when, after the death of Willard in 1707, John Leverett, the right-hand man of Governor Joseph Dudley, was elected to the office, the wrath of the younger Mather knew no bounds. The fact that thirty-nine ministers, presumably as interested in the welfare of the college as even he could be, had enthusiastically endorsed Dudley's choice of Leverett, counted for nothing as against his wounded pride. Sewall describes with unction Dudley's inauguration of his friend: "The govr. prepar'd a Latin speech for instalment of the president. Then took the president by the hand and led him down into the hall. . . The govr. sat with his back against a noble fire. . . . . . Then the govr. read his speech . . . and mov'd the books in token of their delivery. Then president made a short Latin speech, importing the difficulties discouraging and yet he did accept: .. Clos'd with the hymn to the Trinity. Had a very good dinner upon 3 or 4 tables. Got home very well. Laus Deo." The Mathers were now thoroughly beaten, but they could not seem to understand that a man might honestly fail in appreciation of them, and they proceeded to charge Dudley with all manner of bribery, hypocrisy and corruption. Their letters to the governor at this time seem to me so pitiful an exhibition of narrowness that I will not reproduce them. For I still feel that both father and son were since, and that to bury them beneath such " and adjectives as dastardly 66 venomous after the manner of many writers is not to reproduce faithfully this interesting contention. Dudley, however, was an able man, even if his political career had not, in every particular, been above reproach. And this time he happened to be right. So we cannot do better than close our chapter with his admirably dignified answer to the accusations of the Mathers, a reply which is also, as it seems to me, a deserved rebuke to the claims of the theocracy as regards the college. "GENTLEMEN, Yours of the 20th instant received; and the contents, both as to the matter and manner, astonish me to the last degree. I must think you have extremely forgot your own station, as well as my character; otherwise it had been impossible to have made such an open breach upon all the laws of decency, honour, justice and Christianity, as you have done in treating me with an air of superiority and contempt, which would have been greatly culpable towards a Christian of lowest order, and is insufferably rude toward one whom divine Providence has honoured with the character of your governour. . . . 66 Why, gentlemen, have you been so long silent? and suffered sin to lie upon me years after years? You cannot pretend any new information as to the main of your charge; for you have privately given your tongues a loose upon these heads, I am well assured, when you thought you could serve yourselves by exposing me. Surely murder, robberies and other such flaming immoralities were as reprovable then as now. . "Really, gentlemen, conscience and religion are things too solemn, venerable or sacred, to be played with, or made a covering for actions so disagreeable to the gospel, as these your endeavours to expose me and my most faithful services to contempt; nay, to unhinge the government. "I desire you will keep your station, and let fifty or sixty good ministers, your equals in the province, have a share in the government of the college, and advise thereabouts as well as yourselves, and I hope all will be well. . . . I am your humble servant, "J. DUDLEY. "To the Reverend Doctors Mathers." |