USA > Vermont > Windham County > Brattleboro > Brattleboro, Windham County, Vermont; early history, with biographical sketches of some of its citizens > Part 13
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Amid the excitement, agitation and tu- mults of this period, his son Royall was growing to boyhood. The fireworks, pro- cessions, pealing of bells, and salvos of artillery, which marked the brief intoxi- cation of loyalty, on the repeal of the stamp act, was to him a childish, though vivid memory, and he was a lad already. fitting for college at the grammar school, Royall Tyler graduated in July, 1776, completing his collegiate course and his 19th year, while the country was in a de lirium of hope and fear of its first month when the same bells sounded the tocsin of alarm on the fearful night of the "Boston massacre." Notwithstanding the political agitation of the times, and heavy taxation, | of independent existence. No record is
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known to exist of his comparative stand- ing in his class. His reputation, however, for wit, genius and elegant scholarship had already extended beyond the walls of Har- vard. He was recognized in the cultivated circles of Boston as the brilliant scion of a prominent family; and Yale, as a com- pliment, perhaps unprecedented, this same year, almost simultaneously with his alma mater, bestowed on him the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He commenced at once the study of law with the Hon. Francis Dana of Cambridge. For the three years succeeding he pursued his professional studies, mingled with more congenial lite- rary occupations and the pleasures of social intercourse. A remarkably brilliant set of young men, cotemporaries and intimates in college, formed a club, which met stat- edly at the rooms of Col. Jolin Trumbull, the young soldier and painter. Among those of this coterie who became distin- guished in after life, beside Christopher Gore and himself, were Rufus King, sub- sequently delegate to the American Con- gress, U. S. Senator, and Ambassador to England; William Eustis, Governor of Massachusetts, member of Congress and Secretary of War; Aaron Dexter, Profes- sor of Chemistry and Materia Medica at Harvard, and Thomas Dawes, Justice of the Supreme Court of Mass. Such a youthful company must have been an effi- cient mutual stimulus to intellectual exer- tion, and we do not wonder that Colonel Trumbull recalls, with pleasure, the even- ings when in his studio, they "regaled themselves with a cup of tea, instead of wine, and discussed subjects of literature, politics and war." (Reminiscences, p. 50.) He also mentions (page 62) his having paint- ed, at this time, a portrait 2-3d length, of Royall Tyler. This picture, which would now be so invaluable, both for the sake of the artist and the subject, was unfortu- nately lost some thirty years afterwards, destroyed by fire. Particulars, Memoirs, page 17. Particulars of Tyler in active service in the Revolution, Memoirs, p. 18.
Mr. Tyler was admitted to the bar in 1779, at the most gloomy period of the war of Independence. The business of Boston had been nearly ruined by the Bri- tish occupation and the siege; while the presence of hostile fleets on the coast still
prevented its revival. Such commerce as was possible had been driven to the more distant parts of Maine, where the building of vessels for the privateering service also contributed to the activities of trade. This seems to have induced him, in the first instance, to establish himself at Fal- mouth (now Portland) a town which hav- ing been burned by the enemy three years before, was rapidly rising from its ashes. His residence there was brief, and would not have been known the writer, but for a notice of him in Willis's "History of the Law, the Courts, and the Lawyers of Maine," which states that "Royall Tyler came to Falmouth in 1779. He was a fine scholar and an accomplished man. He continued but about two years in our State." The author gives a short sketch of his life, and adds the following anec- dote:
"An incident occurred during his prac- tice in Cumberland, which was not a little annoying to him. He commenced an ac- tion against an officer of a privateer, then lying in the harbor, and went aboard with the sheriff to have the writ served. But the privateer's-man, not liking the process, took up his anchor, and sailed out of the precinct, carrying the attorney and his officer with him, whom he landed on Booth Bay, and kept on his cruise,-acting upon the classical dictum: "Inter arma silent leges."
The improving prospect of peace, and the revival of business, soon made it ex- pedient for Mr. Tyler to return to the vi- cinity of Boston. (Intimacy with the fam- ilies of John Adams, Palmers, Quincy, and Richard Cranch, in Memoirs, page 20).
