Tuesday, August 26, 2014

James Monroe's Visit to Vermont in 1817: One Source

One of the oft-repeated set pieces of Figure's story is that in 1817, while he belonged to Samuel Stone of Montpelier, he served as a parade mount for President James Monroe.

First things first. James Monroe visited Montpelier, and in fact the entire state of Vermont, as part of a general tour of the northern states of the US shortly after becoming president. (By "northern states" at this time we basically are to read New England.) He spent 15 weeks touring, following a tradition apparently begun by George Washington. He had won the election in a landslide, and his two terms in office were marked by strong one-party control. He was enormously popular, and riding a wave of national optimism that was coined the "Era of Good Feelings." In fact, the phrase came about following an early stop on his northern tour, a stay in Boston.

James Monroe, c. 1819

So, what of his visit to Vermont? I have a lot to dig up to see what the original source to this story is, and therefore whether to lend it credence or not.

One good source that speaks generally about Monroe's New England tour in 1817 is a pamphlet written by Samuel Putnam Waldo and published in 1819. Titled "The Tour of James Monroe, President of the United States, Through the Northern and Eastern States, in 1817: His Tour in the Year 1818; Together with a Sketch of His Life; with Descriptive and Historical Notices of the Principal Places Through which He Passed" (yes, really) it is an exhaustive and lengthy treatise of where the president spent each hour of each day on his trip, and even what he had for breakfast. Thus it is that according to this pamphlet we can track Monroe's movements in Montpelier on July 22, 1817.
At 10, he was met and welcomed by the Committee of Arrangements, at Mr. Stiles' in Berlin. The procession was then formed, under direction of the Marshals, and proceeded to Montpelier.
A little before 11, a discharge of artillery announced the near approach of the Chief Magistrate of the nation. On entering the village, he alighted from his carriage, and proceeded with the cavalcade, on horseback, to the Academy, through the Main-street, lined one each side by citizens, under direction of Joseph Howes, Esq. Returning to the head of State Street, the President dismounted, was received by the First Light Company, commanded by Lieut. E. P. Walton, and conducted to the State House under a national salute from the Washington Artillery
Monroe never gets on a horse again. In fact, our friend Waldo is careful to say that he walked among the people with an uncovered head. At the end of his visit, he gets back into a carriage and continues on to Burlington.

No mention at all of a special horse that he rode during this very brief (one mile? two?) procession. This from the same author who makes sure to note that lunch that day was a "cold collation provided with admirable taste and elegance." Every notable person in Montpelier who gave a speech or commanded a militia company was mentioned. No Samuel Stone. No specific horse. This pamphlet is about as good as sources get. So where does the story come from?

Next steps: newspaper and diary accounts at the time.

(Waldo's pamphlet has been scanned and is available online through Google Books; the trip to Montpelier is on pages 240 - 244.)

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