127 



different view of the character of Giles Corey, and made it appear 

 that Mr. Upham's suggestion as to the motives which actuated him 

 in refusing to plead could not be the true one. If Corey brought 

 his misfortunes upon himself why should he deserve sympathy or re- 

 spect? He believed that some had thought of erecting a monument 

 to the memory of Giles Corey, but for his part he would not con- 

 tribute to such a monument to one who had obstinately defied the 

 laws. He was inclined to think that Corey died a fool's death. 



Mr. UPHAM replied to this at some length, defending Corey as one 

 possessing many good traits, although he had not intended to claim for 

 him a perfect character, in all respects. His eccentricities made him 

 often during his life the object of slander, but no serious charge was 

 brought against him which was not disproved. When he was accused 

 of setting John Proctor's house on fire he was proved to be innocent 

 beyond question, and was acquitted. The fact of his owning and 

 carrying on successfully for more than fifty years, so large and v$lu- 

 able a farm as this, is greatly to his credit.. But besides this his hav- 

 ing been admitted to full membership in the old church at Salem when 

 eighty years of age, and from that time at least, leading a wholly 

 blameless and religious life, should relieve his character from the 

 reproach of any former defects that may have existed. It seems very 

 strange that here, in this enlightened age, and on the very spot where 

 this victim of a terrible delusion had lived for so many years, the 

 same calumnies that were made use of at the time by those in power, 

 to shield themselves against the odium which even then attached to 

 this cruel proceeding, should be again brought up to blacken his 

 character. As to the monument to his memory, Mr. Upham said that 

 he had not known that it had been proposed, but he was rejoiced to 

 think that here on the very homestead of Giles Corey, the victim of 

 the barbarism and superstitions of a past age, had arisen a most ap- 

 propriate monument, the best that could be erected a beautiful 

 school house where the mind shall be educated, and an influence be 

 spread abroad by which men shall be raised above the errors and 

 delusions of ignorance, and freed from the darkness of superstitious 

 beliefs. 



WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1870. 



A quarterly meeting was held at the rooms this day at 3 P. M. 

 The President in the chair. Records'of preceding meeting read. 

 The proposed amendment to the Constitution, reported at the an- 

 nual meeting, had its second reading. 



