General History of Connecticut, from Its First Settlement Under George Fenwick to its Latest Period of Amity with Great BritainPeters, Samuel
History
General History of Connecticut, from Its First Settlement Under George Fenwick to its Latest Period of Amity with Great Britain
Peters, Samuel
Connecticut -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775; Connecticut -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
He was highly respected, in England as well as in America, by all
pious, benevolent, scientific, and moral christians of all
denominations; and he never knew he had an enemy, (until Gov. Jonathan
Trumbull, of Connecticut, vouchsafed to support the atrocities of the
mobs,) as appears by his benevolent conduct in England to his enemies
of New-England, who had ill-treated him two years before the rebellion
was commenced.
After the war began many of the Windham mob, who spat in the Doctor’s
face and grossly insulted him otherwise, were brought prisoners into
England, and were in great distress. They then applied to the Doctor
for help, (knowing his character in America,) and they never applied
in vain; he always helped them, and in many instances obtained their
release. They returned home and reported that Dr. Peters was like
Joseph in Egypt, and had delivered them out of all their troubles.
“Dr. Peters,” they said, “fed us when we were hungry, clothed us when
naked, visited us in prison, and delivered us out of our distress. He
never reproached us for what we had done to him and his family. When
we confessed to having abused him, he replied, ‘God hath sent me here
before you to save your lives; it was not you that sent me here. Haste
ye; go home, and sin no more.’”
Notwithstanding such reports were spread through New-England by the
redeemed captives, the destroyers of the teas, and their mobs,
continued their malicious and false sayings in the newspapers against
the Doctor, of whom no man in New or Old-England ever knew one crime
of his from his birth; but, on the contrary, was known for his actions
of charity, goodwill, and kindness, to all of the human family.
In June, 1806, the Doctor paid a visit to Hebron, his native town, and
was received with acclamations of great joy by the inhabitants, the
children of his contemporaries, who were all dead in thirty-one years
during his absence (except ten persons). He remained in Hebron six
weeks, and then paid a visit to Hertford, the capital of Connecticut
State, once his faithful parish, and now the seat of bishops. He was
kindly and joyfully received by the inhabitants, with whom he spent
some time with great pleasure, and from thence returned to New-York,
which he made his home.
The Rev. Messrs. Mansfield and Veits were cast into gaol, and
afterwards tried for high treason against America. Their real offence
was charitably giving victuals and blankets to loyalists flying from
the rage of drunken mobs. They were fined and imprisoned, to the ruin
of themselves and families. The Rev. Messrs. Graves, Scovil, Debble,
Nichols, Leaming, Beach, and divers others, were cruelly dragged
through mire and dirt. In short, all the clergy of the Church were
infamously insulted, abused, and obliged to seek refuge in the
mountains, till the popular frenzy was somewhat abated.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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