THE

QUARTERLY REGISTER.

VOL. IV.

NOVEMBER, 1831.

No. 2.

did, into some of the branches of literature and science. As a general scholar, however, he had no superiors.

For the Quarterly Register. much promise of his future eminence JEREMIAH EVARTS, ESQ. as a writer, by the facility and corMR. EVARTS was born of respecta-rectness with which he communible parents, in the town of Sunder-cated his thoughts. There were land, Vermont, on the 3d of February, men in his class who pushed their 1781. At the age of ten years, he researches farther than Mr. Evarts removed with his father to the town of Georgia, in the same State. In this place he acquired the usual English education, and commenced preparation for college. In January, 1798, he repaired to East Guilford, in New Haven county, Connecticut, and pursued his studies under the direction of the Rev. Dr. Elliot, the minister of the place. In October of the same year, and in the eighteenth year of his age, he entered Yale College. Here he had the high privilege of listening to the instructions of President Dwight, both as a preacher, and as the director of the studies of the senior class. Mr. Evarts has left some brief journals of this period of his life, notes of the lectures which he heard, and records of facts which came to his knowledge. The class with which he was connected, consisted of nearly sixty members at the time of graduation, and contained an unusual amount of talent. It has furnished, perhaps, as great a number of useful and distinguished men, as any class which has received the honors of the institution. Mr. Evarts, as we learn from one of his classmates, was much beloved and respected by his fellow students. He applied himself to his various studies with great diligence; he then gave

In his senior year, during the winter of 1801-2, Yale College was visited with an interesting revival of religion. Among the fruits of it was Mr. Evarts. His feelings, though generally calm and equable, were, sometimes, characterized by great warmth and tenderness. In the April following, he made a public profession of religion, and joined the church in the college. At the time his class graduated, in 1802, he united with those of his classmates, who were professors of religion, in a mu tual covenant, a copy of which has been found among his private papers, to pray for each other, to learn one another's circumstances, and to correspond with and counsel one another in subsequent life. It was a singular felicity for Evarts, and his young friends, to enjoy the instructions of such a man as President Dwightone, "who did his duty with his whole mind and heart, who thought nothing adequately done, till all was done which the case admitted of." "Into his recitations and discussions he also threw a vast fund of practical instruction, on almost every subject of life, manners, and human busi

ness; for few men ever observed in his profession. He was attorney for more carefully and extensively." In the State of Connecticut, and in 1789, the various subjects, which came be- was appointed a Judge of the Supreme fore the senior class, it was usual for Court. Under him Mr. Evarts acthe President to assume a considera- quired a familiar acquaintance with ble range of statement and argument, the principles of law, and political so that the driest parts of logic and economy. Early in the summer of metaphysics were rendered exceed- 1806, he took the oath of admission ingly interesting and instructive. To to the bar, and opened an office for the counsels and labors of this ex- the practice of his profession in New cellent man, the successive classes Haven. His business in the profesof students were greatly indebted. sion which he had chosen was very While attending upon his instruc- limited, and his income from that tions, Mr. Evarts was in the habit of source, did not much exceed the taking notes, or short memoranda-mere expenses of his office, the charge a habit which he continued through of his family being defrayed princilife. His appointment at the com- pally, by keeping boarders. This mencement, in which he received fact is, doubtless, to be ascribed, not the degree of Bachelor of Arts, was to the want of energy and skill in an oration. His subject was the his business, but to the well known "Execution of Laws." "At the circumstance, that in this profession close of it," says one who was present, especially, years of industry and ap"when, in a strain of commanding plication to study, must be expended, eloquence, he introduced Lord Mans- before the general confidence of the field as rebuking the British commu- community can be acquired. nity, it seemed as though every heart anticipated in the youthful speaker, some future champion of liberty and law, that should be the pride of his country." This performance subsequently appeared in a series of numbers from a weekly paper printed in Wiscasset, Maine, and was publicly attributed by the editor, to the pen of President Dwight.

In May, 1810, Mr. Evarts removed to Charlestown, near Boston, for the purpose of pursuing the duties of his profession, and also to take charge of a literary and religious monthly publication-the Panoplist. This work was commenced in June, 1805, and was discontinued in 1820. With what ability Mr. Evarts discharged the duties of editor, thousands in After leaving college, he engaged the Christian community well know. in no settled employment till April, While the literary character of the 1803, when he took charge of an work is, in general, very respectable, academy, in the town of Peacham, there are occasional articles of great in Vermont. In this employment, he ability. Mr. Evarts, it is well known, remained nearly a year. Soon after was the author of a large part of the the close of his connection with this original matter inserted in its pages, academy, he returned to New Haven, from 1810, to 1820. His published and entered himself as a student at pieces in June, 1814, amounted to two law, in the office of the late Judge hundred and twenty-nine. Most of Chauncey. In this office, Mr. Evarts these were inserted in the Panoplist. enjoyed eminent facilities for obtain- As a vindicator of the great doctrines ing a knowledge of his profession. of the gospel, as a repository of interMr. Chauncey was a striking instance esting biography, as a record of the of a self-taught man, rising, by native first thoughts and earliest aspirations energy and unwearied application, to of those, who laid the foundations of a post of great usefulness. Without our benevolent societies, as an index the advantages of a public education, of the literary character of the religious he reached a commanding eminence community in this country, and in its

last years, as the organ of the Ameri- the minute details of business and can Board of Missions, the files of correspondence, or even with conthe Panoplist will be of great value ducting the periodical publications of to future generations. the Board. The last ten annual

