The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-11-27
JUST BEFORE THE '76 DAYS.
THE OMNIBUS DAYS WHICH PRICE,
DED THE REVOL UTIoNARY WAR.

Extracts From the journal of n Middle
town, Conn, Merchant-of Interest to
All, Including the Sons and Daughters
of American Revolution and the Colo
NAL Danes.
EXTRACTS From the Manuscript Jour
nal of Henshaw From September 10th
to December Gath, 1774)
BY John Barber
This fragment of journal, which is
about four inches by six in size, was
obtained of Mr.. William Fl. Fisk, of
Middletown, Conn, in August, 1885, by
John w. Barber. The writer of the
manuscript was the son of Daniel Hen
shaw, of Leicester, Worcester county,
Mass, and grandson of Colonel Joshua
Henshaw, born in 1872.
The writer was q merchant in Mid
dletown, doing an extensive business
with the West Indies, and also between
Middletown and New York. He APP
pears to be prominent in all business
matters in church and in state, and
gives a very minute daily account of
what he saw and heard, throwing
much light on the times the year be-
fore the Revolution. He was a mem
Der of the committee of correspondence
and High Son of Liberty.
Thinking that these extracts might
be interesting to the sons and daugh-
ters Of the American revolution as well
as the Colonial Danes, I take pleasure
in giving them.
During the year previous to the Rev
olution both sides were quietly prepar-
ing for the struggle soon to come.
Committees Of correspondence were or
ganized in all the towns; these COM
municated with the parent one in Bos-
ton, this with their friends in England.
Under the auspices Of the committees
the Sons of Liberty We're organized.
The object of these associations was to
discuss the principles of liberty, circu-
late books, pamphlets and put the mill
itary on better footing.
The first extract is from torn page,
but the careful reader can make out
the meaning. The liberty pole seems
to have had beginning about this
time.
Saturday, September 10th, 1774.-The
north liberty pole between Captain
Mortimer's and Lieutenant Bacon's
house was set to-day about 11S foot
high. Committee of correspondence set
this afternoon to a letter
wrote to Boston in answer let
ters and to advise of this. SO :.
.. tons In there favor and ;.
three justices in the committee the
convention for a non agree
ment to be at Har /. Put UP a large
board u. pole to-day with this
~, a Ic ifo die
Side a snake cut n :.
The next leaf of this journal is gone;
there was a reference to the Assembly
at Hartford, indicated by further read
ing as follows: Mr. Aaron A, Hin
sand. Doctor Eldrich .Merrills, Of New
Hartford from Litchfield county. The
rest from Hartford county except Els
quire Huntington and Mrs. James Sal
ia and some few others from Wind
ham. They resolved to petition the
next assembly to put the military upon
a more respectable footing, which they
did and then dissolved the meeting.
Brother Jopp met me at Hartford
just as the assembly broke up and Invent
over the river with him to my wife;
then we both went with him down 10
Glastonbury to his house, where we put
out for all night; the people of East
Hartford have gone out after a liberty
pole"
Tuesday September goth, 1T74-F'ree-
mans meeting this day and a very full
meeting it was Mr. Alsop was
dropped from being deputy because at
the late fast on We 31st August last,
when there was no church, he would
not go to meeting, which was looked
upon as though he refused to joyne in
humble prayer to God to remove the
judgments we labor under and restore
our liberties to us, and also for that on
We Sabbath evening Of we 4th inst he
publicly declared that the king had at
all times a right to seize the powder of
We subject, and tho T and some others
affirmed that the king had not right
at any time, only in time of war with
We common enemy and then only by
voluntary consent of We people, yet he
would by no means yield, but held that
doctrine-and again yesterday in public
company he asserted that should the
king declare us rebels, all the powers
in Europe in alliance with Great Brit
ain were obliged not only to refuse to
trade with us and to supply us with
necessaries but also to join with Eng
land to suppress us; for these political
heretical doctrines he was left out and
Esquire Talcot and Mr.. Hosmer came
in by a. great majority; Tt is imagined
by some that some men this way are
bribed from home to preach up such
doctrines. Captain Lind Cornwall ar
rived home this afternoons left my brig
at Potacunk with $500 bushels of salt
1000 lbs. sugar, 5000 lbs. coffee, 400 lbs.
indigo and all well.
Wednesday, September 21st, 1774.-
Bought 1900 pine clapboards at per
cent and 1900 shingles at 17-6 of Mr..
Eleazer Robinson of Hartford, in the
province of New York or New Hamp-
shire and paid him 200 bushels of salt
out of my brig Huldah.
Jack Taylor fell off Mr. Franks hay
NOV this afternoon and broke his arm.
In the evening at Mrs Taylor's I spent
two hours or more with Doctor Osborn
disputing about Mr. Jarvis conduct in
refusing to read the governors late
proclamation for a fast or observing
the same.
Thursday, September 22d, 1774.-A
number had dispute with Doctor Os-
born upon the principles of liberty;
those against the doctor were Captain
Brown CAPTAIN LunStan, Captain Will