kiBRARY OF CONGRESS.* 
 
 
 f UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. ^ 
 
NARRATIVE REMARKS, 
 
 EXPOSITORY NOTES, 
 
 AND 
 
 HISTORICAL CRITICISMS, 
 
 ON TUB 
 
 KEW ENGLAND 
 
 AND INCIDENTALLY ON THE 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 ■ WHAT DIKE NECESSITIES ON EVEKT HAND, 
 
 CUB ART, OUR STRENGTH, OUR FORTITUDE REQUIRE; 
 OF FOES' INTESTINE WHAT A NUMEROUS BAND, 
 
 AGAINST THIS LITTLE THROB OP LIFE CONSPIRE." 
 
 ALBANY: 
 MUNSELL, PRINTER. 
 
 1874. 
 
\-\ 
 
COMMENDATION. 
 
 To the Historical Societies throughout the United States 
 in general, which at this time or may hereafter exist, and to 
 the Massachusetts Historical Society in particular, this work 
 is commended by the 
 
 Writer. 
 
 " And lives there men who slight immortal fame f 
 Who then with incense shall adore our name ? 
 But, mortals ! know, 'tis still our greatest pride, 
 To blaze those virtues which the good would hide. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 It is not expected that any notice will be vouch- 
 safed to this work by the parties for whose edifica- 
 tion it is intended. When a clan or party has 
 committed a mean action, and have shown no 
 disposition to make amends for it, that clan or 
 party may decide that their best course is to wrap 
 themselves up in their dignity, and by lofty airs 
 assume that they maintain a character not ac- 
 countable, and hence not accessible to those whom 
 they have intentionally insulted. 
 
 " Like sophists why will you dispute 
 
 With wisdom so, you do confute 
 None but yourselves : for shame be mute." 
 
 " Charlatanism, or accident, may gain applmise, 
 genius may miss it. And who can be calm under 
 slights and insults which he knows that he does 
 not deserve." 
 
 " Thus hath the course of justice wheeled about, 
 And left thee but a very prey to time ; 
 Having no more but thought of what thou wert, 
 To torture thee the more, being what thou art. 
 
CRITICISMS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 How a Leading Historical Society came to have such an awk- 
 ward Name — How an attempt to take away the Title of the 
 Society's Periodical tvas made and hoio the attempt failed — 
 How much had been done hy the Massachusetts Historical 
 Society in a given period, and how little — How jealousy was 
 fostered in it — How it proceeded to undermine another society. 
 
 " Their obstinacy's ne'er so stiflF, 
 
 As when 'tis in a wrong belief. 
 And since our workings-out are crost, 
 
 Throw up the cause before 'tis lost." 
 
 It is to be regretted that a leading Historical 
 Society of the country is burdened with such an 
 awkward name : and doubtless many of its later 
 members have often inquired how it happened. 
 One purpose of this paper is to give an explana- 
 tion. The few original members of the Society 
 found little time to look critically into matters 
 necessarily entrusted to individuals of their num- 
 ber. An act of incorporation was very early 
 agitated, the application for which to the General 
 Court was committed to one person, who, being a 
 
8 
 
 lawyer, was supposed to be qualified to perform 
 the service. The whole number constituting the 
 Society at its institution was five. Whether the 
 member consulted with any of the other four is 
 not known, but certainly he did not with the Cor- 
 responding Secretary, and there is reason to believe 
 he consulted with no one else. However, an act 
 was granted, dated March 18th, 1845 ; and, strange 
 to say, but two of the original members are named 
 in it : these where Charles Ewer and J. Wingate 
 Thornton. There was indeed a third name in the 
 instrument, and singularly enough, of a man who 
 never attended a meeting of the Society before or 
 after its institution — a very worthy gentleman 
 who died in 1865, much regretted. 
 
 Why the name was put into the Act of Incor- 
 poration — New England Historic, Genealogical 
 Society,^ instead of New England Historic-Genea- 
 logical Society, can only be accounted for in one 
 way, and that the reader is left to infer. To use 
 a comma in a compound word where a hyphen, 
 and nothing else, is proper, is also left for the 
 reader's inference. Thus much it was thought 
 proper to state for the satisfaction of inquirers who 
 desire, or may hereafter desire information as to 
 how the Society got its awkward legal name. 
 
 ^ la the ensuing pages the name Historical and Genealogical 
 JSociefj/, will be used : that being the name originally intended. 
 
9 
 
 However, in accordance with this error in the 
 act of incorporation, a seal was prepared. In this 
 too, the comma was of course placed. Most people 
 perhaps, did not notice the blunder, or error, at 
 the time, or viewed it as a matter of little or no 
 importance. The publisher of the Society's period- 
 ical never viewed it in any other light than a 
 blunder, and on all the covers of it, from volume 
 five to ten inclusive, the name was printed with 
 the hyphen in the compound word Historic-Genea- 
 logical. The seal, however, remained unchanged. 
 It may not be amiss to mention here, that the pre- 
 paration of the seal was undertaken by H. G. 
 Somerby, who, with the aid of F. N. Mitchell, seal 
 engraver, executed it. This seal has been in con- 
 stant use as the insigne of the Society, and has 
 appeared on every issue of the New England Histo- 
 rical and Genealogical Register from the publica- 
 tion of its first number in 1847, to its last in 1873. 
 Why the January number in 1874, was sent out 
 without it, is a question to which no satisfactory 
 answer is likely to be given. The uniform appear- 
 ance of the work for twenty-seven years had given 
 it a place in the community of periodicals of infinite 
 importance to the work, and not a little to that 
 of the Society. It gave an assurance of perma- 
 nency which ^Qw periodicals in the land have at- 
 tained. The peculiar and distinctive style in which 
 2 
 
10 
 
 the Register has so long appeared has become as 
 much looked for by its friends as a Londoner form- 
 erly looked for the St. John's Gate of the Gentle- 
 man's Magazine. St. John's Gate has been discarded, 
 and where is the Gentleman's Magazine ? 
 
 The manner of proceeding to bring about this, 
 to all reflecting minds, objectionable change, will 
 not now be remarked upon ; suffice it to say, that 
 as soon as the number for January 1874, was issued, 
 which was the first notice to nearly all concerned, 
 that any such change was contemplated, several 
 of those gentlemen who had sustained the period- 
 ical at its outset and through its difficult stages of 
 a struggle for existence, felt that the change was 
 not only an injury to the work, but something more 
 than that. Whereupon, at the first meeting of the 
 Board of Directors of the Society, on February 3d, 
 (1874), the following resolution was introduced : — 
 
 " Resolved, that the publishing committee of the 
 New England Historic, Genealogical Society, be re- 
 quested to order that the Periodical of the Society 
 be restored to its original stile, in respect to its 
 cover, title-page," etc. This may not be the exact 
 wording of the resolution, but it is its exact mean- 
 ing. It was pointed, because the Society's seal had 
 been discarded, and also a vital part of its name — 
 New England. As there was no question as to the 
 proprietorship of the Register, and as the board 
 was prevei'ited from passing the resolution by an 
 
11 
 
 adjournment, the supporters of it called up the 
 subject at a regular meeting of the Society, on the 
 third of March. By an unanimous vote the Society 
 referred the matter to the board of directors for 
 final action. The board met March 13, and after 
 listening to a long, tedious, wordy and irrelevant 
 defence of the proceedings by which the New Eng- 
 land Historical and Genealogical Register and 
 Antiquarian Journal, had been changed to the 
 Historical and Genealogical Register, the resolu- 
 tion was sustained by a decisive majority.^ 
 
 To return to the name of the Society, which, at 
 best is a cumbersome one, and was the occasion of 
 considerable discussion by the founders of the in- 
 stitution. One member advocated Historical and Ge- 
 nealogical Society, and supposed that was to be the 
 real name, until the act of incorporation appeared. 
 One of the original members was of opinion that 
 the name should be, simply " TJte Genealogical So- 
 ciety ;" he being a member of the Massachusetts 
 Historical Society, suggested that there might be 
 some feeling of jealousy among some of the mem- 
 bers of that institution if Historical were used as 
 proposed : but he was not at all strenuous, and did 
 not press the objection. This was Lemuel Shat- 
 tuck, Esq. At the same time there was a full ac- 
 quiescence in the statement that there was no 
 
 1 See Appendix A. 
 
12 
 
 really active historical society in the state. It was 
 shown that it was some five years since that so- 
 ciety had issued anything, and that its last vol- 
 ume might be comprehended in an ordinary 
 pamphlet ; that materials were both abundant and 
 of great importance, which were being destroyed 
 by fire and other means every day ; that much of 
 what was contained in the volumes published by 
 that society was matter already in print and 
 required no such reproduction on account of 
 scarcity ; especially as they were issued without 
 any or but a very feeble editing : one gentleman 
 instanced Joluisoiis Wonder-working Providence, 
 which was divided into five parts and appeared in 
 five different volumes of the collections, occupying 
 in its issue a period of about six years ! ! A work 
 altogether not equalling an amount of reading 
 contained in one number of Mathew Carey's old 
 American Museum. 
 
