The Witch of Salem; or, Credulity Run Mad Read online

  CHAPTER VI.

  THE CHARTER OAK.

  When time, who steals our years away Shall steal our pleasures too, The memory of the past will stay, And half our joys renew. --Moore.

  The Stevens family was growing with the colonies. Of the descendants ofMathew Stevens who came to New Plymouth in the _Mayflower_, there weremany living in Boston, New York, Salem, Rhode Island and Connecticut.The family, widely scattered as its members were, never lost track ofeach other. They knew all their relatives in Virginia, Maryland andCarolinia.

  Charles Stevens, but a youth, was on a visit to Connecticut, when anevent transpired, which has since become historical. An aunt of CharlesStevens was the wife of a certain Captain Wadsworth, and Charles wasvisiting at this aunt's house when the incident happened.

  As the student of American history doubtless knows, the tyrannicalGovernor Andros of New York, claimed dominion over all that scope ofcountry denominated as the New Netherland, a very indefinite termapplied to a great scope of country extending from Maryland to theConnecticut River, to which point Andros claimed jurisdiction.

  As early as 1675, he went to the mouth of the Connecticut River with asmall naval force, to assert his authority. Captain Bull, the commanderof a small garrison at Saybrook, permitted him to land; but when thegovernor began to read his commission, Bull ordered him to be silent.Andros was compelled to yield to the bold spirit and superior militarypower of Captain Bull, and in a towering passion he returned to NewYork, flinging curses and threats behind him at the people ofConnecticut in general and Captain Bull in particular.

  More than a dozen years had passed since Andros had been humiliated byConnecticut, and, despite his anathemas, the colony quietly pursued theeven tenor of its way. At the end of that period, a most excitingincident occurred at Hartford, during the visit of Charles Stevens tothat city. This historical incident has about it all the rosy hues ofromance. On the very day of the arrival of Charles Stevens at Hartford,while he was talking with Captain Wadsworth, his aunt's husband, amember of the colonial assembly suddenly entered the house, his faceflushed with excitement.

  "What has happened, Mr. Prince?" Wadsworth asked, for he could see thatthe man was greatly excited.

  "Governor Andros has come again," gasped Mr. Prince.

  "Why should that alarm us? The fellow, though given to boasting, is notdangerous, or liable to put his threats into execution."

  "But he has grown dangerous!" declared Mr. Prince. "The liberties of thecolony are involved. Andros appears as a usurper of authority--thewilling instrument of King James the second, who, it seems, hasdetermined to hold absolute rule over all New England."

  Captain Wadsworth became a little uneasy, though he was still inclinedto treat the matter lightly. Mr. Prince, to convince him of the dangerthey were in, continued:

  "You remember that on his arrival in New York as governor of NewNetherland, he demanded the surrender of all the colonial charters intohis hands."

  "I remember such an order, and furthermore that all the coloniescomplied with his infamous demand save Connecticut. We have stubbornlyrefused to yield our charter voluntarily, for it is the guardian of ourpolitical rights."

  "That is true, Captain Wadsworth," continued Mr. Prince, "and, to subdueour stubbornness, this viceroy has come to Hartford with sixty armedmen, to demand the surrender of the charter in person."

  Captain Wadsworth bounded to his feet in a rage and, placing his hand onthe hilt of his sword, declared:

  "He shall not have it!"

  Arriving at Hartford on the 31st of October, 1687, Andros found thegeneral assembly in session in the meeting-house. The members receivedhim with the courtesy due to his rank. Before that body, with armed menat his back, he demanded a formal surrender of the precious charter intohis hands.

  The members of the assembly were alarmed and amazed at his request.

  The day was well nigh spent, when he arrived, and the members wereengaged in a heated debate on a subject of the utmost importance.

  "Wait until the discussion is ended, and then we will listen to you,governor," the president of the assembly answered to the demand ofAndros.

  "I have come for the charter, and I will have it!" said Andros, in hishaughty, imperious manner.

  He consented, however, to await the discussion; but as soon as it wasended, he declared that he would have the charter.

  Captain Wadsworth chanced to be at his house on the arrival of Andros,and, as everybody had the most implicit confidence in the captain's goodsense, a member was despatched for him, as has been stated.

  After the captain had taken two or three turns across the room, hepaused and asked:

  "What is the assembly doing?"

  "Engaged in a debate."

  "And will he wait until it has ended?"

  "He has promised to do so."

  "Hasten back, Mr. Prince, and whisper in the ears of every member toprolong the debate. It will give us time. I am going to do somethingdesperate. Tell them to discuss any side and every side of the questionat issue, and have your longest speech-makers do their best--talk onanything and everything whether to the point or against it, so that theykill time until night."

  Mr. Prince fixed his amazed eyes on the captain's face and read there adesperate determination.

  "Captain," he began.

  "I know what you would say, Mr. Prince; but it is needless to wastewords; my resolution is formed, and I am going to save our charter orperish in the attempt."

