William Rotch
Memorandum, Continued...
part 12
pany said, "Mr. Rotch, this man can do more with those people
whom you have the most reason to fear, than any man in this
Town" -- and I have no doubt that he used his influence with those
yen people. Thus we may frequently see a concurrence of cir-
cumstances in our preservation, which is by many attributed to
chance -- I believe it is rather the watchful care of our Heavenly
Father, however undeserving we may be.
Another illumination took place soon after, when the same course
was pursued towards us by the Mayor as before. A young man was
passing our house late in the evening, when many lights in the
Town were extinguished, and saw two men searching on the
Ground. On enquiring what they were seeking, they said, "We are
looking for something to demolish these windows -- they are Aristo-
crats, and do not illuminate."
He told them they must not molest us, that we were no Aristocrats,
but were Quakers, whose religious
principles forbade public rejoicings on any occasion, and persuaded
the men away -- Of this the young man’s father informed us the
next morning.
The next Illumination was on the arrival of Commissioners sent
from Paris to stir up the people to action -- My Son being absent,
I requested Louis DeBacque to go with me to the Commissioners,
and as my interpreter, give our reasons for taking no part in it.
We found them in one of the Forts, and after Louis had com-
municated what I wished, the Principal among them came to me,
and taking me by the hand, desired we would do nothing contrary
to our scruples on their account.
After some further friendly expressions, he turned to a large
Body of people present, and thus addressed them -- "We are now
about establishing a Government on the same principles that
William Penn the Quaker established Pennsylvania -- and I find
there are a few Quakers in this Town, whose religious principles
do not admit of any public rejoicings, and I desire they may not be
molested."
That same evening the Commissioners assembled the Town at
the Town House, to address them on their public affairs, and in
the course of it, he took up our case again, and as before, desired
we might not be molested, but protected. -- We afterwards found
that several candles had been stuck around some pillars on the out-
side of our house, though we did not know it at the time.
This must have been done by Mechanics in our employ, several
of whom on each of these occasions, passed much of the evening
in walking before our houses to see if there was any service they
could render, and telling those who enquired that we were Quakers
and not Aristocrats.
In the beginning of 1793 I became fully aware that War between
England and France would soon take place. Therefore it was time
for me to leave the Country, in order to save our Vessels if cap-
tured by the English. I proceeded to England, two of them were
captured, full of Oil, and condemned, but we recovered both by my
being in England, where I arrived two weeks before the War took place.
My going to France to pursue the Whale Fishery so disappointed
Lord Hawksbury, that he undertook to be revenged on me for his
own folly, and I have no doubt gave directions to the Cruisers to
take any of our Vessels that they met with going to France. When
the Ospray was taken by a King’s ship, the Officer who was sent on
board to examine her papers, called to the Captain. and said,
"You’ll take this Vessel in Sir, she belongs to Mr. Rotch."
My Wife and family embarked secretly from Dunkirk with many
Americans in a ship bound to America, and were landed in Eng-
land, where I had the great comfort of receiving them four months
after I left them in France.
Louis Sixteenth was Guillotined two days after I left that agitated
Country -- an event solemnly anticipated, and deeply deplored by
many who dared not manifest what they felt.
We were now settled in London, where we enjoyed the company
of many old acquaintances and friends until the summer of 1794.
My Son William sent the Ship Barclay, David Swain Master, to
France with a Cargo, and ordered her from thence to London to
take us to America.
We embarked the 24th of 7th Month, had a long passage of Sixty
One days, and arrived in Boston 23rd of 9th month 1794. The night
before our arrival an awful circumstance took place during a Squall
-- Calvin Swain, Brother of the Captain, fell from the main top
sail yard into the long Boat, and was instantly killed.
We soon proceeded to New Bedford, and after spending a few
days there, returned to our home at Nantucket, finding all our
Children, and Grandchildren well that we left more than four years
before, and six added in Samuel’s and William’s families.
We staid a Year at our old habitation, and then removed to New
Bedford, where we have remained until now, when I have entered
on my Eightieth Year.
Many occurrences I omit in giving the foregoing account, or they
would swell this scrip to a considerable volume -- When I take a
retrospective view of this part of my life, of the dangers to which
I have been exposed, and the numerous preservations I have wit-
nessed, to be attributed to nothing but that Superintending Power,
who is ever ready to succour the workmanship of his holy hand, it
fills me with astonishment and admiration, and seeing my own Un--
worthiness, I may exclaim with the Psalmist, "What is man that
thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou visitest him!"
New Bedford 2nd mo 1814
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