 To return once more to the name of the New 
 England Historical and Genealogical Society : seve- 
 ral discussions took place from time to time upon it. 
 At one time there was a pretty general consent to 
 substitute The Neio England Archceological Society, 
 but it failed from a cold support. More recently, 
 when a building was erected for the institution, a 
 gentleman thought it a fitting time to propose a 
 suitable name for it. He therefore addressed a 
 note to the president, suggesting that it might 
 
13 
 
 properly be called the Archaeological Building 
 OF THE New England Historical and Genealo- 
 gical Society. But as the gentleman who made 
 the recommendation was not able to accompany 
 it with a donation, no notice was taken of the 
 suggestion. Such a name for the edifice was 
 thought to be singularly appropriate, as there was 
 no building bearing the name in New England; that 
 Boston, of all localities in this part of the United 
 States, was the most suitable one for a building to 
 be devoted to archaeological collections and inves- 
 tigations ; and this class of investigations was fully 
 comprehended by the original founders of the So- 
 ciety; at least by all of those who had given 
 thought to the subject. 
 
 Until the organization of the new Society the 
 Massachusetts Historical Society was nearly inac- 
 cessible. It had a large amount of valuable ma- 
 terials, but no provision for their being consulted 
 by the public, although chiefly donated to be use- 
 ful as well as to be preserved. If the works were 
 consulted it was at great disadvantage. The col- 
 lection lay in a loft in Franklin street over an arch, 
 and it may almost literally be said, buried under 
 the dustof ages. The librarian, the Rev. Dr. Jenks, 
 at the period in question, resided in Crescent place. 
 He was kind and accommodating ; but a matter of 
 history under investigation must have been very 
 pressing to require him to accompany an investi- 
 
14 
 
 gator, perhaps a stranger, especially in bad weather, 
 to the library, situated up two flights of narrow, 
 steep, winding stair cases, for the doctor was seldom 
 there except by special appointment. Such was 
 the situation and condition of the collections of the 
 Massachusetts Historical Society for about forty 
 years! namely from 1793 to 1833 ; nor was it in 
 much better condition for use till some time after 
 the organization of the New England Historical 
 and Genealogical Society. 
 
 That members of that society should entertain 
 jealousies against a new institution for occupying 
 ground hitherto scarcely at all broken, was thought 
 unworthy of any, except intellects of small cultiva- 
 tion, and of men who did not desire to see progress 
 in any department of historical knowledge, unless 
 it originated with themselves. However, an awak- 
 ening was soon noticed in that hitherto sleepy as- 
 sociation. New members were taheji in, and from 
 a long state of inaction, something like activity 
 must be dated as having commenced " about this 
 time." That such activity ever would have hap- 
 pened, but for the founding of a new society, is not 
 asserted, but is left for the reader's decision. What- 
 ever that decision may be, it was a satisfaction to 
 many to notice animation in that direction, and if 
 airs of superiority were assumed by some of its 
 members, they had the same right to put them on, 
 as other individuals have to put on unbecoming 
 
15 
 
 garments in which to make themselves appear 
 ridiculous. 
 
 Up to the time of this revival it was generally 
 understood that the society was the party which 
 sought/or persons willing to become members : now 
 it would seem, a rather different course began to 
 prevail. The society was limited by its act of in- 
 corporation as to the number of members which 
 should constitute it. That number was at first 
 thirty. Soon after the organization of the New 
 England Historical and Genealogical Society, the old 
 society petitioned the legislature to be allowed 
 another thirty. There was probably no opposition 
 from any quarter to the enlargement; nor is it 
 likely there would have been had the concern asked 
 the privilege of taldng in ten times that number. 
 It is said there has been still another i7iJi<ition of 
 members, making a total of one hundred; also 
 that the question has been propounded as to the 
 policy of throwing off the tranmiels altogether ; see- 
 ing that a monopoly of historical pursuits is not 
 likely to succeed ; and hence the i^ of leadership 
 of Historical Societies not attainable. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 How an aristocratic show succeeds — Who are seduced thereby — 
 How the seduced are estimated — How the managers of the 
 Massachusetts Historical Societi/ proceeded to break tip the 
 New England Historical and Genealogical Societi/ — How they 
 attempted to prevent its obtaining a Chartei How the Mas- 
 sachusetts Historical Society originated — How it came to be 
 limited as to its ^lumber of members — How a limitation be- 
 came a trammel. 
 
 " There are some things I cannot bear, 
 Some looks which rouse my ang-ry hate, 
 Some hearts whose h^ve I would not share, 
 Till earth and heaven were desolate." 
 
 It rather naturally happens that when any so- 
 ciety is considered a secret one, makes an aristo- 
 cratic display, and assumes airs which as naturally 
 are offensive, that there are people who become am- 
 bitious to obtain memberships in such concerns. 
 Hence a considerable number of young men who 
 had been elected members of the New England 
 Historical and Genealogical Society, and put for- 
 ward in its management, and who, but for such 
 memberships would hardly have been heard of, 
 were now ambitious to become members of the ex- 
 clusive institution. In this way the new Society 
 became a sort of probationary station, from which 
 the ranks of the exclusive obtained some of their 
 best (?) materials. This course of events would 
 elicit no remarks ; while a reflection cannot be kept 
 
17 
 
 out of sight, that when a member of the new So- 
 ciety, so far lost his self respect, as to ignore his 
 paternity, he could not hope or expect to retain 
 much respect from those to whom he owed his 
 elevation. That there should be any such is rather 
 a humiliating reflection, but it cannot in truth be 
 denied. Their names are reserved, for future use 
 if events require them. 
 
 That it was the hope of the managers of the old 
 society to break up the new, was evident from the 
 plan pursued in detaching its prominent members, 
 whenever they could. Their enlargement as to 
 numbers, noticed above, was evidently adopted for 
 the accomplishment of this object. 
 
 For a few persons who sought a membership in 
 the old society there is this apology : that society 
 had a large amountof unpubUshed materials highly 
 important to those engaged on any branch of New 
 England history. Hence to obtain the use of 
 those materials a membership was thought to be 
 indispensable. But the use of tliose materials 
 could serve as an apology to but very few, and the 
 majority of that few thought only of the position 
 it would give them to be thought to belong to an 
 aristocratic, and exclusive society. This common- 
 sense statement will not be palatable, but it is 
 nevertheless true. 
 
 A few individuals may have a right to form 
 3 
 
18 
 
 themselves into a club, and to choose their asso- 
 ciates ; but when such club in effect denies the same 
 right to others, they not only make themselves 
 contemptible, but deserving of ridicule. This re- 
 mark was suggested by an attempt of the Massa- 
 chusetts Historical Society, in the legislature of 
 the state, to prevent the New England Historical 
 and Genealogical Society from obtaining an act of 
 incorporation. That such an attempt was actually 
 made will cause just astonishment at this day; con- 
 sidering it took place in a republican government, 
 in the year 1845. 
 
