S2 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



read, and regarded ; and Iiad a great influence 

 upon the minds, and conduct of the people. 

 The uncultivated rougliness of his own temper 

 and manners, seems to have assisted him, in 

 giving a just description of the views and pro- 

 ceedings of speculating Irnd jobbers : And 

 where all was a scene of violence and abuse, 

 such a method of writing, did not greatly differ 

 from the feclins^s of the settlers, or from the 

 style of the ]7am]-)hlcts that came from New 

 York. But though he wrote with asperity, a 

 degree of generosity attended his conduct ; and 

 he carefully avoided bloodshed, and protested 

 against every thing that had the appearance of. 

 ineanncss, injustice, cruelty, or abuse, to those 

 wlio fell into his }:)Ower. Next to him, Seth 

 Warner seems to hia\e been the most distin- 

 guished, in those times. X'^^irner was cool, 

 iirm, steady, resolute, and fully determined tliat 

 the laws of New York respecting the settlers^ 

 uever should be carried into execution. When 

 an officer came to take him as a rioter, he con- 

 sidered it as an affair of open hostility ; defen- 

 ded himself, attacked, wounded, und disarmed 

 the officer ; but with the spirit of a soldier, 

 spared his life. 



So notorious and alarming had this contro- 

 versy become, that the settlers sent three of 

 their most active members, as agents to Great 

 Britain, to represent their situation, and implore 

 the protection of the crown.* An enquiry was 

 made into the nature arid ground of thicir com- 

 . plaint ; and the event proved iV^'orablc to their 



* Messrs. Samud Robinfyn, James Brakejiridge, and Mr. '— — ; — 

 Haw Icy. 



