The times-news., 1938-11-07
Message Of Simeon North
inventor, Owned by Rus
sell Hazeltine, Descend
ent Living Here


ent Living Here
Giving a wide and interesting
view of national politics from the
time of the formation of the gov
ernment up to and including
part of the administration IN the
wear l84O, a letter was written on
April 3, of that year, by Simeon
North, inventor, and manufactur-
or of small arms for the United
States government to his son, Sim
con North, Jr., who was at that
time president of Hamilton col
lepe, at Middletown, Conn. This
letter. now in POSSESSION of Russell
Hazcltinc, Hcndcrsonville resident
and grcat-grandson of the writer
on his maternal side, is reproduc..
cd in part here by permission OF
its owner.
Nothing but necessity would
have tempted me to have MADE
the journey at that season OF the
wear. / was apprehensive that
there was a deep laid plot to sac
rificc me and all Of my hard earn
ings through a long life, by an
artful, intriguing lot of men, for
the purpose Of building themselves
upon my ruins, and, as you stated
in your letter, if the government
had not a greater interest to at
tend to my business than they
have manifested in attending to
the business of the people, you
fear my journey will be Of little
avail.
". 81 will therefore give you
a faint history of my journey and
of our government.
Commencing first with the bat
tie of Bunker Hill, which is still
fresh in my mind-on that day !
was within hearing of the cannon
of that great battle. Soon after,
had the pleasure of seeing that
great and good man, George
Washington, pass with his. aides,
dressed in splendid uniforms with
their lglittering arms by their
sides, going on to take command
of the armies of. the United
States at Boston. What a noble
sight it was for boy to- see, and
to. make his bow to such a great
man as General Washington. L
have since, seen all Of the. presi-
dents of. the United Estates down
to Captain Taylor, except Presi-
dent Harrison, and have been in
the habit. of visiting many of them
and their families at the seat Of
government ~.... ...; s.. !
For forty-four years past i have
been in the habit of visiting the
seat of our national government
nearly every year and sometimes
twice year, and when congress
was in session, attended their de-
hberations in the two houses.
During this long period of time
the great anxiety and suffering
and distress of the Revolution has
been fresh in my mind and to re-
fleet on the great anxiety Of
mothers at the time the British
landed at New London and also, at
New Haven when the Expresses
(the writer probably means stage
coaches) came on in full jump,
every man and boy that was large
enough to bear arms seized his
musket and rushed to the field of
battle, and as before stated, to
see the great anxiety Of mothers
and daughters standing at the
doors of their houses to see the:
last glimpse of their. dear hus-
bands and sons-not ever expect
ing to see them all return alive
again-was heart rending.
But what a change the last half
century has made in this nation.
A hardy race of people have
grown up that never knew Joseph.
And to appearance, many of them
would sacrifice all that was gained
by. the Revolution for the sake of
money.
"You state that the last session
Of congress makes you most
heartily sick of politics and every
thing connected with it. My dear
sir, let us compare the two last
sessions of congress with those of
az or 43 years back and mark the
difference. At the former period
on visiting the two houses of con-
gress, then saw old Patriarchs of
the Revolutionary days, now with
their snow white locks, bleached
with the cares, anxieties, fatigue
and distress of the War of the
Revolution, then in congress as
scmblcd, the old veterans that
pledged their lives, their fortunes,
and their sacred honor for the
liberties and the freedom of their
great republic. 1t was pleasant to
be near them and to see moral