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Petition of John Ledyard (1783)
Source: Connecticut State Library: Manuscript (Colleges and Schools, 1661-1789), Series I, Vol. II, Document 149.
Citation:
Petition of John Ledyard (1783), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org
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Translation only | Transcription only | Show all | Bundled images as pdf
3 transcripted pages
Chapter 1 Page 1
To his Excellency the Governor and the Honorable
the General Assembly of the State of Connecticutt
The Memorial of John Ledyard humbly
sheweth that in the month of March 1774 the Memo-
rialist left New York in a Merchant Ship in which
he sailed to Falmouth in Great Britain but find-
ing his situation unprofitable & unpleasant in the
ship to which he then belonged he proceeded to
the city of Bristol hoping to [???] he was
however so unfortunate there as to be apprehended
by a kind of Police in that city who obliged him either
to ship himself for the coast of Guinea or to enter
the British Army. Your Memorialist, young,
inexperienced & destitute of friends, chose the
latter as the least of two evils: he continued in
the Army untill early in the year 1775 when
he was ordered to Boston in New England: to this
your memorialist objected being himself a na-
tive of that Country & desired he might be
appointed to some other duty, which ultimatly
was granted: matters continued thus untill
July 1776 when the equipment for discovery
came round from London to Plymouth &
your Memorialist esteeming this a favour-
able conjuncture to free himself forever from
coming to America as her enemy & prompted
also by curiosity & disinterested enterprise
Chapter 1 Page 2
embarked in that expedition. In the year 1780
your Memorialist returned to London & after having
solicited the Earl of Sandwich in vain for his dis-
charge from the service he was obliged in October
1781 to take his tour of duty which was to Ame-
rica where he remained on board a British Frigate
many months before he could meet with an oppor-
tunity to reassume the Service & return to his
country - he has now affected it and if he has
acquired any merit by his conduct, his travels, or his
writings they are all due to his country, & much
more but your Memorialist having lost his
pecuniary assistance by his abrupt departure
from the British is thereby incapacitated to
move in a circle he could wish without the
Assistance of his friends & the patronage & recom-
mendations of the Government under which
he was born & whose favour & esteem he hopes
he has never forfeited: he therefore proposes
as a matter of consideration to your Excellency
and Council that he may be introduced into
some immediate employment wherein he
may as well be usefull to his country and himself
during the War. He also humbly intreats the
honourable Assembly to take into consideration
a history of the memorialist's last voyage around
the world which he proposes to publish in a
Chapter 1 Page 3
manner which he thinks will not only
be meritorious in himself but may be
essentially usefull to America in gene-
ral but particularly to the northern States
by opening a most valuable trade across
the north pacific Ocean to China & the
east Indies - and that the memorialist
may have the exclusive right of publish-
ing the said Journal or history in this
State for such a term as shall be tho[ugh]t
fit & he shall ever pray. Dated at Hartford this 6th day of
January 1783.
John Ledyard
In the upper House
Samuel Huntington Esq. and such Gentlemen as the lower House may joyn
with him; are appointed a Committee to enquire & examine into and Consider the
Subject Matter of the foregoing Memorial of John Ledyard, And make Re-
port of their Opinion thereon to this present Assembly
Test George Wyllys Secr[etar]y
In the Lower House, Col. Porter & Col. Mott, are appointed to Join on
the Subject above mentioned.
Test [???] Clerk P.S.
Transcription by: Megan Wren
Source: Connecticut State Library: Manuscript (Colleges and Schools, 1661-1789), Series I, Vol. II, Document 149.
Citation:
Petition of John Ledyard (1783), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org
Back | Record | Images | No Commentaries
Translation only | Transcription only | Show all | Bundled images as pdf
3 transcripted pages
Chapter 1 Page 1
To his Excellency the Governor and the Honorable
the General Assembly of the State of Connecticutt
The Memorial of John Ledyard humbly
sheweth that in the month of March 1774 the Memo-
rialist left New York in a Merchant Ship in which
he sailed to Falmouth in Great Britain but find-
ing his situation unprofitable & unpleasant in the
ship to which he then belonged he proceeded to
the city of Bristol hoping to [???] he was
however so unfortunate there as to be apprehended
by a kind of Police in that city who obliged him either
to ship himself for the coast of Guinea or to enter
the British Army. Your Memorialist, young,
inexperienced & destitute of friends, chose the
latter as the least of two evils: he continued in
the Army untill early in the year 1775 when
he was ordered to Boston in New England: to this
your memorialist objected being himself a na-
tive of that Country & desired he might be
appointed to some other duty, which ultimatly
was granted: matters continued thus untill
July 1776 when the equipment for discovery
came round from London to Plymouth &
your Memorialist esteeming this a favour-
able conjuncture to free himself forever from
coming to America as her enemy & prompted
also by curiosity & disinterested enterprise
Chapter 1 Page 2
embarked in that expedition. In the year 1780
your Memorialist returned to London & after having
solicited the Earl of Sandwich in vain for his dis-
charge from the service he was obliged in October
1781 to take his tour of duty which was to Ame-
rica where he remained on board a British Frigate
many months before he could meet with an oppor-
tunity to reassume the Service & return to his
country - he has now affected it and if he has
acquired any merit by his conduct, his travels, or his
writings they are all due to his country, & much
more but your Memorialist having lost his
pecuniary assistance by his abrupt departure
from the British is thereby incapacitated to
move in a circle he could wish without the
Assistance of his friends & the patronage & recom-
mendations of the Government under which
he was born & whose favour & esteem he hopes
he has never forfeited: he therefore proposes
as a matter of consideration to your Excellency
and Council that he may be introduced into
some immediate employment wherein he
may as well be usefull to his country and himself
during the War. He also humbly intreats the
honourable Assembly to take into consideration
a history of the memorialist's last voyage around
the world which he proposes to publish in a
Chapter 1 Page 3
manner which he thinks will not only
be meritorious in himself but may be
essentially usefull to America in gene-
ral but particularly to the northern States
by opening a most valuable trade across
the north pacific Ocean to China & the
east Indies - and that the memorialist
may have the exclusive right of publish-
ing the said Journal or history in this
State for such a term as shall be tho[ugh]t
fit & he shall ever pray. Dated at Hartford this 6th day of
January 1783.
John Ledyard
In the upper House
Samuel Huntington Esq. and such Gentlemen as the lower House may joyn
with him; are appointed a Committee to enquire & examine into and Consider the
Subject Matter of the foregoing Memorial of John Ledyard, And make Re-
port of their Opinion thereon to this present Assembly
Test George Wyllys Secr[etar]y
In the Lower House, Col. Porter & Col. Mott, are appointed to Join on
the Subject above mentioned.
Test [???] Clerk P.S.
Transcription by: Megan Wren