Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 2
Messieurs Edes & Gill,1Please to give the following a Place in your next Paper, and you'l oblige your humble Servant,
R.T.P.
I Have this Day received the Boston Gazette of April 30th, in which I find Dr. Gelston,2 under the specious Pretext of vindicating his Character as a Physician, has taken upon him to give a Specimen of his Talents at Invective & Slander3; had he confin'd himself to the subject matter of the unhappy Controversy, I should have continued a mere Spectator, as I have hitherto been: But when I take Notice of his Gallimaufry Tragi Comic Episode, respecting the two Gentlemen Barristers, who together came to the Castle with Mr. William Greenleaf,4 I am obliged (as it is generally known I was one of that Company) to enter the Lists, set the Dr. right in the Facts, and make some Strictures on his groundless Aspersions.
It may be depended upon, that when I engaged to go to the Castle with Jonathan Sewall, Esq; a Gentleman of the Law, I knew not that any Person beside was going with him, nor suspected his Business till just before we sat off. My Design was merely to visit some Acquaintance that296were under Inoculation there; I was never asked by my Companions to assist them in the Enquiry, nor even to attend to it; and I believe the Dr. will not say that I ask'd him a single Question, or made one Observation that affected the Dispute. Upon our landing I went with them to Serjeant French's5 sutling Room merely for Refreshment, and Messr. Sewall and Greenleaf entered into Conversation with Mr. French respecting the Calomel he bro't down; I question whether he had finished his Story when I withdrew on my intended Business, in the Course of which I met with Dr. Gelston before the others had come to him, and being there I tarried a while, tho' I was not with them the whole of the Time they were together.
I am sensible the Manner of my going down had the Appearance of prosecuting the same Enquiry the other Gentlemen went upon; yet I do not excuse myself in this Manner as being ashamed either of my Companions or their Design, but merely to avoid such an Odium as belongs to those who without any particular Connections to move or Evidence to support them, have been over busy to the Disadvantage of either Party.
But seeing the Dr. has attack'd me as a Coadjutor with Mr. Sewall, I shall answer him in that Character, and take some Notice of the Charge he throws on both of us.
Everyone who is acquainted with the Dispute knows, that the popular Cry was more severe against Mr. Greenleaf than Dr. Gelston, and many were so overheated with Humanity, as to charge the former (tho' hitherto unsuspected of any Failing that led that Way) with a most despicable and destructive Fraud, and that even before they had heard his Defence or attended to any Evidence, except the flying Report of an Accusation from Dr. Gelston. Mr. Sewall, allied to Mr. Greenleaf by Marriage, and from his good Character hitherto, having great Reason to believe his Innocence, was naturally excited by this barbarous Treatment to assist him in setling the Facts, by which the Truth of the Case would appear so far as to exculpate Mr. Greenleaf: viewing the Affair in the above Light, it was thought most expedient to hear some Facts from Mr. Serjeant French, before they entered into a free Discourse with Mr. Dr. Gelston, and no one will suppose these Gentlemen Barristers to have acted either an injurious or uncivil Part towards an itinerant Small-Pox Doctor in so doing. The Dr. seems to have declared War against the Professions, and therefore won't expect to be call'd Physician; and to stile him a Rebel from the Sciences might be esteem'd but a Compliment.
The Dr. has advanced one Charge against our Conduct of such a Sort,297as could be expected from none but some coxcomical Garrison-bred Officer: saith he, "Now would it not have been full as candid and Gentleman like, if they had first paid that Defference due to Capt. Phillips the Commanding Officer, and then came to me, and openly related their Business, and desired us to send for Serjeant French, and jointly endeavoured to sift out the Truth on all Sides?" Was there ever such a vapoured Air of Importance! The Dr. seems to conceive himself as sheltered by the Castle Guns, and all Visitors as under Garrison Discipline, that no Person hath a right to inspect his Conduct there or to enquire into Facts, within his Territories, to clear up their own, without first applying to the Commanding Officer and himself.
Be it known to Dr. Gelston, that from the Acquaintance I have had with the worthy Gentleman who so honorably fills that Post I have conceived a better Opinion of his Understanding and Modesty, than to suppose him capable of the Arrogance and Impertinence which the Dr. so disingeniously insinuates against him.
