Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Samuel Huntington, 13 May 1765

Author Wheelock, Eleazar

Date13 May, 1765

ms number765313.3

abstractWheelock relates the meeting of the board at which Occom and Jewett resolved their differences.

handwritingInformal handwriting is crowded and occasionally difficult to decipher.

paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good condition, with light-to-moderate staining, creasing and wear. A tear at the bottom of the paper indicates that it was separated from a larger sheet.

inkBlack-brown.

noteworthyThis document appears to be a draft.

EventsMason Land Case, Jewett Controversy

Persistent Identifier
Dear Sir,
The incloſed is a Copy of short mi‐nutes of the doings of our Board ^of Correſpondents ^ in the caſe of M.r Occom. In which the Board was unanimouſly agreed.
When M.r Jewett laid in the Charge he de‐ ‐clined purſuing it, leſt it ſhould appear like a perſonal controverſie , he also ſaid that there were Evidences in the Case who were not here. Where upon M.r Occom ^removed M.r Jewetts objection againſt purſuing y.e charges againſt him both^ inſiſted that it should be delayed till all the Evidences could be had and Shewed a great Deſire that Everything any^Body^ had to alledge againſt him ſhould be brougt to the Light — ſo as to leave nothing more to be ſaid afterwards — it was ^then^ proposed that M.r Occom should own all that M.r Jewett Supposed any could ſay againſt him. and or if there Should be any material contradiction which Should [illegible] Requre proof we might ^then^ Adjourn. ^Whereupon^ we proceeded to a hearing and were more than a Day upon it. they agreed in their Accounts of th[illegible]ng without any ^material^ contradiction Which they did not ſettle and adjuſt between them. the Conſequence of which you ſee in the inclosed. After M.r Jewett ^[below]had^
had agreed to [illegible] to Repair the Injury he had done M.r Occom's Character at Boſton they Shook hands, renewed their Friendſhip, M.r Occom told him that as faſt as he could conſiſtantly [illegible] he Should have proof of the Sincerity of his Friend‐‐ſhip towards him, but told him that the Indians were at preſent againſt him ^(M.r Jewett)^ that if he ^himſelf ^ ſhould appear open and full in it at once it would prejudice the Indians ſo againſt ^him^ as to diſable him to ſerve them in their moſt important concerns and defeat the great Deſign of his bringing them back to M.r Jewetts Miniſtry , which ^he was sincerely deſirous to do^ the proposal was agreeable and thought to be judicious
It was then moved that the writing between them relative to the Case ſhould be all burnt and ſo the Hatchett forever buried — M.r Jewett was firſt in gathering the Papers & calld M.r Occom to it. They both took hold of them and Joyntly caſt them into the fire — which they were Exhorted ^Cautioned^ not to burn the House down. And ^as I underſtand it, it was only^ I hear on Acco.t of the Settlement which we all hoped would be laſting that no Record to perpetuate the [illegible] ^memory of the controverſie ^ has been hitherto made. and I apprehend that after M.r Occom had made his Defence & Submiſsion he ſtand in as good a light before this Board, as ever he did in the world. what M. r Occom has done or how defective M.r Jewett was in giving the acco.t of him I cant tell, but that the case ^as it was laid before us^ was impartially heard ^and determined^ I have no doubt. and am perſuaded it will be ſo thought of by all impartial Judges. before we could not propose ^no^ any manner of advantage to ourſelves ^or y.e cause^ by favouring him ^[below]in^
in Any Iniquity When ^as^ [illegible: [guess: we[illegible] all]] knew y.t all the [illegible] affairs ^which we judged^ had been tranſacted upon the [illegible] [illegible: [guess: Baſe]]. I have done every thing in my power ^as I had opporunity ^ to keep M.r Occom back from medling in Maſons Case, and we were all heartily Sorry that he ^wrote & ^ Signed the Indians ſtory with the Tribe ^which I ſuppose is y.e whole he has done in the caſe ^ but it cant now be helped but how far ^& if he had not been a min.r I ſuppose none wo.d ha' diſputed his right to do it ſo long^ high Reſentments on this case or any appearance to bear him down by Majoration will serve the Deſign or what y.e Effects of it will be at Home belongs to men of Penetration to Judge. as he Supposed he had right and juſtice on his Side is — and how far high Reſentments in the caſe, or any thing that looks like Endeavors to bear him down by Majoration will ſerve our Cauſe at Home, or what will be their ^ſentiments ^ of any thing of that Nature, if any ſhould be Ill Natured enough to make Such a Repreſentation of us there, belongs to Gentlemen of Penetration to judge —
If you think beſt let his Hon.r the Gov.r ſee this Freedom of
Yours Moſt Heartily Eleaz.r Wheelock
PS. pleaſe to ſhew this Litter and the incloſed to M.r Davenport
Lettr to S. Huntington Esqr May 13. 1765 Member of Aſsembly at Hartford
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