Mr. Tyler removed to Quincy, then called Braintree. with the intention of identify- ing himself permanently with the interests of the place. He purchased landed prop- erty there, and is mentioned by its local historian as one of the first who endeav- ored to supply the pressing want of water- power by erecting a windmill on an origi- nal plan of his own. Popular as a lawyer, and admired as a wit, his neighbors seem nevertheless to have lacked confidence in his skill as a millwright. They made his undertaking a butt of their ridicule. Meet- ing one day the minister of the village, from whom he hoped for a more favorable
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judgment, he asked what he thought of his mill. "Very ingenious," replied the parson, "and in theory undoubtedly cor- rect. When I was young, I built one just like it, and the only fault it had, was that it would not go." Such proved to be the case with Mr. Tyler's also.
(Letters from John Adams and also from Mrs. Adams, and other interesting matters on pages 25, 26, 27, 28, of Memoirs. 1786, courts silenced by armed mobs in the days of the "Shay Rebellion," so called, in Me- moirs, page 32. Sad disappointments com- mercing, Memoirs, page 29).
The measures taken to suppress the Shay rebellion, engaged Mr. Tyler once more in military service. Jan. 19, 1787, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Lincoln took command of the forces of the State of Massachusetts. He appointed Royall Tyler his aid-de-camp, with the title of Major, and in the heart of one of the coldest of New England winters took the field, pressing on with all speed, to save the arsenal at Spring- field, and to defeat the insurgents. The result is a matter of history. The fort- night following the defeat of the rebels was spent in vigorous pursuit of them through the blustering storms of winter over the hills of Berkshire, covered with two feet of snow, into New York and "the territory called Vermont." Major Tyler, with a troop of cavalry, was active- ly employed in this service. He used to relate how, on one occasion, he entrapped a company of the fugitives in a meeting- house, on Sunday. Thinking themselves far out of the reach of pursuit, they had stacked their arms outside, leaving but a single sentinel, who was soon enticed into the shelter of the porch from the biting wind that swept over the common. Their leader, like a Yankee Cromwell, was hold- ing forth front the pulpit to the descen- dents of his Ironsides, on the oppression and tyranny of the government and its bloodthirsty resolution to hunt down and bring to the gallows every patriot who had taken up arms in defence of the people's rights. Meanwhile Major-as he was usu- ally called, when in command of detached parties, Colonel-Tyler, by a rapid marchi through cross-roads, had intercepted their route, quietly surrounded the house, seized their muskets and frightened their sentinel into silence. Waiting until the orator had
concluded, he then walked up into the pulpit and informed them that they were his prisoners. He then went on with a long and earnest speech in refutation of the misrepresentations and calumnies against the government, by which the rank and file had been led astray; showed them that the evils under which the gov- ernment suffered were the inevitable re- sults of the exhaustion of the war; that the Legislature had done, and were ready to do every thing possible to relieve the popular distress; and that instead of pros- ecuting offenders mercilessly, as alleged, only required of the non-commissioned officers and private soldiers among them to surrender their arms, and a renewal of their oath of allegiance. The result was the instant conversion of the whole band into good citizens, their leaders only being committed to trial for treason. By the middle of February the rebellion was sup- pressed in Massachusetts; but the most prominent of the rebels had escaped into the neighboring States, and still deluded their followers that they would soon re- turn with such assistance as would make them successfully take the field. These promises received some support from the fact that the political party views of Gov. Bowdoin, and his administration, were op- posed, as aristocratic and tyrannical, to those in power in the rest of New Eng- land. To arrest these ringleaders was very important ; and to do this within the juris- diction of other sovereign States, obtain- ing the consent and assistance of the local authorities, was a service of peculiar deli- cacy and difficulty, especially as it was known that the people very generally sym- pathized with the insurgents. By the aet of the Legislature, the Governor of Massa- chusetts was requested to issue a procla- mation offering a reward for apprehending such of the ringleaders, or principals, in the present rebellion, as he shall judge proper, not exceeding £150, for any one of them.
