(First Party System & The War of 1812) Extremely fine content A.L.S. “Samuel West Jr.”, 3pp. + integral address leaf, 319 x 190 mm., Columbia, [Conn.] 8 Oct. 1813 to Dr. Chester Hunt complaining of one Captain Kingsley, a Democrat, who the author believed had tricked the Federalist residents of the town into missing a town meeting. A terrific story, worthy of quoting nearly in its entirety: “… Sir I will give you a nar[r]itive of our democratic Town meeting when Capt. Kingsly was one of our Select Men—. The Town of Columbia was incorporated I think the year 1804 we remained and the galling yoak of democracy for two years and a half, in September 1806 the Federalists Succeeded in the choice of a representative by a majority of five which discovered the streangth [sic] of the Federal party[.] our town meeting had generally been held on the first or second Monday in November, but November passed off and a great part of December and nothing could be heard about town meeting, though inquiry was frequently made when it would come on, near the 20th of December it being Sunday morning [?] there hap[p]ened Some men to be at Mr. Stephen Hosmers who was one of the select Men he was asked when Town meeting would be he said it might be the next morning at nine Oclock the federalist railed. men were sent in every direction through the Town to notify the federalists they were all notified before day it was expected the Select Men after finding that the federalists had got knowledge of the meeting and was ready and willing to vote them out of office that they would pleas’d that their warning had blown off from the post and they had got no Copy and would not do any business, to prevent that a man went to Cap… Kinglsey (who was one of the select men) early in the morning to find whether they had got a copy or not. he says to Capt. Kingsley I want a little brandy to carry to Norwich with me to day I am going the road Capt Kingsley not knowing what had taken place during the night say you will not go to Norwich to day it is Town meeting to day, Town meeting to day says the man I was at meeting yesterday. I saw no warning on the post, Capt. Kinglsy says likely has likely blown off but that will make no difference we have got a Copy of the warning. the man went home and attended meeting the Select Men finding the federalists all on the ground and able to vote them down came forward and said that they would do no business. the warning was lost and they had got no copy, the man who had seen Capt. Kingsly came forward and said that Capt. Kinglsey had told him that morning that they had got a copy, Capt Kinglsy replied he did suppose that they had a copy amongst them but it proved they had on them was not one of [the?] Select Men th[a]t pretended to know any thing what was contained in the warning. They refused to go on business and warned another meeting. this Capt. Kingsly is the man who some are recommending highly for a Major in the 12 Regiment he is the man who just put the warning above mentioned on the post in a stormy evening which was never seen nor heard of after[.] I do not know that he had any evil intention but it is strong that the democrats should all have the information and the federalist all ignorant of it until late in the night the last preceding the meeting, I think it likely that had not the federalists got information of the meeting the democrats would have met and would have had a copy of the warning to done[?] the business of the meeting. If ou should feal [sic] willing to copy the substance of the above in our own Stik [?] and communicate it to Phinahas Talbot Esqr for him to communicate to his excellency the Governor if he should think proper I should be glad, I should like to have the upper house know something of the transaction without doing it my self – yours with esteem Samuel West, Jr…”

A wonderful description of the bitter conflict between the declining Federalist party and the Democratic-Republicans in New England during the War of 1812.

Dr. Hunt, mentioned in this letter, had recently built a house (1800) in neighboring Windham and the building is still in a state of preservation and on the National Register since 1970.

Clean fold separations to front leaf, partial on verso, minor marginal chips and tears affecting several words of text, usual folds, small loss from seal tear, else very good condition overall.

(EXA 2438) $450