USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newbury > Reminiscences of a nonagenarian > Part 23
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above grandsir Little's, he drove through the water, thus ending the noise and commotion. I have often heard aunt Hannah describe the fright of herself and the other children, roused from sound sleep, but grandma'm hav- ing ascertained the source of the dis- cord, went about and quieted her flock, and thereafter she would never permit her girls to laugh at their more credu- lous neighbors, bidding them, "to so live that at any moment the judg- ment might find them ready to give a good account."
The depreciation of the paper mon- ey issued by congress to meet the exi- gencies of the war for a time caused general disorder in monetary affairs, and in some instances great distress. By 1780, the continental money had driv- en nearly all the gold and silver out of circulation, and this paper currency lessened in value with such rapidity that in remote places, and where people were unacquainted with the money mar- ket, fraud could be easily perpetrated. In this way Gen. John Peabody's mother was cheated out of a large part of her late husband's estate. She sold the homestead for a good price, and received in full payment a whole trunk full of money, which to her utter amazement and dismay she learned was in reality not worth more than a third of its nominal value. When I was a child, I had several of these continental bills, with which I used to play shopping, and for years my father kept one in his wallet as a memento, laughingly averring that so long as this bill was in his pocket he was not de- void of money. Aunt Sarah had a calico dress, which cost a one hundred dollar bill, and a set of knitting nee- dles for which she paid a dollar. Mrs.
Moses Colman, then Betty Little, paid one hundred and fifty dollars for sufli- cient black silk to make a short cloak, . a sort of mantilla, then fashionable for summer wear. She often laughingly boasted of her one expensive garment.
In 1789, Washington on his eastern tour visited Newburyport. He came Friday, Dec. 1, and remained until the next morning.
In my childhood I often heard descrip- tions of the grandeur of his reception, and on a stormy Sunday I often conned the volumes of the "Essex Journal and New Hampshire Packet," of December fourth, which contained a full account of the proceedings. This was the first paper printed in the town, a Repub- lican sheet, first published Dec. 4, 1773, by Thomas and Tinges, and con- tinued by Ezra Lunt and John Mycall. The President came by the old Boston road, over the Parker river bridge, and through Oldtown. At the upper green he left his carriage, and mounted his horse. He had been met at Ipswich and escorted hither, by Marshall Jack- son, the High Sheriff of the county of Essex, the Hon. Tristram Dalton, Maj. General Titcomb, and other offi- cers and gentlemen from Newburyport and the surrounding towns, and two companies of cavalry from Ipswich and Andover. As the cortege moved on to High street, it was met near South, now Bromfield, by a long pro- cession. The Artillery fired a Federal salute, and a company of young men sang the following ode :
"He comes, He comes ! The Hero comes ! Sound, Sound your trumpets, Beat, Beat your Drums.
From port, to port, let cannons roar,
His welcome to New England's shore. Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome, Welcome to New England's shore !
Prepare ! Prepare ! your Songs prepare,
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Loud, loudly rend the echoing air; From Pole to Pole, his praise resound, For Virtue is with glory crowned.
Virtue, virtue, virtue, virtue, Virtue is with glory crowned."
The lines in the first verse, which call for the beating of drums and roaring of cannon, were instantly obeyed, after the pronunciation of each word, and to the vocal was joined all the instrumental music in both choruses, which were repeated. Washington was exceedingly pleased with this novel reception, moved even to tears. Next the President, preceded by the several companies of Militia and Artillery of the town, the Musicians, Selectmen, High Sheriff and Marshall Jackson, passed the Ministers, Physicians, Law- yers, Magistrates, Town officers, Ma- rine Society, Tradesmen and Manu- facturers, Captains of. Vessels, Sailors, and School Masters with their Scholars, who had paraded, and opened to the right and left, each of whom as the President passed closed and joined in the procession, which was terminated by four hundred and twenty scholars, all with quills in their hands, headed by their Preceptors. Their motto, "We are the free born subjects of the United States." This procession passed through High to State street conducting Washington to the residence of Nathan- iel Tracy, esq., where he was enter- tained in princely style. On his arri- val he was greeted with the follow- ing address, written by John Quincy Adams, then a student at law in the office of Theophilus Parsons, esq., who had been appointed by the town to prepare it.