The Governor issued a proclamation, offering rewards for the arrest of Daniel Shay, Elijah Day and John Wiley, as be- ing "principals, aiders and abettors of this horrid and wicked rebellion." When Gen'l Lincoln received this, at Pittsfield, he had information that these persons were in Bennington county, Vermont, making
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their way through New York to Canada. Whoever should be sent in pursuit of them would be obliged to apply to the Execu- tives of New York and Vermont for au- thority and aid,-a duty exceedingly deli- cate, for New York claimed Vermont as a province of her own, while the latter had proclaimed itself an independent State, had elected Thomas Chittenden its Gover- nor, and had chosen a Legislative Council and House of Representatives, then in session at Bennington. It had applied for admission to the confederacy; but Con- gress had not yet acknowledged its inde- pendence by receiving it as a State. He determined to send Major Tyler on this service, furnishing him with this letter of credence :
"PITTSFIELD, Feb. 14, 1787.
SIR :- I have received from the Gover- nor a proclamation for apprehending cer- tain characters therein named, which proc- lamation you will receive herewith, as also the doings of the General Court, on which it has been founded; and a warrant against a number of persons, all of whom have been active in the present rebellion, and have taken shelter in the neighboring States. I have, therefore, to solicit, Sir, that you would pursue and apprehend these delinquents, and all such powers as you may need in executing this commis- sion, you will please to apply to the Gov- ernors of the neighboring States for them, to whose countenance you are particular- ly recommended as a gentleman to whom the most perfect respect and confidence is due.
I have the honor of being, sir, with great esteem, Your obedient servant, B. LINCOLN.
ROYALL TYLER, ESQ'R.
Major Tyler started on his mission early in the morning of Feb. 15, 1787. On his way he overtook Col. Fay, commander of the frontier post at Williamstown, in the northwestern corner of Massachusetts. The forces at this place, and those at Adams, five or six miles distant, were placed at his disposal, as far as he might need them, for the arrest of the fugitives. They were, in the aggregate, about 500 men. He deliv- ered Gen'l Lincoln's orders to Col. Fay, and dispatched the following by express:
To the Commanding Officer of the Govern- mental Forces at Adams :
SIR :- I send you the enclosed order from Gen'l Lincoln .. You will please to quarter your troops in Adams, as compact as is consistent with the nature of your instruc- tions from the commander of the forces. I could wish that you would, for a few days to come, issne your provisions in such a manner that the troops under your com- mand may have two days' cooked provis- ions; and that you would engage as many sleighs as will be needed to transport all your troops at a minute's warning. Mr .. Jones, a respectable character, will assist you in this, and give you advice in other matters, as may be convenient. If you should be absent, at any time, from your quarters, please to leave a copy of this with the commanding officer on the spot, that no delay may be occasioned if I should call for any number of your troops.
Sir, I am your humble servant, R. TYLER, V. A. D. C. Williamstown, Feb. 14, 1787.
That which prompted these stringent or- ders-to be in constant readiness for instant start and rapid conveyance, was informa- tion that was hourly reaching him from scouts, of the whereabouts of the rebels; making it probable that by a sudden dash into the territory of the neighboring States, he might surprise and capture their most prominent leaders, as well as many of the rank and file. To this end, an early move: was essential, but accurate and reliable in- formation was equally so. He therefore resolved, with a small guard of picked horsemen, to push on to Bennington, where he expected to receive further reports from his emissaries, and hoped to receive aid from the Governor and Legislature there in session. From a lengthy and interest- ing report of his proceedings, to Gen. Lin- coln, we give the following:
"Upon my arrival at Bennington, I was introduced to Mr. Tichenor-the Governor not being in town, or expected until the next day-to the principal characters in the administration of the government of Vermont; to the Judges of the Supreme Judicial Court; the Secretary, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, &c. We were in private at Col. Brushı's house, I there communicated suchr part of my pa- pers as I judged necessary. They entered
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fully into our design, but seemed to feel mortified that his Excellency, our Gover- nor, had not wrote to Gov. Chittenden. I mentioned the act of our Legislature re- questing the Governor to write to the au- thority of adjoining governments, and we amicably resolved that his Excellency's dis- patches must have been intercepted by the rebels. They said that the "Shays" and "Days"-the two latter only being in com- pany, had passed through the town a few days since-Shays under a feigned name, the two Days publicly with their side-arms. The people here will not, except a few very trusty exceptions, ever serve a war- rant, unless the Legislature shall pass an act directing it. I have had a perplexing instance of this: Luke Day was, yesterday, half an hour in this town, and I could not, with the assistance of the first characters here, prevail upon the sheriff or constable to apprehend him. I offered to take a deputation myself, but was no inhabitant. Whilst we disputed he moved off. I know where he lodges, and shall apprehend him this evening.