  "I hope you will not endanger your own life----"

  "Mr. Prince, our liberties are in danger, and there is no time to thinkof life. Hasten back to the assembly and I will follow in a fewmoments."

  Mr. Prince bowed and hastily returned to the house where the assemblywas in session. As soon as he was gone, Charles Stevens said:

  "Uncle, something terrible is going to happen, I know from your look andwords. Won't you let me go with you?"

  Captain Wadsworth fixed his eyes on the youth and answered:

  "Yes, Charles, you will answer."

  "What do you mean, uncle?"

  "Are you willing to help us?"

  "I am."

  "Then you can put out the lights."

  "What lights?"

  "At the proper time, put out the lights in the assembly; but wait; Iwill go and muster the train-bands, and have them at hand to prevent thegovernor's soldiers from injuring the members of the general assembly."

  Captain Wadsworth went out, and on his way looked into the State-housewhere everything was going as well as he could have wished. He found thedebaters cudgelling their brains for something to say to the point oragainst it. Never did debaters take greater interest in a minor subject.

  He summoned his train-bands to assemble at sunset. This done, he wenthome and found Charles eagerly waiting.

  "Charles, you see the soldiers of Governor Andros at the State-house?"

  "Yes."

  "They are sent to take our liberties. My train-bands have their eyes onthem."

  "What do you intend doing, uncle? Will you fight them?"

  "Not unless they force it. We have no wish to shed their blood. Listen;the charter is to be brought to the assembly in the same mahogany box inwhich Charles II. sent it to Governor Winthrop. When it is laid on thetable, the lights are to be snuffed out. Do you understand?"

  "Yes."

  "Can you do it?"

  "Nothing is easier."

  "Remember, the work must be done right at the time, not too soon, nortoo late."

  "I will do it at the exact moment, uncle. Have no fear on that score."

  The sun was setting, and the captain said:

  "Come, Charles, let us hasten to the assembly. Look well at the settingsun, you may not live to see it rise."

  Charles Stevens smiled and answered:

  "You do not expect me to be a coward?"

  "By no means; but I want you to be fully impressed with the seriousnessof your missi
on."

  They went to the general assembly at the meeting-house, where they foundeverything in the utmost confusion. The debate was at a white heat.

  "Take your place, Charles, and be prepared to do your part," whisperedCaptain Wadsworth.

  Charles got as close to the long table used by the secretaries aspossible, without attracting special attention.

  The discussion went on, darkness came and four lighted candles wereplaced on the table, and two set on a shelf on the wall. Those twocandles on the wall were a great annoyance to Charles until he saw a manstationed near them.

  Time passed on, and darkness had enveloped the earth. The debate wasdrawing to a close, or, in fact, had gone as far as it could, withoutarousing the suspicion of Governor Andros. When it ended, the governorof New York declared:

  "I have waited as long as I will. I demand the charter at once. Asgovernor of New York, this being a part of my dominion, I will have it."

  "Wait----" began the president.

  Charles Stevens, at one sweep, snuffed out every candleon the table.]

  "No; already I have waited too long. Bring it at once."

  There have been so many stories told of the Charter Oak that the authorhere feels justified in stepping aside from the narrative to quote fromthe journal for June 15, 1687, the following entry:

  "Sundry of the court, desiring that the patent or charter might bebrought into the court, the secretary sent for it, and informed thegovernor and court that he had the charter, and showed it to the court,and the governor bid him put it into the box again, and lay it on thetable, and leave the key in the box, which he did, forthwith."

  Affairs had proceeded to this point, when Charles Stevens, who had creptquite close to the table, with a long stick, at one sweep, snuffed outevery candle on the table.

  "Treason! treason!" cried Andros, and at this moment the two remainingcandles on the wall were extinguished.

  "Lights! lights!" cried a voice, and at the same moment, Andros shouted:

  "The boy did it! kill the boy and seize the box!" His hand wasoutstretched to take the box from the table, when the same stick whichhad extinguished the lights gave his knuckles such a rap that he uttereda yell of pain. Though the lights were extinguished, through the windowsthe faint starlight dimly illuminated the scene. Charles Stevens sawthe outline of his uncle, who seized the box and hurried with it fromthe meeting-house.

  He followed him as rapidly as he could. A terrible uproar and confusioninside attracted the attention of everybody, so Captain Wadsworthescaped without being noticed, with the precious document under his arm.The youth was close behind him and, when they were outside, seized hisarm.

  "Unhand me!" cried Captain Wadsworth, snatching his sword from itssheath.

  "Uncle!"

  "Charles, it is you? Marry! boy, have a care how you approach me. Why! Iwas about to run you through."

  "Have you got it?"

  "Whist! Charles, the governor's soldiers are near. They may hear you."

  "They have enough to do in there," answered the boy, pointing toward themeeting-house, in which pandemonium seemed to reign.

  The voice of Governor Andros could be heard loud above the otherscalling to the troops to come to his aid. The soldiers began to crowdabout the house, when, at a signal from Captain Wadsworth, thetrain-bands came on the scene and prepared to grapple with the soldiers.A bloody fight seemed inevitable; but Governor Andros, who was a cowardas well as tyrant, at sign of danger, begged peace.

