Now, therefore, We, SAMUEL PRICE, president of the senate, and HUGH W. SHEFFRY, speaker of the house of delegates of Virginia, do respectfully summon the members of the general assembly to re-assemble in the city of Richmond on the 25th instant, in order to resume their legislative duties which were interrupted by the evacuation of the city of Richmond on the 3d of the present month, and to deliberate on such measures for the public safety and welfare as may be brought to their consideration. Members unable to be present in Richmond on the day above named are requested to attend as promptly as practicable. Given under our hands this twentieth day of April, 1865.

SAMUEL PRICE,

President of the Senate.

HUGH W. SHEFFRY,

Speaker of the House of Delegates."

This broadside was printed at Staunton, the home of Judge Sheffry. Located there at the time with other Confederate soldiers not included in the surrender at Appomattox, I remember distinctly the bright hopes excited in our hearts by this action. I think that the copy of the broadside in my possession was handed to me by my friend, the late Judge Sheffry.

Horace Edwin Hayden

WILKESBARRE, PENNSYLVANIA.

JOSEPH HAWLEY, THE NORTHAMPTON STATESMAN

HIS ADDRESS TO THE MINUTE-MEN

One of the ablest and most eloquent advocates of American liberty throughout his entire official career, and distinguished among the leaders of the American Revolution for foresight, sagacity, and purity of character, was Major Joseph Hawley of Northampton, Massachusetts. He was born in 1723, was graduated from Yale in 1742, studied theology and preached for some time, and was chaplain to the expedition against Louisburg in 1745. On his return he changed his profession for the law, studying with General Lyman of Suffield, and in 1749 commenced practice at Northampton. He was descended from men celebrated for learning and courage-from Warham, the first minister of Windsor; from Rev. Solomon Stoddard, the second minister of Northampton; and from Marshall, the valiant captain who was killed by the Indians during the assault at Fort Narragansett. His grandfather, Joseph Hawley of Roxbury, was among the graduates of Harvard in 1674, in a class of three, and removing to Northampton long served that town as representative and judge. His eldest son Joseph married Rebecca Stoddard, and they were the parents of the subject of this paper. The lady's sister Esther was the mother of Jonathan Edwards, another sister, Eunice Mather Williams, was killed by the Indians at Deerfield, and their brother, Colonel Stoddard, was a man of importance in the county. Major Hawley soon became the most distinguished counselor in western Massachusetts. His learning was profound and his eloquence impressive. "Many men," said President Dwight, "have spoken with more elegance and grace. I have never heard one speak with more force. His mind, like his eloquence, was grave, austere, powerful." Moreover, in public as well as in private life, he was conscientious to a fault, never engaging in any cause unless he was convinced of its justice, and scrupulously returning fees that seemed to him larger than he deserved. In the controversy between Jonathan Edwards and his church Major Hawley was one of his cousin's most active opponents. When the council of ministers met in 1751 to deliberate concerning Mr. Edwards's dismissal, Major Hawley went to the house in which the meetings were held and stood a long time at an open window listening to the debate. At length, overcome with excitement, he leaped

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through the window and made a violent harangue against Edwards that lasted for an hour and a half. Hawley soon repented of this, and nine years later made a public confession of his mistake. He said in his confession: "In the course of that melancholy contention I now see that I was very much influenced by vast pride, self-sufficiency, ambition, and vanity, . . . and do in review whereof abhor myself and repent sorely." Hawley's moral courage in making this confession added greatly to his popularity. In 1752 he married Mercy Lyman, the wife to whom he wrote a great many beautiful letters still extant, and who survived him twenty years. In 1754 when in Boston, engaged in "the most important affairs of the province," he wrote: "Dear child, don't think hard that I tarry so long. I assure you I want to see you as much as you can want to see me, and shall not tarry a minute longer than my duty to God and my country obliges me. I assure you I have the tenderest and most affectionate remembrance of you daily, and the longer I am absent the stronger and more sensible my affection grows."

While thus enjoying success in his chosen profession and happiness in his domestic life, he suddenly suffered a terrible loss. This was the death of his only brother, the amiable Captain Elisha Hawley, who was killed near Lake George in the "bloody morning scout." When the king and parliament began their encroachments upon the rights of the colonies, Hawley brought all his ability to the defense of those rights. He undertook the defense of the Hampshire county rioters indicted for resisting the Stamp Act. His skillful management of this case, though called by Hutchinson "strong, unwarrantable conduct," was successful. Elected in 1766 to the provincial assembly, he was for ten years one of its most influ ential members. Though repeatedly chosen counselor to the governor of Massachusetts, he declined to serve. In his first session he electrified the assembly by asserting, "The parliament of Great Britain has no right to legislate for us." For this bold statement of a doctrine as yet new in American legislative halls, James Otis, bowing, thanked him, and said: "He has gone further than I have as yet done in this house."

It is said that no measure in the assembly was ever carried against Major Hawley's wishes. Hutchinson writes: "He was more attended to in the house than any of the leaders, but less active out of it; he was equally and perhaps more attended to than Samuel Adams. Mr. Adams was more assiduous, and very politicly proposed such measures only as he was well assured Mr. Hawley would join in."

