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WITHERSPOON'S first public
utterance after the attainment of peace was a sermon preached on the
Thanksgiving Day appointed by the Congress. In keeping with his personal
religious belief his text expressed his own feelings. "Salvation
belongeth unto the Lord." "He who confesses that salvation belongeth
unto God will finally give the glory to Him. Confidence before, and
boasting after the event are alike contrary to this disposition. If any
person desires to have his faith in this truth confirmed or improved,
let him read the history of mankind in a cool and considerate manner,
and with a serious frame of spirit. He will then perceive that every
page will add to his conviction. He will find that the most important
events have seemed to turn upon circumstances the most trivial and the
most out of the reach of human direction. A blast of wind, a shower of
rain, a random shot, a private quarrel, the neglect of a servant, a
motion without intention, or a word spoken by accident and misunderstood
has been the cause of a victory or defeat which has decided the fate of
empires." He considers the interposition of Providence under three
heads. 1. Signal successes or particular and providential favours to us
in the course of the war. 2. Preservation from difficulties and evils
which seemed to be in our situation unavoidable, and at the same time
next to insurmountable. 3. Confounding the councils of our enemies and
making them hasten on the change which they desired to prevent."
He speaks of the general
unpreparedness of the country for war. "There was a willing spirit, but
unarmed hands." To the militia who contributed so much to the success of
the American arms he gives generous praise. Regarding Washington's
leadership "as a favour from the God of heaven" he pays his tribute in
these simple words. " Consider his coolness and prudence, his fortitude
and perseverance, his happy talent of engaging the affection of all
ranks, so that he is equally acceptable to the citizen, and to the
soldier—to the state in which he was born and to every other on the
continent. To be a brave man or skillful commander, is common to him
with many others; but this country stood in need of a comprehensive and
penetrating mind, which understood the effect of particular measures in
bringing the general cause to an issue. When we contrast his char-acter
and conduct with those of the various leaders that have been opposed to
him, when we consider their attempts to blast each others' reputation,
and the short duration of their command, we must say that Providence has
fitted him for the charge and called him to the service."
The union and harmony of
the several states, and of these with their allies is another proof. For
the patience and devotion of the people he has nothing but praise. "It
is true that Congress has, in many instances been obliged to have
recourse to measures in themselves hard and oppressive and confessed to
be so; which yet, have been patiently submitted to, because of the
important purpose that was to be served by them. Of this kind was the
emission of paper money; the passing of tender laws; compelling all into
the militia; draughting the militia to fill the regular army; pressing
provisions and carriages; and many others of the like nature. Two things
are remarkable in this whole matter : one, that every imposition for the
public service fell heaviest on those who were the friends of America;
the lukewarm or contrary-minded always finding some way of shifting the
load from their own shoulders. The other, that from the freedom of the
press of this country there never were wanting, the boldest and most
inflammatory publications, both against men and measures. Yet neither
the one nor the other, nor both united, had any perceptible influence in
weakening the attachment of the people." He speaks of the barbarity of
the British both towards non-combatants and prisoners of war; of the
splendid courage of the soldiers both under privation and in battle. The
sermon is a fine summary of the elements of character which finally
brought victory. As to the future he thinks that " a republic once
equally poised must either preserve its virtue or lose its liberty."
Public office demands high character. "Let a man's zeal, profession, or
even principles as to political measures be what they will, if he is
without personal integrity and private virtue, as a man he is not to be
trusted." "Let us endeavour to bring into and keep in credit and
reputation everything that may serve to give vigour to an equal
republican constitution. Let us cherish a love of piety, order,
industry, frugality. Let us check every disposition to luxury,
effeminacy, and the pleasures of a dissipated life. Let us in public
measures put honour upon modesty and self-denial, which is the index of
real merit."
Early in the struggle he
had said that the American Revolution "would be an important era in the
history of mankind." "Happy was it for us," says Tyler, "that this
dear-headed thinker, this expert in the art of popular ex-position, was
in full sympathy with those deep human currents of patriotic thought and
feeling which swept towards an independent national life in this land.
Happy was it for us, also, that while he was capable beyond most men of
seeing the historic and cosmopolitan significance of the movement for
American independence, he had the moral greatness to risk even his own
great favour with the American people by telling them that the
acquisition of independence was not to be the end of their troubles, but
rather in some sense the beginning of them; since greater perils than
those brought in by Red Coats and Hessians were then to meet them, in
the form of shallow and anarchical politics, corruption among voters,
unscrupulous partisanship, new and hitherto unimagined forms of
demagogism, and the boisterous incompetence of men entrusted with power
in the regulation and guidance of the state." "I am much mistaken," said
Witherspoon, "if the time is not just at hand when there shall be
greater need than ever in America for the most accurate discussion of
the principles of society, the rights of nations and the policy of
states."
