Both William Williams and Oliver Wolcott were signers of the Declaration of Independence from Connecticut. This treasury note from 1780 deals with the House of Representatives of Connecticut hiring and paying a chaplain.
In the House of Representatives
This House grants to the Rev. Mr. Nathan Strong the sum of six pounds for his services as Chaplain to s’d (said) House in their of Oct 1780. The treasurer is ordered to pay the same accordingly.
Signed Wm Williams
(Superimposed) Oliver Wolcott
The following group of religious artifacts are from the Civil War. The first set of items were all found in an area in the vicinity of the Battle of Vicksburg (May 18-July 4, 1863). The medals include: a brass Virgin Mary figurine, two crosses, and three small religious tokens. The second religious item is a chaplain’s insignia from the Mexican War and the Civil War era.
Below are several documents from Congressional records relating to pay for U.S. Army Chaplains. There is a “Memorial of Chaplains in the U.S. Army” dated January 17, 1862. Also, a “Letter from the Secretary of War” relating to pay for chaplains dated June 19, 1862. Finally, a “General Order” relating to pay for chaplains dated October 6, 1862.
In February, 1943 an American ship, Dorchester, was torpedoed and was sinking. Four chaplains aboard the ship from different denominations and faiths gave life jackets to sailors and provided comfort. Find out more about this remarkable story here.
A Four Chaplains Card signed by Harry Truman in 1960.
Stamps honored the sacrifice of the four chaplains.
James Naismith is best known for his inventing the game of basketball, but he was also a WWI Chaplain. WallBuilders has his chaplain’s sewing kit that also contained crosses.
The following documents written by an unknown soldier in the regiment outlining the organization of “Webster’s Regiment” (officially known as the 12th Massachusetts regiment), which was established under the command of Fletcher Webster (son of Daniel Webster), the second generation Founding Father who was known as the “Defender of the U.S. Constitution.” This regiment was formed in April of 1861, and was recognized as an official regiment by the Union in June of that year. This regiment was later declared by General Meade to be “the finest regiment in the service.” More information about Webster’s Regiment can be found in this WallBuilders article.
This document is Webster’s copy of a telegraph that was sent to President Lincoln requesting that the regiment be officially recognized by the Union.
The following document outlines the election of field officers (which were temporary positions assigned to the unofficial regiment), including the appointment of Gerald Fitzgerald as chaplain. In June of 1861, Edward Clark was appointed official Chaplain of the newly formed regiment.
The following document recounts a sermon given by Rev. Gerald Fitzgerald and mentions that “[t]he volunteers were present and seemed much interested in an eloquent sermon on the duties and responsibilities of the holy cause, which they were about going forth to defend.”
We posted a video showing a document from the presidential election of 1928 demonstrating that the Democrats at that time were hard core racists.
Watch the short video here: “Who’s The Real Racist?”
Democratic apologists instantly posted comments dismissing that claim, arguing that everybody knows that in the 1960s and 1970s, the racists within the Democrat Party left and became Republicans.1 Is the claim true? Did the racist Democrats become the Republicans in the 1960s and 1970s who took over the south?
According to liberal Wikipedia, throughout the decades of Democratic racism, the South was known as The Solid Democratic South, composed of 16 states plus Washington, D.C., including Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.2 So did the racist Democrats switch in the 1960s and 1970s to become the Republicans who took over those states? Definitely not.
During the time of Reconstruction, as noted above with the Alabama poster, Republicans controlled the legislatures and were the Party of black Americans. But when Reconstruction ended in 1876, so, too, did Republican control of the South. The Democrats regained the control of those states that they held before the Civil War. So from the time of Reconstruction until the current time, did Republicans control the south in the 1960s and 1970s as critics claim?
Let’s start with Arkansas. It was not until 2012 that Arkansas state government again became Republican controlled.3 Imagine that! From 1874 until 2012 the Arkansas Legislature was Democrat!4 The Democrats controlled the state legislature for nearly half-a-century after the so-called shift supposed occurred in the 60s and 70s?
