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Stories of Heroic Deeds for Boys and Girls / Historical Series - Book II cover

Stories of Heroic Deeds for Boys and Girls / Historical Series - Book II

Chapter 21: XVI.—JOSEPH REED.
By James Johonnot
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About This Book

Aimed at young readers, this collection offers brief retellings of classical myths, Indigenous and early American anecdotes, Revolutionary War episodes, Scottish legends, and miscellaneous historical narratives. Each piece is written in plain, classroom-friendly language and pairs lively incidents—divine encounters, frontier adventures, naval exploits, and civic episodes—with concise moral reflections. Selections are arranged to cultivate a taste for history, encourage discernment between fact and fancy, and present examples of courage, kindness, and public spirit. A guiding preface advises teachers to develop vocabulary through context and to preserve the stories' moral force without heavy-handed lecturing.

XVI.—JOSEPH REED.

1. A hero of another kind, and one we should never forget, is Joseph Reed, of New Jersey. He entered the patriot army, and proved a brave and efficient officer. In 1778 he entered Congress, and, while quiet, he became one of the most useful members. Soon after he entered Congress, a British commission was sent out to see if the difficulties between the two countries could not be adjusted and the war terminated. The terms they offered, however, did not include independence. Convinced that they could not accomplish their object directly, the commissioners resorted to deceit and bribery, and they offered Joseph Reed ten thousand guineas if he would use his influence to help along their project. The noble patriot heard the offer with great indignation, and replied, "I am not worth purchasing, but, such as I am, the King of Great Britain is not rich enough to buy me." The poet Freneau has recorded this incident in a poem from which the following extract is made:

2. "No single art engaged his manly mind,
In every scene his active genius shined;
Nature in him, in honor to our age,
At once composed the soldier and the sage.
3. "Firm in his purpose, vigilant and bold,
Detesting traitors, and despising gold,
He scorned all bribes from Britain's hostile throne,
For all his country's wrongs were thrice his own."