Talk:Richard Stockton (Continental Congressman)

message: "Richard Stockton of New Jersey was the only signer taken prisoner specifically because of his status as a signatory to the Declaration, "dragged from his bed by night" by local Tories after he had evacuated his family from New Jersey, and imprisoned in New York City's infamous Provost Jail like a common criminal. However, Stockton was also the only one of the fifty-six signers who violated the pledge to support the Declaration of Independence and each other with "our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor," securing a pardon and his release from imprisonment by recanting his signature on the Declaration and signing an oath swearing his allegiance to George III." . — xaosflux Talk 19:30, 5 July 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Reference if anyone wants to incorporate it

message: "There seems to be a long standing misunderstanding of the language here.  Stockton signed a document requiring his obedience.  He did not pledge his allegiance.  Allegiance implies loyalty and fidelity.  Obedience implies passive submission.  Stockton was clearly beaten, but there is no evidence he was actively loyal.  Because Stockton was a gentleman, the end effect would have been identical, but difference is huge.  Please do not confuse his submission to the King as a beaten man with allegiance which he never pledged.  
204.9.123.50 (talk) 14:28, 17 April 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Weighing in on the "Controversy"

message: I noticed a large segment of text in the "Revolutionary War" section that has some useful information it it, unfortunately, it is full of POV and is rather poorly written.  If it is going to be included, please edit it to reflect a NPOV and fix the grammar and prose. The segemnt in question is as follows:
*The circumstances of Stockton's release from custody are clear as shown above, but a well known modern author uses innuendo, rumors and flawed research to claim that Stockton signed Howe's Proclamation and swore an oath of peaceable obedience to the King. [3]John Witherspoon wrote to his son David in March 1777, stating that Stockton "signed Howe’s Declaration and also gave his Word of Honour that he would not meddle in the least in American affairs during the War". Howe's Declaration is the parole Stockton signed giving his Word of Honor not to meddle in American affairs as described by Dr. Benjamin Rush and cited below. Witherspoon never said Stockton signed Howe's Proclamation and took protection and Stockton denied it as cited in Witherspoons letter, and the rest deals with the rumors spread about Stockton by Cochran - to confuse matters even more Stockton's cousin was also named Richard Stockton and had joined the British - probably causing people to confuse the two in the rumors. Regarding being much spoken about for his conduct people did not know the difference between a parole, a pardon or protection as it was all new to them. [4] Congressman Abraham Clark, writing to John Hart about filling vacancies in New Jersey's delegation to the Continental Congress, wrote "Mr. Sergeant talks of resigning and Mr. Stockton by his late procedure cannot Act." This statement reflects Stockton's resignation from Congress due to poor health after his parole. [5] Fellow signer Dr. Benjamin Rush in his autobiography wrote "At Princeton I met my wife's father who had been plundered of all his household furniture and stock by the British army, and carried a prisoner to New York, from whence he was permitted to return to his family upon parole." Dr. Benjamin Rush was the only one to clearly state that Stockton was given a parole, everything else is conjecture.(Corner 130)[6] In December of 1777 Stockton again swore an oath of allegiance to the United States. Every elected member of Congress from New Jersey swore a oath of allegiance to the United States so does that mean they took Howe's protection? Also all the Officers of Washington's Army were required to take a oath of allegiance. [7]
If it is not fixed relatively soon, I will edit it myself, or just remove it altogether depending on what is more feaseable.  Thanks.
Snagglepuss (talk) 13:39, 22 December 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  POV Paragraph 

message: *Wikipedia publishes lies and false information by Warren Borroson, newjerseynewsroom.com
I offer this not as a reliable source but as an indication of a controversy that has exceeded the bounds of Wikipedia. I have no opinion on the facts because I don't know them. --TS 21:48, 12 November 2011 (UTC)
thread_title: Article in Newjerseynewsroom.com

message: I haven't been involved in this subject area before, but because of the news article, linked by TS above, I did a little search. A Google Book search showed a vast number of books that detailed that Stockton did indeed sign an oath of allegiance to the king, but then recanted it later once he got back into Revolutionary arms. Some sources stating as such include "Gallantry in Action", "Washington's crossing", "The Uniting States", and much, much more, as can be seen from the search. What literature is there that disputes this, seemingly, widely supported event? If I don't receive a reply within 24 hours, i'll just go ahead and change it, adding the sources given above. SilverserenC 00:33, 13 November 2011 (UTC)
replies: text: Unfortunately, if it's not something that's written down anywhere available, then we have to go with the sources that are available. SilverserenC 22:38, 6 February 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  Seems clear he did sign oath to king 

message: Substituted at 04:24, 30 April 2016 (UTC)
thread_title: Assessment comment

message: Hello fellow Wikipedians,
I have just modified one external link on Richard Stockton (Continental Congressman). Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
*Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20070212140656/http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/1975/4/1975_4_22.shtml to http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/1975/4/1975_4_22.shtml
When you have finished reviewing my changes, you may follow the instructions on the template below to fix any issues with the URLs.
Cheers.—InternetArchiveBot (Report bug) 03:17, 9 December 2017 (UTC)
thread_title:  External links modified 

message: Recently discovered that Mrs Cochran carrying the flag of truth to talk to her husband about Richard Stockton treatment in prison 
was none other than Richard's sister Rebecca and her husband was Judge Richard Cochran.  Richard Cochran was a judge with Richard Stockton.  Rebecca's husband was not Rev William Tennent as has previously assumed.
Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society Vol 60 1942 page 102Lookforthetruth (talk) 18:19, 18 April 2019 (UTC)
thread_title:  Rebecca Stockton