To the President of the United States :- Sir: When, by the unani- mous suffrages of your countrymen, you were called to preside over their public councils, the citizens of the town
of Newburyport participated in the general joy that arose from anticipa- ting an administration conducted by the man to whose wisdom and valor they owed their liberties. Pleasing were their reflections, that he who, by the blessing of Heaven, had given them their independance, would again relin- quish the felicities of domestic retire- ment, to teach them its just value. They have seen you, victorious, Icave the field, followed with the applause of a grateful country ; and they now see you, entwining the Olive with the Lau- rel, and, in peace, giving security and happiness to a people, whom in war, you covered with glory. At the pres- ent moment, they indulge themselves in sentiments of joy, resulting from a principle, perhaps less elevated, but exceedingly dear to their hearts, from a gratification of their affections, in be- holding personally among them, the Friend, the Benefactor, and the Father of their Country.
They cannot hope, Sir, to exhibit any pecular marks of attachment to your person ; for, could they express their feelings of the most ardent and sincere gratitude, they would only re- peat the sentiments, which are deeply impressed upon the hearts of all their fellow citizens ; but, in justice to them- selves, they beg leave to assure you, that in no part of the United States are those sentiments of gratitude and affection more cordial and animated than in the town, which, at this time,' is honored with your presence.
Long, sir, may you continue the or- nament and support of these States, and may the period be late, when you shall be called to receive a reward, ad- equate to your virtue, which it is not in the power of this country to bestow.
The President replied as follows :
"To the citizens of the town of New- buryport :-
Gentlemen : The demonstrations of respect and affection which you are pleased to pay to an individual whose highest pretension is to rank as your fellow-citizen, are of a nature too dis-
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tinguished not to claim the warmest re- turn that gratitude can make.
My endeavors to be useful to my country have been no more than the result of conscious duty. Regards like yours, would reward services of the highest estimation and sacrifice ; yet, it is due to my feelings, that I should tell you those regards are received with esteem, and replied to with sincerity.
In visiting the town of Newburyport, I have obeyed a favorite inclination, and I am much gratified by the indul- gence. In expressing a sincere wish for its prosperity, and the happiness of its inhabitants, I do justice to my own sentiments and their merit."
A feu de joie was fired by the mili- tia companies, and in the evening there was a display of fireworks. Saturday morning the President started for Ports- mouth, under the escort that conducted him into town, with the addition of a large number of military and other gen- tlemen of Newburyport, who accompa- nied him to the New Hampshire line, where he was metby Gen. Sullivan, Gov- ernor of the State, with four companies of light-horse, who conducted him to Portsmouth. This was previous to the erection of the Essex Merrimac bridge, and Washington crossed the river at the Amesbury ferry. The Marine so- ciety fitted and decorated a barge for that purpose, which was commanded by one their members, the bargemen being dressed in white. As the boat came midway the stream, a ship from Teneriffe, gaily adorned with flags and commanded by Captain Joseph A. de Murrietta, fired the salute of his nation, twenty-one guns. In Amesbury and Salisbury the militia were paraded, and saluted the President as he passed.
CHAPTER XXXV.
The French Revolution, and the gen- eral confusion which reigned in Europe after the decapitation of Louis XVI, brought a large carrying trade to the seaports of the Union. American ship- ping was protected in the Texal, and the Empress Catherine granted us the freedom of the Baltic. A brisk trade was opened with the English, French, Spanish and Dutch possessions. Though Newburyport prospered from her foreign trade for a number of years, yet many heavy losses occurred, and much annoyance was experienced from the divers decrees of the belligerent powers. Under the pretext of recov- ering English deserters, Great Britain claimed the right of search. In the exercise of this disputed right, frequent seizures were made of what were called enemy's goods - goods shipped from some nation with whom she was at war. Under such pretexts, vessel and cargo were confiscated, or subjected to such delay and loss that the whole profits of the voyage were absorbed. In addition to the English insults and injuries, the French, aggrieved at the refusal of the United States to form an alliance with them, at the same time affirming that we permitted British to take French goods out of our ships, adopted retaliatory measures, and French privateers were fitted out to prey on our merchantmen. In 1793, the allied powers decreed that no ex- portation of provisions to France should be allowed, and they engaged to unite to prevent neutral nations from supply- ing her directly or indirectly. The Empress Catherine also requested the king of Sweden not to allow his ships of war to convey merchantmen destined
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for France. Thus our commerce met with a continuation of entanglements.
