The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-02-19
soLON CHASE AT wINDHAM.
The Pioneers i'm the Greenback scheme.
To the Editor of the Press:

to Scion Chase's prescriptions for the cure Of
the present ills Of the b,dy polite. The open
ing speech bv the chairman brought to mind
the productions of long forgotten resident OF
your vicinity. These documents are on file III
the archives of Massachusetts, and show thai
the scheme of currency largely Of paper is mol
new. The copies below were made by the
writer several years ago for another purpose
The chairman of the Chase meeting said tina,
10 his Judgment the time would come when the
pioneers in this movement (ior paper cur.
rency) would be looked upon with the same re-
speot as now are the names of the sgners Of
the Declaration Of Independence. He had evil
IDENTIFY been contemplating the appearance OF
his own name associated with those of Scion
Chase and BENZ. f. Butler, printed on tinted
paper, enclosed in glazed frames, and hung up
in New England 'fore-rooms," like the hon.
ored names of John Hancock, Thomas Jeffer-
son and Benjamin franklin, read and veneer
ated by all men. But he never will see the SUBJ
stance of the things hoped for-he is not Q
pioneer-there is another Richard in the field,
and Fry has 40 years the start of the chair
man.
Fry's proposal for paper currency was not
then new. The Massachusetts Colony had
been forty years suffering under the evils of &c.
preciated paper money, and yet he wanted
more of the same sort, having the idea that the
hair of the same dog would cure the bite.
Scion Chase seems to have taken his ideas from
this "pioneer." I understood Mr.. Chase to say
that if the first issue of currency did not give
the prices of ''steers, hogs and corn an up
ward tendency, that more should be issued un-
til that object was accomplished. This Richard
Fry was ahead of the modern pioneers in other
particulars-he proposed to make the paper for
his bills himself. He wrote his own petitions;
at least they are in the same clear hand as the
signature. They have the impression in wax
OF his SEAL The crest is crown surmounted
by the head Of goat.
In petition directed to Gov. Bslcher and
his council for grant of land for his SOD, dated
at Boston Jail, he rehearses his grievances and
sets forth the cause of his Imprisonment thus:
am now confined in his Msjesty's Gaol at
the suit of Mr.. Samuel Waldo of Boston and
Thomas Westbrook of Falmouth, Esq, for sew
enty pounds sterling, obtained against me at
X.
most humtie petitioner in fact saith, that for
want of one writing instrume MT under the hand
of MIR. Samuel Waldo of Boston, which was
taken away from yOnr petitioner by Abraham
Tyler the under Sheriff for the County of York.
under coulter of an execution from MIR. Samuel
Waldo of Boston, aud hath taken and convert
I'd the said writing or instrument to his own
nse, to the great damage Of your petitioner
Your most humble petitioner further observes,
Ii has always been the wisdom of this great as
sembly TO reward all those that have any ways
served this Province with rewards and favors
Your petitioner indented with Mr.. Samuel
Waldo IN the year 1881 in London, to have
built within ten months after my arrival 10
papernill. Your petitioner ar
rived 10 Ne~-England in the year 1871 and
waited four years wholly at his own expense,
till such time as the said mills were built.
Your petitioner wiling to promote the good Of
bis country, drew plan for sundry sorts of
mills to be built, which was across Presumscot
river in Falmouth, which scheme the said
Wa and Wes'brook came into and built the
Your petitioner further prays, for his great
improvements in this Province, aud his leaving
his own native country, and his great charges
10 coming over and waiting four years at his
own expense (apd there is no member of this
favourable House but must know the keeping
. family in pretty genteel manner four years
must amount to large sunni. Your humble
lands granted him, belonging to this Province,
which In time may be service able to his New
Eogland born son, Richard Brook Fry, which
said SOD Ged in His good providence hath CIV
sn your petitioner 10 these bis great troubles
and sfiictions. June %. 1889"
Fry's great ''paper scheme" as heralded in the
Boston Gazette, was probably too great shock
TO sensitive people. The Communication is
Jailed in the index to the records "a banking
scheme" and is thus condensed; SIN council
.ead and bsing further considered, ordered
hat the petition be dismissed"
Fry had quarrel with the iailor and
nemorialized the Governor and Council fer
.edress which he received after an investiga-
ion. His grievance was that ibis friends were
,ot admitted to see him.
WINDHAM, Feb. 18th, VIC.
The Boston Gazette of May %, 1899, contains
,he following notice: This is to inform the
public that there is now In the press AID will
De laid before the Great and General Court a
paper scheme drawn for the good and benefit
)f every individual member of the whole
Province, and what will much please His Royal
Majesty for the glory of our King is thu hap
oiness OF his subjects, and every merchant in
ireat Britain that trades to New England will
1nd their account by it; and there is no man
hat has the least shadow Of found alton of COM
mon sense, but must allow the SAID scheme to
BE- reasonable and just. 1 have laid AL my
schemes to be proved by the matthew atics, and all
know that figures win not lie; and uol-
the dismal idea of the year Al, 1
dou't doubt the least seeing il the year of Jubi-
Ice, and in few years having the balance of
trade in favor of this Province from all parts of
the trading world; for 1t is plain to demon
stration, by the just schemes of Peter the great,
the late Gar of Muscovy 10 the run of a few
nj of oil hoe
Empire makes as grand an appearance as any
Empire on earth, which Empire for improve
ment, 10 DO ways to be compared with his
Roy al Maies'y's domnions in America I beg
Leave to subscrbe myself true and hearty
lover of NV Euglaad. RICHARD Fry.
Boston Jail May, 1889"
ITO bis Exc+lle0cy Jonathan B1lcher ESQ.,,
Capt. Geo. and Governor 10 Chief 10 and over
His Msj.s'ies Province of the Massa buserts
Bay 10 New England, aud to His Msjestes
Council.
"Wortby and Honorable Gentle men: have
h1mbly made bold to lay baore you a small
scheme; and as there is an absolute necessity
for the gentlemen of this Province to come iu-
to just scheme for paper currency till such
time as by frugality and industry silver and
gold De D ought to pass among us as medium
1t is plain to q demonstration that the Prov
lace may emit directly such a sufficient sum BY
notes OF hand, and upon such solid
footing as to equal to g,id and silver,
There is no person OF this honorable board but
Knows the dism al state of the Seven united
Provinces were reduced to, not many ages
since; but they all united as one man and per-
severed IN Just and reasonable schemes, and
with interchangeable industry hath brought them
to make that glorious figure they now appear
in the world. They had all their rough ma
terials to produce from other countries for their
but it is not so with us--we
having them all within ourselves, and if the
gentlemen of this Province will proceed with
the same vigor and resolution as they did
may In the run of few years arrive to as great
q pitch OF glory as the united states of H1l-
land; and don't doubt of seeing the New
England Company make as great figure as
the East India Company in Holland, which
boast OF having sabdued more leagues of coun-
try than there are acres Of land in all HOLLAND
-of having thirty thousand soldiers and a vast
number Of ships In the service, employing one
hundred thousand men. May it please your
honors having nothing more to add only wish
ing that almighty God will inspire with the
same noble and generous resolution and cour-
age as guided the states of the once poor, lone
and distressed states of Holland; but now the
most high and mighty, which is the earnest
prayer of your honor's most humble servant.
RICHARD Fry.
Boston Jail, June, 1739."
The Bowdoinham Poisoning Case.
Most intense interest has been manifest in
-