In Louisiana, it was not until 2011 that the state legislature again became Republican.5 For decades after the 60s and 70s, it, too, remained Democrat.
Alabama did not become Republican again until 2010.6 In Oklahoma, it was 2008.7 For Texas, it was 2002;8 1996 for Florida;9 1995 for Virginia;10 also the 2004 for Georgia; 11 and for North Carolina it was not until 2010 that Republicans controlled the legislature,12 and for West Virginia it was 2014.13
And Maryland, Delaware, and Washington DC continue to remain Democrat legislatures to this day – no alleged Democrat switch in the 1960s and 1970s ever put the Republicans in charge.14
If racists made a grand switch in parties from Democrat to Republicans we would certainly have many political leaders we could point to who made the change.
But bottom line is that there is not a big list of individuals in the 60’s and 70’s who switched parties – certainly not enough to shift control from racist Democrats to Republicans.
Many people who claim racist Democrats switched parties to become racist Republicans believe the change happened during the Civil Rights act under President Lyndon B Johnson.15 But this is simply not the case. We see no change in the parties during this time.
Martin Luther King Jr., for example, was fighting in the civil rights movement AFTER the laws under LBJ, and he encouraged blacks to support the Republican Party because it was the party of equality. And significantly it was Republicans in Congress, not Democrats, who authored and managed to pass the civil rights laws that LBJ signed.16
The point of the video was not to indicate that there are no racists in the Republican Party. We can easily acknowledge that racism is part of a sinful human nature and not limited to political parties. However, the Republican Party was not and is not the “Party” of racism.
Actual facts disprove the often repeated and ridiculous defense of Democrat apologists. The Republicans certainly have their own baggage, but these claims are not part of it.
1 Julian Drury, “Debunking the myth that Republicans love to repeat,” Quiet Mike, December 8, 2013; Lucinda, “How Dixiecrats Became Republicans,” CJOnline, February 5, 2013; Ian Haney-Lopez, “How the GOP became the ‘White Man’s Party’,” Salon, December 22, 2013; among others.
2 “Solid South,” Wikipedia (accessed on May 18, 2016).
3 Jim Hoft, “Arkansas Senate & House Goes Republican for the First Time Since Reconstruction,” The Gateway Pundit, November 6, 2012.
4 “Arkansas Senate Flips; First Time Since Reconstruction,” The Courier, November 7, 2012.
5 “Louisiana State Senate,” Wikipedia (accessed on May 18, 2016).
6 “Republicans claim majority in Alabama House and Senate for 1st time in 136 years,” al.com, November 2, 2010.
7 Michael McNutt, “Oklahoma’s legislative leaders pledge to work with Democrats,” NewsOK, November 7, 2010.
8 “Politics of Texas,” Wikipedia (accessed on May 18, 2016).
9 “Florida goes Republican,” The Free Library (accessed on May 18, 2016).
10 Frank B. Atkinson, “Republican Party of Virginia,” Encyclopedia Virginia (accessed on May 18, 2016).
11 Pema Levy, “Georgia Democrats are Seeing a Glimmer of a Blue Future,” Newsweek, November 4, 2014.
12 “Republican Party Takes Control Over NC General Assembly,” WECT, November 2, 2010.
13 Allan Taylor, “GOP Makes Historic Gains in State Legislature,” MetroNews, November 4, 2014.
14.“List of United States State Legislatures,” Wikipedia (accessed on May 18, 2016).
15 Patrick Louis Cooney, Ph. D., “A Racist Party with a Racist Strategy: The Republicans,” The Vernon Johns Society (accessed May 18, 2016); Allen Clifton, “No Longer the Party of Lincoln: Here’s Proof That the Modern Day GOP Built Itself on Racism,” Forward Progressives, June 27, 2015.
16 Congressional Quarterly (Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Service, 1965), Vol. 20, pp. 606, 696, 88th Congress, 2nd Session, vote on the Civil Rights Bill of 1964, February 10, 1964.
