CORRESPONDENCE. 269 



measure of a dissolution of the Union, which would seal 

 the ruin of our country. I am, dear sir, with very sincere 

 esteem, 



Your obedient servant, 



HENRY W. DESAUSSURE. 



FROM PROFESSOR CLEAVELAND. 



BRUNSWICK, September 20, 1814. 



MY DEAR SIR, I have long been wishing to write you, 

 and among other things, to thank you for the politeness, 

 &c., of your last favor. I need not attempt to describe to 

 you the state of alarm in which we have lived during a 

 great proportion of the last summer ; for I perceive you 

 must have participated in similar troubles. There is now 

 one army of nearly two thousand men within seven miles 

 of my house another of nearly three thousand at the dis 

 tance of eighteen miles, and another, this larger, about 

 twenty-six miles west of us. It has been supposed, that 

 Brunswick is in very considerable danger of an attack, as 

 we have two large manufacturing establishments, and two 

 iron furnaces, one of which is constantly bringing forth the 

 means of annoyance, as Mr. Madison calls them, that 

 is, cannon-balls ; and more especially, as we are so easily 

 accessible from the sea. I have not, perhaps, felt so much 

 consternation as many of my neighbors, because I have 

 ever believed that college-ground would be held sacred. I 

 have, however, found it difficult to avoid entirely the con 

 tagion of alarms, and have for some time kept my most 

 valuable papers, &c., in trunks, ready to decamp when I 

 see contiguous buildings in flames. So much, and all to 

 gratify the cursed democracy of this country. Can brother 

 Day keep cool, even when breathing the sober atmosphere 

 of mathematics ? I confess I cannot, and, when I re 

 flect on the present state of our native country, and per 

 ceive " Troja fuit " written on all our greatness, my only 

 relief is to sally forth with my hammer, and vent my feelings 



