wash in gton and severa l ot her office rs at Hacke rs branon in wh ich a ll social ( lasses could partici­ Hall. Providen ce celebrated Washington 's seco nd pa te in one way or another. Troops stationed in visit March II , 1781 in the following manner: "In Provi den ce a lso joined in Iesuviues. On j ulv 4, the Even ing the To....-n . the Sh ipping in the Har­ 1778 so ldiers a nd civilians staged a moc k attack bour, were b-auulutlv illu minated. On w ednes­ 0 11 rhe to w n ' s redo u bts. Thirteen ca nnon were day an elegant Ernenainmcm was provided at th e fired fro m fo rts a t Fox. Fiel ds and Kettle poin ts Sta te-House. at wh ich were p resent hi s Excel­ and fro m the ship D ~!~ IlJ~ . G eneral Sulli van, lencv. the rnilitarv gentlemen who attended h im w ith a pa rty of ladies a nd ge ntlemen. observed here . a Number o f the Inhabi tants etc. After d in ­ activi ties from the shi p whi le "the vast Concourse ner Thirteen 'Toasts were dra nk under disc harges of People th at covered the H ill s a nd the road and of Ca nnon: and the Eveni ng co ncluded with a repeated Arrla rnario ns of Joy, grearlv roruribu ted sp lend id Ball which was honored hv the Presences to the Grandeur of the Scene ."69 of hi s Excellency Ge ne ral w ash in gt on. Gen . O the r than Fourth of J ul y cele brations, priva te Howe, etc. ere." Coun t de Rocharnbeau stayed at part ies. occasio na l parades and balls. the town lea st five times in 1780, 1781 and 1782. He was had no for mal public entertainme ru . It s first the­ usually ente rtained in priva te homes, bu t repaid atrica l per formance in 1762 wa s follow ed al most the town's hosp itality with a hall on No vember immed ia tely by a Gen eral Assembly ba n on p lays 18, 1782Y w hic h las ted until 1794. Resident s co uld not ru m While dinner parties in p rivate hom es were to the staRe to lak e their m inds off the w ar as did usual forms o f entertai n me n t, Provi dence's elite New Yor kers and o thers . No notices of public somet imes journeyed ou tside town for soc ia l garb­ en tertai nrner u appea red in the Providen ce Gazene eri ngs. Cla ude Blanchard , French co mmissary from the beginning of 1776 unul Februar y 10, gene ra l, recor ded rwo such occasions . In August 1781 w hen readers learned that on "Monday , the 1780 Genera l James M. Varnum rook hi m "two 12lh and Wed nesday following Mr. T em pleton of miles from the ci lY 10 a sort of garden where Virginia will perform Various Eq ui libriu ms on different persons had mel and were pla yin g ni ne­ th e Slac k wire at the Stal e House. He bal ances. pens." In Sep tem ber Blanchard atten ded another turns and sw ings on the wire to Admiration. He 86 R £\,OLUTIOS

bear s the drum on the Wi re in full Swing. He plavs wi th several Balls on rhe Wire, with great Dexreri tv. H e balances a Sword on the Bri m of a Wine Glass... , Tickets (or the pe r form ance are SiXI)' dollars each" The Ga:L'ttt' did nOI p ublis h a revie w of (he performance." If opport unit ies (or fun had been few d uring wa r years, on April 25,1783 everyone in to wn had a rbance to ce leb rate Co ngress's April II procla­ marion ....·ith th e Iollowing festi vities: At 1111' m omn lt of sun-rising 'Th irteen ht'av)' Cannon wt'rt' discharged from the Beacon Battery, Iht' Bells 0/ thr st'l't'ral Plact'S of It'orshlp tl.'t'rt' rang , and the f la!!, of tilt' United States. with that of France, d,spla'l,d at the Statt' Ho use, and on L,b,rt'l.Pol,. The Continental Frigate ..lllianCt', u..,,-, ,." .... (>po ... ""w...... I~. 1"11111{ 111 the R iver, and th, Shippm!!, m tht' Har­ bour, displayed th,,, Colours, and [ned salutt's m Can...on, an 1It.lIT u m ..'" 01 ,,-'ar, "-' 4.1 flh o u.I,d 4-1 4 (",1, ­ EPl ~ /llh Hono r 0/ the Va)' . At Ten o'clock hu Excellency, br4PlI 01 1'<'4ce Th u /8Ih·...... l t..)· r4 u hl'<'PlPl'f PH'll 1It.iITlA rIJ 1101.1' ., IJ I lu d _ Ih .. Jllm" fm P..IIU 1I 1ld thr GOI""lOr, hu H o nor th, D, put'l GoVt"TI1or, U'II'. With sri-eml other Gentle men 0/ th, Lt'!!, u lat ur" and others of this arid tilt' ne ighboring T owns, j oseph Russel! had wr itt en to hi s wife, "May o ur and also so mr rt'sp('ctablt' Stran,l{ t'TS [abo ut 200 HI En em y Return from whence Ihey Ca me and th at the U'holt') rxcorted by th r hldt'pmdm / Co m pany we Mav all soon 0;(" 11 under o ur Vin es and Fig: of the T rain of Artlllt'Yy ... urent in Procession s . , to trees and there m ay be None to Make us 01­ ffr aid , " 7 ~ the Bap tist Mu tm g H ouse, uihere an excellent St'T­ Russell's ....·ish had come true, bUI hi s man W4.S preacnrd , ... A n elegant and well-adapted fellow residents did nOI me rely sit under th eir Oration wa.s then pronounced . .,. T ht' Procession vines and fig trees. Although wa r debts fo r boun­ hal'mg a/unA.'ards mooed to the State-House, at ues and damages lingered. by 1781 references 10 T IJ."lt't' o 'Clock th, Proclamanon of Congress for a war faded from records as townspeople returned C,ssatlOn of Arms tl'as read from /h, Balcony to a to more norm al co ncerns. The town meeting con­ l'4.S l Concourse 0/ Spectators, jollou',d by repeated sidered and approved n umero us proposals (or Acclamations 0/ Joy , and a Du char1{t' 0/ T hirteen road buildi ng and repa irs. P ubli c school at x onh Canno P'l fro m thr S tate-House Parade and a lile, Sch ool bouse ha d reo pened in 17MI and college Number from the Beacon Batlt'ry. T he Proclama­ cla sses resumed in 1782. The Fi rst Congrega uona l tio n was then read rn two othe r public parts of Ch urch obtained the services of a I\{'W pa stor, tht' Tow", an d tilt' Procession returned at Two En os Hitchcock. Reverend J ames Mantung ob­ o'Ctock to th t' S tate-House co he re a .I{ rand Enter­ served th at "worship with us at Provid ence, of tammt'nt had bu n provided . Aftt'r Dinner [th ir­ late has in spired 111t" wi th Hopes of beuer tu n } 1045ts U't'Tt' d rank, each: under a Disrhargt' of times."" Tlnnrrn Cannon {lUI of 1045t.! iolloured.] Economic recoverv p roved more difficult. Al­ AH ogshead of PUP'l ch U'4.S gu't'n to tht' Pop u­ though the to wn 's mercha nt s o nce again co uld lace 0 P'l this OccasIOn. As the Shades 0/ tht' Eve n­ purchase goods d ir« tl y from England. Americans 1I1g" camr on, thr State-House and ,\ larle t't·H oust' no longer recei ved spec ia l treatment as before the u-rrr bt'au tlfully illumin ated and a most t'lt',t;:a nt .....a r. Trade wi lh th.. Brit ish West Indit" s was Displtly of F ITt' U'orJu on th t' Stau·HoU.lt' Paradt' reslrin ed . English mercha ndise flooded American (at tht' Expt'nCt' of a Gffltlt'man of thIS toU'P'l ) market s as merch ants O\'erpurchast'd Briti sh goods cloud tht' Ct'lt'bra/io n. Tht' Wholt' was eonduclt'd and also atte m p ted to unload h igh p riced co m· w ith grt'a/ Proprit'ty and Du or um .ll modilies purch ased d uring th e war. By 1785 de­ After eighl long years war ended. In 1777 f1alion replact'd infla tio n," - 87 IlH'Ol.UlIOS

