Timothy Wiggin

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Description

Wiggin reports that there is strong interest in Chase's cause among his English friends but that he regrets that the fund is not proceeding well and that he is unable to contribute any more money himself. He and the others hope Chase will be able to purchase the lands he needs and sell the rest after allowing their value to appreciate. Wiggin apologizes for not being able to contribute more to Chase's cause and assures him of his continued support.

Date

8-14-1826

Keywords

Lord Kenyon, Quarterly Theological Review, Mr. Kip, Lord Bexley, Lord Gambier, Lady Olivia Sparrow, Alum Creek, Mr. & Mrs. Ward, Lady Rosse, organ, Eliza Wiggin, Oxford, Corpus Christi College, Bishop White, Thomas Acland, Platt Hall, Mrs. Chase

Transcript

London August 14, 1826

My dear friend

I received your welcome letter of the 14th June a few days since and rejoiced to learn that your proceedings in fixing the site of Kenyon College were marked with great unanimity. It is good evidence of its being a proper one. Lord Kenyon has been so kind as to send me your letters to him, so that I have been regularly informed of your proceedings and I can truly say that all your friends here are delighted with them. Your cause has not lost any portion of the interest that your visit created and all who took part in it are happy in reflecting that they did so. Everything that comes to their knowledge tends to strengthen their confidence in you and your plans while the contrary happens in regard to your opponent. Your friends increase while his diminish. His sermon has done him great injury and I believe no one here would now be willing to own him as an acquaintance. A reply has been published in the Quarterly Theological Review and I will try to send it to you when I can convey it to Mr Kip without expense. I am sorry to say that it was written in as bad a spirit and with as bad taste as the sermon itself. I do not think [letter torn here] by good Churchmen. Lord Bexley informed me a few days since that he felt a warm interest in your proceedings and disapproved of those writings which prevented good feelings from being cultivated between the people of the two kindred nations. Our chief anxiety in regard to your proceedings is about your means. We have done here all we can do at present. Our own people are struggling with unparalleled distress and all our means are wanted at home. Foreign causes meet with little or no support now, nor can they till we feel greater prosperity. Lord Kenyon is most anxious to meet your wishes but he could not furnish money to pay for the 4000 acres of land without borrowing it, and I do not think it would be prudent to do that. My money is wanted in my Banking business and I cannot appropriate any part of it to that object. It is inconvenient for me to pay out of the £2250 which you took from the [Ministry], but I must try to do without it till you draw for the fund, when I expect to be reimbursed. Lord Gambier tried to raise that sum by subscription but did not succeed. Your direct application to Lady OS did us no good, and your having given up the Allum Creek project, caused the subscription to be abandoned, as it was commenced for the purpose of paying for the 900 acres of land there.

[Page torn here] been with us and is anxious to get [page torn] out and buy the land in 100 acre lots. This would be most gratifying but I do not see any prospect of its being accomplished. People here who have a few hundred pounds do not appear disposed to remove. The Wards have been with us and are as warmly interested as ever, but we cannot raise money. If you can carry your plans into effect we shall rejoice but we cannot help you now. We cannot devise any plan but that of paying for all of the land with your funds now at your disposal. If you do this we hope you will be able to sell that portion which you do not want for a large profit and that your wishes will be realised in time. Many of your friends think you cannot appropriate your funds so advantageously in any other way. They think you had better pay for the land and keep it till it is worth much more. They are aware that you must in that case diminish the fund by supporting the seminary out of it, but they think the increased value of the land will be more than equivalent. We are all sensible however that you are more competent to decide upon these matters than we are. I shipped the organ a few days since and assigned it to Mr [Kip]. Good old Lady Rosse the donor continues much as she has been for a long time. I am much occupied in business but my health is much as it was when am at home. It is truly [dry] season. [Ben] has been one term at Oxford. He is a member of Corpus Christi College. Eliza is [delicate] in health and has finished her education except in drawing. [Page torn] return to school again. The [?] children [resume] their education at home under a governess. I have 10 children in all & they require much attention. My family expenses are necessarily very great [I well] doubt what they were at Platt Hall. You know what to say of those who neglect their own household. I hope by [procedure] and industry that I shall always be able to do my duty to my family and to the public. I must not omit to say that Bishop Whites letter does him [?] and affords your friends here great delight. I hope you have written to Sir Thom Acland about the printing press. It will please him to hear that you have received it. Mrs Wiggin desires her kind regards to you & Mrs Chase in which all join who recollect you. We all hope you will do us the justice to believe that we are as much interested in your cause as ever, but means we cannot furnish. We trust & hope that it will succeed ultimately to the extent of our wishes, but it must take much time. You have done much and we hope others who aid and who may succeed you will successfully finish what you have so successfully begun. Adieu & believe me always your faithful friend

T. Wiggin

Letter to Philander Chase

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