To that discussion he
contributed one of the clearest, most forceful essays on the subject of
finance that will be found in the literature of our country. In the
Continental Congress he had lamented, where he could not prevent, the
emission of paper currency, speaking against it frequently. To the sound
financial measures of Robert Morris he gave his unstinted support. In
the leisure of his retirement at Princeton after the war he gathered
together his speeches made in Congress and issued them in the form of an
" Essay on Money." Many of the states were carried away by the
paper-money fever and were issuing it freely. He deprecates this.
Carefully discussing the nature of money and the history of finance, he
points out the dangers attending a depreciated currency. "It is," he
says, "an absurdity reserved for American legislatures." "For two or
three years we constantly saw and were informed," he humorously remarks,
"of creditors running away from their debtors, and then pursuing them in
triumph, and paying them without mercy."
"Tender laws, arming
paper, or anything not valuable in itself with authority are directly
contrary to the very first principles of commerce." "All paper money
increases the price of industry and its fruits." "It annihilates
credit."
Other subjects also
claimed his attention. During the year 1781, Witherspoon employed his
leisure in writing for a periodical, which I have not been able to
identify, eight articles which he called "The Druid." In these he
treated different subjects. In the first he de-fends the dignity of
human nature against the habits of prejudice and slanderous statements.
He appeals to the love of truth, to honour and to the nobler effects of
justice. "The greatest strength of a people is in their virtues." "He
who makes a people virtuous makes them invincible." The second paper
pleads for as much gentleness and humanity as is possible in carrying on
war. Wanton destruction of property, assaults on non-combatants,
brutality towards prisoners should be discountenanced. His fourth
article is a capital plea for the exercise of plain common sense in the
affairs of life. It has touches of humour. He begs parents to make "a
moderate estimation of the talents of their children." His concluding
sentence is,
"Let all, therefore, who
wish or hope to be eminent, remember, that as the height to which you
can raise a tower depends upon the size and solidity of its base, so
they ought to lay the foundation of their future fame deep and strong in
sobriety, prudence and patient industry, which are the genuine dictates
of Main common sense." The remaining numbers treated of polite speech
under the heads of Americanisms, vulgarisms, cant phrases, etc., of
which, he says, he has made a collection for several years. An
interesting statement made by him is that " the vulgar in America speak
much better than the vulgar in Great Britain," his reason being that the
settlers have not lived long enough in isolated communities to acquire
dialects. But he thinks, on the other hand, that while some British
"gentlemen and scholars speak as much with the vulgar in common
chit-chat, as persons of the same class do in America, there is a
remarkable difference in their public and solemn discourses" in favour
of Great Britain.
Unfortunately few of
Witherspoon's letters have been preserved. He carried on a very active
correspondence with his youngest son, David, while the young man was
teaching school in Virginia. These letters show his solicitude for his
son's welfare, especially his piety and attendance upon religious
duties. They give news of the family and of public affairs. In order to
encourage the boy in scholarly efforts his father writes sometimes in
Latin, or in French, and requests his son to do so. But after David
Witherspoon became secretary to the President of Congress, these letters
ceased and I have not been able to find any of later date.
His relations with his
eldest son, John, were not happy. For some reason not now discoverable,
the young man took offense at his father and refused to hold any
intercourse with him or to answer any letters. He died in South
Carolina, leaving no family.
During the last ten years
of his life Dr. Witherspoon continued to serve as the nominal president
of Princeton, but the duties of that office were performed by his
son-in-law, Rev. Samuel S. Smith, D. D., who became his immediate
successor. As has already been related, Witherspoon resided on his farm,
Tusculum, about a mile above Princeton. His interest in public affairs
continued until the end of his life. When the Georgia legislature
proposed to introduce a clause in its constitution excluding clergymen
from public office, he wrote to one of the newspapers protesting against
such a discrimination. His tone is serious, but he. could not avoid the
sarcasm which he knew so well how to use. He wishes to know why a
minister is disqualified and whether it is a sin to seek the office.