But by 1790 rhe- tow n had recovered. In 1787 \hip,> fro m It, pori helped m iuate American trade with China. Pop ula tio n , only 1310 ill 1782, a decline o f eleven from 177·1, had risen to 6380. Aided III pan b) Newporr's wanime devastauon. Providence t'1IIt'II/;t'd a'> Rhode Isla nd's leadin g: town. The ReH)lu IIOIl had lillIe permanent im pa ct 111 Providence. warume disruprious a nd their after­ Graph o f W('Oi lt h Dislfibulion math were lalll:('I~' corrected b)' 1790. The war effNled no la,>tin.'; changes in the town's m sn ­ runonv - H'Jil/;ioU'., educational. governmen tal or in social and economic structure. Untj l rapid indu-uiatuauon and population growth brought \ill:nihcalll alterauons in mid-nine reem h remurv, __,m the ,>UlIe t ur e of Punidl"fl(t' institutions remained H. much the carne 3\ III the preceding 100 years. -_____-'"''1711-I

e ,e

Appendix a Distribution of Wl"afth m Prc n.idencr 1777-/ 784

~ "lltll" pn I' IIJ" ti'>I1 " mrddle ~4'\ uJ.'pc"r 2~

hil(hf'~1 10"l.

hil(h....1 ~'\ hil(hr.1 :?'to a~ounf" : Pro vjdem .. \'a ludIltJll I." ,_. ;o.; ...... mber 1777. :\la rch 171«), Februarv 17114 , Ril l'> I.,bran , HH R[ V O LL' TI O ~

lh-ntv R. Chou!'. " llc··loip li.,t, l.i ~ 1 0 1 AIIII ,,"'-f ' ~ in III Col. Sylva nu, R,....I, O rd,'Tll tH ."l 1771'1. \ IS, , upie-d the- Compan P,HI o f rllt' Town 01 1',0\ id"11< 1', R.1.. h"", ori~IIJ;,I . RillS Librurv. 1779." IH* ript. RillS Lihrary. •.dwin .\ 1. Sro'le'.I.'f' 19 '1''''''11 ( ~ , un(il "" "'JIl!\. 2,1 Aplil 171111 and H, m ll Ilmll vI J"hn lIo u·l" nd (!' rmidt' n«e, HI~7 ) 97 , 20 P" l i l i "n ~ 10 GO'n " ' :ll Av-emblv. vol. Ii , 120. ~I.S "' , . Rh,,,!t "land SI;U" ,\ " hiH" , Pr eston. HochtJ mb..au . 2. 2 \1.", W... ber. T h.. C,I\'. 111lI'lro in ..\IIan " ulilu ff. "1',0­ w Town ~1""l il1 l( Rn o ld, . U JUllt' lillO 1(,...., o f l lM" jua lrl' m Rl'u .l uti..nan 8<." o n . Iflll".m 4 >ld .\I " n· Q u",'... h-21i: 1 1Juh 19i1 l 'i6 21 !'"",Ion. Ho(h"mbt-fl l< . 3-:'. , h;tnUm'" (;ml.., ~"'unl\al of Pro" ,k nc.. Bu" n....' Z! P"",ro n . Hoch4,nM4U. t> t:nrnpri'tt in [hI' :\1I1 ..m an Rr \ o luliulld n . 13 (1770· 2:\ Rlamhald.7"'. Ii W. l.w unpubbvbed IIY\lt't·. Ihn l~ . de partmene 01 his­ Io n . Bro,,'n l ·n n .."11\ 19lJO. 16. I ..m llId..blrd 10 P,..· 2-1 hpt"ll'llpL John K,,, ...'n Papers. RIII'\ l .ibldl\ . 11',,,,,,, Co\ 11' for the I' n",mou~ amount o f dOli .. on 2 ,~ :\11t'1l Bowman..\1ur" l.. <>1 th .. :I m" "f"" Hn'O lul"m· Pro\ jdt' nu ' buvine.....' ...lleeted in hr. rh....i, .U1d Ph.D, "1'\' .-I.m,· ~ W iI , h ll , ~ ", n. IlC. 19H131. ,Ir....-r ranon r (1'1' 1' ,,1,,11, 1' . 11\-1:\ ) 2"'0 31 Ura rv ;o.; ah llm 1·..rll'l . Onoocl i ·J),o,rml...r 2... . 1779, in H n ~J / u l " "' '' I"\' U'". l'nUIlm end 8 0u" ' "II -I _" .,d U'".­ tl I' rmidrnc:r T o ...'n 1'","'1,. 20 JUIM' 1776, fWl · I059 and vent .4p pllu l I<'" f .I..J ( W a ~ h i n !,: I ' JlI. Il C : ;":.llional 69·10liQ ( pa ge .U1d uern numbers j. RUIS I.l bl an . .-\u hlv...... \9f,9 ) mi filrn puhlicaunn!lO-l 9 ...lapl..... 2:>O . 12 1'o..'n Pa,...a . ·' "·11"'2. 10 t".....'n \lfTllIl!,: Rn o ll"- :\I Juh Iii... , t:d.....rd . 'it'ld . 3' 1';n..1ll Li,·rll...... Rill.. \IS.,. 12: n , To.." I' apt'n . Hn 'f,fr.d w " " " n"I""'''' ul Hhod.. ' JI,," d ~ Prmidt'nu·. ~ ptember 177 11 . 06· 1:.01. 1lW6) ~ Il . i2. Jo hn H un him Eadv ell'l( Q"d .4rr h,lt'('· ~ ~ T n I'a,..." . ;) o, lnl,,·, ute. 7s-1:.2" O ,dt'lh Bool. IU'/I1 [)n ,.. lopml'n/ ol l'ro"ldn/(1' I"M·IQ~ (l (plm i· ~ ' t'b lU " l\ I. 17i~' · J .. h 12. 1779. ~ J llh . 1779 RII-I" I., ­ d..nc 1' . 19"'7 ) :.2·S'. I" ary 11 "Ma" Drowne l.; ,... York. 19...... orill;lII"lh' pubhvh ed ,my ot R hod.. lil"rrd. Ill. I Provideru e. Itl,'H,· I1I6Sls: 1931'1 1 ~S . .... nneth .'it 011, "Price CUlllrul in ...... En !':.. 16-1 . land Du lin!,: the R..v"lulill n" S ..u, ": I11,:14" d Qlfa.,nly 19 :-1 ( Dece m ber 1946 ) ·1s:\·:'9 U 1I"\o'ar d W illi. P' t'. ln ll . HochtJ m bt-" u Qlld Ih" fr"rn;h T roops In P.or ldo " .. m li!t(I--SI ...... 2 (Provi,lr llt r. 1 92~ 1 36 C.o\t'1ll01 Wi lll",m ( ;, ...... 1Jt' 10 Jr ltm'il h I'.....'r ll. 2 (k. Jvu,"41 01 C14...d" 8 1all, htJ ,d. Thomil' BAlch. Ira n,. ..>bt, 1779." Rev..lunouarv Correspondence lrom li7S ~:\ l ba n "' ~ i6) 6-1 . 10 171(2 I'r inr("(;j fr..m Ih.. ~1 " l1 u \C ri pl (~.IIf'( liofl\ ol rhe Rhode l elan d lIi" u""a l Soc iet v." Colln/,o.lS HillS I) Ii " Iii1'1..... 2.'>-1 "ifT a"'" b,l'" III T o...n I'.. pr" vubmined (11167 12-1-1·-16. T o ....n ~1 ....lin!': Record •. ilhrl 1780 fm rrl',"l1 o f buildin!,:" 'l«ul'ird bv 11001". :\7 RillS ~ I S '" 6: 11. I'" h "lt't. Il lan 2·3 "\ 1'111 1776. Rill.. L ib,an ~Il Cl arence S. Kl iKh..m ." Rhod e lvland ill thO" Rt'\ o lu · Iii Prov ide nce 1''''' 11 COlllll il R«OId ~ . 3 :\ III1: U' 1 1779. microfilm. I'lm idt'lJ(t' Public Librarv. lio..,".h I:; in "'QI .. 01 Hhod.. IJI">ld "'ld P'or'ldn " ',, I' /" nltll um " ", In" bId ol,h" C" nl u ry: .4 lIu /(> r)'. .'Iv .. 17 (;t'n t'ral orde rs from 0, ,,,1."1 2.... 1771'1 rn 1\1 ,,1< h 2M. Ed.... urd Fi...ld . rd. (Bo,'''n. 19(2 ) I: 210. 1''''''11 Council 1779. Sulhvan l · al " · I ~ . R i llS Librarv. Rnurd s. 22 '" HI2" JaIlUM\' 1779 . 89 RF\'OU'T!ON