For several years war had been waged between Portugal and Algiers. Hitherto, by a powerful fleet, Portugal had confined the Algerine cruisers to the Mediterranean, but in September, 1793, a truce was concluded between the Dey of Algiers and the King of Portugal. Thus the whole Algerine fleet was let loose to prey upon the commerce of the Atlantic. Many American vessels were captured, the crews robbed and reduced to slavery, with no hope of release unless ran- somed.
In the summer of 1793, the brig Polly, commanded by Capt. Samuel Bayley, a son of Mr. Samuel Bayley, one of the wealthiest merchants of Newburyport, was taken by an Alger- ine cruiser, while on a voyage from Baltimore to Cadiz., Several of the crew also belonged in the town and vi- einity, and the news of their capture created a great sensation. Though I was then only six years old, I vividly remember the heart-rending tales which my father, on his return from town, market days, used to relate, as from time to time tidings of the suffering cap- tives reached their friends. A large sum was raised for their ransom. The fam- ilies and friends of the prisoners con- tributed generously, and appeal was made in their behalf from the pulpits of the various societies, and a contri- bution taken, the Sunday preceding the Thanksgiving after their capture.
The Dey of Algiers, thinking that our government. in its anxiety for the release of the prisoners, would acqui- esce in any demand, set such an exor- bitant price as their ransom that Con- gress, not wishing to encourage his
piracy, demurred as to its payment ; but in the December following their en- slavement, this crew, with those of oth- er American vessels, were furnished, through Mr. Skjolderbrand, the Swed- ish consul, with money and comforta- ble clothing : each captain and super- cargo receiving eight Spanish dollars per month, the mates six, and the sail- ors three each.
Meantime negotiations for the release of our countrymen were continued through Daniel Humphreys, esq., and Joseph Donaldson, jr., esq. At length, in July, 1796, through the zealous ef- forts of these gentlemen, and of Joel Barlow, esq., consul-general of the United States to Algiers, negotiations were closed and the prisoners set at liberty, but young Capt. Bayley was not permitted to return to his native shores. On the second day of his homeward voyage he was attacked with the plague, from which he died, after an illness of two days.
One of the mariners of the brig Polly was John Foss, a native of Byfield. After his return he published an ac- count of his captivity, which was ex- ceedingly interesting. At that time I had never seen a geography-" Morse. & Parish's " was a later production- and Mr. Foss's delineation of foreign places, the Mediterranean and Algiers, was my introduction to a knowledge of that part of the world. His descrip- tions of the bagnio where the men were confined, and the cruelty shown to the prisoners, who were treated as slaves and compelled to perform severe tasks while heavily ironed, and subjected to the bastinado and other barbarities for the slightest offence, were touchingly graphic. After three years' servitude, on the 11th of July, the prisoners were
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called from the bagnio and conducted to the Dey to receive their passports, and at 9 a. m. they embarked on a ship belonging to a Jew, Mr. Baccri. On the 12th, received provisions and got ready for sea; on the 13th, stood to sea. On board were forty-eight Ne- apolitans that had been ransomed : that night one of these was taken sick with the plague ; this man was taken on shore by the harbor master. On the 14th, another Neapolitan was taken sick ; he died on the 16th. On the 15th, Capt. Bayley was taken ill, and died on the 17th. Finding the plague raging to such a degree, the ship put into Marseilles. On the 8th of October, Mr. Foss shipped as first mate on board the ship Fortune of Philadelphia, commanded by Capt. Michael Smith. On the 17th, sailed from Marseilles, bound to Bona in Algiers, where the vessel arrived on the 7th of December. On the 15th of January, 1799, again sailed for Marseilles ; on the 24th, was boarded by his Britannic Majesty's ship Pallas, treated politely, and permitted to proceed. February 5th, about nine leagnes from Marseilles, the ship was captured by his Britannic Majesty's ships Inconstant and Blanche, and or- dered to Porto Ferrajo in the island of Elba, where they arrived on the 15th, and were sent on shore on the 16th, and not allowed to stay on board the frigate unless they would enter his Britannic Majesty's service. None were willing to do so. One man was im- pressed on board the Inconstant, and three others entered on board the Union, a British transport ; the rest procured a passage for Leghorn, but having been robbed of their money and part of their clothes, they found it difficult to subsist until the vessel was ready to
sail. They sailed for Leghorn on the 23d, and arrived the next day, were kept in quarantine until the 5th of March, on which day Capt. Smith ar- rived from Porto Ferrajo, and sailed for Marseilles the 10th, with all the crew but Mr. Foss and Moses Brown of Newburyport, who were left sick in the hospital. On the 20th, Mr. Foss sailed from Leghorn in an open boat for Piombino in Naples. On his arriv- al he met Mr. Donaldson, the American consul, who had been instrumental in his deliverance from Algiers. In his company he sailed for Porto Ferrajo, arriving the same evening. On the 24th, they sailed for Leghorn, arriving on the 26th.