"So critical was the state of affairs," wrote John Adams in his diary, “that Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Thomas Cushing and all their

friends and associates could carry no question upon legal and constitutional subjects in the house without the countenance, concurrence, and support of Major Hawley."

In 1767 Hutchinson, though not re-elected to the council, attended as usual its first session. The assembly loudly protested against the intrusion. "This," says Hutchinson, "was illiberal treatment of the lieutenant-governor; it was brought into the house by Mr. Hawley, a lawyer of distinguished character in the county of Hampshire, but of strong resentment." Hutchinson had excited this resentment, when chief-justice, by his improper treatment of Hawley in one of the courts.

While attending court at Springfield in 1768, Hawley met John Adams. This meeting was the beginning of a friendship that was never broken. Many of Hawley's interesting and valuable letters are contained in the published correspondence of John Adams. From this time Hawley is found serving on committees with both Adamses and concerting with them plans of legal opposition to the king's officers. He was with them on the committee which in 1773 drew up the reply to Governor Hutchinson's speech-a reply that has been pronounced the most elaborate state paper of the Revolution.

During the same year he was a member of the committee of correspondence, and was also one of the commissioners sent to Hartford to settle the boundary between Massachusetts and New York. It is said that "the weight of this business lay upon Mr. Hawley."

On account of the uncertain state of his health, Major Hawley shrank from active service and declined to be a member of the Massachusetts delegation to the first continental congress. His place was filled by his friend. John Adams. In a letter written July 25, 1774, Hawley invites the delegates to stop at Northampton in order to confer with him, and, in addition to other good advice, cautions them to treat the delegates from the other colonies with proper respect, as "there is an opinion that the Massachusetts gentlemen, and especially of the town of Boston, affect to dictate and take the lead in continental measures, that we are apt, from an inward vanity and self-conceit, to assume big and haughty airs." Later, after Adams reached Philadelphia, Hawley sent him more particular instructions for the delegates. In this paper, entitled "Broken Hints," occurred the sentence, "We must fight if we cannot otherwise free ourselves from British taxation." Hearing this read, Patrick Henry exclaimed, "By God! I am of that man's mind."

Hawley, however, advised delay in beginning hostilities. "There is not," wrote he, "military skill enough. That is improving and must be

encouraged and improved, but will daily increase." "Our salvation," he adds, “depends upon an established persevering union of the colonies."

This same year a company of minute-men, about one hundred in number, was formed at Northampton. There is in existence a yellow manuscript address in Hawley's hand-writing (never before published), from which it appears that he gave the company much sound advice and encouragement. It reads as follows:

"

ADDRESS TO THE MINUTE-MEN

'When the distress of a Country is acknowledged by all and the Ruin thereof foreboded by many, it is the indispensable duty of the inhabitants to concert such measures as may appear to them to be most conducive to extricate her from her distress and of every individual to lend his aid to put them into execution. That this at present is our situation, I think needs no words to explain; it is seen, felt, and understood by all, even those that would pretend the contrary, their very actions show it.*

But the good people of this province, Gentlemen, are not to be deceived, and their firm and united conduct hitherto has baffled the attempts of the most artful hypocrisy. The people have been alarmed, have done as they ought, met, deliberated, & replied; They have pointed out ways that appeared to them & ought to appear so to us, to be most conducive to the publick good. One of these ways is the institution of the art military, an Institution which if well regulated & vigorously prosecuted cannot fail under the auspices of heaven to save our Country from the encroachments of a foreign power. It is upon this, joined to the valor & virtue of the people that the safety of a country depends. It is incumbent upon the Americans at this time to cultivate them all. Without valor & virtue military discipline will be of little effect, and without military discipline mere virtue & valor will hardly suffice but where they all join they render a people irresistible. It was these joined to the hardihood of the inhabitants that saved the little country of Switzerland whose whole territories are not so large as this province, from the whole power of France and enables them still to maintain their independence in the political system of Europe. Their virtue, valor, & military discipline, form a sufficient barrier to the rights & liberties of their Country, and hold at a distance the most ambitious and enterprising monarchs. The inhabitants of Switzerland have always been free, they have enjoyed their liberties in a very great degree, which has enabled them, upon occasions, to exert their valor & discipline for the safety and defence of their Country when threatened with a foreign yoak, in a manner that cannot be paralleled in the Story of Mankind and which at the time of its performance astonished all Europe. I will mention but one instance, and which is not the most Surprising. At the battle of St. James's a body of twelve hundred Swiss attacked the whole army of France. This little body handled their instruments of death so dexterously and dealt out slaughter and destruction to their enemies so plentifully that for a long time they baffled the utmost efforts of their whole army, but at last, being overpowered by numbers, they were obliged to give way with the loss of 1158 men killed & 30 wounded. The 12 that remained fled home, & such is the nice & delicate sense entertained by the Swiss of their national honor & bravery, that they cannot bear * The officers of the minute company were Jonathan Allen, captain; Oliver Lyman, lieutenant; and Jonathan Stearns, ensign.