Transcription
CATALOG NUMBER V 1728 D
OBJECT NAME Declaration
DATE September __, 1828
AUTHOR Philip Van Cortlandt
RECIPIENT
MEDIUM Paper, ink
PEOPLE Rev. Mr. White, Mr. Knight, Nathan Anderson
PLACES
KEYWORDS camp meetings, Methodist circuit, the Croton Circuit, dispute over
who can sell provisions or groceries to attendees, legislature, law,
watermelons, apples,
This is to Certify to all to whom it may Concern that I / Philip Van Cortlandt did on the application of the Reverend / Mr. White one of the Methodist Preachers of the Croton Circuit / Consent that a Camp meeting might be held on my Ground / in the woods where it had formerly been held taken care on / their part that no Injury should be done +c +c —------
The Law in their favour respecting selling Spiritous / liquors with Licence I expected would be prevented but xxx [^ attended to] / but I was surprised when Informed that my Neighbours / was forbid to dispose of the produce of their farms and Gardens / or selling provifion to those who was in need thereof / In a [sensible] manner and what created my Surprise / was that Tents was Erected on the Camp ground for the / purpose of selling as grocers thereby ingrofsing to a / few favorites a monopoly to the injury of the few / neighbouring Inhabitants of the Vicinity ____
I remember when I was a Soldier in Command / & obliged to Incamp in and among the farmers that I / had Sentinels placed so that no injury should be done / to any part of their property __ but it appears that / nothing of that kind has been attended to _ but on / the Contrary fences have been thrown down fields [Run?] / over and injury the consequence – but as the Law / of our Legislature in their favour would or could be / construed]the utmost rigour was Extended, Even to fine / a person - 11/ for peaceably offering a few cakes to be / Sold within the Diftance which the Law had proscribed / and a nother for Offering to sell the water mellons + apples rased on his or his neighbours farm__
Further I am informed that one man with a / Load of watermelon sold to some of the Influen= / =tial members of the Camp his whole load and for / the purpose of being Disposed of by one of the / [Settlers?] in the Camp but that was prevented / by the person Instructed to make reprisals and / in consequence last all __ I will [^ not] mention / any Injury I have sustained notwithstanding / I gave them the priviledge of Incamping / without asking of them one cent
==
I make no declaration as to any future camp meeting / only that I am determined not to suffer any to be held / without an agreement [^ and Lease] made under hand and Seal / The conditions of which to be subject to further considera= / =tion.
[END OF PAGE 1]
Answer to the within - there was two Tents from N.Y. - / who brought provisions for those of that place to board / with them and it was supposed that some other [persons]? / did Eat with them and paid them and that none of the / Inhabitants was prevented in their Houses to sell / provision +c —-
=
That Mr Knight was fined for selling & [Spiritous] / Liquor +c—---
=
That two persons were prevented from opening – / places for Sale not being their Dwellings Houses +c
=
Carts with produce as water mellons - was prevented / from Stoping in the Highway. When a Collection / of people were gathering to the injury of Travellers
[END OF PAGE 2]
[LABEL]
Information given me
After the Camp Meeting
Closed the Day of Sep’r
1828 and Nathan
Anderson’s Information
And answer to Complaints
Made +c—----------------
[PENCIL]
Church +Transcriber
Kathryn AlexanderLanguage
English