But 'tis no Matter who falls under the Lash, so long as the Dr. can vent his Spleen and shew his Talent at Aspersion; Dr. Oliver must be represented as interesting himself in this groundless Dispute against one of us, and a Lady of Character as misconstruing a respectful Visit from the other, which of these Aspersions was designed for me I know not, being conscious of neither, but shall frustrate the Dr's manifest Design of raising Enmity betwixt either of those Persons and myself, by accommodating the Facts with them at a suitable Opportunity.
Such is the Dr's Virulence against every one who has shewn the least Civility to Mr. Greenleaf, or that has not join'd in the popular Clamour against him, that he takes Pains to set the least Circumstance of their Conduct in an opprobrious Light; we are represented as paying a Visit to Serjeant French, and sneer'd at for dining with him; how unkind is it in the Dr. to insinuate in this fleering Manner that the honest inoffensive Serjeant French, who is Sutler at the Castle, doth not keep a good victualling House: What Provocation the Dr. had to take such Liberties, I can't conceive; sure I am that the Conduct of Messr. Sewall and Greenleaf was quite unexceptionable at the Castle while I was with them, and yet it is represented as a wiley Artifice to take Advantage of the Dr's good Nature; the Conversation was carried on with intire Calmness and Frankness on both Sides; Dr. Gelston asserted his Innocence, which no body there as I knew of deny'd; and at the same Time without the least Appearance of298Surprize was very forward to settle any Fact that might defeat the Imputation upon Mr. Greenleaf, and even advanced some material Particulars which Mr. Greenleaf hath not taken Notice of: 'tis therefore very unexpected that the suppos'd Assistants of Mr. Greenleaf should be thus treated; the Dr. doth not pretend that he is injured by their Coadjutation, but only "that the goodly Triumvirate under the Guise of a friendly Visit, drew from him every good-natured Concession which his own Inclination led him to make, to save Mr. Greenleaf's Reputation": What hurt could this do the Dr? But yet the Recollection of having once done a Kindness fills him with Regret, and in his Pangs of Contrition to expiate his Crime, he makes a Sacrifice of those gileful Visitors who betray'd him to such detested humanity. I cannot compliment the Dr. as being one of a goodly Triumvirate, for I would affront none by joining them with him in this Affair, but as he is fond of Roman Titles, he may possibly assume that of Dictator, tho' from the Complexion of his Vindication some may think Legion is more proper.
But as much as the Dr's Temper seems to be rais'd, by his own Account, it is more owing to the suppos'd Aspersions cast upon him in Town, than to Mr. Greenleaf's State of the Case, which he can but be sensible is very inoffensive, tending only to acquit himself without any Insinuations to the Dr's Disadvantage: How generously the Dr. has stated his Case the Public will judge: Not content to state such Facts as are known, meerly in such a Manner as to exculpate himself, he has with most masterly Insinuations thrown them into such a Light, as naturally to lead the Mind of the Reader to conceive Mr. Greenleaf the faulty Person; and with great Subtlety seems to prosecute his Vindication upon the chimerical Supposition of a Charge, that he had administered adulterated Calomel, knowing it to be such; and very modestly surmising that there is no alternative but that, and his receiving it adulterated from Mr. Greenleaf, takes Occasion from thence to cultivate the latter as necessary to support the Bough he is sitting on; without considering the many more probable Solutions that may be given of the Affair: But being sensible there are no Facts to fix the Scandal on Mr. Greenleaf, and having perhaps heard how it fared with a Physician in a like Case in a neighbouring Government, he has most pitifully secured himself by his repeated cautionary as, sqeez'd in like a concealed Breastplate to defend himself while he makes incurable Thrusts at his Antagonist; not regarding what Injury he may do to a young Family and an unspotted Character, tho' unprovoked,299and unnecessary to his Cause, so long as he can skulk behind a Monisyllable.