:\!" Ilrdll:r~ . Rmu" U o f Pml ',d""r PIII"t,dw,u: C%"'lIf r """ lCtmhridl(t'". .\la" .. 19:>2 1267, T " ..,,, \ll"rlin jt R.....tdv. 6 S<'pu'mht-r l i 77 . bt ~" 26 . riO ~ I" "n i nll: [0 Brn jamm Wa lli n . P,0\, I.l hll'ldr l1lr (;a~llr 2.'1 \I"" h . 2i :\ 1'''1. 17i ti, \\'r k o nw H '''W., \Il't'"llIll: Recor ds. 17 :\"m r mhr, 177t1 . ~ A U ll; U ~1 .'\ Ilwlt! (;rn- nr . Pm " ld"" ,u l'IIm/GlIOTn 1m T..,o H III1 ' 171'l1 I',,., Id..l1((' (;"~llr 26 .\"ril 1777. dud a"d Flf / y r r " TJ ! P" .. idrn. r , II'l/l./l I Iti-I ....orrh So- hool·hoo\{' Prn p ll r lOl\ R" .."J~. 29 .\ 1,,1< h li lli . 15 C"r1 R[ l< ir n l'M Ul(h . (;,I,rj m R n '..lI.l ·'/um i .' /" m Rill... l. ,hr"" ,l mrPl''' ' 1;-0·1;;1> / :-'; r ..- York. 19ti-l. •>t'Rina l!> p ub­ h~llrd 19 .~:' 1 . IJI Ii6 P, ... ·,d..rru r."~IIt'. 25 .\ lm J 177H. ~ ''\1'" 1. 9 O""brr 17i9 It; ILllkll. i · .~.'r9 I"",",n \IfTlI IIII: Rn: .. [ d ~ , Junr IT'f). 2~ !dnlld/\ liii P, .." d"'ur (;a:,rlfr. 21 A lI ll: u ~, l i i l> 1i7 f-•.",f'r. 5 April 17i 6. P r'JI'ldr " , r ( ;II:I'lIr. 13 Ap ril. Ii \I.m h l ii6 , Pr....'on. n ·G , h m ~ / .", · . I',,,,, 10 R h.>d.. lj. 17 I"o ,",'n P " I " ' ~ ' 29 Junt' 1776. 19·990 , To,",,, Cou nc il It",d (Pro" drrKf". 19J2 ). P r t' ~ I <>n . R 'HhGm b.." .. . J ohn Rn flrth . 10 April l i i 6 Rro .... n ,,, J;o m f" ~ Bro....n . Pro,, I.lbra" 19 1''' 11 :'okf'lilll( Records 29 Janu"r) 1778, till Bliinchard. 56. 65, 8r i0 Cun",pund(,ll. r be·, wee., J...... ph Rll \>f'll in Providence ti9 l' t'l1',dt'l1l r ( ; " ~ /l t' II Ju h l 77l'1 . ,111< 1 hI> .... ik in WO(x!\'o,k, (;OlHll.. ,i , Ill . Shrplt" ) Col. 70 R.H< k. 170. I, ~ uou 9, .~ ! l. RillS I.ibl "' ~ 71 Pnn-sd..rt\'id"I1< t", IllS/!. Ie- . C:"I1""ioll 9; :'9. ants l. ib';Jr ~' . p [i m ...1 l!lti9) " n.1 Barrleu. ColO/wI I R r, m d l 9: liS] 73 T O.... 11 !I.l t't'ling and T OWIl COIIIl' il Rr" ' l[,h ~H J .l i H~, ',2 II...I/o: r " 210 Sln nt'. 1'l2. IninK B. Rj, hman, R ho de l s­ :\,,,,h \'hool·holl lt' Propru -ror-, Rl"'( " HI•. ~I"t(h 17l'11 la"d. SllId\· ",,,..para/urn ( 80~,. 1It. 190')1220 1' 1011 ">0. 6I'l. Sraples, HI .\ l;m n; 1l1( to \\',tll in , 2J .\ f,,\ 1 7 11 ~ . .'>., Cm lr. "Wt"I. ..me .-\mold (17 4')·17 98 1, P ro\idt'ncr .\ k r. j hant: Foundmg of a n fn lr rpri",,- unpubh ,hn:l PhO 71 ( ;m lt" . · \\'t'komr .-\' nold." l l;O d">f'rla llon. de partme n t of h i\lor\', Rm .... n t'nilf'r\i1\ . 1972..~9-6:? t1n:ll':..... 261. 5-l (~ ,\Ir . - WrI" ' mr :\ m o ld. - 511. 61 S5 Lt' l. i9. C,mlt", · Wrlcornr .-\lIlo ld· Hrtf l(r \. 211:'-2&i. .16 0,\1e. - R u ~ Ill "" ~ Em..'1.H'v- ,• I-J . 10.17 . '>7 Cml.... · SU' HI t.llln pri"",· 1.~.IIi .

5.il P' O/'Idr"u (;a llt'. 2.'1 :\"O\t' m brr 17i1> ,,[td pa wirn. 90

'T. '~ I r .. IHTU if Ib, r l. OVI Ol liiCS GAUn • • Ere"' itb you will rtctin the 1""0 Proul lh at IU to H bt pt'Opo(td 10 the Freem ee for their AppfObltion. at the m fuing Towa.Mttfing••_ T bt AHTIH"'''''L P ..ox; .....formed·by Depuly.Goytrnor OWEN, I nd ruth Friend. of the plc-ltnt Admir.il1ntioD II it W10 I tboulht n tcti'flry to confult. _Tbc JiIDfl.AL raOI: W'al formed by • nry refye8ablc Numkr of Frttmen. from , Malori l1 of T owns in the Stilt, whicb mel the preCtat Wte" .. Eaft.Grrtnwich._Yollf pubhlhi0l' tbtm ira Jour Paper .ill ubJi&c Tan COJINI.TT.II. 1'rftIidtWt. AtriJ9, ."0. Majority, o. Aot if"cderal P r

P' rl 1 "". 1, , 1 .'",,/ /0, /~

f.l""",n pHat" o f Iht' .4" " ,,.dn ll/'" a"d ft'dna/,.'/ IX,.tlt' ....frlh,.. Fermer, a I,aff""n " I Ih,. .4n" f"dn a/" / I"Hlt,"n. a.l{.t't'd 10 Ilt'ad a ('(MiltI'm pm. pwl" H"d b\ Ih" f ,.d,..al",. lind thl" ap~a•.• a l th" .,'a rrda,d·bt'fJ u , '" bOlh pII.t,,.,. f." hn ",'fJ\' ht' ( o uld no s 10"'. ,4< I' t um t'd o ut, th,. .-4 .l/, /,.dn ll/ '''''l II.." . I.,., ,,d mto 011'(", -

