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PREFATORY NOTE
WITHERSPOON'S life is
notable in connection with four important movements: the struggle for
popular rights in the Church of Scotland; the administration of
Princeton College; the organization of the American Presbyterian Church;
and the American Revolution. I have tried to tell the story of his life
simply and accurately. As I have avoided the use of foot-notes I shall
indicate here the sources of my information. For the Scotch period these
were Cunningham's "History of Scotland," "Auto-biography of Rev.
Alexander Carlyle," and the Minutes of the General Assembly; for the
American period, Bancroft's "History of the United States," "Sprague's
Annals," Sanderson's "Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of
Independence," Tyler's " Literary History of the American Revolution,"
McLean's "History of the College of New Jersey," John Adams' Diary, the
Writings of Washington. But in all cases I have also used the original
documents. These are the minutes of the Board of Trustees of Princeton
College, the minutes of the Presbytery of New Brunswick, of the Synod of
New York and Philadelphia, and the records of the Presbyterian Church;
the minutes of the Provincial Congress and Council of Safety of New
Jersey; the Secret Journals of Congress; Thompson's Journal; Wharton's
edition of the "Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution."
For both periods I have used the American edition of Witherspoon's
Works, my own collection of his manuscripts, and letters found in
various publications.
I here express, also, my
grateful appreciation of many courtesies extended to me by the
librarians of Princeton University and Theological Seminary and
Pennsylvania College; by the historical societies of New Jersey and
Pennsylvania, and by the state librarians of these commonwealths. I am
also indebted to the late Senator M. S. Quay for printed copies of
government documents.
Houck Memorial Manse,
Gettysburg, Pa.
Contents
The Scotch Period
The American
Period
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