Class. Book COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT ANKW AMERICAN OR. REMEMBRANCER OF THE DEPARTED OF Confined Exclusively TO THOSE WHO SIGNALIZED THEMSELVES IN EITHER CAPACITY, rt.\ the Revcjutionary War which obtained the Iiidepeiidenc<^ of their country. SECOND EDITION. 'vVfTH ZMrORTANT ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS. COMPILED BY T. .L ROGERS. ,, ;: ^^'e aie r.-!;iced to the alternative of choosing an unconai. • iional submission to the tyranny of irritated Ministers, or re- ' sistance bv iorce. The latter is our choice. We have counted , the cost of this contest, and Ibund nothing- so dreadful as vo- *' luntary slavery." Bedaration of Oongreis, setting forth the necessity of taid7ig up m-tns — July 6, 1775.^ EASTON, PENN: ^^aiKTED AND PUBLISHED BY THOS, J. IIOGEI } ,9 Of; Eastkrn District ©p Penkstiyania, to wit. Be it bemembered, that on the IweniA- seventh day of January in the forty-seventh year of the Independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1823, Thomas J. Kogers, of the said District hath deposited in this office the ti- tle of a Book, the right wliereof he claims as pro- prietor, in the words following^, to wit : '*• A new American Biographical Dictionary ; or Remem- brancer of the departed Heroes, Sages, and Statesmen of America. Confined exclusively to those who signalized themselves in either capacity in the Revolutionary War, •^vhich obtained the Independence of their country. Se- cond Edition, with important alterations and additions. Compiled by Thomas J. Rogers. ' We are reduced to the alternative of choosing an un- *' conditional submission to the tyranny of irritated Min^ ^•' isters, orresistance by force. The latter is our choice. '"* We have counted the cost of this contest, and found " nothing so dreadful as voluntary slavery.'* Declaration of Congress setting forth the necessity of taking up arms. — .luly 6, 1775. In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, intituled, ** An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books, to the au- thors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned." And also to the act entitled, *' An act supple- mentary to an act, entitled "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the limes therein mentioned," and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching hjg- ^orical and other prints." D CALDWELL. Clerk of the Eastern district of Pennsylvania. ^J PBEFACB. The iollowiiig work contains sketches of tlifc lives and charactei-s of many of those deceased he- i'oes and statesmen, distinguished in the cabinet oi* the held, during the great and memorable contest which ga\ c freedom and independence to America^ and established a go\ ernment on principles un- known to the old world, the sovereignty of the |)eople. it is intended to perpetuate as well the names as tlte conduct of many of those distinguish- ed men, wliose wisdom and valour gave liberty and independence to our country; in order that all, iind piirticnlai'lij our ijonth, may become acquaint- ed with the characters and services of those to Vviioip-j under Providence, we owe our existence as a nation. The talents, the virtues, and the pub- lic services, of those heroes, sagesj and patriots, of the revolution, should be impressed, as early as possible, on the minds and hearts of the rising generation, and of tlie generations that are to come after them, and every endeavour to rescue from oblivion, the men who distinguished themselves, in that eventful peiiod, is worthy of encourage- ment, peiiiaps of praise. Garden, in his Anecdotes of tlie American revolution, says, ""with such in- slasices of every public and p^i^ ate virtue, as the history of our own country affords, it is a serious er- ror in our system of education, that our youth re- ceive their first ideas of patriotic excellence from the annals of other nations. Familiar with the ach.icA emcnts of tiie heroes of ancient times, the virtues and services of the worthies of their own country, ai-e seldom or but imperfectly known. Zsk^xt to their duty towards God, there is not a pa- rent who ouglit not to impress upon the n^nds of liis children the devotion which is due to their country: and how^ can this bo more effectually done i¥ PREFACE. than to keep in their view from the first dawn of reason, tlie virtues which have raised the henefac- tors of their country to immortality." " The American revolution constitutes one of tlie epochs from which will he dated a vast ameliora- tion in the destiny of man; and the fame of many illustrious men who were engaged in its cause, will continually increase as the operation of its conse- quences is extended. Their talents and virtues were exhibited in the senate or the camp, in the forum or the field, v» ith undaunted zeal and heroic constancy. They were courageous, moderate, plain, and incorruptible. They were inihued with a deep sense of religion, which guided and guaran- teed all their conduct. They were of unyielding principles, which made them the ornaments of their owii age, and will secure to tliem the admiration of posterity. '* No study can he more usefjji to the ingeniions youth of the United States, than tiiat of their own history, nor any example more interesting or more safe for their contemplation, than those of the great founders of the republic. Yet, it is feared that this department is too mucli neglected hy them, or only superficially examined. There are certain senti- ments indeed, that are learned by rote, while a few prominent names and facts are known and repeat- ed exclusively. When a well known foreign jour- nal, in all the triunsph of insolent ignorance, asked, ^*who Patnck Henry was?'' v/e only smiled at its impertinence. But are we entirely exempt frora the reproach of neglecting our own annals, for less vahiahle history?"'^ Of those wlio took part in the revolution, it has been emphatically said, *Hhere were giants in these days.-'' We would implant their inemory in tise hearts of our children, to be handed {!own to iheir children, in proud remembrance, of the virtues ■^ Tudor's life of Otis, PREFACE. and talents of men who never had their sisperiors. <' Never," says the elegant hiographer of the elo- quent Patrick Henry, ' in any country or in any age, did there exist, a race of men, vdiose soufs \vere better fitted to endure the trial. Patient in suffering, firm^ in adversity, calm and collected amidst the dangers which pressed around them, cool in council, and brave in battle, they were wor- thy of tlie cause, and the cause w as w orthy of them/ in contemplating the characters of such men, our youth will have before them, models of every public and private virtue. Here he who is ambitious of acting a distinguished part in the cabinet, may learn to imitate a Franklin, a Henry, an Adams, a Hancock, and otliers. Here the soldier, whose ambition is patriotism and glory, may be stimula- ted to acquire the laurels gained by a Washington a Greene, a Montgomery, a Wayne, a Warren, a Gates, and their compatriots. And here the sea- man may dwell with deliglit and satisfaction, on i\\Q^ heroic actions of a Biddle and others. It has been v.eli observed that from the galaxy of great- ness displayed in our revolution, many a subse- quent rising star in our firmament of glory has bor- rowed much of its splendour. The recital of the deeds of the heroes of '76, has a fascinating influ- ence over the mind of the hearer. The child is be- guiled of its tears in listening to the enraptured tales of other times; the youth feels all the influence of patriotic fervour and heroic ardour: and ma- turer age may be taught, by their example, how to love and serve their country. Nor will the pei-u-^ sal of the rare and valuable state papers, now pub- lished, setting forth the causes of i\\{i separation from the motfier country, be less instructive. From them we learn the true principles of government, " which was instituted to protect man in his lifej liberty, and tiie pursuit of happiness, deriving \i^. just powers from tlie consent of the governed,'^ n PREFACE. The introduction contains a succinct account ol tlio events which led to the rupture between Great Britain and her tlien colonies. The declaration of 177 5 f and the other papers wliicli emanated from congress, during the revolutionary contest, contain the manful remonstrances of freemen against op- pression; an elegant and eloquent exposition of the rights of the people, and of the causes which im- pelled our fathers to tlie separation. The biogra- phies of tlie sages and heroes, contain much in- structive history of the revolution: calculated to incite the young, instruct the old, and improve the moral character of the nation, by holding up to public view and imitation, portraits of virtue and patriotism, of which the history of mankind affords no hriglitcr examples. To which is added the fare- well address of Washington, in which we may read witli delight and instruction, the advice of the fatlier of our country, and the importance and necessity of preserving the union of our confedera- ted republic. Sucit is the work, and such the views of the com- piler. Tlie former edition having been disposed of, tlic present, considerably improved, is now offer- ed as a class book, in our schools and other semi- naries of learning. He conceives it eminently fit- te I for an American School Book; well suited to tlie capacity of youth, and inculcating principles whicli correspond witli our institutions. Placed in the hands of our youth, he trusts it may excite t)ieir siiiuds to emulate the patriots^ sages, and states- men, whose memory it commemorates^ and lead them to seek for Oiodels of excellence at home in- stead of abroad. It is in fact a JVational work^ calrulated to promote a national feeling in the yo»:thfui mind, as well as to interest those who are inore advanced in years. INlllODUCTION. As the present edition is intended for the use of schools, and as it is calculated to give the youth a correct account of the transactions which took place, as well as ahiographical sketch, of many of those illustrious patriots, whose wisdom in council and valour in hattle, ohtained the independence of our country, it may he well in a summary mode, to trace the current of events, from the origin of the plan of taxing America, up to July 6, 1775, wheH the declaration setting forth the causes and neces- sity of taking up arms, was issued. Tudor, in liis life of Otis, gives us the following interesting an- ecdote: *'When president Adams was minister at the court of St. James, he often saw his country- man, Benjamin West, the late president of the roy- al academy. Mr. West always retained a strong and unyielding affection for his native land. Mr. West one day asked Mr Adams, if he should like to take a walk with him and sec the carsse of the American revolution The minister having knowa something of this matter, smiled at the proposal, but told him that he should he glad to see the cause of tliat revolution, and to take a walk with his friend West, any where. The next morning lie called according to agreement, and took Mr. Adams into Hyde Park, to a spot near the Ser- pentine river, where he gave him the following iiai'rative. The king came to the throne a young man, surrounded by Hattering courtiers; one <}f whose frequent topics it was. to declaim against the meaimess of his palace, which was wholly un- worthy a monarch of such a country as EiigLind, They said that there was not a sovereign in Eu- rope who was lodged so poorly, that his sorry, dingy, old, brick palace of St. James, looked like a stable, and that he ought to build a palace s jita- ])le to his kingdom. The king was fond of archi viii INTRODUCTION. tcrture, and would therefore more readily listen t« suggestions, whicli uere in fact all true. This spot that you see here, was selected for the site, between this and this point, which were marked out. The king applied to his ministers on the fluhject; they inquired what sum would be wanted by his majesty, who said, tliat he would begin with a million; they stated the expenses of tlic war, and the poverty of the treasury, but that his majesty's wishes should be taken into full consid- eration. Some time afterwards the king was in- formed, that the wants of tlie treasury were too iirgent to admit of a supph^ from their present means, but that a revenue might be raised in Amc- Hra to supply all the king's wishes. This sug- gestion was followed u]), and tlie king was in tliis way first led to consider, and then to consent, to the scheme for taxing the colonies." In 1764, the British parliament passed resolu- tions, preparatory to laying a tax on the colonies, by a stamp act. In March, 17G5, tlie famous stamp act was passed, to take effect in the colonies on the iirst of November follovving. This was the first act of the mother country, which created alarm, and which eventually caused a separation of these states from Great Britain. It passed tlie house of Commons by a majority of two hundred ^otes. The bill met with no ojiposition in the house of lords. Tlie very night the act passed, Dr. Frank- lin, who was then in London, wrote to Charles Tliompson, afterwards secretary to congress: — '^^Thesiin of liberty is set; the Americans must light the lamps of industry and economy.^* To which Mr. Thompson answered: ^'Be assured we will light torches of quite another sort.^^ He here predicted tl»e opposition and convulsions, that were about to follow tliat odious act. I'he torch of the revolu- tion was indeed very soon lig'nted. When the in- formation of the passage of the act reached the colonies, the assembly of Virginia was the oiJy TNTRODUCTION. ix mie in session; and Virginia led the way in oppo- sition to it. The resolutions offered by Patrick Uenrij, assumed a lofty and open ground against taxation. In New England, and particularly m Massachusetts, the same opposition was manifest- ed, and indeed the wliole continent was in a flame. It spread from breast to breast, till the conflagra- tion became general. Tlie legislature of Massa- chusetts met on the last day of May, 1765. A committee reported the expediency of having a p-eneral meeting of < 'committees,'' from the seve- ral assemblies of the colonics, to be held at New- York, in October following. They also resolved to send circulars to the several assemblies, re- questing their concurrence. Twenty-eight depu- ties, from Massachusetts, Rlmde Island, Connec- ticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Del- aware, Marvland and South Carolina, met at New- York, on Monday the 7th of October, 1765. They passed resolutions expressing their motives and principles, and declared their exemption from all taxes, not imposed by thsiv own representatives. They also agreed upon a petition to the king, a memorial to the house of lonls, and a petition to the house of commons. From the decided opposition to this act, and the indignation manifested against it, in all parts of the colonies, it was deemed proper to repeal it. U was accordinglv repealed on the 18th of March, 1766. Much opposition, however, was made to its repeal. Several sneakers in both houses of par- liament, denied the right of taxing the colonies. Mr. Pitt, afterwards lord Chatham, said, '«it is my opinion that this kingdom has no right to lay a tax upon the colonies. We are told that Ameri- ca is obstinate, almost in open rebellion. I rejoice that America has resisted. Three millions of peo- ple so dead to all the feelings of liberty, as volun- tarilv to submit to be slaves, would have been tit mstrumeiits to make slaves of all the rest. The X INTRODUCTION. Americans liavc been ^v^ongedy they have bccw dnvcii to iriiKiiiess by iwjustice. Will you punish them for the nraducss you have occasioned ? No; lot this country be the first to resume its prudence and temper." Ho concluded by saying that it was his opinion that tiie stamp act be repealed, absolute- ly, totally, and immediately. In 1767, an act ])assed the Britisli parliament, laying a heavy duty on tea, glass, paper, and otlter articles. Tliis a.ct re-kindled the resentment and excited a general opposition among the people of the colonies; and they contended that there was no real difiTerence between the priiiciple of the new act and the stamp act. Tliis act produced resolves, petitions, &c. similar to those with which the col- onies o]>posed the stamp act, and in various parts, particularly in Massachusetts, on the suggestion iyf Sainuel MamSf it was agreed not to import and oonsiime British manufactures. In 1769, both houses of parliament passed a joint address to his majesty, approbatory of his mea- sui'es, and that they would HU}>])ort him in sucli fur- ther measures as niight be found necessary, to maintain the civil magistrates in a due execution ef tlie laws in Massachusetts-Bay. The assembly of Virginia, in this year, passed resolutions com- plaining of the recent acts of parliament, and re- monstrated against the i-ight of trausj)orting the free born subjects of America to England, to be tried for alledged offences committed in the colo- nies. In 1770, on the 2d of March, the Boston massacre took place. In 1773, the people of Boston, who were deter- mined not to pay duties on tea, collected in a town meeting, and resolved that the tea should not be landed. At the dissolution of the meeting, about tv.enty persons, in the disguise of I^Iohawk In- dians, went on board some ships, broke open 342 chests of tea, and dis( barged their contents into the Avater. lu riiiladelphia^ where the spirit ot op-^ INTRODUCTION. xi position, although not less deep, was less loud, they unloaded some of the cargoes and stored the tea in damp cellars, where it soon moulded. \Yhole car- o-oes were returned from New York and Pliiladcl- phia. When the news of the destruction of the tea reached England, they determined to punish the people of Boston. In 1774, a bill was passed in parliament, called the Boston port bill, to dis- eontinuc the landing or shipping of any goods, wares, or merchandize, at the harbour of that city. This w as followed by an act authorizing the quar- tering of soldiers in the houses of the citizens. Gen- eral Gage, in character of commander in chief of the royal forces, and governor of Massachusetts, arrived at Boston, with a military force, to en- force the acts of tlie parliament. Fortifications were erected, and the ammunition and stores in Cambridge and Charleston, were seized and se- cured. The words whigs and tones were now introdit- ced, to distinguisli the names of the parties. By the former, were meant those who were for sup- porting the colonies in their opposition to the ty- rannical acts of the British parliament. By the latter, those who were in favour of Great Britain and opposed to resistance. During these covnmotions, the first congress of delegates, chosen and appointed by the several col- onies and provinces, met at Carpenter's Hall, in the city of Philadelphia, on the 5th of September, 1774. Peyton Randolph, of Virginia, was unani- mously elected president, and Charles Thompson, secretary. On the 27th September, congress unan- imously resolved, that from and after the 1st of December, 1774, there should be no importation from Great Britain or Ireland, of British goods, &c. On the 8th of October, it was resolved that the congress approve the opposition of the inhabi- tants of Massachusetts Bay, to the execution of the obnoxious acts of parliament. An address to the xii IISTRODUCTIOIS. people of Great Britain, one to the people ot* Can- ada, another to the inhabitants of the colonies, and a petition to tlic king, were agreed to. On the 22d of September, they passed a resolution recom- mending delegates to meet again, at Philadelphia, ©n the lX)th May, 1775. The congress was then dissolved. On the lOtli May, 1775, the delegates from the several colonies, with the exception of Rhode Is- land, assembled at the state house in Philadelplsia, wlien Peyton Randolph, was a second time unani- mously elected president, and Charles Thompson, secretary. A few days after they met, Mr. Ran- dolph being under the necessity of returning liome, John Hancock, of Massachusetts, was unanimous- ly elected president. On the ;26th May, congress I'esolved, that the colonies be immediately put in a state of defence; that another petition to the king, and a letter to the people of Canada, be prepared, which were adopted. In June, congress resolved to raise several companies of riflemen, &c. and that a general should be appointed to command all the continental forces raised, or to be raised, for the defence of American liberty; and George Washington, was unanimously elected. Con- gress, at the same time, resolved, that they would jnaintain, assist, and adhere to George Washing- ton, witli their lives and fortunes, in the same cause. It was also I'esolvcd, to put the militia of America in a proper state of defence. On the 6th «if July, they adopted a declaration setting forth tlie causes and necessity of taking lip arms. When the concluding pai*agraph of. this address was read to general Putnam's division, winch he had ordered to be paraded on Prospect Hill, they shouted in three huzzas, a loud Amen! Then follow tlie most important state papers which emanated from the revolutionary congres^* and which follov/ in succession in our work* A NEW AMERICAN BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY IN CONGRESS, Philadelphia, July 6, 1775. A DECLARATION BY THE REPHESEXTATIVES OF THE UNITED COL- OXIES 0¥ NORTH AMERICA, SETTING FORTH THE CAUSES AND NECESSITY OF THEIR TAKING UP ARMS. Directed to be puhlished by General Washington^ upon his arrival at the camp before Boston, If it was possible for men, who exercise their reason, to believe that the Divine Author of our existence intended a part of the human race to hold an absolute property in, and an unbounded pov^er over others, marked out by his infinite goodness and wisdom, as the objects of a legal domination never rightfully resistible, however severe and op- pressive, the inhabitants of these Colonies might at least require from i]\& parliament of Great Britain some evidence, that this dreadiVil authority over them has been granted to that body. Bit a rever- ence for our great Creator, principles of humanity, A ^ AMjEKieA> B10O3?AriliCAL BlCTIONAItY. and the dictates of common sense, must convince ail those who reflect upon tlie suhject, tliat govern- ^ncnt was instituted to promote the welfare of man- kind, and ought to he administered for tlic attain- ment of that end. The legislature of Great Britain, however, stimulated h}- an inordinate passion for a power not only unjustifiable, but which they know to be peculiarly reprobated by the very constitution of that kingdom, and desperate of success in any mode of contest, whei*e regard should be had to truth, law^ or right, have at length, deserting those, attempted to effect their cruel and impolitic pur- pose of enslaving these Colonies by violence, and have thereby rendered it necessary for ns to close with their last appeal from reason to arms. Yet, however blinded that assembly may be, by their int4:'mperate rage for unlimited domination, so to slight justice and the opinion of mankind, we esteem ourselves bound by obligations of respect to the rest of the world, to make know n the justice of our cause. Our forefathers, inhabitants of the island of Great Britain, left their native land, to seek on these shores a residence for civil and religious freedom. At the expense of their blood, at the hazard of their fortunes, without the least charge to tlie coun- try from which they removed, by unceasing labour and an unconquerable spirit, they effected settle- ments in the distant and iidiospitable wilds of A- Bierica, then filled with numerous and warlike na- tions of barbarians. Societies or governments, vested witli j)erfect legislatui^s, were formed un- der charters fi'om the crown, and an harmonious intercourse was established between the Colonics and the kingdom from which they derived their origin. The mutual benefits of this union ber^rine in a short time so extraordinary, as to ex(i' s- tonishment. It is universally confessed, thai ih% amazing increase of the wealth, strength, an^ n?.- AMERICAX BlOGKAPHiCAL DlCTiONAKY. yigation of the realm, arose from this source; ami the minister, who so wisely and successfully direct- ed the measures of Great Britain in tlie late war, publicly declared, that these Colonies enabled hei* to triumph over her enemies. Towards the con- elusion of that war, it pleased our sovereign to make a change in his counsels. From that fatal moment, the affairs of the Britisli empire began io fall into confusion, and gradually sliding from the summit of glorious prosperity, to wliich they had been ad\anced by the \irtues and abilities of one man, are at length distracted by the convul- sions, that now shake it to its deepest foundations. The new ministry finding tlie bra^ e foes of Britain, though frequenth/ defeated, yet still contending, took up the unfortunate idea of granting tlsem a hasty peace, and of tlien subduing her faithful friends. These devoted colonies were judged to be in such a state as to present victories v.itiiout bloodshed,, and all th.e easy emoluments of statuteable plunder. The uninterrupted tenor of their peaceable and re^ spectful behaviour from the beginning of coloniza- tion, their dutiful, zealous, and useful services dur- ing the v»ar, though so recently and amply acknow- ledged in the most honourable manner by his ma-, jesty, by the late king, and by parliament, could not save them from the meditated innovations. Parliament was influenced to adopt the pernicious ])r()ject, and assuming a new power over them, have in the course of eleven years given such deci- si\ e specimens of tlie spirit and consequences at- tending this power, as to leave no doubt concerning the effects of acquiescence under it. They have undertaken to give and grant our money without our consent, tliough we have ever exercised an ex- clusive right to dispose of our own property ; sta- •Nites have been passed for extending the jurisdic- rioji of courts of admiralty and vicc-admiraltv bf- 4 AMEllICAN BIOGRAPHICAL DICTION Ail V. yond tlicir ancient limits ; for dc])riving us of tUe accustomed and inestimable privilege of trial by jury, in cases affecting both life and property ; for suspending the legislature of one of- the Colonies ; for interdicting all commerce to the capital of ano- ther; and for altering fundamentally the form of government established by charter, and secured by acts of its own legislature solemnly confirmed by the crown ; for exempting the " murderers" of co- lonists from legal trial, and in effect, from punish- ment : for erecting in a neighbouring province, ac- fpiired by the joint arms of Great Britain and Ame- rica, a despotism dangerous to our very existence ; and for quartering soldiers upon the Colonists in time of profound peace. It has also been resolved in parliament, that Colonists charged v^ith commit- ting certain offences, shall be transported to En- glaiid to be tried. But why should we enumerate our injuries in tletaiir By one statute it is declared, that parlia- ment can **of right make laws to bind us in all cases whatsoever.'* V/iiat is to defend us against so enormous, so unlimited a power? Not a single man of those who assume it, is chosen by us; oris subject to our control or iniluence; but, on the con- ti'ai'v, tliey arc all of them exempt from the opera- tion of such laws, and an American revenue, if not diverted from the ostensible purposes for which it is raised, would actually lighten their own burdens in proportion as they increase ours. We saw the misery to which such despotism would reduce us. We for ten years incessantly and ineffectually be- sieged the tlirone as supplicants; wc reasoned, Ave I'cnionstrated with parliament in the most mild and decent language. Administi'ation sensible that we should regard these oppressive measures as freemen ought to do, ser.t over fleets and armies to enforce them. The indignation of tlie Americans was roused, it is true; AMERICAN BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY. 5 but it was the imligiiation of a virtuous, loyal, mid affectionate people. A Congress of delegates from the United Colonies was assemhled at Philadel- phia, on tlie fifth day of last Septemher. ^YG re- solved again to offer an humhle and dutiful petition to the king, and also addressed our fellow suhjccts of Great Britain. Wc liave pursued every tempe- rate, every respectful measure; we have even pro- ceeded to break off our commercial intercourse, with our fellow subjects, as the last peaceable ad- monition^ that our attachment to no nation upon earth should supplant our attachment to liberty.^ This we flattered ourselves, w as the ultimate step oi the controversy : but subsei^uent events have shewn, how vain was this hope of finding moderation i^ our enemies. Several threatening expressions against the Col- onies were inserted in liis majesty's speech; our petition, though we were told it was a decent one, and that liis majesty had been pleased to receive it graciously, and to promise laying it before his par- liament, was huddled into both houses among a- bundle of American papers, and there neglected. The lords and commons in their address, in tliy siionth of February, said tliat *^a rebellion at that time actually existed within the province of Mas- sachusetts Bay; and that those concerned in it, had been countenanced and encouraged by unlaw- ful combinations and engagements, entered into by his majesty's subjects in several of the other Col- onies' and therefore they besoug]it his majesty, tliat he would take the most effectual measures to enforce due obedience to the laws and authority of tiie supreme legislature." Soon after, tlie commer- cial intercourse of v^hole Colonies, with foreign countries, and witii each other, was cut off by an act of parliament: by another, several of them were entirely prohibiteci from the fisheries in the seas near their coast, on which they always depended As 6 AMERICAN BIOGKAPHICAL DICTIONAlttr. for their sustenance; and large reinforcements of ahips and troops were immediately sent over to general Gage. Fruitless were all the intreaties, arguments, and eloquence of an illustrious hand of the most distin- guished peers and commoners, whonohly and stren- uously asserted the justice of our cause, to stay, or even to mitigate the heedless fury with which these accumulated and unexampled outrages were hur- ried on. Equally fruitless was the interference of the city of London, of Bristol, and many other respectable towns in our favour. Parliament adopted an insidious manoeuvre calculated to di- vide us, to establish a perpetual auction of taxa- tions where Colony should bid against Colony, ali of them uninformed what ransom would redeem their lives; and thus to extort from us, at the point •f the bayonet, tlie unknown sums tliat would be sufficient to gratify, if possible to gratify, ministe- rial rapacity, with the miserable indulgence left to tis of raising, in our own mode, the prescribed tri- fcute. What terms more rigid and humiliating could have been dictated by remorseless victors to conquered enemies ? In our circumstances to ac- eept them, would be to deserve them. Soon after the intelligence of these pix)ceeding& arrived on this continent, general Gage, who in; the course of t]ie last year had taken possession of the town of Boston, in the province of Massaclui- setts Bay, and still occupied it as a garrison, on the 19th day of April, sent out from that place a large detachment of his army, who made an unprovoked assault on tlie inhabitants of tlie said province, at the town of Lexington, as appears hj the affidavits of a gi'cat number of persons, some of whom were officers and soldiers of that detachment, murdered eiglit of the inljabitantSy and wounded many others. From thence the troops proceeded in warlike array to the towR AMSSSICAIf BIOGRAPHICAIi DICTION ABT. / •f Concord, where tlicy set upon aotlier party of the inhabitants of the same province, killing several and wounding more, until compelled to retreat by the country people suddenly assem- bled to repel this cruel aggression. Hostilities, thus commenced by the British troops, have been since prosecuted by them v/ithout regard to faitli or reputation. The inhabitants of Bos« ton being confined witliin that town by the general, their governor, and having, in order to procure their dismission, entered into a treaty with him, it was stipulated that the said inha!)itants, having deposited tlicir arms, with their own ma- gistrates, should have liberty to depart, taking with them their other effects. They accordingly delivei^ed up their arms: but, in open violation of konor, in defiance of the obligation of ti*eaties, which even savage nations esteem sacred, the governor ordered the arms deposited as aforesaid, that they might be preserved for their owners, t« lie seized by a body of soldiers; detained the great- est part of the inhabitants in the town, and com- pelled tlie few who Avere permitted to retire, t© leave their most valuable effects behind. By tliis perfidy, wives are separated from their husbands, children from their parents, the aged and the sick from their relations and friends, wiio wisk "to attend and comfort them ; and those who have been used to liv&in plenty and even elegance, are reduced to deplorable distress. The general, further emulating his ministerial masters, by a proclamation bearing date on the 12th day of June, after venting the grossest false- hoods and calumnies against the good people of these colonies, proceeds to ^* declare them all, ei» ther by name or description, to be labels and trai» tors, to supersede tlie course of tlie common Iaw> and instead thereof to publish and order the use and exercise of the law martial.'* His troops have^ 8 iMJlRICAX BIOGHAPHICAL DICTIwXART. biitclicTcd our countrymen, liavc wantonly burn*, Chailcstown, besides a considerable number oi' houses in other places ; our ships and vessels are seized ; the necessary supplies of provisions are in- tercepted, and he is exerting his utmost power to spreail destruction and devastation around him. We have received certain intelligence, tliat ge- neral Carleton, the go^ernor of Canada, is insti- gating the people of tliat province, and the Indians^ to fall upon us ; and we have but too much reasou to apprehend, that schemes liave been formed to ex- cite domestic enemies against us» In brief, a part of these Colonies now feel, and all of them are suro of feeling, as fi\r as the vengeance of administration can inflict them, the complicated calamities of fire, sworiL and famine. We are reduced to the alter- native of choosing an unconditional submission to Uie tyranny of irritated ministers, or resistance by force. The latter is oiir choice. We have counted file cost of this contest, and Jind nothing so dreadful as rolimtarif slavery. Honour, justice, and huma- nity forbid us tamely to surrender that freedorii which we received from our gallant ancestors, aiu! which our innocent posterity have a right to I'e- ceive from us. We camiot endure the infamy and guilt of resigning succeeding generations to thafc wretcliedness which inevitably awaits them, if we basely entail hereditary bondage upon tliem. Our cause is just. Our union is perfect. Our internal resources are great, and, if necessai'v, fo- reign assistance is undoubtedly attainable. Wo gratefully acknowledge, as signal instances of the BivinefavortoA'-ards us. that his providence would not permit us to be called ijito this severe contro- Tersy, until we were grown up to our present strength, liad been previously exercised in warlike operations, and possessed the means of defending ourselves. With hearts fortified with these aniuia- ting reflections, wc most solemnly, before God^ AMERICAN BlOGEAnilCAX QICTIOXAEY. 9 and the world declare, that, exerting the utmost energy of those powers, which our beneficent Creator hath graciously bestowed upon us, the arms we haAC been compelled by our enemies to assume, we will, in defiance of every hazard, with unabating firmness and perseverence, employ for the preservation of our liberties : being with one mind resolved to die freemen rather than to live SXAVES. Lest this declaration should disquiet the minds of our friends and fellow-subjects in any part of the empire, we assure them that we mean not to dissolve that union which has so long and so hap- pily subsisted between us, and which we sincerely wish to see restored. Necessity has not yet dri- ven us into that desperate measure, or induced us to excite any other nation to war against them. We have not raised armies with ambitious de- signs of separating from Great Britain, and es- tablishing iiulepcndcnt states. We figlit not for glory or for conquest. We exhibit to mankind the remarkable spectacle of a people attacked by un- provoked enemies, without any imputation or even suspicion of offence. They boast of their privi- gcs and civilization, and yet protlcrno milder con- ditions than servitude or death. In our own native land, in defence of the free- dom that is our birth-right, and wliich we ever en- Joyed till the late violation of it : for the protec- tion of our property, acquii-ed solely by the honest industry of our forefathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. \Ye sliall lay them down when hostilities sl^all cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed sliall be removed, and not before, Witii an humble confidence in the merries of the supreme and im]iartial Judge and lluler of the uni- Terse, we most devoutly implore Ms Diviiie good;- 10 AMERICAN UlOGKArUlCAL DICTI0.\AR1% iieSvS to protect us happily through this great coii- Hict, to dispose our a(l^ ersaries to reconciliation on reasonable terms, and thereby to relieve the cni'- pire from the calamities of civil war. IN CONGRESS, July 8, 1775. TO TIIK KING'S MOST EXCELLENT J^IAJESTY. Most Graciaus Sovereign^ We your majesty's faithful subjects of the Co- lonies of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts-Bay, Rhode-Isiand and Providence Plantations, Con^ iiecticut, New- York, New- Jersey, Fennsylvanii^., the counties of New-Castle, Kent, and Sussex on Delav/are, Maryland, Virginia, North Ca- rolina, and South Carolina, in behalf of ourseh es and the inhabitants of these Colonies, who have de- puted us to represent tliem in general congress, in- treat your majcsty'vS gracious attention to this oiis* lunnble petition, Tlic union between our mother country and these colonies, and the energy of mild and just go- vernment, produced benciits so remarkably import- ant, and afforded such an assurance of their per- manency and increase, that the wonder and envy of other nations were excited, while they beiield Great Britain rising to a power the most extraor- dinary the world had ever known. Her rivals, observing that tliere was no pro- bability of this happy connection being broken by ci^il (Ussentions^ i nd appreliending its future effects, if left any longer viudisturbed, resolved to pre^ ent her receiving such continual and formida- ble accessions of >^'ealtli aiid ytrengtb. by checkinc ike growth of those settlements from which they were to be derived. In the prosecution of this attempt, events so un- fiiTorable to the design took place, that every friend to the interest of Great Britain and these Colonies, entertained pleasing and reasonable ex- pectations of seeing an additional force and exer- tion immediately given to the operations of the nnion, hitherto experienced, by an enlargement of the dominions of the crown, and the removal of an- 4*ent and warlike enemies to a greater distance. At tlic conclusion, therefore, of the late war, the wiost glorious and advantageous that ever had been •arried on by British arms, your loyal Colonists feaving contributed to its success, by such repeated and strenuous exertions, as frequently procured t4iem the distinguished approbation of your ma- jesty, of the late king, and of parliament, doubted not but that they should be permitted, with the rest of the empire, to share in the blessings of peace, and the emoluments of victory and conquest. While these recent and honourable acknowledg- ments of their merits remained on record in the journals and acts of that august legislature, the parliament, undefaced by the imputation or even the suspicion of any offence, they wcm alarmed by a new system of statutes and regulations adopted for the administration of tlie Colonies, that filled their minds with the most painful fears and jea- lousies ; and to their inexjH'essible astonishment, perceived the dangei^ of a foreign quarrel quickly succeeded by domestic danger, in their judgment of a more dreadful kind. Nor were these anxieties alleviated by any ten- dency in tliis system to promote the welfare of tlieir mother country. For tliough its effects were more immediately felt by tiiem, yet its influence appeared to be injurious to the commerce and |«"0S- ^^erit-v of Great Britain. ]^2 AMJ:11ICAN lilOGRVririCAL JilCTIOXAia. Wc shall decline the imgrateful task of describ- ing the irksome variety of artifices, practised by many of your majesty's ministers, the delusive pre- tences, fruitless terrors, and unavailing severities that have from time to time been dealt out by them, in their attempts to execute tins impolitic plan, or of tracing through a series of years past, the pro- gress of the unhappy differences between Great Britain and these Colonies, that have flowed from this fatal source. Your majesty's ministers, persevering in their measures, and proceeding to open hostilities for enforcing them, have compelled us to arm in our own defence, and have engaged us in a controversy so peculiarly abhorrent to the affections of your still faithful Colonists, that when we consider whom we must oppose in this contest, and if it continues, what may be the consequences, our own particular misfortunes are accounted by us only as parts of •ur distress. Knowing to what violent resentments, and incu- rable animosities, civil discords arc apt to exaspe- rate and inflame the contending parties, we think ourselves required, by indispensible obligations to Almighty God, to your majesty, to our fellow-sub- jects, and to ourselves, immediately to use all the means in our powTr, not incompatible with our safety, for stopping the further effusion of blood, and for averting the impending calamities that threaten the British empire. Thus called upon to address your majesty on af- fairs of such moment to America, and probably to all your dominions, we are earnestly desirous of performing this oiflce, witli the utmost deference for your majesty ; and we therefore pray, that your majesty's royal magnanimity and benevolence may make the most favourable coiistructlons of our ex- pressions on so uncommo)! an occasion. Could we i'Cprcsent in their full force, the sentiments that aMEUICAN UIOGHAPHICAIi DICTIONARY. 1 :\ agitate the minds of us^ your dutiful subjects, we arc persuaded your majesty v,ould ascribe any seeming deviation from reverence in our language, and even in our conduct, not to any reprehensible, intention, but to the impossibility of leconciling the usual appearances of respect, vvith a just at- tention to our own preser^ alion against those art- ful and cruel enemies, who abuse your royal confi- dence and authority, for the purpose of effecting our destruction. Attached to your majesty's person, family, and go^ ernment, with all devotion that principle and affection can inspire, connected with Great Britain by the strongest ties that can unite societies, and deploring every event that tends in any degree to weaken them, we solemnly assure your majesty, that we not only most ardently desire the for- mer harmony between her and these Colonies may be restored, but that a concord may be established between them upon so firm a basis as to perpetuate its blessings, uninterrupted by any future dissen- tions, to succeeding generations in both countries, and to transmit your majesty's name to posterity, jidorned with that signal and lasting glory, tliat has attended the memory of those illustrious per- sonages, whose virtues and abilities have extiica- tQi\ states from dangerous convulsions, and, by se~ curing happiness to others. ha,ve erected the most noble and durable monumente to their own fame. V>G beg leave farther to assure your majesty, iliat, notwithstanding tliC sufferings of your loyal Colonists, during the course of this present con- troversy, our breasts retain too tender arega^ dfor the kingdom from which we derive our origin, to request such a reconciliation as might, in any manner, be inconsistent with her dignity or her welfare. These, related as we are to lier, honor and duty, as well as inclination, induce us to siq)- poi-t and advance ; and the apprehensions thp-t now B 14 AMERICAN BIOCiKAPilltAL lilCTIONAsyc oppress our hearts witli unspeakable grief, being once removed, your majesty will find your faith- ful subjects, on this continent, ready and willing iit all times, as they have ever been, with their lives and fortunes, to assert and maintain the rights and interests of your majesty and of our mother fountry. AVe therefore beseech your majesty, tliat your royal autliority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system be- fore mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of your dominions, with all humility submit- ting to your majesty's wise consideration, whether it may not be expedient for facilitating those im- portant purposes, that your majesty be pleased to direct some mode, by which the united applications of your faithful colonists to the throne, in pursu- ance of their common councils, may be improved into a happy and permanent reconciliation; and that, in the mean time, measures may be taken for preventing the farther destruction of the lives of your majesty's subjects; and that sucli statutes as more immediately distress any of youi' majesty's colonies, may be repealed. For, by such arrangements as your majesty's wisdom can form for collecting the united sense of your American people, we are convinced your ma- jesty would receive such satisfactory proofs of the disposition of the colonists towards their sovc- I'eign and parent state, that the wished for oppor- tunity would soon be restored to them, of evincing the sincerity of their professions, by every testi- mony of devotion becoming the most dutiful sub- jects and the most affectionate colonists. That your majesty may enjoy a long and pros- perous reign, and that your descendants may gov- ern your dominions w itli honour to thcmseives, and ha))piness to their subjects, is our sincere prayei*. AMERICAN EIOGEAl'HIC.U:* DICTIONAEY. IS IN CONGRESS, March 16, 1776. A PROCLAMATION. The Congress, considering the w arlikc prepa- 1 ations of the British ministry, to siihvert oiu* inva- luable rights and privileges, and to reduce lis, by fire and sword, by the savages of the wilderness and our own domestics, to the most abject and ignomi- nious bondage ; desirous, at the same time, to have people of all ranks and degrees duly impressed with a solemn sense of God's superintending Providence, and of their duty devoutly to rely in all their law- ful enterprises on his aid and direction, do earnest- ly recommend that Friday, the 17th day of May next, be observed by the said colonies, as a day of humiliation, fasting and prayer ; that we may, with united hearts, confess and bcY>^ail our manifold sins and transgressions, a.nd by a sincere repentance and amendment of life, appease his righteous dis- pleasure, and, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, obtain his pardon and forgiveness, humbly imploring his assistance to frustrate the ci'uel purposes of our unnatural enemies ; and by inclining their hearts to justice and benevolence, prevent the further effusion of kindred blood. But, if continuing deaf to the voice of reason and huma- nity, and inflexibly bent on desolation and wai', tbey constrain us to repel their hostile invasions by open resistance, that it may please the Lord of Hosts- the God of armies, to animate our officers and soldiers with invincible fortitude, to guard and protect them in the day of battle, and to crown the co]\tinental arms, by sea and land, with victory and success. Earnestly beseeching him to bless our CIA il rulers, and the representatives of the peo- ple in their several assemblies and conventions, to preserve and strengthen their union; to inspire 16 AMERICAN BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY. tliem with an ardent, disinterested love of their country ; to give wisdom and stability to tlieir councils, and (iircct them to tlic most efficacious measures for establishing the rights of America on the most honorable and permanent hasis; that he would he graciously pleased to bless all the people in these colonies with health and plenty; and grant-, tliat a spirit of incorruptible patriotism, and of pure undefilcd religion, may universally prevail: and this continent be speedily restored to the bles- sings of peace and liberty, and enabled to ti'ansmit them inviolate to the latest posterity. And it is recommended to Cliristians of all denominations, to assemble for public worship, and abstain from servile labour on the said day. IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. THE UNANIMOUS DECLARATION OF THE THIR- TEEN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political hands whicli have connected them with another, and to assume, among the powers of the eartli. the separate and equal station to which the laws of na- ture and of nature's God entitle them, a decent res- pect to tlie opinions of mankind, recpiires that they sliould declare the causes wliich impel them to the separation. We Isold these truths to he self-evident — ^that all men are created equal that they are endowed by their Creator v/ith certain unalienable riglits; that amorig these arc l>.fe. liberty, and the pur«'rt of happiness. That, to secure these rights, govern. AMfiUlCAN BlOGRArniCAL DICTiONAilV. iT meiits arc instituted among men, deriving tlicir just powers from the consent of the governed; that Avljcnevcr any form of government hecomes des- tructive of these ends, it is tlie right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new gov- ernment, laying its foundation on such principles, and oi^ganizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate, that governments, long established, should not be changed for light and transient causes; and ac- cordingly all experience hath shown, tliat mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are suffer- able, than to light themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing in- variably the same object, evinces a design to re- duce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such govern- ment, and to provide new guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance oi these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter tlieir former systems of go- vernment. The history of the present king of Great Britain, is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the esta- blisiiment of an absolute tyranny over tlicsc states. To prove this, let ikcts be submitted to a candid world. He has refused his assent to law s the most whole- some and necessary for tlie public good. He has for])i(] den his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspend- ed in tiieir operation, till his assent should be ob- tained ; and when so suspended, lie has utterly ne- glected to attend to them. He has refused to pass otiier laws for the accommodation of large districts of peoj)le, unless those peojde would relinquish the nght of representation in the legislature ; a right- 18 AMEKICAN BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY. inestimable to tiicm, and formidable to tyrantff onlyc He bas called togetlicrlegislativebodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the repo- sitory of tbeir public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his mea- sures. lie has dissolved representative houses repeated- ly, for opposing, with manly firmness, his inva- sio?is on the rights of tf^e people. He has refused for a long time after such disso- lutiorts. to cause others to be elected r wliereby the legislative powers, incapable of annilnlation, have returned to the people at large, for their exercise, the state remaining, in the mean time, exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and con- vulsions wit^iin. He lias endeavoured to prevent the population of these states ; foi* that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration liither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands. He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing ju- diciary |)owers, H;^ has made judges dependent on his will alone, for tlie tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has erected a multitude of new ofiices, and sent hither swariiis of ollicers. to harrass our peo- ple, and eat out their substance. He has kept among us. in times of peace, stand- ing armies without tije conscr»t of our legislatures. He has affected to render the military independ- ent of, and superior to, t')e civil power^ He has combined witit others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to orr cor.stitution. and unac- knov> ledged by our laws giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation : AMETIICAN BIOGPvAPHICAI. DICTION^AST. 19" For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us : For protecting them by a mock trial, from pu- nislmient for any murders which ihQy should com- mit on the inhabitants of these states : For cutting oif our trade with all parts of the world : For imposing taxes on us without our consent : For depriving us, in rnaiiy cases, of the benefits o^f trial by jury : For transpoi-ting us beyond seas to be trieil for pretended offences : For abolishing tlie free system of English laws in a neighbouring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boun- daries, so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these colonies : For taking away our cliarters, abolishing our snost valuable laws, and altering, fiindamcntallyj the forms of our governments : For suspending our own legislatures, and declar- ing themselves invested with pov/er to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever. He has abdicated government here, by declaring lis out of his protection, and waging war against us. He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, huvnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the Vvorks of death, desolation and tyi^anny already begun witli cir- cumstances of cruelty and perfidy, scarcely paral- lelerl in the mo^t barbarous ages, and totally un- wo> thy the bea'^ of a civilized nation. He has constrained our fellow citizens, taken capti e ^on the hig]* seas, to bear arms against tl^eir country, to become the ex'ecutioners of their 50 AMERICAN BIOGRAPIIICAI. DICTlONARy. frieiuls and bretlireii, or to fall themselves by their hands. He lias excited domestic insurrections amongst ns, and ]ias endeavoured to bring on the inliabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, wliose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all agcs^ sexes, aiid conditions. In e^ ery stage of tliese oppressions we have peti- tioned for redi'ess in the most humble terms : oui* icpeatcd petitions Jiave been answered only by re- peated injury. A prince, whose cliaracter is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. Nor have ^\ e been wanting in attentions to our British brethren, We have warned them, fi-om time to time, of attempts by their legislature to ex- tend an unwarrantable jurisdiction o^ er us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. >Ve have ap- pealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and wc liave conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which v» ould ine^ itably interrupt our connexions and correspon- dence. They too have been deaf to the voice of jus- tice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, ac- quiesce in the necessity wiiich denounces our sepa- ration, and hold them, as we hold tlie rest of man- kind, enemies in war, in peace friends. We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in general congress assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world, for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in tlie name and by the authority of the good people of tliesc Colo- nies, solemnly publish and declare, that these Uni- ted Colonies are, and of right ought to be, ikeb AND INDEPENDENT STATES r that they are absolv- ed f' oin all allegiance to the British ci'own, and tliat all political connexion betv>een them and the state of Crreat Britain, is, and ought to be, totally AMERICAX BIOGRAPHIC A L i/ICTiOXARY. £1 dissolved ; and that as free and independent states, they have full po^Ye^ to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this de- claration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor. The foregoing declaration was, by order of con- gress, engrossed^ and signed by the following mem- bers : JOHN HANCOCK. ^"etv Hampshire. Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple. Matthew Thornton, Massachusetts Bay. Samuel Adams, Joliii Adams^ Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry. Rhode Island, (J-c. Stephen Hopliins, William Ellery. Coiinecticui, Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntingdon, Williara Williams, Oliver Wolcott. JS^exv Fork. William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris. *^^e7V Jerseij. Richard Stockton, John WitlierspooU; Francis Hopkinson, John Hart. Abraliam Clark, Fennsylvania. Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymcr, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross, Delaware, Cesar Rodjiey, George Read- Thomas M'Keaii. 9^^l AMERICAX BIOGKAPIIICAL DICTIONARY* Marifland, Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Cliarles Carroll, Carrlta. Virginia, George Wytlie, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, jr. Francis Liglitfoot Lee. Carter Braxton, JVor/A Carolina, AYilliam Hooper, Joseph Hewe«. John Penn, South Carolina* Edward Rntledge, Thomas Heyward, jr. Thomas Lynch, jr. Arthur Middleton. Georgia, Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall. Gfoi-ge >yalton, Resolved, That copies of the declaration be sent to the several assemblies, conventions and commit- tees or councils of safety, and to the several com- manding officers of the continental troops ; that it be proclaimed in each of the United States, and at the head of the army^ It will be seen that Congress was, from the be- ginning, attentive to th.e commemoration of tlic de- claration of Independence. It appears by tlie jour- nals, that in the year 1777, an a(?journincnt took place from Thursday, the Sd of July, to Saturday, the 5 th. And, on the 9.4th of June, 1778 Congress ha> ing determined to adjourn from York Town, in Peimsylvania, to meet at Philadelphia on the 2d of July following, ])asscd the subjoined resolution in w hicJi it was farther resolved, that congress would, in a body, attend divine woiship on Sunday, the 5th day of July, to return thanks for the divine mercy, in su])porting the independence of tiie states, and that the ( lii^plalns shouh:] be notified to oiliciate and preacli sprivon-^; j^iiite-' to the occasion ' liesolvedf That a committee of three be appoint- AiBEmCAN BIOGRAMIICAi DieTIOKARY. 2S rd to take proper measures for a public celebration of tlie anniversary of independence at Philadelpliia, on tlie 4th day of July next ; and that they be au- thorised and directed to invite the president and council, and speaker of the assembly of the com- monwealth of Pennsylvania, and such otlier gen- tlemen and strangers of distinction, as they shall deem proper. IN CONGRESS, November 1, 1777. A PROCLAMATION. Forasmuch as it is the indispensible duty of all men to adore tlie superintending Providence of Al- migiity God ; to acknowledge, with gratitude, tlieir obligation to him for benefits received, anil to i.n- plore such fartlier blessings as they stand in need of; and it having please I Him, in liis abundant mercy, not only to continue to ViS the innume^'able bounties of his common providence, but also smile upon us ill the prosecution of a just and iiecessary war, for the defence and estp/oliskment (?f our un- alienable rights and li\)ert s ; ]). vticijlarly in that he hath been pleased in s.> great a rne^^^surc to pros- per the means used for tijc support of our traops, and to crown our ar?ns with most signal success : it is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive powers of these Ui'J e ^ States, to set apart Thursday, the iBth ■ . of December 'lext, for solemn tha^nksgiving and praise ; that wit- j:ie heart and one voice, tlie g ;o 1 people may ex;i -ess the grateful feelings of t^ieir lioarts, and con v rate themselves to the service of their Divine Bviiefac- tor and that together with their sincere acknow- ledgments and oiT^^ririgs, they may join the nejii- tent confession of their manifold sins, wlieveb" Lhey iiiad forfeited everv favour and their humble and 24 AMJiRItAX iJlOGKAriiiCAi IJi(. j 10a ii i . earnest supplication that it may please God, through the merits of Jesus Christ, mercifuily to foigive and blot them out of remembrance ; that it may please bin) graciously to afford bis blessings on the gcyj- vcinments of these states respectively, and prosper the public council of the whole ; to inspire our com- manders, both 1)} laml and sea, and all under them, with that wisdom and fortitude which may render them fit instruments, under the Providence of Al- miglity God, to secure for these United States, the greatest of alt blessings, independence and peace ; that it may please him to prosper the trade and ma- nufactures of tiie people, and the labour of tlic hus- bandman, that our land may yield its increase ; to take schools and seminaries of education, so neces- sary for cultivating the principles of true liberty, virtue and piety, under his nurturing hand, an*! t« prosper the means of religion, for the promotion iind enlargement of that kingdom which consistetb in righteousness, peace and joy in tlie Holy Ghost. And it is further recommended, tliat servile la- bour and such recreation as, though at other times innocent, may be ur.beroming the purpose of thi» appointment, be omitted on so solemn an occii- sion. IN CONGRESS, May 8, 1778. AN ADDRESS OJ the Congress, to the InhaUtanls oj ' ' Cr'led States of America, FHends and Cffiintrymcjiy Thuee years have now passed away, since the commencement of the present war. A war without parallel in the annals of mankind. It hath dis- AMERICAX BIOGRAPHIC AX DICTIONARY. i25 played a spectacle, the most solemn that can possi- bly be exhibited. On one side, we behold fraud and violence labouring in the service of despotism ; on the otlier, virtue and fortitude supporting and establishing the rights of human nature. You cannot but remember how reluctantly we were dragged into this arduous contest ; and hov- repeatedly, v, ith the earnestness of humble intrea- ty, we supplicated a redress of our grievances from liim who ought to have been the father of his peo- ple. In vain did we implore his protection : In i ain appeal to the justice, the generosity, of En« glishmen ; of men, who had been tlie guardians, the assertors, and vindicators of liberty through a succession of ages : Men, who, vritli their sv/ords, ■tad established the firm barrier of freedom, and mented it with the blood of heroes. Every ef- >rt was vain. For, even whilst we vrere prostrat- d at the foot of tlie throne, that fatal blow was struck, vhich liath seperated us forever. Tlais spurned, contemned and insulted ; tiius driven by our enemies into measures, whicli our souls abhor- red ; we made a solemn appeal to the tribunal of unerring wisdom and justice. To that Almighty Ruler of Princes, wliose kingdom is over all. We were then quitQ defenceless. Without arms, without ammunition, without clothing, without ships, without money, ^\ithout oflScers skilled in war ; with no other reliance but tlie bravery of our neople and the justice of our cause. We had to ontend with a nation great in arts and in arms, hose fleets covered the ocean, whose banners Iiad wa\ ed in triumph through every quarter of the globe. Hov/ever unequal this contest, our weak- ness was still far-ther increased by the enemies V, hich America had nourished in her bosom. Thus exposed on the one hand, to external force and in- ternal divisions ; on the other to be eompelled to drink of the bitter cup of slaverv, and to go sO'.'- C 26 AMEillCAX BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIOXAU-^, Ti'owiiig all our lives long ; in tliis sad alternali\ (\ Mc chose tlie former. l"o this alternative \vc were I'cdiiced by men, avIio, had they been animated by one spark of generosity, would liave disdained to take such mean advantage of onr situation ; or, liad lliey paid the least regard to the rules of justice, vvouid have considere(l with abliori'encc a proposi- tion to injure those, who had faithfully fought tlieir battles, and industriously contributed to rear the <'dificc of their glory. But, hoAvever great the injustice of our foes in rommencing this war, it is by no means equal to til at cruelty with which they have conducted it. The course of tlieir armies is marked by rapine and devastation. Thousands, ^^ithout distinction of age or sex, have been driven from their peaceful abodes, to encounter the rigours of inclement sea- sons ; and the face of heaven hath been insulted by the wanton conflagration of defenceless towTis. Their victories have been followed by the cool mur- der of men, no longer able to resist ; and those who (^scaped from the first act of carnage have been ex- posed, by cold, hunger and nakedness, to wear out a miserable existence in tlie tedious hours of con- finement, or to become the destroyers of their coun- trymen, of their friends, perhaps, dreadful idea ! of their parents or children. Nor was tliis the out- rageous barbarity of an individual, but a system of deliberate malice, stamped with the concurrence of the British legislature, and sanctioned with all the formalities of law. Nay, determined to dis- solve tlie closest bonds of society, they have sti- mulated servants to slay their masters in the peace- ful hour of domestic security. And, as if all this were insufficient to slake their thirst of blood, the blood of brothers, of unoffending brothei's, they have excited the Indians against us ; and a gene- ral, who calls himself a christian, a follower of the snerciful Jesus, hath dared to proclaim to all the AMERICAN BIOGRArUlCAL DICTIOXARY. £1, world, his intention of letting loose against lis whole hosts of savages, whose rule of w arfare is promiscuous carnage ; who rejoice to murder the infant smiling in its mother's arms ; to inflict on their prisoners the most excruciating torments, and cxhihit scenes of horror fiom w hich nature recoils. Were it possihie, they would have added to this terrible system, for they have offered the inhabi- tants of these states to be exported by their mer- chants to the sickly, baneful climes of India, there to perish. An offer not accepted of, merely from the impracticability of carrying it into execution. Notwithstanding these great provocations, we have treated such of them as fell into our hands, with tenderness, arid studiously endeavoured to al- leviate the afflictions of their captivity. This con- duct we have pursued so far, as to be by them stig- matized with cowardice, and by our friends with folly. But our dependance was not upon man. It was upon Him, who hath commanded us to love our enemies and to render good for evil. And wiiat can be more wonderful than the manner of our deliverance ? How often have we been reduc- ed to distress, and yet been raised up ? When the means to prosecute the war have been w anting to lis, ha\ e not our foes themselves been rendered in- strumental in providing them ? This hath been done in such a variety of instances, so peculiarly marked almost by the direct interposition of Provi- dence, that not to feel and acknowledge his protec- tion, would be the height of impious ingratitude. At length that God of battles, in whom was our trust, hath conducted us through the paths of danger and distress, to the thresholds of security. It hath now become morally certa.in, that, if we have cou- rage to persevere, we shall establish our liberties and independence. The hauglity prince who spurn- ed us from his feet with contumely and disdain ; and the parliament which proscribed us, now de- -.1^ AMERICAN BIOGRAPHICAI. DlCTIONAllY. .,ccnd to offer terms of accommodation. Wliilsfe in the full career of victory, they pulled off the, mask, and avowed their intended despotism. But fia\ ing lavished in vain the blood and treasure of Their subjects, in pursuit of this execrable purpose, ihey now endeavour to ensnare us with the insidious oilers of peace. They would seduce you into a de- pendancc which, necessarily, inevitably leads to the most humiliating slavery. And do they believe rhatyou will accept these fatal terms? Because you liave suifered the distresses of war, do they suppose that you will basely lick the dust before the feet of Toui^ destroyers ? Can there be an American so lost to the feelings which adorn human nature? To the generous pride, the elevation, the dignity of freedom ! Is there a man who would not ab- hor a dependance npon tliose, who have deluged iiis country in the blood of its inhabitants? avc can- not suppose this, neither is it possible tliat they themsei\es can expect to make many converts. — What then is their intention? Is it not to lull you with tlie fallacious hopes of peace^ until tliey can assemble new armies to prosecute their nefarious designs? If this is not the case, why do they strain every nerve to levy men throughout tlieii* islands? Why do they meanly court every little tyrant of Europe to sell tliem his unhappy slaves? Why do they continue to embitter the minds of tlie savages against you ? Surely this is not the way to con- ■ iliatc the afTections of America. Be not, therefore, deceived. You have still to expect one severe con- Oict. Your foreign alliances, though they secure your independence, cannot secure your country from desolation, your habitations from plunder, voiir wives from insult or violation, nor your chil- di*eu from butchery. Foiled in their principal de- sign, you must expect to feel tlie rage of disappoint- ed ambition. Arise then ! to your tents ! and gird you for battle. It is time to inni tlic lieadloBg AMERICAN BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIOIS ART. 29 current of vengeance upon tlie head of the destroy- er. They have filled up the measure of their abominations, and like ripe fruit must soon drop from the tree. Although much is done, yet mucli remains to do. Expect not peace, whilst any cor- ner of America is in possession of your foes. Yon must drive them away from the land of promise, a land flowing indeed with milk and honey. Your brethren at the extremities of the continent, al- ready implore your friendship and protection. It is your duty to grant their request. They hunger and thirst after liberty. Be it yours to dispense the heavenly gift. And what is there now to pre- vent it ? After the unremitted efforts of our enemies, we are stronger than before. Nor can the wicked emissaries, who so assiduously labour to promote tlieir cause, point out any one reason to sujppose that we shall not receive daily accessions of strength. They tell you, it is true, that your mo- ney is of no value* and your debts so enormous they can never be paid. But we tell you, that if Britain prosecutes the war another campaign, that single campaign will cost her more than we have hitherto expended. And yet these men would pre- vail upon you to take up that immense load, and for it to sacrifice your dearest rights. For, sure- ly, there is no man so absurd as to suppose, that the least shadow of liberty can be preserved in a dependant connexion with Gi^eat Britain. From tlie nature of the thing it is evident, that the only security you could obtain, would be, tlie justice and moderation of a parliament, who have sold the rights of their own constituents. And this slen- der security is still farther weakened, by the con- sideration that it was pledged to rebels (as they un- justly call the good people of these states) Avith whom they think they are not bound to keep faith hj any law whatsoever. Thus would you be cast c e 30 AMERICAN BIOGRAPHICVX DICTIONAIii. bound among men, whose minds, by your vii-tuous resistance, have been sharpened to the keenest edge of revenge. Thus would your cliildren and your children's children, be by you forced to a partici- pation of all their debts, their wars, tljeir luxuries^ and their crimes. And this mad, tiiis impious sys- tem, they would lead you to adopt, because of the dcrar.gement of your finances. It becomes you deeply to reflect on this subject. Is there a country upon earth, which hath such re- sources for the payment of her debts, as America ? Such an extensive territory ; so fertile, so blessed m its climate and productions. Surely there is none. Neither is there any. to whicli the wise Eu- ropeans will sooner confide tlieir property. What then are the reasons that your money hath deprc- cip.tcd ? Because no taxes have been imposed to carry on the war. Because your commerce hath been interrupted by your enemies fleets. Because their armies have ravaged and desolated a part of yo'j.r country. Because their agents have villainous- ly counterfeited your bills. Because extortioners among you, inflamed with the lust of gain, have ad- ded to the price of every article of life. And be- cause weak men have been artfully led to believe that it is of no value. How is this dangerous dis- ease to be remedied ? Let those among you, who have leisure and opportioiity, collect the monies which individuals in their neighborhood are desirous of placing in the public funds. Let the several legis- lat^iies sink their respective emissions, tliat so, there being but one kind of bills, there may be less danger of countcj feits. Refrain a little from pur- chasing those things which are not absolutely ne- cessary, that so those v^lio ha\ e engrossed commo- dities may suffer (as they desert edly will) the loss of their ill gotten hoards, by reason of the com- mere ' with foi-eign nations, which the fleets will protect. Above all, bring forward your armies AMERICAN BIOGKAPHfCAL UICTIOXARY. 31 into the field. Trust not to appearances of peace or safety. Be assured, that unless you perse*, ere, you vill be exposed to every species of barbarity. But, if you exert tlic means of defence which God and nature jg^ave given you., the time will soon ar- rive, when every man shall sit under his own ^. ine and fig tree, and tlierc shall be none to make him afraid. The sweets of a free commerce with every part of the earth will soon reimburse vou for all the los- ses you have sustained. The full tide of ^> ealtli will flow in upon your shores, free from the arbi- trary impositions of tliose, wliosc interest and wiiose declared policy it was to check your growth. Your inteiests will be fostered and noui-ished by governments, that derive tlieir power frosn your grant, and will therefore be obliged, by the influ- ence of cogent necessity, to exert it in your fa- vour. It is to obtain these thins:s that we call for vour strenuous, unremitted exertions. Yet do not be- lie \e that you have been or can be saved merely by your ovvn strength. No ! it is by the assistance of Hea^ en ; and this you must assiduously cultivate^ by acts which Heaven approves. Thus shall the power and tlie hap])iness of these Sovereign, Free^ and Independent States, founded on the virtue of their citizens, increase, extend and endure, until the Almighty shall blot out all the empires of the earth. Resolvcih That it be recommended to the minis- ters of the gospel, of all denominations, to read or cause to be read, immediately after divine service, the above address to the inha.bitants of the United States of America, in their respective churches and ch apels, and other places of religious worship. 32 AMERICAN BIOGKAruiCAIi DlGTIONAP.l. IN CONGRESS, October 30, 1778. By the Congress of the United States of America, A MANIFESTO. These United States having been driven to hos- tilities by the oppressive a e tlicii' enemies, as children of that Being who is equally the father of all: and desirous, since they could not prevent, at least to alleviate, the calami- ties of war, have studied to spare those who were in arms against them, and to lighten the chains of captivity. The conduct of those serving under the king of Great Britain hath, with some few exceptions, been diametrically opposite. They have laid waste the open country, burned the defenceless villages, and butchered the citizens of America. Their prisons liave been the slaughter-houses of her soldiers; AMERICAN BIOGIlAPHICAIi lilCTiONARY. o3 ilieir ships of her seamen, and the severest injuries have been aggravated bv the grossest insults. Foiled in their vain attempt to subjugate the un- conquerable spirit of freedonij they have meanly as- sailed tlie representatives of America with bribes, Vvith deceit, ^and the servility of adulation. They have made a mock of humanity, by the wanton des- stFfiction of men ; they have made a mock of reli- gion, by impious appeals to God whilst in the vio- lation of his sacred commands ; they have made a mock even of reason itself, by endeavouring to prove that the liberty and iiappiness of America could safely be intrusted to those, who have sold their ov,n, unawed by the sense of virtue or of shame. Treated with the contempt which such conduct deserved, they have applied to individuals ; they have solicited them to break the bonds of allegiance, and embrue their souls vrltli the blackest of crimes,- but, fearing that none could be found through these United States, equal to the wickedness of their pur- pose, to influence weak minds, tliey have threaten- ed more wide devastation. While the shadow of hope remained, that our enemies could be ttiught, by our example, to res- pect those laws v/hich are held sacred among civi- lized nations, and to compl} with the dictates of a religion, which they pretend, in common witli us, to believe and to revere, they have been left to the influence of that religion and that example. But since tlieir incorrigible dispositions cannot be touch- ed by kindness and compassion, it becomes our du- tv by other means to vindicate the lights of huma- iiity. y^ e, therefore, the Congress of the United States of America, do solemnly declare and proclaim, that if our enemies presume to execute their thi*eats, or persist in tlieLr present career of barbarity, we will take such exemplary vengeance as shall deter 34 AMERICAN BIOGRArniCAJi DlCTIONAlir. others from a lilcc conduct. Wc appeal to that God vrho scai'clieth the hearts of men, for the rectitude of our intentions ; and, in His holy presence, \vc declare, tliat as we are not moved hy any liglit and hasty suggestions of anger and revenge, so through evei'v possihle cliange of fortune wc will adhere to 1his our dcteiinination. IN CONGRESS, October 26, 1781. A PROCLAMATION. Whereas, it hath pleased Almighty God, the father of mercies, remarkahly to assist and support the United States of America, in their important struggle for liberty, against the long continues ef- forts of a powei'ful nation: it is the duty of all r:M;ks to observe and tliankfully to acknowledge the in- terpositions of his providence in their behalf, — Througli the whole of tiie contest, from its first I'ise to this time, tlie influence of Di^ ine Providence may be clearly perceived, in many signal instan- ces, of which YvC mention but a few. In revealing the councils of our enemies, when the discoveries v/ere seasonable and important, iind the means seemingly inadequate or fortuitous : in preserving and even improving the union of the se- > eral states, on the breach of wliich our enemies placed their greatest dependence : in increasing ih.a numbei*, and adding to the zeal and attachment to the friends of liberty ; in granting remarkable dc- li^erances, and l)lessing us with the most signal success, when affaii-s seemed to have the most dis- couraging appearance : in raising up for us a pow- erful and generous ally, in one of the first of the European powers : in confounding the councils of fltur enemies, and suffeiing them to pursue such AMi:iilCAX BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIO^AKY. 35 measures as have most directly contributed to frus- trate their own desires and expectations : above all, in making their extreme cruelty to the inhabi- tants of these states, when in their power, and their saA age devastation of property, the very means of cementing our union, and adding vigour to every effort in opposition to them. And as we cannot help leading the good people of these states, to a retrospect on tlie events wJiich have taken place since tlie lieginning of the war, so we recommend, in a particular manner, to their ob- servation, the goodness of God in the year now- drawing to a conclusion. In which the confedera- tion of the United States has been completed : in whicli thei'e ha^'e been so many instances of prow- ess and success in our armies ; particularly in the southern states, where, notwithstanding the diffi- culties with which they had to struggle, they have recovered the whole country whicli the enemy had overrun, leaving them only a port or two, on or near the sea ; in wliicli we have been so powci'fully and effectually assisted by our allies, while in all the conjunct operations tlie most perfect harmony has subsisted in all the allied army : in which there has been so plentiful a harvest, and so great abund- ance of the fruits of the earth of c^ cry kind, as not only enables us easily to supply the wants of our army, but gives comfort and iiappiness to the whole people : and in v, liich, after the success of our al- lies by sea, a general of tlie first rank, with his whole army has been captured by the allied forces under the direction of our commander in ciiief. It is therefore recommended to the several states, to set apart the tiiirteenth day of December next, to be religiously observed as a day of thanksgiv- ing and prayer; tliat all the people may assemble on that day, with grateful hearts, to celebrate tlie praises of our gracious benefa-ctor ; to confess our Dianifold sins; to offer up our most fervent siippli- 30 AMERIC'AIV BIOGRArHI€AL liiCTIOXAPti. cations to the God of all grace, that it may please him to pardon our offences, and incline our hearts for the future to keep all his laws: to comfort and relieve all our hrethren \v])o are in distress or captivity ; to prosper our hus- handmen, and give success to all engaged in law- ful commerce ; to impart wisdom and integrity to our councillors, judgment and fortitude to our offi- cers and soldiers : to protect and prosper our il- lustrious ally ; and favour our united exertions for the speedy establishment of a safe, honourable and lasting peace ; to bless all seminaries of learning ; and ; ause the knowledge of God to cover the earth, as the waters cover the seas. IN CONGRESS, October 18, 1783. By the United States in Congress assembledi A PROCLAMATION. Whereas, it hatb pleased the Supreme Ruler of all human events, to dispose the hearts of the late belligerent powers, to put a period to the effu- sion of human blood, by proclaiming a cessation of all hostilities by sea and land, and tliese United States are not only happily rescued from the dan- gers and calamities to which they have been long exposed, but their freedom, sovereignty and inde- pendence, ultimately acknowledged. And where- as, in the progress of a contest on which the most essential rights of hviman nature depended, the in- terposition of Divine Providence in our favour hath been most abundantly and mod gloriously mani- fested, and the citizens of these United Stater* liave every reason for praise and gratitude to the God of their salvation. Impressed, therefore, with an AMERICAN BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY. 37 exalted sense of the blessings by ^vliicli we are sur- rounded, and our entire dependancc on tliat Al- mighty Being from whose goodness and bounty they are derived, the United States, in Congress assembled, do recommend it to the several states, to set apart the second Thursday in December next as a day of public thanksgiving, that all the people may then assemble to celebrate with grate- A'ul hearts and united voices, the praises of their Supreme and all bountiful Benefactor, for liis num- berless favours and mercies. That he hath becR pleased to conduct us in safety through all the per- ils and vicissitudes of the war ; tliat he hath given • s unanimity and resolution to adhere to our just •ights ; that he hath raised up a powerful ally to : ssist us in supporting them, and hath so far crown- . d our united efforts with success; that in the course ?f the present year, hostilities have ceased, and we are left in the undisputed possession of our liberty and independence, and of the fruits of our land, and In the free participation of the treasures of the sea: :hat he hath prospered the labour of our husband- men with plentiful harvests; and above all, that he hath been pleased to continue to us the light of the i;lessed gospel, and secured to us in the fullest ex- ient, the rights of conscience in faith and worshipr \nd while our hearts overflow with gratitude, and v>ur lips set forth the praises of our great Creator, >]iat we also offer up fervent supplications, that it aiay please him to pardon all our offences, to give ,\ isdom and unanii.iity to our public councils: to cment all our citizens in the bonds of affection, and to inspire them vv ith an earnest rego.rd for the juitional honour and interest, to enable them to im- prove tlic days of prosperity by every good v. ork, viad to be lovers of peace and tranquility ; that he iiiay be pleased to bless us in our husbandry, our commerce, and navigation; to smile upon our semi- laries and means of education : to cause pure rcli- as AMEKICAN BIOGRAPHICAl^ DICTIONARl. gioii and virtue to flourish; to give peace to all na- tions, and to fill the world with his glory. GENERAL ORDERS ISSUED BY GENERAL WASHINGTON, TO THE ARMl or THE UNITED STATES. Head Quarters, Jlpril 18, 1783. The commander in chief orders the cessation of hostilities hetween the United States of America iind the king of Great Britain, to be publicly pro- claimed to-moiTOW at twelve o'clock, at the new building : and that tlie proclamation which will be" communicated herewith, be read to-morrow even- ing at the head of every regiment and corps of the army ; after which the chaplains, with the sevei'al brigades, will render thanks to Almighty God for nil his mercies, particularly for his over-ruling the wrath of man to his own glory, and causing the rage of war to cease among the nations. Although the proclamation before alluded to, ex- Tends only to the prohibition of hostilities, and not to the annunciation of a general peace, yet it must afford the most rational and sincere satisfaction to every benevolent mind, as it puts a period to a long and doubtful contest, stops the effusion of human blood, opens the prospect to a more splendid scene, and, like another morning star, promises the ap- proach of a brighter day than hath hitherto illumi- nated the western hemisphere. On such a happy day, which is the harbinger of peace, a day which completes the eighth year of the war, it would be in- gratitude not to rejoice; it would be insensibiiit^T not to participate in the general felicity. AMERICAN BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIOSTARY. $9 The commander in chief, far from endeavouring to stifle the feelings of joy in his own hosom, offers his most cordial congratulations on the occasion to all the officers of every denomination ; to all the troops of the United States in general; and in par- ticular to those gallant and persevering men who had resolved to defend the rights of their invaded country, so long as the war should continue. For these arc the men who ought to he considered as the pride and boast of the American army; and who, crowned with well earned laurels, may soon with- draw from the field of glory to the more tranquil walks of civil life. While the commander in chief recollects the almost infinite variety of scenes through which we have passed, with a mixture of pleasure, astonishment, and gratitude ; while he contemplates the prospects before us v/ith rapturC;, he cannot help wishing that all the brave men, of whatever condition they may be, v>^ho have shared the toils and dangers of effecting this glorious re- volution ; of rescuing millions from the hand of op- pressiou; and of laying the foundation of a great empire, might be impressed with a proper idea of the dignified part they have been called to act, un- der the smiles of Providence, on the stage of human affairs ; for happy, thrice happy ! shall they be pro- nounced hereafter, who have contributed any thing, who have performed the meanest office in erecting this stupendous fabric of freedom and empire, on the broad basis of independency; who have assist- ed in protecting the rights of human nature, and establishing an asylum for the poor and oppressed of all nations and religions. The glorious task for which we first flew to arms being accomplished; the liberties of our country being fully acknow- ledged, and firmly secured, by the smiles of heaven on the purity of our cause, and the honest exer- tions of a feeble people, determined to be free, against a powerful nation disposed to oppress them; 40 AMERICAN BIOGRAPHICAl. JDICTIOXARY. and tlie cliaracter of tliose who have porseverGil through every extveinity of hardship, suffering, and dangcis being immortalized by the illustrious appel- lation of the patriot army; nothing now remains but for the actors of this mighty scene to preserve a perfect unvarying consistency of character through the very last act; to close tlie drama w ith applause; and to retire from the military theatre with tiic same approbation of angels and men, which have crow ned all their former virtuous actions. For this purpose no disorder or licentiousness must be tole- rated. Every considerate and w ell disposed soldier must remember, it will be absolutely necessary to wait with patience until peace shall be declared, or Congress shall be enabled to take proper measures for the security of the public stores, &c. As soon as these arrangements shali be made, the general is confident, there w ill be no delay in discharging, with every mark of distinction and honour, all tlic Bien enlisted for the war, w ho will then have faith- fully performed tlieir engagements w ith the pub- lic. The general has already interested himself in their behalf; and he thinks he need not repeat the assurance of his disposition, to be useful to them on the present, and every other proper occasion. In tlie mean time, he is determined tliat no milita- ry neglects or excesses sliall go unpunished, while he I'ctains the command of tlie army. The adjutant-general will have such working parties detached, to assist in making the prepara- tions for a general rejoicing, as the chief engineer of the army shall call for; and the quarter-master- general w ill, without delay, procure such a number of discharges to be printed as will be suflicient for all the men inlisted for the war. He will please to apply to head rpiarters for the foim. An extra i-ation of liquor to be issued to every man to-mor- row to drink, "• Perpetual peace and happiness ta the United States of America.*' AMERICAI»f BIOGRAPHICAL DICflONART. 41 FAREWELL ADDRESS OF GENERAI. WASHINGTON, TO THE ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES. Rocky-Hill f near Princeion, J^ovember2, 1783. The United States in Congress assembled, after giving the most honourable testimony to the merits of the federal armies, and presenting them with the thanks of their country, for their long, eminent, and faitliful services, having thought proper, by their proclamation, bearing datetlie 18th of Octo- ber last, to discharge such part of the troops as were engaged for the war. and to permit the offi- cers on furlough to retire from service, from and after to-morrow ; which proclamation having been communicated in the public papers, for the infor- mation and government of all concerned, it only re« mains for the commander in chief to address him- self once more, and that for the last time, to the ar- mies of the United States, (hoAvever widely dis- persed individuals who compose them may be) and io bid them an affectionate, a long farewell. But before the commander in chief takes his fmal leave of those he holds most dear, he wishcvg to indulge himself a few moments in calling to mind a slight view of the past. He will then take the liberty of exploring, witli his military friends, their future prospects ; of advising the general line of conduct, which, in his opinion, ought to be pur- sued : and he will conclude the address, by expres- sing the obligations he feels himself under for the spirited and able assistance he has experienced from them, in the performance of an arduous office. A contemplation of the complete attainment, (at a period earlier than could have been expected,) of the object for which we contended, against so for 42 AMERICAN BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIOZ^ARY, mitlable a power, cannot but inspire us with aston- ishment and gratitude. The disadvantageous cir- cumstances on our part, under whicli the war was undertaken, can ne\ er be forgotten. The signal interpositions of Providence in our feeble condition, were such as could scarcely escape the attention of the most unobsei'ving: while the unparralleled per- severance of the armies of the United States, through almost every possible suffering and dis- couragement, for the space of eight long years, was little short of a standing miracle. It is not in the meaning, nor within the compass of this address, to detail tlie liardships peculiarly incident to our service, or to describe the distres- ses, which, in several instances, have resulted from the extremes of hunger and nakedness, coml)ined with the rigours of an inclement season; nor is it^ necessary to dwell on the dark side of our past af- fairs. Every American ollicer and soldier must now console himself for any unpleasant circumstance which may have occurred, by a recollection of the uncommon scenes in which lie has been called to act no Inglorious part, and the astonishing eventfs of whicli he has been a witness—events which have seldom, if ever before, taken place on the stage of human action; nor can they probably ever happen again. For who has before seen a disciplined ar- my formed at once ftom such raw materials^ Who that was not a witness, could imagine that the most violent local prejudices would cease so soon, and that men who came from the different parts of the continent, strongly disposed by the habits of edu- cation, to despise and quarrel with each other, would instantly become but one patriotic band of brothers? Or who that was not on the spot, can trace the steps by which sucli a wondeiful revolu- tion has been cflccted, and such a glorious period put to all our w ariike toils ? AMERICAN BIOGHAPHICAI. DICTIONARY. 4S It is universally acknowledged that the enlarg- ed prospects of happiness, opened by the confirma- tion of our independence and sovereignty, almost exceeds the power of description : And shall not the brave men who have contributed so essentially to these inestimable acquisitions, retiring victori- ous from the field of war to the field of agriculture, participate in all the blessings wliich have been obtained? In sucJi a republic, who will exclude them from the rights of citizens, and the fruits of their labours? in such a country, so happily cir- cumstanced, the pursuits of commerce and the cul tivation of the soil, will unfold to industry the cer= tain road to competence. To those hardy soldiers, who are actuated by the spirit of ad^/enture, the fisheries will afford ample and profitable employ- ment; and the extensive and fertile regions of the west will yield a most happy asylum to those^ who, fond of domestic enjoyment, are seeking for personal independence. Nor is it possible to con- ceivethat any one of the United States will prefer a national bankruptcy, and the dissolution of the union, to a compliance witli the requisitions of Congress, and the payment of its just debts, so that the officers and soldiers may expect consider- able assistance, in recommencing their civil occu- pations, from the sums due to them from the pub- lic, which must and will most inevitably be paid. In order to effect this desirable purpose, and to remove the prejudices ^yhich may have ta- ken possession of tlie minds of any of the good peo- ple of tlie states, it is earnestly recommended to all the troops, that, with sti'ong attachments to the union, they sliould carry with them into civil so- ciety the most conciliating dispositions; and that they should prove themselves not less virtuous and useful citizens, than they have been persevering and victorious soldiers. What though there should bo some envious individualsj w ho arc unwilling to 44 AMERICAX BIOGRAPHIC AX BIGTIONARY. pay the debt tlic public bas contracted, or to yield tbe tribute due to merit; yet let such unworthy treatment produce no invective, oi' any instance of intemperate conduct' let it be remembered, tliatthe unbiassed voice of the free citizens of the United States has promised the just reward, and given the mei'ited applause; let it be known and remember- ed, that the reputation of the federal armies is es- tablished beyond the reach of malevolence, and let a consciousness of their achievements and fame still incite the men who composed them to honour- able actions, under the persuasion, that the private virtues of economy, prudence, and industry, will not be less amiable in civil life, than the more splendid qualities of valor, perseverance and en- terprise, were in the field. Every one may rest assured that much, very much, of the future hap- piness of the officers and men, will depend upon the wise and manly conduct which shall be adopt- ed by them, when they are mingled with the great body of the community. And although the gene- ral has so freqiiently given it as his opinion, in the most public and explicit manner, that unless the principles of the federal government were proper- ly supported, and the powers of the union increas- ed, the honour, dignity, and justice of the nation would be lost forever : yet he cannot help repeat- ing on this occasion, so interesting a sentiment, and leaving R, a^ his last injunction, to every offi- cer and every soldier, who may viiiv/ the subject in tiie same serious point of light, to add his best endeavours, to those of his worthy fellow-citizens to- wards effi^cting these great and valuable purposes, on which our very existence, as a nation, so ma- terially depends. The commander in chief conceives little is now- wanting to enable the soldier to change liis milita- ry character into that of the citizen, but that steady and decent tenor of behaviour, which has general- AMEHICAN BIOGRAPHIC Ali DICTIONARY. 4 J ly (iistiiiguislied, not only the army under his ini- mediate command, hut the difierent detachments and separate armies, through the course of the war; from their good sense and prudence, he anti- cipates the happiest consequences, and while he congratulates them on the glorious occasion which renders their services in the field no longer neces» sary, he wishes to express the strong obligations he feels himself under, for the assistance he has received from every class, and in every instarice. He presents his thanks, in the most serious and af- fectionate manner, to the general officers, as well for their council, on many interesting occasions, as for their ardour in promoting the success of the plans he had adopted; to the commandants of regi- ments and corps, and to the other officers, for their great zeal and attention in carrying his or- ders promptly into execution; to the staff fortlieir alacrity and exactness in performing the duties of their several departments; and to the non-commis- sioned officers and soldiers, for their extraordinary patience in suffi^ring, as well as their invincible fortitude in action; to the various brandies of the army, tlie general takes this last and solemn op- portunity of professing his inviolable attachment and friendship. He wishes more than hare profes- sions were in his |)ower, that he was really able to be useful to them all in future life. He flatters himself, however, they will do him the justice to believe, that whatever could, with propnety, be attempted by him, has been done. And being now to conclude these, his last public orders, to take his ultimate leave, in a short time, of the military character, and to bid a hnal adieu to the armies he has so long had the honour to command, he can only again offer, in their behalf, his recommenda- tions to their grateful country, and liis prayers to the God of armies. May ample justice be done them here, and may the choicest of Heaven's fa- 46 AMERICAN BIOGKAPHICAi DICTIONARY. vours, both here and hereafter, attend tliose, wli^, under the Divine auspices, have secured innume- rable blessings for others. With these wishes, and this benediction, tlie commander in chief is about to retire from service. The curtain of separation w ill soon be drawn, and the military scene, to hinij. will be closed forever. General Washington to the President of Congress on resigning his commission — December 23, 1783. Mr. President — The great events on which my resignation de- pended, having at length taken place, I have now the honour of oiTeiing. my sincere congratulations to congress, and of presenting myself before them to surrender into theii" brands tbf trust committed to me, and to claim the indulgence of retiring from the service of my country. Happy in the confirmation of our independence and sovereignty, and pleased with the opportunity afforded tlie United States of bec'oming a respecta- ble nation, I resign witli satisfaction the appoint- ment I accepted with diMdence; a diffidence in my abilities to accomplish so ardlious a task, which however, was superceded by a confidence in the rectitude of our c^use, the support of the supreme power of the union, and the patronage of Heaven. The successful termination of the war, has veri- fied the most sanguine expectations; and my grati- tude for the intei'position of Providence, and the assistance I have received from my countrymen, increases witheverv review of the momentous con- AMERICAN BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY. 4? While I repeat my obligations to the army iii general^ I should do injustice to my own feelings not to acknowledge in this place, the peculiar ser- vices and distinguished merits of the persons who have been attached to my person during the war. It was impossible the choice of confidential officers to compose my family could have been more fortu- nate. Permit me, sir, to recommend in particular, tliose who have continued in the service to the pre- sent moment, as Avorthy of the favourable notice and patronage of congress. I consider it as an indispensable duty to close this last solemn act of my ofiicial life, by com- mending the interests of our dearest country to the protection of Almighty God, and those who have the supei-intendence of them to his holy keeping. Having now finished tlie work assigned me, I re- tire from the great theatre of action; and, bidding an affectionate farewell to this august body, under whose orders I have long acted, I here offer my commission, and take my leave of all the employ- inents of public life. The Answer of General Mifflin^ the President of Congress f to the foregoing Speech, Sir — The United States in congress assembled, i^eceiA e with emotions too affecting for utterance, th« solemn resignation of the authorities under which you ha^e led their troops with success^ tlirough a perilous and doubtful^ war. Called upon by your country to defend its inva- ned rights, you accepted the sacred charge before H had formed alliances, and whilst it was without friends or a government to support you. You have conducted the great military contest ivith wisdom and fortitude, invariably i-egarding 48 AMERICAN BIOGRAPHICAL BICTIO-V.OIY. the rights of the civil power tlirough all disasters and changes: you have, hy the love and confidence of your fellow citizens, enabled them to display their martial genius, and transmit tlieir fame to posterity; you have persevered, till these United States, aided by a magnanimous king and nation, have been enabled, under a just Providence, to close the war in safety, freedom, and independence; on which happy event we sincerely join you in congratulations. Ha^ ing defended the standard of liberty in this new world; having taught a lesson useful to tliose who inflict, and to those who feel oppression, you retire from the great theatre of action, with the blessing of your fellow citizens; but the glory of your virtues will not terminate with your milita- ry command? it will continue to animate remotest ages. We feel, witli you, our obligations to the army in general, and will particularly charge our- selves with the interest of those confidential offi- cers, who have attended your person to this affect- ing moment. We join you in commending the interests of our dearest country to the protection of Almighty God, beseeching Him to dispose the hearts and minds of its citizens, to improve the opportunity afforded them, of becoming a happy aiul rcpectable nation; and for you, we address to Him our earnest prayers, that a life so beloved may be fostered with all His care: That your days may be happy, as thej have been illustrious, and that He will finally give you that reward \\ liicli the world can- not give. ADAMS. 49 ADAMSj SAMrEiy one of the most distinguish- ed patriots of the American revolution, was born In Boston, Massachusetts, on the 22(1 of Septemhery 1722. His ancestors were among the first settlers in New England. His parents were highly re- spectable. His father was, for many years, a re- presentative for the to\n\ of Boston, in the Massa- chusetts house of Assembl} , in which he was annu- ally elected till his death. Samuel Adams received ihc rudiments of a libe- ral education at the grammar school under the care of Mr. Lovell, where he was remarkably at- tentive to his studies. His conduct was similar while he was at college, and during the whole term lie Jiad to pay but one fine, and this was for not at- tending morning prayers, in consequence of having overslept himself. By a close and steady applica- tion, he made considerable proficiency in classical learning, logic, and natural phiiosophy : but as lie was designed for the ministry, a profession to which he seems to have been much inclined, liis studies were particularly directed to systematic di- vinity. Why Mr. Adams did not assume t]ie cleri- cal character, so congenial to his views and habits does not apjwar. In 1740, and 1743, the respec- tive degrees of bachelor and master of aits were conferred upon him. On the latter occasion, ho proposed the following (piestion for discussion, "^^ whether it be lawful to resist the supreme magis- trate, if the commonwealth cannot otherwise be preserved?-' He maintained the affirmative of this proposition, and thus evinced, at this period of his life, his attacliment to the liberties of the people. While he was a student, ]iis father allovvcd him a regular stipend. Of this, lie saved a sufficient sum, "0 publish, at his own expense^ a pamphlet, called *'* Englishmen's Rights." He was put an apprentice to the late TIsomas Cusliing, an eminent merchant. For this profes- ^^ ADAMS. sion he ^^as ill adapted, and it received Lut a small share of his attention. The study of politics ^vas his chief delight. At this time he formed a club, each member of which agreed to furnish apolitical essay for a newspaper called the Indepen(lent Ad- vertiser. These essays hrought the writers into notice, who were called, in derision, *' the Whip- ping Post Club,*' His limited knowledge of commerce rendered him incompetent to support himself by that pur- suit. His father, however, gave him a considera- ble capital, with which he commenced business. He had not been long in trade when lie credited one of his countrymen with a sum of money. This person, soon after, met with heavy calamities, which he represented to Mr. Adams, who nevei- demanded the amount, although it was nearly half the value of his original stock. This, and other losses, soon consumed all he had* At the age of twenty-five, his fatlier died, and^ as he was the oldest son, tlie care of the family and management of the estate, devolved upon hiiiK Early distinguished hy talents, as a writer, his lirst attempts were proofs of his filial piety. By his efforts he preserved the estate of his fathei*, which had been attached on account of an engage- ment in the land bank bubble. He became a polit- ical writer during the administration of Shirley, to ^^ hich he was opposed, as he thought the union /of so much civil and military power, in one man, ^vas dangerous. His ingenuity, wit, and pro- found argument, are spoken of with the higliest respect by those who were contemporary with liim. At this early period he laid the foundation of pub- lic confidence and esteem. It may be proper to mention that his first office in the town v, as that of tax-gatherer, which tlie •opposite party in politics often alluded to, and in their cojiti'ovcrsies would style liirn Samuel th*^ ADA^IS. 54 Publican. While the British regiments were in town, the tories enjoyed a kind of triumph, and invented every mode of hurlesquing the popular leaders: hut, ^^llere the people tax themselves, the office of collector is respectahle: it vras, at that lime, given to gentlemen who had seen hetter days, and needed some pecuniary assistance, hav- ing merited tiie esteem and confidence of their fel- low townsmen. Mr. Adams was ill qualified to IVil an office wliich required such constant atten- tion to pecuniary matters; and, his soul being bent on politics, he passed more time in talking against Great Britain than in collecting the sums Caic. to the town. He grew emhavrassed in his circum- stances, and was assisted, not only by private friends, but by many oth.ers who knew him only as a spirited partisan in the cause of liberty. From this time, the whigs were determined t^ support him to the utmost of their power. He had been always on their side, was firm and sagacious, 8?ie of the best writers in the newspapers, ready upon every question, but especially conversant with all matters which related to the dispute be- tween Great Britain and the colonies. We have said that there w^as a private political eliib in Boston, where decisive measures originated, wliich gave a secret spring and impulse to the mo- tions of the public body^ and that Mr. Adams was one of the patriotic conclave. This confederacy came to a determination to resist every infringe- ment of their rights. The stamp act was a flagrant violation of them, and to suffer it quietly to be car- ried into elfect, would establish a precedent, and encourage furtiier proceedings of a similar nature. Mr. Adams was one of those who opposed it in every step. He w^as not averse to the manner in which the people evinced their determinate opposi- tion, by destroying the stamped papers and office in Boston; but he higlily disapproved of the riots and ^^ ADAMS. disorders wliicli followed, and personally aided tiie civil poAver to put a stop to them. The taxes upon tea, oil, and cGlours, were still more odious to the Americans tlian the stamj) ad; especially to the inhabitants of Boston, where the board of commissioners was established. The people looked to Mr. Adams as one of tlie cham- pions of liberty, wlio must stand forth against every claim of Great Britain, and deny the right of the parent state to lay a tax ; nor were tliey disappointed. He was so strenuous in his exer- tions to make the people sensible of their cliartei* privileges, that he obtained the appellation of the patriot Samuel Adams* in 1765, he was elected a member of the general assembly of Massachusetts. He was soon chosen clerk, and he gradually acquired influence in the legislature. This was an eventful time. But Mr. Adams possessed a courage which no dangers could shake. He was undismayed by the prospect, which struck terror into the hearts of many. He was a member of the legislature near ten years, and he was the soul vvhicli animated it to the most impor- tant resolutions. No njan did so much. He press- ed his measures with ardour; yet lie was prudent; he knew how to bend the passions of others to his purpose. The congress which assembled at New York, at this period, was attributed to a suggestion made by Mr. Adams. It has been said, with confidence, that he was the first man who proposed it in Mas- sachusetts. In consequence of the act imposing duties, in \7Q7, Mr. Adams suggested a non-importation agreement with the merchants. This was agreed to, and signed by nearly all of them in the prov- ince. They bound themselves, if the duties were not repealed, not to import^ or to order any, but certain enumerated articles, after the first of Jan- uary, 1769. ADAMS. 