In June, 1810, the American Reports were written by him, and Board of Commissioners for Foreign most of the instructions to the Missions, was formed at Bradford, missionaries. In 1818, and again Massachusetts, for the purpose of in 1822, he visited the Cherokee devising and prosecuting measures Indians. He visited the Cherokee for the extension of the gospel and Choctaw Indians in 1824, in heathen lands. In 1812, at and the Cherokee, Choctaw, and the third annual meeting of the Chickasaw Indians, again, in 1826. Board, Mr. Evarts was elected He also spent three or four winters, Treasurer, and in 1813, was in the city of Washington, during the chosen a member of the Board, sessions of congress, where his prinand of the Prudential Committee. cipal object was to exert an influence Besides these duties, Mr. Evarts was in favor of the civilization and eduintimately associated with Dr. WOR- cation of the Indians, and especially CESTER, the Corresponding Secre- to protect them from the operation tary, in conducting the correspond-of unjust and iniquitous laws. For ence of the Board, in maturing the two or three years past, his exertions plans for the complete organization in favor of these forlorn and desolate. of the Christian community into auxiliary associations, and in all the concerns of the missions.

children of the forest, were very great and arduous. These exertions, though proceeding from the most expansive philanthropy in the bosom of Mr. Evarts, were in direct connection with the great object of his life-the promotion of the missionary cause. The Board has more than thirty stations among the Indian tribes; all of them will be in some measure affected, and several of them utterly destroyed by the proposed removal of the Indians.

In 1821, Dr. Worcester died, and Mr. Evarts was, with great unanimity, chosen to succeed him as Corresponding Secretary. His field of labor was now much enlarged. It was such a sphere as would call forth his great powers. In 1811, it was thought that the American churches had not zeal and ability enough to sustain a single mission to the heathen, and one of the missionaries actually re- In the autumn of 1829, a series of ceived a few hundred dollars in papers, over the signature of "WilEngland. In 1810-11, the income liam Penn," appeared in the Washof the Board was about fourteen hun-ington National Intelligencer, one of dred dollars; in 1821-22, when Mr. the most important political papers Evarts became Secretary, it was more published in the United States; in than sixty-one thousand dollars. which Mr. Evarts very ably disremarkably had the Lord of Missions cussed the whole subject of the Indian smiled on this infant enterprize. rights. Their lawful claims to the Since that time, the progress of this possession of the territory which they noble institution has been equally occupy, were completely vindicated. cheering. In 1827-28, the income of These papers were copied into at the Board exceeded one hundred thou- least forty other newspapers, and sand dollars. The number of letters also collected and published in a now prepared, annually, at the Mis- pamphlet form. They were proba sionary Rooms, many of them long, bly read by more than half a million and requiring much thought, exceeds of the citizens of this country. The twenty-five hundred. For several whole subject was investigated to the years, Mr. Evarts had little to do with foundation. The familiar acquaint

So

versary of the American Education Society, in 1827, he argued its claims at length, and with his usual sound and discriminating sense.

