of battles can only foresee. But this we may safely affirm, that we live in an age peculiarly pregnant with great events. "It is perhaps not injurious to us, as a people, that the ambition and folly of Kings and Emperors give employment to all their energies across the Atlantic. * * "With respect and esteem, * "Your Obdt. Servt., "Honble. K. K. VAN RENSSELAER." "A. SPENCER. The following from his life-long friend and the friend of his brother Philip, Colonel Richard Varick; and from his brother-in-law John Sanders, give a vivid idea of the financial distress of the country at the beginning of 1811. The refusal of Congress to recharter the United States Bank, which had been incorporated under Washington, was popularly considered to be the cause of it. "NEW YORK, 8th January, 1811. "I now steal a few Minutes, my dear Friend, to thank You for your many Addresses and the valuable Envelopes. As you Gentlemen of Congress are tongue-tied so often you dare not tell your Friends that you are in Health, but leave it to be inferred from your being able to address Packets to your Friends. If this is the Honor my friends so eagerly seek after, they are most heartily welcome thereto. I do not envy them, nor will I presume to interfere to supplant any of them in the exalted Station of Senator or Representative of the United States." "23rd Jany., 1811. "Confidence, my dear friend, is pretty nearly gone between the most intimate Friends, for no man knows here whether from one week to another he can meet his own Engagements, and a few more days' Delay in the Business of re-chartering the National Bank will prostrate the Credit of many of our best and able Merchants. *** The present Session of Congress will probably decide the fate of our future Commercial Credit for Years to come, and punctuality in payments to Government as well as to Individuals will cease to be realized unless the evil is soon remedied. Are Eppes and his adherents mad, or are they sworn to sacrifice the Interests of the United States at the Shrine of French Ambition and Omnipotence? Are we to make no struggle for our once Independent Country? God bless and help us, for we will not try to help ourselves. "Yours very affectly, "RICHD. VARICK." "NEW YORK, 28th Jany., 1811. 12 o'clk. "I thank you, my dear Rensselaer, for your two letters of the 28th, as also that of the 24th, giving me information of the final result of your Deliberations on the Bank Question. The Conduct of your House puts our Country in a more critical Situation than the Opposers of the Bank imagine. The total Destruction of all paper Credit may and probably will follow on their madness and folly, if persisted in. 66 "My Brother's Failure involves me ultimately in about $7,000, part of which will be eventually secure; but I must, and thank GOD, yet can advance Credit for the Whole Money by the first of May: But that entirely cripples me as to helping other Friends for more than 3 months. I have borrowed for your Sister Maria and her Son Philip P. Van Rensselaer, on their Bond to me, and paid the monies to two firms here on Phil's order, $1,000. I could not refuse Maria's Solicitations on the subject, and have therefore increased my debts by that small sum. "GOD bless you. My respects to my friends Tallmadge, Gardinier, &c. Adieu, and my best wishes attend you and your fellows. * ** * "RICHARD VARICK. "KILLIAN K. VAN RENSSELAER, ESQR." 66 'SCOTIA, 9th Jany., 1811. "I long to hear from you and learn what measures are likely to be adopted by Congress. Those you mention in your last I fear are big with distress. We experience here an almost total stop to all circulation of money. No banks discount, and it is expected, will not for a long time. Failures have begun and fear will multiply greatly. My representation is from experience: Though I have many able people who owe me some, and though my Sons were out for 8 days, I could not get together $200 to pay the call and discount at bank; and my notes must be renewed without the call or be protested. I assure you no exertion in my power was left unessayed; thus you may form some idea of the times with us. Though there is little or no crops the people find difficulty to vend anything, and money can no longer be got at. My daughter Catharine is very ill at New York. Mr. Beekman writes me once a week; in his last her situation was more promising. Accept my best wishes for your health and happiness. “Your friend as usual, "JOHN SANDERS." "February 1st, 1811. "DEAR FRIEND, "Your favour of the 18th ultimo, covering the report and statements of the Secretary of the Treasury, is come to hand. The measures of Administration I fear will reduce us to poverty and distress. This is a consequence inevitable, and likely to be persevered in till the good and upright part of society be awakened from the lethargy which has given the predominant party the rule, and put in men who have the welfare of their country only in view. Such a change must soon take place, or we will be undone. 66 * * * My daughter Mrs. Beekman by the last letters appears a little more promising. All desire their affectionate compliments to you, which please accept also from your friend and brother-in-law, "JOHN SANDERS." My grandfather's public life terminated with this Congress. He had spent the greater part of ten winters and springs at Washington, and the state of his family and his private affairs required his return. to private life. The happiness which this brought to his family will be learned from what is to follow. The respect and regard of his associates which he carried away with him from the theatre of his public service will be inferred from the following characteristic and admirable letter from his Congressional messmate, the Hon. James A. Bayard. "DEAR SIR: "WILMINGTON, 25 April, 1813. "I had the pleasure to receive yesterday your letter of the 17th inst. It is quite true, as the public prints have stated, that the President has offered me the appointment of one of the Commissioners proposed to be sent to the Court of Russia. "The object of the Mission being to negotiate a treaty of peace with Great Britain under the mediation of the Emperor of Russia, I have considered it my duty not to refuse any aid in my power to contribute towards its attainment. I can assure you that the selection for the service which the Government have thought proper to make is entirely ex parte, and that they have not asked for any private understanding upon any point whatsoever. They have taken me as that man whom they and the people at large have known in public life for years past. If any sinister views be entertained they are unknown to me; but if that were the case, it is wonderful that they should select a political adversary to trust with the secret. "I can well imagine without the exercise of either confidence or charity, that peace may be sincerely desired by the Administration. They who are most jealous cannot suppose it to be their wish to ruin themselves as well as the country; but such must be the case if the war be protracted, when there are means of terminating it on any fair grounds. "I am employed to assist in settling the differences between Great Britain and the United States. These differences we all wish to see settled, and how could I consistently refuse my aid in accomplishing so desirable an end? "If the negociation should fail (the worst event which can happen), the nation can sustain no injury from my having been a member of the Mission. I can only be called upon to attest the true grounds upon which the negociation may have terminated, and it certainly will be important for the Country to know the truth upon the subject. "Sensible that nothing has or can enter into my views upon the occasion inconsistent with the honor, interest and welfare of the country, I cannot feel apprehensive of losing, while I am confident I shall never deserve to forfeit, the confidence of my political friends. "Very Sincerely yours, "J. A. BAYARD." CHAPTER EIGHTH. MARGARETTA SANDERS HER DOMESTIC LIFE My estimable grandmother, Margaretta Sanders, was called home April 21, 1830. She had been preparing for it through many years of ill-health, which had been patiently borne, and her end was like her life, full of humble and devout trust in her God and Savior. She was descended on her father's side from Robert Sanders, famous in the annals of Albany and of the Province of New York for his knowledge of the Indian languages, and his influence over the Mohawks, which made his services indispensable in difficult negotiations with them. On her mother's side. she traced her lineage from Sander Lenderse Glen, whose name is found in the records of the " Colonie in the year 1639, and who, in company with Benoni Van Corlaer and others, in 1661, secured the land at Schenectady where his descendants still reside. The Labadist missionaries who visited Albany in 1680 have left a pleasant account of their reception and treatment by Robert Sanders, which has been copied by Mr. Weise in his "History of Albany." John Sanders, her father, married Deborah, daughter of Colonel Jacob Glen; in whom Colonel, afterwards Sir William Johnson, trusted largely in his difficult and dangerous task of controlling the Indians along |