"Does his calling render him stupid or ignorant?" He closes by
suggesting the following paragraph as sufficiently covering the subject:
"No clergyman, of any
denomination, shall be capable of being elected a member of the Senate
or House of Representatives, because [here insert the grounds of
offensive disqualification, which I have not been able to discover]
provided always, and it is the true intent and meaning of this part of
the constitution, that if at any time he shall be completely deprived of
the clerical character by those by whom he was invested with it, as by
deposition for cursing and swearing, drunkenness or uncleanness, he
shall then be fully restored to all the privileges of a free citizen;
his offense shall no more be remembered against him; but he may be
chosen either to the Senate or House of Representatives, and shall be
treated with all the respect due to his brethren, the other members of
the Assembly."
Other literary work
produced a series of Letters on Marriage and on Education, both
collections full of pungent, practical suggestions on these topics.
So little did he
anticipate the growth and future necessities of the government of the
United States that he was opposed to the movement to select a Federal
city for the permanent seat of government. In an article giving his
views he resents criticism of the salaries paid congress-men. "I hope
few persons will ever be in Congress, who, devoting their time to the
public service, may not well deserve the compensation fixed for them for
their character and talents." But he adds, "I should also be sorry to
hear of any member of Congress who became rich by the savings above his
expense. I know very well, that there have been congressmen and
assemblymen too, who have carried home considerable sums from less
wages; but they were such generally as did more good to their families
by their penury than to their country by their political wisdom."
These remarks having been
offered he states his objections to selecting any particular city or
erecting buildings for the Federal government, because it is not
necessary. In the light of subsequent history the good doctor's acrid
criticisms are doubly amusing. "Does it," he asks, "appear necessary
from the nature of things? No.
The weight and influence
of any deliberative or legislative body, depend much more on the wisdom
of their measures than on the splendid apartments in which they are
assembled."
One remark is especially
interesting in view of what has occurred since it was written. "If the
American empire come to be one consolidated government, I grant it would
be of some consequence that the seat of that government and source of
authority should not be too distant from the extremities, for reasons
which I need not here mention. But if the particular states are to be
preserved and supported in their constitutional government, it seems of
very little consequence where the Congress, consisting of
representatives from these states, shall hold their sessions." So little
did he, or anybody in his day, anticipate the centralization of power
and expansion of territory which has placed America in the forefront of
the nations. There were not wanting, however, men who foresaw the future
greatness of the new nation. The Spanish ambassador wrote to his king,
"This federal republic is born a pigmy. A day will come when it will be
a giant. Liberty of conscience, the facility of establishing a new
population on immense lands, as well as the advantages of the new
government, will draw thither farmers and artisans from all the nations.
In a few years we shall watch with grief the tyrannical existence of
this same Colossus." Little did the Spaniard perceive that liberty of
conscience and tyranny are impossibilities in the same nation.
One of the annual
commonplaces of college life is the baccalaureate sermon. Of those which
Witherspoon preached only one has been preserved. So far as we know this
one was delivered twice; once in 1775 and again ' in 1787. He urges upon
his young auditors three important considerations, their duty to God,
the prosecution of their studies or improvement of their talents, as
members of society, and prudence in their intercourse with the world.
Religion should be as much a part of the business man's life, he thinks,
as of the clergyman's. One does not go to heaven or hell as minister,
lawyer, physician, soldier, or merchant, but as a man. " He must have a
very mean taste indeed, who is capable of finding pleasure in disorder
and riot." " If I had no higher pleasure on earth than in eating and
drinking, I would not choose to eat and drink with the drunken," he
tells them, in urging them to be decent and orderly. "Order, neatness,
elegance, and even moderation itself, are necessary to exalt and refine
the pleasures of a sensual life." Warning them against pride and
superciliousness, a disposition to judge others, he says, "It is not
only lawful, but our duty, to have a free communication with our fellow
citizens, for the purposes of social life; it is not only lawful but our
duty to be courteous, and to give every proper evidence of respect and
attention to others according to their rank and place in society." " We
see sometimes the pride of unsanctified knowledge do great injury to
religion; and on the other hand, we find some persons of real piety,
despising human learning, and disgracing the most glorious truths by a
meanness and indecency hardly sufferable in their manner of handling
them." "Multitudes of moderate capacity have been useful in their
generation, respected by the public, and successful in life, while those
of superior talents by nature, by mere slothfulness and idle habits, or
self-indulgence, have lived useless, and died contemptible." "Persons of
the greatest ability have generally been lovers of order. Neither is
there any instance to be found, of a man's arriving at great reputation
or usefulness, be his capacity what it might, without industry and
application." "Whatever a man's talents from nature may be, if he apply
himself to what is not altogether unsuitable to them, and holds on with
steadiness and uniformity, he will be useful and happy; but if he be
loose and volatile, impatient of the slowness of things in their usual
course, and shifting from project to project, he will probably be
neither the one nor the other." Such was the advice given to young men
by one whose own life was its best illustration. "True religion should
furnish you with a higher and nobler principle to govern your conduct,
than the desire of applause from men. Yet, in sub-ordination to what
ought to be the great purpose of life," said this man among men, "there
is a just and laudable ambition to do what is praiseworthy among men.