91

Political Sacr ifice and Demise John Co llins and Jonathan 1. Hazard 1786-1790

During ronfedera t ion 17H.1 · 1789 \ 1 ' 1I !;~ 1 {"\ over lIl i~ht resu lt in rongrcs..ional m ilitary or et o ncm­ IMI>t'T m ollt')' a nd t he Fed er a l Convntution dom­ if irlll'r\elllion .2 In eithe-r t-a\t' . the ..ta tl·\ t'H)JI­ ma u-d Rh od e Isla nd politics. Two po litica l coali­ omv ....-o u ld ..uffer, a nd Fl'd t'T a!l \I \ would (t"rtainly uous - the countJ\' and rnercannk- panie-, ­ place the bla me on An n tederal choulders, b en solidified a nd hanled on', these i.... ucs , A ma jor 'ol), An nfedera l Iradl'rs could nOI ..im ply and vud ­ politica l U' \ 'O hIl IO I1 (( XlI.; p lace in Apnl 17K6 dl ' n l~' f('\t'r \ol' a I..... o-vear o ld sta nce. T o do ..o when 11-11' r n u m rv partv. a d \' oca l i ll~ relief to rh e ri vke-d polnical ..unide- - freem en wo uld not d i..m - .... t"t l lhrou !ot h i.... uanc e o f ' I a u- papt'l 1II00le\ ', sta nd for vuch ba ld imom i"'ent v. The merr-a nnb­ won o\t'rwht'!minK r omrol o f th e It'gi ,laluH'. :\ party' had done ..uc h an about-fare in 1783- 17R6 m o nt h la ter the general avcembl ,.. authorized a O 't'T rhe r nruinerual impo..r, a nd their s..... itc h rorr ­ loan-oi fire fun ded wuh [ 100.000 in pa pe-r mrm ev. tri hu red to polrrira l revolution III 1786 . Ann fed ­ :\t'X1 ve-ar the l e~ i ..lauue. predominarulv ami­ t" ra lisl" didnol w a u t 10 make lilt' ..a rne II1I..ta ke. Ied-ral i ll philmophy, retu-ed [0 appo in t tI,'lt,· T heir prohlem . the-n, wa.. In a llow th e Consu tu ­ Kiltl'" to rhe Fed eral ronve nr ion in Philadelph ia . tio n 10 tM' runlied w hi le making if ;tppt';tt 11\d1 ..\ h er Co I1"; Je~~ vub mitted itv ronsutunou In state they were not J('''!MlIHibl,' lor ranfnarion and il:RI..larun-.. In St'plt'm ber 1787, recommendi ng simulraneouvlv prever mng Federah..r, frnm rn l·I\ · rha t ronvenuon-, hi:' called 10 cons ider it, Rhode in K undeserv ed n e-du. Thi -, ....·a \ it d iHii till fa~ k hblld 's a..\t'mbly - o n v-vr-n '>('palal t' IX la.. io n.. si no- the .-\n tifl'lk ra l majoritv (011 trolled both betwe-en 3 NO\l'rnht:r 17M7 a nd ~9 O tlo h!'r 1789 ­ hOll<;e <; of lilt' l l' .~i sl a turl' as .....e ll a.. the ..tat e's de-liberated a nd (hell decided a Railh1 cal ling a execur ive offin'\.' T he means Ihl'y' chose w a.. 10 (On\T nl IOIl. On 2 ~ ~I ar.h 1788 , \Ult"J S III town <;anifin' IWO o f th t"i r rnosr pro minent leaders. Ilwf;'linR" ..pt·(·ia lly ..ummo ned to ronvider th e COII­ In 1786 . when rhe coumrv parrv fir sl obta ined ..utunon . rejected il by 2,70X 10 2~7 . :-':01 1111111 29 P"w er. it ! )I l\ St' ~ ~l od a dis uncr leader..hi p h ierarr h v. ~ la y 1790 , filtevn mnnt hv after t hr- IIt"W gover n­ Of their rin ' to ten most prominen t Ieaders. two Illt'nl be~all olll;'ratio!lS. d id Rluxlt, h land latify slOod out " hove a ll the It'St. A<; \C' mblym a n Jo n ­ th l' COIhtiltll io l1 . Ratifica tio ll ..UlJRRit's, Illlt'I ­ a than J . Ha lard. " ~ l a c h i a \ e1 o f Ch arll'''lon,'' aelli' tWlIIro with .0nl lIlu illg: .olll rou·ny o \er p.apt'J a lly conilOlled Ihe parly' ..... hlle J nhn C.oll im, motley. dominalro "aIt' po lino. fo r o \t"r Ih rtT a llhouRh e lened . h id (''J(e( u n \e by a n O\rr ..... hl'l m ­ yt'a r...1 in K majority, ..... as merel y a fi~ur e h l'ad . :"00 01 unti l By th t" t"lId of J un t" 17t19 many Alll ifedt'ral lead· 1789 , whl'n tIll' Ft'(leral COlISlitu tio n wa s rir SI ..er · e r.. It'a lilt'(.l that RhixJl' h la nd would ha\"1' 10 ral i· io mly considered her t" , d id 1111' \01' twO beg- in 10 10 \01' fy th e {'.on..litution. Prolollg:ro d t" lay in adop tio n poplilarilY a nd in(luenf t",l

·Ph ll , t :m ..n'lly of \\' i ~on 'ln . 1972. Mr. K.tmin,ki is a'...xiat...... hl<>1 o l.h.. [)o,ul11<"man U n IOn ollh.. Rau fica tio n ul th.. f'.l>fl,OIUtlon. \pon",u'd b, lh.. ;'I;ali..nal 1I1" ",iGlI Publication' C.llmm."ion and lh.. ( 'nu n , il)' 01 Wi ~on " n 92 \AC Ra ' rCf, ASD D ...\ IIS.