 A petition to incorporate a society, under the 
 name of the New England Historical and Genealo- 
 gical Society had been presented to the House of 
 Eepresentatives. It was referred to a committee 
 of which Mr. Charles Francis Adams was chairman. 
 Thiscommittee refused an act of incorporation. In 
 other words an act of incorporation was denied, in 
 the usual polite form — " The petitioners have leave 
 to withdraw." Now the grounds of this refusal 
 will not be forgotten ; being in themselves too pre- 
 posterous to admit of a shadow of apology. The 
 grounds of refusal were that such a society was not 
 necessary ; that there was one historical society in 
 the commonwealth, and that that society was quite 
 sufficient to take care of all matters of history 
 through all past years and years to come ! ! These 
 are not given as the precise words of the chairman ; 
 
19 
 
 but the language he did use imported nothing else ; 
 and hence could be construed into nothing else but 
 a declaration of hostility. Now any disinterested 
 gentleman in Mr. Chairman Adams's place could 
 have had no objection to granting the petition ; but 
 Mr. Adams was a* member of the Massachusetts 
 Historical Society ; and although merely a nominal 
 member, is supposed to have cared next to nothing 
 about that institution, the natural and pretty con- 
 clusive inference is, that he was influenced by his 
 nominal associates of the Massachusetts Historical 
 Society to make the adverse report, as above stated. 
 There was not probably, at the time of this ap- 
 plication to the legislature, a tenth part of its mem- 
 bers who had ever heard that there was such an 
 institution in the state as a Historical Society ; 
 that consequently it could be of little or no utility ; 
 therefore an increase of useless institutions might 
 well be dispensed with. 
 
 In whatever remarks may be made in this nar- 
 rative no reflections are intended to be cast upon 
 the founders of the Massachusetts Historical So- 
 ciety, or upon their immediate successors ; for the 
 writer remembers with pleasure many of them, who 
 were among his best friends. He takes pleasure 
 also to record, that, it was his happiness to know 
 and enjoy the friendship of some of the original 
 founders of that society, among whom were Alden 
 Bradford, John Davis, Thaddeus Mason Harris, 
 
20 
 
 John Prince of Salem, and Thomas Walcutt — all 
 mentioned in the act of incorporation, dated Feb- 
 ruary 19th, 1794. 
 
 ResiDecting the institution of the Massachusetts 
 Historical Society, it is pretty well known, especially 
 to those interested in historical and antiquarian in- 
 vestigations, that, previous to the establishment 
 of the Historical Society, but few persons could be 
 found whose interest in them attracted much at- 
 tention. Indeed the number of such individuals, 
 even in Boston, was very small. Of this fact, the 
 writerhad,in some respects, the best means of know- 
 ing. Hence, when the formation of a society was 
 proposed by Jeremy Belknap, the question of its 
 feasibility came up, and it was some time before it 
 was acted upon affirmatively. At length a few 
 kindred spirits met together from time to time in 
 a lawyer's office or other place. In this manner 
 informal meetings were at first held. These con- 
 tinued for about four years, before they collected 
 vitality enough to move its members to propose 
 the procurement of an act of incorporation. 
 
 It has been a question often asked how it hap- 
 pened that the Massachusetts Historical Society 
 became limited as to the number of its members in 
 its act of incorporation ? and it remains yet unsatis- 
 factorily answered. That a society, historical, or 
 in any way kindred to it, should be limited as to 
 those allowed to cooperate in it, excited questions 
 
21 
 
 of this kind. Is it a secret society ? Is it its ob- 
 ject to grasp and get into its possession rare and 
 valuable manuscripts, printed books, and so forth, 
 and to keep them from inquirers ? and in that 
 way show an importance ? This would be un- 
 worthy of men. Is knowledge collected by an 
 association to be hidden, sealed up ? If so, the 
 smaller the number of individuals associated the 
 more likely will be the chances to keep knowledge 
 " under a bushel." It is one thing to provide 
 for the safety of materials, and quite another and 
 different matter for their keepers to exhibit an ex- 
 terior of condescension to allow such materials to 
 be used. 
 
 Respecting the enlargement of the list of mem- 
 bers of the Massachusetts Historical Society, a few 
 observations may be appropriate : remarking, by 
 the way, that it never having been the practice of 
 the writer to question members of that society, 
 about its management, though intimate with many 
 of them ; what he happens to know was communi- 
 cated by various members of it, from time to time, 
 as historical affairs happened to be discussed, and 
 the revelations contained in their publications. 
 
 That a time would ever come when the trammels 
 to limitation would be seriously objectionable, did 
 not probably occur to any of the members of the 
 first generation, or originators. Indeed no incon- 
 venience appears to have been felt from those tram- 
 
22 
 
 mels until another Historical Society was organized. 
 Up to this time, so far as the writer knows, there 
 was no special pressure by outside parties for ad- 
 mission into the Massachusetts Historical Society, 
 but soon after another society was formed, a differ- 
 ent aspect became apparent ; as will be noticed by 
 and by. 
 
 It would be curious to know what ideas the 
 committee of the legislature had in limiting a so- 
 ciety of this kind. Did the members of that com- 
 mittee imagine, as it seems the petitioners did, that 
 no more than thirty men could ever be found in 
 Massachusetts who would be capable of investigat- 
 ing its history ? This it may be thought is hardly 
 a supposable case, as it supposes men possessed of 
 minds too narrow for the conduct of the ordinary 
 affairs of daily life. Nevertheless it has been sug- 
 gested that the originators of the society did not 
 suppose they could find persons enough of their 
 views to fill up the space left open, namely, for 
 thirty, which was the original number. This solu- 
 tion is an inference drawn from conversations with 
 the late venerable Dr. Harris, the writer's long and 
 intimate friend. However this may have been, 
 the example set by Dr. Belknap, and the effects of 
 his excellent commemorative discourse on the three 
 hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America 
 by Columbus, had the effect to increase the number 
 of inquirers respecting American History. This 
 
23 
 
 publication was nearly simultaneous with the second 
 and third volumes of the History of New Hampshire, 
 namely, 1792, not 1793, as stated in the Collections 
 of the Massachusetts Historical Society, vol. vii, 3d 
 series, page 8. Those were written in New Hamp- 
 shire, but the author had to go to Philadelphia to 
 get his first volume printed, but the second and 
 third were printed in Boston. 
 
 For the sake of brevity the Massachusetts His- 
 torical Society will be mentioned as the old society 
 and the New England Historical and Genealogical 
 Society, as the new society. Also for the same 
 reason the New England Historical Society will be 
 sometimes used instead of its incorporate name. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 How affairs stood in the Massachusetts Historical Society up to 
 1855 — How a rebellion came near hreahing out — How it 
 was gotten over and how a new President was put in — Hoib the 
 old one felt about it — How a gentleman ivas treated who de- 
 sired to introduce a friend — How the character of that friend 
 was traduced — How members loere made and how they loere 
 ruled — How at length an " Infidel" was to be elected — How 
 he declined an election — Hoio his letter of declination loas 
 received and what was done about it. 
 
 " Bred in courts betimes tliougli all tliat law 
 As yet hatli taught liim is to find a flaw." 
 
 " Yet lie is as abject to those above him, as he is insolent to all 
 below him." 
 