Gen'l Ethan Allen, in my presence, said that those who held the reins of govern- ment in Massachusetts were a 'pack of damned rascals;' and that 'there was no virtue among them, and he did not think it worth while to try to prevent them that had fled into this State for shelter, from cutting down our maple trees,' and the common people flocked around him as though he had a sight to show. The com- mon sentiment was, that they will shelter anybody that applies to any of their houses for shelter; and that our quarrel will be £10,000 advantage to this State."
The opposition of the Governor to any action of the Legislature, and the almost universal popular sentiment against the arrest of the fugitives, effectually defeated the object of Major Tyler's mission. He reports to Lincoln his having arrested Abram Wheeler, but he was soon rescued by forty-odd subjects of New York, who carried him in triumph to a large mob of rebels. "I have many things to communi- cate not fit to be trusted on paper. I only say, that there is a certain embryo govern- ment, who are as weak as water; and that, in a short time, unless they act decidedly, will be like water spilt upon the ground- not to be gathered."
Neither Shays, nor any other of the more noted of the fugitives were ever captured./ Still, Major Tyler's mission can by no means be regarded as a failure. He had made so deep an impression on the author- ities of Vermont, in favor of the cause of order and the government of Massachu- setts, that although, as we have seen, they hesitated for the time, yet in a few days after he left Bennington, all the requests he had made were granted, the proclama- tion against harboring, aiding or abetting the rebels was issued, and effort made to arrest or disperse them, putting an efficient stop to their predatory incursions into Massachusetts. The last of these, indeed, the last effort of the rebellion-the attack upon the village of Stockbridge took place on the 27th of February, the day after Major Tyler left Bennington to report him- self to Gen. Lincoln at Pittsfield. Imme- diately on his arrival there, he was sent to Stockbridge to obtain full particulars of occurrences there; and from thence to Bos- ton, to report to the Governor the state of affairs on the western frontier, and the re- sult of his mission to Vermont. He reached the capital the 5th of March. His first act was to send the following note to Judge Theodore Sedgewick.
"BOSTON, Monday Morning.
DEAR SIR :- I have the pleasure to en- close you several letters from your friends in Berkshire. They contain, doubtlessly, an account of the daring attack and inhu- man conduct of the rebels at Stockbridge, and the happy and complete success of the troops of the government. I may have some little particulars, which your friends have omitted to communicate. If your curiosity is excited, pray come and see me at Mr. Palmer's, head of the ropewalk. The fatigues of last night-as I passed the whole of it in an open sleigh-and a varie- ty of avocations, will excuse my waiting upon you.
Sir, I am yours, &c. R. TYLER.
He also despatched the following note to the Governor:
BOSTON, March 5, 1287.
SIR :- I arrived here about half-past 4 this morning. Mr. Palmer will hand you the despatches from the Gens. Lincoln and Shepherd. Maj .- Gen. Lincoln's letter re- fers your Excellency to me for a statement
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of facts. Whenever you shall please to direct my attendance, I will wait upon you with punctuality. The nature of my com- munications are such, that I could wish to converse with you previous to your meet- ing your council.
I am, with the greatest respect,
Your Excellency's most ob't, R. TYLER. Governor's reply :
The Governor's compliments to Major Tyler. He would be glad to see him, on the subject of his billet, half an hour pre- vious to the dining hour, which is 2 o'cl'k, or when it shall be convenient to Mr. Ty- ler. If his brother, the Colonel, is in town, the Governor would be glad to have his company at dinner to-day.
· Tuesday morning, 6th March.
The result of his interview with the Governor and Council, was the resolution on their part to send him on a mission to the authorities of the State of New York. He accordingly started next morning on the long and tedious stage journey to New York. He addressed a letter to Gov. Bow- doin. Extracts as follows:
"A report prevails here that Shays witli several of his officers have been arrested in Canada. I have reason to doubt this. I shall meet with Major Beckwith, aide-de- camp to Lord Dorchester, at New York, and will endeavor, if it can be done with delicacy, to sound him as to the disposition of the British government, as it relates to harboring our rebels."