Harvard University was founded in 1636 and was incorporated in May 1650. Many signers of the Declaration of Independence graduated from Harvard, including: John Adams, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and others. As did several national leaders, such as Joseph Story and John Quincy Adams.
Below is a 1650 incorporation charter for Harvard College from the WallBuilders library. Below is the transcript with corrected spelling and expanded abbreviations:
At the General Court held at Boston in the year. 1642
Whereas through the good hand of God upon us, there is a College founded in Cambridge in the County of Middlesex, called Harvard College, for the Encouragement whereof this Court has given the Sun of £400, and also the Revenue of the Ferry between Boston and Charleston, and that the well ordering and Managing of the said College is of great concernment.
It is therefore ordered by this court and the authority thereof that the Governor and Deputy Governor, for the time being, and all the Magistrates of the Jurisdiction, together with the teaching Elders of the Six next adjoining towns viz. Cambridge, Watertown, Charleston, Boston, Roxbury and Dorchester, and the President of the said College, for the time being shall from time to time have full power and authority, to make and establish all such orders, statutes, and constitutions, as they shall see necessary, for the instituting, guiding and furthering of the said College and the several members thereof from time to time in Piety, Morality, and Learning as also to dispose order and manage to the use of the said College and the members thereof, all Gifts, Legacies, Bequests, Revenues, Lands, and Donations, as either have been, are or shall be conferred, bestowed or any ways shall fall or come to the said College,
And whereas it may come to pass, that many of the said magistrates and said Elders may be absent, or otherwise employed about other weighty affairs when the said College may need their present Help and Counsel,
It is therefore ordered that the greater a Number of the Magistrates and Elders which shall be present with the President shall have the Power of the whole, provided that if any Constitution, or disposed orders by them made, shall be found hurtful to the said College or members thereof, or to the Wealth-Public, then upon the appeal of the Party or Parties grieved unto the Company of overseers first mentioned, they shall repeal the said order or orders (if they shall see cause) at the next meeting or stand accountable thereof to the next General Court.
For the further encouragement and promoting the Weal and Government of the Students in the College, the General Court held at Boston the 30th of May, 1650, made and granted under the Seal of the Colony, this following Charter.
Whereas through the good hand of God many devoted Persons have been and daily are moved and stirred up to give and bestow, sundry Gifts, Legacies, Lands, and Revenues for the advancement of all good Literature, Arts, and Sciences in Harvard College in Cambridge in the county of Middlesex and to the Maintenance of the President and Fellows, and for all accommodations of Building and all of the necessary Provisions that may Conduce to the Education of the English and Indian Youth of the County in Knowledge and Godliness.
It is therefore ordered and enacted by the Court and the Authority thereof, that for the furthering of so good a Work and for the proposed aforesaid, that from hence forth that the said College in Cambridge in Middlesex aforesaid, in New England shall be a Corporation consisting of Seven Persons, viz. a President, five Fellows, and a Treasurer or Purse, and that Henry Dunster shall be the first President. Samuel Mather, Samuel Danforth, Master of Art, Jonathan Mitchell, Comfort Star, and Samuel Eaton, Bachelor of Art, shall be the five fellows, and Thomas Danforth to be present Treasurer all of the time being Inhabitants in the Bay and shall be the first Seven Person of which the said Corporation shall consist and the said Seven persons or the greater Number of them procuring the presence of the Overseers of the College and by their Counsel and Consent shall have power, and are hereby Authorized at any time or times to Elect a new President, Fellows, and Treasurer, so oft from time to time as any of the said Person or Persons, shall die or be Removed which said President and Fellows for the time being, what power here after in Name and Fact become body Politic and Corporate in Law to all Intents and Purposes, and shall have perpetual secession and shall be called by the name of President and Fellows of Harvard College, and from time to time be eligible as aforesaid, and by the name they and their Successors shall and may purchase and acquire to themselves or take and receive upon, free Gifts and Donations, and Land Tenements and Hereditaments within this Jurisdiction of Massachusetts not exceeding the value of £500 per annum, or any goods and sums of money…. [end of manuscript, to read full charter see here]
During World War II, American bombers dropped millions of leaflets over Japan to warn citizens of events such as upcoming bombings and surrender terms. Below is a collection of Japanese language leaflets from the WallBuilders library (translations have been provided when found).