 A man had been at the head of the old society 
 about five years when the New England Historical 
 and Genealogical Society was founded. Though re- 
 ticent, so far as known to the writer, on the subject 
 of a new Historical Society, except perhaps among 
 his immediate followers. With these his word was 
 law. Hence, to obtain a membership in the old so- 
 ciety the consent of its head, or president, must, first 
 of all, be secured ; no matter what the claims of an 
 aspirant to such distinction might be. Thus mat- 
 ters stood (in the old society) up to 1855. For 
 some time previous there had been considerable 
 dissatisfaction among the progressive and younger 
 members of that society, with the arbitrary pro- 
 
25 
 
 ceedings of its president ; well understanding that 
 his judgment was governed by his prejudices. Thus 
 it happened that some gentlemen were kept out of 
 thesociet}^ who had the bestclaims to consideration, 
 while some others were admitted who had very 
 little or non-e at all, because their genuflections were 
 far superior to their self respect. This state of 
 things having been endured for a considerable 
 length of time, something like a rebellion was se- 
 cretly fostered among the active members. It 
 was finally decided that the only cure for the 
 malady was the acquisition of a new president. 
 But how it was to be brought about was rather a 
 serious as well as a delicate question ; for all con- 
 cerned were well aware, that to broach the subject 
 required no ordinary nerve, as it might uncork a 
 vial of wrath of large" diiPiensions, to exhibitions of 
 which some of the members had doubtless been wit- 
 nesses. However, suffice it here to say, that in 
 some way the desired end was reached by some 
 adroit management, probably on the part of a ju- 
 dicious committee; {liid thu.s a change was brought 
 about, so far as is known to the writer, without 
 any serious outbreak, and Mr. Robert C. Winthrop 
 was put into the presidential chair of the Massa- 
 chusetts Historical Society. 
 
 That the displaced gentleman was sadly aggrieved 
 at the conduct of those over whom he hadheld a 
 4 
 
26 
 
 sway little inferior to that of the Great Turk, there 
 cannot be much doubt ; for he seemed conscious of 
 having been regarded by Jiis society as the great 
 fountain head of all matters pertaining to the his- 
 tory of New England. There was some reason for 
 this, taking into consideration the rather low state 
 of American historical literature at that period in 
 Massachusetts, and it was in that period (1825), 
 that appeared the first volume of his edition of 
 Winthrop's Journal. That work, or rather his 
 labors upon it, at once placed his name prominently 
 before the antiquaries and historical students of 
 New England. For an estimate of the manner in 
 which the editor performed his labors on Win- 
 throp's Journal, as an annotator, the reader is re- 
 ferred to the New England Historical and Genea- 
 logical Register, volumes vii; and viii, for October 
 and January of those years. And here may be 
 a suitable place to relate an anecdote or two illus- 
 trative of the character of the ex-president of the 
 Massachusetts Historical Society. His supremacy 
 over his immediate followers cannot be better illus- 
 trated, perhaps, than by the relation of the following 
 GirGamstance. A gentleman who had been many 
 years a member of the society desired the introduc- 
 tion of a friend. That friend was well known to 
 nearly every member, as one who had paid much 
 attention to American history, and had published 
 some works in illustration of departments of it. 
 
27 
 
 The gentleman who wished to propose his friend 
 was informed by a party that " the society was 
 full ;" in other words, that there was no vacancy. 
 Sometime having elapsed, the gentleman again 
 made application, and received the same answer. 
 " That," replied the gentleman, " shall be no longer 
 an excuse," and he thereupon made a vacancy by 
 resigning his own membership. These moves were 
 entirely unknown to the friend he wished to intro- 
 duce. The singularity of this affair is in the fact 
 that vacancies had occurred from time to time, 
 meanwhile, but the gentleman's application and 
 nomination alluded to had been entirely disregarded, 
 and the name of the party nominated stood con- 
 spicuous on the nomination list of the society for 
 some seven years or more ! It is said that a can- 
 didate cannot be elected if but one ballot is cast 
 against him, and that the election of the proposed 
 candidate was constantly kept from an election by 
 one vote, and that vote was cast by the president. 
 Now it was well known that the nominee, but for 
 the opposition of one member, would at any time 
 have been elected. At length, when some gentle- 
 men, members of the society, had the courage to 
 demand the reason of this opposition, they were 
 told that the nominee was a free-thinker, a deist, 
 or infidel, at the same time not pretending that he 
 knew anything with regard to it of his own know- 
 ledge. Now this objection will seem the more ex- 
 
28 
 
 traordinary, as the objector was notorious for his 
 profanity, though a deacon of a church, and though 
 well acquainted with his presumed infidel, yet had 
 never had an unpleasant j)assage with him. Hence 
 it was glaringly evident that his opposition was 
 under a false pretense ; and that the real cause 
 was in that the nominee had never debased him- 
 self by begging for a membership as one asking 
 alms, and was not of the aristocracy ! 
 
 This particular case is narrated to show how 
 the Massachusetts Historical Society sometimes 
 made members, and how those that were members 
 were ruled. If any of them ever read these re- 
 marks, they need not feel flattered by the opinion 
 held by the writer of their notions of self respect, 
 independence or justice. In other words they well 
 deserve the contempt that such obsequiousness ai- 
 Wflv^S i;)roduces. 
 
 One other circumstance will be detailed before 
 dismissing this part of the subject: premising that 
 a very small number of individuals always ma- 
 naged the affairs of the society ; that gentlemen are 
 made members mainly for the sound of their names 
 and the show they might make printed in the lists 
 of members, but who would rarely attend a meet- 
 ing. Such men as Daniel Webster, Edward Everett, 
 Charles Francis Adams, Jared Sparks, John G. 
 Palfrey, and others of similar standing. Hence 
 these gentlemen are not responsible to any con- 
 
29 
 
 siderable extent, for the misdeeds of those whom 
 they must nevertheless call associates. Sometimes 
 the managers, to give their doings the appearance 
 of impartiality, would place a name on a committee 
 of some one of these gentlemen. It so happened 
 that the name of Edward Everett in 1852, was 
 placed on the committee whose duty it was to re- 
 commend gentlemen for election ; and it so hap- 
 pened, perhaps for the first time, that he could take 
 any part in the society's business ; hence, perhaps 
 unexpectedly, Mr. Everett appeared in the com- 
 mittee ; of course all deference was paid him ; and 
 as he was no shirk of duties, he examined the list 
 of persons proposed for membership. He at once 
 noticed a name that had been passed over for 
 several years. Whether he, inquired the reason 
 for the name being thus neglected, is not stated, 
 but it is sufficient to state that the committee were 
 unanimous that the nominee in question ought to 
 be elected ; but it was well known that unless the 
 prejudice of the president could be overcome, the 
 result would be as heretofore. He was accordingly 
 informed of the unanimity of the committee in 
 favor of the nominee. It was rather a bitter potion 
 for the ruler, but the popularity of Mr. Everett so 
 reduced the bitterness, that he agreed no longer to 
 oppose the election of the candidate. From this 
 point fair weather was looked for, and several of 
 the friends of the neglected nominee were quite 
 
30 
 
 jubilant ; never imagining that a party thus lionored 
 could look upon the action thus initiated but in 
 the most favorable light. But this was assuming 
 that everybody looked upon the Massachusetts 
 Historical Society, as a great source of honor. It 
 so chanced that the gentleman did not view the 
 honors thus dispensed of any great importance to 
 him, or that they were intended to be shoAvered 
 down upon him at all. In this state of blissful 
 ignorance, a somewhat recent member of the society 
 let out the whole proceeding ; all of which indi- 
 rectly was communicated to the party so adroitly 
 to be honored without his knowledge. On gaining 
 this intelligence he at once wrote a letter to the 
 recording secretary requesting his name to be 
 stricken from their books. Its effect may be ima- 
 gined. It was a sort of thunderbolt. No such 
 thing had ever happened to the society before. 
 There was a stay of proceeding until a decision 
 could be arrived at as to what course might be 
 pursued under such an anomalous state of things. 
 During this suspense the recording secretary re- 
 paired to the author of the letter, and with great 
 earnestness begged of him to withdraw it ; urging 
 many reasons to induce him to do so ; but all to 
 no effect. On reporting his doings to the society 
 it threw them into a deep quandary. They could 
 not well obliterate the record of what had been 
 done, and now came the question — What was to 
 
31 
 
 be done with the gentleman's letter ? After con- 
 siderable suspense and apparent doubt, the presi- 
 dent ordered it to be recorded ! 
 
 Where there is no provocation insults will 
 always recoil upon the heads of their authors. 
 Foiled in such attempts, backbiters and hinting 
 slanderers are always ready to ply their vocations. 
 These are excrescences which find their way into 
 every society ; hence the Massachusetts Historical 
 Society, has its full share of them. Some of their 
 names are on record. 
 