5S On the evening of the fifth of March, 1770, aii affray took place between the military quartered in Boston, and some citizens, which resulted in a loss of lives on both sides. On the following morning, a public meeting was called, and Samuel Adams addressed the assembly, with that impres- sive eloquence which was so peculiar to himseU; The people, on this occasion, chose a committee to wait upon the lieutenant governor, to require that ihQ troops be immediately withdrawn from the town. The mission, however, proved unsuc- cessful, and another resolution was immediately adopted, that a new committee be chosen to wait a second time upon governor Hutchinson, for the purpose of conveying the sense of the meeting in a more peremptory manner. Mr. Adams acted as chairman. They w aited on the lieutenant govern- or, and communicated this last vote of the town; and, in a speech of some length, Mr. Adams sta- ted tliQ danger of keeping the troops longer in the capital, fidly proving the illegality of the act it» self; and enumerating the fatal consequences that would ensue, if he refused an immediate compli- ance with the vote. Lieutenant governor Hutch- inson, with his usual prevarication, replied, and roundly asserted, that there was no illegality in the measure; and repeated, that the troops were not subject to his authority, but that he would di- rect tlie removal of the twentv-ninth regiment • Mr. Adams again rose. The magnitude of the subject, and the manner in which it was treated by lieutenant governor Hutchinson^ had now roused the impetuous feelings of his patriotic soul. With indignation strongly expressed in his countenance, and in a firm, resolute, and commanding manner, he replied, ^Hhat it was well known, that, acting as governor of the province, he was, by its char- ter, the commander in chief of Ins majesty's mili^ tary and naval forces^ and as sucli^ the troojps 54 ADAMS. were subject to his orders; and if lie had the power to remove one regiment, lie had the power to re- move both, and notliing short of tliis would satisfy the people, and it was at liis peril, if the vote of the town was not immediately complied with, and if it be longer delayed, he, alone, must be answer- able for the fatal consequences that would ensue.'* This produced a momentary silence. It was now dark, and the people were w aiting in anxious sus- pense for the report of the committee. A confer- ence in wliispers followed between lieutenant go- vernor Hutchinson and colonel Dalrymple. The former, finding himself so closely pressed, and the i'allacy and absurdity of his arguments thus gla- ringly exposed, yielded up his positions, and gave his consent to tlie removal of both regiments ; and colonel Dalrymple pledged his word of lionour, that he would begin liis preparations in the morning, and that there should be no unnecessary delay, un- til the whole of both regiments were removed to the castle. At a very eaily period of the controversy between the mother country and the colonies. Mr. Adams was impressed with the importance of establishing committees of correspondence. In 1766, he made some suggestions on this subject in a letter to a friend in South Carolina : but it w as found to be either impracticable or inexpedient before tlie year 1772, when it was first adopted by Massachusetts, on a motion of Mr. Adams at a public town meet- ing in Boston. This plan was followed by all the provinces. Mr. Adams's private letters may liaAC advanced this important woi'k. In a letter to Kichard Henry Lee, Esq. of Virginia, which, un- fortnnately, is without a date, is the following re- mark : ^* I \^ould propose it for your considera- tion, whether the establishment of committees of correspondence among the several towns in every colony, would not tend to promote the general union ADAMS. 55 upon wliicli the security of the whole depends." — It will be remembered that the resolutions for the establishment of this institution in Virginia, Avere passed March 12, 1773, v/hich was more than four months subsequently to the time it had been formed in Boston. Every method Isad been tried to induce Mr. Adams to abandon the cause of his country, which he had supported with so much zeal, courage, and ability. Threats and caresses liad proved equallj unavailing. Prior to this time there is no certain proof that any direct attempt was made upon his virtue and integrity, althougli a report had been publicly and freely circulated, that it had been un- successfully tried by governor Bernard. Hutch- inson knew him too v,ell to make the attempt. But governor Gage was empowered to make the experiment. He sent to him a confidential and ver- bal message by colonel Fenton, who waited upoic Mr, Adams, and after the customary salutationSy he stated fne object of his visit. He said that an adjustment of the disputes which existed be- tween England and the colonies, and a reconcilia- tion, was very desirable, as well as im}>ortant to the interests of both. That he was authorized from govenor Gage to assure him, that he had been empowered to confer upon him such benefits a3 would be satisfactory, upon the condition, that he would engage to cease in his opposition to the measures of government. He also observed, that it v/as the advice of governor Gage, to him, not to incur the further displeasure of his majesty; that his conduct had been such as made him liable to the penalties of an act of Henry VIH. by wliich persons could be sent to England for trial of trea- son, or misprison of treason, at the discretion of a governor of a province, but by changing his poli- tical course, he would not only receive great per- sonal advantages, but would thereby maJke his 56 ADAMb. peace with the king. Mr. Adams listened wiin apparent interest to this reeital. lie asked colonel Fenton if lie would truly deliver liis reply as it should be given. After some hesitation he assent- ed. Mr. Adams required his word of honour, which he pledged. Tiien rising from his chair, and assuming a de- termined mariiu r, he replied, ^* 1 trust I have long since made my peace with the king of kings. No personal consideration shall induce me to aban- don the righteous cause of my country. Tell go- vernor Gage, IT IS THE advice of S ami el Adams to iiim, no longer to insult the feelings of an exasperated people." With a full sense of his own perilous situation,- marked out an object of ministerial ^ engeance, la- bouring under severe pecuniary cmbari'assment, but fearless of consequences, he steadily pursued xhe great object of his soul, the liberty of the peo- ple. The time required bold and inflexible measuies. Common distress required common counsel. The aspect was appalling to some of the most decided patriots of the day. The severity of punishment which was inflicted on the people of Boston, by the power of England, produced a melancholy sad- ness on the friends of American freedom. I'he Massachusetts house of Assembly was then in ses- sion at Salem. A committee of that body was chosen to consider and report tbe state of the pro- vince. Mr. Adams, it is said, observed, that some 01 the committee were for mild measures, which he judged no way suited to the present emergency. He conferred with Mr. Warren, of Tlymouth, jpon the necessity of spirited measures, and then said. **do you keep the committee in play, and I will go and make a caucus by the time the evening arrives, and do you meet me." Mr. Adams secu- red a meeting of about five principal members of ADAMS. y; the house at tlie time specified^ and repeated his endeavours for the second and third nights, when the number amounted to more than thirty. The friends of tlie administration knew nothing of the matter. The popular leaders took tlie sense of the members in a private way, and found that they would be able to carry their scheme by a sufficient majority. They had their whole plan completed, prepared their resolutions, and then determined to bring the business forward; but, before they com- menced, tlie door-keeper was ordered to let no per- son in, or suffer any one to depart. The subjects for discussion were then introduced by Mr. Adams, with his usual eloquence on such great occasions. He was chairman of the committee, and reported the resolutions for the appointment of delegates to a general congress to be convened at Philadelphia, to consult on the general safety of America. This report was received by surprise and astonishment by the administration party. Such was the ap- prehension of some, that they were apparently de- sirous to desert the question. The door-keeper seemed uneasy at his charge, and wavering with regard to the performance of the duty assigned to him. At this critical juncture, Mr. Adams re- lieved him, by taking the key and keeping it him- self. The resolutions were passed, five delegates, consisting of Samuel Adams, Thomas Gushing, Robert Treat Paine, John Adams, and James Bowdoin. were appointed, the expense was estima- ted, and funds were voted for the payment. Be- fore the business was finally closed, a member made a plea of indisposition, and was allowed to leave the house. This person went directly to the governor, and informed him of their high- handed proceedings. The governor immediately sent his secretary to dissolve tlic assembly, who found the door locked. He demanded entrance, but was answered, that his desire could not be 58 ADAMS. compliod with, until some important business, tlien before the house, was concluded. Finding every method to gain admission inelTectual, he read t!ie order on the stairs toi* an immediate dissolution oi' the assembly. Tlie order, however, was disiTgard- ed by the house. They continued their delibera- tions, passed all their intended measures, and then obeyed the mandate for dissolution. Tlic battle of Lexington, which took place on the 19th of April, 1775, now announced the commencc- jnent of the revolutionary war, Adams and Han- cock were in Lexington the very nigltt the British troops left Boston. To gain possession of the pa- pers of Messrs. Adams and Hancock, who lodged together in the village, ^^ as one of the motives, it is said, of the expedition which led to that memo- rable conflict. The design, though covered with great secrecy, was anticipated, and the victims escaped upon the entrance of their habitation by the British troops. General Joseph Warren, who was the first victim of rank v>ho fell in the revolu- tionary contest with Great Britain, despatched an express, at ten o'clock at night, to Adams and Hancock, to varii them of their danger. A friend of Mr. Adams spread a report tliat lie spake wiUi pleasure on the occurences of the 19th of April — *• It is a fine day," said he, walking in tiie field after the day dawned. *' Very pleasant,'' answer- ed one of his companions, supposing liiin to be con- templating the beauties of the sky. ^* I mean," he replied, " this day is a oxopaous day for Amk- RiCA." So fearless was he of consequences, so in- trepid was he in the midst of danger, so eager to look forward to the lustre of e^ entstltat would suc- ceed the gloom which then involved the minds of the people. Mr. Adams had been a member of tlie continental congress the preceding year. In this situation lie rciulered the most important services to his country. His eloquence was well adapted ADAMS. 59 to the times in which he lived. The energy of his language corresponded with the firmness and vi- gour of his mind. His heart glowed Avith the feel- ings of a patriot, and his elofjuence was simple, majestic and persuasive. He was one of the most efficient members of congress. He possessed keen penetration, unshaken fortitude, and permanent de^ vision. After many unavailing efforts, both by threats and promises, to allure this inflexible patriot front his devotion to the sacred cause of independence, governor Gage, at length, on the 12th of June, issued that memorable proclamation, of whicli th© following is an extract. "In this exigency of com- plicated calamities, I avail myself of the last effort witliin the bounds of my duty, to spare the further effusion of blood, to offer, and 1 do hereby in his majesty's name ofler and promise, his most gra- cious pardon to all persons, wlio shall forth witli lay down their arms, and return to the duties of peaceable subjects, excepting only from the benefit ©f such pardon, Samuel Mams , ami John Hancock, whose offences are of too flagitious a nature to adr mit of any other consideration than that of condign punishment." This was a diploma, conferring ^Teater honours on the individuals, than any other which was within the power of his Britannic ma- jesty to bestow. In a letter dated April, 1776, at Philadelphia, while he was in congress, to major Hawley of Massachusetts, he said, '' I am perfectly satisfied of the necessity of a public and explicit declara- tion of independence. I cannot conceive, what good reason can be assigned against it. Will it widen the breach? This would be a strange ques- tion after we have raised armies and fought battles with the British troops; set up an American navy, ;permitted the inhabitants of these colonies to fit oiit aj^naed vessels to capture the ships, &c. beloning (,0 ADAMS. to any of tlie iiiLabitants of Great Britain; dociaring them the enemies of tlie United Colonies, and torn into shivers their acts of trade, by allowing com- merce, subject to regnlations tobc made by our- selves, with tlie people of all countries, except such as are subject to the British king. It cannot, surely, after all this, be imagined, that we consi- der ourselves, or mean to be considered by others, in any other state, than that of independence.'^ In another letter to James Warren, Esq. dated Baltimore, December 31, 1776, he said, * 4 assure you, business has been done since we came to this ])lace, more to my satisfaction than any or every ihing done before, excepting tlie Declaration of Independence, whicli should have been made imme- diately after the 19th of April, 1775." The character of Mr. Adams had become cele- brated in foreign countries. In 1773, he had been chosen a member of the society of the bill of rights in London: and in 1774, John Adams and doctor Joseph Warren were elected on his nomination. Mr. Adams was a member of the continental congress w hen the declaration of independence was made. He was a w arm and ardent friend of that measure, and supported it with great zeal. In the year 1777, our patriots encountered many difficulties. It was at this critical juncture, after Congress had resolved to adjourn from Philadel- phia to Lancaster, that some of the leading mem- bers accidentally met in company with each other, A conversation in mutual confidence ensued. Mr. Adams, who was one of the number, was cheerful and undismayed at the aspect of affairs, while the countenances of his friends were strongly marked with the desponding feelings of their hearts. The Gonversation naturally turned upon the subject whicli most engaged their feelings. Each took oc- casion to express his opinions on the situation of #ie public cause. Mr. Adams listened in silence ADAMS. bi till they had fniislietl. He then said, '"• Gentlemen, your spirits appear to he heavily oppressed with our public calamities. I hope you do not despair of our final success ?" It was answered, '' That the chance was desperate." Mr. Adams replied, ^^ if this he our language, it is so, indeed. If we wear long faces, tiiey will become fashionable.. — Let us hanish such feelings, and show a spirit that will keep alive the confidence of the people. Bet- ter tidings will soon arrive. Oar cause is just and righteous, and we shall never be abandoned by Heaven while we show ourselves worthy of its aid and protection.'*' At this time there w^ere but twenty-eight of the members of Congress present at Philadelpliia. Mr. Adams said, *'that this was the smallest, but the truest Congress, they ever had." But a few days had elapsed, when the news ar- rived of the glorious success at Saratoga, whicif gave a new complexion to our affairs, and confi- dence to our hopes. Soon after this, lord Howe, the earl of Carlisle, and Mr. Eden, arrived as commissioners to treat for peace, under lord North's conciliatory propo- sition. Mr. Adams was one of tlie committee ciio- sen by congress to draught an answer to their let- ter. In tliis, it is related, ^*That congress will i'eadily attend to such terms of peace, as may con- aist with the honour of an independent nation." In 1779, Samuel Adams was placed, by the state convention, on a committee, to prepare and report a form of government for Massacliusetts. By this committee lie and John Adams were appoint- ed a sub-committee to furnish a draught of the constitution. The draught produced by them was reported to the convcRtion, and, after some amend- ments, accepted. The address of the convention • o the people was jointly written by them In 1787, he was chogena member of tlie Massa F t.^ ADAMS. chusetts convention for tlie ratification of the coji- stitution of the United States. He had some ob- jections to it in its reported form; the principal of whicli Avas to that article which rendered tlie sev- eral states amenable to the courts of the nation. He thought that this would reduce them to mere corporations. There was a very powerful opposi- tion to it, and some of its most zealous friends and supporters were fearful that it would not be ac- cepted. Mr. Adams had not then given his sentiments upon it in the convention, but regularly attended the debates. Some of the leading advocates waited upon Mr. Adams to ascertain his opinions and wishes, in a pi'ivate manner. Mr. Adams stated liis objections, and stated that he should not give it his support, unless certain amendments wei'e recommended to he adopted. These he enumerated. Mr. Adams prepared his amendments, which vvcrc brought be- lore the convention, and referred to a committee, who made some inconsiderable alterations, with which the constitution was accepted. Some of these were afterwards agreed to as amendments, and form, at present, a part of that instrument. In 1789, he was elected lieutenant governor of ilie state of Massachusetts, and continued to fill that office till 1794, when he was chosen governor of that state. He was annually re-elected till 1797, w hen, oppressed witli years and bodily infirmities, }ie declined being again a candidate, and retired to private life. After many years of incessant exertion, employ- ed in the establishment of the independence of America, he died on the 3rd October, 180vS, in the 82d year of his age, in indigent circumstances. Though poor he possessed a lofty and incorrup- tible spirit, and looked w ith disregard upon riches, if mi with contempt; while at the same time he ADAMS. 6^ did not attempt to disguise that reputation and ])opiilar influence vrere the great ohjects of his am- bitioji. His private morals were pure, his manners grave and austere, and his conversation, which generally (urned on public characters and events, bold, de- cided, and sometimes coarse. Besides the occur- rences of the passing day, he is said to liave had tlirec topics of conversation on wliich he delighted to expatiate, and to have always dwelt upon with great earnestness ; British oppression, the man- ners, laws, and customs of New England, and the importance to every republican government, of public schools for the instruction of the whole po- pulation of the state. The person of Samuel Adams was of the middle size. His countenance was a true index of his mind, and possessed those lofty and elevated cha^ racteristics, which are always found to accompany true greatness. He was a steady professor of the Christian reli- gion, and uniformly attended public worship. — - His family devotions were regularly performed, and his morality was never impeached. In his manners and deportment, he was sincere and unaffected ; in conversation, pleasing and in- structive ; and in his friendships, steadfast and af- iectionate. His revolutionary la,bours v*'erc not surpassed by those of any individual. From the commencement of the dispute with Great Biitain, he was inces- santly employed in public service ; opposing at one time, the supremacy of ^^ parliament in all cases;" taking the lead in questions of controverted policy with the royal governors; writing state papers from 1765 to 1774; in planning and organizing clubs and committees ; haranguing in town meetings, or filling the columns of public prints adapted to the spirit and temper of the times. In addition to these 64 ' ADAMS. occupations, he maintained an extensi\c and labo lious correspondence with the friends of American freedom in Great Britain and in the provinces. His private habits, which were simple, frugal , and unostentatious, led him to despise the hixury and parade affected by the crown officers ; and his detestation of royalty, and privileged classes, which no man could have felt more deeply, stimu- lated him to persevere in a course, which he con- scientiously believed to be his duty to pursue, for the welfare of his country. The motives by which he was actuated, Avere not a sudden ebullition of temper, nor a transient impulse of resentment, but they were deliberate,, methodical and unyielding. There was no pause, no hesitation, no despondency; every day and every hour, was employed in some contribution towards the main design, if not in action, in writing; if not with tlie pen, in conversation; if not in talking, in meditation. The means he advised were persua- sion, petition, remonstrance, resolutions, and Vvheu all failed, defiance and extermination {iooner than submission. With this unrelenting and austere spirit, there Vv as nothing ferocious, or gloomy, or arrogant in his demeanor. His aspect was mild, dignified and gentlemanly. In his own state, or in the congress of the union, he was always the advo- cate of the strongest measisres, and in the darkest hour he never wavered or desponded. No man was more intrepid and dauntless, when encompassed by dangers, or more calm and un- moved amid public disasters and adverse fortune. His bold and daring conduct and language, sub- jected him to great personal hazards. Had any fatal event occurred to our country, by which she had fallen in her struggle for liberty, Sa- muel Adams v/ould have been the first victim of ministerial vengeance. His blood would have been first shed as a sacrifice on the altar of tyran- ADAMS. 65 ny, for the noble magnanimity and independence, with which he defended the cause of freedom. But such was his firmness, that he would have met death with as much composure, as he regarded it with unconcern. His writings were numerous, and much distin- guished for their elegance and fervour; but unfor- tunately the greater part of them have been lost, or so distributed, as to render their collection impos- sible. He was the author of a letter to the earl of Hills- borough; of many political essays directed against the administration of governor Shirley; of a letter in answer of Thomas Paine, in defence of Christi- anity, and of an oration published in the year 1776. Four letters of his correspondence on government, are extant, and were published in a pamphlet form in 1800. Mr. Adams's eloquence was of a peculiar cliar- acter. His language was pure, concise, und im- pressive. He was more logical than figurative. His arguments were addressed I'ather to the un- derstanding, than to the feelings; yet he always engaged the deepest attention of his audience. On ordinary occasions, there was nothing remarkable in his speeches; but, on great questions, when his own feelings were interested, he would combine every thing great in oratory. In the language of an elegant writer, the great qualities of his mind were fully displayed, in proportion as the field for their exertion was extended; and tlie energy of his language was not inferior to the depth of his mind. It was an eloquence admirably adapted to the age in which he flourished, and exactly calculated to attain the object of his pursuit. It may well be described in the language of the poet, ^* thoughts which breathe, and words which burn." An elo- quencCj not consisting of theatrical gesture, or with the sublime enthusiasm and ardour of patri- F2 uG ALLEN. otism; an eloquence, to which his fellow -citizen,-; listened witli applause and rapture; and little infe- rior to the best models of antiquity, for simplicity, majesty, and persuasion. Tlic consideration of the character of Samuel Adams, when taken in connexion with the uncom- mon degree of popularity which his name has ob- tained in this country, may suggest an important moral lesson to those of our youth, whom a gene- rous ambition incites to seek the temple of glory through the thorny paths of political .strife. Let them compare him with men confessedly very far his superiors in every gift of intellect, of education, and of fortune : with those who have governed em- pires, and swayed the fate of nations ; and then let them consider how poor and how limited is their fame, when placed in competition with that of this humble patriot. The memory of those men, tarnish- ed as it is by tlic history of their profligacy, their corruption, and their crimes ; is preserved only among the advocates and slaves of legitimacy, while the name of Samuel xVdams is enrolled among the benefactors of his country, and repeated with respect and gratitude by the lowest citizens of a free state. ALLEN, Ethan, a brigadier general in the re- volutionary war, was born in Salisbury, Connecti- cut. While he was young, his parents emigrated to Vermont. At the commencement of the disturb- ances in this territory, about the year 1770, lie took a bold and active part in favour of the Green Mountain Soys, as the settlers were then called, in opposition to the claims of the government of tlie state of New York. So obnoxious had he rendered himself, tliat asi act of outla^^ry against him was passed by the government oi* that colony, and 500 guineas were offered for his apprehension ; but his party was too numerous and too faitliful, to permit liim to be disturbed by any apprehensions for ALLEN. 6'; Fiis safety. During the period that this sub ject was agitated, in all the stnvggles which it occasioned, and in which betook a part, he was uniformly suc- cessful. He not only proved a valuable friend to those, whose cause he had espoused, but he was hu- mane and generous towards those with whom he had to contend. When called to take the iield. he showed himself an able leader and an intrepid sol- dier. The news of the battle of Lexington determined colonel Allen to engage on the side of his country, and inspired him with the desire of demonstrating his attachment to liberty by some bold exploit,— While his mind was in this state, a plan for taking Ticonderoga and Crown Point by surprise, which was formed by several gentlemen in Connecticut, was communicated to him, and he readily engaged in the project. Receiving directions from the ge- neral assembly of Connecticut, to raise the green mountain boys, and conduct the enterprise, he col- lected £00 of the hardy settlers, and proceeded to Castleton. Here he was unexpectedly joined by colonel Arnold, who had been commissioned by the Massachusetts' committee to raise 400 men and ef- fect the same object, which was now about to be ac- complished. As he had not raised the men. he was admitted to act as assistant to colonel Alien. They reached the lake opposite Ticonderoga on the even- ing of the 9th of May, 1775. With the utmost dif- ficulty, boats were procured, and eighty-three men were landed near the garrison. The approach of day rendering it dangerous to wait for the rear, it was determined immediately to proceed. The commander in chief now addressed his men, repre- senting that they had been, for a number of years, a scourge to arbitrary power, and famed for their valor: and concluded with saying, '^Inowpro- po*^e to advance before you, and in person conduct you through the wicket gate? and you that will go 68 ALLEN. with me voluntarily in tliis desperate attempt, poise your firelocks." At the head of the centre file he marched instantly to the gate, Adhere a sentry snap])cd his gun at him, and retreated through the covered way ; he pressed forward into the fort, and formed his men on the parade in such a manner as to face two opposite han'acks. Three huzzas a^^akened the garrison. A sentry, who asked quartei*, pointed out the apartments of the com- manding officer; and Allen, with a drawn sword over the head of captain De la Place, who was un- dressed, demanded the surrender of the fort. ^*By what authority do you demand it?" inquired the astonished commander. *'I demand it," said Al- len, ^*in the name of the great Jehovah and of the continental congress." The summons could not be disobeyed, and the fort with its very valuable stores and 49 prisoners, was immediately surren- dered. Crown Point v/as taken the same day, and the capture of a sloop of v/ar soon afterwards made Allen and his brave party complete masters of lake Cham plain. In the fall of 1775, he vvas sent twice into Cana- da to observe the dispositions of the people, and at- tach them, if possible, to the American cause. Du- ring this last tour J colonel Bi»own met him, and pi'oposed an attack on Montreal, in concert. The proposal was eagerly embraced, and colonel Allen with 110 men, neai' 80 of whom were Canadians^ crossed the river in the night of the 24th of Sep- tember* In the morning he waited vvith impa- tience for the signal of colonel Brown, v. ho agreed to co-operate with him: but he\^aited in vain. He made a resolute defence against an attack of 500 men, and it was not till his own party was reduced, by desertions, to the number of 31, and he had re- treated near a mile, that he surrendered. A mo- ment afterwards a furious savage rushed towards liiRiy and presented his fireloek with fue intent of ALLEN. 69 killing him. It was only by making use of the body of the officer, to whom he had given his sword, as a shield, that he escaped destruction. He was now kept for some time in irons and n*eated with great severity and cruelty. He was sent to England as a prisoner, being assured that the halter Vvould be the reward of his rebellion when lie arrived there. After his arrival^ about the middle of December, he was lodged for a short time in Pendennis castle, near Falmouth. On the 8th of January, 1*76, he was put on board a fri- gate and by a circuitous route carried to Halifax. Here he remained confined in the jail from June to October, when he was removed to New York. During the passage to this place, captain Burke, a daring prisoner, proposed to kill the British captain and seize the frigate; but colonel Allen re- fused to engage in the plot, and was, probably, the means of preserving the life of captain Smith, who had treated him very politely. He was kept at New York^ about a year and a half, sometimes im- prisoned and sometimes permitted to be on parole.- While here, he had an opportunity to observe the inhuman manner, in whicli tlie American prisoners were treated. In one of the cluirches, in which they were crowded, he saw seven lying dead at one time, and others biting pieces of chips from hunger. He calculated, that of the prisoners taken at Long Island and fort Washington, near 2000 perished by hunger and cold, or in consequence of diseases occasioned by the impurity of their pri- sons. Colonel Allen was exchanged for colonel Camp- bell, May 6, 1778, and after having repaired to head quarters, and offered his services to general Washington in case his health should be restored, he returned to Vermont. His, arrival on the even- ing of the last of May, gave his friends great joy, and it was announced by the discharge of cannon. ro ALEXANDER. As an expression of confidence in liis patriotism and military talents, lie was very soon appointed to the command of the state militia. It does not appear, however, that his inti'epidity was ever again brought to the test, ttioiigh his patriotism was tried by an unsuccessful attempt of the British 1o bribe him to attempt a union of Vermont with Canada. He died suddenly at his estate in Col- chester, February IS, 1789. Colonel Allen possessed a mind naturally strong, vigorous and eccentric, but ithad not been improv- ed by an early education. He was brave in the most imminent danger, and possessed a bold, da- ling, and adventurous spirit, which neither feared dangers nor regarded diiliculties. He was also ingenuous, frank, generous, and patriotic, which are the usual accompanying virtues of native bra- very and courage. He wrote and published a narrative of his sufferings during his imprison- ment in England and in Nev/ York; comprising also various observations ux)on the events of tiie war, the conduct of the British, and their treat- ment of their prisoners. ALEXANDER, William, commonly called lord Sterling, a major-general in the American army, in the revolutionary v» ar with Great Britain, was a native of the city of New York, but spent a considerable part of his life in New^ Jer- sey. He was considered hy many as the rightful heir to the title and estate of an earldom in Scot- land, of which country his father was a native; and although, when he went to Nortli Britain in pursuit of this iidieritance, he failed of obtaining an acknowledgment of his claim by govern.ment; yet, among his friends and acquaintances, hei-eceiv- ed by courtesy the title of lord Sterling, He dis- covered an early fondness for the study of mathe- matics and astronomy, and attained great emi- nence in these sciences. ALEXANDER. 7i In the battle on Long-Island, August 27, 17T6, tiC was taken prisoner, after having secured to a large part of the detacJnnent, an opportunity to escape, by a bold attack, with four hundred men, upon a corps under lord Cornwallis. In the bat- tle of Germantown, his division, and tlie brigades of generals Nash and Maxwell, formed the corps of I'eserve. At the battle of Monmoutli, he com- manded the left wing of tlie American army. — He died at Albany, January 15, 1783, aged 57 years. He was a brave, discerning, and intrepid officer. Ramsay, in his history of the American revolu- tion, gives the following account of tlie battle of Monmouth : ^•The royal army passed over the Delaware into New Jersey. General Washington, liaving pene- (Tated into their design of evacuating Philadelphia, had previously detached general Maxwell's bi'ig- ade, to co-operate with the Jersey militia, in ob- structing their progress, till time would be given for his army to overtake them. The British were incumbered with enormous baggage, which, to- gether with the impediments throw n into their way, greatly retarded their march. The Ameri- can army, having, in pursuit of the British, cross- ed the Delaware, six hundred men were immedi- ately detached, under colonel Morgan, to reinforce general Maxwell. Washington halted his troops., when tliey had marched to the vlciiiity of Prince- ton. The general officers in the American army, being asketl by the commander in chief, ^Wiil it be advisable to hazard a general action?' answered in the negative, but recommended a detachment of iifteen hundred men, to be immediately sent, to act as occasion might serve, on the enemy's left flank ynd rear. Tliis was immediately forwarded un- der general Scott. Wiien sir Henry Clinton had advanced to Alientown, he determined, Instead of 72 ALEXANDER. keeping the direct course towards Staten Island, to draw towards the sea coast and to pass on towards Sandy Hook. General Washington, on receiving intelligence that sir Henry was proceeding in that direction towards Monmouth court-house, dis- patched one thousand men under general Wayne, and sent the mai'quis de la Fayette to take com- mand of the whole advanced corps, with orders to seize the first fair opportunity of attacking the en- emy's rear. General Lee, who, having heen late- ly exchanged, had joined the army, was offered this command, hut he declined it, as he was in principle n gainst hazarding an attack. The whole army followed at a proper distance, for supporting tlic advanced corps, and reached Cranberry the next morning. Sir Henry Clinton, sensible of the ap- proach of the Americans, placed his grenadiers, light infantry and chaseurs, in his rear, and his baggage in his front. General Washington in- creased his advanced corps with two brigades, and sent general Lee, who now wished for the com- mand, to take cliarge of tlie whole, and followed with the main army to give it support. On the next morning orders were sent to Lee, to move on and attack, unless there should be powerful rea- sons to the contrary. When Washington had marched about five miles, to support the ad^anced corps, he found the whole of it retreating by Lee's orders, and without having made any opposition of consequence. Washington i-ode up to Lee and proposed certain questions to liim, which implied censure. Lee answered with warmth and unsuit- able language. The commander in chief ordered colonel Stewart's and lieutenant colonel Ramsay's battalions, to form on a piece of ground, v,'hich he judged suitable for giving a check to the advanc- ing enemy. Lee was then asked if he would com- mand on that ground, to which he consented, and was ordered to take proper measures for checking ALEXANDER. 7t^ vhe enemy, lo which he replied, Sour orders shall be obeyed, and I will not be tlie first to leave the field.' Washington then rode to the main army, wliich w as formed with the utmost expedition. A warm cannonade immediately commenced, bc> tween the British and American artillery, and a heavy firing between the advanced troops of the British army, and the two battalions which gene- ral Washington had halted. These stood thcii- ground, till they were intermixed with a part of the British army. Lieutenant Colonel Ramsay- the commander of one of them, was wounded and taken prisoner. General Lee continued till the last on the field of battle, and brought off tlie rear of the retreating troops. ^*The check the British received, gave time t(5 make a disposition of the left wing, and second line of the American army in the wood, and on the eminence to which Lee was retreating. On this, some cannon were placed by lord Sterling, vvho commanded the left wing, '^vliich, with the co-ope- ration of some parties of infantry, effectually stopped the advance of the British in that quarter- General Greene took a very advantageous position, on the right of lord Sterling. The British at tempted to turn the left flank of the Americans, hut were repulsed. They also made a movement to t he right, with as little success, for Greene witli -vrtillery disajipointed their design. Wayne ad- anced with a body of troops, and kept up so se- ', ere and well directed a fire, that the British Vvcre soon compelled to give way. They retired and took the position, which Lee had before occupied, Washington resolved to attack them, and ordered General Poor to move round upon their right, and General Woodford to their left; but they could not get within reach, before it v, as dark. These re- f Rained on tlie ground, whicli ti.^y had been direcl- -d to occupy during th.o night, with an intention all in the leg, which shattered the bone; and he T\ as carried off to the camp. Though the attack was unsuccessful, the blockade of Quebec w^as con- ■inucd till May, 1776, when the army, which was in no condition to risk an assault, was removed to a more defensible position. Arnold was compelled 10 relinquish one post after another, till the 18tli of June, ^v]lell he quitted Canada. After this pe- liod he exhibited great bravery in the command of :!ie American fleet on lake Champlain. In August, 1777, he relieved fort Schuyler, un- der the command of colonel Gansevoort, which w^as invested by colonel St. Leger, with an army of from fifteen to eighteen hundred men. In the bat- tle, near Stillwater, September the nineteenth, he conducted himself with his usual intrepidity, being engaged, incessantly, for four hours. In the ac- tion of October the seventh, after the British had been driven into the lines, Arnold pressed forward^ and under a tremendous fire, assaulted their works from right to left. The intrenchments were at length forced, and with a few men he actually en- ARNOLD. 77 lered the works ; but his horse being killed, and be himself badly wounded in the leg, he found it ne- cessary to withdraw, and as it was now almost dark, to desist from the attack. Being rendered unfit for active service in conse- quence of his wound, after the recovery of Phila- delphia, he was appointed to the command of the American garrison. When he entered the city, he made the house of governor Penn, the best house in the city, his head quarters. This he furnished in a very costly manner, and lived far beyond his income. He had v> asted the plunder, which he had seized at Montreal, in his retreat from Canada; and at Philadelphia, he was determined to make new acquisitions. He laid bis hands on every tiling in the city, which could be considered as the property of those who were unfriendly to the cause of his country. He was charged with oppression, extortion, and enormous charges upon the public, in his accounts; and with applying the public mo- ney and property to his o^^ n private use. Suck was his conduct, that he drew upon himself the odium of the inhabitants, not only of the city, but of the province in general. He was engaged in trading speculations, and had shares in several privateers, but was unsuccessful. From the judgment of the commissioners, who had been appointed to inspect his accounts, and wiio had rejected above half the amount of his de- mands, he appealed to congress; and they appoint- ed a committee of their own body to examine and settle the business. The committee confirmed the report of the commissioners, and thought they had silowed him more than he liad any right to expect or demand. By these disappointments he became irritated, and lie gave full scope to his resentment. His invectives against congress were not less vio-= lent, than tliose which he had before thrown out against the commissioners. He wasj however^ 78t ARNOLD. soon obliged to abide tlic judgment of a com-t-niar'- tial, upon tlie ( liarges exhibited against bini by tlie executive of Pennsylvania; and he was subjected to the mortification of receiving a reprimand from Washington. His trial commenced in June, 1778, but such were the delays occasioned by tlie move- ments of the army, that it was not concluded until the 26th of January, 1779. The sentence of a re- primand w as approved by congress, and was soon aftei'w ards carried into execution. Sucli w as the humiliation, to which general Ar- nold w as reduced, in consequence of yielding to the Temptations of pride and vanity, and indulging himself in the pleasures of a sumptuous table and expensive equipage. From this time, pi'obably, his proud spirit re- volted from the cause of America. He turned his eyes to West Point as an acquisition, which would give value to treason, while its loss would inflict a mortal wound on his former friends. He ad- dressed himself to the delegation of New York, in which state his reputation w^as peculiarly high; and a member of congress from tliis state, recom- mended him to Washington for the service which he desired. But this request could not be imme- diately complied with. The same application to the commander in chief was made not long after- wards through general Schuyler. Washington ob- served, that, as there was a prospect of an active campaign, he should be gratified w ith the aid of general Arnold in the field, but intimated, at the same time, that he should receive the appointment requested, if it should be more pleasing to him. Arnold, without discovering much solicitude, re- paired to camp in the beginning of August, and re- new ed, in person, the solicitations, which had been before indirectly made. He w as now^ offered the rommand of the left wing of the army, which w^as idvancinj;: against Now York, but he declined l- ARNOLD. 79 under the pretext, that in conseqence of his v/ounds, he was unahle to perform the active duties of the field. Without a suspicion of his patriotism, ho was invested with the command of West Point. — Previously to his soliciting this station, lie had, in a letter to colonel Rohinson, signified his change of principles, and his wish to restore himself to the favour of his prince, by some signal proof of his repentance. This letter opened to him a cor- respondence with sir Henry Clinton, the object of which was to concert the means of putting the im- portant post, which he commanded, into the pos- session of the British general. His plan, it is believed, was to have drawn the greater pai-t of his army without the works, under the pretext of fighting the enemy in the defiles, and to have left unguarded a designated pass, through which the assailants might scciiiely approach and surprise tlie fortress. His troops he intended to place, so that they would be compelled to surren- der, or be cut in pieces. But just as his scheme was ripe for execution, the wise Disposer of events, who so often and so remarkably interposed in fa- ¥Our of the American cause, blasted his designs. Major Andre, adjutant general of the British ar- my, was selected as the person, to whom the ma- turing of Arnold's treason, and the arrangements for its execution should be committed. A corres- pondence was, for some time, carried on between them under a mercantile disguise, and the feigned names of Gustavus and Anderson ; and at length, to facilitate their communications, the Vulture sloop of war moved up the North river and took a station convenient for the purpose, but not so near as to excite suspicion. An inteiTiew was agreed on, and in the night of September the 21st, 17 SO, he was taken in a boat, which was dispatched for the purpose, and earned to the beach without the posts of both armies, under a pass for John Auder= m AHNOLD. son. He met general Arnold at the house of a Mr. Smith. While the conference was yet unfinished, day light approached ; and to avoid the danger of discovei'y, it was proposed, that he should remain con( ealed till the succeeding night. He is under- stood to have refused to he carried within the Ame- rican posts, but the promise made him by Arnold, to respect this objection, was not observed. He was carried within them contrary to his wishes and against his knowledge. He continued with Ar- nold the succeeding day, and when, on the follow- ing niglit, he proposed to return to the Vulture, the boatmen refused to carry him, because slue had* during the day, shifted her station, in consequence of a gun having been niovcd to the shore, and brought to bear upon her. This embarrassing cir- cumstance reduced him to the necessity of endea- vouring to reach New York by land. Yielding, with reluctance, to tl>e urgent representations of Arnold, he laid aside his regimentals, which he had hitlierto worn under a surtout, and put on a. plain suit of clothes; and, i-eceiving a pass from the American general, autliorising him, under the feigned name of John Anderson, to proceed on the public service, to the White Plains, or lower, if he thought proper, he set out on his return. He had passed all the guards and posts on the road with- out suspicion, and was proceeding Iq New York in perfect security, when, on the 23d of Septembei*, one of the three militia-men, who were employed with others in scouting parties between the lines of the two armies, spiinging suddenly from his covert into the road, seized the reins of his bridle and stopped his horse* Instead of producing his pass, Andre, with a want of self-possession, which can be atti'ibuted only to a kind providence, asked the man hastily, where he belonged; and being an- swered, "to below," replied immediately, "and so do L" He then declared himself to be a Britisb ARNOLD. SI oflicer, on urgent business, and begged that lie might not be detained. The other two militia men coming up at this moment, he discovered his mis- lake ; but it was too late to repair it. He offered (I purse of gold and a valuable watch, to which ho added the most tempting promises of ample reward and permanent provision from the government, if they vrould permit him to escape ; but his offers were rejected without hesitation. The militia men, whose names were John Pauld- ing, David Williams, and Isaac Vanwert, proceed- ed to search him. They found concealed in his boots, exact returns, in Arnold's hand writing, of t'ne state of the forces, ordnance, and defences at West Point and its dependencies; critical remarks on the works, and an estimate of the men ordina- rily employed in them, with other interesting pa- pers. Andre was carried before lieutenant colonel Jameson, the officer commanding the scouting par- ties on the lines, and, regardless of himself, and only anxious for the safety of Arnold, he still maintained the character which he had assumed, and requested Jameson to inform his commanding officer that Anderson was taken. An express was accordingly dispatched, and the traitor, thus be- coming acquainted with his danger, escaped. Major Andre, after his detection, was permit- ted to send a message to Arnold, to give him no- tice of his danger; and the traitor found opportuni- ty to escape on board the Vulture, on the 25th of September, 1780, a few^ hours before the return ol Washington, who had been absent on a journey to Hartford, Connecticut. It is supposed, however, that he would not have escaped, had not an express to the commander in chief, with an account of the capture of Andre, missed him by taking a different road from the one wliich he travelled. Arnold, on the very day of his escape, wrote a letter to Washington, declaring that the love of his 85 ARNOLD. country had governed him in liis late conduct, and I'equcsting Idm to protect ^Irs. Arnold. She was conveyed to her hushand at New York, and liis clothes and haggage, for whicli lie had written, were ti'ansmitted to him. During the exertions which were made to rescue Andre from the des- truction, wliich tlirealened him, Arnold had the hardihood to interpose. He appealed to tlie hu- )nanity of the commander in chief, and tlien sought to intimidate him by stating the situation of many of the principal characters of Soutlt Carolina, who had forfeited their lives, hut laad hitherto been spared through the clemency of the British gene- eral. This clemency, he said, could no longer, in justice, be extended to them, should major Andre suffer. Arnold was made a brigadier general in the Bri- tish service; which rank he preserved throughout the war. Yet he must have been held in contempt and detestation by the generous and honourable. It was impossible for men of tliis description, even when acting with him, to forget that he was a traitor, first the slave of his rage, then purchased with gold, and finally secured by the blood of one of the most accomplished officers in the British army. One would suppose that his mind could not have been much at ease; but he had proceeded so far in vice, that perhaps his reflections gave him but little trouble. ^*I am mistaken," says Washington, in a private letter, *Mf, at this iimen Arnold is undergoing the torments of a mental hell. He wants feelir^'. From some traits of his character, which have lately come to my know- ledge, he seems to have been so hacknied in crime, so lost to all sense of honour and shame, that while his faculties still enable him to continue his sordid pursuits, there will be no time for remorse.** Arnold found it necessary to make some exer- tions to secure the attachment of his new friends^ ARNOLD. 8S With tlichopc of alluring many of the discontent- ed to his standard, he published an address to the inhabitants of America, in which he endeavoured to justify his conduct. He had encountered the dangers of the field, he said, from apprehension that the rights of his country were in danger. He had acquiesced in the declaration of independence, though he thought it precipitate. But the rejec- tion of the overtures, made by Great Britain in 1778, and the French alliance, had opened his eyes to the ambitious views of those, who would sacrifice the happiness of their country to their own aggrandizement, and had made him a con- firmed loyalist. He artfully mingled assertions, that the principal members of congress held the people in sovereign contempt. Tl»is was followed in about a fortnight by a proclamation, adtlressed ^* to the officers and sol- dit^rs of t]ie continental army, who have the real interest of their country at heart, and who are de- termined to be no longer the tools and dupes of congress or of France." To induce the American officers and soldiei's to desert the cause, which they had embraced, he represented that tlie corps of cavalry and infantry, which he was authorized to raise, would be upon the same footing with the otiier troops in the British service; that he should with pleasure, advance those, whose valor he had witijessed; and that the private men, who joined him should receive a bounty of three guineas each, besides payment, at tlie full value, for horses, arms, and accoutrements. His object was the peace, li- berty, and safety of America. *^ You are promised liberty," he exclaims, *' but is there an individual in the enjoyment of it saving your oppressors i" Who among you dare to speak or write what he thinks against the tyranny, which has robbed you of your property, imprisons your persons, drags you to the field of battle, and is daily delsi- 84 .VRNOLD, J5ing yom* country witli your blood? ^' Wiiat/' he exclaims again, "Ms America now but a land of widows, orphans, and beggars? As to you, who have been soldiei*s in the continental army, can you at this day want evidence, that the funds of your countiy are exhausted, or that the managers have applied them to their private uses? In either case you surely can no longer continue in their service with honour oi* advantage. Yet you have hitherto been their supporters in that cruelty, which, with equal indifference to yours, as well as to the labour and blood of others, is devouring a country, that from the moment you quit their colours, will be re- deemed from their tyranny." These proclamations did not produce the effect designed, and in all the hardships, sufferings, and irritations of the war, Arnold remains the solitary instance of an American officer, who abandoned the side first embraced in the contest, and turned his sword upon his former companioris in arms. He was soon despatched by sir Henry Clinton, to make a diversion in Virginia. With about sev- enteen hundred men he arrived in th6 Chesapeake, In January, 1781, and being supported by such a naval force, as was suited to the nature of tlie ser- vice, he committed extensive ravages on tlie rivers and along the unprotected coasts. It is said, that while on this expedition, Arnold enquired of an American captain, whom he had taken prisoner, wliat the Americans would do with liim if lie should fall into their hands. The captain at first declined giving him an answer, but upon being re- peatedly urged to it, he said, ^^ Why, sir, if I must *' answer your question, you must excuse my tel- ** ling you the plain trutli: if my countrymen should *^ catch you, I believe they tcoidd first ciit off that ^* lame leg^ which was wounded in the cause of free- ^^dom and virtue, and bury it with the honours of ""^war, and afterwards hang the remainder of your ARNOLD. 