Translation of text on the front:
After establishing strange bases in New Guinea, the American forces made their advance to the Philippines and finally cut the supply lines which link Japan with the Southern Regions.
Translation of text on the back:
Treasure trove of the South Seas
The U.S. military is advancing into Japan every moment. It’s getting close to distortion. Due to the success of the battle to recapture Hishima, Japan the waterway linking Japan to the Southern Ocean was completely cut off. As the strength of the US military in the Philippines continues to grow, the navy extends its influence to Thailand, France, and France, and the air force and the US military extend their influence by sea from the Ryukyu Islands to Saigon, attacking ships and military facilities. On the other hand, on the Japanese side, not only the navy, but the sky is the one that should be protected. As long as this situation continues, it will be absolutely impossible for Japan to reopen the waterway to the South Seas. Only by having enough supplies could the war be continued.
Translation of text on the back:
What good is money in the bank or in bonds? Buy articles you need now and buy articles for future use. The remaining supply is low. As a result of bombing by America, many of your stores will close their doors while others will be open only for limited periods. Buy food, clothing, and other necessities to tide you over these periods. Money will not satisfy your hunger or clothe you. Bonds will not satisfy a baby’s cry. A wise person would buy now, not save his money. The present is not a time for money. It is a period for goods.
Translation of text on the back:
In 1930, when the gumbatsu [a name for a “militarist clique” in Japan] had not yet started the war in China, you could buy the following items for 10 yen: 1) 25 sho of good rice. 2) Or, material for 8 summer kimonos. 3) Or, 4 bags of charcoal. In 1937, after the start of the China Incident, you could buy the following for 10 yen: 1) 25 sho of low grade rice. 2) Or, material for 5 summer kimonos. 3) Or, 2 bags of charcoal. Today, after waging 3 years of hopeless warfare with the world’s greatest powers, you can buy the following for 10 yen: 1) 1.2 sho of good rice on the black market. 2) Or small amount of charcoal, if you can get it. 3) Cotton material, nothing. This is what your leaders call co-prosperity.
Translation of text on the back:
Boasting that their defense was an iron wall, the militarists asserted that the Japanese Navy and Air Force would annihilate all who attacked the homeland. Today, those militarists stand powerless while the U.S. Navy and Air Force attack Japan at will and with increasing fury. It is clear that the Japanese Navy and Air Force cannot defend the homeland. It is also clear that the militarists, whose so-called defense was merely an empty word, are not worthy to be leaders. The full force of the American attack has not yet been felt. When it comes, the destruction will be pitiless and complete. The militarists cannot save Japan by their boasts, but the people can save their country by unconditional surrender.
The translation of the above leaflet is found below (right click on the image to view a larger version).
Translation of text on the back:
Now that American forces are invading your island, your lives are in danger. Beaches will be bombed and shelled in order to weaken the Japanese Army and prepare for American troop landings. However, bombs dropped from planes and shells from battlehsips may land anywhere. Civilians who remain in coastal areas will be destroyed together with Japanese soldiers and installations used by the Japanese Army. If you value your lives, follow these instructions: 1. Stay away from all coastal areas. 2. Stay away from American parachute troops. If you make no signs of resistance, they will not harm you. 3. Wear light colored clothing so that you may be easily identified. 4. Send some representatives to obtain food and water from the Japanese Army. 5. Until further instructions are issued from the American forces, withdraw and seek safety. 6. Those who obey our instructions will get food, clothing and water. 7. Do not hide near your homes or join the Japanese soldiers in caves or houses. 8. Do not approach us until instruction is given. 9. Watch for later leaflets which will tell you how to avoid harm. The American troops do not want to harm you. Therefore it is your duty and to your benefit to follow these instructions.