ance of Mr. Evarts with political law, | friends of this object, conversed exand with the great principles, which tensively with members of congress, ought to regulate the intercourse of and compiled and published a pamnations, gave to his opinions a weight phlet, consisting of extracts from meof authority, and an extent of influ-morials to congress from different ence, which will render the papers parts of the country, together with of William Penn' an important part an introduction and conclusion, writof the political history of the times. ten by himself. This was attended No attempt has ever been made to with much labor and pecuniary sacrianswer them. He also wrote various fice. Probably no man in this counarticles in many of the newspapers of try felt more deeply the importance the country, particularly just before of the sanctification of God's holy the bill for the removal of the Indians day. was agitated on the floor of congress. In the efforts which have been All which he did will not be known made to train men for the Christian till the oppressor and the oppressed ministry, Mr. Evarts was always stand before the throne of final judg-ready to give his valuable counsels ment. His feelings, which on all and influence. He appeared publicly other subjects seemed to be calm, as the advocate of this cause on more unruffled, and perfectly under the than one occasion. At the annicontrol of his reason, could hardly be repressed, when he thought of the indignities which were heaped on the hapless Indians. The writer of these remarks well recollects seeing his The health of Mr. Evarts had been feeble frame agitated almost beyond declining, for more than a year beendurance, when conversing on this fore his decease. During the winter subject, at the Missionary Rooms, of 1829-30, though feeble, and evibut a few months before his death. dently needing the benefit of relaxaStill he knew that the Judge of the tion and a warm climate, he connations will bring good out of this tinued his labors at the Missionary enormous and high-handed oppres- Rooms till about the first of April, sion. When the vote was passed, when he repaired to the city of Washwhich stigmatizes this Republic as ington. The debates on the Indian guilty of perjury towards its depend- bill, and subjects connected with that ants, Mr. Evarts, who was in the great question, contributed to exhaust Hall of the House of Representatives, his already feeble frame. After his remarked to a member of congress return to Boston, he was laboriously who sat near him, "My comfort is, employed in preparing the annual that God governs the world; and my report, (a paper which, for power of hope is, that when the people of the expression, and comprehensiveness of United States come to understand view, was never surpassed by any the subject, there will a redeeming similar document in this or any other spirit arise; for I will not believe that country,*) publishing the speeches the nation is yet lost to truth and on the Indian bill, writing on the honor." In other concerns affecting Indian question, and attending to the welfare of this nation, Mr. Evarts the common business at the Missiontook a deep interest. ary Rooms. After the annual meetIn the measures adopted to preventing of the Board, in October, these, the transportation of the public mail or similar labors continued; and in on the Sabbath, he was earnest and addition, he spent a fortnight at New efficient. He wrote circulars and Bedford, superintending the embarkpetitions, and presented them for signatures, attended meetings of the

* See the article in the November number of the

Quarterly Register, 1830.

in their work, without reference to him. This, to his own feelings, was, probably, the most trying moment of his life. He took passage in the ship Fama, for the island of Cuba, on the 15th of February, 1831. When in sight of Abaco, one of the Baha

paper:

ation of several missionaries for the | In this arrangement he acquiesced; Sandwich Islands. Here he was ex- and in an interview with his assoposed to cold and storms, and exerted ciates in office, with great tenderness himself in writing, and in addressing and affection, told them to proceed public assemblies in the vicinity, on the subject of missions. He returned from New Bedford, Dec. 29th, much debilitated, and could labor only at intervals afterwards. He, however, wrote the memorial of the Board to congress, in behalf of the Indians, while he was so weak, as every hour ma islands, he wrote the following or two to be obliged to lie down and rest. He wrote, also, a number of "Daily, and many times a day, I important letters. His last letter, as have been disposed, I trust, to acCorresponding Secretary of the Board, knowledge the goodness of God, and was written to the missionaries in the to consecrate myself anew to his serCherokee nation. His anxiety and vice. I had thought of making a labors on the Indian question, the written and formal consecration of distress which he felt in view of the myself to the Lord, this forenoon; violation of the good faith of the na- but my mind is so weighed down by tion, and of the rights of the Indians, my feeble body, that I can write his apprehension of the judgments of nothing except of the simplest kind, heaven, which would visit this coun- and cannot adequately dwell upon try for their treachery, kept his mind in a state of exhausting excitement for the last year and a half of his life.

the amazing theme of being a servant of God, and of having Him for my portion forever."

At half past 3, P. M. he wrote As his strength declined, and he thus:-"We have turned the southbecame entirely unable to attend to west end of Abaco; I have looked at business, he seemed to possess a this work of God, which it is not mind remarkably detached from likely I shall see again; and have earth, and to enjoy peculiar fellow- turned my thoughts many times to ship with God. He spent much the great and blessed Creator of all. time in reading Baxter's Saint's Here, in this sea, I consecrate Rest, and in contemplating, by faith, myself to GoD as my chief good ;-to those new heavens and new earth, Him as my heavenly Father, infiwherein dwelleth righteousness. He nitely kind and tender of his chilhad himself made arrangements for a dren;-to Him as my kind and merjourney by land, with some hope of ciful Redeemer, by whose blood and recovering his health, at least for a merits alone I do hope for salvation ;— season, and, with this view, attended to Him as the beneficent renewer and minutely to his secular affairs. His sanctifier of the saved. I implore the own plan was to proceed to Washing-forgiveness of my numerous and agton, and to endeavor to exert his in- gravated transgressions; and I ask fluence in favor of the Indians, till the that my remaining strength and time close of the session of congress, and may be employed for the glory of God then go on an agency for the Board my portion, and for the good of his of Missions, in the middle, or south-creatures.

ern States. This expectation he “Whether I make my grave on the continued to cherish, till advised by land, or in the ocean, I submit cheerhis physician that a voyage to a fully to Him. It will be as He pleases; warmer climate was the only proba- and so it should be. I pray that the ble means of restoring his health. circumstances of my death, be it