85 •• boihj in gibbets.'' The reader will recollect thai the c aptain alluded to the wound Arnold received in one of his legs, at tlie attack upon Quebec, in 1776. After his return from Virginia, he was appoint- ed to conduct an expedition, the object of whicii was the town of New London, in his native coun- ty. The troops employed therein, were landed iu tw o detachments, one on eacli side of the harbour. The one commanded by lieutenant colonel Eyre, and the other by Arnold. He took foii; Trumbull without much opposition. Fort Griswold w as fu- riously attacked by lieutenant colonel Eyre. The garrison defended themselves with great resolu- tion, but after a severe conflict of forty minutes, the fort was carried by the enemy. The Ameri- cans had not m_ore than six or seven men killed, when the British carried the lines, but a se^ ere execution took place afterwards, though resistance had ceased. An officer of tlie conquering troops -enquired, on liis entering the fort, who command- ed. Colonel Ledyard. presenting his sword, an- rswered, *^ J did, but you do now;" and was imme- diately run througli the body and killed. Eetweeii 30 and 40 were wounded, and about 40 were car- ried off prisoners. On the part of the British 48 were killed, and 145 wounded. About 15 vessels loaded witli the effects of the inhabitants, retreat- ed up tirc river, and four others remained in the liarbour unhurt; but all excepting these were burn- ed by the communication of fire from the burning stores. Sixty dwelling houses and eighty-four stores were reduced to ashes, 'llie loss which the Americans sustained by the destruction of na- val stores, of provisions, and merchandize, was Immense. General Arnold having completed the object of the expedition, returned in eight days te New York. From the conclusion of the war till his d^atl?, H '66 BAilTLETT. general Arnold resided rliietiy in England, lit died in Gloucester place, London, June 14, 1801. His character presents little to be commended. — His daring courage may indeed excite admiration; but it was a courage without reflection, and with- out principle. He fought braA ely foi* his country, and he bled in her cause; but his country owed him «o returns of gratitude, for his subsequent conduct proved, that he had no honest regard to her inter- ests, but was governed by selfish considerations. His progress from self-indulgence to treason was easy and rapid. He was vain and luxiaiovs, and to gratify his giddy desires, he must resort to meanness, dishonesty, and extortion. These vices brought with them disgrace; and the contempt into which he fell, awakened a spirit of revenge, and left him to the unrestrained influence of his cupid- ity and passion. Thus, from the high fame to which his bravery had elevated him, he descend- ed into infamy. Thus too, he furnished new evi- dence of the infatuation of the human mind, in at- taching such value to the reputation of a soldier, which may be obtained w hile the heart is unsound, and every moral sentiment is entirely depraved. BARTLETT, Josiah, governor of New Hamp- shire, was born at Amesburj, in the county of Es- sex, Massachusetts, 21st November, 1729. His ancestors came from the south of England, and fixed at Newbury. The rudiments of his educa- tion he received at Amesbury, at the town school; and having a thirst for knowledge, he applied him- self to books in various languages, in which he was assisted by a neighbouring clergyman, the reverend Mr. Webster, of Salisbury, an excellent scholar as well as judicious di\ine. Mr. Bartlett had the benefit of his library and conversation, while he studied physic with a gentleman, who was SL practitioner in his native town. At the age of >-wenty-one, he began the practice of physic in BARTLETl'. b: Kingston, and soon became very eminent in the line of his profession. In 1764, a field was open- ed for the useful display of his skill. The aj- nanche vialigna became very prevalent i]i many towns of New Hamphshire, and was a fatal disease among cliildren. The method of treating it was as a highly philogistic complaint; hut he was led from his own reason and observations, to manage it differently. He made use of the Peruvian harky as an antidote and preventative, and his practice was successful. Tliis afterwards become general among pliysicians. In 1765. Dr. Banlett was chosen a member of the legislature, and from this time was annually elected till the revolution. He soon after was made a justice of the peace. In ITTO, he Vvas appointed lieutenant colonel of the 7th regiment of militia. These commissions he was deprived of in 1774, on account of the active pai-t he took in the contro- versy witli Great Britain. This was a time when ^^ the clashing of parties excited strong passions, whicli frequently gained the mastery of reason.'* The governor and council of Xevr Hampshire, saw fit to dissolve tlie house of assembly, supposing that a new one might become more flexible, or be more subservient to their wishes. In the mxCanwhile, colonel Bartlett, with several others, planned a kinfj of authority, which v, as called a committee of safety. TJiey met at Exeter, and in the course of events, were obliged to take upon themselves the whole executive government of the state. When a provincial congress had again organized the government, colonel Bartlett received a new ap- pointment as justice of the peace, and colonel of tlie 7th regiment. He was one of the first members who were cho- sen to represent the state in congress. Colonel Bartlett was prevented from accepting this hon- ourable trust by the unhappy condition of his i^^^-- 88 BARTLETT. mestic affairs; his house having hceii hnrut, hisy family were obliged to seek a shelter witiiout any thing hut the clothes they had upon tltem. lie was elected memher of the second congress w hich assembled at Philadelphia the next year, and also attended his duty in the same station, 1776. He was the first that signed the declaration of inde- pendence after the president. In 1777, colonel Bartlett and general Peabody, were appointed agents to provide medical aid and other necessaries for the New Hampshire troops, who w ent with general Stark, and for this purpose repaired to Bennington, a sj)ot distinguished by a battle very important in its consequences. In April, 1778, he again went as a delegate to con- gress. He returned in November, and would no longer appear as a candidate for that office. When the state of New Hampshire w as organi- zed, under a popular government, colonel Bartlett was appointed judge of the common pleas; in June, 1782, a judge of the supreme court; in 1788, chief justice. In June, 1790, lie was elected president of the state, which office he held till the constitution ab- rogated the office of president, and substituted the title of the cliief magistrate, governor. He was then chosen the first governor of New Hampshire since the revolution. He resigned the chair in 1794, on account of his infirm state of health, and then retired from public business. He had been the chief agent in forming the med- ical society of New Hampshire, which was incor- porated in 1791, of which he was president, till his public labours ceased, and when he resigned, he received a warm acknoAvledgment of his services and patronage, in a letter of thanks, which is now upon the records of the society. He was always a i)atron of learning and a friend to learned men. Without the advantages of a college education, he BIDDLE. 891 was an example to stimulate those wlio have been blessed with every advantage in early life; but can- not exhibit sucii improvement of their talents, or such exertions in the cause of literature. It was his opinion that republics cannot exist without knowledge and virtue in the people. He received an honorary degree of doctor of me- dicine from Dartmouth University. Governor Bartlett did not live long after he re- signed his public employments. His health had been declining a number of years. He died sudden- ly, May, 1795. BIDDLE, Nicholas, captain in the American navy, during the revolutionary war, was born in the city of Philadelphia, in the year 1750. Among the brave men, who perished in the glorious strug- gle for the independence of Amerca, captain Bid die holds a distinguished rank. His services, and the high expectations raised by his military geniua and gallantry, have left a strong impression of his merit, and a profound regret that his early fate should have disappointed, so soon, the hopes of his country. Very early in life he manifested a partiality for the sea, and before the age of fourteen he had made a voyage to Quebec. In tlie following year, 1765, he sailed from Philadelphia to Jamaica, and the Bay of Honduras. The vessel left the Bay in the latter end of December, 1765, bound to Antigua, * and on the second day of January, in a heavy gale of wind, she was cast away on a shoal, called the Northern Triangles. After remaining two nights and a day upon the wreck, the crew took to their yawl, the long-boat having been lost, and with great difficulty and hazard, landed on one of the small uninhabited islands, about three leagues dis- tant from the reef, upon which they struck. Here they staid a few days. Some provisions werepro- nircd from the wreck; and their boat was refittecL. H 9. 90 BIDDLE. As it was too small to carry tliem all off, they drew lots to tlctermine who vshoukl leniaiiic and young Biddle was among the number. He, and his three rompap.ions, suffered extreme hardships lor want of provisions and good water: and, although various efforts were made for their relief, it was nearly two months before they succeeded. Such a scene of dangers and sufferings in the commeiicement of his career, would have discour- aged a youth of ordinary enterprise and pei'seve- 2 ance. On him it produced no such effect. The coolness and promptitude \^ith which he acted, in ilie midst of perils that alarmed the oldest seamen, gave a sure presage of the force of his character, and after he had returned home, he made several European voyages, in v.hich he acquired a thorough knowledge of seamanship. In the year 1770, when a war between Great Britain and Spain was expected, in consequence of the dispute relative to Falkland's Island, he went to London, in order to enter into the British navy^ Ho took with him letters of recommendation from Thomas Willing, Esquire, to his brother-in-law .'•aptain Sterling, on board of whose ship he served lor some time as a midshipman. The dispute with Spain being accommodated, he intended to leave the navy, but was persuaded by captain Sterling to remain in the service, promising that he would use all his interest to get !iim promoted. His ar- n hauled upon a wind, in order to speak lier. It was four o'clock before she could be distinctly seen, when she ^^ils. •fliscovered to be a ship, though as she ncared aud 98 BIDDLE. came before the ^Yill(l, she hail tlio appearance of a large sloop with only a srjuare sail set. About seven o'clock, the Randolph being to windward, hove to, the Moultrie being about one hundred and fifty yards astern, and i-ather to leeward, also hove to. About eight O'clock, the British ship fired a shot Just ahead of the Moultrie, and hailed her, tlie answer was the Polly of New York, upon which she immediately hauled her wind and hailed the Randolph. She w as then, for the first time, discovered to be a two decker. After several questions asked and answered, as she was ranging up along side the Randolph, and had got on her weather quarter, lieutenant Barnes, of tliat ship, called out, ^*This is the Randolph," and she im- mediately hoisted her colours and gave the enemy a broadside. Shortly after the action commenced, captain Biddle received a wound in the thigh and Fell. This occasioned some confusion, as it was at first thought that he was killed. He soon, how^- ever, ordered a chair to be brought, said that he was only slightly wounded, and being carried for- ward encouraged the crew. The stern of the ene- my's ship being clear of the Randolph, the captain of the Moultrie gave orders to lire, but the enemy having shot ahead, so as to bring the Randolph be- tween them, tlie last broadside of the Moultrie went into the Randolph, and it was thought by one of the men saved, who w as stationed on the quarter-deck near captain Biddle, that he was wounded by a shot from the Moultrie. The fire from the Randolph was constant and well directed. She fired nearly three broadsides to the enemy's one, and she appeared, while tlie battle lasted, to be in a continual blaze. In about twenty minutes after the action began, and while the surgeon was examining captain Biddle's wound on the quarter deck, the Randolph blew up. The enemy's vessel was the British ship Yar- BIDDLE. 99 Hioiitli, of sixty-lbiir guns, commaiuled bv captain Vincent. So closely were tliey engagetl, that cap- tain Morgan, of the Fair American, and all liis crev/, tliought that it was the enemy's ship that had blov, n lip. He stood for the Yarmoutii, and had a trumpet in liis hand to hail and inquire how cap- tain Biddle was, when he discovered his mistake. Owing to the disabled condition of the Yarmouth the other vessels escaped. The cause of tlie explosion was never ascertain- ed, but it is remarkable that just before he sailed, after the clerk had copied the signals and orders for the armed vessels that accompanied him, he Tvrote at the foot of them. ^*Iii cavSe of coming to action in the night be very careful of your maga- zines." The number of persons on board the Ran- dolph was three hundred and fifteen, who all per- ished, except four men, who were tossed about for four days on a piece of the wreck before they were discovered and taken up. From the information of two of these men, who were afterwards in Phi- ladelphia, and of some individuals in the other vessels of the squadron, we have been enabletl to state some particulars of this unfortunate event in addition to the accounts given of it by Dr. Ram- say in his History of the American Revolution, and in his history of the revolution of South Caro- lina. In the former work, the historian thus con- cludes his account of the action: " Captain Biddle who perislied on board the Randolph was univer- sally lamented. He was in the prime of life, and ha(^ excited high ex])ectations of future usefulness to ]iis country, as a bold and skilful naval ofticer." Thus prematurely fell, at the age of twenty- vseven, as gallant an officer as any countTy ever boasted of In tlie short career which Providence allowed to him, lie displayed all those qualities which constitute a great soldier. Brave to ex- cess, and consummately skilled in his profession. 100 BRYAX. no danger nor unexpected event could shake his firmness, or disturb his presence of mind. An ex- act and rigid disciplinarian, he tempered his au- thority with so much humanity and affability, tliat his orders were always executed with cheerfulnesa and alacrity. Perhaps no officer ever understood better the art of commanding the affections, as well as the respect of those who served under Iiim; if that can be called an art, which was rather the natural effect of the benevolence and magnanimity of his character. BRYAN, Geouge, was a native of the city of Dublin, in Ireland, the eldest son of an aiicient and respectable family. He received a classical and liberal education, and very early imbibed the principles of liberty. Even before he had closed his studies, he entered with an ardent zeal the ranks of opposition to the tyrannic acts of Great Britain, against that much abused country. When arrived at tlie age of twenty-one, his fatlier gave liim lils portion, being a sufficiency for a handsome establishment, in the wholesale mercan- tile business. He immediately embarked for Phi- ladelphia, wlierc he remained until his death — Althorjg]» by profession a merchant, Mr. Bryan's active, pati'iotic, and higlily improved mind, led him to a close observation of, and inquiry into, every thing in his adopted country; its govern- ment, laws, resources for ijnprovement, &c. &c. After several years of extensive business, it pleased tlie wise disposer of events to defeat the plans of Mr. Bryan, and he was, by the occur- rences of severe losses, reduced to comparative poverty. But he was rich in intellectual resour- ces. In them he had a friend, valuable to himself and family, but much more so, as the history of his life shews, to liis country. His education fit- iei\ Iii'.n for any thing that extensive knowledge'. could accomplish. BRYAN. 101 Previous to the revolution, Mr. Bryan was in- troduced into various public employments. He was a delegate to the congress of 1775, for the purpose of petitioning and remonstrating against the arbitrary measures of Great Britain. After the declaration of independence, he w^as vice pre- sident of the state of Pennsylvania, and upon the death of president Wharton, in May, 1778, he was placed at the head of the government. In 1777, Mr. Bryan was elected a member of the legislature, of which he was one of the most intelligent, active and efficient. Here, amidst the tumult of war and invasion; surrounded with the tory and disaffected, when every one was tremb- ling for himself, his mind was occupied by the claims of humanity and charity. He, at this time, planned and completed an act for the gradual abo- iition of slavery, and which will remain an imper- ishable monument to his memory. These were the days 'Hhat ivied men^s souls ;^' and it was in those days that the patriotism, wisdom and firm- ness, of Mr. Bryan were conspicuously efficient and useful. He furnished evidence, that in oppo- sing the exactions of foreign power, he was oppo- sing tyranny, and was really attached to the cause of liberty. After this periotl, Mr. Bryan was a judge of the Supreme Court, in which station he continued until his death. In 1 784, he was elect- ed one of the council of censors, and was one of its most active members. Besides tlie offices already mentioned, judge Bryan filled a number of public, titulary, and eharltabie employments. Formed for a close ap- plication to study, animated with an ardent thirst for knowledge, and blessed with a memory of won- derful tenacity, and a clear, penetrating, and tlc- eisive judgment, he availed himself of the labours and acquisitions of otiiers, and brought honour to the stations which he occupied. To his othep at- I 2 10!S Cx\DWALADER. tainmcnts, he added the virtues of the christaiiu He ^^as distinguished by his benevolence and sym- pathy with the distressed; by an unaffected liumil- ity and modesty; by his readiness to forgive inju- ries, and by his inflexible integrity. He was su- perior to the powers and blandishments of the woild. Thus eminently qualified for the various public offices in w hich he w as placed, he was hum- ble and faithful in discharging their duties, and he filled them with dignity and reputation in the worst of times, and in the midst of a torrent of un- merited obloquy, abuse, and opposition, When, on a certain occasion, some of his intimate friends desired him to permit them to answer a particular charge made against him, he replied, ''no my Trieiids, such things rankle not in my breast — mif .'IiaracJer mttst stand on my general condiictJ^ Sucli was his disinterestedness, and liis zeal for the pub- lic cause, and for the good of others, that his own interest seemed to have been wholly overlooked. In the administration of justice he was impartial and incorruptible. He w^as an ornament to the profession of Christianity, which he made the de- light of his connexions, and a public blessing to the state. By his death, religion lost an amiable example, and science a steady friend. CADWALADER, Joiik, born in Pliiladel- pliia, was distinguished for his zealous and inflex- ible adherence to the cause of America, and for his intrepidity as a soldier, in upholding that cause during the most discouraging periods of danger and misfortune. At the dawn of the revolution, he commanded a corps of volunteers, designated as 'Hhe silk stocking company f^ of which nearly all the memhei's w^ere appointed to commissions in ihe liiic of the army. He afterwards w as appoint- ed colonel of one of tlie city battalions; and, being ihence promoted to the rank of brigadier general, was intrusted witli the command of the FennsyU CADWALABER. lOS vania troops, in the important operations of the winter campaign of 1776 and 1777. He acted with his command, and as a volunteer, in the ac- tions of Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth, and other occasions; and received the thanks of general Washington, whose confidence and regard he uniformly enjoyed. Wlien general Washington determined to attack the British and Hessian troops at Trenton, lie assigned him the command of a division. In the evening of Christmas day, 1776, general Wasli- ington made arrangements to pass the river Dela- ware, in three divisions: one consisting of 500 men, under general Cadwaiader, from the vicini- ty of Bristol; a second division, under the com- mand of general Irvine, was to cross at Trenton ferry, and secure the hridge leading to the town. Generals Cadwaiader and Irvine made every ex- ertion to get over, hut the quantity of ice was so great, that they could not effect their purpose. — The third, and main hody, which was command- ed hy general Washingiori, crossed at M*Konkey's ferry; but the ice in the river retarded their pas- sage so long, that it was three o'clock in the morn- ing, hefore the artillery could be got over. On their landing in Jersey, they were formed into two divisions, commanded by generals Sullivan and Greene, who had under their command brigadiers lord Stirling, Mercer, and St. Clair: one of these divisions was ordered to proceed on the lower, or river road, the other on the upper or Pentiington road. Colonel Stark, with some light troops, was also directed to advance near to the river? and to possess himself of that part of the tov/n, which is beyond the bridge. The divisions having nearly ihe same distance to march, were ordered imme- diately on forcing tlie out-guards," to push directly into Trenton, that they might charge the enemy before they had time to form. Though they march 104 CADWALADER, ed different roads, yet tlicy arrived at the enemy's advanced post, within three minutes of each other. The out-guards of the Hessian troops at Trenton soon fvU back, but kept up a constant retreating lire. Their main body being liard pressed by tlie Americans, who had already got possession of half their artillery, attempted to file off by a road lead- ing towards Princeton, but w ere checked by a body of troops tlirown in their w ay. Finding they were surrounded, they laid down their arms. The num- ber which submitted, w as 23 oftlcers, and 886 men. Between 30 and 40 of the Hessians were killed and wounded. Colonel Rahl, was among the foruicr, and seven of his officers among the latter. Cap- tain Washington, of the Virginia troops, and five or six of the Americans w ere w onnded. Tw o were killed, and two or three were frozen to death. — The detachment in Trenton, consisted of the regi- ments of Rahl, Losberg, and Kniphausen, amount- ing in the whole to about 1500 men. and a troop of British light horse. All these were killed or cap- < ured, except about 600, who escaped by the road leading to Bordentown. The British had a strong battalion of light in- fantry at Princeton, and a force yet remaining near the Delaware, superior to the American ar- my. General Wasliington, therefore, in the even- ing of the same day, thought it most prudent to re- cross into Pennsylvania, with his prisoners. The next day after Washington's return, sup- posing him still on the Jersey side, general Cad- walader crossed with about 1500 men, andpur-sued the panic struck enemy to Burlington^ The merits and services of general Cadwalader, induced the congress, early in 1778, to compliment him by an unanimous vote, with the appointment of general of cavalry; which appointment he de- clined, under an impression that lie could be more usefiil to his country, in the sphere in which he? had been acting. CADWALADER. I05 The victory at Trenton had a most happy effect, and General Washington, finding himself at the head of a force with which it was practicable to at- tempt sometliing, resolved not to remain inactive. Inferior as he was to the enemy, he yet determin- ed to employ tlie winter in endeavouring to recovei- the whole, or a great part of Jersey. The enemy were now collected in force at Princeton, under lord Cornwallis, where some works were thrown np. Generals Mifflin and Cadwalader, who lay al Bordentown and Crosswicks, with three thousand six hundred militia, were ordered to march up in the niglit of the first of January, 1777, to join the commander in cliief, whose whole force, with this addition, did not exceed five thousand men. He formed the hold and judicious design of abandon- ing the Delaware, and marching silently in the night by a circuitous route, along the left'flank of tlie enemy, into tlieir rear at Princeton, where he knew they could not be very strong. He reached Princeton early in the morning of the third, and would have completely surprised the British, had not a party, which Avas on their way to Trenton, descried his troops, when they were about two miles distant, and sent back couriers to alarm their fellow soldiers in the rear. A sharp action en- sued, which however was not of long duration. The militia, of which the advanced party was prin- cipally composed, soon gave v ay. General Mer- cer was mortally wounded while exerting himself to rally his broken troops. The moment was cri- tical. General Washington pushed forward, and placed himself betv.een his own men and the Bri- tish, with his liorse's head fronting the latter. The Americans, encoui-aged by his example, made a stasid, and returned the British fire. A party of tlie Britisli fled into tlie college, and were attacked witli field pieces. After receiving a few discharges they came out and surrendered themselves prisoners jOG CADWALADER. of Will'. In this action upwards of one liundreii of t!ie enemy were killed on tlie spot, and tliree hundred taken prisoners. Tiic Americans lost only a few, but colonels Haslet and Potter, two hrave and valuable ollicers, from Delaware and Pennsylvania, were among the slain. General Cadwalader's celebrated duel with ge- jieral Conway, arose from his spirited opposition to the intrigues of tliat officer, to undermine t]»e standing of the commander in chief. The anecdote relative to the duel, in ^^xVnecdotes of the Revolu- tionary War," by Alexander Garden, of Charles- ton, South Carolina, is not entirely correct. It will be recollected tliat general Conway was dangerously wounded, and while his recovery was doubtful, he addressed a letter to general Wasli- ing acknov.ledging thathe had done him injustice. Among many obituarv notices of General Cad- walader, this patriotic and exemplary man, the following outline of his cliaracter, in the form of amonumejital inscription, is selected from a Balti- more paper of the 24tli of February, 1786 : In memor}' of General John Cadwalader, Who died, February the 10th, 1786, At Shrewsbury, his seat in Kent County, In the 44th year of his age. This amiable and worthy Gentleman, Had served his Country With reputation. In the character of a Soldier and Statesmar. : He took an active part, and liad a principal Share, in the late Revolution, And, although he was zealous in the cause of American Freedom, His cortiluct was not mark'd v.ith tlie Least degree of malevolence, or party spirit. 'I'hosc who honestly differed from him CLINTON. 107 In opinion, lie always treated with singular tenderness. In sociability, and cheerfulness of temper, Honesty and goodness of heart. Independence of spirit, and warmth of Friendship, He had no superior, And few, very few equals: Never did any man die more lamented By his Friends, and Neighbours ; To his family, and near relations, His death was a stroke still more severe. CLINTON. James, was the fourth son of col- enel Charles Clinton, and was born on Thursday the 19th of August, 1736, at the house of his fa- ther, in Ulster county, in the colony of New York. In common v»ith his brothers, he v^as favoured with an excellent education. The vstudy of the exact sciences Avas his favourite pursuit; but the predominant inclination of his mind was to a mili- tary life. In the critical and eventful affairs of nations, vhen their rights and tlieir interests are invaded, .md when the most daring attempts are made to re- luce them to domestic tyranny or foreign subjuga- ion, Providence, in the plenitude of its benefit- ccnce, has generally provided men qualified to lead the van of successful resistance, and has infu- sed a redeeming spirit into the community which enabled it to rise superior to the calamities that menaced its liberty and its prosperity. The char- acters designed for these important ends, arc statesmen and soldiers. The first devise plans in the cabinet, and the second execute them in the field. At the commencement of the American re- volution, and during its progress to a glorious consummation, constellations of illustrious men appeared in the councils and the armies of the na- tion, illuminating by their wisdom and upholding 108 CLINTON. by their energy: drawing forth ihe resources and vindicating the rights of America. In defiance of tlie most appalling considerations, liberty or death was insciibed on the heart of e^ ery patriot; and, drawing the s^^ ord, he consecrated it to the cause of Hea^ en and liis country, and determined to die or to co]K[i!er. iVii;idst ti)e gaj hint soldiers, whose services were demanded b\ the emerge ncies of tlie American re- volution, James Clinton. th^subje(t of this memoir, w as always conspicuous. To ;ui iron constitution and invincible courage, he added the militp.ry ex- perience w] icl) he acquired in the war of 1756, where he established his character as an intrepid and skilful officer; and the military knov.kdge which he obtained after the peace of 1763 b;v a close attention to the studies connected with his favourite profession. On the 31st of January, 1756, he was appointed by go^ ernor sir Charles Hardy, an ensign in the second regiment of militia for the county of Ulster; on the 25th March, 1758, by lieutenant governor Belancey, a lieutenant of a company in the pay of the province of New York; on the 7th March, 1759, by the same lieutenant governor, a captain of a company of provincial troops; and in the three following years he w as successively re-appointed to tlie same station. On tlie 1 5th November, 1763, he was appointed by lieutenant governor C olden, captain commandant of tlie four companies in the pay of tlie province of New York, raised for the riefence of the western frontiers of tlie counties of Ulster and Orange, and captain of one of tlie said companies; and on the 18th March, 1774, lieuten- ant colonel of the second regiment of militia, in Ulster county. This detail is entered into not from a spirit of ostentation, but to show that he rose gradually and from step to step in his profession; not by intrigue, for he I' ad none: nor by the in flu- CLINTON. r09 ciice of his family, for they were generally in op- position to the administration; hut by the force of merit, developing itself in the progress of time, and by the entire confidence justly reposed in his integ- rity, courage, and skill. In the war of 1756, commonly denominated the French war, he encountered, with cheerfulness, the fatigues and dangers of a military life. He was a captain under colonel Bradstreet, at the cap- ture of fort Frontenac, and he rendered essential service in that expedition in many respects, and particularly by the capture of a sloop of war on lake Ontario, which impeded the progress of the army. His company was placed in row-galleys* iind,' favoured by a calm, compelled the Frencls vessel to strike after an obstinate resistance. His designation as captain commandant of the four companies, raised for the protection of the western frontiers of the counties of Orange and Ulster, was ?i post of great responsibility and hazard, and de- monstrated the coniidence of the government. The safety of a line of settlements, extending at least fifty miles, was intrusted to his vigilance and in- trepidity. The ascendancy of the French, over the ruthless savages, was always predominant, and ilie inhabitant of the frontiers was comj)elled to iiold the plough with one hand, for liis sustenance^ : md to grasp his gun with the other for his defence; and he was consiantly in danger of being awaken- ^n of Kingston. The cruel ravages and horrible irruptions of the Iroquois, or six nations of Indians, on our frontier settlements, rendered it necessary to inflict a ter- rible chastisement, which would prerent a repeti- tion of their atrocities. An expedition was ac- cordingly planned, and the principal command was committed to general Sullivan, who Vvas to proceed up the Susquehanna, with the main body of the army, while general Clinton was to join him by the way of tlie Mohawk. The Iroquois inhabited, or occasionally occa- pied, tliat immense a,nd fertile region which com- poses the western parts of New York and Penn- sylvania, and besides their own ravages, from the ricinity of their settlements to the inhabited parts of the United States, they facilitated the inroads of the more remote Indians. When general Sulli- van was on his way to the Indian country, he was joined by general Clinton with upwards of sixteen hundred men. The latter had gone up the Mo- hawk in batteaux, from Schenectady, and after as- cending that river about fifty-four miles, he con- 11^2 CLINTON. veyed his batteaux from Canajoharic to the liead of Otsego lake, one of the sources of the Susqiie- lianna. Finding the stream of v.atci*, in that river, too low to float his boats, he erected a dam across the mouth of the lake, which soon rose to the altitude of the dam. Having got his batteaux ready, lie opened a passage through the dam for the water to flow. This raised the river so liigh, that he was enabled to embark all Iiis troops: to float them down to Tioga, and to join general Sul- livan in good season. The Indians collected their strength at Newtown; took possession of proper ground and fortified it with judgment, and on the 29th August, 1779, an attack was made on them; their works were forced, and their consternation was so great, tliat they abandoned all further re- sistance; for, as the Americans advanced into their settlements, they retreated before them Avithout throwing any obstructions in their way. The army passed between the Cayuga and Seneca lakes, by Geneva and Canandaigua, and as far west as the Genessce river, destroying large settlements and ^ ilhiges, and fields of corn; orchards of fruit trees, and gardens abounding with esculent vegetables. The progress of the Indians in agriculture, struck the Americans with astonishment. Many of their ears of corn measured 22 inches in length. They had horses, cows, and hogs, in abundance. They manufactured salt and sugar, and raised the best of apples and peaches, and their dwellings were large and commodious. The desolation of their settlements, the destruction of their provisions, and the conflagration of their houses, drove them to the British fortress of Niagara for subsistence, ^vhere, living on salt provisions, to which they were unaccustomed, they died in great numbers, and the effect of this expedition, was to diminish their population; to damp their ardour: to check their arrogance; to restrain their cruelty, and CLINTON. lis to inflict an irrecoverable blow on tlieir resour- ces of extensive aggression. For a considerable portion of the war, general Clinton was stationed at Albany, where be com- manded, in the northern department of the union, a place of high responsibility and requiring un- common vigilance and continual exertion. An in- cident occurred, when on this command, which strongly illustrates his character. A regiment which had been ordered to march, mutinied under arms, and peremptorily refused obedience. The general, on being apprised of this, immediately re- paired with his pistols to the ground: he went up to the head of the regiment and ordered it to march: a silence ensued and the order was not complied with. He then presented a pistol to tlie breast of a sergeant, who was the ringleader, and command- ed him to proceed on pain of death; and so on in succession along the line, and his command was, in every instance, obeyed, and the regiment resto- red to entire and complete subordination and sub- mission. General Clinton was at the siege of Yorktown and the capture of Cornwallis, where he distin- guished liimself by his usual intrepidity. His last appearance, in arms, was on the evacu- ation of the city of New York, by the British. He then bid the commander in chief a iinal and af- fectionate adieu, and retired to his ample estates, where he enjoyed that repose which was required by a long period of fatigue and privation. He was, however, frequently called from his re- tirement by the unsolicited voice of his fellow-citi- zens, to perform civic duties. He was appointed a commissioner to adjust the boundary line be- tween Pennsylvania and New York, which im- portant measure was amicably and successfully ac- complislied. He was also selected by the legislature fo^ an interesting mission to settle controversies il4 CLINTON. about lands in the west, wliicli also terminated iw vourably. He represented his native county in tliC assembly and in the convention that adopted tlic present constitution of the United States, and he was elected, without opposition, a senator from the middle district; all which trusts he executed with perfect integrity, witli solid intelligence, and w^ith the full approbation of his constituents. The temper of general Cliuton was mild and af- fectionate, but when raised by unprovoked or un- merited injury, he exhibited extraordinary and ap- palling energy. In battle he was as cool and as col- lected as if sitting by his fireside. Nature intended him for a gallant and efficient soldier, when slie endowed him with tlie faculty of entire seli-posscs- sion in the midst of the greatest dangers. He died on the 22d of December, 1812, and was interred in the family burial place in Orange coun^ ty, and his monumental stone bears the following inscription: <*Underneat]i arc interred the remains of James Clinton, Esquire. " He was born the 9th of August, 1736; and died the 22d of December, 1812. "His life was principally devoted to the military service of his country, and he had filled with fidel- ity and honour, several distinguished civil offices. "He was an officer in the revolutionary war. and the war preceding; and, at the close of the former, was a major general in the army of the United States. He was a good man and a sincere pati'iot, performing, in the most exemplary manner, all the duties of life: and lie died, as he lived, with- out fear, and without reproach.'' CLINTON, George, fonnerly governor of the .^tate of New York, and vice-president of the Uni- ted States, was born on the 26th July, 1739, in -Jae county of Ulster, in the colony of New York. lie was the youngest son of colonel Charles Clin- CLI-NTON. 1^5- tn- the subject of this memoir. , ,v,^.i f ? «f James Clinton, and was born in the todiity ol Longford, in Ireland, in 16P0. In ir<29, 120 CLIJSTOIS. he came to a determination to emigrate to British America, and liaving persuaded a number of his relations and friends to co-operate with him, he chartei'ed a slup for the purpose of conveying his little colony to Phiiatieipliia By the terms of the Charter Party, the passengers were to be liberally supplied with provisions and other accommoda- tions* and the vessel wa:- to be na^ igated by Iion- est and skilful hi\nds. On tlie 20th of May,*^ 17 29, the sliip left Ireland. Besi(!cs his wife, he had tw o daughters and one son w ith him. After being at sea for some time, it w as discovered that the commander of the vessel w^as a ruftian, and had probabhv^ formed a deliberate design of starving the passengers to death, either w ith a view to ac- quire their property or to deter emigration. He actually killed a man, and continued so long at sea, that the passengers were i-educed to an allow- ance of half a biscuit and half a pint of w ater a day. In consequence of which many of tliem died, and Mr. Clinton lost a son and daughter. In this aw ful situation, the remedy of seizing the captain and committing the navigation of the vessel to x\lr. Clinton, who was an excellent mathematician, oc- curred to the passengers; but they were prevented by the fear of incurring the guilt of piracy, espe- cially as they could not obtain the co-operation or assistance of tlie oflicers of the ship. They were finally compelled to give the captain a large sum of money, as a commutation for their lives, and on the 4th of October, he landed them at Cape Cod. After lea^ ing the s!iip, slie was driven from iicr moorings in a stormy night and lost. Mr. Clii> ton and his friends continued in that part of the country until the spring of 1731; v/hen he removed to tlie county of Ulster, in the colony of New York, where he fornicd a flourishing settlement. This misconduct of the commander of tlie vessel, divert- t'd })im from his orisjifial design of settling in Pcnu CLINTON. 1£1 f^jlyania. The country wliicli he selected was wild and uncultivated; covered with forests, sup- l^licd with streams, diversified with hills and val- leys, and abundant in the products of cultivation; hut so exposed (altliough only eight mile.s from tliQ. Hudson river and sixty from\he city of New York) to the incursions of the savages, that Mr. Clinton considered it necessary to erect a palisade work round his house fur the security of himself and his tieighbours. In this sequestered retreat he devoted himself to the cultivation of a large farm, and he occasional- ly acted as a surveyor of land: a profession, wliicU at that time and sinc^, has been followed by the most respectable men of this country. His leisure moments were devoted to study and writing, Pos- sessed of a well selected library, and endowed with, extraordinary talents, lie made continual acces- sions to his stores of useful knowledge. Merit so distinguished, and respectability so un-^ doubted, ath-acted the favourable notice of the ao- rernment and tlic commujiity. He was soon ap- pointed a justice of the j)eare, and a judge of the county of Ulster. In 1 756, he was appointed by the governor, sir Charles Hardy, lieutenant colonel of the second regiment of militia foot, for tlie countv of Ulster. On the 24th Marcli, 175% h.- was ap- pointed by lieutenant governor Delancey, a lieu- tenant colonel of oiie of the battalions of tiie rea:i- ment, m the province of New York, wliereof OJi- ver Dclancey was colonel; in which capacity he en- gaged in actual service, and acted under the com- ^iiaml of colonel Bradstreet. at ih^ siea:e and ca^}- ture of fort Froutenac, (now Ki:)gston,) on tha :>iorth side of lake Ojitario. In 1753, Georo-e Clinton, the father of sir Henry Clinton, was in- stailed as governor of the colony. An intimacy ■oolv place between him and Mr. Clintoiu in co'^^ -^riuencc of wliidn inid their distant comaui^muli^.^ a-2^ CLIKTOiN. 'the latter was earnestly solicited by his liamesake. to accept ot* a lucrative and distinguished office; but preferring the cliarnis of I'ctiremcnt, and tho tniltivation of literatui-e, to the cares of public life^ he declined every overture of the kind. His son "Geoi'ge, who was named after the colonial go^ern- or, was honoured by his early attentions, and 're- ceived from Ids friendship, the valuable office of clerk of the county. Mr. Clinton was also on terms of intimacy with several of the colonial chief magistrates, and the leading men of the province; and he is respectfully noticed by Smith, the histo- rian of New York, for liis ingenuity and know- ledge. Besides the daughter born in Ireland, Mr. •Clinton had four sons in this country. Alexander, educated in the college at Princeton, and afterwards a physician ; Charles, also an eminent physician and a surgeon in the army which took Havanna, in the Island of Cuba; James, a major general in the revolutionary army, and George, Governor of the state of New York, and Vice President of the Uni- ted States. He was peculiarly happy and fortu- nate in his children. Having devoted particular attention to their education, he liad the satisfaction of seeing them possessed of the regard of their cijuntry, and worthy of the veneration of posterity. He died at his place, in Ulster, now Orange oounty, on the 19th day of November, 1773, in his 83d year, just in time to escape, at that advanced age, the cares and perplexities of the revolution: but foreseeing its approach, he expired breathing an ardent spirit of patriotism, and conjuring his sons, in his last moments, to stand b;y the liberties of America. Mr. Clinton possessed an uncommon genius; a penetrating understanding; a solid judgment, and an extensive fund of useful and ornamental knoAv ledge, witli the affability and manners of an ac romplished gentleman. His person was tail, ei'cc? DAVID SOK. m: aiid gracciuly and his appearance impressive and (ligoilicd. If he happened to be in the company of yoinig people, their first impressions would be those of awe and reverence, but in the course of a few minutes, he would enter into the most pleasing and instructive conversation? which would soon restore their composure, and never failed of inspi- ring tlie most grateful attacliment and the most respectful confidence. He ^Yas a dutiful son; an affectionate husband; a kind father; a good neigh- bour; a disinterested patriot, and a sincere Chris- tian. He sometimes retired from the cares of bus- iness and the severe studies of the exact sciences, and took refuge in music and poetry, n.nd courted the communion of Apollo and the muses. The followin:;: lines, written by him on the grave of a beloved and elder sister, were casually pre- served, and will show the kind aiTections which an- imated his bosom, and which attended him in all the relations and charities of life. Oh) cans't thou know, thou dear departed shade! The mighty sorrows that my soul invade, V\^hilst o*ei thy mould'ring frame I mourning stand. And view thy j^rave far from thy native land. "With thee ray tender years were early train'd, "Oft have thy friendly arms my weight sustain'd, And when with childish freaks or pains opnres't, You, with soft music, luU'd my soul to rest. DAVIDSON, William, lieutenant colonel com- mandant in the North Carolina line, and briga- dier general in the militia of that state, was the youngest son of George Davidson, who removed with his family, from Lancaster county, in Penn- sylvania, in the year 1750, to Rowan county, in North Carolina. William was born in the year 1746, and was educated in a plain country manner, at an acade- my in Charlotte, the county town of Mecklenburg;,' which adjoins Rowan.> 1^24 I> AVID SON. Like most of the enterprising youth of America. Davidson repaired to the standard of his country, on the commencement of the revolutionary war, and was a])pointed a major in one of tlie first regiments formed by the government of NoHh Carolir.a. In this character, he marched with the North Carolina line, under brigadier general Nash, to the main army in New Jersey, \\ here he served nnder the commander in chief, nntil the North Carolina line Mas detached in November, 1779, to reinforce the southern army, commanded by major general Lincoln. Previous to this event, major Davidson was promoted to the command oi a regiment, with the lank of lieutenant colonel commandant. As he passed through North Carolina, David- son obtained permission to visit his family, fiom which he had been absent nearly three years. — The delay produced by this visit saved him from captivity, as he found Charlesto]i so closely in^ es- ted when he arrived in its neighbourhood, as to prevent his rej unction with his regiment. Soon after the surrender of general Lincoln and Jus army, the loyalists of North Carolina, not doubting the complete success of the royal forces* began to embody themselves for the purpose of contributing their active aid in tlie field to the .subsequent operations of the British general. — They were numerous in the western parts of the state, and especially in the highland settlement about Cross creek. Lientenant colonel Davidson put himself at the head of some of our militia, called out to quell the expected insurrection. He proceeded w ith vigour in tlie execution of his trust; and in an engagement with a party of loyalists near Calson's mill, he was severely wounded; the ball entered the umbilical region, and passed through his body near the kidneys. This con- lined him for eight weeks; when recovering, he ii;- DAVIDSON. I2n stantly took the field, having been recently ap- pointed brigadier general by the government of Nortli Carolina, in the place of brigadier general Rutherford, taken at the battle of Camden. H& exerted himself, in conjunction with general Sum- ner and colonel Davie, to interrupt the progress of lord Cornwallis in his advance towards Salisbury, and throughout that eventful period, gave unceas- ing evidences of his zeal and firmness in uphold- ing his falling country. After the victory obtained by Morgan at the Cowpens, Davidson was among the most active of his countrymen in assembling the militia of liis district, to enable general Greene, who had join- ed tlie light corps under Morgan, to stop the pro- gress of the advancing enemy, and was detached by general Greene, on the night of the last day of January^ to guard the very ford selected by lord Cornvvailis for his passage of the Catawba river on the next morning. Davidson possessed himself of the post in the niglit, at the head of three hun- dred men ; and having placed a picquet near the shore, stationed his corps at some small distance fTom the ford. General Henry Lee, from whose ^* memoirs of the war in the Southern department of the United States, we copy the present sketcli of General Da- vidson, gives the following account of the battle : ^^A disposition was immediately made, to dis- lodge Davidson, which the British general O'Ha- ra. with the guards effected. Lieutenant colonel Hall, led with the light company, followed by the grenadiers. The current was rapid, the stream waist deep, and five hundred yards in width. The soldiers crossed in platoons, supporting each othcrs^ steps. When lieutenant colonel Hall reached the river, he was descried by the American sentinels^ \yhose challenge and fire brought Davidson's corps into array. Deserted by his guide, Hall passed: !-:'« DAVIDSON. directly across, not knowing the landing place, whicli lay below him. This deviation from the common course, rendered it necessary for David- son to incline to the right; but this manoeuvre, al- though promptly performed, was not effected imtil the light infantry had gained the shore. A fierce conflict ensued, which was well supported by Da- vidson and his inferior force. The militia at length yielded, and Davidson, while mounting his horse to direct the retreat, was killed. The corps dis- persed and sought safety in the woods. Our loss was small, excepting general Davidson, an active, zealous and influential oflicer. The Britisli lieu- tenant colonel Hall was also killed, w ith tlirec of tlie light infantry, and thirty-six were wounded. Lord Cornwallis's horse was shot under him. and fell as soon as he got upon tlie shore. Leslee's horses v»ere cari'ied down the stream, and with difiiculty saved; and O^IIara^s tumbled over witk hisn in tlie water,'' The loss of brigadier general Davidson would have always been felt in any stage of the Avar. It was particularly detrimental in its effect at thi& period, as he was the cliief instrument relied upon by general Greene for the assemblage of the mili- tia j an event all inipoi'tant at this crisis, and anxiously desired by the American general. The ball passed through his breast, and he instantly fell dead. This promising soldier was thus lost to his conn- try in the meridian of life, and at a moment when his services would have been highly beneficial to her. He w as a man of popular manners, pleasing address, active and indefatigable. Enamoured with the profession of arms, and devoted to the great cause for which he fought, his future useful- ness may be inferred from his former conduct. The congress of the United States, in gratitude fbr his services, and in commemoration of their DICKINSON. t9X sciisc of Ilis worth, passed the following resolu- tion directing the erection of a monument to his memory. Resolved, That the governor and council of the state of North Carolina, be desired to erect a mon- ument, at the expense of the United States, not ex- ceeding the value of five hundred dollars, to the memory of the late brigadier general Davidson, who commanded the militia of the district of Salis- bury, in the state of North Carolina, and was killed on the first day of February last, fighting gallantly in the defence of the liberty and indepen- dence of these states, DICKINSON, John, a distinguished political writer and friend of his countiy, was the son of Samuel Dickinson, esquire, of Delaware. He was a member of the assembly of Pennsylvania, in 1764, and of the general congress in 1765. Iw November, 1767, he began to publish his celebra- ted letters against the acts of the British parlia- ment, laying duties on paper, glass, &c. They supported the liberties of his country, and contri- buted much to the American revolution. He was a member of the first congress in 1774, and the pe- tition to the king, which was adopted at this time^ and is considered as an elegant composition, was v,ritten by him. He w^as the author of the declaration adoptedi by the Congress of 1775, setting forth the causes and necessity of their taking up arms; which declara- tion w as directed to he published by general Wash- ington, upon his arrival at the camp before Bos- ton, in July 1775. He also wrote the second pe- tition to the king, adopted by the same congress^ stating the merits of tlieir claims and soliciting the royal interposition for an accommodation of dif- ferences on just principles. These several ad- dresses were executed in a masterly manner, and were well calculated to make friends to the co- 128 DICKINSOX. lonies. But tlicir petition to the king, ^vllich was drawn up at the same time, produced more solid advantages in fa\our of tlie American cause, than any other of their productions. This was, in a great measure, carried through congress hy Mr. Dickinson. Several memhers, judging from the violence with which parliament proceeded against tlie colonies, were of opinion, that farther petitions were nugatory; but this worthy citizen, a friend to both countries, and devoted to a recon- ciliation on constitutional principles, urged the ex- pediency and policy of trying, once more* the effect of an liumhle, decent, and firm petition, to the com- mon head of tlie empire. The high opinion tiiat was conceived of liis patriotism and abilities, in- duced the members to assent to the measure, though they generally conceived it to be labour lost. In June, 1776, he opposed openly, and upon principle, the declaration of independence, when the motion was considered by Congress. His ar- guments were answered by John Adams, Ricliard Henry Lee, of Virginia, and otliers, wiio ad- vocated a separation from Great Britain. The part which Mr. Dickinson took in this debate, oc- casioned his rccal from congress, as his constitu- ents did not coincide with him in political views, and he vras absent several years. Percei^ing, at length, that his countrymen were unalterably fixed in their system of independence, he fell in with i(v and was as zealous in supporting it in congress, about the year 1780, as any of the members. He was president of Pennsylvania from No\ember, 1782, to October, 1785, and was succeeded in this office by Dr. Franklin. Soon after 1785, it is be- lieved, he removed to Delaware, by which state he was appoirited a member of the old congi'css, and of which state iie was president. He filled with ability the various high stations in which he was placed. He was distinguished hy Dickinson: 129 his strcngtli of mind, miscellaneous kno\vledge, and cultivated taste, wliich were united with a habitual eloquence ; with an elegance of manners, and a be- nignity w hich made him the delight as well as the ornament of society. The infirmities of declining years had detached him long before his death, from the busy scenes of life ; but in retirement his pa- triotism felt no abatement. The welfare of his country w as ever dear to him, and he was ready to make any sacrifices for its promotion. Unequivo- cal in liis attachment to a republican government, lie invariably supported, as iar as his voice could have influence, those men and those measures, which he believed most friendly to republican prin- ciples. He was esteemed for his uprightness, and the purity of his morals. From a letter which he wrote to James Warren, Esquire, dated the 25th of 'the first month, 1805, it would seem that he was a member of tlic society of friends. He published a speech delivered in the house of Assembly of Penn- sylvania, 1764; a reply to a speech of Joseph Gal- loway, 1765; late regulations respecting the colo- nies considered, 1765; letters from a farmer in Pennsylvania to the inhabitants of the British co- lonies, 1767—1768. The following is an extract from an address of Congress, to the several states, dated May 26, 1779, which was also from the pen of Mr. Dickin- son : ^' Infatuated as your enemies have been from the beginning of this contest, do you imagine they can now flatter tliemselves with a hope of conquering you, unless you are false to yourselves ? "" When unprepared, undisciplined, and unsup- ported, you opposed their fleets and armies in full conjoined force, then, if at any time, was conquest to be apprehended. Yet, what progress towards it have their violent and incessant efforts made ? Judge from their own conduct, Having devoted 130 -DICKINSON. you to bondage, and after vainly ^vasiing their blood and treasure intlie disjionourablc enterprise^ they deigned at length to offer terms of accommo- dation, with respectful addresses, to that once des- pised body, the coiigress, whose humble supplica- tions only for peace, liberty and safety, tliey had contemptuously rejected, under pretence of its be- ing an unconstitutional assembly. Nay more, desi- , rous of seducing you into a deviation from the paths of rectitude, from wliicli they had so fcir and so rashly wandered, they made most specious offers to tempt you into a ^ iolation of your faith given to your illustrious ally. Their arts were as unavail- ing as their ai'ms. Foiled again, and stung witii rage, imbittered by eiwy, they had no alternative, but to renounce the inglorious and ruinous contro- versy, or to resume their former modes of prosecut- ing it. They chose the latter. Again the sa^vages are stimulated to horrid massacres of women and children, and domestics to the murder of their mas- ters. Again our brave and unhappy brethren are doomed to miserable deaths, in goals and prison- ships. To complete the sanguinary system, all the " EXTREMITIES of w ar'' arc by authority denoun- ced against you. "Piously endeavour to derive this consolation from their remorseless fury, that ** the Father of Mer- cies" looks down with disapprobation on such au- dacious defiances of his holy laws ; and be further comforted with recollecting, that the arms assumed by you in your righteous cause have not been sul- lied by any unjustifiable severities. "Your enemies despairing, however, as it seems, of the success of tlieir united forces against ou!