Translation of text on the back:
The military leaders [suffered?] repeated crushing defeats and began to defend the country by using their own houses as a defensive base. They are trying to hand over responsibility for the defense of the country to the people of the country. How could civilians, non-combatants, carry out a defense operation that had failed when an army with special combat training had failed? When the American army began its offensive against Japanese soil, no matter how stubbornly the Japanese people tried to defend themselves, no matter how hard they tried to defend themselves, they would not be able to [win?]. Attacks based on raw military power are truly frightening, and they completely destroy even the public. The people of Japan are now sacrificing their own lives, not to mention each city, and there is absolutely no hope of saving Japan. The only way left is to surrender unconditionally, and only then could the Japanese population be able to return to the peaceful life of the pre-war era.
Translation of text on the back:
These leaflets are being dropped to notify you that your city has been listed for destruction by our powerful air force. The bombing will begin within 72 hours.
This advance notice will give your military ample time to take the necessary defensive measure to protect you from our inevitable attack. Watch and see how powerless they are to protect you.
We give the military clique this notification of our plans because we know there is nothing they can do to stop our overwhelming power and our iron determination. We want you to see how powerless the military is to protect you.
Systematic destruction of city after city will continue as long as you blindly follow your military leaders whose blunders have placed you on the very brink of extinction. It is your responsibility to overthrow the military government now and save what is left of your beautiful country.
In the meantime; we urge all civilians to evacuate at once.
Translation of text on the front:
The Curtain has Dropped. War Starts.
Translation of text on the back:
AMERICAN AIR FORCE HITS TOKYO.
March 9th. 300 bombers air raided Tokyo again, dropping many incendiary bombs that caused huge fire all over the city.
A few hours after those planes left,central Tokyo become a sea of fire.
This is the warning of thousands of bomber attacking the main land of Japan in the near future.
Before this attack (3/9) Feb. 16/17’s bombing of Tokyo 1200, US Airforce hit a crowded factory area. They have dropped over 200 tons of bombs to military related factory and caused a big blow to them. And they came with the same scale of an attack on power plants, hangars, and an Air plane factory.
These attacks are part of upcomimg attacks to the main land.
While these attacks are happening, US Marines landed on Iwo Jima.
Iwo Jima was a stronghold, since Feb. 19 Marines have been conducting the ferocious attacks repeatedly. They keep attacking despite casuaities and are gaining their territory, the Japanese cannot fight back any longer.
Japanese air force and navy can no longer save the 20,000 force on this island because they are surrounded by Marines.
So the time is near that U.S. force will use this island as a base for attacks against all Japanese military facilities in main land Japan.
Losing the supply lines, losing capability of protection, foretelling Japanese military clique’s downfall.
Japanese Soldiers!!!
Tokyo became the battle field and it’s a begging of many attacks on the home land.
Now is the time you need to realize how this war will end.
Translation of text:
How long will it last? What was the lowest point?
Translation of text on the front:
Left on the small boat, the Army weeps
Translation of the text on the back:
To Japanese Officers
We are not trying to insult or deride the present condition you are in. Rather, with our experiences on the Battle of Bataan as well as Corregidor, we can’t help but feel deep sympathy for you. At the time we didn’t have any other choices but the actions we took. The reason is that the Japanese Navy had control of the Ses of the Philippines. Since then, the reality of the battle has turned. Who do you think has control of the sea near Japan? The supply ships were coming to you with things you needed. Where are they now? You already know our air force, navy battleships, and submarines inflicted huge damages on the Japanese fleet. Is there a ship still active? There might be a few. But have you seen any lately? The navy probably harbors them in a safe port. You are deserted on the isolated island where no supply ship can come. Well you know this reality.
Wentworth Cheswell (sometimes Chiswell or Cheswill), from New Hampshire, held some position in local government for half a century, holding a position every year from 1768 until 1817. Below are documents from the WallBuilders library signed by Cheswell during the twelve years he served as Justice of the Peace.
Wentworth Cheswell Document from 1812
Wentworth Cheswell Document from 1813
Wentworth Cheswell Document from 1814
Wentworth Cheswell Document from 1815
Wentworth Cheswell Document from 1816
