Delegates to Congress: Letters of delegates to Congress, 1774-1789, Volume 6
Oliver Wolcott to Laura Wolcott
My Dear,
Philadelphia 22d March 1777I have this instant recd a Letter from Dr. Smith of the 12th wherein he tells Me that you and the Children have been Inoculated for the Small Pox, and that he Apprehended you was so farr thro it as to be out of Danger, Casuallaties excepted, News which is Very agreable to Me, as I have for some Time been much concerned least you should take the Infection of that distressing Disease unprepared. I perceive that Mariana has had it bad, he Writes Very hard. I am heartily sorry for what the little Child has suffered, and Very much Want to see her. If she has by this lost some part of her Beauty, which I hope She has not, yet I well know she might spare much of it and yet retain as much as Most of her Sex possess-but I hope the small Pox will give her no uneasiness tho' it may have a little hurt her complexion. as there is No Valuable and lasting Beauty but what exists in the Mind, and if she cultivates these Excellencies she will not fail of being beloved and esteamed. May a gratefull sence of the divine Goodness be deeply impressed upon my Mind, in that God has taken this Care of you and our Children, and for the Health which I am favoured with.
I am sorry that our Assembly had not repealed or so farr altered the Law respecting Inoculation, or that People from the Principles of Self Preservation were not laid under a necessity of Violating it. The Law of Self Preservation certainly will justify Violating a Law not founded on Moral Principles but of supposed Conveniency only, but no Laws ought to Exist which are merely political when it is clearly known that they will not be observed as Laws of that Nature* are supposed to be the Symtoms of the Want either of Power or Wisdom or perhaps both. I was fully Satisfied in my own mind that the same would be the Effect of limiting the Prices of the Articles of Living. In my Judgment the most despotic Government that ever existed since the Days of Nimrod could never carry such a Law into Execution, but I have done nothing to Prejudice the Scheme this Way as it was adopted by our State. Tho' I tho't it was founded upon every Principle of Impolicy. But why am I eternally dabbling in Politicks. Would to God that the Knaves and Oppressors of this World would cease their Villany, so that each one might Return to domestick Injoyment, and possess unenvied that Peace, which cannot be had in any Other Circumstances of Life. I want much to See my Family. There are some Circumstance of a publick Nature which render my Return less desirable just Now than I wish it was-besides a certain Management or (I do not know what to call it) which I have Experienced and which I well know that I am to expect, there is a certain Volatility or publick Inflamation arising from Various Causes which I believe will not be in my Power either to Moderate or give a benificial Direction to...
Did you mention Nature Mr. Wolcott?
Before expanding on that, allow me to first interject the qualifications of Mr. Wolcott:
He graduated from Yale University. He was commissioned to raise a militia company to fight in the French and Indian War. Was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. At the end of the war, Wolcott studied medicine, then was appointed sheriff of the newly created Litchfield County, Connecticut, serving from about 1751 to 1771. He then rejoined the Militia and participated in the Revolutionary War as Brigadier General of the Connecticut forces under the command of the Continental Army. Mr. Wolcott was elected Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut in 1786, assuming the Governorship on the death of Samuel Huntington in 1796, and was reelected to the position. Those credentials would certainly seem to carry some weight, yes?
Now, back to the Law of Nature, (or, as Samuel Adams and Benjamin Franklin had termed it; "the duty of self-preservation, commonly called the first law of nature"). To Wit;
"The First Law of Nature is that every man ought to endeavour peace, as far as he has hope of obtaining it; and when he cannot obtain it, that he may seek and use all helps and advantages of war."
- Thomas Hobbs, "Leviathan", (Outlines the Laws of Nature), 1651
Interesting, isn't it? Somewhat makes the following become all that more crystal clear in meaning;
"the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."
As for me, I'm convinced. For, I think that the restrictive clause just above, means exactly what is written. But, that's just me, what do you think?
Courtesy:
at the University of Virginia Electronic Text Center
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