 A result like that just stated was not calculated 
 to increase the love of the old society for the new, 
 especially where a prominent member of the new 
 society had declined to be a candidate for a mem- 
 bership in the old. It had the effect of a declara- 
 tion from the new society, that there were some 
 of its members who could not be bought at so cheap 
 a rate ; it showed also that the tactics employed by 
 the old society, to detach the working members of 
 the new, and thus break it up or so paralyze it 
 that it might never be of any importance, could 
 not succeed. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Hoio the new President of the Massachusetts Historical Su'cieti/ 
 behaved towards the new Society — How the new Society loentto 
 the General Court to change a icord in its name, and how the 
 old Society interfered — Idoio it exhibited Jealousy arid 
 Malice — How an array of singular characters ajypeared be- 
 fore an imbecile Committee, and how the spokesman of the 
 Massachusetts Historical Society talked svpercilioiis nonsense — 
 How the New England Historical and Genealogical Society 
 neglected to demand its i-ight subsequently . 
 
 " But man, regardless of to-morrow's ill, 
 Nurtures the passion of the present hour ; 
 Indulges all the violence of will; 
 Thoughtless of mercy, till he needs her power.'' 
 
 It is not proposed to expose the secret manner 
 of proceedings instituted by the managers of the 
 Massachusetts Historical Society, but merely to 
 expose in this chapter an open attempt made by 
 its new president to injure the New England His- 
 torical and Genealogical Society. That a gentleman 
 of Mr. Winthrop's standing should lend himself for 
 such an object, to do the bidding of a clique of his 
 society, is, to say the least, very extraordinary. 
 In other words, that he could have been induced 
 by any of the small minds behind the curtain, thus 
 to expose himself to ridicule, was at the time 
 rather hard to believe ; as he must have known 
 that the instigation was spite which he was pre- 
 
33 
 
 Slimed to be above ; but it is known to the writer 
 that Mr. Winthrop went to the recording secretary 
 of the new society, and used such arguments as he 
 had to induce him to cause the word Historic to be 
 struck out of the name of the society ! To those 
 knowing this act of the president of the Massa- 
 chusetts Historical Society, it was not much of a 
 surprise at the course he took in the time of the 
 late Southern Rebellion : nor is the surmise alto- 
 gether improbable that he diverted an important 
 donation from the New England Historical and 
 Genealogical Society at a later period. 
 
 The attempt to prevent the New England His- 
 torical and Genealogical Society from obtaining a 
 charter has already been detailed. The new ef- 
 fort, implicating Mr. Winthrop, may be regarded 
 as the last great open assault of the enemy. It 
 may be compared to the battle of Bunker Hill. 
 The enemy carried the works, but the victory was 
 dearly purchased. This sanguinary conflict hap- 
 pened early in the year 1858 ; a brief account of 
 which it is now proposed to sketch. 
 
 As no attention was paid to Mr. Winthrop's 
 modest request, above alluded to, the new society 
 proceeded to carry out an important object of its 
 formation : which was to make the name of the 
 society harmonize with the title of its periodical 
 publication, " The New England Historical and 
 ft 
 
34 
 
 Genealogical Register." Hence it was proposed so 
 far to change the name of the society as to make 
 it " the New England Historical and Genealogical 
 Society," a change so slight that nobody could have 
 supposed that anybody outside of the society would 
 have bestowed the slightest attention upon the pro- 
 position ; especially as it was nobody's business. 
 But it was necessary to go to the General Court 
 for its sanction, being already an incorporated so- 
 ciety. The importance of the change was very 
 material to the institution ; for its periodical had 
 done more than everything else to build it up, by 
 fully making known the great importance of what 
 was undertaken : it had become, in a sense, the 
 society itself; and therefore admitted on all hands, 
 that the name of the society and its periodical 
 should correspond in the manner as above set forth. 
 In fact the change was a real necessity. To effect 
 this object a petition was handed in to the General 
 Court early in 1858, without imagining there would 
 be a shadow of opposition to its being granted from 
 any quarter. Contrary to all reason and common 
 sense this simple change in a name so excited the 
 jealousy and malice of the managers of the Massa- 
 chusetts Historical Society, that they determined 
 to prevent the change asked for, if any kind of 
 manoeuvering could be brought to bear to prevent 
 it. It was a matter of unequivocal envy on the 
 part of a clique of the old society ; although it may 
 
35 
 
 have appeared to some, that this ground was taken 
 to prevent the younger society from any participa- 
 tion in the collection of historical materials. But 
 this, even in the abstract, would be viewed childish 
 in the extreme, and to have originated in heads 
 devoid of brains, other than those of animals where 
 belligerency was superior to all other instincts. 
 
 However, to thwart the objects of the younger 
 society, the members of the old not only got up a 
 counter petition to the legislature, but a remon- 
 strance also ; and in a discreditable manner pro- 
 cured a string of names to it, and succeeded in 
 getting a hearing before a committee. This re- 
 monstrance, replete with Mse statements, they 
 shamelessly printed in their first book of "Pro- 
 ceedings." 
 
 A meeting for a hearing was appointed to be 
 held on February 1st, 1858. The New England 
 Historical and Genealogical Society was duly repre- 
 sented, and so far as could be judged the committee 
 was disposed to report favorably. The remon- 
 strants did not appear ; consequently another hear- 
 ing must be had. This non-appearance was evi- 
 dently intended for the annoyance of the new society, 
 and the committee showed their subserviency by 
 allowing the matter to be put off without any reason. 
 However that may have been, on the 9th of March, 
 following, the enemy appeared in force. The pe- 
 titioners were represented by the president, vice 
 
36 
 
 president, and Dr. Cornell. Vice President Brinley 
 made a fair statement respecting the importance 
 of the change of name, showing that it was import- 
 ant to the society, and interfered with no one else. 
 Dr. Cornell took the same ground. The president 
 argued that the society had a right to a change of 
 name, and that the committee had no right to re- 
 fuse it ; that gentlemen in any locality had a right 
 to form a historical society and the legislature 
 had no right to refuse them an act of incorporation. 
 
 To oppose the grant required, the enemy brought 
 Emory Washburn as chief advocate, and old Josiah 
 Quincy for — one hardly knows what — except to say 
 something at which those who came with him 
 might laugh. The principal of these were one W. 
 Brigham and Chandler Bobbins. They showed 
 their appreciation of the old man's stale jokes by 
 grins and shrugs as bo^^s are wont to do at those 
 of a clown in a circus. Washburn took up about 
 an hour in a sort of laudation of the Massachusetts 
 Historical Society, interspersed with here and there 
 a supercilious compliment for the members of the 
 new society. 
 
 That this committee had been tampered with by 
 members of the Massachusetts Historical Society, 
 is not asserted, but judging from appearances, the 
 chairman of that committee hoped to be elevated 
 to a membership by reporting adversely to the pe- 
 titioners. At all events he did report adversely, 
 
37 
 
 and whether rewarded in the manner mentioned 
 the writer never took pains to inquire. 
 
 It is sincerely to be regretted that the matter of 
 change of name was allowed to stop here, as noth- 
 ing but a little perseverance was wanting to have 
 secured what was asked for. Why it was not im- 
 mediately attended to was mainly owing to the 
 many and heavy duties under which the president 
 of the society labored, besides his preparations for 
 an extended and indefinite sojourn in Europe. 
 Meanwhile new officers had been placed at the 
 head of the society, who suffered so much time to 
 elapse that a renewal of the application to the 
 legislature by those who had encountered so much 
 disgraceful opposition was deferred. If any mem- 
 bers of the New England Historical and Genealogi- 
 cal Society relaxed their endeavors in the hope of 
 being favorably noticed by the other society, they 
 were probably disappointed, and ought to have 
 been. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 How the Spokesman of the Massachusetts Historical Society^ in- 
 jiated what that Society had done — How a juxtaposition of 
 Facts looh — How a swindle loas passed over — Hoio the, ad- 
 vocate Ignorantly or falsely confounded things — Hoio advice 
 was vouchsafed to the New Historical and Genealogical 
 Society — How Signers to Remonstrances, &c. are obtained — 
 How the Massachusetts Historical Society, came into possession 
 of the Records of Connecticut — How it coloured the Prince 
 Jjibrary aiul how it lost it — How it attempted to keep a 
 quantity of the Massachusetts archives accidentally left In its 
 possession. 
 
