31. None of the family went to Church.

January, 1816.

1. Met with the Fire Club, this Evening at Sikes's Worcester Coffee house, where the Club supped. My Supper did not agree with me. This was the annual meeting. First sledding this year.

2. The Sub council of the American Antiquarian Society met at my house this evening.

church, was in Hadley, in 1734. In 1783, the Old South Church, in Boston, had one, and there was one in Longmeadow, in 1810, and in Salem, in 1815. The churches had been built without thought of such luxuries, and when they began to be introduced, the buildings had to be adapted to the purpose as well as might be. They were large and clumsy, and usually stood in the middle of the aisle, while the pipes projected through the nearest window. This caused great discomfort from the dropping of soot and oil, and tin pails were sometimes hung from them to catch the drippings.

At the annual meeting of the Second Parish, 18 March, 1811, consent was given to have a stove placed in the meeting-house, provided that it should be done without any expense to the parish, and without discommoding the owners of pews; and Nathan Heard, Levi Lincoln, Jr., and Enoch Flagg were appointed a committee to examine a suitable position for it.

Nothing seems to have been done at the time however, as there is no entry in the parish records in regard to it, until the meeting 25 November, 1816, when it was voted that the assessors should provide fuel, and have suitable fires made, and that the parish should pay the rent of the pew in which the stove stood.

3. Chosen again a Director & Librarian of the Worcester Social Library Com.

5. Examined with the other Directors, the Worcester Social Library.

6. Drew Scheme of a Lottery for the American Antiq". Society.1

7. Did not go to Church.

8. Spent the Evening with Mrs. Thomas at Mr. Maccarty's. Unwell in the night. Had Cholic and asthma.

1In October, 1814, Dr. William Paine, Samuel J. Prescott, Benjamin Russell, Rev. William Bentley and Edward Bangs had been appointed a committee of ways and means, to take into consideration the financial condition of the society, and to devise some plan for its support and for the erection of a building. In the existing state of public opinion the idea of a lottery was the most natural suggestion to present itself. This means of increasing the funds of churches, colleges and public institutions was not only duly authorized by law, but was held to be unobjectionable. The prevalence of the lottery system can be attributed to two sources: the craze for speculation which swept over the country at the close of the eighteenth century, when money began to circulate more freely, and the demand for internal improvements which arose at the same period. No public building, road or bridge could be built without their aid. The newspapers of the day were filled with such alluring offers, headed by the figure of Fortune pouring streams of gold from a well-filled Cornucopia, or by lottery wheels turning out marvellous prizes, that the temptation was too strong to be resisted. Men risked their all in a wild scramble for wealth, which at last threatened so disastrous results to the financial condition of the country, that in 1833 lotteries were forbidden by law in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York.

At the meeting of the Sub-Council, 6 June, 1815, Judge Bangs was appointed to draft a subscription paper for a lottery, to be presented to the members for their signatures; but he reported at the next meeting, that he found, upon investigation, that such a lottery would be illegal without a grant from the General Court.

15 August, the Committee of Ways and Means notified Mr. Thomas that:"They are fully convinced, that adequate Funds for the support of the institution, cannot at this Time be obtained, by Subscription.

"They therefore beg leave, to recommend to the Society, to apply to the Govern ment of the United States, for a Lottery, or any other legislative aid, that they may see fit to grant us, and that a Committee be appointed, to prepare, and present, a Petition to Congress, early in the next Session, for that purpose."

At the annual meeting, in October, this report was recommitted to the same committee, with instructions to prepare and present to Congress and the General Court, a petition asking "for such grants of lands or assistance to the Society as the Committee may think best."

9. Not having much sleep last night went to bed this Evening at 9 "Clock. Frazer unwell.

10. Moses Thomas & Son dined with me.

14. Went to Chh. in the afternoon.

The original manuscript of the following draft, in the handwriting of Mr. Thomas, is in the possession of the society:

"SCHEME OF A LOTTERY FOR THE AMERICAN ANTIQ". SOCIETY.

