MHS Collections Online

Marietta North Western Territory
August 20th.

Dear Leverett,

Your letter, which came safely to hand afford-
ed me great satisfaction. I return you my thanks for your answers to my queries,
and as it was the first intelligence, I received from Exeter, you may judge how
grateful it must have been to me. And as in a country, where every new comer is
viewed as a curiosity, and a new face is a new thing, you cannot expect much mod-
ern news the best return I can make you will be news of antiquity. I have en-
closed a facsimile of an antique copper coin lately discovered in this country.
The original, which was in the possession Gov. St. Clair, and by him has been forwar-
    ded to the President, was found on the banks of the Little
    Miami, by a person, who was cleansing a spring. As you have
    probably seen accounts in the papers respecting this coin, I will
    not repeat all that has been said on the subject. Connected as
    it is with circumstances of a similar kind, I think it an
event of considerable importance. Important, because it may tend to enlighten a
subject hitherto involved in the greatest obscurity. You who live in N. England have
no idea of the immense fortifications, and other stupendous works scattered over
the face of this country. Works, which exceed the pyramids of Egypt and rival
the wall of China. I intended giving you a particular account of them, but I can-
not at present muster perseverance enough, you must therefore content yourself with
a partial description. They are in general on ground moderately elevated, and
situated near the bank of some river. Generally at a small distance from them
is a mound, in a pyramidical form, which is commonly thought to have been the

repository of their dead. You frequently meet with some the walls of which are twenty
feet high, particularly in this town. They are regularly planned, well constructed
an sometimes capable of covering ten thousand men. From the general appearance of the
soil and from the size of the trees found growing on them, ages must have elapsed
since their erection. Unless you view them you can have no idea of their size or of the
immense labour it must have required to build them. Whence came the people
or whether have they departed, who constructed them, are questions you will natural-
ly ask. But they are questions, which I can resolve no better than yourself. Whether they
have emigrated, or whether they have been swept from the face of the earth is
yet concealed in the arcana of time. The fact however is that centuries since, a race
of men must have existed in this country, who rivalled modern Europe in civilisat [ion]
and China in population. Should any circumstances of a similar nature again [ . . . ]
occur, I will not fail to inform you. But to descend from affairs of antiquity to [concerns]
nearer home. You say in your letter, "perhaps the infection (of democracy) has reached
you, or you it." No my friend, I can say with truth to that disorganizing spirit of Jacobinianism
which has invaded every part of our country, "Procul oh procul este profane": I hold
it in as great detestation as any person can do, for I have seen the cursed influence which
it has had in our country. You seem astonished at the great change, which has taken
place in N. England with respect to their ideas of government. Could you see the
height to which it has arrived in Dela. Maryl. Pennsyl. and Vir. you would be astonished
that N. Eng. has not undergone a still greater change. Here noise is patriotism--
but I have not patience to pursue the subject. You say Law is so overstudied, you
dare not venture to embrace that profession. It is not the case here, we shall ere long have a very handsome opening for gentlemen of the law. I wish you would study
that science and remove here. But I shall have an opportunity of conversing with you
on that subject and on many others soon I hope, for I expect shortly to cross the moun-
tains and return to N. Hamp. to complete my study. You ask what has become
of Hook He is now at the cantoonment near the mouth of the Ohio, where he
has lately broken his leg in a violent tornado of which you have probably seen an
account. But I must rememer the old adage, "tempus fugit." The post is now
near starting, & I must therefore, (for a short time only I hope), bid you adieu. Rem-
ember me to all acquaintances, & accept for yourself, my dear friend, my fervent wishes
that heaven may bestow upon you its choicest blessings.

I cannot pursuade myself to conclude until I have asked you some questions.
How comes on effort militaire at Exeter? Where is Buckminster now,
I suppose holding forth to the people of Jesus. Who are the Assistants
now at Exeter? What are the number of students there now? How
are their exhibitions? I wish you would write me an account of all the
births, marriages, & deaths which have happened in Exeter, as far as you are
acquainted, without forgetting one. Write me all the strange things.
L. C.

[Address]

[Endorsement]

[This page also includes some notes written in pencil about the date of this letter.]