^ main army, have divided them, as if their design was to harrass you by predatory, desultory opera tions. If you are assiduous in improving oppor- tunities, Saratoga may not be the only spot on this continent to give a new denomination to the balflc ard to act as instruments in the Alnrighty liand, now extended to accomplish his purpose; and by the completion of N^liich alone, America, in the nature of luiman affairs, can be secure against the craft and insidi- ous designs of her enemies who think her prosperity and j^ower AJ^n^xBY by far too great. In a word, our piety and political* safety are so blend- ed, that to refuse our labours in this Divine work, is to refuse to be a great, a free, a pious, and a i-iappy people! "And now having left the important alteriirttive, political happiness or wretchedness, under God, in a great degree in your own hands, I pray the Supreme Arbiter of the affairs of men, so to direct your judgment, as that you may act agreeable to what seems to be his will, revealed in his miracu- lous works in behalf of America, bleeding at the altar of liberty.'* ilis letters publis]ied expressly to controvert the machinations of the Britisli commissioners, hold- ing out the fallacious hope of conciliation, have been considered as replete vrith irresistible argu- n^ents, and written in the best style of composition. His strictures also on the conduct of general C Lee, disobeying orders at the battle of Monmouth, have been iiighly approved of. His speech in tiie gene- ral assembly of South Carolina, on tlie articles of the confederation, was published in 1778. Several M 134 FRANKLIN. other productions of Iiis pen appeared, explaining the injured rights of his country, and encouraging his fellow-citizens to vindicate them. He also wrote a history of the American revolutioru brought down to the year 1779, in three largo volumes, Avhich he intended to correct and pub- lish, hut was prevented by liis death. He died in Philadelphia, in 1779, while attend- ing liis duty in congress, in the 37th year of his age. "- FRANKLIN, Benjamin, a p]iih)sopher and statesman, was a native of Boston, Massacluisetts, and was born on the 17th of January, 1706. The paternal branch of his ancestors inliabited the county of Northampton, in England. They were proprietors of a small freehold estate near the vil- lage of Eaton, where the family had been esta- blished, according to the traditions of that place, for more tlian three centuries. They pursued ge- nerally some trade, especially that of blacksmith, and were xcry honourably distinguished in their neiglibourhood, for industry, lionesty, and mecl)a- Jiical ingenuity. His father, ^^ilo Avas of the per- suasion of the Puritans, emigrated in 1682, to the colony of Massachusetts, the common refuge of those of his sect, who fled from the persecu- tions of tlieir native country ; but unaccustom- ed to agriculture or commerce, the usual oc- cupations of tlie colonists, and no trade, in the simple manner of those days conferring dishonour on its professors, he had recourse for a livelihood, without any previous apprenticeship, to that of cha^idler and soap-boiler, which, during tlie re- mainder of his life, he pursued witli little success, and lived in an innocent and unambitious poverty. His father was the youngest of four sons, all me- chanics, except the eldest, Thomas, who, althougli bred a smith, qualified himself for the bar, and Hr.as conspicuous in his county as * t]ic chief mover FRANKLIN. 135 of all pnblic-spiritetl enterprises.' The character of this uncle, as our philosopher pourtrays it iu the first pages of his memoirs, and in one of his letters to his wife, has strong points of resemblance to his own; we may, indeed, distinguish certain leading dispositions, and properties of intellect by whicli he was marked, more or less vigorous, in ail the members of his family of whom he has given any account. lie constantly attended public wor- ship, and brought up his children in the ways of piety. His mother was a native of Boston, and was descended from one of the principal settlers of New England. We shall here give a sketch of the memoirs of his life and writings, written by himself. He says, "To be acquainted with the particulars of my parentage and life, will afford some pleasure. It will be an agreeable employ- ment of a week's uninterrupted leisure, which I ])romise myself during my present retirement in the country. There are also other motives which induce me to the undertaking. From the bosom of poverty and obscurity, in which I drew my first breath, and spent my earliest years, I have raised myself to a state of opulence, and to some degree of celebrity in the world. A con- stant good fortune has attended me through every period of my Vife, to my present advanced age; and my descendants may be desirous of learning what where the means of which I made use, and which, thanks to the assisting hand of Providence, have proved so eminently successful. And here let me with all humility acknowledge, that to Divine Providence I am indebted for th6 felicity I have hitherto enjoyed. It is that power alone which has furnished me with the means I liave employed, and that has crowned them with success. My faith in this respect leads me to- liope, though I cannot count upon it, that tlie di- vine goodness will still be exercised towards me. ^56 FRANKLIN. cither by prolonging the duration of my Ijappiiiess to tlie close of life, or by giving me fortitude to support any melancholy reverse, which may happen to me as to so many othei's. My future foHune is unknown but to Him in whose hand is our destiny, and who can make our very afSictions subservient to our benefit. I was sent, at the age of eight years, to a gram- mar school. My father destined me for the church, and already regarded me as tlie chaplain of the family. The promptitude with which, from my infancy, I had learned to read, for I do not re- member to have been ever without this acquire- ment, and the encouragement of his friends, who assured him that I should one day cei*tainly be- come a man of letters, confirmed him in this de- sign. My uncle Benjamin approved also of the scheme, and promised to give me all his volumes of sermons, written, as I have said, in the short- iiand of his invention, if I w ould take the pains to learn it. I remained, however, scarcely a year at gram- mar school, although, in this short interval, I had risen from the middle to the head of my class, li'om (hence to tlie class immediately above, and was to pass, at the end of the } ear, to the one next in order. But my father, burthen^d with a nume- rous famil\, found that he was incapable, without subjecting himself to diihculties, of providing for the expense of a collegiate education; and consid- ering, besides, as I heard him say to his friends^ that persons so educated were often poorly provi- ded for, he renounced his first intentions, took me from the grammar school, and sent me to a school for writing and arithmetic, kept by a Mr. Gx^orgc Brov, nweil, who was a skilful master, and suc- ceeded very well in his profession by employing gentle means only, and such as were calculated to encourage his scholars. Under him I soon acquir- FRANKLIN, 137 ed an excellent hand, but I failed in arithmetic, and made therein no great progress. At ten years of age I was called home, to assist my father in his occupation, which was that of a soap-boiler and tallow chandler, a business to w hich he had served no apprenticeship, but whicli he embraced on his arrival in New England, be- cause he found his own, that of a dyer, in too little request to enable him to maintain his family. I was, accordingly, employed in cutting the wicks, iiliing tlic moulds, taking care of the shop, carry- ing messages, he. This business displeased me, and I felt a strong inclination for a sea life : but my father set his face against it. The vicinity of the water, howe- ver, gave me frequent opportunities of venturing myself both upon and witbin it, and I soon acquir- ed the art of swimming, and of managing a boat. When embarked with otlier children, the helm was commonly deputed to me, particularly on difficult occasions ; and, in every other project, I was al- ways tlie leader of the troop, whom I sometimes in- volved in embarrassments. I shall give an in- stiince of this, which demonstrates an early dispo- sition of mind for public enterprises, though the one in question was not conducted by justice. Tlie mill-pond was terminated on one side by a marsh, upon the borders of which we were accus- tomed to take our stand, at high water, to angle for small fish. By dint of walking, we had con- verted the place into a perfect quagmire. My pro- posal Avas to erect a wharf that should afford us a iirm footing, and I pointed to my companions a large heap of stones, intended for building a new house near the marsh, and which were well adapt- ed for our purpose. Accordingly, when the work- men retired in the evening, I assembled a number of my play-fellows, and by labouring diligently, like ants, sometimes four of us uniting our strength M 2 AS& FRANKLIN. to carry a single stone, we removed tliem all, and cojistructed our little quay. The workmen were surprised tlie next morning at not finding their stones, which hjid been conveyed to our wharf. Enquiries were made respecting the authors of this com eyance; we were discovered, complaints were exhibited against us, many of us underwent correc- tion on the pai't of our parents, and though I stre- iuiously defended the utility of the work, my father at length convinced me, that nothing which was not strictly honest, could be useful. I continued employed in my father's trade for t]ie space of two years; that is to say, till I arrived at twelve years of age. About tliis time my brother John, who had served his apprenticeship in London, having quitted my fatlier, and being married and settled in business on his own ac- count, at Rhode Island. I was destined, to all ap- pearance, to supply his place, and be a candle-ma- ker all my life: but my dislike of this occupation continuing, my father was appreliensive, that, if a more agreeable one were not offered me, I miglit play the truant and escape to sea; as, to his great mortification, my brother Josias had done. He therefore took me sometimes to see masons, coop- ers, braziers, joiners and other mechanics, employ- ed at their work, in order to discover xhe !)ent of my inclination, and fix it, if he could, upon some occupation that might retain me on shore, i have since, in consequence of these visits, derived no f^mall pleasure, from seeing skilfjil workmen han- dle their tools; and it has proved of considerable benefit, to have acquired thereby sufficient know- ledge to be able to make little things for myself, when I have had no mechanic at hand, and to con- struct small machines for my experiments, while the idea I have conceived has been fresh and strongly impressed on my imagination. My fatlier at length decided that I should be a FRANKLIN. 139 cutler, and I was placed, for some days, upon trial with my coiisiu Samuel, son of my uncle Benja- min, who had learned this trade in London, and had established himself at Boston. But the pre- mium he required for my apprenticeship displea- sing my fatlier, I was recalled home. From my earliest years I had been passionately fond of reading: and laid out in books all the money I could procure. I was particularly pleased with accounts of voyages. My first acquisition was Bunyan's collection in small separate volumes. Tiiesc I afterwards sold in order to buy an his- torical collection which consisted of small cheap volumes, amounting in all to about forty or fifty. My father's little library was princi])ally made up of books of practical and polemical tiieology. I read the greatest part of them. I have since often regretted, that at tliat time when I had so great a thirst for knowledge, more eligible books had not fallen into my hands, as it was then a point deci- ded, that I should not be educated for the chuiTh. There was among my fatlier'^ books Plutarch's Lives, in which I read continually, and I still re- gard as advantageously employed the time I devo- ted to them. I found, besides, a work of De Foe's, entitled, an Essay on Projects, from which, per- hai)s, i derived impressions that have since influ- enced some of the principal events of my life. My inclination for books at last determined my father to make me a printer, tliough he had already a son in that profession. My brotfier had return- ed from England in 1717, with a press and types, in order to establish a printing-house at Boston. This business pleased me much better than that of my father, though I had still a predeliction for the sea. To prevent the effects which might result from this inclination, my father was impatient in see me engaged with my hrother. I held back for some time; at length, however, I suffered myself 140 FRANKLIN. to be persuaded, and signed my indenlures, being then only twelve years of age. It Avas agreed that I sliojild serve as apprentice to the age of twenty-one, and should receive journeyman's wa- ges only during the last year. In a very short time I made great proficiency in this business, and became very serviceable to my brother. I had now an opjjortunity of procuring better hooks. The acquaintance I necessarily formed with booksellers' apprentices, enabled me to hoi'row a volume now and then, ^\ hich I never failed to return punctually and without injury. How often has it happi'nedto mc to pass the great- er part of the night in reading by my bed-side, when the book had been lent mc in tiie evening, and was to be returned the next morning; lest it might be missed or wanted! At length, Matthew Adams, an ingenious trades- man^ who liad a handsome collection of books, and who frecjuented our printing-bouse, took notice of me. He invited me to see his librai y, and had tlic goodness to lend me any books I was desirous ol reading. I then took a strange fancy for poetry, and composed several little pieces. My brother, thinking he might find his account in it, encoura- ged me, and engaged me to write two ballads. One. called tlie Liglithouse Tragedy, containing the shipv.i'eck of captain Worthilake and his two daugliters' the other, was a sailor's song on the capture of the noted pirate called Black-Beard, They were wretched verses in point of style, mere blind-man's ditties. When printed, he despatch- ed me about the town to sell them. The first had a prodigious run, because the event was recent and bad made a great noise. My vanity w as flattered by tliis success ;. but my father checked my exultation, by ridiculing my productions, and telling me that versifiers were al- Hvays poor. I tbus escaped the misfortune of beings FRANKLIIN^ 141 probably, a very wretched poet. But as the facul- ty of writing prose !ias been oi great service to me iu the course of my life, and principally contribu- ted to my advancement, I shall relate by what means, situated as I was, I acquired the small skill I may possess in that way. There was in the town another young man, a great lover of books, of the name of John Collins, witli whom I was intimately connected. We fre- ((uently engaged in dispute, and were indeed so fond of argumentation, tliat nothing was so agree- able to us as a vvar of woixls. This contentious temper, I would observe, by the bye, is in danger of becoming a very bad habit, and frequently ren- ders a man's company insupportable, as being no otherwise capable of indulgence than by indiscrimi- nate contradiction. Independently of the acrimo- ny and discord it introduces into conversation, it is often productive of dislikC; and even hatred, be- tween persons to whom friendship is indispensa- hly necessary. I acquii*ed it by reading, while I lived with my father, in books of religious contro- versy. I have since remarked, that men of sense and good education, seldom fall into this error. Collins and I, one day, in an argument relative to the education of women, namely, whether it were proper to instruct them in the sciences, and whether they were competent to the study? Col- lins, supported tlie negative, and affirmed that the task was beyond their capacity, I maintained the opposite opinion, a little perhaps for the pleasure of disputing. He was, naturally, more eloquent than I; words flowed copiously from his lips; and frequently I thought myself vanquished, more by his volubility than by the force of his arguments^ We separated without coming to an agreement upon this point ; and as we were not to see each otiier again for some time, I committed my thoughts to paper, made a fair copy, and sent it to him. He art- '14^2 TRANKLllS. swercil, and I replied. Three or four letters hiid* been v/ritten by each, wlien my father clianced to light upon my pajiers and read them. AVithout en- tering into the merits of the cause, he embraced the opjjortunity of s}>eaking to me upon my manner of writing. He observed, tliat though I had tlic ad- A'antagc of my adversary in corirct spelling and pointing, vvliicli I ov,ed to my occupation, 1 was greatly his inferior in elegance of expression, in arrangement, and perspicu ity. Of this he convinced me by several examples. I felt the justice of his re- marks, became more attentive to language, and re- solved to make every effort to improve my style. Amidst these resolves ari odd v olume of the Specta- tor fell into my hands. This was a publication 1 had never seen. I bought the volume, and read it again and again. I was enchanted witli it, thought the style excellent, and wished it were in my power to imitate it. With this view I selected some of the papers, nmde short summaries of the sense of each period, and put them for a few days aside. I then, without looking at the book, endeavoured to restoi'e the essays to tlieir true form, and to ex- press each thought at length, as it w as in the ori- ginal, employing the most appro})riate words that occurred to my mind. I afterAvards compared my Spectator with tlie original; I perceived some faults, which I corrected; but I found that I wanted a fund of words, if I may so express myself, and a facility of recollecting and eniploying tfiem, which I thought 1 should by that time have acnui- red. had I continued to make verses. The con- tinual need of words of tlie same meaning, but of different lengths, for the measure, or of difterent sounds for the rhyme, woulil have obliged, me to seek for a variety of synonymes. and have render- ed me master of them. From this belief, 1 took some of the tales of the Spectator, and turned them into verse: and after a time, when 1 had sufficiently forgotten them, I again converted them into prose. FRANKLIN. 143 Sometimes, also, I mingletl all my summaries together, and a few weeks after, endeavoared to jirraiige them in tlie best order*, before I attempted to form tlie pei'iods, and complete the essays. This I did with a view of acquiring method in the ar- rangement of my thoughts. On comparing, after- wards, my pei'formance with the original, many faults were apparent, which I corrected; but I had sometimes the satisfaction to think, that, in cer- tain particulars of little importance, 1 had been fortunate enougli to improve the order of thought, or the style; and this encouraged me in hope that I sJiould succeed, in time, in writing decently in the English language, which was one of the great objects of my ambition. The time whicJj I devoted to these exercises, and to reading, w'as the evening after my day's labour was finislied, the morning, before it began, and Sundays, when I could escape attending Divine service. While I lived w ith my father, he had in- sisted on my punctual attendance on public wor- ship, and I still consider it as a duty. When about 16 years of age, a vvork of Tryon iell into my liands, in which he recommends vege- table diet. I determined to observe it. My broth- er, being a bachelor, did not keep house, but board- * d with jjjs apprentices in a neighbouring family. .My refusing to eat animal food was found incon- A enient, and I w-as often scolded for my singularity. I attended to the mode in which Tryon prepared s;ome of his dishes, particularly how to boil pota- toes and rice, and r.iake hasty puddings. I then said to my brotlier, that if he would allow me per week half what he paid for my board, I w ould un- dertake to maintain myself. The offer was instant- ly embraced, and I soon found that of what he gave me. I wa,s able to saA^e half. Tiiis w as a new fund tor the purcliase of books, and other advantages resulted to mc from tiie plan. When my brother 144 FRANKLIN. and bis workmen left the printing-house to go to dinner, I I'cniained behind, and (liH])atched my Irii- gal meal, wliich frequently consisted of a biscuit only, or a slice of bread and a bunch of raisins, or a bun fi'om the pastry cook's, with a glass of water; I had the i*est of the time, till their retui-n, for study, and my ])rogress therein was proportiojied to that clearness of ideas, and quickness of concep- tion, ^^])i( h ai'e the fruit of temperance in eating and drinkiiig. It was about tliis period that, liaving one day been put to the blush for my ignoi-ance in the art of calculation, wliich I had twice failed to learn while at school, I took up Cocker's Treatise of Arithme- tic, and went tbrougli it by myself with tlie great- est ease; I also read a book of na^ igation, by Sel- ler and Sturmy, and made myself master of the little geometry it contains; but I never proceeded far in this science. Nearly at the same time, 1 read Locke on the Human understanding, and the Art of Thinkino% b v Messrs. du Port-RoyaL Tfhile labouring to form and improve my style. I met with an English Grammar, wliich 1 bclieyc was Greenwood's, having at tbe {^lid of it tv. o little essays on rhetoric and h)gic. lu the latter 1 found a model of disputation alter ihe manner of Socra- tes. Shortly after I procured Xenophon's work, entitled, Memorable Tilings of Socrates, in wliich are various examples of the same method. Charm- ed to a degree of enthusiasm with this niode of dis- puting, 1 adopted it, ami renouiuing bhint contra- diction, and direct and positive aigument, I assu- jned the character of an iiumble questioner. I found Socrates's method to be both the safest for myself, as well as the most embarrassing to those against whom I employed it. It soon afforded me singular pleasure: I incessantly practiced it, and i)ecamc very adroit in obtaining, even from |>er- sons of superior understanding* concessions of FRANKLIN. 145 •wliicli ihcy did not foresee tlie consequences, — Tims I involved them in difiiculties from winch they were unable to extricate themselves, and sometimes obtained victories, which neitlier my cause nor my arguments merited. This method I continued to employ for some years; but I afterwards abandoned it by degrees. retaining only the habit of expressing myself with modest difiidence, and never making use, when I advanced any proposition which might he contro- verted, of the words certainly, undoubtedly, or any others that might give the appearance of being ob- stinately attacTied to my opinion. I rather said, I imagine, I suppose, or it appears to nie that such a thing is so or so, for such and such reasons; or, it is so, if I am not mistaken. This habit h.as, I think, been of considerable advantage to me, when I have had occasion to impress my opinion on the minds of others, and persuade them to the opinion of tlie measures I have suggested. In 1720, or 1721, my brother began to print a new public paper. It was the second that made its appearance in America, and was entitled *Thc New-England Courant.' The only one that ex- isted before was the ^ Boston News-Letter.' Some of his friends, I remember, would have dissuaded him from this undertaking, as a thing that was not likely to succeed; a single newspaper being, in their opinion, sufficient for all America. At pre- sent, however, in 1777, there are no less tlian twenty-ffve. But he carried his project into exe- cution, and I was employed in distributing the co- pies to his customers, after having assisted in coin- posing and working them off. Among his friends he iiad a number of literacy cliaracters, who, as an amuscuient, vrrote short es- says for tlie paper, wliich gave it reputation and increased its sale. Tliese gentlemen came frequent- Iv to our house. I heard tlie conver??atio« t'rat 14G FRANKLIN. passed, ami the accounts they gave of the favoiii^a hie reception of their writings witli the pul)lic. I was templed to try my hand among them; hut, he- ing still a child as it were, 1 was fearful that my brother might he unwilling to print in his paper any performance of which he sliould know me to he the author, i thei'efoi'C contrived to disguise my fiand, and having written an anonymous piece, 1 placed it, at night, under the door of the printing liouse, whci"e it was found the next morning. My hrotiier communicated it to his friends, when they came as usual to see him, who I'cad it, commented upon it in my hearing, and I had tlie exquisite pleasure to find that it met w itli approbation, and, that, in the various conjectures they made respect- ing the autlior, no one was mentioned who did not enjoy a high reputation in th(^ country, for talents and genius. I novv supposed myself fortunate in my judges, and began to susj)ect that they were not such excellent writers as I had hitherto sup- posed them. Be tliat as it may, encouraged by this little adventure, I wrote and sent to the pi'ess, in the same way, many other pieces, which were equally approved; keeping the secret till my slen- der stock of information and knowledge for such perfornumces was contpletely cxhaustcdj, when I made myself known. My bi'other, upon this discovery, began to en- tertain a little more respect for me; but he still re- garded himself as my master, and treated me like an appreiitice. He thought himself entitled to the same services from me as from any other person. On the contrary, I conceived that in many instan- ces, he w as too rigorous, and that, on the part of a brother, I had a right to expect greater indulgence. Our disputes were frequently brought before my father, and either my brother was generally in the wrong, or I w as the better pleader of tlie two, for iiidgment was commonly given in my favour. But Fl€ANKLIISr. /..^, <.. other was passionate, and often had rccoiirst: to hlows: a circinnstance which I took in very iii part. This severe and tyrannical treatment con- trihuted, I believe, to imprint on mv mind tluit aversion to arbitrary pov/cr, which during m\ whole life I have ever preserved. My apiire'nticc^- ship became insupportable to me,, and'l continiially siglied for an opportunity of shortening it, v.hich at lengtli unexpectedly offered. An article inserted in our paper, upon some p6'- ■iitical subject, which I have now forgotten, gave offence to the assembly. My brotl^.er \^as taken into custody; censured, and ordered into confine- ment for a month, because, as I presume, he would not discover the author. I was also taken up, and examined before the council; but, though I gave them no satisfaction, tliey contented themselves with reprimanding, and then dismissed me; con- sidering mc, probably, as bound, in quality of ap- prentice, to keep my master's secrets. Tlie imprisonment of my brother kindled my re- sentment, notwitlistanding our private quarrels. During its continuance, the management of the pa- per was entrusted to me, and I was bold cnougiito insert some pasrpiinades against the governors, w hich highly pleased my brotlier, while others be- gan to look upon me in an unfiivourable point of view, considering me as a young wit, inclined to satire and lampoon. My brother's enlargement was accompanied with an arbitrary order from the liouse of assembly ^'That James Franklin should no longer print th- newspaper entitled, the New England Courant.'- In this conjuncture, we held a consultation of our iriends at the printing-house, in order to deter- mine what was proper to be done. Some proposed to evade the order, by changing the title of the pa- per: but my brotber foreseeing inconveniences that would result from this step, thought it better that MS FRANKLIN. it should ill future be printed in the name of Ben- jamin Franivlin; and to aA oid the censure of the assembly, who might charge him with still print- ing the paper himself, under the name of his ap- pi'cntice, it was resolved that my old indentures .should be given up to me, with a full and entire discharge written on the back, in order to be pro- duced u])on an emergency; but that, to secui*e to my brother tlie benefit of my service, I sliould sign a new contract, whicli sliould be kept secret during the remainder of the term. This was a vevy shallow arrangement. It was, however, car- ried into immediate execution, and the paper con- tinued, inconsequence, to make its appearance for .some months in my name. At length a new dif- ference arising between my brother and me, I ven- tured to take advantage of my liberty, presuming iliat he would not dare to produce the new contract, it was undoubtedly dislionourahle to avail myself of this circumstance, a-nd I reckon this action as one of tlic first errors of my life; but I was little capable of estimating it at its true value, embitter- ed as my mind had been, by the recollection of the blows I had received. Exclusively of his passion- ate treatment of me, my brother was by no means a man of an ill temper, and perliaps my manners liad too much of impertinence not to afford it a very natural jiretext. When he knew that it was my determination to quit liioi, he wished to prevent my finding employ- ment elsewhere. He went to all the printing- houses in the town, and prejudiced the masters against me, \\ho accordingly refused to employ me. The idea tlien suggested itself to me of going to New York, the nearest town in which there \\as a printing oilice. Farther reflections conhi-med me in the design of leaving Boston, where 1 had already rendered myself an oliject of susjiicion io the governing party. It was probable, from tljc FRANKLIN. 149 arbitrary proceedings of the assembly in tbc aftair of my brotbcr, that, by remaining, I sliould soon have been ex])Ose(l to difficulties, which I had the greater reason to apprehend, as, from my indiscreet disputes upon the subject of religion, I begun to be regarded by pious souls with horror, eitljcr as an apostate or an atheist. I came, therefore, to a re- solution; but my father; in this instance, siding witli my brother, I presumed that if I attempted to dej)art openly, measures would be taken to prevent nie. My friend Collins undertook to favour my flight. He agreed for my passage with the captain, of a New York sloop, to \\ horn lie represented me as a young man of his acquaintance, who had an affair n\ ith a girl of bad cliaracter, whose parents wished to compel mc to mai'ry her, and that, of consecpience, I could neither make my appearance nor go oft* publicly. I sold part of my books to procure a small sum of money, and went privately on board the sloop. By favour of a good wind, J found myself, in three days, at New- York, nearly 300 miles from my home, Vct the age only of seven- teen years, without blowing an individual in tlie place, and with very little momy m my pocket. The incli;nation I had felt for a seafai'ing life was entivi'ly subsided, or I sliould nov^ have been able tfy^gi-atify it; but having another trade, and belin^'ing myself to be a tolerable workman, I lies- ^t'Ucd not to offer my services to the old Mr. Wil- ''am Bradford, who had been the first printer in ^;:*ennsylvania, but had quitted that province on ac- ^:.ount of a quarrel with George Keith, the Govern- or. He could not give me employment himself, having little to do, and already as many hands as he wanted ; but he told me, that his son, a printer at Philadelphia, !iad lately lost his principal work- man, Aquila Rose, who was dead, and tliat, if I would go thitiier, he believed that he wouh! engage me. Philadelphia was 100 miles farther. I hesi'- N 2 150 FRANKLIN. fated not to embark in a boat in order to repair, by the shortest cut of the sea, to Amhoy, leaving my trunk and effects to come after me by the usual and more tedious conveyance. In crossing the bay ^ve met with a squall, which shattered to pieces our rotten sails, prevented us from entering the Kill, ami threw us upon Long-Island. During the squall a drunken Dutchman, who like myself was a passenger in the boat, fell into the sea. At the moment that he was sinking I seized him by the fore-top, saved him, and drew him on hoard. This immersion sobered him a little, so that he fell asleep, after having taken from his pocket a volume, which he reqr.csted me io dry. Tliis volume I found to be my old favour- ite woi'k^ Bunyau's Yo} ages, in Dutcli, a beauti- ful impression on fiiie paper, witli copper-plate en- gravings; a dress in which I had never seeri it in its original language. I have since learned that it had been translated irito almost all the lai^gua- gcs of Europe, and, next to the bible, I am persua- ded it is one of the books which has had tlie great- est spread. Honest John if; the first that I know of, who has mixed narrative aiNl dialogue togetli- (ir; a mode of writing very engaging to the reader, who, in the most interesting passages, fmds him- self adinitted as it were into the company, ilB^ W^' sent at the conversation. De Foe has imitai^^l it with success in his Robinson Crusoe, his Mi?^^ Inlanders, and other works; as also has llichart!- ^on in his Pamela, &c. In approaching the island, wc found that we had^ made a part of the coast where it was not possible u> land, on account of the strong breakers produ- ced by the rocky shore. We cast anchor and veered the cable toward the shore. Some men, who stood upon the brink, hallooed to us, while we did the same on our part: but the wind was so iirgh, and Ihc waves so noisy, that wc could neithci; FRANKLIN. 151 of us hear each otlier. There were some canoes upon the hank, and we called out to them, and made signs to prevail on them to come and take us up; hut either they did not understand us, or they deemed our request im.practicahle, and with- drew. Night came on, and nothing remained for us but to wait the subsiding of the wind: till when we determined, tliat is, the pilot and I, to sleep if possible. For that purpose we went below the hatches along with the Dutchman, who was drenched with water. The sea broke over the boat, and reached us in our retreat, so that we were presently as completely drenclied as he. We had very little repose during the whole night; but the wind abating the next day, we suc- ceeded in reaching Amboy before it was dark, af- ter having passed thirty hours without provisions, and V, itli no other drink than a bottle of bad rum,. tlie water upon which we rowed being salt. In the evening I went to bed with a violent fever. I had somewhere read that cold w ater, drank plentifully, w as a remedy in such cases. I followed the pre- scription, was in a profuse sweat for the greater part of the night, and the fever left me. The next day I crossed the river in a ferry-boat, and contin- ued my journey on fool. I had fifty miles to w alk, in order to reach Burlington, where 1 was told I should find passage-boats that w ould convey me to Piiiladelphia. It rained Iiard the whole day, so that I was wet to the skin. Finding myself fa- tigued about noon, I stopped at a paltry inn, w here I passed the rest of the day and the whole niglit, beginning to regret that I quitted my home. I made besides so w retched a figure, that I was sus- pected to be some runaway servant. Tliis I dis- covered by the questions tliat were asked me; and I felt that I was every moment in danger of being taken up as such. The next day. however, I con- tinued my journey, and arrived in tlie evening 152 FRANKLIN. at an inn, eight or ten miles from Burlington, tlj?it was kept by one Dr. Brown. This man entered into conversation witli mc while I took some refreshment, and, perceiving tliat I liad read a little, he ex])reKsed towards me considerable interest and friendshij). Our arcjaint- ance contiimed during the remair.der of Ins life. I believe him to have been what is called an itine- rant doctor: for there ^^ as no town in England, or indeed in Europe, of which he could not give a par- ticular account. 1 spent the night at liis house, and readied Bur- lington the next morning. On my arrival, I had the mortification to learn that the ordinary pas- sage-boats had sailed a little before. This was on a Saturday, and there would be no otlier boat till the Tuesday following. I returned to the house of an old woman in the town, who had sold me some gingerbread to eat on raiy passage, and I asked her advice. She invited mc to take up my abode with her til! an opportunity offei'ed for me to embark. Fatigued with having tra^ elled so far on foot. I accepted her invitation. When she understood that 1 Vt as a printer, she would have persuaded me to stay at Burlington, and set up my trade: but she was little aware of the capital that would be neces- sary for such a purcliase! I was treated while at her house with true hospitality. She gave me, with the utmost good will, a dinner of beef-steaks and would accept of nothing in return but a pint of ale. Here I imagined myself to be fixed till the Tues- day in the ensuing week: but walking out in the evening by the river side, 1 saw a boat v, ith a num- ber of persons in it apjiroach. It was going to Philadelphia, and the company took me in. As there was no wind, we could only make way with our oars. About midnight, not perceiving the town, some of tiic company were of opinion that FRANKLIN. 153 we must have passed it, and were unwilling to row any fartlier; the rest not knowing where we w^ere^ it was resolved that we should stop. We drew to- wards the shore, entered a creek, and landed near some old palisades, which served us for lire- wood, it being a cold night in October. Here we staid till day, when one of the company found the place, in which we were, to be Cooper's Creek, a little above Philadelphia; which in reality we perceived tlie moment we were out of the creek. We arrived on Sunday, about eight or nine o'clock in the morn- ing, and landed on Market-street wharf. I have entered into the particulars of ray voy- age, and shall in like manner describe my first en- ti'ance into this city, that you may be able to com- pare beginnings so little auspicious, with the figure 1 have since made. On my arrival at Philadelphia I was in my working dress, my best clothes being to come by sea. I was covered with dirt; my pockets were filled with shirts and stockings; I was unacquaint- ed with a single soul in the place, and knew not Avhere to seek for a lodging. Fatigued with walk- ing, rowing, and having passed the niglit without sleep, I was extremely hungry, and all my money consisted of a Dutch dollar, and about a siiiliing's worth of coppers, which I ga\ e to the boatmen for my passage. x\s I had assisted them in rowing, they refused it at first; but I insisted on their ta- king it. A man is sometimes more generous when he has little, than wlicn he has much money; pro- bably because, in the first case, he is desirous of concealing his poverty. I walked towards the top of the street, looking eagerly on both sides, till 1 came to Market-street, wliere I met a child with a loaf of bread. Often had I made my dinner on dry bread. I enquired wlsere he had bought it, and went straight to the baker's shop which he had pointed out to me. I 154 FRAjSKLIN. asked for soiiic biscuits, expecting to find sue ii as we had at Boston ; but they made, it seems, none of that sort in Philadelphia. I tlicn asked for a three-penny loaf. ^I'hey made no loaves of that price. Finding myself ignorant of the prices "as well as of the different kinds of bread, I desired liim to let me ha\ c three penny worth of bread of some kind or other. He gave me three large rolls. I was surprised at receiving so much; I took them, howeves*, and having no room in my pockets, I walked on witli a roll under each arm, eating the third. In this manner I wer.t through Market street to fourth street, and passed the liouse of Mr. Head, the fatlier of my future Vvife. She was stand- ing at the door, observed mc, and thought with reason, tliat I made a very singular and grotesque appearance. I then turned the corner, and went through Ches- nut street, eating my roll all the way ; and having made this round, I found myself again on Market street wharf, near the boat in vv hicli ! had arrived. I stepped into it to take a draught of river vratcr, and finding myself satisfied with my first roll, I gave the other tAvo to a woman and her child, who had come down the river with us in the boat, and w as waiting to continue her journey. Thus refresh- ed, I regained the street, which v» as now full of well dressed people, all going the same way. I joined them, and was thus led to a large Quaker's meet- ing house, near the maiket place. I sat down with the rest, and after looking round me for some time, hearing nothing said, and being drowsy from my last night's labour and want of rest, I fell into a sound sleep. In this state I continued till the as- sembly divspersed, when one of the congregation had the goodness to wake me. This was, conse- quently, the first house I entei^d, or in which ) slept at riiiladelphia. I began again to walk along the streets by tlic FRANKLIN". 155 ivcr Side, and looking attentively in the face of ovcry one I met, I at Icngtli perceived a young; Quaker, whose countenance pleased me. I accost- ed him, and begged him to inform me Avhere a stranger miglit find a lodging. We were then near the sign of tlie * Three Mariners'. They receive travellers here, said he, hut it is not a house that beai's a good character ; if you will go with me I will shew you a better one. He conducted me to the Crooked Billet, in Water street. There I or- dered something for dinner, and during my meal, a number of curious questions were put to me; my youth and appearance exciting the suspicion of my being a runaway. After dinner my drowsiness re- turned, and I threw myself npon a bed without tak- ing off my clothes, and t slept till six in the even- ing, when I was called to supper. I afterwards w cut to bed at a very early hour, and did not wake till the next morning. As soon as I got up, I put myself in as decent a a trim as I could, and went to the house of Andrew- Bradford, the printer. I Ibund his father in the shop, whom I had seen at New York. Having tra^ ellcd on horseback, he had arrived at Phila- delphia before me. He introduced me to his son, \ ho received me with civility, and gave me some breakfast; but he told me he Ijadno occasion for a journeyman, having lately procured one. He ad- ded, that there was another printer newly settled in the town, of the name of Keimer, who migiit perhaps employ me; and in case of a refusal, I •tould be welcome to lodge at his house, and he ould give me a little work now and tlieu, till -omething better sliould offer. The old man offered to introduce me to tlie new printer. When we were at his house, *• neighbour, said he, I bring you a young man in tlic printing business, perhaps you may have need of his servi- ">"^.'* Keimer asked me some questions, put p- 156 FRANKLIN. composing stick in my Jiand to see how 1 could work, and then said, that at present he had noth- ing for me to do, hut that he shouhl soOn he ahle to employ me. At the same time taking old Brad- ford for aninhahitantof the town well disposed to- wards him, he communicated his project to him^ and the prospect he had of success. Bradford was careful not to discover that lie was the father of the otlier printer ; and from what Keimer had said, that he hoped shortly to be in possession of the greater part of the business of the town, led him by artful questions, and by starting some difficulties, to disclose all his views, what his hopes were found- ed upon, and how^ he intended to proceed. I was present and heard it all. I instantly saw that one of the two was a cunning old fox, and the other a pei'fect novice. Bradford left me with Keimer, who was strangely surprised when I informed him who the old man was. I found Keimer's printing materials to consist of an old damaged press, and a small font of worn- out English letters, with which lie was himself at work upon an elegy on Aquila Rose, wiiom I have mentioned above, an ingenious young man, and of an excellent character, highly esteemed in the town, secretary to the assembly, and a very tolerable poet. Keimer also made verses, but they were in- different ones. He could not he said to v/rite in verse, for his method was, to take and set tlie lines as they flowed from his muse ; and, as he workwl without copy, had but one set of letter cases, and the elegy would probably occupy all his type, it was impossible for any one to assist him. 1 en- deavoured to put his press in order, whicli he had not yet used, and of which indeed he understood nothing; and having promised to come and work off his elegy as soon as it should be i*eady, I re- turned to the house of Bradford, who gave mo some trifle to do for tlie present, for ^^hich I had my board and lodging. FRANKLIN. io7 lii a few days Keimer sent for me to print off liis elegy. He had now procured another set of letter-cases, and had a pamphlet to re-print, upon which he set me to work. The two Philadelphia printers appeared desti- aite of every qualification necessary in their pro- fession. Bradford had }iot been hrought up to it, and was very illiterate. Keimer, though he un- derstood a little of the business, was merely a com- positor, and wholly incapable of working a press. He had read one of tlic French prophets, and knew how to imitate their supernatural agitations. At the time of our first acquaintance he professed im particular religion, hut a little of all upon occa- sion. He was totally ignorant of the world, and a ^'reat knave at heart, as I had afterwards an op^ portunity of experiencing. Keimer could not endure that, working with him, I should lodge at Bradford's. He had indeed a house, but it was unfurnished, so that he could not take me in. He procured me a lodging at Mr. Read's, his landlord, whom I have already men- tioned. ]My trunk and effects heing now arrived, I thought of making, in the eyes of I\Iiss Read, a aiore respectable appearance than when chance ex- piibited me to her view, eating my roil, and wan- dering in the streets. From tills period I hegan to contract acquaint ance vvith such young people of the town as were -"bnd of reading, and spent my evenings vdth them agreeably, wliile at the same time, I gained money oy my iiKiustry; and. thanks to my frugality, lived contented. I thus forgot Boston as much as possible, and wished every one to be ignorant of the place of my residence, except my friend Col- hns, to wi)om I wrote, and wlio kept'my secret. As the limits of our work will not permit us to SiYd an elaborate sketcli of any one i«dividual, we 4ire compelled to stop the fnteresting memoir? ioB FRANKLliV. ^vritten by Dr. Franklin himself, and continue his biography in a more condensed form. He rc-appearcd in his nati^ c town, after an ab- sence of seven months, witli a strong recommenda- lion from sir AVilliam Keith to his father; was af- fectionately w elcomed; and, tliough he failed in his unain object, secured the consent of his parents to his return to Philadelphia. At New York, on his way back, he had an adventure which bespeaks, as does tlic conduct of Sir William Keith, the simpli- city of the times, and the great superiority of Franklin, at so early an age, to his lowly condi- tion. Tlie governor of New York, a man of let- ters, hearing from the captain of tlie packet in which he sailed, that one of the passengers had a number of volumes on board, sent for our job- workman, the passenger in question, showed him his library, and conversed courteously and large- ly with him about books and authors. * He enlisted himself anew at Philadelphia, with his first master, formed acquaintance with a num- ber of young men of a speculative and literary turn, bestowed his leisure hours upon metaphysics and poetry, and kept his reasoning faculties in constant and invigorating exercise. His patron, sir William Keith, drew him by fine promises into a scheme of going to England, in order to purchase a set of types; with which he was to be established in business atliome. He credulously embarked, and discovered, on his arrival in London, that lie had been miserably duped, and must depend upon his own unaided exertions to find a subsistence in that vast capital. It is to be noted, in proof ot the soodness of his heart, that he bears testimony, m his memoirs, to the valuable qualities and public services of the man who practised upon him tins despicable and cruel imposition. . He was accompanied to England by one ot his literary associates, Ralph,, who, being destitute x>l FRANKLIN. 159 uioiiey, preyed upon his meagre purse, and increas- ed the difficulties of his position. He found means^ however, to fix himself in a considerable printing- office, and became a model of industry and tempe- rance, and an example well worthy of being follow- ed by young men. He went to board with an old Catholic lady, at one shilling and six pciice per week, and remained with her until his departure from England. He procured books for his lucu- brations, at a small subscription, from a private collection of great extent, but was led astray by the sceptical writers that fell into his hands, and even wrote and printed himself a small treatise of infidel metaphysics. It drew upon him the notice of a deistical author, who introduced him to Man- deville, and some other spirits of the same order. His strong natural sense soon extricated him, how- ever, from the illusions of the moment; and he has, by the reprobation of them to which he so often and earnestly returns in his mcmsbirs, made ample amends. The other acts of his youth which he re- cords as transgressions, are greatly extenuated by concomitant circumstances: they are so confessed as convey a most salutary moral; and it is evident- ly with this view, as well as in obedience to histo- rical truth, that they are acknowledged. It was in his twenty-first year, after a residence of eighteen months in London, tliat he set sail from Gravescnd for Philadelphia, under the auspices of a friendly merchant who had engaged him, as clerk for a dry-goods shop, and given him the magnifi- cent expectation of being promoted to the rank of supercargo to the West-Indies. This plan had well nigh been superceded by one which took, im- mediately before his departure, a stronger hold ol' his fancy; to wit, the opening of a school for swim- ming, an art in which he was remarkably expert. During the voyage liomcwards, he kept a journal, Tvluch shows that his style was already in a great 160 FRANKLIN. degree formed, and in which are to he discerned the intellectual hahits that gave so much eclat and use- fulness to hismaturer years. On this voyage, too. he resolved to form some plan for his future conduct. by wliich he might promote his fortune, and pro- cure respect and reputation in society. This plan is prefaced by tlie following reflections: ^'Those who WTite of the art of Poetry, teach us, that if we would write what would he worth the reading, we ought always, before we begin, to form a regular design of our piece; otherwise we shall be in dan- ger of incongruity, i am apt to think it is the same as to life. I have never fixed a regular de- sign in life; by Vv hich means it has been a confused variety of different scenes. I am now entering upon a new one: let me, therefore, make some re- solutions, and form some scheme of action, that henceforth, I may live in all respects like a ration- al creature.'' To these remarks he annexed a series of rules iind moral principles, which, at the same time, they show" his noble ardour for virtue, may afford those animated with t!ie same spirit, no unprofitable ex- ample. They are as foilov^' : ^'I resolve to be extremely frugal for some time, until I pay what I owe. ^^To speak the truth in every instance; to give nobody expectations that are not likely to be an- swered, but aim at sincerity in every word and action; the most amiable excellence in a rational being. "To apply myself industriously to whatever bu- siness I take in hand, and not divert my mind from my business by any foolish ju'oject of growing sud- denly rich; for industry and patience are the sur- est means of plenty. <*I resolve to speak ill of no man whatever, not even in matter of truth; but I'ather by some means excuse the faults 1 bear charged upon others, and FRANKLIN. 161 upon proper occasions speak all the good I know of every body," &c. To tiiese resolutions, although they were formed in the ardour of a youthful imagination, he adher- ed, with a scrupulous fidelity: and the foundation, wc must admit, was not unworthy of the superstruc- ture lie afterwards reared u])on it. He arrived in Philadelphia on the 11th of Octo- ber, and embarked upon his new adopted profes sion. But in the course of a few months, just as he began to make some figure in the mystery of a ha- berdasher, his employer died, and he had to return to his proper trade. An offer of large wages in- duced him to undertake the management of the printing-office of his quondam master, to whom he rendered, by his skill and industry, the most im- portant service. They quarrelled ere long, and Franklin left him to form a similar establishment in connexion with a fellow Journeyman, whose fa- ther, a man of some wealth, was to supply the stock. New types were purchased for the firm in London, and business followed apace. Our phil- osopher had recommended himself, by the perfect regularity of his deportment, and the intelligence of his conversation, to the favour of a number of leading persons, and had founded a club or deba- ting society, composed of young men of some con- sideration, all of whom took a lively interest in his advancement. This club, the Junto, whiclt discussed formally and laboriously, points of mor- als, politics, and natural pliilosophy, administer- ed in an important degree to the improvement oi his understanding, as well as of his fortunes. The countenance of his fiiends, and still more liis indefatigable assiduity in his office, contribu- ted to remove obstacles of some magnitude. The establishment acquired consistency from day to day- In a short time a newspaper was added to it, and managed with equal ability. Franklin seiz- 9. i6j: FRANKLIN. cd upon the topics most interesting to the public, and gave particular satisfaction by asserting the rights of the people, against tlie governor of 'Mas- sachusetts, on the occasion of a dispute in which they were iuA olved. The notice of the assembly of Pennsylvania was attracted to his paper, and hut a short time elapsed before the editors were appointed its official printers. This he mentions as *^onc of tlie first good effects of his having learn- ed to scribble." In the year 1729, his partner, who had become a mere burden, happily retired from the associa- tion, and the capital wliich he withdrew was re- placed, as a loan, by two of the many zealous i'riends whom Franklin had created. He greatly increased, at tliis time, his reputation and popu- larity, by publishing a pamphlet of Ids own, " On the Nature and Necessity of Paper Currency." He treated this subject in such a manner as to oc- casion an additional emission of paper, which pro- ved of signal utility to trade in geneial. The in- dustry which he displayed^ in every way, w as tru- ly admirable. He had opened a small stationer's shop, which he contrived to conduct in person, be- sides pei'forming the manual labour of the print- ing office, arranging and replenishing his Gazette, Avriting pamphlets, and taking part in the literary exercises of the Junto. The paper Avhich he pur- chased at the stores, he carried home through the streets in a wheelbarrow: though not twenty-four years of age, he abstained from all idle diversion, and if a book seduced him from his work, he read clandestinely, lest lie should give scandal. Credit? confidence, and custom, jvere the natural effects of this demeanour. He was enabled by degrees to pay off his debt, and to yenture upon marriage. — Before his voyage to England, he had exclianged vows with a Miss Read, a young lady of excellent character and respectable connexions* He neg- FHANKLIN. 