Tho' I have not taken a Side in this Affair, yet upon it I cannot help observing in Support of the natural Rights of every Member of Society, That no Man is to be condemned unheard or without Evidence, but esteem'd innocent 'till the contrary appears; and whosoever suffers themselves to be influenced by any malicious, selfish, tittle tattle Suggestions of Misconduct, commits such a Violation upon these Rules of Civil Life, as might subject the best Reputation and the most honest Means of Livelihood, to the destructive Ravages of merciless Rumour and Detraction.
I am very sorry I have thus accidently fallen within the Dr's Circle of Infection; if he thinks I am a Subject of his Sneer he is mistaken; if he thinks I have propagated any Representations to his Prejudice as a Physician, or that I have not endeavoured to clear up and prevent them in several Parts of the Country, he is more so; whatsoever Service he may think his Vindication had done him as a Physician, I imagine it will do him none as a Gentleman; and unless he conducts his Controversy in a different Manner, the World will be tempted to think his Brains or his Breeding more adulterated than the Calomel.
The Boston Gazette and Country Journal, Monday, May 21, 1764; a draft is in the RTP Papers.
Benjamin Edes (1732–1803) and John Gill (1732–1785) were publishers of the Boston Gazette from 1755 until 1775, when Edes left Boston. Gill continued alone until 1785, when he sold the paper to James D. Griffith (Franklin, Boston Printers, Publishers, and Booksellers, 117–118).
Samuel Gelston (d. 1782), a native of Nantucket, had run a smallpox hospital at Martha's Vineyard, and came to Boston to offer inoculations at Castle William in the Harbor. His advertisement in The Boston Gazette and Country Journal, Apr. 16, 1764, reads: "Dr. Gelston. Hereby informs his Patients, that for the future he shall constantly reside at the Castle, without once leaving it as long as Inoculation is carried on at the Barracks;—and that all that have been inoculated there, are either recovered or in a fair Way for Recovery. April 9, 1764."
The incident in question concerns some calomel, used in medications given by Dr. Gelston to alleviate the smallpox symptoms in some of his patients. One batch of calomel, allegedly from the apothecary shop of William Greenleaf, was adulterated, and its use resulted in the death of one patient. Accusations over who was responsible for the adulterated calomel went on for several months without any legal action taken against Gelston or Greenleaf. The Boston Gazette and Country Journal printed letters pro and con by various writers in its issues of Apr. 23, 30; May 7, 21, 25, 28 (supplement); June 18; and July 2, 7, 16. The pertinent section from the article of Apr. 30 to which RTP refers, follows:
. . . Mr. Greenleaf takes with him two of his Friends, Gentlemen Barristers, who together came to the Castle where I then was, and first paid a Visit to Mr. Sergeant French, but notwithstanding300my being then on the Island, I must know nothing of the Matter—with him they din'd, and got from him all the Information they possibly could, from hence they gather'd Materials for that Part of their History which relates to him. This goodly Triumvirate then came to me, and under the Guise of a friendly Visit, drew from me every good natur'd Concession which my own Inclination led me to make, to save Mr. Greenleaf's Reputation.— Now would it not have been full as candid and gentlemen-like, if they had first paid that Defference due to Capt. Phillips, the commanding Officer, and then come to me and openly related their Business, and desir'd us to send for Serjeant French, and jointly endeavour'd to sift out the Truth on all Sides? But it seem that these friendly Coadjutors had already taken their side: One of them had the Modesty to tell Dr. Oliver before they came down, that he did not believe I ever us'd that adulterated Calomel; the other had the Address to pay a Visit before he left the Castle to one of my Patients, a Lady of Character, and entertain her, at my Expence, with the terrible Manner in which my other Patients had the Small-Pox; tho' her Distemper was at the height, yet she had it so lightly, and had so much Firmness of Mind as not to be intimidated to the Degree that might have been expected, by this doleful Account of her being in the Hands of an Empirick.
William Greenleaf (1738–1793), an apothecary in Boston, married Sally Quincy, daughter of Edmund Quincy. He removed to Lancaster, Mass., where he lived until his death. He became a brigadier general in the state militia and sheriff of Worcester County but was impeached from the latter office in 1788 as "Guilty of Mal Administration" (Greenleaf, Genealogy of the Greenleaf Family, 94–95; RTP Diary, Nov. 15, 1788).
Jonathan French of Braintree.