New-York tribune., 1884-01-13
REVOLUTIONARY NEW-YORK.
A GLANCE AT THE CLINTON MANUSCRIPTS

GEORGE w. CIINToNs REPORT OF HIS WORK TO
THE BOARD OF REGENTS.
TAT meeting of the Board of Regents ot tne
Etste University the Senate Chamber at Albany on
THURSDAY evening large audience listened with pleasure
to an historical paper by George W. Clinton one oil
the Regents the only surviving OF De"'tt Cn'oh
tn whom has been assigned the work of tndeHng anu
prepanc Tor publication the George Clinton maousciip's
and other kindred papers OF the keNoIuuoh c"h"eo"
hv the legislature the Regents Tor thls PURPOSE "
snowvhe hair the lines which cross his race oou vi
great aye but his account Of the progress of MS work.
n,n,ed in fun below showed that his mental VISOR mas
Mr.. CLiNToN'S PAPER.
10 pe Regents Of Re Cntrers'ty
Tho undersigned. 10 whom you have committed
the task of indexng and preparing for publication
the George Clinton papers most respectfully reports
that he has during the past year continued 10 ue-
vote his utmost strength for the utmost pOsSiD
time to its performance. The work has SO faI 10
him been pleasure lie has become enamored OF It,
and he prays that God will enable hun to hnish IL
and so end the labors of long, inglorlous bus ne
trusts not altogether useless life There is indeed
in this immense mass of undigested papers very
much as believe, undiscovered 10 our country. 10
prove that the Revolutionary war was IN trutn
constant succession Of times that trled ihoh
souls": to confirm the love of liberty so dearly "o"
TO heighen our love and reasonable reverence ioi 'o
men who won it to teach the folly OF iactious ha'o
and to inspire those who are to succeed us Will
pure ambition. ...o5
Since nv last report the library has acquired q
large collection of the papers George Clinton ieft
bcbind him. have had no opportunity to slit THESE
noners and estimate their value as additions 10 the
co lection in my hands, but while, from a singie
eursory view of them, apprehend that tue gFea'
mass of them consist of papers relating 10 purely
personal affairs there are among them other papers
which fill gaps in the collection am at wofk upon'
and many that supply new master OF puohc in'ei-
est and especially some of the correspondence OF
George Clinton in his latest years ana while vice.
President Of the United States.
THE DIARY OF CHARLES CLINTON.
The library has also acquired the original diary
of Charles Clinton the father of George and James
Clinton during his passage from Ireland to America
in 1929 bound up with the journal ofthe campaign
July 10 October 1865 in which as a colonel he par
ticipated Only the latter is of any public interest
and believe that its material parts have here
tofore been published II has also acquired the ac
count book of Charles Clinton from 1729 to 100
and a book of minutes kept by him OF his proceed
ings "a a MAGISTRATE of Ulster County, and OF
surveys made by him. In these very cuTsory ex-
animation detected nothing Of the least moment
70 the public There is that in them indeed, which
confirms nv belief that the father of my grand
father and great uncle was careful and thorough
husiness man, worthy gentleman ana True
Christian.
Charles Dewitt, of Ulster County. was one OF
George Clintons earliest and most iDtimatefriends
We have in the Clinton papers the Official certlhcate
of the election of the two friends by the reehoiders
of Ulster County to represent IT ana assist hs
Maicsty's Commander-n-Chef in general assem-
bly TO he held on the 14th day of February l776.
That assembly of course was never held. Charles
a ynamber Of the Provincial Convention
of the Provincial Congress, and Of the Council OF
Safety and in 1884 he was q Delegate to Congress
He was man Of mark and influence, and must
have left papers of general interest and that may
throw cht upon the career of his friend George Clin-
ton. Sutherland Dewitt, esq, of Elmira his lineal
descendant, has many of them. am very happy in
having his promise that all shall be deposited III he
State Library.
PROGRESS OF THE WORK.
The George Clinton papers intrusted to me are
calendercd That work ably performed L
know not how many YEARS ago, by Oryilie Holiey.
These papers are bound in volumes aud numbered
consecutiyey. The calender takes up the papers IN
the order of their dates actual or assumed, ana re-
ferripg TO then, by Numbers iu accordance with the
dates gives brief statements of Their natures OF
principal subjects but it could not and does not IN
form those who consult it of the minor matters en-
braced in them nor of the argument and spirit of
diyiduals or bodies Of men who were active in or
whose interests were involved in the matters
in discussion Here for instance were lettersfrom
the committee of TryOn County TO George Clinton
as 10 the state of affairs in that county with men
tions of Dorloch and Of the great resolutions
there and of the acts OF named Tories and Wings,
and perhaps of Il paltry incursion OF Indians ana
paiuteI Tories, and the slaughter of some, the
heroic defence of others OF our people, but OF these
proceedings there is not, nor could there well be
any. the least mention. An entry in the calendar
of letter of the Now-York Delegates in Congress is
simply that "they apply for money from the state
70 nav their necessary expenses etc. But this
oiyes MS no hint of the SuilerngS they were endur
ing from inability to pay what the Philadelphans
demanded, f27O Continental money week for
Gentleman and Servant, exclusive even OF table
beer" nor that everything else was in proportion
and exchange sixty for one"
There too are letters from New-IOrk statesmen to
each other expressive not only of trust but Of afec
tion but the trust and affection not even inti-
mated in the calendar. And so it is with the
grand views of policy and the strong arguments,
and if YOU please, what may now seem
IN lis the contracted notions i'll some par
ticulars of the men who IN those times
Of sntlering uncertainty and dread framed the first
Constitution of New-YOrk and made her eminent
among her sisters.
CONDITION OF THE INDEX
Believing that a full index was notion y necessary
20 the bringing Of all such facts and circumstances
TO light but also that it would prove great help in
selecting the matter which ought to be given to tho
public, have devoted all my time TO preparing it.
Every paper has been read and studied; from every
paper ey cry particular which, in my judgment. could
be of any worth to any of citizens or contribute
in tho least to the true history of the times was
noted under what seemed TO me proper head for
the index the notes were as usual, separated and
placed IN lettercd boxes. have been very jealous
of nv time, and have, so far as possible Stunned