  "Lights! Light the candles!" he cried, "and we will have peace." Whenthe candles were relighted, the members were seen seated about the tablein perfect order; but the charter could nowhere be seen. For a fewmoments, the outwitted governor stood glaring at first one and then theother of the assembly. His passion choked him to silence at first; butas soon as he partially recovered his self-possession, he demanded:

  "Where is the charter?" No one answered, and, with bosom swelling withindignation at being cheated by a device of the shrewd members of theassembly, he threatened to have them arrested.

  "Governor Andros, we dispute your authority here, and have disputed itbefore," said a member of the assembly. "You have your soldiers at thedoor and we have the train-bands of Connecticut ready to defend usagainst violence."

  "Who of you has the charter?"

  "I have not," answered one.

  "Nor I."

  "Nor I," answered each and every one.

  "It was the boy," cried the enraged governor. "I saw him; he struck myhand in the dark; yet I knew it was he. Where is he? Whose son is he?"

  Every member of the assembly shook their heads.

  "We do not know him. He does not live in Connecticut."

  "Where does he live?"

  "He is from Massachusetts and beyond even the claimed bounds of yourjurisdiction."

  "So this is another trick. You have imported one from a distant colonyto steal the charter," the indignant governor cried.

  "We resent your insult!" cried an officer of the assembly. "Theimputation is false!"

  A scene far more stormy than any which had preceded it followed. Thegovernor threatened the colony with the fury of his vengeance, and vowedhe would report them to the king as in open rebellion against hisauthority. The colonists were shrewd and firm, and though some made verysarcastic answers to the governor's charges, they were, in the main,quite respectful.

  Meanwhile, Captain Wadsworth and his wife's nephew, having the charter,hurried through the crowd, which opened for them to pass and closedbehind them. Once in the street they hastened away at a rapid pace.

  "What are you going to do with it?" Charles asked.

  "Place it where it cannot be found by the tyrants," said the gallantcaptain. "There is a venerable oak with a hollow in it. In this cavitywe will hide the charter, and none but you and I will know where it is.You can return to Salem, beyond reach of Governor Andros, and, as forme, he can flay me alive before I will reveal the hiding-place."

  They had reached the outskirts of the village and paused beneath thewide-spreading branches of a great oak tree. The wind, sighing throughthe branches, seemed to the liberty-adoring Wadsworth to be whisperingof freedom.

  The Charter Oak.]

  "Stand a little way off, Charles," commanded the captain. "And watch tosee that no one is observing me."

  Then, while Charles stood as sentry, he went to the tree and put thecharter in the hollow. Little did the captain or his youthful assistantdream that their simple act would make the old tree historic.

  As long as American students shall study the history of their country,will "The Charter Oak" be famous.

  That same night Charles Stevens, fearing the wrath of Governor Andros,set out for his home at Salem. The tree in which the document was hiddenwas ever afterward known as the "Charter Oak." It remained vigorous,bearing fruit every year until a little after midnight, August, 1856,when it was prostrated by a heavy storm of wind. It stood in a vacantlot on the south side of Charter Street, a few rods from Main Street, inthe city of Hartford.

  When, in 1687, Andros demanded the surrender of the colonial charters,the inhabitants of Rhode Island instantly yielded. When the order forthe seizure of the charters was first made known, the assembly of RhodeIsland sent a most loyal address to the king saying:

  "We humbly prostrate ourselves, our privileges, our all, at the graciousfeet of your majesty, with an entire resolution to serve you withfaithful hearts."

  Andros therefore found no opposition in the little colony. Within amonth after his arrival at Boston, he proceeded to Rhode Island, wherehe was graciously received. He formally dissolved the assembly, brokethe seal of the colony, which bore the figure of an anchor, and the wordHope, admitted five of the inhabitants into his legislative council, andassumed the functions of governor; but he did not take away theparchment on which the charter was written. The people of Rhode Islandwere restive under the petty tyranny of Andros, and when they heard ofthe imprisonment of the despot at Boston, in 168
9, they assembled atNewport, resumed popular government under the old charter, and began anew independent political career. From that time, until the enforcedunion of the colonies for mutual defence, at the breaking out of theFrench and Indian war, the inhabitants of Rhode Island bore their sharein the defensive efforts, especially when the hostile savages hung alongthe frontiers of New York like an ill-omened cloud. The history of thatcommonwealth is identified with that of all New England, from thebeginning of King William's war, soon after, to the expulsion of Andros.

  Six years after the charter was hidden in the oak, Andros was succeededby Governor Fletcher who made an attempt to control Connecticut, but washumbled and prevented and, in fact, driven away by Captain Wadsworth.

  In 1689, the charter was brought out from the long place of concealment,a popular assembly was convened, Robert Treat was chosen governor, andConnecticut again assumed the position of an independent colony.

  The name of Captain Wadsworth will ever be dear to the people ofConnecticut, and so will the venerable oak which concealed theircharter.