163 iccted lier somewhat, however, during liis absence; and this circumstance, added to the exhortations of her relatives, hurried lier into a match of a very inauspicious nature. She soon parted from a worthless husband, wlio fled from his creditors to the West Indies, and there died. Franklin find- ing her again free, renewed his addresses, as well to repair the wrong he accused himself of having committed by his neglect when in England, as to indulge the mutual affection vv hich had revived in the intercourse of society. They were united iii 1730, and he depicts her in liis memoirs, as '*a good and faithful helpmate." About the date of his marriage, he projected a common library for the club, and soon afterwards procured the establishment of the Philadelphia Li- brary, 'Hlie fruitful mother of a hundred more,'' throughout these states. This institution afforded iiim the means of wider researcli. He set apart a small portion of each day for study, and gave the remainder entirely to business. His domestic economy lost nothing by tlie presence of his wife in point of order and frugality, cheerfulness, and unremitting diligence. His mind became more in- tent, as his circumstances grew easier, upon the permanent regulation of his appetites, and the gen- eral perfection of his moral temperament. Tlie edifying, sure train of reflection into which he tell on the subject, artd the strict, ingenious sys- tem of discipline, whicli he followed for the pur- pose, may be seen at large in his memoirs. It will likewise be seen there, that he kept steadily in viev/ the benefit to accrue to the public from his example and reasonings. He was brought early, by experience and meditation, to the conviction, that virtue, in the most enlarged sense, is the ne- penthe of life; and. from first to last, his 'lesire w as not more earnest to secure it for himself thari for the human race. 164 FRANKLIN. In 1732, he began to publish poor Richard's al- manac, whicli was enriched witli maxims of fruga- lity, temperance, industry, and integrity. So great was its reputation, that he sold ten thousand annu- ally, and it was continued by him about twenty-fiv? years. The maxims were collected in the last al- manac, in the form of an address, called the way to wealth, which has appeared in various publica- tions. In 1736, he was appointed clerk of the gen- eral assembly of Pennsylvania, and in 1737, post- master of Philadelphia. The first fire company was formed by him in 1738. When the frontiers of Pennsylvania were endangered in 1744, and an ineffectual attempt was made to procure a militia law, he proposed a voluntary association for tlie defence of the province, and in a short time obtain- ed ten thousand names. In 1747, he was chosen a member of the assembly, and continued in tliis sta- tion ten years. In all important discussions hi*; presence was considered as indis])ensable. He sel- dom s])oke, and never exhibited any oratory; but by a single observation he sometimes determined the fate of a question. In the long controversies with the proprietaries or their governors, he took the most active part, and displayed a firm spirit of liberty. He was now engaged for a number of years in a course of electrical experiments, of which he pub- lisiied an account. His great discovery was the identity of the electric fluid and liglitning. This discovery he made in the summer of 1752. To the upriglit stick of a kite he attached an iron point; the string was of hemp, excepting the part which he held in his hand, which v as silk-, and a key was fastened where the hempen string termi- nated. AVith this apparatus, on the appioach of a thunder storm, he raised his kite. A cloud pas- sed over it, and no sign of electricity appearing, ue began to dispair; but observing the loose fibre? FRANKLIiSr. Idj of his string to move suddenly toward an erect po- sition, he presented his knuckle to the key, ami received a strong spark. The success of this ex- periment completely estahlished his theory. The practical use of this discovery in securing houses from lightning, by pointed conductors, is well known in America and Europe. In 1753, he was appointed deputy postmaster-general of the Bri- tish colonies, and in the same year the academy of Philadelphia, projected by liim, w as established. In 1754, he was one of the commissioners, who at- tended the Congress at Albany, to devise the best means of defending the country against the French. He drew up a plan of union for defence and gene- ral gov ernment, which was adopted by the con- gress. It w as, however, rejected by the board of trade in England, because it gave too much power to the representatives of the people; and it was re- jected by the assemblies of the colonies, because it gave too much power to the president general. Af- ter the defeat of Braddock he was appointed col- onel of a regiment, and he repaired to the frontiers and built a fort. Higher employments, however, at length called iiim from his country, which he was destined to serve more effectually, as its agent in England^ whither he was sent in 1757. The stamp act, by which the British minister vvishcd to familiarize the Americans to pay taxes to the mother country, revived that love of liberty, v> hich had led their forefathers to a country, at that time a desert; and the colonies formed a congress, the first idea of whicli had been communicated to them by Frank- lin, at the conferences at Albany, in 1754. The war that was just terminated, and the exertions made by them to support it, had given them a con- viction of their strength; they opposed this mea- sure, and tlie minister gave way, but he reserved tJie means of renewing the attempt. Once cau= 16G FRANKLIN. tioiied, lio-wever, tlicy remained on their guard; liberty clicrished by their alarms, took deeper root; and the rapid circulation of ideas, by means of newspapers, for the introduction of which tliey were indebted to tlie printer at Philadelphia, uni- ted them together to resist every fresh enterprise. In tlie year 17GG, tliis printer, called to the bar of the house of commons, underwent that famous in- terrogatory, Mhicli placed the name of Franklin as high in politics, as it was in natural philosophy. From that time he defended the cause of America with a firmness and moderation becoming a great man, pointing out to the ministry all the errors they committed, and the consequences they would produce, till tiie period when the tax on tea meet- ing the same opposition as the stamp act had done, England blindly fancied herself capable of subject" ing, by force, 3,000,000 of men determined to be free, at a distance of 1000 leagues. In 1766, he visited Holland, and Germany, and received the greatest marks of attention from men of .science. In his passage through Holland, he learn- ed from the watermen, the effect which the diminu- tion of the quantity of water in canals has in im- peding the progress of boats. Upon his return to England, he was led to make a number of experi- ments, all of whicli tended to confirni the observa- tion. In the following year, he travelled into France^ where he met with no less favourable reception than he had experienced in Germany. He was in- troduced to a number of literary characters, and to the king, Louis XV. He returned to America, and arrived in Phila- delphia in the beginning of May, 1775, and was received w ith all those marks of esteem and afifec- tion, which his eminent services merited. The da> after his arrival he was elected by the legislature of Pennsylvania, a member of congress. FRANKLIN. 167 It was ill this year that Di*. Franklin addressed that memorable and laconic epistle to his old friend and companion, Mr. Strahan, tlien king's prin- ter, and member of the British parliameiit, of which the following is a correct copy, and of which a fac-simile is given in the last, and most correct edition of his works: Philada. July 5, 1775. Mr. Strahan, You are a Member of Parliament, and one of that Majority which has doomed my Country to Destruction. — You have begun to burn our Towns, and murder our People.— Look upon your Haiids! ' — They are stained with the Blood of your Rela- tions! — You and 1 were long Friends: — You are now my Enemy, — ^and I am, Yours, B. FRANKLIN. In October, 1775, Dr. Franklin was appointed by Congress, jointly with Mr. Harrison and Mr. Lynch, a committee to visit the American camp at Cambridge, and, in conjunction with the comman- der in chief, (general SVashington, ) to endeavour to convince the troops, whose term of enlistment was about to expire, of the necessity of their con- tinuing in the field, and persevering in the cause of their country. He was, afterwards, sent on a mission to Cana- da, to endeavour to unite that country to the com- mon cause of liberty. But the Canadians could not be prevailed upon to oppose the measures of ihe British government. It was directed that a printing apparatus, and iiands, competent to print in Frencli and English^ should accompany this mission. Two papers were written and circulated very exteiisivelv tbrousck 168 FRANKLIN. Canada; but it was not nntil after the experi ment had been tried, that it was found not more than one person in five hundred co^ild read, — Dr. Franklin was accustomed to make the best of every occurrence, suggested tliat if it were intend- ed to send another mission, it should be a mission composed of schoolmasters. He was, in 1776, appointed a committee with Jolin Adams and Edward Rutledge, to inquire into the powers, with which lord Howe was invested in regard to the adjustment of our differences a\ ith Great Britain. When his lordship expressed liis concern at being obliged to distress tliose, whom he so much regarded, Dr. Franklin assured him that the Americans, out of reciprocal regard, would endeavour to lessen, as much as possible, the pain which he might feel on their account, by taking the utmost care of themselves. In the dis- cussion of the great question of independence, he was decidedly in favour of the measure. He was in the same year, chosen president of the conven- tion which met in Philadelphia, to form a new constitution for Pennsylvania. The single legisla- ture and the plural executive, seem to have beeji his favourite principlewS« In the latter end of the year 1776, he was sent to France to assist in nego- tiation with Mr. Arthur Lee and Silas Deane. He had much influence in forming the treaty of al- liance and commerce, wliicli was signed February 6, 1778, and he afterwards completed a treaty of amity and commerce with Sweden. In conjunc- tion with Mr. Adams, Mr. Jay, and Mr. Laurens, he signed the provisional articles of peace, No- vember 30, 1782, and tlie definitive treaty, Sep- tember 30, 1783. 'While he was in France he was appointed one of the commissioners to examine Mesmer's animal inagnetism in 1784. Being de- sirous of returning to his native country he request- ed that an ojiibassador might be appointed in hi? FRANKLIX. 169 place, fiiul oil the arrival of his successor, Mr. Jefferson, he immediately sailed for Philadelphia, Avhere he arrived in Septemher, 1785. He was received witli universal applause, and was soon appointed president of the supreme executi\ e coun- cil. Ill 1787, lie was a delegate to the grand con- vention, which formed the constitution of the Uni- ted States. In this convention he had differed in some points from the majority; hut v/lien the ar- ticles were ultimately decreed, he said to his col- leagues, ^' We ought to have hut one opinion; the good of our country requires that the resolatioii .should be unanimous;^^ and he signed. On the 17th of April, 1790, in the eighty-fourtk year of his age, lie expired in the city of Phila- delphia; encountering this last solemn conflict, with the same philosophical tranquility and pious resignation to the will of Heaven, v.hich had dis- tinguisjicd him through all the various events of his life. He v>-as interred, on the 21st oi April, and con- gress ordered a general mourning for him through- out America, of one month. In France, the ex- ■)ression of public grief, was scarcely less enthu- siastic. There tlie event was solemnized, under t!\e direction of the municipality of Paris, by fu- Jicral orations; and the national assembly, his ^leath being announced in a very eIo4[uent and pa- tlietic discourse, decreed that each of the members >hould wear mourning for three days, ''in com- memoration of the ewGuty^ and that a letter of con- dolence, for tlie irreparable loss tliey had sustain- ■d, sliould be directed to the American congress. Honours extremely glorious iu his memory, and -uch, it has been remarked, as were never before paid by any public body of one nation, to the citi- zen of another. He lies buried in the iiorth- west corner of Christ Ohurch-vard: distingw.i&hed from the f-urroimding * I* ' J 70 FRANKLIN. dead, Ly tlic humility of his sepulchre. He is co- vered by a small marble slab, on a level witb the surface of tlie earth, and bearing the single in- scription of his name, ^vith that of his wife. A monument sulliciently corresponding to the plain- ness of Jiis manners, little suitable to the splendor of his virtues. He liad two children, a son and a daughter, and several grand -children who survived him. The son, who bad been governor of New- Jersey, under the British government, adhered, during the revo- lution, to the royal party, and spent the remain- der of his life in England. The daughter married Mr Bache, of Philadelphia, whose descendants yet reside in that city. Franklin enjoyed, during the greater part of his life, a healthy constitution, and excelled in exerci- ses of strength and activity. In stature he was above the middle size; manly, atliletic, and well proportioned. His countenance, as it is represent- ed in liis portrait, is distinguished by an air of •serenity and satisfaction; the natural consequen- ces of a vigorous temperament, of strengtii of mind, and conscious integrity: It is also marked, in visible characters, by deep thought and inflexi- ble resolution. The w hole life of Franklin, his meditations and his labours, have all been directed to public utili- ty: but the grand object that he had always in view, did not shut his lieart against private friend- ship; he loved his family, and liis friends, and was extremely beneficent. In society he was senten- tious, but not fluent; a listener rather than a talk- er; an informing rather than a pleasing companion: impatient of interruption, he often mentioned the custom of the Indians, who always remain silent some time before they give an answer to a question, which they have lieard attentively; unlike some of the politest societies in Europe, where a sentence GADSDEN. 171 can sciii'ccly be fmishod witliout intciTuptioii. lu the midst of his greatest occupations for the liber- ty of his country, lie had some pliysical experi- ment always near him in his closet; and the sciences, which he liad rather discovci-ed than studied, afforded him a continual source of plea- sure. He made various bequests and donations to cities, pulilic bodies and individuals. The following epitaph was written by Dr. Franklin, for himself, ^vhen he was only twenty- three years of age^ as appears by the original (with various corrections) found among his papers, and from ^vliich this is a faithful copy. ''The body of BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, PRINTER, (Like tlie cover of an old book, Its contents torn out. And stript of its lettering and gilding,; Lies here, food for worms; But the work sliail not be lost, For it will (as lie believed) appear once more, In a new, and more elegant edition. Revised and corrected by THE AUTHOR." GADSDEN, Christopher, lieutenant govern- or of South Carolina, and a distinguished friend of Ills country, was born about tlie year 1724. So high was his reputation in the colony in which he. lived, that he was appointed one of the delegates to the congress, whicli met at New York in Octo- ber, 1765, to petition against the stamp-act. Judge Johnson, in his life of general Greene, sa} s, "There was at least one man in South Caroli- na, who, as early as 1766, foresaid and foretold the views of the British government, and explicitly urged his adherents to the resolution to resist even to death. General Gadsden, it is well known^ irs GADSDEN. and there are still living witnesses to prove it, al- ways laboured the most derisive and energetic measures. He tliought it a folly to temporise, and insisted tliat cordial reconciliation on honourable terms, was impossible. AYhen the news of the re- peal of the stamp-act arrived, and the whole com- munit}' was in extac}^ at the event, he, on the con- trary, received it with indignation, and private- ly convening a party of liis friends heneath the < elebrated Liberty-'l'ree, he there harangued them at considerahle lengtli on the folly of relaxing their opposition and vigilance, or indulging tlic falla- cious hoi)e, that Great Britain would relinquish iier designs or pretensions. He drew their atten- tion to the preamble of tlic act, and forcibly press- ed upon them the absurdity of rejoicing at an act that still asserted and maintained tlie absolute dominion over them. And tlien revicwijig all liie ( hanccs of succeeding in a struggle to break the fetters wlienever again imposed on them, he pressed them to prepare their minds for the event. The address v>as received with silent but profound devotion, and with linked hands, the whole party pleelged themselves to resist: a pledge that was faithfully redeemed when tlie hour of trial arrived. It \M\s from this event that tlie Liberty-Tree took its name. The first convejition of South Carolina field their meeting under it." He was also chosen a member of tlie congress which met in 1774; and on his return early in 1776, received the thanks of tlie provincial assem- bly for his ser\ ices. He v, as among the iirst wlio advocated republican principles, and wished to make his country independent of the monarchial government of Great Britain. During the siege of Charleston, in 1780, he re- mained within the lines with five of the council, while governor llutledge, with the other three, left the city, at the earnest request of general Lincoln, GADSDEN. 173 Several months after tlie capitulation, lie was taken out of Uis bed on the 27tli of August, and, witli most of the civil and military officers, transported in a guard-ship to St. Augustine. This was done by the order of lord Cornwallis, and it was in vio- lation of tlic rights of prisoners on parole. Guards were left at their houses, and the private papers of some of them were examined. A parole was offer- ed at St. Augustine, but such was the indignation of lieutenant governor Gadsden, at the ungenerous treatment which he had received, that he^ refused to accept it, and bore a close confinement in the eastle for forty-two weeks, v,ith the greatest forti- tude. Garden, in his anecdotes of the revolutionary war. gives the following interesting particulars : ••The conduct of the British commanders towards this venerable patriot, in the strongest manner e\ inced their determination rather to crush the spirit of opposition, than by conciliation to subdue it. The man did not exist to whose delicate sense of honour, even a shadow of duplicity would have appeared more ahhorrent than general Gadsden. Transported by an arbitrary decree, with many of tlie most resolute and influentia.1 citizens of the re- public, to St. Augustine, attendance on parade was peremptorily demanded; when a British officer stepping for vsard, said, * Expediency, and a series of political occurrences, have rendered it necessa- ry to remove you from Charleston to this place; but. gentlemen, we have no wish to increase your sufferings; to all, tliercfore, who are willing to give their paroles, not to go beyond the limits pre- scribed to them, tlie liberty of the town will be al- lowed; a dungeon will be the destiny of such as re- fuse to accept the indulgence.' The proposition was generally acceded to. But when general Gads- den was called to give this new^ pledge of faith, he indignantly exclaimed, ^With men who have ant^ 174 GADSDEN. deceived me, I can enter into no new contract. — Had the British commanders regai'ded the terms of the capitulation of Charleston, I might now, al- though a prisoner, under my own roof, have enjoy- ed the smiles and consolations of my surrounding family; but even without a shadow of accusation •proffered against me, for any act inconsistent with my plighted faitli, I am torn from them, and here, in a distant land, invited to enter into new engage- ments. I will give no parole,' * Think better ol it, sir,* said the officer, *a second refusal of it will fix your destiny: a dungeon will be your future habitation.' 'Prepare it, then,' said the inflexible patriot, * I will give no ])arole, so help me GoiV *^ When first shut up in the castle of St. Augus- linc, the comfort of a light was denied him by tlie commandant of the fortress. A generous subalt= crn offered to supply him with a candle, but he de- clined it, least the officer should expose himself to the censure of his superior. ^^After Andre's arrest, colonel Glazier, the gov- ernor of the castle, sent to advise general Gadsden to prepare himself for the worst; intimating, that as general Washington had been assured of retali- ation, if Andre was executed, it w as not unlikely that general Gadsden would be the person select- (-.d. To this message he replied, *That he was al- ways prepared to die for his country; and though lie knew it was impossible for Washington to yield the right of an independent state by the law of war, to fear or affection, yet he would not shrink f!'oin the sacrifice, and would rather ascend the scaffold than purchase with his life the dishonoui: of his country." In 1782, when it became necessary, by the ro- tation established, to choose a new governor, he was elected to this office; but he declined it in a short speech to the following effect. ^'I have sjerved my country in a variety of stations hv GADSDEN. ITS tliirty yearsi and I would now cheerfully make one of a forlorn hope in an assault on the lines of Charleston^ if it was prohable, that, with the loss of life, you, my friends, would be reinstated in the possession of your capital. What I can do for my country I am willing to do. My sentiments in fa- vour of the American cause, from the stamp act downwards, have never changed. I am still of opinion, that it is the cause of liberty and of human nature. The present times require the vigour and activity of tlie prime of life: but 1 feel the increas- ing infirmities of old age to .such a degree, that 1 am conscious I cannot serve you to advantage. I therefore, beg for your sakes, and for t!ie sake of the public, that you would indulge me with the li- berty of declining the arduous trust" He con- tinued, however, iiis exertions for the good of his country, both in the assembly and council, and notVfitiistanding the injuries he had suffered, and the immense loss of his property, he zealously op- |K)sed the law for confiscating the estates of the ad- herents to the British government, and contended that sound policy required to forgive and forget. The editor will here give an extract from an oration delivered at the city of Wasiiington. on the fourth of July, 1812. by Richard Rush, Esq. where he refers to the patriotism of the venerable Gadsden. He said, ^* By one of the surviving patiiots of our revolution, I have been told, that in the congress of 1774, among other arguments used to prevent a v»ar, and separation from Gj'cat Bi-itain, the danger of having our towns battered down and burnt, was zealously urged. The vene- rable Christopher Gadsden, of South Carolina, rose, and replied to it in thes*e memorable words: '^Our sea-port towns, Mr. Presidejit,- are compo- sed of brick and wood. If they are destroyed, we have clay and timber enough to rebuild them. But, if the liberties of our country are destroyed, v/here- 176 e^ATES. sLall we find the matcriuls to rcj)lacc tlieiu?*' Be- liold ill this an example of virtuous seutimcnt fit to be imitated." He died September, 1805, aged ciglity-one years. GATES, IIoKATio, was a iialive of England, and was boin in 17528. The condition of liis fami- ly, tlie incident and ])i'ospects of his youth, and his education, we are not able to communicate any particulars. There is reason to believe that lie entered the army very early, and began his career as an ensign or lieutenant; yet, we arc told, that he obtained, by merit merely, the rank of major, and V. as aid-de-camp to the Britisli officer, who ( ommanded at tiie cripture of Martinico. At tlie conclusion of the war in 1748, he was stationed sometime at Halifax, in Nova Scotia. At that period, if the date of his birth be accurate, his age did not exceed twenty years. He continued in the army, and, probably, in some American garrison, during the ensuing seven years of peace. A new war then broke out in Germany, and Nortli Amciica, and i\li\ Gates, in quality of captaii! of foot, att5*acts our notice in the earliest and most conspicuous scene of that war. He was in the army \^hich accompanied the unfor- tunate Braddock, in tlie expedition against Fort flu Qnesne, and, together witli the illustrious Washington, was among thefew^ oliiCers, who. on that occasion, escaped wUh life. He did notes- cape, however, without a \ery dangerous \\ound, which, for a time, shut him out from the bloody and perilous scenes of that long and diversified contest. He remained in America to the jieace of 1763, and then returned to his native country with a full efirned reputation for activity, enterprise, and courage. At the opening of the American w ar we find him settled on a farm in Virginia. At what time he laid down the military life, and returned to spend GATES. irr the rest of liis days in the new world, we are not informed, hut his conduct evinced so perfect an at- tacliment to his new country, and his military re- putation was so high, that he was immediately ap- pointed hy congress, adjutant-general, witli the rank of hrigadier-general, in the new army. Gen- eral Washington was well acquainted with his merits in his military character, and warmly re- commended him to congress on this occasion. They had heen feliow-soldiers and sufferers under liraddock. From this period, he took a very active part in nTost of the transactions of the war, and his ahili- ties and good fortune placed him in a rank infe- rior only to Washington, and above any other gen- eral. He accompanied the commander in chief to Massachusetts, in July, 1775, and was employed for some time, in a subordinate, but highly useful capacity. In 1776, General Gates was appointed to the chief command of the forces destined against Ti- condei'oga and Crown Point. In the spring of 1777, he was appointed, with Schuyler, from a subordinate, to tlie chief com- mand on the northern frontier. In May, of the same year, he was superseded by Schuyler, nor was it, until after Burgoyne with his well appoint- ed legions had reached Ticonderoga, tliat he re- sumed the command. This place, commanded by Sinclair, was evacuated without a siege^ on the fifth of July. The retreating army under Sin- clair, was hotly pursued, overtaken, and defeated. Fort Ann and Skeeusborougii were occupied by the eneni} , and all attempts to checli his further progress appeared wholly desperate. At this crisis a small delay in the advance of Burgoyne, from Skeensborough, rendered neces- sary by the natural difriculties of the country, was diligently employed by general Schuyler. That 178 GATES. ineritoi'ious officer contrived to raise the most for- midable iiTipedimcnts to the further progress of Bui'goyiie, by breaking down the bridges, ob- structing the navigation of Wood-creek^ clioking np the roads, or rather pathways tlirougli tlie for- est, by felled trees, and by driving off all the cat- tle of the neighbouring country. These obstruc- tions were so formidable that Burgoyne did not ar- I'ive at Fort Edward, on the upper branches of the Hudson, till twenty-five days after his pause at Skeensborough. Here, a painful, nnseasonable^ and dangerous pause, Vvas again necessary, in or- der to procure provisions from the posts in the rear, and to collect the boats and other vessels ne- cessary for the navigation of the Hudson. The progress of Burgoyne was arrested at tlie very point where it should seem all obstacles, of any moment, were fully surmounted. He had reached the Hudson, by a most painful and labo- rious march through the forest, and a detachment of his army under St. Lcger, who had been direct- ed to approach the Hudson by another road, had nearly effected this purpose. St. Leger liad gain- ed a !)attle, and was now besieging fort Schuyler, the surrender of ^\ liich was necessary to the fur- ther co-operation of the British generals, and was confidently anticipated. The tide of events, how- ever, now- suddenly took a new direction. Foi't Schuyler refused to surrender, and the as- sault of the besiegers made very little impression on the works. The Indians, who composed a large part of St. Leger's arm.y, began to display their usual fickleness and treachery, and after many ef- forts made by the British general to detain them, finally resolved to withdraw. This created an ab- solute necessity for raising the siege, which was done with great precipitation, and with the loss of all tiseir camp equipage and stores- On the other side, the strenuous exertions of GATES. ^179 general Scliiiyler, had deprived Burgoync of all those resources ^yhich the neighbouring country might have ailbrdcd him. After a fortnight's la- bour, he had been able to collect only twelve boats^ and five day's provision for his army. An attempt to obtain possession of a depository of provisions at Bennington, had failed, and two detachments, sent on that service had been defeated. The mili- tia of the eastern and low er country were rapidly- collecting, and threatened to raise obstacles still more formidable than those of nature. Gates was now appointed to succeed Schuyler, and arrived at the scene of action on the 21st of August, 1777. It Avas fortunate for general Gates, that the re- treat from Ticonderoga had been conducted under other auspices tlian his, and that he took the com- mand when tiie indefatigable but unrequited labors of Schuyler, and the courage of Starke and his mountaineers, had already insured the ultimate de- feat of Burgoyne, who, notwithstanding his unfa- vourable prospcctsj w ould not think of saving his army by a timely retreat, was highly propitious to the neW' American commander. After collecting thirty days provision, Burgoyne passed tfie Hudson and encamped at Saratoga.— Gates, with numbers already equal, and daily in- creasing, began to advance towards him with are- solution to oppose liis progress at the risk of a battle. He encamped at Stillwater, and Burgoync hastened forward to open the way with his sword. On tiie 17th of September, the two armies were within four miles of each other. Tw o days after, skirmishes bctw een advanced parties terminated in an engage- ment almost general, in which the utmost efforts of tlie British merely enabled tliem to maintain the footing of the preceding day. Burgoyne, unassisted by the Bristish forces un- der Clinton at New York, found bioiself unable to 180 GATES. pursue his marcli down the river, and in the hope of this assistance, was content to remain in his camp, and stand on the defensive. His army wa« likewise diniinished by the desertion of the Indians and Canadian militia, to k^ss than one half of its original number. Gates, finding his forces large- ly increasing, being plentifully supplied witli pro- visions, and knowing that Burgoyne had only a li- mited stoi'e, which was rapidly lessening, and could not be I'ccruited, was not without hopes that victo- ry would come, in time, even witliout a battle.— His troops were so numerous, and liis fortified po- sition so strong, that he was ahle to take measures for preventing the retreat of the enemy, hy occu- pying the strong posts in his rear. Accordingly, nineteen days passed without any further opera- tions, a delay as ruinous to one party, as it was ad- vantageous to the other. At the end of this period, the British general found his prospects of assist- ance as remote as ever, and the consumption of his stores so alai'ming, that retreat or victory became unavoidable alternatives. On tlie 8th of October, a warm action eusued, in which the British were every where repulsed, and a part of their lines occupied hy tlieir enemies. Burgoyne's loss was very considerable in killed, wounded and prisoners, while the favouralde situa- tion of Gates's army made its losses in the battle of no moment. Burgoyne retired in the night to a stronger cam j), but the measures immedi.iteiy taken by Gates to cut off his retreat, compelled him with- out delay to regain his former cainp at Saratoga. There he arrived with little molestation from Ids adversary. His pi'ovisions being now reduced to llie supply of a few days, the transport of artil- lery ajtd baggage, towards Canada, being rendered impracticable by tiie judicious measures of his ad- versary, tiie Britisii general resolved upon a rapid }i'etreat, merely Avith v/hat the soldiers could carry. GATfiS. iSi On a careful scrutiny, however, it was found \liat they ^^e^e deprived even of this resource, as the passes through which their route lay, were so strongly guarded, tliat nothing but artillery could clear them. In this desperate situation a parley took place, and on the 1 6th of October the whole army surrendered to Gates. The prize obtained consisted of more than five thousand prisoners, some fine artillery, seven thousand muskets, clo- thing for 7000 men, with a great quantity of tents,, and other military stores. All the frontier fort- resses were immi^dialely abandoned to tlic victors. It is not easy to overrate the importance of this success. It may be considered as deciding the war of the revolution, as from that period the Bri- tish cause began rapidly to decline. The capture of Cornwallis was hardly of equal importance to that of Burgoyne. and was, in itself, an event of much less splendour, and productive of less exul- tation. How far the misfortunes of Burgoyne were owing to the accidents beyond human controul, and hov/ far they are ascribed to the individu.al conduct and courage of tlie American commander, would he a useless and invidious inquir3\ Reasoning on the :n*dinary ground, his merits were exceedingly great, and this event entitled him to a high rank among the deliverers of his country. The memo- ry of all former misfortunes were effaced by the magnitude of this victory, and the government and people vied with each other in expressing their ad- miration of the conquering general. Besides the Uianks of congress, the general received from the president a gold m^dal, as a memorial of tlieir gratitude. Every war abounds v.ith cases of private suf- lerlug and distress, very few of which become pub- Uc, though sympathy and curiosity are powerfullj^ '^xci^ed bv narrative : ff I'-at kind; and the f-e^ 182 GATES. iiigs of a whoJc luilioji arc remarkably swayed by tbem. The expedition of Biirgoync was adorn- ed by the romantic and aftecting tales of M-Crea, and lady Harriet Arkland. I'he latter is of no further consequence in this narration, than as it reflects great credit on the politeness and humani- ty of general Gates. Major Ackland, the hus- band of this lady, was wounded and made prison- er in one of the battles preceding the surrender, and his wife, in going to the hostile camp to at- tend her husband, met with a reception, which proved that long converse with military scenes, had left the virtues of humanity wholly unimpaired in his bosom. Gates was now placed at the head of tlie board of war; a post of trust and dignity, scarcely infe- rior to that of the commander in chief. He was in a private station, residing on his farm in Virginia, in June, 1780. The low state of their affairs, in the southern districts, induced congress, on the ISth of that month, to call him to the chief command in tliat quarter. The state of affairs in Pennsylvania, Jersey, and New York, afforded sufficient employment for Washington, and Gates being the next in i-ank and reputation, was resorted to as the last refuge of his suffering country. The efforts of the British in the southern states had been very strenuous and successful. Charles- ton, the chief city, had been taken. All the Amer- ican detachments, collected with great difficulty, easily dissolved by their own fears, ill furnished with arms, and unqualified for war, by inexpe- rience and w ant of discipline, were instantly over- whelmed and dispersed by the well equipped ca- valry of Tarleton, and the veterans of Rawdon and Cornwallis. The American leaders were fa- mous for their valour, perseverance, and activity; hilt these qualities would not supply the place of GATES. 183 guus, and of liands to manage them. x4.t this cri- sis Gates took tlie command of that miserable rem- nant ^Yhich bore the name of the southern army, and which mastered about fifteen hundred men. A very numerous and formidable force existed in the promises of North Carolina and Virginia. The paper armies of the new states always made a no- ble appearance. All the muniments of war over- flowed the skirts of these armies; but. alas! the iield was as desolate as the pa,per estimate was full. The promised army proved to be only one tenth of the stipulated number, and assembled at the scene of action long after the fixed time. The men vrere destitute of arms and ammunition, and, what was most to be regretted, were undisci- plined. Two modes of immediate action were proposed. One was to advance into the country possessed by the enemy, by a road somev.hat circuitous, but which would supply the army with accommoda- tion and provisions. Gates was averse to dilato- ry measures. He was, perhaps, somewhat misled by the splendid success which had hitherto attend- ed him. He was anxious to come to action imme- diately, and to terminate the w ar by a few bold and energetic efforts. He. therefore, resolved to col- lect all the troops into one body, and to meet the enemy as soon as possible. Two days after his arrival in camp he began his march by the most direct road. This road, unfortunately, led through a barren country, in the hottest and most un- wholesome season of the year. During this march, all tlie forebodings of those who preferred a different track, were amply ful- filled. A scanty supply of cattle, found nearly V, ild in the woods, was their principal sustenance, Y>-hile bread or flour was almost wholly wanting, and when vve add to a scarcity of food, the malig- nity of tiie climate and the season, we shall not 184 GATES. wonder that the work of the enemy was imticipa^ ted in the destruction of considerable niimbei's bj disease. The perseverance of Gates, in surmount- ing the ohs hides presented by piny thickets and dismal swamps, deserves praise, however injudi- cious the original choice of such a road may be thought by some. In this course he effected a junc- uon with some militia of North Carolina^ and with a tletachment under Porterfield. He finally took possession of Clermont, whence the British commander, lord Rav.don, had pre- viously withdrawn. That general prepared, by collecting and centering his forces in one body, to overwhelm him in a single battle. Lord Rawdon was posted, with his forces, at Camden. After some deliberation, the American leader determin- ed to approach the English, and expose himself to the cliance of a battle. Rumour had ma^lc tlic ninnhers of tlie Americans much greater tlian they really were in the imagi- aation of the British. Cornwallis, himself, liasten- ed to the scene of action, and, though mustering all Iris strength for this arduous occasion, could not bring two thousand effective men into the field. Nineteen, however, out of twenty, of tlicse, were Ycterans of the most formidable (pialifications^. With the reinforcement of seven hundred Virgi- nia militia and some other detachments, Gates's army did not fall short of four thocisand men. A very small portion of these were regular troops, while the rest were a wavering and undisciplined militia, whose presence was rather injurious than beneficial. Notwithstanding his inferiority of numbers, Cornwallis found that a retreat would be more pernicious than a battle under the worst auspices; and he himself on the I6th of August, prepared to attack his enemy. General Gates had taken the same resolution at the same time; and the adverse GATES. 185 forces came to an engagement^ in which the Amer- icans suffered a defeat. The loss of the hattle was ascribed, with reason, to the unskilfulness of the militia. Among these the route and confusion was absolute and irretrievable, and Gates had the sin- gular fortune of conducting the most prosperous and the most disastrous of the military enterprises in this war. Here was a dismal reverse in the life of Gates. His prosperous scale sunk at Camden as fast as it liad mounted at Saratoga. Thei*e had been a dif- ference of opinion as to the best road to the theati'C of action, and the hardships and diseases which one party had foretold would infest the road which he took, actually exceeded what was menaced. A hattle lost against half the number, in circumstan- ces where the vanquished army was taken, in some degree, by surprise, would not fail to suggest sus- picions as to the caution or discernment of the general. Gates continued in command till October the 5th, in the same year, about fifty days after the disaster at Camden. In this interval he had been busily employed in repairing the consequences of that defeat, and was now reposing for the winter. He was, on that day, however, displaced, and sub- jected to the inquiry of a special court. The in- quiry was a tedious one, but terminated finally in the acquittal of the general. He was reinstated in his military command in tiie year 1782. In the meantime, however, the great scenes of the south- ern war« especially the capture of Cornwallis, bad past. Little room was aiforded to a new general to gather eitlier laurels or henbane. A particular detail of those transactions in which he was con- cerned, exceeds the limits prescribed to this hasty sketch. In like manner, we are unable to digest that voluminous mass of letters, evidences, am! Q9 186 (^ATES. documents by ^\luch the resolution of congress, in favour of his contiuct at Camden, was dictated. The capture of Cornwallis which produced such grand and imme GREENE. This brilliant success quite disconcerted the plan of operations formed by lord Cornwallis. Ha> ing entertained no idea of any enemy to oppose in vSouth Carolina, the conquest of which he deemed complete, he had made evei*y preparation for car- rying his arms to the noi'thward, to gather tlie lau- rels which, he imagined, awaited him. He now foundhimself obliged to postpone this design. He marched witli rapidity after general Morgan, in hopes not only to recover the prisoners, but to re- venge Tarleton's losses. The American general, by a rapidity of movements, and the interference of Providence, eluded his efforts; and general Greene effected a junction of the two divisions of his little army, on tlie 7th of February. Still he was so'^far inferior to lord Cornwallis, that he was obliged to retreat northward; and, notwithstand- ing the vigilance and activity of his enemy, lie brought his men in safety into Virginia. In Virginia, general Greene received some re- inforcements, and had the promise of more; on which he returned again into North Carolina, where, on their arrival, he hoped to he able to act on tlie offensive. He encamped in the vicinity of lord Cornw allis's army. By a variety of the best concerted manoeuvres, he so judiciously supported the arrangement of his troops, by the secrecy and promptitude of his motions, that, during three weeks, while the enemy remained near liim, he prevented tliem from taking any advantage of their superiority; and even cut off all opportunity of the irrcceiving succours from the I'oyalsits. About the beginning of March, lie effected a junction with a continental regiment^ and two considerable bodies of Virginia and Carolina mi- litia. He then determined on attacking the Bri- tish conimaiKlcr without loss of time, *• being per- suaded," as he declared in his subsequent dispatch- es, ^'that. if be was successful, it would prove GREENE. 193 ruinous to llic enemy; and, if otherwise, iiiptt it would be but a partial evil toliim." On the 14th, he arrived at Guilford court-house, the British then lying attv^elve miles distance. " His army consisted of about four thousand five liundrcd men, of whom near two-thirds were North Carolina arnd Virginia militia. The British vvcre about two thousand four hundred; ail regular troops, and the greater part inuied to toil and ser- ^ ice in their long expedition under lord Cornwal-, ]is, who, on tlic morning of the 15th, being appri- sed of general Greene's intentions, marclied to meet him. Tiie latter disposed his army in three lines; the militia of North Carolina were in front; the second line was composed of those of Virgi- )iia; and the third, v, hich v.as tJie llower of the army, was formed of continental troops, near fif- teen hundred in number. I'liey were flanked on both sides by cavalry and riflemen, and were post- ed on a rising ground, a mile and a hrjf from Cruilford court-house. The engagement commenced at half an hour af- ter one o'clock, by a brisk cannonade; after which, the British advanced in tiiree columns; and attack- ed the first line, composed of North C,arolina mili- tia. These, who, probably, had never been in ac- tion before, were panic struck at the approach of 'he enemy; and many of tl^em ran away v. ithout iiring a gun, or being fired u])on, and even before the British liad come nearer than one hundred and forty yards to them. Fart of them, ho v* ever, fired; but they then followed the example of their com- rades. Their oiliccrs made every possible effort to rally them : but the advantages of their position, ^ior any other consideration, could induce them to iuaintain their ground. Tins shameful conduct Iiad a great effect upon the issue of the battle. Tlie sext line, however, behaved much better. They 'ought witli great bravery; and were thrown into R •i94 GREENE. disorder: rallied, returned to the charge, and kept up a l^cavy lire for a long time; hut were at length hrokoii, and driA en on tlie third line, when the en- gagement hecame general, very severe, and very bloody. At length, superiority of discipline car- ried the day from superiority of numbers. The conflict endured an hour and a half ; and was ter- minated by general Greene's ordering a retreat, when he pcrcei^ ed that the enemy were on the point of encircling his troops. Tills was a hard fought action. Lord Cornwal- iis stated liis losses in killed, wounded, and mis- sing, at five hundred and thirty-tw o, among whom Avere several officers of considerable rank. But this battle was, nevertheless, decisive in its conse- quejices. Lord Cornwallis was, three days after, obliged to make a retrogade motion ; and to return to Wilmington, situated two hundred miles from the scene of action. He was even under tlie ne- cessity of abandoning a considerable number of those who were dangerously wounded. The loss of the Americans was about four hundred, killed and v/ounded. Some time after the battle of Guilford, general Greene determined to return to South Carolina, to endeavour to expel the British from that state. — His first object was to attempt the reduction of Camden, where lord Raw^don was posted with about nine hundred men. The strength of this place, which was covered on the south and east side by a river and creek; and to the westward and north ward, by six redoubts; rendered it impracti- cable to carry it by storm, with the small army general Greene had, consisting of about seven hun- dred continentals, the militia having gone home. He, therefore, encamped at about a mile from the tiown, in order to prevent supplies from being brought in. and to take advantages of such favour- ahle circumstances as miglit occur. GREENE. 195 Lord Rawclon*s vsituation was extremely deli- cate. Colonel Watson, whom he had some time before detached, for the protection of the eastern frontiers, and to whom he had, on intelligence of general Greeners intentions, sent orders to return to Camden, was so eifectually watched by general Marion, that it was impossible for him to obey. His lordship's supplies were, moreover, very pre- carious; and slmuld general Greene's reinforce- iiients arrive, he miglit be so closely invested, a^ to be at length obliged to surrender. In this di- lemma, the best expedient that suggested itself, was a bold attack; for which purpose, he armed every person with him capable of carrying a mus- ket, not exceptir.g his musicians and dnnnmcrs. He sallied out on the 25tij of April, and attacked general Greene in his camp. The defence was obstinate; and for some part of the engagement the a^Jvantage appeared to be in favour of America. Lieutenant colonel Washington, who commanded the cavahy, ha.d at one time not less than two hun- dred British prisoners. Hov\ ever, by the miscon- duct of one of the American regiments, victory was snatched from general Greene, who v, as compelled to retreat. He lost in tlic action about two hun- dred kiiicd, wounded, and prisoners. Rawdon lost about tv* o hundred and fifty eight. There was a great similarity between the conse- quences of the affair at Guilford, and those of this action. In the former, lord Cornwallis was suc- cessful ; but was afterwards obliged to retreat two hundred miles from tlie scene of action, and for a time abandoned the grand object of penetrating to the northward. In the latter, lord Rawdon had the honour of the field; but was shortly after reduc- ed to the necessity of abandoning his post, and leaving behind him a number of sick and wounded. The evacuation of Camden, with the vigilance of general Greene, and the several officers he em - 196 GREENE. ployed, gave a new coniplexioii to afUurs in South Carolina, where tlie British ascendancy declined more rapidly than it had been established: The numerous forts, garrisoned by the enemy, fell, one after the other, into the ha]ids of the Americans. Orangeburg, Motte, Watson, Georgetown, Gran- by, and others, fort Ninety-Six excepted, were sur- rendered; and a very considerable number of pri- soners of war, witii military stores and artillery, were found in them. On tlie 22d May, general Greene sat down be- fore Ninety- Six, witli the main part of his little army. The siege \n as carried on for a considera- ble time with great spirit; and the place was de- fended witii equal bravery. At length, the works were so far reduced, tliat a surrender must have been made in a few days, when a reinforcement of three regiments, from Eui'ope, arrived at Charles- 1;. .' ' ': enabled lord Rawdon to proceed to re- r. ^iiiportant post. The superiority of the enciiu'rf force reduced general Greene to tlie alter- native of abandoning the siege altogether, or, pi*e- vious to their arrival, of attempting the fort by storm. The latter was more agreeable to his en- terprising spirit : and an attack was made, on the morning of the 19th of June. He was repnlsed, with the loss of one hundred and fifty men. He raised the siege, and retreated over the Saluda. Dr. Ramsay, speaking of the state of affaii^s about this period, says, ''truly distressing was the situation of the Amcrici)n army: wlien in the grasp of victory, to be obliged to expose tiiemseives to a hazar*!ous assault, and after\A ards to abandon a siege. When they were nearly masters of the whole country, to be compelled to retreat to its ex- treu:ity; and after subduing the greatest part of the for( e sent against them, to be un«;er the necessity of encountering still greater reinforcements, when \]mv remote situation precluued them from the GREENE, 197 hope of receiving a single recruit. In this gioomy situation, there w ere not wanting persons who ad- vised general Greene to leave the state, and retire with liis remaining forces to Virginia. To argu- ments and suggestions of this kind he nobly replied, *I will recover the country, or die in the attempt,' This distinguished othcer, whose genius was mosi: vigorous in those extremities, when feeble minds abandon themselves to despair, adopted the only resource now left him, of avoiding an engagement^ until the British force should be divided." Some skirmishes, of no great moment, took place between the detached parties of both armies in July and August. September tlie 9th, general Greene having assembled about two thousand men, pro- ceeded to attack the British, ^^ho, under the com- mand of colonel Stewart, vrere posted at Eutaw Springs. The American force was drawn up in two lines: the first, composed of Carolina militia^ was commanded by generals Marion and PickenSj and colonel de Malmedy. The second, which con- sisted of continental troops, from North Carolina^, Virginia, and Maryland, was commanded by gen- eral Sumpter, lieutenant colonel Campbell, and co- lonel Williams: lieutenant colonel Lee, v/ith his le- gion, covered the right flank; and lieutenant colo- nel Henderson, with the state troops, covered tlie left. A corps de reserve ^vas formed of the caval- ry, under lieutenant colonel Washington, and the Delaware troops under captain Kirkw ood. As tlie Americans came forward to the attack, they fell in with some advanced parties of tlie enemy, at about two or three miles a head of the main body. These being closely pursued, were driven back, and the action soon beca^me general. The militia were at length forced to give way, but v, ere bravely sup- ported by the second line. In the hottest part of the engagement, general Greene f«rdere(l the Mary- land and Virginia continentals, to ciijirge with R 2 198 GREENE. trailed arms. This decided the fate of the day. •^Nothing," says Dr. Ramsay, '^could surpass the intrepidity of both officers and men on this occa- sion. They rushed on in good order througli a heavy cannonade, and a shower of musquetry, \vith siH h unshaken resolution, that they bore down all before them." The British were broken, closely pursued, and upwards of five hundred of them taken prisoners. They, however, made a fresli stand, in a favourable position, in impenetrable shrubs and a picquetted garden. Lieutenant colonel Wash- ington, after having made every effort to dislodge them, was wounded and taken prisoner. Four six ponnders were brought forward to play upon tiiem, bui they fell into their hands^ and the esideavours to drive tliem from their station, being found im- practicable, the Americans retired, leaving a very strong picquet on the field of battle. Their loss v» as about five hundred; that of the British upwards of eleven hundred. General Greene was honoured by coiigress with a Bi'itish standard, and a gold medals, emblemati- cal of the engagement, *^ for his wise, decisive, and magnanimous conduct, in the action at Eutaw Springs, in which, with a force inferior in number to that of the enemy, he obtained a most signal victory »" In the evening of the succeeding day, colonel Stewart abandoned hio post, and retreated towards Charleston, leading behind upwards of seventy of his wounded, r.nd a thousand stand of arms. He was pursued a ( onsiderable distance, but in vain. The battle of Eutaw produced most signal con- sequences in favour of America. The British, who had for suc'i) a length of time loided it abso- lutely in South Carolina, were, shortly after that event, obliged to confine themselves in Charleston, whence they never ventured hut to make preda- tory excursions, with bodies of cavalry, which in GREENE. 