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decoying the 3 negroes, is in prison; and I suppose will be tried at the Supreme Court, now sitting. It is said he has a son in New York, who is of good character. Do you know him? The father is as grand a rascal as goes unhanged.

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MY DEAR SIR, I am really at a loss how to advise you, but think, upon the whole, I would let the Columbians know that "my necessities also compelled the making a close bargain;" that I had been applied to in behalf of the New York Magazine, but felt myself so much interested in their success (having been so long connected with them), that I did not like to leave them, provided they would stipulate to allow me, certainly, what I deemed a reasonable compensation for my assistance, which they acknowledge they do not now allow; and that, upon their doing this, I would continue to aid them. If you can contribute the stipulated assistance to them in case you accept N. W.'s proposal, I see no reason why you should not do the latter too; for, if you fulfil your engagements, you do them no injustice.

You may, in this case, as well have two strings to your bow as not, and I think I would advise to it; especially as the Columbian's continuance is uncertain. I would inform N. W. that some consideration was necessary respecting his plan; but I was, upon the whole, inclined to think I would join him, if he could get the other gentlemen he mentioned to me to be concerned. I think no cash is to be advanced by you, upon his plan.

It will be some months before he can begin, and I would not exclude myself from a chance. Adieu.

Yours in haste,

EBEN. HAZARD.

BELKNAP TO HAZARD.

BOSTON, 19 March, 1788.

MY DEAR SIR, -The enclosed is for William Spotswood, who, though a man of business, is a more attentive and regular correspondent than Dallas, who is said to be a "man of leisure" in the letter which Spotswood wrote last, and which I expect by next post to be returned to me, with additional advice from you, when I shall make up my mind, and write particularly to him, as well as answer "the Monarch," whose magazines, I hear, have reached this town, and are considered as inferior to the Columbian.

You will excuse my not enlarging, when you consider that I have been hard at it all day. It is now evening, and my nature needs relaxation. We have nothing new. Our negro bill (I suppose) has passed the Lower House. There are opposers, but their opposition was not daring and form[idable, but] rather sly and evasive. I'll tell you more about it next time. Pray have you, or can you procure for me without any expence, Clarkson's "Essay on Slavery"? Is he a Clarkson of your kindred? He is a hero in the cause, and may Heaven prosper his endeavWith love to you and yours, I am your affectionate J. BELKNAP.

ours.

friend,

In your list of pamphlets, I see "An Account of the College of New Jersey." Will it help me in drawing up memoirs of Governour Belcher? If so, pray lend it

to me.

HAZARD TO BELKNAP.

NEW YORK, April 5, 1788.

MY DEAR SIR, -I have made several attempts to write to you since my last, and been uniformly prevented from doing it. For fear of accidents, I now begin before breakfast.

It is now after dinner, and I have got no farther yet; however, in the interim I have picked up three of Clarkson's publications, which I send, -one for yourself, one for Colonel Waters, and the other for Mr. Hastings. Please to present my compliments with the pamphlets. I send also the Columbian Magazine for March, and a letter from Mr. Morse. I suppose Clarkson has sprung from the same root with our part of the family, but we have no knowledge of him, except from his Treatise on Slavery, which is certainly a masterly performance.

The account of the College of New Jersey mentions nothing about Governour Belcher, except that, being Governour of the Province, he granted the charter, in 1748; and "the same year [1757] died also his Excellency Governour Belcher, who continued to the last a zealous patron of religion and learning. His library, consisting of 474 volumes, together with several other useful and ornamental articles, he left to this College, of which he was himself the founder." Speaking of the College Hall, the writer says: "It is also ornamented on one side with a portrait of his late Majesty (Geo. II.) at full length; and on the other with a like picture (and above it the family arms, neatly carved and gilt) of his Excellency Governour Belcher. These were bequeathed by the latter to this College." You will find something of him in Hutchinson's History of Massachusetts Bay.

I now return you Prince Hall's petition. It will appear in one of our newspapers on Monday, when a trial will

come on between one of our masters of vessels and a member of the society for promoting the manumission of slaves, who accused the former of kidnapping negroes.

You informed me, some time since, that the man who decoyed the negroes from Boston has a son in this city: can you give me his history? By the accounts I have of him, he has been very attentive to business, and very successful in it. His deportment is very decent, but there is a vast deal of caution and unfathomableness about him. I meet with nobody who knows any thing about him before he came here, and he has long since excited my curiosity.

We shall soon begin to hear more about the new Constitution, as the Convention of Maryland will meet this month. South Carolina will meet in May. I think it probable that both will adopt it; and accounts from Virginia are favourable.

My mother and Mrs. H. unite in love to Mrs. B., with Your friend,

EBEN. HAZARD.

HAZARD TO BELKNAP.

NEW YORK, April 12, 1788.

DEAR SIR, The enclosed is just received from Philadelphia; and, that it may not be delayed, I write, though it is Saturday night, and I am wearied by the labours of the week. Have you seen any of the attacks upon me about newspapers? Oswald and Bailey (the anti-federal printers in Philadelphia), and Oswald's Echo (Greenleaf), in this city, have been pelting me at a most unmerciful rate. I have not condescended to reply to any of them, except in one instance, when I was first attacked by name, and Oswald avowed himself to be the writer. A copy of what I then published you have enclosed, and may make what use you please of it. Their subsequent publications

have been little more than repetitions of their former assertions (which are fully replied to in the enclosed), with a tolerable addition of scurrility. The whole arises from a design in the Anti-federalists in Philadelphia, to prevent the adoption of the new Constitution by the States which have not yet met in Convention; at least, this is my opinion. To effect this, they pretend that newspapers containing anti-federal pieces have not been allowed to circulate, while others have been forwarded with eagerness; and, by this, they design to raise tumults among the people. But they will find all their art insufficient to prevent the adoption of the new Constitution, or I am much mistaken. However, they will stop at nothing. Though their champion, the Centinel, has been more than once detected in falsehoods, he writes on, without a blush. I have given you these hints, that, if you hear the matter talked of, you may be able to talk about it; but don't let it be known that you have any thing upon the subject from me. Salutations to Mrs. B. from

Mrs. H. and your friend,

EBEN. HAZARD.

HAZARD TO BELKNAP.

NEW YORK, April 16, 1788.

MY DEAR SIR, Though I wrote the enclosed, I was prevented from sending it; "hence learn" how little I am master even of my own motions. In a former letter, you asked my opinion of Mr. Morse as a preacher. I like him; and indeed, so far, he proves very acceptable to our people in general. He composes well, has many new and striking ideas, and there is something pleasing in his manner. He wants animation, but probably will have more of it after he has been longer in the ministry, and is more used to the people and the houses in which he speaks, but particularly when he is more weaned from

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