 " How dare tliese worms, ordain'd tlie ground to crawl, 
 And on their bellies in the dust co sprawl, 
 Mount up, like men, erect on hinder feet, 
 And play the hypocrite to all they meet." 
 
 In this chapter it is proposed to review some of 
 the statements contained in the " Memorial" of 
 the Massachusetts Historical Society, and printed 
 in the book of their " Proceedings." In that me- 
 morial they begin by setting forth the great amount 
 of historical matter their society had published : — 
 " Scarce a year," they say, " had elapsed from the 
 date of the institution of the society, before its first 
 publications were issued : and then vaulting over 
 nearly seventy years, add, — "it has now in press 
 the thirty-fourth volume of a series of Historical 
 Collections." It is well known, that during the 
 lifetime of Dr. Jeremy Belknap, there was con- 
 siderable activity, and nearly a volume a year was 
 
39 
 
 issued, extending over about five years; namely 
 from 1792 to 1798. Then succeeded years in 
 which nothing was done ; thirty-three volumes had 
 been published in sixty-seven years ! Now the 
 matter in each of these volumes does not exceed 
 that in a single number of an ordinary magazine ! 
 The writer of the " Memorial's" next leap is to 
 Governor Bradford's history. For what credit the 
 Massachusetts Historical Society deserves for its 
 agency in producing that work the reader who 
 would be correctly informed, must turn to the New 
 England Historical and Genealogical Register, 
 volume IX, where, on pages 231, &c., he may learn 
 that the party who appears the most conspicu- 
 ous, deserves credit only as a second or third class 
 agent. The Massachusetts Records printed and 
 managed by a member of the Massachusetts His- 
 torical Society, would have afforded Mr. Emory 
 Washburn a splendid opportunity to lavish en- 
 comiums on the manager of that gigantic swindle — 
 for a brief notice of which the reader is referred to 
 the Springfield Republican of the period, and to 
 the New England Historical and Genealogical 
 Register, volume xii, pages 358-9. 
 
 Next, congratulations are put forth with much 
 complacency, that the example of the Massachu- 
 setts Historical Society has been followed in several 
 states. The American Antiquarian Society, is 
 next noticed, which, by the way, it should be re- 
 
40 
 
 marked, is now in a fair way to be absorbed by 
 the Massachusetts Historical Society. Next fol- 
 lows an intentional misrepresentation. They give 
 the name of the society as the Historic-Genealogi- 
 cal Society. The falsity here is two fold, first, 
 New England is excluded, and second, a hyphen 
 instead of a comma is put between Historic and 
 Genealogical. The writer of the remonstrance 
 then very insultingly and as falsely remarks that 
 the new society " has the best wishes of us all" ! ! 
 The sinister act of substituting the hjqDhen for the 
 comma in the name was to destroy the force of the 
 word historical ; thence basing the fallacious argu- 
 ment upon historic genealogical, that it had little 
 or nothing to do with history, because the name 
 meant only the historical part of genealogy. So 
 instead of using the name as it stands in the act 
 of incorporation, with a comma between New Eng- 
 land and Historic, the memorialists well knew 
 that a comma in place of a hyphen in that word 
 meant atid, if it meant anything, and hence dis- 
 honestly substituted the hyphen ; whereupon they 
 make the fallacious and puerile argument that the 
 new society considered history subordinate to^gene- 
 alogy ! This deep logician does not inform his 
 readers how much history there was before there 
 was any genealogy. 
 
 The next paragraph in the remonstrance sets 
 forth the extreme sufferings of the Massachusetts 
 
41 
 
 Historical Society, because " the two societies have 
 been frequently confounded with each other, con- 
 tributions and communications" going to the 
 wrong society. Now the writer hereof knows that 
 mistakes of this kind were rare, and owing entirely 
 to carelessness ; he also knows that if either side 
 suftered from this carele.ssness it was the New 
 England Historical Society. Hence everj' business 
 and concern in Boston, beginning with New Eng- 
 land should not be allowed to use that name as it 
 might interfere with the Massachusetts Historical 
 Society. The next objection to the name of the 
 New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 
 is in effect, that the people employed in the Boston 
 post office did not know New England from Mas- 
 sachusetts. It took a long paragraph in the re- 
 monstrance to bring this charge, and to say what 
 is said in two lines above. It is noticed only to 
 show the puerility of the author or authors of that 
 remonstrance. 
 
 The next matter deserving any notice is a piece 
 of gratuitous advice, and is put in this mild form : 
 ^' Perhaps we might be pardoned for suggesting, in 
 behalf of our sister societies in the other New 
 England states, as well as in our own behalf, that 
 a title which should thus seem to imply an absorp- 
 tion of all the state historical societies of New 
 England would hardly be for the advantage of any 
 6 
 
42 
 
 of them :" and yet if any of the other Historical 
 Societies in New England, are, or have been 
 alarmed lest they should be swallowed up by the 
 New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 
 it has never come to the knowledge of the writer : 
 but it will be shown in this narrative that the 
 party making this weak accusation has done what 
 it is able to do to swallow both the American An- 
 tiquarian Society, and the New England Historical 
 and Genealogical Society. 
 
 In the next paragraph of five lines the reader 
 is informed that the Historical Society " should 
 hardly be pardoned if it were to intimate a willing- 
 ness to part with its name" ! ! This is sheer namby 
 pamby, and it is difficult to conceive that men 
 would allow their names to accompany it. 
 
 After the above brilliant conceit comes one 
 " suggesting that the adoption of a different name 
 might not be inconsistent with their interests or 
 their honor" ! ! It is to be wondered why this au- 
 thor was not generous enough to propose a name 
 for the new society while he was about it, and so 
 generous with his advice. And here it is proposed 
 to close the notice of the memorial, a work con- 
 ceived in spite and arrogance and brought forth 
 by folly. As to the signers of this remoihstrahce 
 classically called a memorial, but few remarks will 
 be made. They numbered forty-fmir ; of which 
 number it is probable not above four or five ever 
 
43 
 
 read or heard it read. This opinion is expressed 
 under the belief that not more than the latter 
 number would have been mean enouafh to interfere 
 
 o 
 
 in a matter in which they had no business or con- 
 cern, had they taken a moment's time for reflection ; 
 for it is well known how signers to petitions are 
 generally obtained : a few names are placed at the 
 head of the paper, of two or three well known 
 persons of distinction in a past age, but who may 
 have lost every faculty but their prejudices. These 
 are as blindly followed as the appendage of the 
 quadruped follows its owner. A few malicious in- 
 dividuals set this machinery in motion under fal- 
 lacious and false pretenses ; such, beyond per- 
 ad venture started the interference with that which 
 was none of their business ; prompted by jealousy 
 and sustained by impudence. 
 
