INTRODUCTION. THE History of Wyoming remains to be written. The book of Mr. Chapman is certainly valuable, so far as it extends. A man of talents, research and industry;—had his life been prolonged, he would have produced a work worthy of the subject, and his own fame. Cut off in mid-life, his manuscript was the first rude essay-the mere outline of what he must have intended to accomplish. The eagerness with which the volume was sought after and read, shows the lively interest which the public mind possesses in respect to the subject. Col. Stone's popular book, "The Poetry and History of Wyoming," deserves commendation. His polished pen has thrown a charm around the narrative, easier to admire than imitate. But the fact that he was obliged to reprint Campbell's Gertrude, with Irving's Biography of the Author, shows that, in his view, the materials of interest relating to the subject were either too few, or too remotely accessible, to form the ground-work for a respectable volume. Most of the more striking facts, and many of the more touching personal incidents, he has wrought up with a master hand, and given with all the sparkling raciness which genius imparts to an interesting subject. I came to Pennsylvania in 1799, a settler under the Connecticut claim. The grounds of that claim, connected as they were with the early hopes of the writer, were then examined with care. Editor of a Paper, at Wilkesbarre, for thirteen years, including the period of the sharp conflicts under the Intrusion Law, the claim of Connecticut was discussed-the services and sufferings of the early settlers were inquired into, until the whole subject became one of absorbing concern, interwoven with the most interesting associations of my life. When Judge Marshall published his first edition of the Life of Washington, I took the liberty of writing to him, stating that the INTRODUCTION. THE History of Wyoming remains to be written. The book of Mr. Chapman is certainly valuable, so far as it extends. A man of talents, research and industry;—had his life been prolonged, he would have produced a work worthy of the subject, and his own fame. Cut off in mid-life, his manuscript was the first rude essay-the mere outline of what he must have intended to accomplish. The eagerness with which the volume was sought after and read, shows the lively interest which the public mind possesses in respect to the subject. Col. Stone's popular book, "The Poetry and History of Wyoming," deserves commendation. His polished pen has thrown a charm around the narrative, easier to admire than imitate. But the fact that he was obliged to reprint Campbell's Gertrude, with Irving's Biography of the Author, shows that, in his view, the materials of interest relating to the subject were either too few, or too remotely accessible, to form the ground-work for a respectable volume. Most of the more striking facts, and many of the more touching personal incidents, he has wrought up with a master hand, and given with all the sparkling raciness which genius imparts to an interesting subject. I came to Pennsylvania in 1799, a settler under the Connecticut claim. The grounds of that claim, connected as they were with the early hopes of the writer, were then examined with care. Editor of a Paper, at Wilkesbarre, for thirteen years, including the period of the sharp conflicts under the Intrusion Law, the claim of Connecticut was discussed-the services and sufferings of the early settlers. were inquired into, until the whole subject became one of absorbing concern, interwoven with the most interesting associations of my life. When Judge Marshall published his first edition of the Life of Washington, I took the liberty of writing to him, stating that the account of the Wyoming Massacre was exceedingly erroneous, and gave him a version of the affair, derived from the best sources. I beg leave to remark, that no important subject was ever before involved in such embarrassing contradictions. The reason I take it is this: On the invasion by Butler and his Indians, most of the leading men were slain, and the rest of the inhabitants scattered in the wildest state of alarm. Rumour brought to every flying group a tale of seven-fold horror, and these, repeated by the fugitives, whereever they fled, were told and received as historic truth. Hence the exaggerated account published at Poughkeepsie a few weeks after the massacre, which was, without doubt, the ground-work, probably the sole authority, of Gordon and Ramsay, as they were the sources from which Marshall derived materials for his first edition. Black with cruelty, and crimsoned with blood, sufficient to harrow up the soul with horror, is the simple narrative, attested by truth, which displays the ferocity of demons-the malignity of fiends. The false account was immeasurably worse. It may excite inquiry, Why the oft published error was not earlier corrected? It is obvious that the false statement which took its published form at Poughkeepsie, and was thence circulated, not only in the United Colonies, but throughout every Nation in Europe, was calculated to arouse the most powerful emotions of the human soul-pity for American suffering-detestation of blackest perfidy-and horror at unheard of cruelty on the part of Great Britain and her Savage allies: and hence to strengthen our cause, by bringing popular sentiment to bear in our favour both at home and abroad. With motives so powerful to allow the published story to run its course, it may be doubted even if the truth was known whether any American would at the time have felt it his duty to hunt up the evidence, and publish a new version of the matter. After the war, Wyoming was, from her remote, reduced and harrassed state, too much engaged in more immediately pressing concerns, to leave her people free to study her early annals, and correct the errors of the Historian. In 1832 I returned to Wyoming from Chester County, where I had resided fifteen years, and commenced farming. Much excluded by local position from society, I sought relaxation from labour, with more than usual pleasure, in my books. Four volumes of the Journal of Congress, during the Revolution, were upon the shelf, presenting in their details slight attraction, as I had thought, and of little use, except for occasional reference: but the leisure now afforded led |