Political d ictator H azard . "Beau j onalhan"- be d isappoillu-d ." lo

'o() ca lled because o f hi ... Iondne...... Ior ('(mn ly man­ O n nne issue. however. C,ollilh and his P;lTt~ m'r, and dre...... - wa ... bo rn in 174-1 . First employ­ Iunda mentallv disagreed. Wh l"l l"a.. the rountrv cd a' an mneraru tailer. because o f his whiggi... h pafl ~ ' was basically annfederal in philo..ophv . the '>(' IUlme fll~ he became involved in the indepen­ govetnor believed that the new nanon needed de-nee movement and began vtudving hi"to ry and strong central government 10 cement the union law on hi ... own, H e served in the general acsem­ togelht'r. lie wro te 10 j ames Bo wdo in , governor blv almovr ronnnuouvlv af ter 1776. a nd fro m 1787 of xt ascacb useu s: HI have nOI bee-n without mv In 17~9 a'> a delegate 10 Congress. HA natural Iear s for th e Wh ole t'mon. .-\ Glral bodv without oratot, wi th a readv ro mmand of language. su brle a head . an Exten sive union without anv Exer uri ve and ineeniou... in debate," a ... ,t politicia n able 10 Power Canner povi hlv Exi..1 IOIl /( . HII Ill- a lso move "t·Hp le. he had no match in the ~ I a le.~ Hal ­ wrote th ai ard pa msta ki ngtv blamed men-an u le avarice for I ha l ¥' for -"in 'f'ral war.1 !JaM unshed for a GOI ­ till' diSIf('s,ifll; rimes o f 17IH · 17K6. wh ile th e mi . era! Conoentum to mend the COllff'doaliml and nontv ,ItHI't"l! h im o f lx-in g th e "lead ing man in form 5~omf' Gene ra! Bond of Union. lilt" mt'a"lIl'S ....-hich han' make- u '> ..rink in th e I could not [ i nd allY 1J ()/I(J Ihal bound the U ­ 1I0,>tlll.. of th e ot her Slales." Althnugh tlOl a mem­ nited Statf'.\ bUI t llf' Fear oj G reat Britton - A nd be-r of the har . he often repn·...etued debmr yeomen [rom thr da)' the Pf'IICf' too k: placr, tha t bond U'Q,! in ('aws of bankruptcy a nd Ion- los u n-s. and hi s drsolved 111Id thr Unurd Stntf'.\ llal'f' been panmg oramr iea l abifirie, usua lly WUII for hi s cl ients. Ja51 to a Slalt.' oj A nnarchev, a .li l alr w h ir h n '(TV when th e Federal COllSlilUlion was presented in wf'll unsher to 1Iu COIullry mU5t dr rad,I2 Sl'ptembt'r 1787. he Marne a fier) opponent of The an n federa l rounr rv P';HI ~ so dom ina ted Ih(' ranficauonv." Only alter th e new federal govern­ legi vlar ur e- thai Colfms had lil lie 1IIf1 l1etlU pro­ men t went imo effect and Rhode Island was isola­ mon ng federal mea sures. Ot'\ PIl l" h is l'f fotl~ 10 11ll' red did he sotten his opposition. This sonen ing comrarv. the ge neral avsernblv tefu wd 10 send del ­ led 10 Hazard's u lumare downfall. egales to the Federal Conn'miml in 17Ki,ll The johll Collins . life Ion/{ It'\idl'lII o f Xew pon , gO\'t'fIlo r rt'portedl y e\ell of!('ted (() ~o 10 Ph ila­ won ell'[lion a~ gOH'rnOl in Aptil 17R6 al age delphia a l h is o wn expen..e rather Ihan allow Ihl' '> Ixly-nine. O riginall)' apprt'lltin-d 10 a black- Slalt' 10 be 1I Il1eprl"Sl'11lt'd ,u T hi .. fJ\'eflUre , if madt', ..mi th . he rail a ""ay 10 "t'a ;lIld '>()( )fl beca me ca p ­ wa~ not accep ted . :\01 u lll il till" j anua ry 1790 lalll of a ..mall trading \e,>o,(' l. An a rde nt patriol St'~,> io n of the l e~isl a t ure di d C.ulli n,> ' fede rali'>m during Ihe Revol ulion, he wa.. e1nlt-d an ass isla nt threall'n hi s position wilhm till' co u ntry pa rty : h is fill :\ewlx >rI County and Ialrl a del eg-ale 10 (".on· downfall started o n 15 j an uaq 1790 with a mo­ g-H·SS.J Ill' w a~ "looked UpOI1 as all h OlH' ~1 well tion in th e a~,>e m b ly that a (onH'n tio n be called m t',lIli ng- ~1 an - bill he hits I)("("n It·d a way hy a 10 consider th e Constit ut ion. Aflt'r a len th y debate S('( flf dt'siRning People who haH' made h im theit the Illolioll passed by a majority of five (3-1 to 29), T fKII."" A Flench o hst>!\'er repotll'd that " 1\-1 1. and IIIl' bill then W('lIt 10 till' assi,tallts for con­ Co ll iII'> ~ o n' fIls hi s lill~' repuhlic as a sh ip wilh­ nlTll'lIft'. flUI masts, he allows it to flo.:!t at tht" m erc y of Ih e The uppel houSt', ih twel \'(' nw ml)('rs a lmosl all wind a lld Ih t" wa H"~. whill' he a mu'>t's h imself AllIih·dt'lalists, de ba led Iht' Illl'ri h of .Ill' CO Tl\'e ll­ fishilll(.'''t Ttwse seem i n~ I~' undrsi,ablt" al tr ibu tes tion bill and o n 16 janudry defealed il by :' to 4 . 1 ~ appeakd 10 lountr) patly leader s ht.'GlU">t' Ihe new The a , ~ i slant s sent Ih eir nOIl-(OfHUtTen(-e and a Ko\'r rnOl ""as ea,> i l~ m a na~ed . (".oll ins a l~ in gra­ meS'ia !i!:t' to Ihe as">t'm bl y for a (IJnferel){e. The tialt-d hi mse lf with Ihe (o u n tr ~ ' patl~ becau">t' of a'>'>t'm bl y auep ted Iht' co n fele nce itw ilalion bUI his '> Ifl('ele d istrusl of merrlMn ts, lit" belit'\-ed that no a!i!: rt't'ffielll wa s rea eh t·d . The ;" ... islams Ih en Ihe "' Iale ·.. ",'ell-beinl( de pen ded UI)(J!l honest yeo­ re<,o h 'ed Ihat Ihe co n n 'lIIioll qUt',>lion be submit­ mell, whill" merrhants Wl"le not 10 lx· tru sted be­ ted to to wn mf'f'ling... . The a'''t'mb l~ ddeau-d Ihis (allo,(' "tlw it Religion is tradl' and thl'i, God i~ gain lesohl' by a ma jorilY of fOllTl l't'11. then passed and the,- Ihal [ xpt"n mt'n to s..anifite theil G od anolhl"l bill ca ll ing for a con\ention and su bmlt­ and Ihell ReligIOn fOI th e P ubl ick will Ce l tain l~' ll"l! it to the a\sista nh ",·ho It'jt'rtro Ihl' st"Cond bill 9j SAC RI FICE ASD DE.\lISE and adjourned to th e next da y, Submission o f the SOUlh ""' " lI' l/ o",''' co u rt hau ." . ,,".." of /h" .\lau h 1790 consututurnat 1"0,., ,,, ..lIon. ilrfl _" and.• , nm..· Qro ..p,,,d b" Consu ru uon to the peop le at rhis li me w as highly .l.: m ," ." (ln f.u I.•brar'/. unlikely bUI it was good poli tics for the a ssistams 10 go on record as favoring th is "d emocratic mea s­ ure." The second cc nven no n bill, passed j 2 to II . di ffered from th e previous bill on ly in that the ron ven rion and election o f de legates .....ere a week - later.w O n Sunday 17 J anuary the assembly pa ssed ­ by j2 to II - a third conven tion bill. differing from the o ther two on ly in the date the con ven ­ tion was to assemble. A! the same time. the assi st­ an ts pa ssed another reso lu tion for su bmimng rhe question to the peop le - a measure again defea t­ ed b,· a large rnajor it y.tt Assistants then took u p the third assemblv bill: one of them. John Wil ­ liams of Fost er. had withdrawn late the prev ious eve m n g , so w hen Ihey voted at noon. a tie occu rr ­ I I ed. Ooveruor Colli ns the n cas t the deciding vote in favor of the couvenuon.v According to Federa­ lists, Co ffins' vote reflected " Immortal Honor" upon hi m.u but in actuality the vote spelled hi s poli tica l death. As Coll ins h imself put it. "all V.,.,I,..- lot4p nl ,to. T_~ nI"'_~ ",n.__n ,,~,...... (.... ~..,...... public co nfidence w as withdra ..... n from me. and lArthur Fenner. wealthy Providence go vernor, beca use of his federalis m. was expend­ merchant a nd "sec ret Counseller and Director able. Consequen tly Annfederalists dropped him General for the Northern Department" o f Anu- 9"1 \"UlIHU, " SD l)BIl ~ f :

