deeds to the shareholders in his own large agency. That he met with many annoyances is probable, that he had warm friends is certain. This is indicated by the following letter to a friend, a draft of which is found among his papers. It refers to a suit begun by one of the proprietors, and carried through the courts to the Supreme Court, occasioning much anxiety, but which was finally decided in Dr. Cutler's favor.]

[To Colonel B. Tallmadge.]

My Dear Friend:-It is not in my power to express the emotions of my heart when I read your most agreeable letter, inclosed in that of the 20th of September; nor should I have failed instantly to have answered it, had not a special dispensation of Providence in this town obliged me to delay it for a few days.

The generous sympathy, and the kind part you take in the favorable issue of my contest with C claims my sincere acknowledgments. This unnecessary lawsuit, the only one I have ever experienced, has been a most painful trial to me, but I hope not without its benefits. I feel the fullest conviction that those trying evils which may seem to be the natural effect of a wrong temper in a fellow creature, are under the government of that righteous and sovereign God, whose hand ought to be observed in our minutest concerns. Tho' I have thought I could adopt the reply of David, with respect to Shimei, still I have it to lament that I have not felt more of that humble temper which shone so conspicuous in our blessed Lord, under the criminal abuses he received of men. How glorious the religion of Jesus, when it brings us to a cheerful, unconditional submission to the most trying events of human life, and when we can keep a single eye to the Divine glory in all our conduct under them!

But, my dear friend, it is not this part of your letter that gives me the greatest pleasure; it is the spirit of genuine religion which breathes thro' the whole of it, and particularly the impressions which you observe have been made upon your mind, in the year past, that rejoices my heart. I hope and trust I can sincerely join with you in feeling that I can love the image of Jesus wherever it may be found. From our

first

acquaintance I had much esteemed you for many admirable qualifications, not commonly to be met with among mankind; but you have now discovered another, which I had not suspected, infinitely more desirable. Your letter brings to recollection a few words you once said to me, when we were last at Philadelphia, respecting your brother's family, on which I have often since reflected. I was sorry that I had not an opportunity to have seen them. But even then I did not conceive of any serious impressions on your own mind. Our companions in the business of the Ohio Company, though respectable gentlemen, were generally of that description from whom we are not to expect a relish for the serious things of religion. In the course of this unpleasant business, I have often found myself in situations really painful and trying. It has not been easy to determine with myself what was my duty as a clergyman, nor what part I ought to take which would have been most for the honor of the religion which I hope has been deeply impressed upon my mind for many years. In this age of infidelity and wickedness a clergyman is (se ipso) an unwelcome companion. The very air of seriousness is disgusting, reproof is despised, and true religion branded with the odious epithets of hypocrisy and superstition.

CHAPTER XII.

THE SCIOTO PURCHASE.

On the 20th of July, 1787, Dr. Cutler says in his Journal: "Colonel Duer came to me with proposals from a number of the principal characters in the city to extend the contract and take in another company, but that it should be kept a profound secret," and "offered me generous conditions if I would accomplish this business for them."

July 27th, he writes: "By this ordinance, we obtained the grant of near 5,000,000 acres of land, amounting to $3,500,000; 1,500,000 acres for the Ohio Company, and the remainder for a private speculation, in which many of the principal characters in America are concerned. Without connecting this speculation, similar terms and advantages could not have been obtained for the Ohio Company."

This "speculation" was the Scioto Company. Colonel Wm. Duer projected it. He had influence enough in Congress to procure the passage of the ordinance for the Ohio Company's purchase by connecting the Scioto speculation with it. Without it, Dr. Cutler's negotiation for the Ohio Company was a failure. With it, it was an assured success, and upon terms dictated by himself.