199 general, met with a very warm and vepy unwel- come reception. In Dr. Caldwell's memoirs of tlie life of general Greene, we have the following interesting story, as connected with the severe conflict at Euta^v Springs: **Two young officers, bearing the same rank, met in personal combat. The American, perceiv- ing that the Briton had a decided superiority, in the use of tlie sabre, and being himself of great activity, and personal strength, almost gigantic, closed witli his adversary and made him his pri- soner. * ^Gentlemanly, generous, and Iiigh minded, this event, added to a personal resemblance which tliey were observed to bear to eacli otiier, produced be- tween these two youthful w arriors, an intimacy, which, increased in a short time, to a mutual at- tachment. *'Not long after tlie action, the American officer returning home, on fiirlougli, to settle some private business, obtained permission for his fi'iend to ac- company him. * 'Travelling without attendants or guard, they were both armed and well mountcil. Fart of their route lay through a settlement highly disaffected to the American cause. ••When in tiie midst of this, having, inconse- quence of a shower of rain, thrown around them their cloaks, which concealed their uniforms, they were suddenly encountered by a detachment of to- ries. '•'The young American, determined to die rather than become a prisoner, especially to men whom he held in abhorrence for disloyalty to their cour^- try, and the generous Briton resolved not to sur- vive one by whom he had been distinguished and treated so kindly, they both together, with great spirit and self possession, charged the royalists, 200 GREENE. having fust made signals in their rear, as if di- recting others to follow thein; and tlius» without injury on eit]jer side, had the address and good fortune to put the party to lliglit. "Arriving in safety at tluir place of destination, what was tlieir surprise and augmented satisfac- tion, on finding, from some questions ]n'oposed by the American oih( cr's father, that they were first cousins! **With increasing deliglit, tlic young Briton pas- sed several ^\eeks in the family of his kinsman, where the wilier of tlris narrative saw him daily, and often listeneti, with the rapture of a child, to the checkered story of his military adventures. •^'To lieigliten the orrurrcnce. and render it more romantic, tlie American oflicer had a sister, beautiful and accomplished, wliose heart soon felt for the gallant straiiger. more than the affection due to a cousin. The attacliment was mutual. ^•But here the adventure assumes a tragical cast. The youthful foreigner, being exchanged, was sum- moned to return to his regiment. The message was fatal to his pea.ce. But military honour de- manded the sacrifice? and tl«e lady, generous and high minded as himself, would not be instrumentai In dimming his laurels. **T]Ee parting scene was a high-wrouglit picture of tenderness and sorrow. On taking leave, the parties mutually bound themselves, by a solemn promise, to remain single a certain number of years, in the hope that an arrangement contempla- ted might again bring them together. A few weeks afterwards the lady expired under an attack of small pox. The fate the officer we never learnf It has already been mentioned that Greene's ar- my w^as in a deplorable situation, and suffered un- der every privation. In his letters to the Secreta- ry at war, he says, **We have three hundred men without arms, and more than one thousand so GREENE. 2ai naked, that they can be put on duty only in cases of a desperate nature. We have been all winter in V. ant of arms and clothing. The subsistence of the army is wretched, and we are without rum or any kind of spirits." Again, he says, ^^Our difficulties are so nume- rous, and our wants so pressing, tJtat I have not a moment's relief from the most painful anxieties. I have more embarrassment than it is proper to disclose to the world. Let it suffice to say that this part of the United States has had a narrow escape. Ihave been seven months in the field without faking' off my clothes/' Judge Johnson, in liis life of general Greene, says ^^At the battle of the Eutaw Springs, Greene says, 'that hundreds of my men were as naked as they were born.' Posterity will scarcely believe, that the bare loins of many brave men who carried death into the enemy's ranks, at the Eutaw, were galled by their cartouch-boxes, while a folded rag or a tuft of moss protected the shoulders from sus- taining tlie same injury from tlie musket. Men of other times w ill enquire, by what magic was this army kept together? By what supernatural power was it made to fight?*' During the relaxation that followed, a dange- rous plot was formed by some turbulent and muti- nous persons in the army, to deliver up their brave general to the British. This treasonable design owed its rise to the hardships, wants and calami- ties of the soldiers, who were ill paid, ill clothed, and ill fed. The conspirators did not exceed twelve in number; and a providential discovery defeated the project. The surrender of lord Cornw^allis, whose enter- prising spirit had been by the British ministry ex- pected to repair tlie losses, and wipe away the dis- grace, whicii had been incurred through the inacti- vity and indolence of other generals, having con- tlO^ GREENE. vincecl tliem of tlie impracticability of subjugating America, tliey discontinued offensive operations in eveiy quarter. From the beginning of tlie year 1782, it was currently i-eported that Charleston was speedily to be evacuated: it was oilicially an- nounced the 7th of August; but it did not take place until the 17t!i of December. The happy period at length arrived, wlien, by the virtue and bravery of her sons, aided by the bounty of heaven, America compelled lier invaders to recognise Iicr independence. Then her armies quitted the tented fields, and retired to cultivate the arts of peace and happiness. Amongst the rest, general Greene, revisited his native country? where he proved himself as valuable a citizen, as the Carolinas had witnessed him a gallant ofiicer. We have mentioned Judge Johnson's life of gen- eral Greene. This \\ork is in two volumes quar- to, and gives a particular account of tlie transac- tions, and indeed of the campaigns, &c. of the war in the southern states, by William Johnson, Esq. of South Carolina, and one of the judges of the Supreme Court of the United States. At the conclusion of the work he makes tlic follo\\ing just remarks, which we copy with much pleasure, particularly for our scliooi edition: "AYe Vvill now dismiss the reader with these re- marks. To the young and the lowly, the incidents of general Greene\s life, hold out a most valuable moral. They shov> , witli certainty, that there is no condition which may not be improved by vir- tue and perseverance: that the acquirement of knowledge leads directly to eminence; and, that the most persevering labour is not inconsistent with the improvement of the mind, ^hen the mind is steadily bent upon its own improvement. And let no discouraging inferences be drawn from the perse( utions which lie underwent from envy and detraction, Tliey will fasten on eminence; and to GREENE. £03 quote the general's own language, ^^ every one but an idiot will have enemies" These are amoiig the trials incident to human life; and they will at- tack those most severely, who raise themselves from obscurity. Men cannot bear mortifying comparisons; and, therefore, envy those most, who have risen from among themselves. But. it is a most consoling evidence that truth will never be ^abandoned; that after such a lapse of time, we find the fame of this greiit and good man, vindicated by the production of evidence which cannot be resist- ed. The plain inference is, that we do our duty, and trust to Providence for the rest. '' To ally we will take tiic liberty to suggest an- other remark. It is related of general Wasjiing- ton, that after the defeat of Braddock, an eminent divine declared from the pulpit, ' that Heaven had preserved that young man for some great and wise purposes.' ' [f we contemplate the early events of general Greene's life, we perceive in them, a striking apt- ness of preparation for the part he w as destined to act in the revoiutiouary contest. Subdued, but not broken down under parental authority, he learned obedience and discipline, and how to in- foi'ce it on others; hut, a!)ove all, self-command. Cast on himself for the gratification of every v^ish of his heart, [le learned that great lesson of self- dependence, which he had, so often afterwards, to ])ring into exercise. With nerves strung to labour, he w as prepared for all t!ie fatigues and hardsliips of war; and habits of temperance taught him to bear, and by his example, to teach otliers to bear, all privations of wai*. Yet. all this preparation was casual, and less tlian all things, intended to ut him for a military life! ^•Nor was his moral and religious education less adapted to tlie part lie was to act on the thea- tre of the revolution. The religion of the Quakers. 5K)4 GREENE. stripped of those tenets wliicli unfit it for this neth- er world, is really the political religion of the United States. Universal benevolence, and (in- bounded toleration, were their favourite doctrines. He still continued a Quaker, as far tlie religion of the Quakers comported with the defence of civil liberty: and thus blended the soldier, with all that stern morality, and simplicity of character, whicli distinguish the sect he belonged to." In October, 1785, general Greene sailed to Georgia, where he had a considerable estate, not far distant from Savannah. Here lie passed away his time, occupied in his domestic concerns, until the hour of his mortality approached. Walking out, without liis hat, in the afternoon ©f the 15th of June, 1786, the day being intensely liot, he was suddenly attacked with sucli a vertigo and prostration of strength, as to be unable to re- turn to liis house, without assistance. Tiie affec- tion was what is denominated a "stroke of the sun." It was succeeded by fever, accompanied with stupor, delirium, and a disordered stomach. All efforts to su-hdue it proved fruitless, and it car- ried him oil' on the 1 9th of tlie same month. Wlien the melancholy account of his deatfi arriv- ed at Savannah, the people were struck with the deepest sorrow. All business was suspended. — The shops and stores thi'oughout the town were shut; and the sliipping in tlic harbour liad tlieir colours ]ialf-maste(l. The body was brought to Savannah, and in- terred on the SOtli. The funeral procession v, as attended by the Cincinnati, militia, &c. cScc. Immediately after the interment of the corpse, the members of the Cincinnati retired to tlie colfee- Iiouse in Savannah, and came to the following res- olution: ^*That, as a token of the high respect and ven- eration in Vvliicli this society hold the memory of HAMILTON. 2«i 'licir la\(3 illustrious brother, major-general Greene, deceased, George WiisJiington Greene^ his eldest son, be admitted a member of this soci- ety, to take his seU on his arriving at the age of 18 years." General Greene left behind him a wife and five children. 051 Tuesday the 12th of August, 1786, the Uni- ted States in congress assembled, came to the fol- lowing resolution: '•That a monument he erected to tlie memory of Nathaniel Greene, Esq. at the seat of the fed- eral government, with the following inscriptloiT Sacred to tlic memorv of NATHANIEL GREENE, Esq, Who de])arted this life. On the 19th of June, mdccixxxvi . LATE MAJOR GENERAL In the service of the United States, And commander of tlieir army In the southern department. The United States, in Congress assem.Medj In honor of his Patriotism, valour, and ability, Have erected this monument. HAMILTON, Alexander, first secretary oi he treasury of the United States, was a native of he island of St Croix, and was horn in 1757.— "lis father was the younger son of an Englisli fam- ily , and his mother was an American. At the age ,1 sixteen, he accompanied his mother to New- York, and entered a student of Columbia college^ :\\ v.hich he continu.ed about three years. While a member of this iiirjtitution, the first buddings of his intellect gave presages of his fu.ture eminence. — ■ riic contest witli Great Britain called forth the "irst talents on each. side„ and his juvenile pen as- serted the claims of the colonies agahist very res- )ectable writers. His papers exhibited such cvK R ^Oo HAMILTON. dencc of intellect and >vistlom, that ilicy were iis- eribed to Mr. Jay, and wlien the truth Avas dis- covered, America saw with astonishment a lad ot* seventeen in the list of lier able advocates. At tlie age of eighteen, he entered tlie American army as an ofticcr of artillery.^ The first sound of war awakened his martial spirit, and as a soldier he soon conciliated the regard of Iiis brethren in arms. It was not long before he attracted the notice of Washington, who, in 1777, selected him as an aid with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. His sound understanding, comprehensive views, application and promptitude, soon gained him tlie entire con- ildence of his patron. In such a scliool it was im- possible but that his genius should be nourislied. By intercourse with Washington, by surveying his plans, observing his consummate prudence, and by a minute inspection of the springs of national ope- rations, he became fitted for command. Through- out the campaign, which terminated in the cap- ture of Cornwallis, colonel Hamilton commanded a battalion of light infantry. At the siege of York in 1781, when the second parallel was opened, two redoubts, whicli flanked it, and were advanced 300 yards in front of the British works, very much an- noyed the men in the trenches. It v, as resolved to possess tliem, and to prevent jealousies the at- tack of the one was committed to the Americans, and of the otlier to the French. The detachment of the Americans, was commanded by tlie marquis de la Fayette; and colonel Hamilton, at his own earnest request, led the advanced corps, consisting of two battalions. Towards the close of the day, on the 14th of October, the troops rushed to the charge without firing a single gun. The works were assaulted with irresistible impetuosity, and 'Carried with but little loss. Eiglit of the enemy fell in the action: but notwithstanding the irrita- tion lately produced by the infamous slaughter in HAMILTOjS. 20? fori Gi'iswoid, not a man was killed who ceased to resist. Soon after the capture of Cornwallis, Hamilton .sheathed his sword, and being encumbered with a family, and destitute of funds, at the age of twen- ty-five applied to the study of the law. In this profession he soon rose to distinction. But his private pursuits could not detach him from regard to the public welfare. The violence which was meditated against the property and persons of all who remained in the city during the war, called Ibrth his generous exertions, and, by the aid of governor Clinton, the faithless and revengeful scheme was defeated. In a few years a more im- portant affair demanded his talents. After wit- nessing the debility of the confederation, he was fully impressed with the necessity of an efficient general government, and he was appointed in 1787, a member of the federal convention of New York. "He assisted in forming the constitution of our country. It did r^ot indeed completely meet his wishes. He was afraid tliat it did not contain sufticicnf means of strength for its own preserva- tion, and that, in consequence, v/e should share the fate of many other republics, and pass through anarchy to despotism. He was in favour of a more permanent executive and senate. He Avish- ed for a strong government, which w^ould not be shaken by the conflict of different interests through an extensive territory, and which should be ade- quate to all the forms of national exigency. By his pen in the papers signed Fublius, and by his voice in the convention of New York, he contributed much to its adoption. When the gov- ernment was organized in 1789, Washington pla- ced him at the head of the treasury. In the new demands, which were now made upon his talents, the resources of his mind did not fail him. In his i-eports. he proposed plans for funding the debt of ^08 HAMILTON. the union, and for assuming the debts of the res- pective states; for establishing a bank and mint; and for procuring a revenue. He wished to rc- tjeem the reputation of liis country by satisfying licr creditors, and to combine with the government such a monied interest, as might facilitate its ope- rations. He remained hut a short time afterwai'ds in of- fice. As his property had been wasted in the pub- lic service, the care of a rising family made it liis duty to retire, that by renewed exertions in his profession, he might provide for their support. — He accordingly resigned his office on the last of January, 1795. When the provisional army was raised in 1798, Washington qualified his acceptance of the com - 5nand of it, with the condition that Hamilton should be iiis associate and tlie second in command. This arrangement w-as accordingly made. Invested with the rank of inspector general^ Hamilton repaired immediately to his post, and commenced the organization and discipline of his cirmy. These he cariied in a short time to high l>criection, ti»e materials of his command being ex- cellent in quality. His liours of leisure lie devot- ed, with his usual industry, to the study of chem- istry, mathematics, and the art of war. In the two latter his attainments became great. To ren- der hira conspicuous among the ablest captains of the w orld, nothing was now wanting but experi- ence in the field. After the adjustment of our dispute witii the Frencii Republic, and the discharge of the army, he returned again to his profession in tlie city of 'New York. In June, 1804, colonel Burr, vice-president of the United States, addressed a letter to general Hamilton, requiring his acknow ledgment or denial 6f the use of any expression derogatory to the bon- HAMILTON. ^09 our of the former. This demand was deemed in- admissible, and a duel was the consequence. Af- ter the close of the circuit court, the parties met at Hobokeii, on the morning of Wednesday, July the nth, and Hamilton fell on the same spot, where his son a few years before had fallen, in ohedience to the same principle of honour, and in the same violation of the laws of God, and of man. He was carried into the city, and being desirous of receiving the sacrament of the Lord's supper, he immediately sent for the reverend Dr. Mason. As the principles of his church prohibited him from administering the ordinance in priv ate, this minis- ter of the gospel informed general Hamilton, that the sacrament was an exhibition and pledge of the mercies, which the Son of God has purchased, and that the absence of the sign did not exclude from the mercies signified, which were accessible to him by faith in their gracious Author. He replied, *^I am aware of that. It is only as a sign that I want- ed it." In tlie conversation which ensued, he dis- avowed all i?itention of taking the life of colonel Burr, and declared his abhorrence of the whole a'ansaction. When the sin, of which he had been guilty, was intimated to him, he assented with strong emotion; and v»hen the infinite merit of thfe Redeemer, as the propitiation for sin, the sole ground of our acceptance with God, was suggest- ed, he said with emphasis, *'J/mTe a tender reli-^ ance on the mercy of the Almighty, through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ." The reverend bishop Moore was afterwards sent for, and after making suitable inquiries of the penitence and faith of general Hamilton, and receiving his assu- rance that he would never again, if restored to health, be engaged in a similar transaction, but would employ all his influence in society to dis- eountenanrf the barbarous custom, administered to him the communion. After this his mind ^y/t^i S ^ 2iij HAMILTON. €Oiripose(l. Mq expired about 2 o'clock on Thups- day, July 12, 1804, age«l about 47 years. Gcnrriil Hamiltoii j)o.ssessed very uncommon powers of mind. To v. hatever subject lie direct- ed Ids attention, be was able to grasp it; and in whatever be engaged, in that be excelled. So stu- pendous were his talents, and so patient was bis industry, that no bivestigation presented difficul- ties, which be could not coiujuer. In the class of men of intellect, he held the first rank. His elo- quence was of the most interesting kind, and when new^ exertions were required, he rose in new strength, and touching at his pleasure every string of pity or of terror, of indignation or grief, be bent the passions of others to bis purpose. At {•be bar he gaijied the first eminence. The versatility of his pow crs w as as wonderful as tlieir sti'cngth. To the transaction of all mat- ters that were ever submitted to him, he showed himself competent; on every point of difliculty and moment, be was qualified to become great. What others learnt by experience, he saw by intuition; what they achieved by persevering labour, lie could accomplish by a single exertion. Hence tiie di- versified erfiinence of his attainments, and tlie sur- prising rapidity w ith which he i*cndered himself master, not only of new^ and intricate points, but even of entire branches of science. Within thespliere of our own knowledge, or in the records of society, it is usual to find individ- uals who are highly distinguisiied in particular walks: in the foium, the senate, the cabinet, or the fielu; but a single character pre-eminent in them all. constitutes a itrodigy of human greatness. Yet such a cliaracter was the jiersonage we are con- sidering. He combined within himself qualities ih'dt would have communicated lustj'e to many. At the bar, bis ability and eloquence were at once ihe delight and astonishment of his country; as a HAMILTON. 211 statesman, his powers were transcendant and his resources inexhaustible: as a financier, he was ac- knowledged to be without a rival; in his talents for war, he v>'as believed to be infeiior to Washington alone. To these we may add, that in his qualifi- cations as a writer he was eminently great. En- dowments so brilliant, with attainments so wide, multifarious and lofty, have but rarely fallen to the portion of a mortal. Yet with these he had none of the eccentricities, irregularities, or vices, that oftentimes follow in the train of greatness. His mind and his habits were in a liigh degree orderly, temperate and me- thodical. To his powers alone, stupendous as they were, he never committed tlie perforsnance of liis duty, on any occasion of interest and impor- tance. Preparatory to acting he bestowed on his subject all tlie attention that would have been re- quisite in a man of common abilities. He studied it patiently till lie tiioroughly comprehended it. Hence, even in tlie minutest details, he wa,s never found deficient when he was expected to be prepa- red. To his moral habits, therefore, no less than to his physical powers, lie owed it, in part, that he was consummately great. With all his pre-eminence of talents, and amia- ble as he was in private life, general Hamilton is yet a melancholy proof of the influence, which in- • tercourse with a depraved world luis in perverting the judgment. In principle he was opposed to duelling, his conscience was not liardened, and he was not indifferent to the happiness of his w ife and children; but no consideration was strong enough to prevent him from exposing his life in single combat. His own views of usefulness were fol- lowed in contrariety to the injunctions of his Ma- ker and Judge. He had been for some time con- vinced of the truth of Christianity, and it was his intention, if his life had been spared, to hav'i written a work upon its evidences* 212 HANCOCK, General Hamilton possessed many friends, and^ he was endeared to them, for he was gentle, ten- der, and benevolent. Wliile he ^^ as great in the eyes of the world, familiarity with liim only in- creased the regard in which he was held. In his person he was small, and short in stature. He married a daughter of general Schuyler, and left an afflicted widow and a number of children to mourn his loss. **Such was Hamilton: the soldier of tlic revolu- tion; the confidant of Washington; the founder of the American system of finance: the enlightened statesman; the great counsellor: tbc eloquent ora- toi*; and the man of probity tried and spotless. He retired poor from an office, which, w ithout pec- ulation or any act that would have amounted to a brea( h of trust, migiit ha^ e rendered him as dis- tinguished for wealth, as he v»as for the higher riches of his mind. His faults; for being human he had faults; are lost amidst his virtues, excused, or forgotten." HANCOCK, JoHX, a distinguished patriot and friend of his country, w as born in the year 1737, in tlie province of Massachusetts. Tlie habitation of bis fathei'j wliich is represented as the precise pku e of liis nativity, w as situated near the village of Quincy, and by the ordinary transitions of property in America, is now annexed to the pat- rimony of John Adams, former president of the United States. In this neighbourliood were boi n and died, for many generations, the ancestors of the illustrious Samuel Adams. He graduated at Harvard college in 1754. On the death of his imcle Thomas Hancock, Esquire, he received a very considerable fortune, aiid soon became an eminent m.erchant. He was, for several years, se- lectman of the town; and in 1766, he was chosen a member of the house of representatives for Bos- ion. He there blazed a whig of the first mngnl HANCOCK. £1S tude. Otis, Ciishing, and Samuel Adams, were the other three, who represented the capital, men of name in the revolution of tlieir country. Being fond of public notice, he was flattered by the ap- probation of the people, with their marks of con- fidence, and tlie distinction he had in the general court. Tiie political sagacity of Adams, the pub- lic spirit and patriotic zeal of Hancock, gave a lustre to the Boston seat. Of these two popular leaders, the manners and appearance were in di- rect opposition, notwithstanding the conformity of their political principles, and their equal devo- tion to the liberties and independence of their country; and this dissimilarity tended, no doubt? to aggravate tlie passions and animosities of their adherents. Mr. Adams Avas poor, and in his dress and manners, simple and unadorned. Han- cock, on the other hand, was numbered with the richest individuals of his country. His equipage w as splendid and magnificent; and sucli as at pre- f5ent is unknown in America. His apparel, was sumptuously embroidered with gold and silver and lace, and all the other decorations fashionable amongst men of fortune of that day; he rode, es- pecially upon public occasions, with six bea-utiful baySj and with servants in livery. He was grace- ful and prepossessing in manners, and very pas- sionately addicted to what are called the elegant pleasures of life, to dancing, music, concerts, routs, assemblies, card parties, rich wines, social dinners and festi^ ities: all which tlie stern repub- lican virtues of Mr. Adams regarded with indif- ference, if not with contempt. On tlie evening of the 5th of March, 1770, a small party of the British soldiers paraded, and being assailed by a tumultory assemblage of the people, with balls of snow and other weapons, fired upon them by the order of their officer, to disperse them. Upon which occasion severj^l of 214 HANCOCK. the crowd were woniideil and a lew wvia killed- Tliis aftray is usually termed '* the massacre <'Pf) f^'j':" b'v- Vac rommittecs of T i^lS HANCOCK. coiTespondeuce, for the liouscs of assembly, in tliib •and our sister colonies, for uniting the inhabitants of the ^Yllole continent, for the security of their com- mon interest. May success ever attend their gen- erous endeavours. But permit me here to suggest a general congress of deputies, from the several liouses of assembly, on the continent^ as tlie most effectual method of establishing such an union, as the present posture of our affairs require. At such a congress a firm foundation may be laid for the security of our riglits and liberties; 2f system may be formed for our common safety, by a strict •adherance to which, we shall be able to frustrate any attempts to overthrow our constitution; it- store peace and harmony to America, and secure 'honor and wealth to Great Britain, even against the inclinations of her ministers, whose duty it is to study her welfare; and we shall also free our- selves from tliose unmannerly pillagers who impu- dently tell us, that they are licensed by an act of the British parliament, to thrust their dirty hands into the pockets of every American. But, I trust, the happy time will come, wiien, with the besom of destruction, those noxious vermin will be swept forever from the streets of Boston. "Surely you never will tamely suffer this' country to be a den of thieves. Remember, my friends, from whom you sprang. Let not a meanness of spirit, unknown to those whom you boast of as your fathers, excite a thought to the dishonour of your mothers. I conjure you by all tliat is dear, by all that is honourable, by all that is sacred, not only that ye pray, but that you act; that, if ne- cessary, ye fight, and even die, for the prosperity of our Jerusalem. Break in sunder, with noble disdain, the bonds with which the Philistines have bound you. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed by the soft arts of luxury and effeminacy, into the oit digged for your destruction. Despise the gU.n HANCOCK. 219 ot' wealth. That people who pay greater respect to a wealthy viilaia, than to an honest upright man in poverty, almost deserve to he enslaved; they plain- ly shew that wealth, however it may he acquired.. is, in their esteem, to be preferred to virtue. • "'But I thank God, that America ahounds in men who arc superior to all temptation, whom nothing can divert from a steady pursuit of the in- terest of their country; who are at once its orna- ment and safe-guard. And sure i am, I should not incur your displeasure, if I paid a respect so just- ly duG to their much honoured charar-'^rs in this place; hut, vdicn I name an Ada^i- -.:-'; a nume- rous liost of fellow patriots rash upon my mind, that I fear it would take up too much of your time should I attempt to call over tlie illustrious roll: but your grateful hearts will point you to the men; and tlieir revered names, in all succeeding times, shall grace the annals of America. From them, let lis, my friends, take example: from them, let us catch the divine enthusiasm; and feel, each for himself, the god-like pleasure of diffusing happiness on all around us; of delivering the oppressed from the iron grasp of tyranny; of changing the Iioarse complaints and bitter moans of wretched slaves, into those cheerful songs, which freedom and con- tentment must inspire. There is a heart-felt sa- tisfaction in reflecting on our exertions for the pub- lic weal, which all the sufferings an enraged ty-- rant can inflict, will never take away; which the ingratitude anil reproaches of those whom we liave saved from ruin, cannot rob us of. The virtuous asserter of the rights of mankind, merits a rc» ward, which even a want of success in his endea- vours to save his country, the heaviest misfortune which can befal a genuine patriot, cannot entirely prevent him from receiving, *» I have the most animating confidence that the present noble stinjggle for liberty, will terminate 2£^ HANCOCK. gloriously for America. And let us play the man for our Goii, and for the cities of our God: ^vliile Me are using the means in our power, let us hum- bly commit our righteous cause to the great Lord of the universe, wlio loveth righteousness and ha- tcth iniquity. And having secured the approba- tion of our hearts, by a faithful and unwearied discharge of our duty to our country, letusjoy- j'ujiy leave our concerns in the hands of llim ^vho raiseth up andputteth down the empires and king- doms of the world as lie pleases; and with cheer- ful submission to his sovereign will, devoutly say, *' Mthough the Jig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labonr of the olive shall faiU (i^id the field shall ijielcl no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold; and there shall be no herd in the stalls; yet we will rejoice in the Lordj 7ve xvilljoyin the God of our salration,^' The battle of Lexington now^ raraounced the commencement of the revolutioiiary wai*. To gain possession of the persons of Hancock and Adams, wlio lodged togetlicr in that village, was one of the motives, it is said, of the expedition which led to tliat memorable conflict. The design, tliough covci'ed with gi'eat secrecy, was anticipated, and the victims escaped, upon the entrance of their ha- bitation by the Eritisli troops. Thus, by the feli- citous iritei'vcntion of a moment, were rescued from a virulent enemy, and perhaps from the exe- cutioner, those w!k) were to contribute by their fjiture virtues, to the revolution of empires, and to be handed down to posterity as the benefactors of mankind. The defeat of the English in this battle was fol- low ed by the governors proclamation declaring the province in a state of rebellion; offering, at the same time, pardon to all whose penitence should re- commend tliem to tkis act of grace, w ith the excep- tion of those notorious offenders, Samuel Adams HANCOCK. 221 diitl John Hancock. These, by the enormity of their guilt, which was declared too flagitious for impunity, were reserved to propitiate the ferocity of the royal vengeance. But this signal and glo- rious denunciation, less the effect of good policy, than of passion, advanced these popular chiefs npon tlie lists of fame; they were every where hailed with Increased acclamations and applauses, and not only by their illustrious merits, but by the dangers to wltich they were exposed, were endear- ed to the aflections of their countrymen. Hancock, in October, 1774, was unanimously elected president of the provincial congress of Massachusetts. In 1775. he attained the me- ridian of his political distinction, and the highest honour that the confidence or the esteem of his compatriots could bestow upon him: being made president of tfie continental congress. By his long experience in business, as moderator of the town meetings, president and speaker of the provincial assemblies and conventions, during times of great turliulence and commotion, in his native state, he was eminently qualified, as well as by his natural dignity of manners, to preside in this great coun» eilof the nation. That there were, in this assembly, personages of a superior age to that of Mr. Hancock, and men. at the same time, of pre-eminent virtues and talents, will not be denied; who required at least some indications of deference from a generous mind, in reverence of their merits. It was, be- sides, an occasion upon which calmness and com- posure had been little commendable: and upon which indifference, or a haughty and supercilious confidence had been criminal in him who was crowned with the principal honours. For rarely in the vicissitudes of nations, has it happened that interests more sacred have been confided to the in- Jirmity of human wisdom or integrity; and that ^, T2- * 2:22 HANCOCK. spectarle more imposing has been exhibited to hu- man observation^ In 1776, July 4th, his name appears as presi- dent of the congress which declared the colonies independent of the crown of Great Britain, The name (jf the president alone was published with the declaration though every member signed it. It was a mark of respect due to Massachusetts, to have one of their members in tlie chair, which had been filled by a member from South Cai'olira and Virginia. Mr. Hancock had those talents which were calculated to make him appear to more ad- vantage as chairman, than in the debates of a pub- lic body. He excelled as moderator of tlie Boston town-meetii]gs, as president of the provincial con- gress, and state convention; and, as head of the great council of our nation, he was much respect- ed. He discovei'ed a fine address, great imparti- ality, sufficient spirit to command attention, and preserve order. His voice and manner were much in his favour, and his experience in public business^ gave him ease and dignity. In 1779, Mr. Hancock resigned his place ia congress. He was chosen a member of the con- vention that formed the constitution of Massachu- setts. From 1780 to 1785, Mr. Hancock was annually chosen governor of the commonwealth of Massa- chusetts. He declined being a candidate for the office the ensuing year, and was succeeded by the honourable James Bowdoin, Esq. During the administration of Mr. Bowdoin, there was an in- surrection in the state, which was happily quelled. Every thing was done in the most judicious man- ner, by the governor and the legislature, yet a part of the connnunity appeared to be discontented witli the administration, and in the year 1787, Mr. Eancock was again placed in the chair. His conduct in the state convention during the ^ . HANCOCK, 22S discussion of it, gained him honour. Tiie opposi- tion to this excellent form of government was great. It; was said that the majority of the con- vention would he against the adoption; and that the governor was with the opposers. He was cho- sen president of the convention, hut did not attend the debates till the latter week of the s^ession, — Certain amendments were proposed to remove the objections of those, who thought some ot* the arti- cles deprived the people of their rights. He in- troduced these amendments with great propriety, and voted for the adoption of the constitution. His name and influence doubtless turned many in favour of tlie federal govcrtiment. The latter years of his administration were easy to him, on account of tlie public tranquility. The federal government became tlie source of so much prosperity, that the people were easy and happy. The two patriots. Hancock and Adams, were re- conciled. When lieutenant governor Cushing died, general Lincoln was chosen as liis successor, — This gave great offence to Mr. Adams, and it was very disagreeable to the governor. They joined their strength to support the same measures, as well as renewed their friendship. The next year Lincoln was left out of oftlce, and Mr. Adams chosen lieutenant governor. This gentleman suc- ceeded Mr. Hancock, as governor of the common- wealth, after his death. Me died October 8, 1793c The death of such a man was interesting to the people at large. The procession at his funeral was very great. Doctor Thacher preached his funeral sermon the next sabbath. He was very friendly to the clergy of all denominations, and did a great deal to promote the cause of learning as well as religion. The library of Harvard Col- lege will give an exhibition of Iiis munificence; for the name of Hancock, in golden letters, now adoruj^ one of the alcoves of the library room, and is upo^i 224 HAWLEY. the records of the university among lier greatcsc benefartors. Mr. Hancock ^vas promoted to eycry olllcc Xn1hc]i a man fond of public life could expect or desire. His mannei-s ^\ ere pleasing. He >vas po- lite, affable, easy, and condescending^ and. wl»at \\ as greatly in his favour, did not appear lifted up with pride. Such an elevation to prosperous cir- cumstances would make some men giddy, and cause others to despise their neiglibour, poorer than themselves. The editor will again refer to, and give an ex- irart from, the oration vS Richard Rush, Es(>. de- livered at the city of Washington, July 4, 1812, He said, ^'during the siege of Boston, general Washington consulted congress upon the proprie- ty of bombarding the town. Mr^ Hancock was then president of congress. After general Wash- ington's letter was read, a solemn silence ensued. This was broken by a member making a motion that the house should resolve itself into a commit- tee of the whole, in order that Mr. Hancock might give his opinion upon the subject, as he was so deeply interested from having all his estate in Boston. After he left tiie chair, he addressed the chairman of the committee of the whole, in the following words: *It is true, sir, nearly all the property I have in the world, is in houses and other real estate in the town of Boston: but if tlio expulsion of the British army from it, and the lib- erties of our country require th.eir being burnt to ashes, issne the orders for that purpose hnme- diatelyJ' HAWLEY, Joseph, distinguished as a states- man and patriot, was born in Northampton, Mas- sachusetts, in 1724, and was graduated in Yale college in 1742, Soon after finishing his collegia! education he engaged in tlje study and the pi-ac- tice of the law in his native town. In this scieiKie HAWLEY. mo he became a great proficient, and was one of the most distinguished counsellors in the province. Among his other studies, he attained to such an eminence of knowledge in political history, and the principles of free government, that, dur- ing the disputes between Great Britain and the colonies, he was regarded as one of the ablest ad- vocates of American liberty. His integrity, both in public and in private life, was inflexible, and was not even questioned by his political opponents. He was repeatedly elected a member of the con n- eil, but refused in every instance to accept the of- fice, as he preferred a seat in the house of repre- sentatives, where his character for disinterested patriotism, and his bold and manly eloquence gave him an ascendency, which has seldom been equal- led. In 1776, he, together with Samuel Adams and John Hancock, were elected members of the legis- lature. He acquired great influence in the public councils. Tlie ascendancy whicli v» as allotted to him by the deference of others, was a fortunate circumstance for his country. Never was influ- ence exercised with more intelligent, devoted and inflexible patriotism. He made up his mind ear- lier than most men, that the struggle against op- pression would lead to war, and that our rights at last must be secured by our arms. As the crisis approached, when some persons urged upon him the danger of a contest, so apparently unequal, liis answer was, "We must put to sea. Providence will bring us into port." From a correspondence between Mr. John Adams, late president of the United States, and William Wirt^ Esq. of Virginia, the biographer of Patrick Henry, it would seem that the declara- tion '^TVe mustJighW which Mr. Wirt had claim- ed for Ml-. Henry, w as derived from a letter which lie himself had shown to Mr. Henry, written by 126' HAAYLEY. major Hawley, in 1774. Mr. Adams, in a letter to Mr. Wirt, dated Quincv, January 23, 1818, 3ays, *• When congress liad finished their hiisiness, as they thought, in the autumn of 1774, I had, with Mr. Henry, before \\e took leave of each other, some familiar conversation, in which I expressed a full conviction that our resolves, declaration of rights, enumeration of wrongs, petitions, remon- strances and addresses, associations, and non-im- portation agreements, however they might be ex- pected in ximerica. and however necessary to ce- ment the union of the colonies, would he hut w aste water in England. Mr. Henry said they might make some impression among the people of Eng- iand, hut agreed with me that they would be totally lost upon the government. I had just received a short and hasty letter, vvritten tome by major Jo- seph Hawley, of Northampton, containing a few •broken hints,' as he called them, of what he thought was proper to be done, and concluding^ with these words, *after all wb must tight.' Tills letter I read to Mr. Henry, who listened with great attention, and soon as I liad pronounced the words, *after all we must fight,' he raised liishead, and, with an energy and vehemence that I never can forget, broke out with ^Bij — — lam of that maifs mind.' I put the letter into his hand, and when he had read it he returned it to me, with an equal- ly solemn asseveration, that he agreed entirely in opinion with the writer. I considered this as a sacred oath, upon a very great occasion, and could have sworn it as religiously as he did, and by no means inconsistent with what you say, in some part of your book, that he never took the Sacred Name in vain." In 1819, president Adams communicated the ^*broken hints," alluded to in the foregoing, to H. Niles, Esfj. which are inserted at length in Mr. Niles's valuable work, entitled, "Principles and HAWLEY. 227 Acts of the lie volution in America:'^ a workwliicli ought to he in thclihrary of every man who vene- rates the principles and the men of '76. We here insert an extract from the "'broken hints." ^* We nwiHt fight, if we can't otherwise rid our- selves of British taxation, all revenues, and the constitution or form of government enacted for us by the British parliament. It is evil against right; utterly intolerable to every man who has any idea or feeling of right or liberty. '• It is easy to demonstrate that the regulation act will soon annihilate every thing of value in the charter, introduce perfect despotism, and render the house of representatives a mere form and min- isterial esigine. *^ It is now or never, that we must assert our li- berty. Twenty years will make the number of tories on this continent equal to the number of whigs. They who shall be born will not have any idea of a free government. '' It will necessarily be a question, whether the new government of this province shall be suffered to take place at all; or whether it shall be imme- diately withstood and resisted ? ^* A most important question this; I humbly con- ♦ eive it not best forcibly or wholly to resist it ini- •iiediately. *' There is not heat enough yet for battle. Con- stant, and a sort of negative resistance of govern- ment, will increase the heat and blow the hre. — There is not military skill enough. That is im- proving, and must be encouraged and improved^ but will daily increase. ^' Fight we must, finally, unless Britain retreats. '* But it is of infinite consequence that victory }c the end and issue of hostilities. If we get to fighting before necessary dispositions are made for it, we shall be conquer'ed. and all will be lost ior- G28 IIAWLEY. ^*0iu' salvation depends upon an established persevering miion of the colonies. **The tools of administration arc using every device and effort to destroy that union, and they will certainly continue so to do. ^* Thereupon, all possible devices and endea- vours must be used to establish, improve, brighten, and maintain such union. '^ Every grievance of any one colony must be held and considered by the whole as a grievance to the whole, and must operate on the whole as a grievance to the whole. This will be a difficult matter to effect: but it must be done. ^* Quere, tlicrefore; whether is it not absolutely necessary that some plan be settled for a continua- tion of congresses? But here we must be aware that congresses will soon be declared and enacted ))y pai'liament, to be higli treason. **Is the India company to be compensated or not? *^rf to be compensated — each colony to pay the particular damage she has done, oris an average to be made on the continent? **The destruction of the tea was not unjust; therefore, to what good purpose is the tea to be paid for, unless we are assured that, by so doing, our rights will be restored and peace obtained : ** What future measures is the continent to pre- serve with regard to importccl dutied tea, ^Nhethei- it comes a,s East India properly or otherwise, un- der the pretence and lie tiiat the tea is imported jrom Holland, and the goods impoi'ted before a cer- tain given day? Dutied tea will be imported and consumed; goods contiiuie to be imported: your non-importation agreement eluded, rendered con- temptible and ridiculous,' unless all teas used, and all goods, are taken into some public custody which will be inviolably faithful/* Major Hawley did not appear in the legislature after the year 1776. but be never relaxed his zeal HAWLEY. 229 hi tlie service of liis country, aiul was ready to con- tribute his efforts to the public service. By his private exertions, he rendered assistance at some very critical and discouraging periods. At the season when the prospects of the American army were the most ghiomy, when the Jerseys were overrun, and the feelings of many v.ere on the verge of despondency, he exerted himself with great activity and success, to ralJy the spirits of his fellow-citizens. At this tim«, when apatljy appeared stealing upon the country, and the peo- ple were reluctant to march, on a seemingly des- perate enterprise, he addressed a body of militia to urge them to volunteer as recruits. His man- ly eloquence, his powerful appeals to their pride, their patriotism, their duty, to every thing which they held dear and sacred, awakened their dor- mant feelings, and excited them to enthusiasm. Major Rawley wfis a sincerely religious and pious man, but here, as in politics, he loathed all tyranny and fanatical usurpation. In tlie latter part of 1776, he was afflicted with hypocliondria- cal disorders, to Vvhich he had been frerfuently sub- ject in former periods of his life; and after this de- clined public business. He died, March 10, 1788^ ^ged 64 years. Major Ha vv ley was a patriot witiiout personal mimosities, an orator without vanity, a lawyer without chicanery, and a gentleman without'os- ten.tation; ii statesman v/ithout doplicity, and a cliristian without bigotry. As a man of command- ing talents, Iiis firm renunciation and self-deiual of all ambitious views, v/ould ha^'^e secured him that respect which such strength of mind inevita- t>ly inspires; while his voluntai:^ and zealous de- votion to the service of Ids countrymen, estab- lished him in their affection. His uprightness and plainness, united to ills affability and disintcrest- -^dne«s, gave the most extensive infliienee to Ins U 23ij HENRY. ojjinions, and in a period of doubt, divisions imd danger, men souglit relief from their perplexities in his authority, and suffered their course to be guided by him, wlien they distrusted their own judgments, or the counsels of others. He, in fine, formed one of those manly, public spirited, and gencroiis citizens, ready to share peril and decline reward, who illustrate the idea of a commonweal tli, and who, tlirough the obstructions of human pas- sions and infirmities, being of rare occurrence, Avill always be the most admired, appropriate, and noble ornaments of a free goAernment. HENRY, Patrick, governor of Virginia, and a most eloquent and distinguished orator, took an early and active part in support of the riglits of his country, against the tyranny of Great Bri- tain. He was born at Studley, in the county of Hanover, and state of Virginia, on the 29th May, 1736. He descended from respectable Scotch ancestry, in the paternal line; and his mother was a native of tiie county in which he was born. On the maternal side, at least, he seems to have des- cended from a rhetorical race. Her brother William, the father of the present judge Winston, is said to have been highly endow- «sd with that peculiar cast of eloquence, for which Mr. Henry became, afterwards, so justly celebrat- ed. Of this gentleman I have an anecdote from a correspondent, which I shall give in his own words. *I have often heard my father, who was intimately acquainted with this William Winston, say, that he was the greatest orator whom he cxev heard, l^atrick Henry excepted ; that during the last I'rencli and Indian war, and soon after Braddock's defeat, when tlie militia were marched to the fron- tiers of Virginia, against the enemy, this William Winston was the lieutenant of a company; that the ;men, who were indifferently clothed, without tents, and exposed to the rigour and inclemency of the. HENRY. :^5i vveauiei, discovered great aversion to the service, and were anxious and even clamorous to return to their families; when this William Winston, mount- ing a stump, (the common rostrum of the field ora- tor in Virginia,) addressed them with sucli keen- ness of invective, and declaimed with sucii force of eloquence, on liberty and patriotism, that when he concluded, the general cry was, 'let us march on- lead iis against the enemy;' and they were now^ willing, nay anxious to encounter all those diffi- culties and dangers, which, but a few moments be- fore, had almost prG:Uiced a mutiny.' In childhood and youth Patrick Henry, whose name renders titles superfluous, gave no presages of his future greatness. He learned to read and write, reluctantlv; made some small progress in aritiimetic; acquired a superficial knowledge of the Latin language; and made a considerable pro- ficiency in tbe mathematics, the only branch of ed- ucation for which he discovered, in his youth, Uic slightest predilection. T!ie vvhole soul of his youtii was bound up in the sports of the field. His idleness was absolutely incurable: and, of cours;5^ he proved a truant lad, who could sit all day on a bridge, waiting for a good bite, or even, * one glo- rious nibble.' The unliappy effects of this idle- ness were lasting as his life; and the biographer very properly cautions his youthful readers against following this bad example. From what has been already stated, it will be seen, how little education had to do with tlie for- mation of this great man's mind. He was, in- deed, a mere child of nature, and nature seems to have been too proud and too jealous of her work, to permit it to be touched by the hand of art. Slie gave him Shakspeare's genius, and bade him, like Shakspeare, to depend on that alone. Let not the youtjiful reader, however, deduce, from tlie exam- ple of Mr. Henry, an argument in favour of indo- :iS2 HENRY. lence and tlic contempt of study. Let liim remem- ber tliat the powers Avhicli surmounted tlic disad- vantage of those early liabits, were such as very rarely appear upon this earth. Let him remem- ber, too, how long tlic genius, even of Mr. Henry^ was kept down and liidden from the public view^ by the sorcery of those pernicious habrts; through wi^at years of poverty and Avrctchedness they doomed him to struggle; and, let him remember^ iliat, at length, when in the zenith of his glory, Mr. Henry, Iiimself, had frequent occasions to de- plore the consequences of his early neglect of lit- erature, and to bewail * tlie ghosts of his departed hours.' At the age of fifteen years, young Henry Avas placed behind tlie counter of a merchant in the country: and at sixteen liis fatlier set him up in trade, in partnership with his brother William. Tiirougli laziness, tlie love of music, the charms of the chase, and a readiness to irust every one, the firm v» as soon reduced to bankru])tcy. The only advantage which resulted from his short rontinu- ftnce in mercantile business was an oppportunity to study human chai'acters. At eighteen Mr. Henry married the daughter of an honest fainner, and undertook to cultivate a few acres for himself. His only delights, at this time, were those which flow from tlie endearing relations of conjugal life. His want of agricultu- ral skill, and his unconquerable aversion to every species of systematic labour, terminated his career IS V. planter, in the short space of two years. — 4 gain he had recourse to merchandise, and again failed in business. Every atom of his property was now gone, his friends were unable to assist him any further: he had tried every means of sup- port, of which he tliought himself capable, and every one had failed; ruin was behind him: pover- ty, debt, want, and famme before; and as if his HENRY. 2SS cup of misery were not already fall enough, liere was a suffering wife and children to make it over- flow. Still he had a cheerful temper, and liis pas- sion was music, dancing, and pleasantry. Ahout this time he became fond of geography and histor- ical works generally. Livy was his favourite; and Livy, in some measure, awakened the dor- mant powers of his genius. As a last effort, he de- termined, of his own accord, to make a trial of the law. He, however, disliked the professional bus- iness of an attorney at law, and he seems to have hoped for nothing more from the profession than a scanty subsisteuce for himself and his family, and his preparation was suited to these humble expec- tations for, to the study of a profession, which is said to require the lucubrations of twenty years, Mr Henry devoted not more than six weeks. On examination, he was licensed, rather through cour- tesy, and some expectation that he would study, than from any conviction which his examiners had of his present competence. At the age of four and twenty lie was admitted to the bar; and for three years occupied the back ground: during which pe- riod the wants and distressess of his family were extreme; and he performed the duty of an assist- ant to his father-in-law in a tavern. In 1764. he pursued his favourite amusement of hunting, witli extreme ardour: and has been known to hunt deer, frequently for several days together, carrying his provisions with him, and at night en- camping in tlie woods. After the hunt was over, he w^ould go from the ground to Louisa court, clad in a coarse cloth coat stained with all the trophies of the chase, greasy leather breeches ornamented in the same way, leg- gings for boots, and a pair of saddle-bags on hi^> arm. Thus accoutred, he would enter the eo;;t't-house, take up the first of his causes thai "hanced to be called; and if there was any scope - U 9. 2S4 HEiSRY. for liis peculiar talent, throw his adversaiT into the back ground, and astonish both coiirt and jury by the powerful effusions of his natural eloquence, in the same year he was introduced to the gay and fashionable circle at Williamsburg, then the seat of government for the state, that he miglit be counsel in case of a contested election: but he made no preparation for pleaoing; and, as we might naturally suppose, none for appearing in a suita- ble costume. He moved awkwardly about in liis coarse and threadbare dress: and while some thouglit him a prodigy, others concluded Iiim to be an ideot: nevertheless, before the committee of elections, he delivered an argument which judge Tyler, judge Winston, and otiiers, pronounced the best they ever heard. In the same year, it is as- serted on the authority of Mr. Jefferson, that Mr, Benry gave the first impulse to the ball of the re- volution. He originated the spirit of the revolu- tion in Virginia, unquestionably: and possessed a dauntless soul, exactly suited to the important work he was destined to perform. In the year 1765, he was a member of the as- sembly of Virginia. He introduced his celebrated i-esolutions against the stamp act, Vvhich breathed a spirit of liberty, and which had a tendency to rouse the people of that commonwealtli in favour of cur glorious revolution. After his deatli, there was found among his ])a- pers one sealed, and thus endorsed; '* Inclosed are the resolutions of the Virginia assembly, in 1765, concerning the stamp act. Let my executors open Ibis paper." Wiiiiin was found the following ro])y of the resolutions, in Mr. Henry's hand- wi'iting. **ResoIved, That the first adventurers and set- ilers of tliis, his majesty's colony and dominion, iirought with them and transmitted to their <[)osterity, and all other his majesty's subjects;, HENRY. 