Noah Webster letter to Emily Ellsworth, 1840 April 29

New Haven April 29. 1840

Dear Emily.

I was much fatigued with my expedition to Hartford, & with the exercises of the day. My hoarseness has nearly left me; but my sore leg almost confines me. This & my hoarseness gave me pain when in the desk, & my performance was not satisfactory to myself. After I returned, I was taken with the crik in my back, & thus I have been afflicted.

Your mother has a very bad cold & is hardly able to sit up & work. William has a hoarse cold, but is able to run about & help us. Indeed, I could not have executed my dictionary without him.

I was as well accommodated at your house as I could desire, & if I neglected to thank you, I do it now. But I shall never again appear in the character I did in Hartford. My principles were learned in early life, in the school of Washington; I profess to be a consistent disciple of the great & good man who once governed the country; & all the events which have matured the last 40 years confirm my opinions, & verify my predictions. Jefferson's principles have so corrupted the public mind, & tainted the opinions of the Whigs, so called, that four fifths of them are about as wrong, in general principles, as their opposers. They indeed abhor the last & present administration, but they seem not to know, or certainly do not admit that these bad administrations are the direct consequences of the popular errors which they themselves have embraced from Jeffersons authority, & from

the mistakes in the framers of our constitution. They rely on the people to effect a reform, & they have been 6 or 8 years in trying public printing, Speeches & conventions, to bring the people right_ I hope they have done something toward it, but how much remains to be seen.

I suppose some men & even some whigs will not agree to what I said the other day; but I feel deeply on the subject & am amazed at the prevalent errors of our people. I shall write & Speak what I believe; & leave my remarks to be refuted or verified by events. I look with disgust & contempt on the electioneering managment of both parties. Thier conventions, their dinner speeches, their vituperations in the papers, their log-cabin-building &c Ok, it is all folly, & meanness & degradation. But I have a short time only to witness these scenes, & all I can say is, I wish well to my country, & pray for its prosperity

Accept our love for you all

N Webster.

I understand that a full history of the celebration is coming forth in the Courant. if so, I hope to receive the papers

The Society have requested a copy of my discourse & I send it by the Governor.

74109

Mrs Emily W Ellsworth

Hartford.

1972.96.76 74109