On the second of April, Mr. Foss embarked as passenger on board the Mandonna del Rosario e san Vincenzo Særaro, of Ragusa, bound to Philadel- phia ; sailed on the 4th, and on the 11th, was captured by a Spanish privateer and carried into Barcelona ; was cleared on the 12th, and again sailed, but on the 20th, was again captured by a Freneli privateer, and carried into Almeria. treated politely, and sailed on the 22d. On the 29th, the wind having been con- trary for several days, they ran into Malaya, where they remained until the 21st of May. Again sailed on the 22d. On the same day was boarded by his Britannic Majesty's ship Petteral, treat- ed well, and permitted to proceed. On the 23d, at 6 p. m. was boarded by two Spanish privateers and carried into Ceuta. Mr. Foss having struck one of the privateer's men with a sword, and wounded him on the arm, was put into a dungeon, ironed hands and feet, where he was kept about an hour and a half. That same evening the vessel sailed for Philadelphia. On the 28th,
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was boarded by another Spanish pri- vateer, and robbed of a quantity of provisions, and the greater part of the clothes of the crew and passengers. On the first of July was boarded by his Britannic Majesty's ship Wool- wich, were treated politely, and per- mitted to proceed. Being short of provisions, endeavors were made to procure a supply from the Woolwich, but she being also short none could be obtained. On the 24th, spoke the brig Jefferson from St. Croix, bound to Philadelphia, from whom provisions were obtained which were most thank- fully received, as for nearly forty days they had subsisted on one biscuit per day, with oil and wine. On the 25th, Mr. Foss arrived in Philadelphia, where he was detained by indisposition until the 11th of August. He then took passage in the schooner Jay, be- longing to Edgartown, bound to Bos- ton, David Smith commander. He arrived in Boston on the 17th. On the 23, he reached Newburyport, and after such a terrible and varied experience, was restored to his family at Byfield.
I have made this extract from Mr. Foss' journal, to show the peril sand annoyance to which at that period our marine were subjected.
Out of the nine persons who left Baltimore on the brig Polly, only four returned besides Mr. Foss. These were Michael Smith, the first mate, Benja- min Edwards, the second mate, and Moses Brown, mariner. The others all died of the plague. Capt. Samuel E. Bayley, whose ransom had been forwarded by his father, was a young man of much promise, universally be- loved and respected, and his sad fate was greatly deplored. Subjoined are some lines written by Capt. Bayley
while a prisoner in Algiers. They were addressed to a young lady to whom he was betrothed :
" To you, my friend, these lines I send, Though distant far from me ;
Though we're apart, my aebing heart Is ever still with thee.
To let thee know my grief and woe Is far beyond my art ;
I can't express the sore distress That raeks my pained heart.
I mourn and weep while others sleep, My nights are turned to day ;
While time runs on, and hope forlorn, And rest goes far away.
I think of thee where'er I be, Of thy unhappy state :
My thoughts and care are always there- On thee I contemplate.
Though hard my fate and wretched state, I pray for a relief ;
That God would bless me in distress And mitigate my grief.
Without neglect I shall respect My parents till I die ; Their tender care for my welfare Lives in my memory.
I trust in God who holds the rod And doth chastise in love ; He can relieve the captive slave, And hear him from above."