 It was intended that this exposition should have 
 been made during the lifetime of all the forty-four, 
 but various and continued labors delayed it from 
 time to time, and until but about half the number 
 are among the living ; it is now published in part 
 for their benefit, and to expose one of the most 
 shameful attempts on the part of one society to 
 annoy and ruin another, which has ever come 
 within the knowledge of the writer. That the 
 circumstances are truthfully stated, for confirm- 
 ation the reader is referred to that mild and forbear- 
 ing exposition made at the time by Mr. John Ward 
 
44 
 
 Dean, and printed in the New England Historical 
 and Genealogical Register, volume xiii, 266, et seq. 
 Individuals are often avaricious. Little is 
 thought of it, as it is common to all mankind in a 
 certain degree : but a great display of avarice is 
 not quite so pardonable in a corporation, ostensibly 
 established for the public good. It is not proposed 
 to inquire how the Massachusetts Historical So- 
 ciety came into possession of certain muniments 
 of another state, but certain it is it has in its pos- 
 session records invaluable to Connecticut ; records 
 which no individual had any right to dispose of or 
 appropriate ; records without the use of which no 
 true history of Connecticut can be written ; these 
 consist not of a few scattering papers, but the real 
 records of the most important periods of its history, 
 requiring some twenty heavy folios to contain 
 them. If even a Connecticut gentleman desires 
 to consult these records, it costs him from one to 
 two months time before he can do so, when he de- 
 sires to make even copies of a few pages ! Now 
 the question which will occur to every one is — 
 Why is this so ? Why does not Connecticut reclaim 
 her records ? The answers to these questions are 
 very simple, and reflect discredit on both the pos- 
 sessors and the state of Connecticut : on the former 
 for retaining what they have no moral and proba- 
 bly no legal right to ; and on the latter for negli- 
 gence to claim their property. Has the Massa- 
 
45 
 
 cliasetts Historical Society, by conferring its empty 
 memberships on a few ini3uential individuals of 
 Connecticut, stifled and " qualified" all claim of 
 the state to its archives ? Let the authorities of 
 that state answer this inquiry as best suits them. 
 One other circumstance, similar in some degree 
 to the above, is as follows : The Rev. Thomas 
 Prince left by will his invaluable collection of 
 printed books and manuscripts to the Old South 
 Society in Boston, to be kept by them forever. 
 This collection he called the New England Library. 
 Now the conditions of this gift, were, in his own 
 words : " That the same may be kept entire, I desire 
 it may always be kept by itself, and that 7io person 
 shall borrow any book or paper therefrom, but 
 that any person, whom the pastor and deacons 
 shall approve of, may have access there to and 
 take copies therefrom." Now with this will on 
 record, and accessible to everybody, the Massa- 
 chusetts Historical Society was allowed to take 
 and carry off this library ! For some twenty years, 
 more or less, the Old South Society were as still as 
 Comiecticut, and might have remained so to this 
 day, had not the writer of this Narrative called 
 public attention to the fact by an article in the 
 most popular newspaper of Boston. A stir at once 
 thereafter commenced, which in due time resulted 
 in a return of the library (or what of it could be 
 found) to the Old South Church. For the agency 
 
46 
 
 the writer had in this restoration, if any thanks 
 from the Old South Society were intended for him 
 they fell short of their object. If they were with- 
 held on the part of that society because their neg- 
 lect of duty had been exposed, which doubtless 
 caused some of them no little mortification, it is 
 quite as satisfactory as any acknowledgment 
 would have been. And as for approbation from 
 the other party, he got all he expected. 
 
 It is true that as the Prince library was situated, 
 it being " in the steeple chamber" of the Old South 
 Meeting-house, — it was very difficult of access ; 
 nor did its removal to the room of the Massachu- 
 setts Historical Society, much improve its location 
 in that respect. But it is now more accessible 
 than ever before ; for, soon after it was taken from 
 the Massachusetts Historical Society, it was, by a 
 sort of common consent of all interested, deposited 
 in the Boston Public Library ; which institution 
 has caused it to be put in good order and a good 
 catalogue made of it. There it will be likely to 
 remain, notwithstanding the will of the donor ; for 
 when the Old South has disappeared, which it is 
 likely will soon happen, it will be impracticable to 
 find the steeple chamber of that edifice, and hence 
 the library cannot be returned to it. 
 
 The last exhibition of avarice in which the Mas- 
 sachusetts Historical Society has been engaged, was 
 occasioned by its retention of a large quantity of the 
 
47. 
 
 papers belonging to the Commonwealth. These 
 papers were, like those of Connecticut, quite volu- 
 minous. They were, carelessly or accidentally, 
 left in the room of the society, by a secretary of 
 the state, who, by virtue of his office, or some other 
 virtue, took the papers from the State House to 
 the library of the society, where he was engaged 
 in preparing some work for publication. It is 
 sufficient to note that he left them there, and 
 in a short time after, died. The state had no 
 competent muniment keeper. Years passed 
 away. It became generally forgotten that such 
 papers were in existence. A few gentlemen, how- 
 ever, did not lose sight of them, and often intimat- 
 ed to the society that they should be returned. 
 The society, either because it had long possessed 
 them, or from some other cause, laid claim to the 
 papers : and but for the persistency of one gentle- 
 man, the state would probably have lost them. He 
 brought the matter before the General Court, and 
 after a long contest the society was compelled to 
 return them, or some of them, to the Common- 
 wealth. 
 
CHAPTER VL 
 
 Hoio the failure of the Massacliusetts Historical Society to hrealc 
 up the New England Historical Society came about, and how 
 it attempted to grasp the Genealogical field — The displaced 
 President turns Genealogist — Hoio %inderhand manoeuvres 
 wei^e practised to obtain Farmer^ s Interleaved Register — Hoio 
 the late superseded President of the Massachusetts Historical 
 Society abandoned editing Hutchinson's History to secure the 
 Genealogical field — How the ivorld became indebted to James 
 Savage for the New England Genealogical Dictionary. 
 
 " Some took rue for a zealous man, 
 Because good preachers I did patronize, 
 And many thought me a precisian, 
 But God doth know I never was precise. 
 I seemed devout in Godly exercise, 
 And by religious show confirmed my might, 
 But who durst say I was an hypocrite." 
 
 Defeated in their attempts to drive a few histo- 
 rical students from the historic fields, or to prevent 
 their pursuing their labors under equal advantages 
 with themselves, the next step of the old society 
 was an attempt to monopolize the field of Gene- 
 alogy : their champion historian having recently 
 turned genealogist. It came about in this wise : 
 It was well known to a member of the new So- 
 ciety that Mr. John Farmer of Concord, New 
 Hampshire, had interleaved a copy of his " Ge- 
 nealogical Register of the First Settlers of New 
 England," and had therein made valuable manu- 
 script additions to his original work. This fact 
 
49 
 
 being brought up at a meeting of the New England 
 Historical and Genealogical Society, action was at 
 once taken to obtain the loan of that volume, with 
 the privilege of copying his additions. This matter 
 was put into the hands of the corresponding secre- 
 tary of the Society, he being a member of the New 
 Hampshire Historical Society, and an intimate of 
 the late author of the work. The volume was 
 known to be in the keeping of that society. The 
 corresponding secretary at once, January 8th, 
 1845, wrote to the president of that society, Mr. 
 N. G. Upham of Concord, enclosing the request 
 of th'e New England Historical and Genealogical 
 Society. A compliance with the request was 
 granted without delay. The book was brought 
 to Boston, by Mr. Upham himself and placed in 
 the hands of the corresponding secretary, within 
 a week from the time of the application. 
 
 On examination of Mr. Farmer's additions to 
 his original work, those did not prove to be of very 
 considerable importance ; nevertheless it was con- 
 cluded advisable to copy them, and accordingly 
 another extensively interleaved volume of Mr. 
 Farmer's original work was prepared to receive 
 them. Thus much it was accounted necessary to 
 say as introductory to the following sequel : — 
 
 The editor of Winthrop's Journal, not far from 
 this time announced his intention to issue a new 
 7 
 
50 
 
 edition of Farmer's Register. That announcement 
 was not made until some time subsequent to the 
 possession of the interleaved copy by the New 
 England Historical and Genealogical Society, as 
 will be evident from what follows. 
 
 Owing to the fact that Mr. Farmer's work had 
 in some measure disappointed the officers of the 
 Society, in respect to the value of its additions, will 
 account for the circumstance that no action was 
 taken for printing it by the Society, consequently 
 it laid in the Society's possession several months. 
 In the meantime the idea probably got into Mr. 
 James Savage's head that there was a good oppor- 
 tunity io deal a telling blow against the success 
 of the New England Historical and Genealogical 
 Society, by taking to himself the whole genealo- 
 gical field : and in order to do this he must first 
 avail himself of the most recent labors of John 
 Farmer. However this may have been, events of 
 the period show pretty conclusively, that making 
 a large display of genealogical knowledge was 
 quite recent with him : for not long before he went 
 to England, (which was in 1841J), he told Dr. 
 William Jenks (as the Doctor told the writer) that 
 on his return from England he intended to devote 
 the following five years in editing an edition of 
 Hutchinson's History of Massachusetts. 
 
