[14]

[1831]

May 29th Today I read seven hours in Volney's Ruins reading
more than 360 pages. It is an admirable work and well executed.

July 4th Celebrated the anniversary of our national Indepen-
dence at Goves. was present: but [arrived] after the oration
was delivered. it was said to be smart but badly given. toasts
were decent some very good. Mr. Corey, marshal. Dr. Crum presi-
dent. Dr. Brown speaker.

31st Last night [xxth] the first had the heaviest thunder and
rain we have had in some time, perhaps four or five years. the
lands are very high overflowing several acres of land: some
damage done.

3

[15]

Jesse J. Strang (July 31st)

The revival meeting lasted a fortnight or more. Some dozen or twenty were converted, principally small boys and very young ladies. Nearly half have allready returned to their wallowing again.

Unkle S. H. Dillingham visited us lately: we were able to shew him the largest corn in the country though it was planted in June.

Aug. 28th I have been making records of our debating society. Since it was reestablished it has been prosperous. We have had several sharp debates lately, one last evening. The state of Europe is at this time truly precarious. Poland in a dreadful

7

3

4

[15a]

contest for independence. England all in ferment about reform.
Belgium in a struggle with foreign ministers and even members
of her own congress whether to deliver hers to the (un) holy
alliance or not.

Oct. 9th. Our debating school is very prosperous though we have
but a few speakers. Five is the extent. But we expect more
soon.

Mr. Pearce is an excellent speaker and my only rival has
gone away. He intends to go on a canal next summer and wishes
me to go at $18 per month. Not long since Mr. Pearce wrote to
me a poetick letter to which I replied in like manner, but only
in criticism. At the same time I wrote a song on a subject

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4

5

[15a]

similar to his letter, which has since been common singing with
the boys. Since that I have written considerable: today I have
been writing a letter which was begun Friday evening: it is
my masterpiece. Last evening I wrote a song of sixteen lines
after debating school.

7

5-

6

[16]

Jesse J. Strang October 9, 1831

About a week since I wrote to Grand Father, also to Manly.
It is wet weather.

Oct. 26th Last night we had a sharp debate on the question is
man more inclined to good than evil? I was never before so
worried with speaking. I have imbibed a habit of speaking very
loud: last night was heard distinctly twenty rods in a house.

I had a dispute with Mr. Smith the amount of which is "Shall
the accuser prove the accused guilty or shall the accused prove
himself innocent?" It arose from the following circumstance:
in a debate not long since he accused me of quoting history which
I had never read and quoting it falsely. I replied giving him

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8

[17]

accusation false. Last evening I prepared the way for training
him and in reply to me he said he had a right to accuse me of
what he pleased and the accusation stood good until I proved to
the contrary. I shall train him shortly.

Nov. 22d By a singular change of circumstance I am to be teaching
school in Randolph in a few days. I had formerly given up the
idea of teaching school at all but I am now very earnestly de-
sired to teach for the people in that place, and as I intend to
make serving the people my business through life I will do it
now. yet this is not possible to my mind. Last Saturday I
attended the debating school: the question was "In which is
exhibited the greatest curiosity, animate or inanimate life?"

9

10

[18]

Jesse J. Strang

November 22, 1831

privilege of speaking alone. The question was hotly contested
on both sides: decision for the negative. I had formerly spoken
on the same question and came off where I went on. I trained
Smith a week ago saturday in blank verse, and he bore it patiently.
It began as follows

"To him who rides on slander's foaming steeds

Who loves to charge a friend with basest deeds

Who speaks for naught but wrathful vengeance wrong

Who hopes to rise by slander's blasting tongue"

The whole lingo consisted of sixty lines but part of it was
so savage I thought it not prudent to recite it in publick.

11

12

[19]

Life of Napoleon $1.25

And a few school books and others of less consequence. The books
I bought for company next winter. Tomorrow I shall start for my
school.

Randolph

Nov. 27th 1831 Well I have now set down for one winter; for one
winter of hard labour too. I think from the present appearance
of weather for it has snowed steadily since I left home, and the
snow is here a foot deep and fast falling. I am some tired of
wallowing through the mudy snowy roads. but I shall have a resting
spell of two days before I begin school.

