TRANSCRIBER’S FOREWORD

    Michael H. Hayden, Esq.

    Member of the Massachusetts Bar

    This transcription of the journal Josiah Quincy Jr. maintained during his 1773 travels through the southern colonies was inspired, supported and guided by Professor Daniel R. Coquillette.

    The transcription adheres as closely to Quincy’s original layout as possible; Quincy’s pagination is preserved, as are line breaks and spatial layout. Thus, where Quincy started a new page, so does the transcription. Where Quincy started a new line, so does the transcription, where practical. Where impractical, the transcription indicates, through hard parenthetical notation, where Quincy’s original layout placed such headings and marginalia.

    All pagination is correspondingly indicated by Quincy in the original, as are all dates. Thus, where Quincy skips pages or dates, so does the transcription. Quincy’s spellings and abbreviations have been modernized to allow for easier reading, but, as Professor Neil York has done with Quincy’s London Journal, misspellings of proper names have been preserved to communicate Quincy’s attempt at phonetic accuracy in lieu of actual knowledge of the names he encounters.

    Of missing pages:

    Pages 125 and 126 of Quincy’s original journal, a single sheet of paper with writing on both sides, have been removed. The removal appears to have been performed with a blade, as the remains of the page removed reflect a smooth cut along its edge, not the ragged edge of a torn page. The religious scandal described by Quincy might possibly have touched too close to home for some interested party, prompting the removal of the missing page. Here is the context:

    The State of Religion here is a little better than to the South; tho I hear the most shocking accounts of the depravity and abominable wickedness of their established Clergy, several of whom keeping public taverns and open gaming houses: Other crimes of which one [of] them (who now officiates) is charged and …

    [PAGES 125 AND 126 MISSING]

    safe-guard from future invasions and oppressions. I am mistaken in my conjecture, if in some approaching day Virginia does not more fully see the capital defects of her constitution of gov:t and rue the bitter consequences of them.

    In a momentary lapse, Quincy skipped page number 177. An extra page was also inserted between pages 156–157. This page is a wonderful reflection of the volatility of opinion concerning Benjamin Franklin in the nineteenth century. Quincy was clearly fond of Franklin and is unabashed in communicating his affection. The inserted page, however, reflects a different concern of Quincy’s descendants. According to Eliza:

    [Quincy, Massachusetts February 12/1878] When the Memoir of J. Quincy Jr. was published in 1825, my father decided not to publish this passage. Some years after, the passage was read to Mr. Sparks, who regretted it was not published, and asked and obtained a copy of it. When I published a 3 Edition in 1874–5, I intended to print it, but my brother, Edmund, told me there was yet a strong dislike of Franklin in some classes in Philadelphia, who said that in some important respects, his conduct had been a great disadvantage to the young men of Philadelphia, and set them a bad example. I therefore concluded to follow my father’s opinion and omit it.

    Eliza Susan Quincy.

    Of currency:

    Quincy’s reference to currency, rather than by “pounds” or “coin,” is most often made using “sterling” or “guineas.” For this reason, Quincy probably either carried British sterling, to avoid the necessity of exchanging local currencies throughout the colonies, or he calculated the exchange rates for us and himself, facilitating his own ability to recollect the amounts spent on his travels, without need for later calculations. In either event, the currency equivalencies of today have been calculated based upon the amounts he communicated, taken as British sterling.

    With great thanks, this work has been magnificently supplemented by the careful Latin translations of Professor Coquillette’s research assistant, Susannah Tobin, Harvard Law School Class of 2004. Equal thanks and appreciation are due to Professor Coquillette’s Boston College Law School’s research assistant, Nicole Scimone, Boston College Law School Class of 2005, who helped to track down the difficult and historical annotations which Professor Coquillette and I had failed to locate; making this volume a much more thorough and complete reflection and introspection into Quincy’s entire journey. Nicole also provided a careful, and much appreciated, editorial eye.

    Finally, indelible thanks must again be directed to Professor Coquillette. His patience, guidance, and command of the techniques of historical research made this transcription at once a fluid and rigorous endeavor. In addition, he has added many of the annotations. I hope I am so lucky as to enjoy his company and wisdom again in future works and collaborations.