86
��THE granite MONTHLY
��and the fourth installment of nine millions was retained to pay the ex- penses of transporting troops to Maine, to Niagara, and to the Indian Stream country in northern New Hampshire. The amount paid over to our state, exceeded $800,000. The legislature voted to divide the money among the towns in proportion to population.
At the annual meeting, March 14, 1S37. the town of Canaan voted to receive the money, and Mr. William P. Weeks was appointed financial agent in relation to it. The money ($3003,75), three thousand three dollars seventy-live cents, was ordered to be loaned at 6 per cent, interest, paid in advance, in sums of not over three hundred nor less than one hun- dred dollars to any one individual, the interest to be appropriated to the schools by the scholar; and a census of the scholars was ordered to be- taken on April 1. for that purpose.
The agent received the money and loaned it to such persons as complied with the terms agreed upon; no dis- crimination being made in regard to the politics of the person applying for it.
Through this year all things moved on smoothly, and at the annual meet- ing in 1838, a similar vote was passed and the scholars got the benefit of the interest money again, amounting to $180.22. At this date there was a heap of malignant cussedness slumber- ing in the hearts of our people. It came in with the mob that destroyed the academy, and it cropped out upon all occasions of excitement.
( me morning in December of this year, the windows of the academy
��build in;
��were missing; some person
��during the night had removed them. Search was made for them with great zeal, and in a few hours a heap of broken glass and window sash was found upon the shore of the pond. A cry was instantly raised and echoed from corner to corner that it was the work of the abolitionists. This was sufficient reason for calling a "legal town- meeting," so that coming genera-
��tions might read the recorded opinions of the people concerning that diaboli- cal act.
On the 17th December, Rev. J. L. Richardson, James Arven and Phine- has Eastman, posted a warrant for a meeting, in the second article of which they happily expressed their opinions of the supposed felons, in the follow- ing elegant language. As the Rev. Richardson was a teacher also, it is fair to infer that he is responsible for the grammar in this sentiment :
"To see what the town will do about repairing the damage to the academy on Wednesday night last, by a midnight mob, got up by a party who profess all the Religion, Morality, and Humility, and who preach so much aga'nst Mobs, the Mobites and the Mob committees."
These words were received with yells of delight by the assembled voters, and threats of personal violence were uttered against the men of the other party. Earnestly serious and solemn were those voters on that day. deeming it of vital importance to the preservation of national unity that they should give utterance to their opinions. And they voted finally and decisively that all the surplus revenue in the hands of the abolitionists be collected forthwith by the town treas- urer," and "that Jonathan Kittredge be consigned over and included with the abolitionists."
Thomas Flanders and James Pattee were appointed an "Investigating Com- mittee," audit was made their duty to learn all the facts that would tend to fix the conflagration upon Jonathan Kit- tredge, Nath'l Sumner, W. W. George, and their abolition associates. They "investigated" suspicions, and rumors, and innuendoes, and then reported to the town that they had not been able to "fix" any charge upon any body except the town, and the town ] laid their charge for expenses, amount- ing to $59.68, and discharged the com- mittee.
At the same meeting it was voted to repair the academy, the expense
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