The injunction of secrecy was as to the fact of the increased amount of land being for a separate company. The "; generous conditions" were, that if Dr. Cutler would secure, for the entire amount of lands asked for, the support of the members of Congress who had declared in favor of the Ohio Company grant, Colonel Duer and his friends would undertake, with Cutler's assistance, to obtain enough additional votes to pass the ordinance for the purchase of the entire tract upon exactly the terms stated in the Ohio Company's petition. This included the grants of land for the establishment of a Univer

and the support of the ministry, which, next to the ac

complishment of the purchase itself, were the objects most desired by Dr. Cutler.

Colonel Duer also agreed that Cutler and Sargent should have for themselves, and such of their friends among the prominent men in the Ohio Company as they chose to interest, one-half interest in the proposed right of purchase, the sale of which he and his friends would undertake to manage.

When Dr. Cutler left home, but little more than one-fourth of the shares of the Ohio Company had been subscribed. The only persons who had been active in securing subscriptions were Generals Putnam, Tupper, and Parsons, Major Sargent, and himself. It was by no means certain that enough shares would be taken, or, if taken, paid for in time to make the payment required on signing the final contract. To meet this contingency, Colonel Duer offered to loan the Ohio Company $100,000, without interest, or such less sum as should be required, to be repaid to him as collected. If any deception was practiced upon members of Congress by failing to explain to them fully the plans of Colonel Duer, it was more apparent than real. The articles of Association of the Ohio Company, which were read on the floor of Congress and distributed among its members, provided for the purchase of so much land as $1,000,000 in securities would pay for and no more. The Ordinance specifically authorized the Board of Treasury to contract with any "person or persons," thus plainly contemplating the possibility of separate contracts. Dr. Cutler, in an interview with Mr. Osgood, of the Board of Treasury, on July 25th,* communicated to him the plan "in all its parts." Mr. Osgood "highly approved" it, and said "that we might depend on accomplishing our purposes in Europe, and that it was a most important part of our plan."

On the 29th of August, 1787, at a general meeting of the Ohio Company in Boston, Dr. Cutler reported the result of his application to Congress. The report was approved, and he and Major Sargent were instructed to close a contract for 1,500,000 acres on the terms stated. Colonel Richard Platt, of New York, was elected Treasurer. A resolution was

*See Dr. Cutler's journal, that date.

passed calling on the proprietors to pay their securities into the hands of the Treasurer by the 4th of the coming October. The propriety of accepting, as a Company, the option of purchase in addition to the 1,500,000 acres, included in the ordinance of Congress, was discussed, but no action was taken upon it, because of the opposition of many shareholders, who declared that they would withdraw from the Company if any thing beyond the original purchase was undertaken.

In October, 1787, Dr. Cutler and Major Sargent returned to New York, and on the 27th of that month closed two contracts with the Board of Treasury. One with Manasseh Cutler and Winthrop Sargent, as agents for the Directors of the "Ohio Company of Associates, so called," was an absolute purchase of 1,500,000 acres, lying between the Ohio River, the 7th and 17th ranges of townships, and extending north from the river till a line due west from the 7th to the 17th range should, with the reservations stated in the contract, inIclude the whole amount. The other with Manasseh Cutler and Winthrop Sargent, "for themselves and associates," was an option to purchase all the lands lying between the Ohio and Scioto Rivers and the 17th Range, extending north to the line of the 10th Township, and also all the land east of this tract, west of the 7th Range, south of the 10th Township, and north of the Ohio Company's purchase. The whole tract of land included in the last contract was estimated to be from 3,000,000 to 3,500,000 acres. * In each contract, the line of the 17th range is recognized as yet to be determined. The price of the land was one dollar per acre, subject to a reduction of one-third for bad land, to be paid in gold, silver, or securities of the United States.

On the 24th of October Cutler and Sargent, for themselves and associates, "ceded and conveyed," in equal shares to William Duer and his associates, the right of pre-emption or option of purchase of the last named tract. The whole ownership was divided into thirty parts. Thirteen (13) were to belong in full ownership to Duer, in which he could join such persons as he saw fit; thirteen (13) in like manner to Cutler

*It proved to be near 5,000,000 acres.