Iede ralisu. he su bstitu ted in hi ... plan '. Although ..h l hu, f , ,,n,,,. 1'''''''''''''' /, ad", Ol l h, ,f " ' rf,d"'I1 I..., Fenner did not act ua lly hold et-c u ve or a ppoin­ <"11.1.1 ,"" and ~OI ...m01 of R hod, h /and , /7'J('- I I(O~. lin ' offir-e. hi ... influenre wa s sur h that he report­ edlv convidered himself "as fifth representative. for the town o f Providence lin the assembly]. L:nO\... in g rnvself to be an ove r ba lance 10 rbe o ther four ; and rhat a self approbaung vmile will corn­ mand the- affirmance. and a vter n \la rinK 100L: obta in Ih(' negative from our majoritv j Antifeder­ ali..ls)."u Wh ilr Hazard co nuotled rhe stale. Fen ­ ner lxl"'I("d northern Rhode Island. Hazard p rob ­ ably wanted Owen nominated for governor be- rauw he believed rha t Owen could be rom mlled and manipukued juvt as Colfinv had been . Hazard a l...-I prohably realized hi s It"a dn\h ip in the COU II­ Iry pally was endangered by Feu ner's nominati on 1)('(',III'>t' Fenner wo uld nor 1)(' thr- pawn tha t l .oll im had been . Fenne-r at lirst dec lined. bUI d lllin~ the next t wo weekv, Owt'n and ot her party leader... COlH" lIIn -d him that he- shou ld accept the norruuanon. AI a r onven uo n o n 18 March 1790 the prox wa .. n fficially' alt ered. and Fenner beca me the IU''''' cha mp ion o f Anrifederalj sm hile Sam- ,...... oW. "...,...... of ,.... 'ut,'" R _ '.~""III.w ,....._" 1'10..,...... ue-l J. Pouer of So u th Ioi. in/l:..to w n wa nominated __, ,.... ,~ .. ""'..,_ '" ,...... '...... , ".", nt, .., I" "'- • ...4 '" ,,.. "." for depuu gove mor.o ('.,.."" ' " , Wl , ~ ( Ah ef the Anufederal pr ox wa.. annou nced. Fed­ eral i..", were in an un en viable fK)..ili on. If lhf'y Anufederali... ts led by Fenner rejected e\'t'ry o flt"1 refused to offer an o ppo... in ll: ..late. they would of conrrlia uon and (o mp romi 'io(' . Fenner q uesu on­ auroma nraltv ..urrender Slate oHiers to their o p­ ed rhe vmrerjtv of Fedl'rali sls' proposal s. espec ial ­ ponerus. If rhev put lip a prox o f the ir o wn, it Iy after new\papers primed wha t he thought ro be would ... urelv be defeated a nd would probable an­ a ro nfiden ual leu er. Fenner Iunhermore stated laROn i/ f' eno ugh freemen In co..l rhe Federalists that "By the Publicanon of the- propel"al in the se- vera l ..eat s in the assembl y. The minority there­ New..papt'rs, The Busines-, wa .. taken from my fore decided upon a middle course. A co mpromise Handv. and thrown iru n tht' prolK'r Channel. and prox wa.. propo ..ed wi th Fenner ilS K0\"er nor and the Freemen now have it I)('fnf(' them for Consid­ l' ouer deputy-govern or . In Ihi '> way Fede ralists erarion." Anufederali ... ts rlu-n nJII1fl!t-u'ly frustrated hope-d 10 elect one or IWOa.... istaruv hUI not an­ Ilwit opponents' efforts by ho yn lll inR the 6 ApTlI laK(JIli/t' freemen and lose \,OI t·.. for Iht' as.-.c mbly. u lllvelllion, wh ile Ihey rol\t iTllwd to promot(' This pla n ""as dt"\'ist"d se(rt"lIy hy a KTOUP of their ori/l: ina l Anti frdt'ral prnx.u Elnt,ioflS wt"Ie influl'llIi,,1 Pw \,ide(l('e Ft'drrali..t.. jo inrd Iatl'r by hrlll on 21 April. a nd two "'·t'('h latl'r lilt" new M'\'eral :'\t'Wporl Kt'ntlt'nwn . On 21 March 1790 leKi"la lllre mel: the AllIift'dt'ral prox had bffn the (o mm ill('(" of PrO\"idl'Il('e and :'\ewport ff'dera ­ ('I('('trd, a nd lhe COUllIry pally had won a majoril\' Ihl... ","TO Il' Arthur Ft'nnt'r a ... L:illll: him 10 head of fi\'t' in the lower hou'>t' a nd 11' 11 III Ihe lIpfx'r the'ir coa li tion prox. Tht' day aft er Fenner r('("ei \·· ho u <,t" . ed Iht' leller, il "" as printro in lhe ..tate· s new s­ Somt" adamanr Anrifederali sr... ",Klke o f circulll­ IJaf)('l'>. a nd Ihe public wa.. notified thai Fenner ,,·enrin/l: the ratifiGui on ("o J)\'t'ntioll which had ad­ wa.. exp('('lffl 10 reply ","i thin " Wt"('L: . Ft'deralisls journl'd to :"ewpnrt by rt'lo ubmillin l/; Iht' C..onsritu­ aho propo.-.ed a srale con\'t'n1ion al Ea"l GTt't'n­ lion dir('("tly to Ihe IX'ople, Enou ~h Anrift"tlt'rali..I" wich on 6 April to co mp lt'lt" Iht' com pro mise ",·ho w

