1748 April 18 (Monday). This was the Day of the Adjournment of the precinct meeting on the affair of my sallery at which I had great hopes the people would have considered my Circumstances Committing the matter however to the Glorious God to do his pleasure. I drew up a paper of answer to the Committee’s request to me in behalf of the precinct that I would say what I would have to support my Family? This paper I gave ‘em, and it was read to the precinct. Yet they did nothing — adjourned again to the last Monday in Next Month. It was very provoking to me that they should trifle with me and abuse me at this rate, and this under colour of the most slender pretence which was this — that “They had not a Discharge for their part (which they had paid) of the 82.10 whereas it was expressly inserted in my paper of Reply to the Committee this Day — as a Postscript to it — (but I understood afterward that it was excepted against because it was said “this precinct.” This precinct not having a Being at That Time). Whereas no Quibble could be more trifling than this, What I had written in said P.S. being only to intimate my sense of what I was ready to do, respecting those who now make up this precinct, not as if they were to be considered as Precinct in the Instrument of Discharge, but Inhabitants of the Town. But I saw that Anything would serve ‘em to shift this unacceptable Business off. Divers of the Committee came in here after the adjournment. Deacon Newton, Esquire Baker and Mr. Benjamin Fay who acquainted me with the adjournment. I was in some Chagrin and hastily stepped aside and wrote and signed a paper by itself assuring them of my readiness to give full Discharge. God grant me patience, Humility, Resignation to his holy Will and grace to improve the Frown of his providence upon me!