235 since inhabiting in this, his majesty's said co- lony, all tlie privileges, franchises, and immu- nities, that have at any time been held, enjoyed, and possessed, by the people of Great Britain. *»Resolved, That by two royal charters, granted by king James the first, tlie colonists aforesaid, are declared entitled to all the privileges, liberties and immunities, of denizens and natural born sub- jects, to all intents and purposes, as if they had been abiding and born within the realm of Eng- land. **Resolved, That the taxation of the people by themselves, or by persons chosen by themselves to represent them, who can only know what taxes tlie people are able to bear, and the easiest mode of raising them, and are equally affected by such taxes themselves, is the distinguishing character^ istic of British freedom, and witliout which the an- cient constitution cannot subsist. "Resolved, That his majesty's liege people of this most ancient colony, have uninterruptedly en- joyed the right of being thus governed by tlieir own assembly, in tlie article of their taxes and in- ternal police, and that the same hath never been forfeited, or any other way given np, but hath been constantly recognized by the king and peo- ple of Great Britain. * 'Resolved, therefore, That the general assembly of this colony have tlie sole right and power to lay taxes and impositions upon the inhabitants of this colony; and that every attempt to vest such power in any person or persons whatsoever, other than tlie general assembly aforesaid, has a manifest tendency to destroy British as well as American freedom." **0n the back of the paper containing those re- solutions, is the following endorsement, which ts also in the hand-v/riting of Mr, Henry himself. 'The within resolutions passed the house of burge?- 2S6 HENRY. scs in May, 1765. They formed the first opposi- tion to tlie stamp act, and the scheme of taxing America by t!ie British parliament. x\ll the coU)- nies, either throut^li fear, or want of opportunity to form an opj)osition, or from influence of some kind or other, had remained silent. I had h.ecn. for the first time, elected a burgess, a few days before; was young, inexperienced, unacquainted Vvith the foims of the Imuse, and the members that compos- ed it. Finding the men of weight averse to o})po- sition, and the commencement of the tax at hand, and that no person was likely to step forth, I de- termined to ventiii'e. and alone, unadvised, and un- assisted, on a blank leaf of an old law book, wrote the within. Upon offcjing theni to the house, vio- lent debates ensued. Many threats were uttered, and much abuse cast on me, by the party for sub- mission- After a long and warm contest, the re- solutions passed by a very small majority, pei'haps of one or two only. Tlie alarm spread tliroughoul America with astonishing quickness, and tlie mini- sterial party were overwhelmed. The gi'cat point of iesistance to British taxation was uni>ers^lly cstahlished in the colonies. This brouc^ht or rhe war, which finally separated the two countries, and gave independence to ours. Whether this w ill prove a blessing or a curse, will depend upon the use our people make of the blessings which a gra- cious God hath bestowed on us. If they are wise, they will be gjeat and haj)py. if they are of a con- trary character, they will be miserable. Right- eousness alone can exalt them as a nation, ^Reader! whoever thou art. remember this: and in thy sphere, practise virtue thyself, and encou- rage it in others. P. Henry.' Such is the short, plain, and modest account which Mr. Henry has left of this transaction. Every Ameri< an realized the truth expressed in Mr. Henry's resolutions; but no man beside liim HENRY. £-37 self boldly dare to utter it. All wished for iiide- pendencc: and all hitherto trembled at the thought of asserting it. Mr. Wirt, in his life of Henry, from which we select this sketch, says, ^*the following is Mr. Jef- ferson's account of this transaction: ^ 'Mr. Henry moved and Mr. Johnston seconded these resolutions successi\ ely. They were opposed by Messrs- Randolph, Bland, Pendleton, Wythe, and all the old members, w hose influence in the house had, till then, been unbroken. They did it, not from any question of our rights, hut on the ground that the same sentiments had been, at tlieir preced- ing session, expressed in a more conciliatory form, to which the answers were not yet received. But torrents of sublime eloquence from Henry, backed by the soli 1 reasoning of Johnson, prevailed.- — The last, liowever, and strongest resolution, was carried bat by a single vote. The debate on it vvas most blood}^ I was then but a student, and stood at the door of communication between the house and the lobby (for as yet t'lei^ was no gallery) dui-ing the whole debate and vote : and I well re- member that, after tiie numbers on the division w^ere told and declared from the chair, Peyton Ran- dolpli (the attorney general) came out at tlie door \N -sere I was standing, and said as he entered the lobby, 'by , I would have given 500 guineas for a single vote,' for one vote would have divided the house, and Robinson was in the chair, who he kiiew would have negatived the resolution. •'By these resolutions, and his manner of sup- prsrting them, Mr. Henry took the lead out of the hands of those who had theretofore guided the pro- cev'diugs of the house; that is to say, of Pendleton, W^ythe, Bland, Randolph." It was, indeed, the measure which raised liim to the zenith of his glo- ry. He had never before had a subject wiiich en- tirely matched his genius, and was capable of 238 HENRY. drawing out till the powers of bis mind, it was remarked of liiiii tbrougliout his life, that his ta- lents never failed to rise ^^ith tlie occasion, and in proportion to the resistance which he had to en- counter. The nicet} of the vote on iiis last reso- lution, proves that tisis was not a time to hold in reserve any part of his forces. ^*It was indeed, an alpine passage, under cir- cumstances even more nnpropitious tiian those of Hanihah for he had not onlv to fight, hand to ha,nd, the powerful party ^^lio \\ere already in posses- sion of the heights, hut at the same instant, to cheer and animate the timid band of followers^ that were trembling, fainting, and drawing back, below him. It a^ as an occasion that called upon him to put forth all his sti-ength, and he did put it forth, in such a manner, as man never did before. Ihe cords of argument with uhich his adversaries fre(|ue]{tly Jiattci'ed themselves they had bonnd him fast, he( jvme packthreads in his hands. He b^irst tin m with as nuicli ease, as th.e unshorn Sampson did the hands of the Philistines. Ke seized the pillars of the temple, shook them terribly, and seemed to threaten his o}t]>o]ients with ruin. It v.as an incessant storm of lightning and thunder, ■vsliich struck them aghast. The faint-hearted gathered courage from his countenance, and cow- ai*ds became heroes, ^vhile they gazed upon his exploits. *'lt was in tlie midst of tiiis magnificent debate, wliile he was descanting on the tyianny of the ob- noxious act, that he exchiimed, in a voice of thun- der, and witli the look of a god, ^Ctesar had his Brutus — Charles the first, his Cromwell — and Geoi'ge the third' — (^Treason.' cried the speaker — ^treason, treason,' eclioed from every jmrt of the house. It was one of those trying moments which is decisive of character. Henry faltered not for an instant; but rising to a loftier attitude, and fixing HENRY. 23y Oil the speaker ail eye of the most determineci fire, Jie finished his sentence with the firmest emphasis « Qiiay profit by their example. If this be treason, make the most of it."' In August, 1774, the Virginia Convention as- sembled in Williamsburg, and passed a series of resolutions, whereby they pledged themselves to make common cause with the people of Boston in every extremity. They a})pointed as deputies to Congress on the part of that colony, Peyton Ran- dolph, Richard H. Lee, George Washington, Rich- ard Bland, Patrick Henry, Benjamin Harrison, and Edmund Pendleton, who were deputed to at- tend the first meeting of the colonial congress. On the 4th September, 1774, that venerable body, the old continental congress of the United States, (towards whom every American heart will bow with pious homage, while the name of liberty shall be dear in our land) met for the first time at Car- penter's Hall, in the city of Philadelphia. Peyton Randolph, of Virginia, was chosen president, and the house was organized for busines, with all the solemnities of a regular legislature. The most eminent men of the various colonies were now, for the first time, brought together, — They were know n to each other by fame; but they were personally strangers. The meeting was aw- fully solemn. The object which had called tliem together was of incalculable magnitude. The li- berties of no less than three millions of people, with that of all their posterity, were staked on the wisdom and energy of their councils. No wonder, then, at the long and deep silence which is said to have followed upon tlieir organization; at the an- xiety with which the members looked around upon €ach other; and the reluctance wiiich every indivi- dual felt to open a business so fearfully njomentouSe In the midst of this deep and death -like silence, and just when it was beginning to become painfu?- 540 HENRY. fully embarrassing, Mr Henry arose slowly as if borne down by the weight of the subject. After fal- tering, according to his habit, through a most im- pressive exordium, in whi(h he merely echoed back the consciousness of every other heart, in de- ploring his inability to do justice to the occasion* he launched, gradually, into a lecital of the colo nial wrongs. Rising, as he advanced, with the grandeur ofliis subject, and glowing at length with all tlie majesty and expectation of the occasion, his speech seemed more than that of mortal man. Even those who had heard him in all his glory, in the house of burgesses of Virginia, were astonished at the manner in which his talents seemed to sN\ell and expand themselves, to fill the vaster theatre in w hich he was now placed. There was no rant; no rh apsod y ; n (^ 1 ab our of th e ii n d erst an ding; no str ain- ing of the voice; no confusion of the utterance. — His countenance was erect; his eye steady; his ac- tion noble; his enunciation clear and firm; his mind poised on its centre; his views of his subject com- prehensive and great; and his imagination, cor- ruscating with a magnificence and a variety, which struck even that assembly with amazement and awe. He sat down amidst mui-mui's of astonish- ment and applause: and as he [tad been before pro- claimed the greatest orator of Virginia, he was now, on every hand, admitted to be the first ora- tor of America. '\VhenMr. Henry returned from tliis first con- gress to his constituents, he was asked ^ whom he tliougbt the greatest man in congress,' and replied, jf you speak of eloquence, Mr, Rutledge of South Carolina, is by far the greatest orator; but if yon speak of solid information and sound judgment, colonel Washington, is unqestionably, tlie greatest man on that floor'. In March, 177 5, Mr. Henry was a member of the convention of delegates from the se^ eral coun- HENRY. £41 iies tuul corporations of Virginia, assemljled iii Richmond. In this body, while all the other lead- ing members were still disposed to pursue only milk-and-water measures^ he proposed resolutions for embodying, arming and disciplining such num- ber of men, as should be sufficient to defend the co- lony against the aggressions of the motlier couii- iTy. The resolutions were opposed as not onl} rash in policy, but as harsh and well nigh impious in point of feeling. Some of tiie warmest j)atriots r^r the convention opposed them. Bland, Har- i ison, Pendleton, &c. resisted them with all their influence and abilities. An ordinary man, in Mr. Henry's situation, v.ould have hQcn glad to com- pound with the displeasure of the house, by being permitted to withdraw his resolutions in silence. ^•Not so, Mr. Henry. His was a spirit fitted to raise the whirlwind, as well as to ride in and di- rect it. His was that comprehensive view, that iinerring prescience, that perfect command over Hie actions of men, v^hich qualified him not mere- iy to guide, but almost to create the destinies of nations. *'He rose at this time with a majesty umisual to Jiim in an exordium, and with all that self-possessiou by which he was so invariably distinguished. *•' No man/' lie said, ^' t'lought moreliighly than he did of tlic patriotism, as well as abiiitics, of the Ycvy w orthy gentlemen who had just address^ed the house- But different men often sa\v tha same subject in different liglits; and, therefore, he hoped it won ht not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen, if^ entertaining as he did, Dpinions of a character very opposite to theirs, he should speak forth his senti- ments freely, and without reserve. This, he said, was no time for ceremony. The question before the house was one ef av/ful moment to this country. For his own part, he considered it a?? fiothing less tlian a question of frccflom or sla%'e.j'f. <-24^2 HENR\. And in proportion to tlic nvjgiiiiiidc ol' the .^ubjcci oiiglit to be tliC treedoni of the debute. It was only in this \vay that they could hope to arrive at truth, and fulfil the great revSponsibilit^' which they heUl to God and their country. Shoidd he keep back his opinions at such a time, through fear of giving of- Icnce, he sliouhlconsider himself as guilty of trea- son towards his country, and of an act of disloy- alty tov, ards the majesty of Heaven, which he re- vered above all earthly kings. ^'T'^Ir. President," said he, *'it is natural to man to indulge in tlie illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth; and listen to the song of that syren, till slie transforms us into beasts. Is this," he asked, HUe part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liber- ty ? Were we disposed to be of the number of tliose, who having eyes, sec not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their tem- poral salvation? For his part, whatever anguish of spirit it might cost, he was willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst; and to provide for it. ^*He had," he said, ^*l)ut one lamp by which his i'eet were guided; and that v, as the lamp of expe- rience. He knew of no way of judging of the fu- ture but by the past. And judging by the past, he wished to know what there had been in the con- duct of the British ministry, for the last ten years, to justify those hopes with which gentlemen had been pleased to solace themselves and the house? Is it that insidious smile with whicli our petition has been lately received ? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and ar- mi^^ necessary to a work of love and reconcilin- HENRY. 246 uon? Have wc sliowii ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled, tliat force must be called in to wiiiback our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the imploinents of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gen- tlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gen- ilemen assign any other possible motive for it? — Has Great Britain any enemy in this quarter of tlie world? to call for all this accumulation of na- vies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us: they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains, which the British ministry Innc been so long forging. And what have wc to oppose to them? Shall wc try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have wc any thing new to offer upon the subject? Notliing. Wc have held the subject up in every light of w hich it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? \Yhat terms slmll we find, which liave not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves longer. Sir, we have done every thing that could be done, to avert the storm that is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remon- strate{l; v>e have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored it« uiterposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced addi- tional violence and insult; our supplications have- been disregarded; and vve have been spurned, with contempt, from tiie foot of the tlironc. In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free; if wc mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privi- ieges for which wc have been so long contending:; :IU HENRY; i^ we mean not basely to abandon the noble sti'ug- gle in which we have been so long engaged, and whicli we have pledged ourselves never to abandoxi until the glorious object of our contest shall be ob- tained; we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight!! An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is'^all that is left us! ^ i:'-.: and who will raise up friends to fight our biitilcrf ibr us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. 15esides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire irom the contest. There is no retreat, but in sub- mission and slavery! Our chains are forged. — Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable; and let it come!! I repeat it, sir, let it come!!! ^Tt is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. G^i- tlemcn may cry peace, peace; but there is no peace. Thev/aris actually begun! The next gale that HENRY. 245 sweeps from tlie north, will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are alrea- dy in tlte field! Why stand we here idle? Wiiot is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be pur- chased at tlie price of cliains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God ! I know not what course others may take^ but as for nie." cried be, witb both liis amis extended aloft, liis brows knit, every feature marked with the resolute purpose of his soul, and his voice swelled to its boldest note of exclamation,. **give me liberty, or give me death!'* ** He took his seat. No murmur of applause was heard. The eifect was too deep. After the trance of a moment, sevei'al members started from their seats. The cry, '^to arms." seen^ed to quiver on every lip, and gleam from every eye! Richard H. Lee arose and supported Mr. Henry, with liis usual spirit and elegance. But his melody was lost amidst the agitations of that ocean, which the master spirit of the storm had lifted up on high. That supernatural voice still sounded in their ears, iind shivered along their arteries. Tliey heard in every pause the cry of liberty or death. They be- came impatient of speech; their souls were on fire for action." The resolutions Vrcre adopted, and Patrick Hen- vy^ Richard H. Lee. Robert C. Nicholas, Benja- min Harrison, Lemuel Riddick, George Washing- ton, Adam Stevens, Andrew Lewis, Wm. Christ- man, Edmund Pendleton, Thomas Jefferson, and Isaac Zane, Esquires, were appointed a commit- tee to prepare the plan called for by the resolutions. In April, 1775, after lord Dunmore had convey- ed on board a sliip, a part of the powder from the magazine of Williamsburg, Mr. Henry distin- guished himself by assembling the independent companies of Hanover and King W^illiam coun- ties, and directing them towards Wiiliamshurgy y ^ S46 HENRY. Avitb the avowed design of obtaiinng payment foj? the posvtler, oi* of coHi})einng lis I'estitution. Tije object was etrected, for the king's receiver general gave a bill foi* the value of the proj)erty. The governor immediately fortified his palace, and issued a proclamation, charging those nho had procured tlic bill vvith rebellious practices. Tliis only occasioned a number of county meetings, whicli applauded the conduct of Mr. Henry, and expressed a determination to protect him. In Au- gust, 1775, when a new choice of deputies to con- gress was made, he was not re-elected, for his ser- vices were now demanded more exclusively in his own state. After the departure of lord Dunmore, he was chosen the first governor in June, 1776, and he held tliis office several succeeding years, hending all liis exertions to promote the freedom and independence of his country. In .June, 1777, and again in 1778, he was nnan- Imously re-elected govei'nor: but he declined tho honour. In 1780, we find him again in the as- sembly, and one of the most active members of the house. In 1788, he was a member of the convention of the state of Virginia, which was apj)ointed to con- sider tlie consitution of the United States: and he exerted all the force of his masterly elofjuence, day after day, to prevent its adoption. He contended Uiat changes were dangerous to liberty: that the old confederation had carried us tlirongli the \\ ar, and secured our independence, and needed only amendment: that the proposed was a consolidated government, in wltich the sovereignty of tlje states \vould be lost, and all jn-etensions to rights and privileges would be rendei*ed insecure. He offered a resolution, containing a bill of riglits and amend- ments, which, however, v.as not accepted. **The convention had been attended from its rommencement by a vast concourse of citizens, of HEN riY. 547 all ages ami conditions. TFic interest so univer- sally felt in tlic question itself, and not less the transcendent talents which were engaged in its dis- cussion, presented sucli attractions as could not be resisted. **To wards the close of the session, an incident occur I'ed of a character so extraordinary as to de- serv e particular notice. The question of adoption or rejection was now^ approaching. The decision was still uncertain, and every mind and every heart was filled with anxiety. Mr, Henry partook most deeply of this feeling; an(i v.hile engaged, as it were, in his last effort, availed himself of the strong sensation which he knew to pervade the house, and made an appeal to it wJiich, in point of fiidjlimity, lias never been surpassed in any age or country in the world. After describing, in accents which spoke to the soul, and to wliich every other bosom deeply responded, the> awful immensity of the question, to the present and future generations, and the throbbing apprehensions with which he looked to the issue, he ]iassed from the liouse and from the earth, and looking, as he said, ^^ be- yond that horizon whirh binds mortal eyes," he pointed, with a countenance and action that made the blood run back upon tlie aching heart, to those celestial beings, who w ere hovering over the scene, and waiting w ith anxiety for a decision which involved the happiness or misery of more than half the human race. To those beings; with the same thrilling look and action; he had' just ad- dressed an invocation, that made every nerve shud- der with supernatural liorror — when lo! a slorm, at that instant arose, which shook the whole build- ing, and the spirits whom he had called, seemed to ]iave come at his bidding. Nor did his eloquence, or the storm immediately cease: but, availing him- self of the incident, \\itha master's art, he seemed lomixini thefight ofhis £5thercal auxiliaries, ajid 2-48 HENRY. "rising on tlic wings of the tempest, to seize iipoa tlie artillery of Heaven and (direct its fien est tlitjn- ders agaitjst the heads of his adversaries." Tlie scene hecame insupportable; and the house rose, without the formality of adjournment, the members rushing from their seats with precipitation and confusion." The constitution was adopted by a small majo- rity. Mr. Henry's bill of rights, and his amend- ments, were then accepted, and directed to be transmitted to the several states. Some of these amendments have been ingrafted into the federal constitution. **Thecase of John Hook is worthy of insertion. Hook was a Scotchman, a man of wealth, and suspected of being unfi-iendly to the Ameri( an cause. During the distresses of tlie American army, consequent on the joint invasion of Corn- wallis and Phillips in 1781, a Mr Venable, an ar- my commissary, had taken two of Hook's steers for the use of the troops. The act had not been strictly legal; and on the estalilishment of ])eace. Hook, under the advice of Mr Cowan, ager»tleman of some distinction in the law, thought ]»roper to bring an action of trespass against Mr Venable, in the district court of New London. Mr Henry appeared for the defendant, and is said to have disported himself in this cause to tlie infinite enjoy- inent of his hearers, the unfortunate Hook always excepted. After Mr. Henry became animated in the cause, he appeared to have complete con- troul over the passions of his audience: at one time he excited their indignation against Hook: vengeance was visible in every countenance: again, when he chose to relax and ridicule him, the whole audience was in a roar of laughter. He painted the viistresses of tlje American army, exposed al- most naked to the rigour of a Avinter's sky, and niai'king the frozen ground over which they mareli- HENRY. 249 ed, witli tlie Ijlood of their unshod feet; where was the man, he said, who has an American heart in his bosom, wlio wouhl not have thrown open his fields, his barns, his cellars, the doors of his house, the portals of his breast, to have received with open arms, the meanest soldier in that little band of famished patriots? Where is the man? There he stands; but whether the heart of an American beats in his bosom, you gentlemen, are to judge. He then carried the jury, by the powers of his imagi- nation, to the plains around York, the surrender of which had followed shortly after the act com- plained of : he depicted the surrender in the most glowing and noble colours of his eloquence. The audience saw before their eyes the humiliation and dejection of the British, as they marched out of their trenches; they saw the triumph which lighted up every patriotic face, and the shouts of victory, and the cry of Washington and liberty, as it rung and echoed through the American ranks, and was reverberated from the hills and shores of the neigh- I)ouring river; but, hark, what notes of discord are these whicli disturb the general joy, and silence the acclamations of victory; they are tlie notes of John Hookj hoai'sely bawling through the Ameri- can cam4), &e^.' heef ! beef! *'The whole audience were convulsed: a particu- lar incident will give a better idea of the effect, than any general description. The clerk of the court, unable to command himself, and unwilling to commit any breach of decorum in his place, rushed out of the court house, and threw himself on the grass, in the most violent paroxysm of laughter, where he w^as rolling, when Hook, with very different feelings, came out for relief, into the yard also. The cause was decided almost by ac- clamation. The jury retired for form sake, and instantly returned witli a verdict for the defend- ant. Nor did the effect of Mr. Heury's speech -G50 HENRi. stop here. The people ucrc so highly excited bv* the tory audacity of such a suit, that Hook begaii to liear avouiKl him a cry more terrible than that of heef : it was tlio cry of tar and feathers : from tlfC application of whicli, it is said, that jiothing saved him but a precipitate flight and the speed of his liorse." In the tv,'o remaining years he continued a mem- ber of the assembly.. In the spring of 1791, he de- clined a re-election, with tlie purpose of bidding a final adieu to public life. In August 1795, he was nominated by president Washington as secretary of state, but considerations of a j)rivate nature in- duced him to decline the honourable trust. In No- vember, 1796, he was again elected governor of Virginia, and this office also he almost immediatc- iy resigned. In the year 1799, he was appointed by president Adams, as an envoy to France, witii Messrs. Ellsworth and Murray; this he also de- clined in consequence of a severe indisposition, to which he was then subject, and of his advanced age and increasing debility. Governor Davie, of North Carolina, was appointed in bis place. He lived but a short time after tb.is testimony of the respect in which his talents and patriotism were held. The disease which had been preying upon him for two years, now Jiastened to its crisis. He died on the 6th of Junc^ 1799, in the 62d year of his age. ^^Thus lived, and thus died, the celebrated Patrick Henry, of Virginia; a man who justly de- serves to be ranked among the highest ornaments, and the noblest benefactors of his country . In his habits of living, he was remarkably temperate and frugal. He seldom drank any thing but water. His morals were strict. As ahushand, a father, a master, lie had no superior. He was kind aiid hospitable to the stranger, and most friendly and accommodating to his neighbours.'*. HOPKiNSON. 25i HOPKiNSON, Francis, Judge of the Coiivt of Admifalty, in Pennsylvania^ was born in Penn- sylvania, in the year 1738. He possessed an un- common share of genius, of a peculiar kind. He excelled in music and poetry; and had some know-- iedge in painting. But these arts did not monopo- lise all tlie powers of his mind. He was well skil- led in many practical and useful sciences, particu- larly in mathematics and natural philosophy; and he had a general acquaintance witli the principles of anatomy, chemistry and natural history. But his forte was Imoiour and satire, in both of which, he v/as not surpassed by Lucian, Svvift or Rabel- 1 ais. These extraordinary powers were consecrated to the advancement of the interests of patriotism, virtue and science. It would fill many pages to mention his numerous pui>lication3 during the rev- olutionary war, all of which were directed to these important objects. He began in the year 1775, witii a small tract, which he entitled, ** A Pretty Story," in which he exposed the tyranny of Great Britain, in iimerica, by a most beautiful allegory, and he concluded his contributions to Iiis country, in this way, with the history of '* The nev>^ roof," a performance, which for wit, humor and good sense, must last as long as the citizens of America con- tinue to admire, and be happy under the present national government of the United States. Newspaper scandal frequently, for months to« gether, disappeared or languished, after the pub- lication of several of his irresistible satires upoB tliat disgraceful species of writing. He gave a currency to a thought or a phrase, in these effu- sions from his pen,which never failed to bear down the spirit of the times, and frequently to turn the divided tides of party rage, into one general chan- riel of ridicule or contempt. Sometimes he employed his formidable powers -of humour and satire iuoxposins the formalities' oT \1D^^ HOPKINSOiV. technical science. He thought much, and thought justly upon the suhject of education. He liehl seve- ral of the arts and sciences, which are taught in coHeges, in great contempt. His specimen of mo- dern learning in a tedious examination, the only ohject of which was to describe the properties of a ^^Salt Box," published in the American Museum, for February, 1787, Avill always be relisiied as a morsel of exquisite humour. Mr. Hopkinson possessed uncommon talents for pleasing in company. His wit was not of that coarse kind, which was calculated to set the table in a roar. It was mild and elegant, and infused cheerfulness and a species of delicate joy, rather than mirth, into the hearts of all who heard it. — His empire over the attention and passions of his company, was not purchased at the exi)ense of in- nocence. A person who has passed many delight- ful hours in his society, declared, with pleasure, that he never once heard him use a profane expres- sion, nor utter a word, which would have made a lady blush, or have clouded her countenance for a moment with a look of disapprobation. It is this species of wit alone, that indicates a rich and pow- erful imagination, while that which is tinctured with profanity, or indelicacy, ai'gues poverty of genius inasmuch as tliey have both been considered very properly as the cheapest products of the mind. Mr. Hopkinson's character for abilities and pa- triotism, procured him the confidence of liis coun- try men in the most trying exigencies of their af~ foirs. He represcnied the state of New Jersey, in Congress, in the year 1776, and subscribed the ever memorable declaration of Independence. He h^ld an appointment in the loan ofiice for several years, and aftci'wards succeeeded George Ross, Esquire, as judge of the admiralty for the state of Pennsylvania. In this station he continued till the year 1700,, wlicn he was appointed judge of the HOPKINS. S55 district court in Pennsylvania, hj the ilKistrioiis Washington, then President of the Uniteii States, and in each of these judicial offices, he conducted himself with the greatest ahility and integrity. His person was a little below the common size. His features \rere small . but extremely animated. His speech was quick, and ail his motions seemed to partake of the unceasing activity and versatility of the powers of his mind. It only remains to add; to this account of Mr. Hopkinson, that the various cav.ses \vliich contri- buted to the estabiislnnentof the independence and federal government of the United States, will not be fully traced, unless much is ascribed to the ir- resistible influence of the ridicule vvhich he poured forth, from time to time, upon the enemies of those great political events. He was an active and useful member of three great parties, which at different times divided Ids native state. He was a whig, a republican, and a federalist* and be lived to see the principles and the w ishcs of each of those prtrties finally and univer- sally successful. AKJiougli his labours had been rewarded with many plentiitd harvests of well earned fame, yet Ids death, to his country and his friends, was premature. He had been subject to frequent attacks of the gout in his ]iead, but for some time before liis death, he had enjoyed a con- dderable respite from them. On Sunday evening, May 8th, 1791, he was somewhat indisposed, and passed a restless night. He rose on Monday morning at his usual hour, aud breakfasted with his family. At seven o'clock, he v, as seized with an apoplectic fit, which in two Isours put a period to his existence, in the 5Si\ year of ills age. HOPKINS, Stephen, a distinguished patriot .ind statesman, was a native of that part of Pro- Tidence, Rliode Islaiid, vrhich now forms the town of Scituate. He was born in March, 1707, Ik W 264 HOPKINS. liis youtli, he disclosed high promise of talcuis, and soon became esttemed lor his growing worth, his early virtues, and !iis regular and iiselul life. At an early period, he was appointed a justice ot* the peace, was employed extensively in the busi- ness of surveying hunis, and was appointed to va- rious other oilices, some of which were responsible and im])ortant; and he discharged the duties of all, with great ability mh\ faithfulness, and with equal advantage to his own reputation and the public in- terest. In 1754, he was appointed a member of the board of commissioners, which assembled at Albany, to digest and concert a plan of union for the colonies. Shortly after this he was chosen chief justice of the superior court of the colony of Hhode Island; and in 1755, he was elevated to the office of chief magistrate of the colony, and con- tinued in this dignified and important station about eight years, but not in succession. He was, also, for several years, chancellor of the College. At the commencement of the difficulties between the colonies and Great Britain, governor Hopkins look an early, active, and decided part in favour of the former. He wrote a pamphlet in support of the rights and claims of the colonies, called ^*the Rights of the Colonies examined," which was published by order of the general assembly. He was a member of the immortal congress of ^76, which declared these states, (then colonies) to he **free, sovereign and independent;" and his sig- nature is attached to this sublime and important instrument, which has no example in the archives of nations. Governor Hopkins was not only distinguislied as a statesman and patriot, but as a man of business; having been extensively engaged in trade and na- Tigation, and also concerned in manufactures and agriculture. He was a decided advocate, and a Z'ealous supporter, both of civil and religious H- KNOX. -£33 bcrty, a firm patriot, a friend to his country, and a patroii of useful public institutions. He pos- sessed a sound and discriminating mind, and a clear and comprehensive understanding; was alike distinguished for his public and private virtues, being an able and faithful public otKcer, and an eminently useful private citizen. Governor Hopkins finished his long, honourable and useful life, on the 20th July, 1785, in the TOth year of his age. KNOX, Henry, major-general in the Ameri- can army during the revolutionary war, was born in Boston, July 25, 1750. His parents were of Scottish descent. Before our revolutionary war, which afforded an opportunity for the devoloj)e- ment of his patriotic feelings and military talents, he was engaged in a bookstore. By means of his early education, and this honourable employment, he acquired a taste for literary pursuits, which he retained through life. Young Knox gave early proofs of his attachment to the cause of freedom and his country. It will be recollected, that, in various parts of the state, volunteer companies v>erc formed in 1774, with a view to awaken the martial spirit of tiie people, and as a sort of preparation for the contest which was apprehended. Knox was an officer in a mili- tary corps of fnis denomination; and was distin^ guished by his activity and discipline. There i^ evidence of hJs giving Jincommon attention to mil- itary tactics at this period, especially to the branch of enginery and artillery, in which he afterwards so greatly excelled. It is also to be recorded, in proof of his predom- inant love of country, and its liberties, that he had before this time, become connected with a ver> respectable family, wliich adhered to the measures of the British ministry, and had received great promises both of honour and profit, if he would ^.56 KNOX. follow the standard of his sovereign. Even at thigr time his talents were too great to be overlooked; aiu] it was wished, if possible, to prevent him from attaching himself to the cause of the T)rovincials. He was one of those whoso departure from Boston was interdicted by governor Gage, soon after the affair of Lexington. The object of Gage was pro- bably not so much to keep these eminent characters as Jiostages, as to deprive the Americans of their talents and services. In June, however, he found means to make his way througli the British lines, to the ximerican army at Cambridge. He was liere received with joyful enthusiasm: for liis know ledge of the military art, and his zeal for the liberties of the country, were admitted by all The provincial congress then convened at '\*' ater- town, immediately sent for him, and entrusted solely to him the erection of such fortresses as might be necessary to prevent a sudden attack from tlie enemy in Boston. The little army of militia, collected in and about Cambridge, in tlic sjjring of 1775, soon after the battle of Lexington, was without order and dis- cipline. All was insuborilination and confusion. General Washington did not arrive to take com- mand of the troops until after tbis periodc In tliis state of things, Knox declined any particular com- mission, thouo;h he readilv directed liis attention and exertions to the objects v/hlcli congress re- (|uested. It was in the course of this season, and before he had formally undertaken the command of the artillery, that Knox volunteered his services to go to St. John's, in the ]>rovince of Canada, and to bring thence to Cambridge, all the heavy ordnance and military stores. This hazardous enterprize he effected in a manner which astonished all who knew the difliculty of the service. Soon after his return from this fortunate expe« KNOX. 261 dition, he took command of the whole corps of the artilh ry of our army, and retained it until the close of tlie war. To him the country was chiefly indehted for the organization of the artillery and ordnance department. He gave it both form and efficiency; and it was distinguished alike for its cxpcrtness of discipline and promptness of exe- cution. At the battle of Monmouth, in New Jersey, in June, 1778, general Knox exhibited new proofs oi his bravery and skill. Under his personal and Immediate direction, the artillery gave great ef- fect to the success of that memorable day. It will be remembered, that the British troops were much more numerous than ours; and that general Lee was cliarged with keeping back the battalion he commanded from the field of battle. The situa- tion of our army wi^s most critical. General Wasliington was personally engaged in rallying and directing the troops in the most dangerous positions. The affair terminated in favour of our gallant army; and generals Knox and Wayne re- ceived tlie particular commendations of the com- mander-in-chief, the following day, in the orders issued on the occasion. After mentioning the good conduct and bravery of general Wayne, and thanking the gallant ofMcers and men who distin- guished themselves, general Washington says, **he can witli pleasure inform general Knox, and the officers of the artillery, that the enemy have done them the justice to acknowledge that no artillery eould he better served than ours.*' When general Greene vras offered the arduous command of the southern department, he replied to the commander-in-cliief, *^Knox is the man for this difficult undertaking: all obstacles vanish be- fore him; his resources are infinite," ''True," replied Washington, ^^and therefore I cannot part with him." W f2 .•238 KNOX. No officer ill the ai'iny, it is believed, more largely sljarecJ in the affection and confidence of the ilhistrious Wasliington. In every action where ho appeared, Knox was with him: at every council of war, he bore a part. In truth, he possessed ta- lents and qualities, which could not fail to recom- mend him to a man of the discriminating mind of Washington. He was intelligent, brave, patriot- ic, humarie, honourable. Washington soon became sensible of his merits, and bestow ed on him his es- teem, his friendship, and confidence. On the resignation of major-general Benjamin Lincoln, Knox was appointed secretary of the war department, by congress, (hiring the period of the confederation. And when the federal government was organized in 1789, he was designated by pre- sicient Washington, for the same honourable and responsible ofiice. Tiiis office he held for about five years; enjoying the confidence of the president, and esteemed by all his colleagues in the administration of the federal government. Of his talents, his integrity, and his devotion to the interests and prosperity of his country, no one liad ever any reason to doubt. In 1794, he retired from office to a private station, followed by the esteem and love of all who had been honoured with liis acquaisjtance. At this time he removed with his family to Thomaston, on St. George's river, in the district of Maine, 200 miles north-east of Boston. He was possessed of extensive landed property in that |)art of the country, w hich had foruierly belonged to general Waldo, the maternal grandfather of Mrs. Knox. At the request of his fellow-citizens, though un- solicited on his part, he filled a seat at the council- board of Massachusetts, during several years of his I'esidence at Thomaston; and the degree of Doctor of Law s w as conferred on him by the pre- sident and trustees of Dartmouth college. ^ KNOX- 359 The amiable virtues of the citizen and the man, weiv- as conspicuous in the character of gen^'^ra! • Knox, as the more brilliant and commanding ta- lents of the hero and statesman. The afflicted and destitute were sure to share of bis comj-assion and charity. '*liis heart was made o^ .^>^'it]»in Iheir nowcr to bestow;; LEE. 2d3 biitcTery solicitation to suffer himself to be elect- ed go vcraor, member of congress, or of the legis- lature of the state, he positively withstood. "^Vlieii the project of a general convention for revising the federal bond of union, Vvas under coi>sidera- tion, he was chosen, without his knowledge, one of its members, but he refused to serve. Retired from the world and its concerns, he found delight in agncultural experiments, in advancing the wel- fare of his children and dependants, and in atten- tions to the interest of his friends and fellow citi- zens. He expired on the Stli of December, 1792, in the sixty-ninth year of his age. Colonel Laurens, his interesting son, having ex- ecuted liis commission in France, returned to re- sume his place in the army. He was killed in tlie very last days of the war, in an insignificant skir- mish, just when the liberties of his country were decided. LEE, RicHAUD, Henry, president of con- gress, was a native of Virginia, and from his ear- liest youth devoted his talents to the service of his country. His public life was distinguisltedby some remarkable circumstances. He had the honour of originating the first resistance to Bri= tish oppression in the time of the stamp act in 1765. He proposed in the Virginia house of bur- gesses, in 1773, the formation of a committee of correspondence, whose object was to disseminate information, and to kindle the flame of liberty throughout the continent. He was a member of the first congress, and it was he who made and ably supported, the motion for the declaraticdn of independence, June 10, 1776. The motion v» as sc- Gouded by Mr. John x\dams, of Massachusetts. Mr. Botta, in liis history of the ximerican revo- lution, says, Mr. Lee, spoke as follows, in sup- port of his motion to declare the colonies inde- '0:64 LEE. pendent, and was listened to with the most yro- found attention: **1 do not know, most prudent men and virtu- ous citizens, whether among tlie transactions hand- ed down to us by historians, v/hicli originated in civil discord, anose, which Heaven avert! that we are conquered, or are obliged to come to terms. What assurance have v>e of the British moderation in victory, or good faith in treaty? Is it their having enlisted, and let loose against us the ferocious Indians of the forest, and tire merci- less soldiers of Germany? Is it that faith, which has been so many times pledged, and so many* limes broken, during the present contest? Is it the British faith, which is considered more false than punic? Have we not ratlier reason to expect, that when we have delivered ourselves naked and un- armed into their hands, they will wreck their ven- geance upon us, will bind us with heavier cliains, in order to deprive us not only of the power, but «ven of the hope of again casting off the yoke? Biit let us suppose that there will happen in the |>r.esent case^ what has never happened in any oth- LEE. ' "^67 ^r, tliat the Bi'itish government will forget piist offences and comply with the conditions of peaccj can we believe that after so long a contest, after so masiy wounds, so many deatlis, and so much bloodshed, our reconciliation could be durable, and that every day in the midst of so nuich hati'cd and rancour, Would not afford some fresh subject of animosity? The two nations are already sepa- rated in interest and affections; the one is con- scious of its former strength, the other has become acquainted with its recently exerted force; the one intends to rule in an arbitrary manner, the other will not obey even if allowed its privileges. In such a state of things, v, hat peace, what harmony can be expected ? The Americans may become faith- ful friends of the English, but subjects, never. And let us suppose even that union could be restor- ed w ithout rancour, it could not without danger. The wealth and power of Great Britain should in- spire prudent men with fears for the future. Hav- ing reached such a height of grandeur that she has little or nothing to dread from foreign powers, in the security of ])eace tlie hearts of her people will become enervated, manners will be corrupted, her youth will become vicious, and the nation degener- ating in body and in mind, England will become the prey of foreign enemies or ambitious citizens. Should we remain united with her, we should par- take of her corruptions and misfortunes, so much more to be dreaded as they w^ould be irreparable; sejiarated from her, and remaining as Ave now are, we should have to fear neither the security of peace nor the dangers of war. And by a declaration of our freedom, the perils would not be increased, but the minds of men would be better prepared, and vic- tory more sure. Let us then take a firm step, and escape from this labyrinth: we have assumed the sovereign power, and dare not own it: we disobey a king? and acknowledge ourselves his subjects; -^^ LEE. wage war against a nation, upon ^^llom we aTway»- profess to be willing to hv dependoiit. In this un- certain state of things tlie inclinations of men are- wavering: ardent resolves are impeded; new diffi- culties are continually arising: our generals neither respected, nor obeyed: our soldiers neither confi- dent, nor zealous; weak at home, and despised abroad, foreign princes can neither esteem nor suc- cour so timid and wavering a people. But inde- pendence once proclaimed, and our object avowed, more manly and decided measures will be adopted; the greatness of the end in view will inspire the minds of the people witli an energy j)roportionably great; the civil magistrates will be filled with new- zeal, generals with new ardor, the soldiers with new courage, and all our citizens with more con- stancy and alertness, intent on this sublime and ge- nerous undertaking. But in coriSeqiicnce of it, will England contend against us with more energy and rage than she has already? Certainly not: she terms resistance to oppression, rebellion, as well as independence. And where are those formidable 1roo]>s, that are to subdue the Americans;^ I'he En- glisli could not, and shall the Germans do it? Are they more brave, or better disciplined than the English? No! Besides, if the enemy's numbers Tiave increased, ours have not diminished : and we have acquired in the severe battles of the present yeai*. the practice of arms, and the experience of w ar. Who doubts then that a declaration of inde- pendence will procure us allies? All nations are desirous of procuring, by commerce, the produc- tion of our exuberant soil: they will visit our ports hitherto closed by the monopoly of insatiable Eng- land. They are no less eager to contemplate the reduction of her hated power; they all loathe her barbarous dominion; their succours will evince to our brave countrymen the gratitude they bear tlvcitt for having been the first to shake the foundation ol LEE. 269 tJiis Colossus. Foreign piiiices wait only for the extinction of all hazard of reconciliation to throw off their present reserve. If this measure is use- ful, it is no less becoming our dignity. America has arrived at a degree of power which assigns her a place among independent nations; we arc not less entitled to it than the English themselves. If they have wealth, so have we; if they are brave, so are we; if they are more numerous, our population, through the incredible fruitfulness of our chaste ^^ ives, will soon equal theirs; if they have men of icnown as well in peace as in war. we likewise have, such: political revolutions usually produce great, brave, and generous spirits. From what we have already achieved in these painful beginnings, it is easy to presume what we shall hereafter accom- plish, for experience is the source of sage counsels, anfl liberty is the mother of great nwii. Have you not seen the esiemy driven from Lexington, by thir- ty thousand citi:zens arraed and assembled in one day? iilready their most celebrated generals have yielded in Boston to the skill of ours; already their seamen, repulsed from our coasts, wander over the ocean, where they are the sj)ort of the tempest, and t]»e prey of famine. Let us hail the favourable omen, and fight, not for the sake of knowing on what terms we are to be the slaves of England, but to secure to ourselves a free existence, to found a just and independent government. Animated by liberty, the Greeks repulsed the innumerable army of Persians; sustained by the love of independence, the Swiss and the Dutch humbled the power of Austria by memorable defeats, and conquered a rank among nations. But the su!i of ximcri^^a also shines upon the lieads of the brave; the point of our weapons is no less formidable than theirs; here also the same union prevails, the same contempt of dan- gers and of death in asserting the cause of our country. sro LEE. ^'Wjv then do we longer delay: why still deli- berate? Let this most happy day give birth to the American republic. Let her arise, not to de\ as- tatc and conquer, but to rc-establif-h the reign of peace and of tlje laws. Tlie eyes of Europe are fixed upon us! she demands of us a living example of freedom, that may contrast, by the felicity of the citizens, with the ever increasing tyranny whicli desolates her polluted shores. She invites us to prepare an asylum where the unhappy may find so- lace, and tlie persecuted, repose. She intreats us to cultivate a propitious soil, wliere that generous plant, which first sprung up and gcew in England, but is nov/ withered by the poisonous blasts of Scottisli tyranny, may revive and flourish, shelter- ing under its sahibrious and interminable shade all the iiuforiunate of the h'lman race. This is the end presaged by so many omens, by our first victories^ by the present ardour and union, by the flight of Howe, and the pestilence which broke out amongst Dunmore's people, by tlievcry winds which baffled the enemy's lleets and transports, and that terrible tempest which ingulfed seven hundred vessels upon { lie coast of Newfoundland. If we are not this day wanting in our duty to tbe country, the names of the American legislators will be exalted, in the eyes of posteiiiy. to a level with those of Theseus, Lycurgus, of Roinulits, of Noma, of the three ^\il- liams of Nassau, and of all those whose memory jias been, and vv ill be, forever dear to virtuous men and good citizens." After the adoption of the articles of tL>e confedera- tioH, Mr. Lee w as under the necessity of withdraw- ing fi'om congress, as no I'cpi'csentative was allow- ed to continue in congress more than three years in any term of six years; but he was re-elected in 1784, and continued till 1787. In November, 1784, ke was chosen president of congress. When the con- fcdituticn of the F^jted States was submitted tothc^ LIVINGSTON. 271 consi'leratlon of the piiblir, he contended for the necessity of jimendmcnts previously to its adojitlon. After the government was organized, he was cho- sen one of the first senators from Virginia in 1789. This station he liehl till his resignation in 1792. Mr. Lee died at his seat at Chantilly, in West- moreland county, Virginia, June 22, 1794, in the sixty-third year of his age. He supported through liff' the. cliaracter of a philosopljer, a patriot, and a sage; and he died, as he had lived, blessing his country. LIVINGSTON. Piiitir, whose signature is at- tached to our Declaration of Independence, v.as horn at Albany, in tlie year 1715, and educated at Yale college, in Connecticut, where he graduated in 1737. He was a grandson of Robert Living- ston, the original proprietor of the manor of Living- ston, on the river Hudson, in the state of New- York, who was born at Ancram in Scotland, iu the year 1654. His father, tlic Reverend John Livingston, a very distinguisljed minister of the kii'k of Scotland, having some years after found it necessary to quit his native country, on account of his ^*op position to Episcopacy," took charge of an English Prcb>terian church in Rotter.'iam, w bile he himself selected America as his future re- sidence. The grant, or patent of the manor of Livingston, bears date 1686, and the colonial history of New- York, from tlie year 1698. to the revolution, fur- nishes abundant evidence of the elevated standing in public life, which was maintained during that period, as well by the first proprietor of the manor., as by his immediate descendants. At the present day, when the advantages of a liberal education are so justly apDreciafe