13

14

[20]

Jesse J. Strang December 31, 1831

Dec. 31 I have now taught school five weeks and have thirty-five
schollars: this is a little more like doing business. I would
care if there were twice that number every day. The school was
quite untrained when I came here: not a single schollar knew his
place or duty. but I have succeeded in regulating them and learn-
ing them what to do without punishing a single schollar. I have
some hope of being able to get along with the school without any
considerable difficulty.

I wrote to father two weeks ago and sent for papers. I have
not had any news of any consequence since I have been here. I
expect some papers from Dr. Simons who has given to me nearly
two years.

["15", "16", "[21]", "there have been insurrections in allmost every country in Europe.\nBelgium has gained her independence by accepting Leopold for king\nsome of the German states have changed sovereigns: all the rest\nhave been crushed by military force, a fine way to decide the\nrights of man.", "We have had deep snow ever since I have been in this town.", "1832", "Jan. 1st 1832 x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x

17

18

[22]

Jesse J. Strang January 1st, 1832

In looking over the evils of life I confess I am sometimes
allmost tired of life. To see men in allmost every station in life
seeking to injure each other in every possible manner; perpetually
striving with all possible force in matters in which they have
no concern; one nation making war upon another merely for conquest,
or even military glory; one people propagating its religion by
fire and sword; another reviling the first for its cruelty, and
yet with the more deadly weapons of calumny and slander in its
own cause, persecuting by word and action in common life all
who dare to believe a little more or a little less than its own
standard; parents teaching their own children to believe certain

19

20

[23]

in all their intercourse with each other, and this to such an extent that the most intimate friend frequently proves to be in heart a most virulent enemy, professing friendship merely to find an excuse for injuring his fellow; in a word to see the human heart a mere example of puff of air and at the same time a pit of corruption which neither the waters of Syria or India nor even the blood of "The Son of God" can cleanse it is indeed enough to make one wish himself excluded from the face of man. But this is no painted story nor is one-half of the evil yet told; for man has not only disassembled, deceived, made war without cause, given cause to those who dare not or could not defend their rights, and compelled his fellow to believe without evidence or intuition but he

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[24]

ness and will punish all evil doers to be a witness and a helper
in his evil deeds: he has made him a partner in his contentions
and his strife, to be the author and the lover of evil: to be
changeable minded: to be capable of willing acting and repenting
of it: to be effected [with] passions like his own, and indeed
he has completely made man in his own image morally and physically
and then has declared that God made man in his image. Such is the
human heart changeable and polluted in the best of men and in their
best times. Among such beings is my lot cast. I, like the rest.
I am ashamed of it but it is allmost true, not quite.

Is it possible that anyone should wish to have eminence who
believes all this? Yes it's possible: it is true I ask no more

[25]

[Apparently continues entry of January 1, 1832]

I tremble when I look forward to future prospects. I am resolved
to [devote] my life to the service of mankind.

Jan. 3rd This morning I wrote to my brother by Mr. Smith, sending
a poem of forty-eight lines to the Philositorian [?] Society and
promising a composition if it would be acceptable. The poem was
one which I read to the secretary while there but neglected
to leave a copy.

I keep house alone for Mr. Smith this week and it gives me
a better chance for study than I could otherwise enjoy. ABXSOON
Snow continues falling lightly.

Jan. 7th Mr. Smith has just returned this evening and brought a
letter from my oldest sister a composition of hers, some of my

24

26

[26]

Jesse J. Strang, January 20, 1832
short, simple and probably correct in general. It exhibits the
country in a most prosperous state as regards money affairs; The
opinions concerning the Indians is probably correct except as to
their right of protection from the United States etc.

On the whole I think "The Hero" will get a pretty good name at
his term's end, though he will never be beloved by the people.

Snow is melted some.

Jan. 15th This is the third fair day we have had and it is very
pleasant now. This has been a very stormy winter but I have gen-
erally felt pleasant amid the contending elements. Mr. Smith
[paragraph of cipher]

Jan. 22 This evening we have formed a debating society in this
town of which there are