At this time imposters were often met, tramping from place to place, begging money, under the pretext of raising the ransom of a son or brother held in captivity at Algiers. For years such persons were an annoyance every -. where, and often a terror to solitary people in lone country houses.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
The conflicts of the French Revolu- tion reached the French West Indian colonies with even more intense cruel- ties than in the mother country. One day one party was in power, the next
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the opposite. On all sides persons in authority were imprisoned and guillo- tined, their property confiscated, and their children outlawed. Many of the most wealthy and influential citizens became fugitives. As Newburyport had a large West Indian commerce, many of these exiles came thither. In Guadaloupe the blood-thirsty mob poured out upon the' noble families the brutal passion of wild beasts. The atrocities committed almost surpass be- lief. Many met the most horrible deaths ; a few were enabled to escape to neighboring islands in boats ; and about twenty succeeded in getting on board of a brig belonging in Newbury- port, which lay off the island, which ar- rived at that port in March, 1792. Among these exiles was St. Sauveur de Poyen. His eldest and youngest sons, Robert and St. Sauveur, were killed by the brutal mob of republicans ; but the father and three sons, Joseph Roch- mont, Montrape, Dupiton, and two daughters, escaped, and succeeded, af- ter great suffering, in getting on board the Newburyport brig.
St. Sauveur de Poyen was a direct descendant from the Marquis Jean de Poyen, who emigrated to the island of Guadaloupe in 1658. He inherited all the instincts and pride of the aristoc- racy of France, the class to which he belonged, and when the troublous times of the French Revolution came, they found him a staunch royalist and an ar- dent defender of King Louis XVI. The loss of home, change of climate, grief and anxiety, was too much for the exile ; he passed away only a few months before Louis was beheaded, the king to whose cause he was so strongly attached, for which he sacri- ficed a home of luxury and ease.
" Habitation Piton," five miles from the romantic village of St. Rose, is the point at which the French discovered the island. The plantation borders on the sea. A romantic ride by the shore brings the " Habitation " to view on a small plateau, a little distance up the side of the mountain. Turning from the shore the road runs direct to the " Habitation," through a valley filled with sugar-cane. A broad avenue ter- minates the valley road, with rows of lofty palms on either side ; a winding way leads to the dwelling. This point presents a panorama of great beauty. The valley, widening as it re- cedes, is filled with luxuriant cane, which also covers the mountains far up their sides. About a mile from the shore, a circular rock called "English- man's head," rises from the water to the height of one hundred feet, and is the only object that breaks the surface of the broad ocean to the horizon ; in the distance two shadowy forms appear, the islands of Montserrat and Antigua, so indistinct and misty as not to break the horizon line.
In a low, narrow valley in the old graveyard on burying hill, in Newbury- port, is a stone bearing this inscription :
SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF MR. POYEN DE ST. SAUVEUR, WHO FOR A LONG TIME WAS AN INHABITANT & A REPUTABLE PLANTER ON THE ISLAND OF GUADULOUPE. DIED OCTOBER 14TII, 1792, AGED 52 YEARS.
After a few years, when affairs had become settled, several of the surviv- ing exiles returned to their homes. Amongst those that remained were Jo- seph Rochemont de Poyen, de St. Sau- veur, (St. Sauveur indicated the branch of the family to which he belonged),
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and a sister who died in Baltimore. This land of refuge had many attrac- tions for young Poyen. He never wearied of wandering up and down the shores of the beautiful Merrimac. Some twelve years were spent in care- less, easy living, dividing his time be -. tween the town, and the romantic villa- ges along the river's bank. At one of these, Rock's Bridge, (East Haverhill), he at length passed most of his time. It is a singularly picturesque spot, and its natural beauties attracted the artistic eye of the sensitive young Frenchman. Here also he met the guiding star of his life, Sally Elliot, a handsome, bril- liant girl, a daughter of one of the oldest families of the place, and with the impetuous character of his race, he carried off and married his willing bride, in spite of the protest of her parents. In this village they settled, and children were born to them. Years passed, and grandchildren also came, and grew up to love the dear old man, whose delight it was to play and dance with them ; he grew old in years but not in elasticity of spirit, and his life went out in glorious fullness, at a ripe old age. I well remember Sally Elliot ; she made Rochemont de Poyen a most excellent wife ; and I vividly recall the genial Frenchman ; a lithe, aetive man, a great fancier of horse flesh, always ready for a trade ; he and my grandsir Little frequently had dealings together. His fiddle was also ever at the service of the young folks. The beaux and belles of the main road were often in- debted to Mr. Poyen for the music at a social dance. Though irascible and impatient, he was the soul of wit and good humor, happy in making all around him happy.
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