Major Tyler spent some time in New York, accomplishing the object of his mission. The energetic co-operation of the authorities of the bordering States en- tirely paralyzed the action of the fugitives. They meekly acknowledged their error and sued for pardon of their crimes. Special terms of court were held for trial of those in custody. Fourteen were condemned to death for high treason, and many more to imprisonment, fines, whipping and the pil- lory. The submission of the rebels was, however, so complete that the government felt itself strong enough to be merciful. None of the sentences were executed, and before the summer was over, an act of uni- versal amnesty was passed. Even Shays himself was permitted to return home un- molested. He soon removed to Sparta, N. Y., where he died in 1825.
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After this stirring episode in his life, Mr. Tyler returned to his law office in Boston. He evidently kept up his acquaintance and correspondence with those gentlemen whom he met at Bennington. The following let- ter, from one of the most distinguished men of Vermont, we copy :
"BENNINGTON, 28 Aug., 1787.
SIR :- You find, by this time, I dare say, that the government of this State has been very friendly to yours. Such persons as have been criminals, and have acted against law and society in general, and have come from your State to this, we send back to you; and others, who have only took part with Shays, we govern by our laws, so that they do not and dare not make any inroads or devastations in Massachusetts. As to the appendix to the Oracles of Reason, should you procure £18 or £20 by subscrip- tion, in ready money, it shall be published next spring.
I am, sir, with respect, Your humble servant,
To MAJ. TYLER. ETHAN ALLEN. "During the year 1788, our father re- mained in Boston, engaged in the practice of law, and no doubt in literary pursuits, although no productions of this date can be found. The care of the family proper- ty had been left to him, and must have oc- cupied much of his time. An incident connected with this is among the few that can be recalled. Tyler lane or alley had, in a former generation, been opened from Ann street, through the family estate to the town dock, to be held and used by the public for that purpose only. The town authorities, having determined to close the lane, proceeded, against Mr. Tyler's pro- test, to move a small wooden building upon the ground. Nearly 40 years afterwards, his son, Gen'l John S. Tyler, brought a successful suit for the recovery of this land. An old man was found who remem- bered distinctly, that when a long line of men and boys were moving the building, by a rope attached to it, Royall Tyler stood on the boundary of this land, forbidding them moving it across the line; that he had an axe in his hand, and, as they did not stop, with one blow he cut the rope, let- ting those who were pulling at it go head- long, with shouts and laughter, to the ground.
At this period, the wonderful acting of
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Garrick and Siddons, and the success of Dr. Goldsmith and others as writers of comedy, had revived in England a taste for the drama. In our larger cities the stage was well supported; even Boston having so far overcome the prejudices of Puritanism as to fill the old Federal street Theatre, with its wit and fashion. Mr. Tyler was intimate with the managers and principal actors of this establishment, and became much interested in dramatic literature and art.
No American play had yet been produced on the regular stage, and urged by these friends, he resolved to attempt a comedy which should have the elements of success as an acting drama, and also be strictly national in plot and characters. The field was in good measure clear before him. The typical Yankee, especially now so familiar, had not yet appeared on the stage or in print.
The general plan which he adopted and which led to distinguished success, was to contrast the homely, honest plainness of our native character and breeding with the polished, tinselled hypocrisy and vil- lany of foreign fashionable society. His dramatis personæ naturally disposed them- selves in pairs: the two gentlemen and their two men-servants, the two mistresses and their two maids, etc., and each pair being in marked contrast one with the other suggested "The Contrast," as an apt title to the play.
In the preface it is said to have been un- dertaken and finished in three weeks. This must have been during the winter of 1788-9. The next spring, at the Park Theatre, New York, it was brought out. It took at once, with the public, and had an unprecedented run of several weeks.
That spring of '89 was a stirring one in our country's history, and New York the centre point of its greatest action.
"The Contrast; a comedy in five acts, written by a citizen of the United States, performed with applause at the theatres in New York, Philadelphia and Maryland. and published, (under an assignment of copyright,) by Thos. Wignell. Primas ego in Patriam, aonio deduxi vertice musas."
Such is the title page as printed the fol- lowing year at Philadelphia. The copy before the writer is the only one he knows
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