The Chances, not the Tickets will be numbered for drawing, and all the Numbers will be put into the wheel before the drawing commences.

Every Chance will be entitled to the whole of the prize drawn against the number. A Ticket of the price of 25 Cents has one Chance and may draw the highest or one of the other prizes.

Every Ticket, the price of which exceeds 25 cents, will have as many chances as there are quarters of a dollar in the price of the ticket: i, e. A ticket of the price of one dollar will have four Chances a ticket of the price of five dollars will have twenty Chances-and SO on.

The numbering of the Chances will begin on the Ticket of the highest price, viz. that of 4000 dollars, and will embrace 16000 numbers or chances, beginning with No. 1., and ending with No. 16000.-The numbering will be continued on the ticket bearing the next highest prize, viz. that of 3000 dollars; the numbers on this ticket will begin with No. 16001, and end with No. 28,000; and in this manner will the numbering of the chances be continued through the whole of the tickets.

15 Judge Bangs & Miss Lynde spent the Evening with us.

16. Attended the annual meeting of the Morning Star lodge this Evening by request of the Lodge and installed the new master. Mrs. Thomas unwell.

18. Warm South wind, which carried off the Snow remarkably fast, and caused a great rise of water. Some mill damns carried away-the brook rose more than a foot over the tanyard-wet much leather in the Warehouse, and caused 8 hogsheads of lime to burst.

21. Went to Church twice.

22. Spent the Evening with Mrs. T. at Judge Bangs's.

25. Miss Lynde & Judge Bangs visit and Dr. Bancroft. 28. Went to Church twice.

As no Blanks will be put into the Wheels, every number which is drawn must be a prize therefore as the highest priced tickets have a number of Chances proportionable to their prizes, they may each in that proportion draw several or even a!! of the prizes.

This scheme is calculated for a Lottery the Tickets for which will amount to 110,000 dollars. Four Chances to a dollar-60,000 dollars to be drawn in prizes-30,000 for the benefit of the Institution,-and 10,000 allowed for managing the Lottery-expenses attending the selling and drawing-Losses, etc.

ONE CLASS ONLY IS PROPOSED.

The Possessors of the highest priced Tickets may divide and sub-divide them at pleasure, and part with any number of the Chances which they contain designating their numbers."

Early in January, 1816, the plan of the Lottery was decided upon. Levi Lincoln Jr., assisted by Mr. Thomas, supported the petition, which after a long debate was refused a third reading in the House, the vote standing 58 to 53. A motion to reconsider the vote, and to refer the subject to the next session, was then passed by a vote of 75 to 21. Francis Blake was added to the committee, which immediately renewed its efforts to secure passage of the bill; but on its presentation, in June, it was recommitted.

In May, 1821, the project was again revived by the Sub-Council, which appointed Mr. Lincoln and Edward D. Bangs to take the necessary steps towards obtaining a grant for a "Literary Lottery," and to report at the semi-annual meeting, in June. The records of the society, however, do not show that such a report was submitted, or that any further action was taken.

29. Engaged 200,000 Bricks to be made.

30. Mrs. Ewers died in Boston-Sister to my Brother's wife, and cousin to Mrs. Thomas.

31. Went to the funeral of Mr. Bush Johnston.

February, 1816.

2. Mrs. Ewers buried.

3. Johnston unwell-had a physician-got Patch to be with us a few days.

4. Went to Church twice.

5. Johnston continues unwell. Sub Council of the American Antiq". Society met at my house this Even". also Hon. M'. Blake & Hon. Mr. Lincoln members.

6. Mrs. Seaver came on a visit. Judge Bangs, Miss Lynde, &c. spent the Evening with us.

7. Went to Boston with Hon. Levi Lincoln jun'. in the Mail Stage, to support the Petition of the Am. Antiq". Society for a Lottery.

9. Attended Gen. Court. Was favoured with a seat.