den. This at once indicated, that I was to have no controling influence over their funds, to apply to the relief of my bonds given. I had already ascertained the amount of his arrearage bills, the portion of which it devolved on him, or them, to pay. I proposed to the society, if they would advance funds to meet this demand, together with a small sum to furnish his room in college with necessary articles of use, I would defray the residue of his expenses the coming year, This was not granted. They, however, appropriated one half of the proposed sum, which was insufficient to meet the arrearage claims; and thus he remained destitute of even one farthing of their aid in college.

I soon perceived there was among them a report, injurious to the character of that young man, calculated to destroy the reputation of an amiable and excellent youth, whose piety and correct deportment had been fully manifest. This appeared to have been propagated, or advocated, by Mr. Harvey. I was enabled, on the spot, to repel the mischief, by stating to the society the origin and falsity of the report, and referring them to ample testimony in proof of what I had advanced. I was shocked at such a procedure, directly calculated to destroy or mar the reputation of one, whose piety and correct deportment were his only recommendations, and which had been amiably maintained.

As no assistance had been rendered by the society, to meet any future demand, nor, indeed, sufficient to satisfy the old claims, it became necessary for me to furnish funds to defray every charge. This I accomplished. As it was inconvenient for me to attend at the next annual meeting, in September, 1813, I requested the Rev, Mr. Lyman to ask the society to afford some assistance for Mr. Stone, as I had defrayed all his expenses the preceding year. As I afterwards understood Mr. Lyman, he made the application, agreeably to my request, and Mr. Harvey immediately opposed it. Mr. Lyman re

8

plied to Mr. Harvey's, remonstrances, again and again, but to no effect. Mr. H. stated to the society things greatly prejudicial to the character and deportment of Mr. Stone, and assured the society, that he felt authorised to make this statement to them, as he had received it from one of the faculty of Yale college the preceding term; and it was due to them to have this information, that they might no longer bestow their funds on an unworthy object; and that in consequence of this statement, a motion was immediately introduced before the society, by Deacon Tanner, of Warren, having previously calculated on the precise amount which Mr. Stone had received from them, that no person should receive appropriations from the board of trustees, over this specific amount, without a special resolve of the society.

At this information I was amazed! Not long after, I was at the Rev. Mr. Starr's, and made inquiry of him relative to this transaction. I derived from him the same idea, as I had from Mr. Lyman. In November following, I was at New-Haven, and called on the tutor of Mr. Stone's class, and informed him, I had heard an unfavourable account of Mr. Stone. The tutor, not knowing the relation in which I stood to him, as benefactor, as he afterwards informed me, assured me that the information was entirely unfounded; and proceeded, without delay, to speak more in commendation of Mr. Stone, than I had ever before heard any of the faculty speak of a member of college. I inquired of him, whe-` ther he would be willing to put it in writing; to which he cordially assented, as a just tribute, to repel so gross an attack. He accordingly drew up a certificate, and signed it; after which, it was presented to the President, and the rest of the faculty, who as cheerfully subscribed to the same. It is evident, from examining the triennial college catalogue, that there had not been even in a single instance any change in the college officers since the

preceding quarter, when, according to Mr. H's declaration, he had received the aforementioned information from one of their number. I subjoin the certificate to which the faculty subscribed.

"Yale College, Nov. 30th, 1813.

"These may certify, that Randolph Stone, of the "Junior Class, has sustained, while here, an irre"proachable moral character, and has uniformly "behaved with propriety towards the faculty of "this College.

"MATTHEW R. DUTTON, Tutor."

"The above representation is, in my opinion, correct.

"T. DWIGHT, President.
"ARATIUS B. HULL,
"SAM'L. I. HITCHCOCK,

"JOHN LANGDON,

"JOSIAH W. GIBBS,

CHAUNCEY A. GOODRICH."

On my return from New-Haven, it so happened, that I rode several miles in company with Deacon Tanner. I inquired of him respecting the representation of Mr. H. before the charitable society, at their late meeting. He related to me Mr. H's' statement, which appeared to me to comport entirely with the accounts given by the Rev. Messrs. Starr and Lyman. Deacon Tanner added, that in consequence of Mr. H's statement, he felt that they were bestowing charity on an unworthy object, and made the motion himself for the purpose of cutting off farther supplies. I then exhibited to him the above certificate, on the reading of which, he appeared astonished! and if my memory serves me, he remarked, he could not have indulged such an idea of Mr. H, I observed, I did not hear Mr. H's statement, but if I had received correct information respecting it, the proceeding was unaccounta

ble. I added, for him to plunge me into great pecuniary embarrassment, by having occasioned a delinquency, on the part of the society, I considered to be far the least evil which had resulted from his efforts. Indeed, I could not esteem it any thing in comparison with his aspersing the reputation of a young man, who sustained an irreproachable character, which was all his dependance. Deacon Tanner replied, that such an attempt, he presumed, I should not suffer to pass unnoticed.

The Rev. Mr. Starr also read the certificate. If I have not strangely forgotten, the remarks of Mr. Starr were similar to those of his late delegate, Deacon Tanner. Mr. Starr subjoined, that he hoped the subject would be fairly adjusted by Mr. H. without the necessity of proceeding to public

measures.

What could have induced Mr. H. in these cases to have adopted the measures he had pursued against Mr. Stone, is best known to himself. Yet many people entertained the impression, that he indulged the expectation, if Mr. Stone could be removed from the patronage of the charitable society, he should be enabled to introduce a young man from his own parish, to fill the vacancy and receive the privileges.

It was, I believe, in February following, that I first saw Mr. H. after this transaction. I took an opportunity to converse with him alone on the subject; but could not obtain the least satisfaction. He justified his proceeding, by saying that he had received his information from one of the faculty of Yale College the preceding summer. I then informed him, I had lately obtained a certificate from the faculty, none of whom had been changed from the summer term, which appeared to give an entirely different complexion to the subject. I believe Mr. H. will yet acknowledge that, at receiving this information, a tremor shook his frame, and paleness brooded upon his countenance. He however still

persisted that he had done right. I finally gave him to understand, that he had not afforded me any satisfaction on the subject; but, on the contrary, had strengthened my dissatisfaction. He might, therefore, consider that interview as the first step towards a regular investigation of the subject, agreeably to the rules of the gospel, contained in the 18th chapter of Matthew.

It was so ordered in Providence, as Mr. H. lived at the distance of about fourteen miles, that I had no opportunity of seeing him, when accompanied by one or two brethren in the ministry, until more than one year had elapsed from the first interview. Nor had he, during this time, made the least effort to render me satisfaction. In the mean time my failure had taken place. And how very common is the impression, when a person is stripped of his property, let it have proceeded from whatever cause, that a destitution of character is necessarily attached. This I conceive to be distinguishingly the case in Connecticut. Hence this evidence is seemingly derived, that property, rather than virtue, in the view of mankind extensively, is what gives weight and stability to character.

In April, 1815, I received information of an extra ministers' meeting, only the day before, at the house of the Rev. Peter Starr, in Warren. I was informed, that only three ministers had given their attendance from abroad, viz. Rev. Messrs. Timothy Stone, of Cornwall, Joseph Harvey, of Goshen, and Asa Blair, of Kent. One of the number soon after, viz. Rev. Mr. Stone, gave me the following information, as I understood him: that some weeks previous to their late meeting, Mr. Harvey had requested him to desire the Rev. Mr. Starr to commence a deal with me. He very soon communicated the request, and received an answer from Mr. Starr, that he had no grievance with me whatever, but was entirely satisfied himself.