[COYNE] THE TALBOT PAPERS 189 



ment, are most indelicate and obtrusive. From Colonel 'Talbofs add;ress, 

 it is very evident he was himself too liberal to insult us with such gross 

 and illnatured animadversions, and it is again unanimously repeated, 

 that Colonel 'Talbot is deserving of our respect, for his uniform zeal and 

 exertions in behalf of this settlement. 



3rd Eesolution. — It is the opinion of this meeting, that Lieut. 

 Colonel Burwell's letter to the Secretary, is written in the most dis- 

 respectful manner, but as it is the unanimous wish of this meeting to 

 prevent the Anniversary from any further becoming the vehicle of cal- 

 umny or party intrigue, the Secretary is directed to rigidly forbear 

 entering into any future discussion with Lieut. Colonel Burwell, on the 

 subject of his unbecoming interference, being most fully convinced that 

 a reference, even to Johnson's Dictionary, will correct his strange and 

 unaccountable mistake, as to the nature and design of Protestant An- 

 niversaries. 4th Eesolution. — The thanks of the meeting are presented 

 to the Committee for their highly honorable and independent conduct. 



(A true copy). 



James Nevills 



Secretary. 



Colonel Burwell's manifesto is interesting for more than one rea- 

 son. To do honor to the founder of the settlement was clearly, in his 

 view, not the only " object of designing persons." His own position 

 as member of parliament and confidential friend of the all-powerful 

 founder of the settlement was imperilled. The wisdom of his animad- 

 versions was more than open to question. He played into his adver- 

 sary's hand; his weapon was turned against himself; and the first regu- 

 lar celebration of the Talbot Anniversary was signalized by a counter- 

 manifesto directed against the strongest personality in the settlement 

 after Talbot himself, the parliamentary representative of Middlesex, 

 Colonel Burwell. 



Burwell's letter would seem to have had something to do with the 

 naming of Talbot's " capital." It was in the same year, 1817, that it 

 began to assume the proportions of a village. Two stores were opened 

 near the Kettle Creek crossing of Talbot Eoad — one in the hollow by 

 Hamilton & Warren, and the other on tlie eastern hill by Horace Foster. 

 A masonic lodge was instituted, of which Foster was a member. It is 

 Foster who is said to have suggested the name St. Thomas, which was 

 already in use early in September, 1817. It is quite possible that Bui- 

 well's allusion to the anniversaries of saints, by way of contrast to the 

 proposed anniversary, gave occasion and point to the suggestion. Tal- 

 bot's saintliness was never a conspicuous quality in his character; but 