This ought not to be extinguished in the minds of youth; being a
powerful spur and incitement to virtuous or illustrious actions." "A
man's real character in point of ability, is never mistaken, and but
seldom in point of morals. That there are many malicious and censorious
persons, I agree; but lies are not half so durable as truth. Therefore
reverence the judgment of mankind without idolizing it." He was no
recluse. "As to piety," he said, "nothing is more essential to it than
social communication." As to their intercourse with the world in general
he gives them many nuggets of practical sense. "The moral virtue of
meekness and condescension is the best ground work even of worldly
politeness, and prepares a man to receive that polish, which makes his
behaviour generally agreeable, and fits him for intercourse with persons
in the higher ranks of life. The same virtue enables a man to manage his
affairs to advantage. A good shopkeeper is commonly remarkable for this
quality. People love to go where they meet with good words and gentle
treatment; whereas the peevish and petulant have a repelling quality."
Warning them against talkativeness he says, "There are some persons who,
one might say, give away so much wisdom in their speech, that they leave
none behind to govern their actions." Speaking of the sort of friendship
to be formed he remarks, "There never was a true friend who was not an
honest man." "Think of others as reason and religion require you and
treat them as it is your duty to do, and you will not be far from a well
polished behaviour." He is sure that the best manners can be learned
only in the best company, and recommends a study of Rochefoucauld's
Maxims and Chesterfield's Letters. He himself was always the most
courteous and dignified of men, but with an undefinable charm which drew
all classes to him. As to their judgments of others he bids them
remember that "Probably men are neither so good as they pretend nor so
bad as they are often thought to be." In his opinion the one great
virtue is truthful-ness. " Let me, therefore, commend to you a strict,
universal, and scrupulous regard to truth. It will give dignity to your
character— it will put order into your affairs; it will excite the most
unbounded confidence, so that whether your view be your own interest, or
the service of others, it promises you the most assured success. I am
also persuaded that there is no virtue that has a more powerful
influence upon every other, and certainly there is none by which you can
draw nearer to God Himself whose distinguishing character is, that He
will not, and He cannot lie."
Witherspoon thought that
family religion was of quite as much importance as public religion. In
his own household family prayers were said morning and evening. Saturday
evening was set aside for the meditation deemed necessary as a proper
approach to the Sabbath. Holy days there were none in that Puritan home,
but on the last night of the year he called his family together and
impressed upon them the precepts of religion and right living.
In 1789 his wife died
leaving him altogether alone, as all his children had by that time left
home. In a year and a half he married a young widow of only twenty years
of age, Mrs. Ann Dill, of Philadelphia. By her he had two daughters, one
of whom died in infancy.
To the last of his life
he took a keen interest in all sorts of matters, writing letters,
preparing articles for the papers, looking after his private business
and lecturing in the college. On the journey to Europe in 1784 during a
storm he had been thrown against the side of the vessel and received a
blow which so injured one eye that the sight of it was impaired. The
other was bruised by a fall from his horse while riding over land which
he had bought in Vermont. The second accident occurred in the summer of
1791. From that time he was unable to read or write and was obliged to
employ a secretary, usually one of the students. One of these has left
an account of Dr. Witherspoon's habits during the last three years of
his life. He continued to preach, being led into the pulpit where he
delivered verbatim a sermon of his own composition which had been read
to him by his secretary. Nor did he absent himself from the meetings of
his church, attending them regularly up to the last. His correspondence
was large and two days of each week were generally devoted to it. For
some time before his death he was obliged to give up preaching because
of fits of dizziness which his physician regarded as threats of
apoplexy. "On the 15th day of November 1794, in the seventy third year
of his age, he retired to his eternal rest, full of honour and full of
days." |
