The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-04-20
Elias Boudinot Tells Many
Unknown Facts About
the State in His
Journal.
ON THE EYE OF THE REVOLUTION
Exciting Scenes Around New
Brunswick-Dr. Wither-
spoons Narrow Escape.

- l : XII IN ~ oAASNS Ian
all others, has just left the press of a
Philadelphia concern, says the Newark
Sunday Call" 1t is 1.-THE Journal of
Historical Recolleetions of American
Events During the Revolutionary War"
by Elias Boudinot. There are but 5o
copies of the edition. The work is a faith
full copy of the old gentleman's aiary,
in which not only the subject matter but
the spelling and pronunciation are accur-
ately reproduced.
l.. Elias Boudinot was born in Philadelphia
in 174e, and died in Burlington, N. j., in
1921. He was appointed Commissary Gen
eral of Prisoners in the Army of America
in III, and was elected a delegate to Con-
gress from New Jersey, serving from IT'S
to 1779, and again from 1881 to 1854. He
was chosen president of Congress in 1882,
and in that official capacity signed the
treaty with England. In 1895 he was ap-
pointed by Washington to succeed David
Rittenhouse as Director of the Mint, and
held this office until 1906.
He was a staunch old patriot, possessed
of the fearlessness and answering devo-
ton to the cause of American indepea-
dence which was so characteristic of the
best Americans of the time. After the
| WdI bdo WV oa1A Nv q tNAooAO ~
solved to write his recollections of the
| struggle, for he had noticed that many IN
| cidents of the war had become distorted
and exaggerated, and it occurred to him
that as time went on they would get fur
Their and further from actual facts. SO
| he tells what he actually saw and heard.
| and his work gives several new versions
of events which one reads in history.
1 rry1..4 &c x,o, ba r-raS ie aaDitAllO
shown in the following
This was q critical moment in the niS-
tory of New Jersey, and in the light OF
what came afterward. no artist wishing a
theme for a historical New Jersey paint
ing, could do better than grasp this situ-
alton; the tap room of an old New Bruns-
wick inn, the two gentlemen, fresh from
the meeting OF college trustees, clad IN
their sober black coats and small clothes,
their long clay pipes in hand and their
toddy glasses on the table, and the dele
gate from Bergen standing beside them
telling them>in excited manner of the
mine that had been sprung at the mee--
ing of delegates, under the guise OF a con-
vention for promoting the business OF the
province. Boudinot and Smith We're ar
dent patriots and their faces must have
shown intense interest in what the man
from Bergen was saying, as may be gath
cred from what Followed
.'This unexpected account raised our
Curiosity, and Mr.. Smith & Myself agreed
to stay and hear hat might be said on the
subject, but before the meeting adjourned
Gor the morning., they resolved to re-.
quest that as the subject was one which
interested every ~1nhabitart of the Prov
ince, any of the audience might come for
ward & deliver his Sentiments. although
he could not vote on the question. We ac-
cordingly attended the meeting in the
afternoon, when DR.. Witherspoon arose
and in a very able speech OF one hour
and a half endeavored to convince me
audience & the Committee of the absurd
ity of opposing the -extravagant demands
of Great Britain, while we were processing
a perfect allegiance to her Authority and
supporting her courts of Justice. The
character of the speaker, his great infiu-
ence among the people, and the artful
manner in which he represented the whole
subject as worthy their attention, had 81,
effect on the assembly that astonished me.
s1775 T was chosen a Member of the
Provincial Congress Of New Jersey; and
when a proposition was made by a few
weak and Violent Men, for raising a regi-
ment of Troop, it was opposed by all Men
of Note and understanding as a measure
wholly against our Duty and Allegiance
to Great Britain and rejected as contrary
to every sentiment or desire of our con-
stituents. A few weak, violent men (par-
ticularly a William Smith, of Wood
bridge,) were not only for raising a regi-
ment of Soldiers, but expressly moved for
an order to burn every Mans house, who
should refuse to join in the opposition. 1t
reauired prudence and patience to get rid
of these hotheaded measures, but | could
not help remarking that these very men
were the first to join the enemy as soon
as they appeared in force"
The following shows how, when the
proper time came, Boudtnot stood ready
to assert himself in support of the Conti-
mental Congress, even in the face of the
distinguished DR.. John Witherspoon, who
was then president Of the Board of Trus-
tees of the College of New Jersey prince
ton):-
.In 1776, in the month of April, an invita-
ton was given in the News Paper of New
Jersey (but without a name) for each
County to choose delegates or a Commit
tee to meet at New Brunswick on matters
which greatly concerned the Province
but it was generally conceived to be de-
signed to promote some general plan rela-
tive to a Market for home manufactures
in each County. Committees were gem
'erally appointed, although the publica-
ton made but little impression on the
minds of the people at large. At this
time the stated Meeting of the Trustees
of the College of New Jersey was held at
Princeton. Being one Of the Trustees, I
attended, bu we were surprised, to find
our President, the Rev. DR.. John Wither-
spoon, had absented himself on the End
day of our meeting. We finished our
Business and the next day, was returning
home without rejecting at all on the
meeting to be held in New Brunswick,
having totally forgotten it. In company
with VIM. P. Smith, Esq, another of the
Trustees, arrived at New Brunswick
about II o'clock A. NJ, and after feeding
our Horse, meant to have dined at Wood
bridge. In the meantime an acquaintance
from the county of Bergen came into the
Tavern He informed us that he was one
Of the Committee from that County, that
DR.. Witherspoon had met the united Com
and had acknowledged himself the
Author of the publication, and informed
them that the design Of the Meeting was
to consider the peculiar situation of the