The cherishing the memory of our distinguished men. fault is our own. We have never been true to ourselves. We have suffered the brightest names in our annals to grow dim, and the memory of our most glorious deeds to become almost effaced. While there is so much in our past history, and in our present condition, for which we should be grateful, and in which we have a right to exult, yet we have very little State pride; and while we have been distinguished, beyond most others, for devotion to our common country, and loyalty to the Union, we have never exhibited much local patriotism. These, I am aware, are qualities, which may easily be carried to excess. They are virtues, which are perhaps nearly allied to vices; but they are virtues still, and, to a certain extent, deserve to be strengthened and fostered. What we more especially need at this time, is a well written history of our State. Mr. Whitehead's work is invaluable, as far as it goes; but it is confined to East Jersey, and comes down only to the surrender of the government to the crown, in 1702. When shall we have an equally faithful and accurate history of the whole State, from its first settlement to the adoption of the Constitution of 1844? Such a work remains to be written, and when it is, it will be found, if I mistake not, to possess an interest, which has never been thought to attach to the annals of our State. Bancroft, in his History of the United States, has touched upon the affairs of New Jersey just enough to show, how attractive they are capable of being made in the hands of a man of taste and genius. Take, for instance, the settlement of West Jersey by the Quakers. What a beautiful picture would it not present, if drawn by the pen of a master! West Jersey under its Proprietary Government was, in fact, what Pennsylvania was only in name, a pure Quaker Commonwealth. It may be safely affirmed, that William Penn himself had more to do in moulding the institutions of West Jersey, that his spirit was more deeply infused into them, and that they reflected more clearly the pure and benign features of his character, than did those of the State which bore his name. In Pennsylvania, his views were often sadly thwarted, and his gentle sway was regarded with a jealousy and distrust, which it is difficult for us at this day to understand. But in West Jersey, his influence was supreme, his benevolent disposition was allowed free scope, and he was the object of unbounded love and confidence. Her Concessions and Agreements, her fundamental laws and Constitution, were nearly all the work of his hand; all bear the impress of his character. So too the Revolutionary history of New Jersey; how full of exciting scenes, how rich in thrilling incidents would it be! The sacrifices made by New Jersey, in blood and treasure, during the war of Independence, were greater, in proportion to her wealth and population, than those of any other Colony. The fury of the storm first burst upon her, and her territory was speedily overrun by hordes of foreign mercenaries. Within her borders were the most memorable, and the most glorious battle-grounds of the Revolution. She was enveloped in the darkest clouds of the contest, and the first gleams of a brighter day dawned upon her. Here Washington encountered his deepest distresses, and sustained his heaviest misfortunes; but here too he made his most brilliant movements, and achieved his proudest triumphs. This is a chapter in American history which has never yet been written, but which we may hope soon to see from the pen of Mr. Bancroft. I cannot close these prefatory remarks, without acknowledging the many obligations which I am under to Mr. William A. Whitehead, the Corresponding Secretary of the New Jersey Historical Society, for the valuable assistance which he has rendered me in the prosecution of my researches. His intimate acquaintance with the history of New Jersey, has enabled him to furnish me with much information that could have been obtained from no other source. To Mr. Edward Armstrong, too, the Recording Secretary of the Pennsylvania Historical Society, I am greatly obliged. To the copious extracts from the "Logan Papers," with which he has so kindly furnished me, am I indebted, for most of the particulars in the life of Roger Mompesson, the first Chief Justice of New Jersey. Princeton, New Jersey, December 28th, 1848. DISCOURSE. GENTLEMEN OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY: In consenting to prepare for the use of the Historical Society a brief history of the Courts of New Jersey, with notices of some of the more distinguished members of the Bench and Bar, nothing was further from my expectation than to be called upon to read it upon such an occasion as this.1 Could I have anticipated such an audience, I might have sought a more attractive theme upon which to discourse-a subject the discussion of which I might have hoped to make interesting to all-rather than one which addresses itself in a peculiar manner to the members of a single profession. And yet, in attempting to glean from the history of the past something worthy of the attention of this Society, 1 The annual meeting of the New Jersey Historical Society, at which it has been customary for an address to be delivered of a somewhat more popular character, than the Historical papers usually read before the Society. |