Note Type
Cataloging NoteNote
Transcribed by Danya Bichsel with assistance from app.transkribus.org:
Mattapoisett Sept. 28th, (18)35.
Major S. T. Wolcott.
Dear Sir. It is now monday morning, &, in looking
about for business, though I feel unable to do but
little, nothing presents a greater inducement than writing to you. Your
letter of last monday was highly acceptable & I am glad that you found
time to write so fully. I have been anxious to hear from you for a good
while, & after reading your statement of your diverse employments &
cares, I can easily believe that your time is very much occupied. It is
very gratifying to an old friend to perceive that your townmen & the
public have so much confidence in you. I trust you will not disap
point their expectations. I do not wonder that you feel your military
charge to be a burden, but I hope you will not relinquish it, & I think
your superior officers did right in reprising to accede to your appli-
cation. All judicious persons begin to be alarmed at the neglected state of the
Militia. During the prevalence of Sepich law, & with the apprehen-
sion of evils evidently menacing the public tranquility, the patriot
looks for the militia. Our country & its liberties have no other safe
guard. I have been sensible for years that those who have been talk
ing against the militia have acted like children; and that the time
must come when the effects of their declaration and ridicule
would be severely felt. The New England states have put to make a
great and expensive effort to restore the popularity and vigour of
their militia, for I believe they will rather do that than submit
to a standing army. The cry against the militia has proceeded
principally from the West-Point Cadets & their friends; & from
manufacturers, master-mechanics, printers & others, who like
not to spare their journeymen and apprentices for training. They
who hold on to the profession of Arms, which has ever been honourable
in all countries, & is ever spoken of respectfully in the scriptures; while
public opinion, always [illegible], may for a reason be setting against
it, will hereafter be held reputation. No laws can be sustained
without power of the sword, & no country can enjoy much of civil
liberty when the sword is held by mercenary professional soldiers.
I am sorry I cannot be your chaplain at Saybrook, it will be an
interesting occasion. – The public offices you sustain require
much care & labour, but they afford you much opportunity for
selflessness, & we are to live to do good. I see no reason why you
should decline a share of such labour. If any thing will make
the people of our country dissatisfied with our election system
of government & law, it will be the occupancy of office by un-
worthy characters.
When I desired you to collect & send on my books that remain
at E. Windsor, I was not insensible that I was imposing upon
you a burden. If you cannot attend to it do employ some other
person to do it. I should be sorry not to get them before cold weather.
It will require no small labour to collect them; I think it not
unlikely that Boyer's French & English Dictionary is in the hand
of Mrs. Hall of Ellington. I presume you have the letter specifying
the articles I wish for. I hope you will speak to Dr. Bull, when you
have opportunity, for I have written to him lately.
With regard to my land, I think you have vented it well, & conclude
you attend to any expences upon it that may arise. I am willing
to sell it, but not anxious to do so, for I think that / great progress of
manufactures in / country must increase the value of land. Your
father used to think that / temperance reformation would reduce
/ price of Conn. I conclude that is not the fact, for there is great com
plaint here of its constant high price. Southern conn is sold for over
a dollar, though (prospect of) present cuop is normally good. I have generally
considered my piece of land in E. Windson month 500 dollars. & I suppose there are
six acres & three eighths. You may sell it as well as you can, but at present & shall
say not less than 75 dollars per acre. It may go at that quantity or by measure.
If it will not sell at that price, you may let me know what you can get for it.
I should like to have it sold to Mr Tudor, as it belonged, originally, to his lot. Six acres
and three eighths at 75.00 would be about 478 dollars. I shall hope to hear from you soon.
I am very sorry to hear of the sickness in your family,
Ursula & Mr. Marshell. I hope they are mostly recovered. I had not supposed
that Ursula was liable to nervous complaints. That is a very distress-
ing malady, one which no one can know without experience. I hope
a kind Providence will preserve her from a further visitation. Your
good mother is mercifully preserved in great weakness & frequent pain
year after year; I hope we all bless God for his great mercies. I am very
glad that has got better from her late ill turn, & that she was preserved
from ing blood. I conclude if there were any change in your family you would inform me. _
My health is tolerably good, but I cannot
perform labour, either muscular or intellectual, as & did previous to
my sickness. I am now engaged in a series of sermons on the doctrine
investigation.
of /Trinity. It requires much labour of investigation and thought. Anti-Trinitaviuism
is/ prevailing religious error of day/; all errorists, almost, run into
it, & it ought to be firmly resisted by all/friends of truth. The Trinity
of God is/ foundation of redemption & of all human hope. - If I live
till next year I shall hope to visit Connecticut; I am very desirous
of again visiting old friends. - My people are harmonious & busy,
but it is a time of religions declension, worldly cares mostly occupying
all minds. - My love to your parents & all of your family, not
forgetting daughter Eveline, Mr Bissell & their children. When Thomas R.
Haskell shall become a few years older, I shall expect him to visit the
land of his ancestors. - Yours affectionately, Thomas Robbins.
P.S. I hope you will see Capt. Tully at Saybrook, he was much esteemed here.