Federali sr William Ellerv reponed "tha t the Ant is. th at Hazard, "find ing that th e C.omlilution mUSI in private conversanon wit h the Feds. have talk ed be adopted sooner or later , and dt-si rom of being more Iavora bl v respecting an ac ce ssion IONrhe a Senator he becam e a trimmer . He th ought he Consmunon. :\ resubmiwion to the people was wa s sure. in con-equence of hi s Inng aud faithful a lmost tantamount to rejection: such a proposal 'K'n ices, o f Iht' Anlis. and hoped by it moderate frigh tened some Annlederalists such as Hazard rondurt to gain the Feds over 10 hi s mterest , and a lm os t as much a .. il a lar med Federalists.2' lilt' Fed s were not vrrong enough to Kn 't' him a ny 'Fh e r rm venuon re -s umed on 21 ~ Iay 1790 in ('flt'flual aid if they were d isposed to do il."H Xr-wporr, the Matt'\ m O ~1 fede ra l town. For the It seems Iikelv that Hazard might have been most pa rt. delegau-s fro m the previous session al ­ approached by some Federali sts who offered sup­ ..0 attended the second session. For several days rXlTI for his senate bid if he mollifird hi s o pposi­ lill ie o f real importance occurred: Aruifooeralisls lio n to the Co nsri nnion. Alexander Ha milto n pUI up only tok en opposinon 10 ratifica tion. Fi­ wrote 10 Jeremiah Olney. a lead ing Providence nally on 29 ~I a y . th e g ra nd question wa .. moved Federafisu "Ca n not h in g be done 10 win or soften and a tense roll call taken. Raulirarion pa ssed by the opposition? II 'it't"ms 10 me that ~Ir , Hazard if a majoruv of two . 31 10 32,21 Federali..rs were properlv dealt with would nOI be ine ll.orable."H ove rjoyed. Anulederal ists for the most pari reliev­ Once rhe Consmurion was rarified, Federahsrs etP' Lillie opprobrium was cast either on those had no need to appea se Hazard: consequenrlv :\ntifnlerali~ls who voted in Iavor of ratification tht'~, refused 10 suppan him. Hazard could do or rh e three ab-esu h om the vote. Anufederatists nothing about Federafisrs' u eacherv...\ ny public o ffered for their failure to defeat rbe Cons nunion sta tem en t by him wo uld have a lienated members on ly the justification tha t they succumbed to o f hi s ow n pa rty, Hazard's duplirirv beca me ~t'wport '~ federa l in fluence. Lat er. in o rder 10 known and angered ma ny Anufedcralists wh o rruujnue control over state poluics. Am ifederalisrs gH'W ever mor e suspicious of their leader . j oseph att empted to place Ihe blame for ranficauon on Sta n ton j r.. "a fu ll blooded Ami." lo yal to the their leader jonathan j . Hazard.w a rui lederal r-auw In th e end , stayed in the good Anemion now turned 10 the legislat ure. called g-races of h is rally,n 10 meet o n 7 june 1790 for the important business Although both Federahsrs. the o ther IWO ca nd i­ of electing IWO sena rorv and drafting a la ....· pro­ dates were viewed differently b~ their o pponen ts. vidmg for elecuon uf a represenrauve to Congress. Jabez Bowen. arr h -Federalist. parucularlv repul­ With Anntederal majorities in both house-s and in si\(" to Arnifederah..", because of hi s stro ng oppo' executive offi ces. Fnieralisls had little hope that viriun 10 debror-re liet policies as depurv governor thry' could ge l n ne o f their kindred etec red.w The in 1785. had wr iuen P resident Wa ..hingron and legislarure assembled bUI accom plis hed liu lr until asked if C'.o nKrrss would protect Providence and the- v-ssion's last day ," 8 y 12 j un e ca nd idates for :\e ..... port if tht'y, see eded from the ..tau- 10 join the the- sena te had been rrouced from lw('nty·eight 10 Union,3o; Tht'txlo rt' Fost er was a mild!'r Ft·derali..l, four. Ht'nry March ant wro te 'ryhe Ca ndida tes far a popular Rt'vohuionar y War riguTt,. a nd Ihe KOv­ Sena lOrs wert' al first numerous, bIll like the I'rnor's bro lht'r·in ·law - a rela lionsh ip that ind i­ weakrf Blossoms Ihey fell off al length 10 four": (-'lIn:l. he might be under the gove rnor 's influence. Jonalha n J . Hazard a nd Jmeph Stanton. Jr.. bolh Un like Bowell. Fm ter ha d no enemies.'. Antifederalisls ; Theodore Foster and Jabez Bowen, As time apprexuhed for e1tt'tion. the ca nd idales both Fooeralisls," Legislalor s expecloo that two ",,·t're paired in IWO St'paralt' come ~t s . T ·o Anli- Amifooeral candidates would be dt'Cted, but some ft'deralisu oppoSt"d each other. while t ·o Federa- Antilederalim had lost confidence in their It'adn Iisls vied belwt't'll ,hemSt'h'es, assuring Ihat one Hazard had bffn thr Nprime conduclor of Ihe St'n,lIor from each pair wo uld be t'1«tt'd.,. The paper money syslem. and until a few manlhs leg id aluH". in joim session. Ihen t'1«1t'd SianIon ago," a powerfu l oppone nt of Ihe new Cons litu­ alld FOSl er - IWO men whom Anlifedera lisls be· lio n. But when ral ification neared , he softened hi s Iie\'ed they could tr ust to repreM'nl the- vie""'s of 0PlxJSilia n in hope of gai ni ng Federali sl su pport tht' state.'9 Ha zard . the AllIifn:!eralis ls' lrader for for hi s senate ca ndidacy . William Ellt'ry exp lained four years. was tkJMl'nJ. 96 U.CRU IC£ A~ D D£ M I.'iF.

cant An tifederal leaders including Covemor Fen ­ ner fav or ed rat ification. Hazard received the op­ probrium for it. The deris ion to abandon Ha zard and cas t the blame of ratification u po n him was probably consummated a t a secre t mN'tin g of An ufede-ral leaden on o r about 12 j une 1790, the day rhe legt slaru re voted for senators. When it served the interest of the country pa ny or the in terest of a s.e lt'Ct group with in that party. they .sacrificf'd their leaders o n a ltars of poliucal ex­ pedien cy. A peacefu l political co up d'etat had occ u rred , Hazard wro te It'l it onJ)' b, rn the POWt'T of these t it'')' m ,.11 that you hm't' serve d most , to saa if'c t' \ 'IW to their OU'1I adl'a1ltag,., and vc u w .ll fmd there 1.\ not o nr In. a thousand but would em brace thr oopo rtu­ mtv , I spt'a k [rom rxpenence. T hr pt'oplt' that I have takrn tilt' mo.\1 poms to srrve ha l'" sacT/f'et'd ml', IB far as lav m thei r POWt'T I llal't' burl ... sacriiirrd __ , in tht' Yt'ar 179(J and all llOuti{h thr authors hal't' no thoug ht that I am fm .Ht'.Ht'd of thr mt'an.l and m.llrUmnlts [used b)' thrm], I hal Of' them, I hal '" not o nly the m t'n'.1 names. but thr rooms m the hous,s wht'rt' It U' 4S agrt't'd upon . ., Sotwllhstandm,'{ I hal 't' n't'r bern thr slm't' of There w as mo rt' 10 Hazard 's demise tha n hi s »tv "rri mrrung" o n thl" Co ns utunon: anothe r factor [nrnds, I fmd u-hrn tht'), tlllnk thrre u a prospect lay in Arthur Fenner 's meu-orir rise. No room oj uUmg an old [riend Jor a nru. mit', thf')' t'r1l ­ bract' thr o p-p ortunitv,tl existed for I WO cou nt ry party leaders - o ne had 10 go. Fenne r had more gra nd iose political a rnbi­ nons: he saw the opponuni tv to mold ;1 new stare coa lition of An utederal ists and m ild Federalists by moderating the hea t of pa rty pctiucs. To ac­ complish th is goal. Fennel St"C letly ma de exer­ lions "with grea t Ind ustry" to fi:e l the {'..onsutunon ado pred .w Conrcmitarul v. Fen ner probabl y did all he co u ld to destro y Hazard's political Ionunes. wh ile he backed the ca reer of hi s brorher-in -la w Theod ore Foster. By supporti ng Foster for the senate instead of some o ther Antifedera! ca nd i­ date, Fen ner a lso improved hi s rappo rt w ith Fed ­ eralis ts. All agreed that FOSler 's elec tion stre ngth­ ened Fenner 's po liti cal power immense ly - a power thai the go....ernor co nti nued to exercise un ­ til his death in 1803, JUSI as John Colfins ended as scapegoa t for the stale's conve nt ion. Hazard suffered defeat as scapegoat (or ratifica tio n. Even tho ugh a large majority, as h igh as seven teen . of the ronven rion was An nfederal. a nd even tho ug h several signifi- lrwrn fl. P"Il,h•.,,,, . Rh"d, I. /and and Ih, l 'n"'n .I; ;~­ 1\ Woodur f Journal of d Trip. Amencan Phitosoptucal So­ I i'H ( h.u l>w n. nr.. 19691. Jnhn P K.ammd;i. " Pa pf'r cret v EII<'n , h.lo ra" ",i/rd Collin\ a\ W a \llh ...hllning Pohucs: :"otlhrrn :-'1..lIr l..nom·Olliu·, dllJlIlJi: Conted­ 1I::O\'"Of>l " To &onjamin Ih u ll in Klo n . :"" "' f'Oft . 1'1 S<'p­ erauon. 17~] ·1 79O . " unpub. Ph.D . dh""llalion. l 'ni· 'I'm"" 17M9. fll"\ 1.,.11",. (:1",11111' "·a\ .11 >0 d....-ribrd vetvuv 01 WI'o(on~1Il 1!:l72 . Thr (ounll\ 1'.l.fn ',;a , al-o ol ' .... I""". cOflc.. il...1. i!i:lluralll old m..n ." " Eufan 0 1 a referred lOlldrll aftrl ...·p tr m brr 171l7. For thl' l 'ni~ . "upplf'mrlll. \ '01.26 (or 2nd \f'li("\ . X \ ·). ff -' U --'5 I. IllO\I 'Mt!. all mrmhr" ' Iol . rd ill the ym,. parn de­ :\uhn.... du \!lIll. ltT.. d ,,"lIatlt"> branJi:rres. Par is ' p Ill' rhe (hanK" In n"m,.tlClaturr. 2 " •."lla'l "f a letu-t of a laIr n .ll,. hom a \ Irmbrt ..f Con­ 10 ('.ollin. In "iamud Ward "'I-.lr . 17 Juh lii4. G lall w colternon. lIisloriCilI \e r n nf P..nnsvlvania Ji:rMO \ 10 a (:"-IIII,.moln in Ihl' T"'.'n. P'OI'ldola' Gd ' :rll, 22 \ tit ~ 1790 ,\ hr,lha m B.tld ",III. a ...nKTr\\man II ..... 1'...·1)1.11. 15 t'..hm"" 171l7, JSII h'll:K autograph col­ hom ("O'f'Olll:ia . WtOlr: ..It "'·111 never do 10 Ir l Iht'm lection . ". 17, \la in.. Hrceorira l SOf ll'l\ ' ("....II,n\ wrote the [Rh" dr lvlan d j rernarn in Ihl' ,i lualitJi:'" Wa ,hill/i: lon. :"r"" I>orl . 24 '·alU,n r"luH('\ uv IU modlJ), rhem Irl Ihrm \Id\ 1790 . Wa\ hi n Ji: ln n Pal"''', l.ibraq o f ('..o n~es, . bomx e. il ""lIl1ltlll:nr u. hllir trouble." To 12 Fo ?, ;0.;.....1.." 1. 17 j anuarv 17117. G ra ll cu llf'<: ' 2~ I 'n i \ ,. " i l ~' :",.w Ym l . \I.n 1790. YaIr Librarv . lio n . -' William HI"I \ to 8 ,·n J.u n lll lIunlln!o:ln n . :"t'wl ...rt . 21 Col.llill\ to Prf"'III<'1II of (:'on ll: rr .. [Art hur SI. C lairI. :'\1'",., 1 ~ · II' · I ' . I' \II '" [rom 1.. ("1\'1' Sldtt>\ O ".-I ~ ' apl:><,at\ 179Q. Chanmug ,ollr'lliol1. Ri l lS Lihl;lI\ . William exueem di'.-l!o:ff't" .-l bl.-, I Sh ,lll Spa r,. no pa in. to pre­ 1::1 11- 1\ 10 Wi lliam DUl"! . :""" por!. 21 \Ia\ 17M9. Ell,."" venI II l .rl ler ho ..,k . :"t''''I'''1 1 Ili, mlk al S,.. i" I~· . 1~ " E" ltft! H a !: .· tl io tl~ Fi r ~1 IIf rhe 11I \lIr and ma Ji:niludr ."N, wp or l 17 William R . S.'lp ll·'. Hh" d.. /Iltmd 101 Ih.. CI'JtlII01..7l/a/ 1/,mld 20 Nov embe-r 17MM . Co ngrn•. 17"'·17WI f Providem I" IR70 ). 629 6 T o Il f'llI}' Knnl(. P r<'l\. \111 .'\ , Thro,Jolr FO\l('f T h.. 1l1lll:hn j;1< I< lol l KlIid.., Ih.. fw> lm of , laIr : O...ill: hl FU\I M' . PIO\'idrll. r , 2 1 Januan· 1790. Owi!i:ht ...... ",·d un Ihr "'d\t"\. in blu,,'tinK l..m JX'\ n brffl . F" \l rl ? apr n . \ II IS. 11 1\ hr.1I1 of I111 ' 11 . 18 Janllan :\ hI' C. RaH Il. ".\lIduh in Rh ...lr hland."" R hodr Ilumd 1790. Kno" PdP"', Philoldrlp hi ol f', dfTd/ GtI.::t'tlf'.:lOJan, lIu lo .....· III (O( rnhr l 1 9.'> 2 1 1 1 7 - 2 ~ . lIal\ 1790 911 SAC Rl n CE AND OF.MIS!'