 Thus while the officers of the New England His- 
 torical and Genealogical Society were in doubt 
 
51 
 
 what to do with Farmer's work, an order came 
 from Mr. Upham requesting that the volume be 
 returned, as it was desired for use in the library 
 of the New Hampshire Historical Society. Ac- 
 cordingly the volume was delivered to the mes- 
 senger who brought the order. Curiously enough, 
 the volume, instead of going into the library of 
 the New Hampshire Historical Society, went di- 
 rectly or indirectly into the hands of James Sa- 
 vage ! 
 
 It has been regretted by some that the New Eng- 
 land Historical and Genealogical Society did not 
 publish Farmer's work as he left it. A proposition 
 to that effect was discussed by the members, but 
 it was considered that so much had come to light 
 since Mr. Farmer ceased his labors, that it was 
 not advisable : still, as events have since fallen out, 
 it is regretted that it was not done ; for then the 
 genealogical public would have had Farmer's work 
 as he left it ; whereas, whatever value there was 
 in his additions, that value is buried so deep that 
 no man can find it : thus depriving the author of 
 those honors so justly due to his memory. 
 
 When Mr. Savage learned that the New Eng- 
 land Historical and Genealogical Society was in 
 possession of Mr. Farmer's work, it would have 
 been a manly act, or one of courtesy at least, for 
 him to have conferred with some of the officers of 
 that society respecting it. He did no such thing. 
 There was no necessity for any underhand pro- 
 
52 
 
 ceedings to get possession of Farmer's work. At 
 all events the work was not kept from the rightful 
 owners a day, and whatever delay there may have 
 been in reaching Mr. Savage it is of no importance 
 to inquire : it only brought out in bold relief his 
 antagonism to the New England Historical and 
 Genealogical Society : a hostility for which all 
 mankind in general and New England in particu- 
 lar are indebted for " THE NEW ENGLAND GE- 
 NEALOGICAL DICTIONARY." 
 
 As already stated, Mr. Savage's labors on Win- 
 throp's Journal had given his name considerable 
 prominence. However much credit he deserved 
 for that labor, he received a good deal more than 
 he deserved ; and whoever will take the pains to 
 read the review of that work, before referred to, 
 will find the merits of that labor impartially dis- 
 cussed ; therefore it need not be further considered 
 here. One point, however, will be noticed in this 
 place : it is for the purpose to show how prejudice 
 will warp some minds, and how such minds will 
 cling to an assertion when once made, against 
 the plainest demonstration of its falsity. Find- 
 ing something he could not understand respecting 
 certain land controversies in New Hampshire, 
 Winthrop's editor at once assumed- that there was 
 a forgery somewhere ; and as he could discover 
 nothing among late transactions, he fastens upon 
 an early deed of certain Indians to John Wheel- 
 
53 
 
 Wright. Now that a deed may have been forged 
 is very possible ; but that the one in question is a 
 forgery has not been proved, nor any sufficient 
 motive for such forgery given. Without duly con- 
 sidering this question, he assumed that he had 
 discoverd an immense mare's nest, into which he 
 vaulted^ and in which he floundered to the end of 
 his days. 
 
 A singularly appropriate and truthful epitaph 
 was in circulation on Mr. Savage shortly after his 
 decease. A copy was obtained by the writer of 
 this Narrative. It is at present withheld from 
 publication. Should another edition of this work 
 be called for the epitaph may appear with it. 
 
 Permanence of institutions is a great considera- 
 tion with their founders. There are but few livino; 
 who know what it cost to establish the New Eng- 
 land Historical and Genealogical Society. After 
 it was well established, it was far from agreeable 
 to those who had " borne the heat and burthen of 
 the day," to witness anything like ignoring its 
 originators ; to observe new men step in, claiming 
 to know more of its history, its objects, and so 
 forth, than those Avho had laid the foundation of 
 it. Great self importance on the part of such new 
 comers, knowing nothing of the treatment of the So- 
 ciety by the Massachusetts Historical Societ}^, seem 
 ready with laudations of the latter; apparently eager 
 to do all in their power to be made members of it. 
 
54 
 
 These have small excuse for not being acquainted 
 with the long and continued efforts of that society 
 to prevent the New England Historical and Gene- 
 alogical Society, from even an existence : and yet 
 in their book of proceedings had the effrontery to 
 say the New Society has its best wishes ! That so- 
 ciety may next claim, and with equal truth, as 
 certain members of the British Parliament did 
 respecting the growth and importance of the Ame- 
 rican Colonies — that it was by their protection 
 and fostering care, kindness and liberality that they 
 had become great and powerful : the answer of 
 Col. Barre to which is too well known to require 
 repetition, and will apply perfectly in this case. 
 It is in spite of the intrigues and oppressions of 
 that society that the New England Historical and 
 Genealogical Society has become one of the fore- 
 most Historical Societies in the country. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 Page 11. 
 
 When that part of the manuscript was sent to the 
 printer, it had heen settled hy the only proper authority, 
 that the title of the Society's periodical should not be 
 changed from what it had been up to 1874. In defiance 
 of this order of the Society, another number of the 
 work has been issued with the false title. It was an 
 essential part of the title that it should contain a cut 
 of the Seal of the Society, and as an important part of 
 its name— NEW ENGLAND, AND ANTIQUARIAN 
 JOURNAL. These have been discarded. Now it is 
 affirmed that this change would never have been 
 thought of but from some sinister design of the tran- 
 sient editor — a man not a historical scholar, not a 
 genealogist, and not possessing a single antiquarian 
 trait. For whatever of these qualities the periodical 
 exhibits since he has been the nominal editor is due 
 mainly to others. 
 
 This nominal editor made a long and incoherent de- 
 fense of his action before the executive board of the 
 Society, but when the vote was taken there was a 
 majority of eight to four against the change. He 
 claimed to have a majority of a publishing committee 
 in favor of the change. Suffice to say that that pub- 
 lishing committee have not a shadow of authority in 
 the matter. That committee was constituted solely 
 to shield the editor regarding matter otFered for inser- 
 tion in the work, and to pass upon the merits or pre- 
 cedence of articles. Most of the members of this 
 committee are new men, and have unwittingly been 
 
56 
 
 committed to tte change, not imagining probably that 
 there was a large cat in that meal. And in the same 
 sinister proceeding among the patrons of the periodical 
 he has got some of them to say they approve of the 
 change ! JSTow the writer hereof has happened to meet 
 with several of those patrons who have been thus en- 
 trapped. J^ot one has jQt been met with, who, after 
 being particularly informed as to the premises, but 
 what is opposed to it, and has expressed surprise that 
 it was ever even proposed. The immense pains this 
 editor has taken to forestall the opinions of the patrons 
 of the periodical, by obtruding letters upon them, 
 couched in such terms, that if answered at all, could 
 be construed into an approval of his act, is not to go 
 unexposed. 
 
 Finally, the writer requests it to be distinctly un- 
 derstood, that he makes this exposition solely in what 
 he concieves to be the vital interest of the Society, and 
 that he had no further interest in it or its periodical, 
 than every member of the Society ought to have ; that 
 if he feels more keenly an aggression upon them than 
 younger members, sensible members will not fail to 
 apjpreciate the impulse which dictated this Il^arrative. 
 
J /i ri. * J '/y. ^^f/^ C^l^; 
 
 t: 
 
 NARRATIVE REMARKS, 
 
 EXrOSITOKY NOTES, 
 
 AM) 
 
 HISTORICAL CRITICISMS, 
 
 ON TJIE 
 
 NEW ENGLAND 
 
 %UXnUix\ and (^mt^U^\t^^\ ^orirty, 
 
 AND INCIDENTALLY ON THE 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY.