Front: Noah Webster letter to Emily Ellsworth, 1838 April 25

New Haven April 25th 1838

Dear Emily.

This is the day for celebrating the settlement
of New Haven by the Puritans. I suppose there will be a
great collection of people; but I do not join in the procession.
It is too cold, & I am too old to bear the fatigue. But I have
another objection. It is very difficult for me to write, in the
celebration of the enterprise & piety of the Puritans, with thou-
sands of citizens who hate the character & are asiduous in
corrupting the principles & undermining the institutions
which they established. The enemies of puritan principles now
form a large portion of our citizens. I have long been a
witness of the meanness & wickedness of their political enemies,
& of the bigotry of their religious adversaries.

I am not of the New Haven stock of Puritans & my claims
to some consideration on account of my connection with
the Connecticut or Hartford stocks, have been disregarded.
I am therefore content to keep the place which public opinion
has assigned to me; being satisfied with my best efforts, during
life, to maintain the principles & the institutions of my ancestors.
Our political condition is woefully bad, & were it not that
I see the influences of divine grace in reforming my fellow
citizens, I should abandon all hope of the future welfare of the
country. We have great evils among ourselves; but we are
connected with the South & West, where exist still more appall-
ing evils. May heaven do that for us which most of our cit-
izens seem not disposed to do for themselves.

I am glad that you have taken possession of your
new house; & are well pleased with it. Long may you enjoy
it, as the seat of happiness, contentment & piety.