20 T o Gl:"OrRt" wavhington. Newpon. 2,1 vta v 1790. wach­ 3 1 Gon'mor (Arth ur Fermerjto Lcgf slature. Provideme, ingron Pa pt" rs. (7-9I jul1t' 1790. Mo ';t' ~ Bro wn Papers M is( .. RillS Lr­ 21 Willia m t·.IIt" q ' 10 Benjamin H unnngron. Newport. 28 bran'. William t:ll t'r y 10 Benja m in H ueuing to u. ;.1 ('" w­ port. 7 june 1790. Eller y 1. t'" lI el ~ . ~la"h . !; Ap ril 1790, ElleTt' 1..(,11f' 1 ~ . Ifelll }" ~ laT ton C ,, [WTl b la ll enl(",.. I. 30 Juue 1790. lh-nrv ~IJf(hanl bridge..Massarhusetts W l".Iln ll Sl ot T. If Ma v 1790 . 10 j o hn .. \< rih('

24 \.... illiam Ellerv to Benj a min H unrington. Xewport. 211 35 j aber Bo ..-e-n to john Adams. Providence. 14 j lln e 1790 . Ma rch . 5 April 1790 . El kq' Let ters. Art h ur Fer mer to the Adam, PaJX'T\, \\' illia m Ellery df'snil...d St;lJilml as "a f'ln tio nt "t' l in lo: r-ommiuee. Providr-ur e. 29 ~ la l' h 1790. Violeru paper-money man . and . .. an obstinate :\ mi to MSS . 1,1 : IH. RillS Lib rar y. PWl'ldt'T1Ct' Gaullt' 27 th e la ~I . " To Benjamin H uuung tou. :-.'ewlKlrt, 12 jullf' M

From the Collectio ns

II i.. filli l1~ 10 e nd lhi" i....ue- on a Iigbtheaned note. Ex ige nrie-, of po liti(',> and ""ill lliIlK a revolunon left Iinle nppmlunilY lur friu)lil) . Arrord inR 10 the evidence o l news pape rv and lark of exta nt adve rtise­ me-r uv, puhlic enn-rtammemv in Rhod e hland were rare. lIo w('wr. by rfu- end o f the 1780... a.. the new nation purvue-d if " dr\lin\. plummer" of exot ic and wondrous eun-nain menr, also purvued their own er uerpri..e... Thev adveruv-d th rough the medium of th e broadside prin ted wi th detailed dhCriptitHh a nd -o meumes with ilhl\lr,uin' woodcuts. The broadside.. presented here ..how the a museme n ts citilt'n" of l'rm idence frequemed bdnrf' rhe (-ircus would come 10 replan" cuch ..inRlI lar exhibuionv la ter in the ninereemh rrnturv.

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EXHI BIT I 0 t-J S, Comic and Experimental. At Mr. J OHN THURBER" T avern, \Vd l Side of the Br idg~ . This Evening, for the firft T ime, A Chinefe Automaton Figure Will perform Ccvcral Ftatl on lhe R0J:' To-Morrow, for the /011 'Ttine. • Mr. CRESSIN will begin his pm orruncc . t 3 o'Clock, P. M. and hnifh by Sunfc t. J4 r_r dJ...... C'b.-k.....~ ' '--'U IC .. i.lI la" r1&<~ ..r '"e,f" ...... "'". loy ...l....h W- LMw wtorfl e.-,.... . iIlllocIef•••• w, ...... 11 Iale C.., I.. " 'f' t."",;,a U,lI ..I IIoolr a-oM lor tk e-. noinn' of IN Spt8.0...... A ,,..i1 0..,..•i11 u.-l., to kft1' IlOO'I ~,. .L..:. t Tkk"" rot s.lo: U 1M ,",-It uErirr__•..." at " •. TOlf"h .....1o . ~19l'! . P,;(t. "' . n..• t.. QiI..... Half hI«. ~. 1Iftc.M, , I. 17r'. _ _ THE ELEPHANT ~

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