Litchfield enquirer., 1855-01-11
Nisce''aQ
OLIVER WOLCOTT.

OLIVER NOI.SoI'fs
OF New England families, perhaps not
sonc had been more honored and trusted than
that of WoIcott, and certainly no family in
all the continent had preserved through Its
American generations purer fame. lienty
Wolcott emgrated from the mother country
in 1880, to escape religious persecution,
and after short residence at Dorchester, In
Massachusetts, settled in Windsor, Con
necticut His grandson, Roger Wolcott,
was distinguished for military and civil
services, and occupied in succession the
most important Offices in the colony, end
ing with that of governor. His son Oil
of age, as Captain in the New York4or-
ces, and served on the northern from
tier until the peace of AK la Chapelle. He
also became governor of Connecticut, and
was a signcr of the Declaration Of indie
pendence. His son, the second Oliver
Wolcott, now between twenty-nne and
thirty years of age, was in tile autumn of
1888 appointed auditor Of the Treasury,
and we possess in his memoirs not only a
mine of the richest material for public his
tory, but many very interesting gimpses of
society and the circumstances of common
life in the memorable period when the first
President Of the republic was the centre of
the court, or most eminent circle, about the
seat of government. Among his class
mates had been Joel Barlow, Zephaniah
Swift, Uriah Tracy, and Noah Webster I;
and after his admission to the bar and set
Element in Hartford, he had been Of that
famous company Of Connecticut wits, }"
including Trumbul', the author of"McFin-
gal" DR.. I,emuel Hopkins, author Of
sThe Hypocrite's Hope" and numerous
political sa,ires, Richard Alsor, one of the
writers of "rhc Echo,' and 1.-The Poiti-
cal Green House," Joel Barlow, who was
already celebrated for his - Vision Of CO.
lumbus, Noah Webster, Theodore Dwight,
and Others, whose Intellectual displays had
won for that city reputation altogether
unique in the annals Of American intelii-
gence.
Before Wolcott accepted the place to
which he was invited, he wrote to Oliver
Ellsworth to ascertain something Of the
cost Of living in New York, that he might
decide whether the modest annuity of fiji
teen hundred dollars would enable him to
sustain these outward appearances which
he regarded as suitable for an officer Of such
rank in the administration. Ellsworth
made the necessary inquiries and answer
ed that house with stable would cost
about two hundred dollars a year, the hes,
wood four dollars a cord, oak wood two
dollars and half cord, hay eight dollars
ton, and marketing twenty-five per cen.
tum more than in Hauford; concluding
that one thousand dollars year would sup
por, him and his family very well. This
was encouraging, and he came down te
that city to complete his investigation, as tc
expense, duties, and generalities, and con
scented to take the situation. "This," hi
wrote TO his wife, "on consultation witt
my friends, think will be best for us. L
we are careful, We may save some property
more than can expect to In Connecticut
and by observation of the people in public
service, and other respectable families,
am confident that no change in our habit
in living will in any degree be necessary
The example of the President and his fam
ily will render parade and expense impro
per and disreputable." That last sentenc
Is very significant, and has all the force
could receive from considerations the mos
favorable for its honesty and justice, as al
indication Of the republican simplicit,
HiaiutdtHeu ny w aShtussou Az h'S I'o"Se
hold, and in whatever was connected will
his relations to society. New York ap
pears to have been enyled and slandered b.
nearly all the other cities, from the tim
when it was decided TO make it even tn
Temporary seat Of government. Soon al
ter the Inauguration, the Boston Gazett
congratulated the country upon the discove
nv, that "our beloved President stands un
moved in the vortex Of folly and dissipa
ton which New York presents" VOL
colt, keen observer. educated to puritan
cal ideas, thought better of it. After res
idence of abont three months he wrote I
his mother. "There appears to be gre,
regularity here honesty is Us much in iasl
ion as in ! Connecticut and am persuade
that there Is mach greater attention to GOO
morals than has been supposed. 80 tar
an attention to the Sabbath is criterion
religion, comparison between this cl'
aud many places in Connecticut would
In favor Of New York. PROM :. III
Republican Court"
All noble enthusiasm passes through