the improvement of the Allegheny River, for steamboat navigation. Resolved, That the memorial to the Legislature of this State, when prepared, be signed by the officers of this Con vention, and forwarded to the Speakers of the House and of the Senate. Resolved, That 300 copies of the memorial to Congress be printed, and distributed to the several members of this Convention, for the purpose of circulation, a copy signed, to be transmitted to their several delegates in the National Legislature. The Convention was ably, and forcibly, and eloquently THOS. BAKEWELL, President. V. Prest's. From the St. Louis Republican, Nov. 25. Particulars of the Late Steamboat Disaster. Yesterday the steamboat St. Louis towed into port the Wilmington, more dreadfully shattered and wrecked than we have ever seen any vessel. The circumstances of this melancholy event, we learn from the officers of the boat, were about these. Upon the causes of this accident, there, doubtless, will be a contrariety of opinions, but for our part, we adopt that which appears to be the most general with those whose opinions on such a subject are entitled to the greatest respect. The condition of the boiler which exploded shows that there was a sufficiency of water in them at the time, and the accident, in the opinion of the several engineers who have examined it, is, that the explosion originated from a defect in the iron. The iron certainly presents an appearance of being weak and defective, and to have had flaws in it. The defective sheet was a piece which had been lately put in the boiler, it having been repaired only a short time since. The Wilmington was commanded by Charles H. Gay, a young man who has been raised here, and is well known for his steady business habits, and sobriety, and has been a number of years engaged on the river. His coolness and deliberation at the time of the accident and his attention to the wounded is highly commended by those who witnessed it. It is but proper to add, that both the engineers were skilful and experienced, and they, as the officers generally, sober and steady men. The following is a list of the sufferers. Andrew Helm, Pilot, Washington co., Pa. missing; Julius Fiske, 1st engineer, St Louis, Mo., do. ; Chas. White, Cabin boy, Canada, do. ; Samuel Frazer, carpenter, I iberty, Ill. do; Wm. Bell, (passenger,) Pike co. Mo. badly scalded; Samuel Owings, (do) Marthasville, Mo. slightly do.; Joseph Ghean, (do.) Louisville, Ky. ankle broken; Wm. Colvert, (do.) St. Louis, Mo. slightly scalded; Jesse Read, bar keeper, Philadelphia, shoulder broken; Dr. Geo. Smith, passenger, Warren co. Miss. slightly scalded; Paul Disharda, 2d engineer, St. Louis, badly do. Colored men.-Daniel Rollins, steward, Washington city, dead; Joseph Chouteau, fireman, St. Louis; do.; Mishell Obeshough, do. do. badly scalded; Joseph Manis do. Cincinnati, do; Daniel Britton, do. Cincinnati, do.; Grant Crane, do. New Orleans, do.; August Cerre, do. St. Louis, leg broken and badly scalded. The above statement of killed, missing and wounded, as far as I have been able to ascertain, I believe to be correct. JOHN C. BIRKINBINE, Clerk. The Wilmington left New Orleans for this port, on the 11th inst. and on the morning of the 18th a little before day-light, stopped to wood near the mouth of the Arkansas river. She left the wood yard a little after day, and after running between 4 and 5 miles, being a few miles above Napoleon, the middle boiler bursted, tearing off nearly two rings in the centre of the boiler. The explosion threw the other two boilers off into the river, with their chimneys, &c. and carried the centre boiler backwards The Opium Trade in China-The following important a'cng the starboard side of the engine nearly the length of answer has been sent by the British Treasury, to the claimthe boiler, tearing as ay all the stauncheons and other works, ants for indemnification for losses sustained in consequence driving the fire-bed and deck under the boilers down into of the delivery of opium to the Chinese Government: the hold. Fragments of the furnaces were only prevented | "Gentlemen-Having laid before the Lords Commissionfrom going through, by hogsheads of sugar lying under it. ers of Her Majesty's Treasury your letter, in which you apply -The piece of iron detached from the exploding for a settlement of certain claims for opium delivered to the boiler, being about three feet wide and reaching quite around Chinese government, and transmit certificates signed by Capt. the boiler was carried directly through the social hall, tear. C. Elliot; I have received their Lordship's commands to acing away every thing in its course and cutting off the pilot quaint you that Parliament has placed at the disposal of this house, in which the pilot was, falling through the after part board no funds out of which any compensation could be of the hurricane deck into the ladies' cabin. The furnaces made, and the sanction of Parliament would be required beand all the upper deck, back to the second room in the main fore any such claim could be recognised and paid. To precabin, was torn away or so knocked down, as to fall imme- vent any misconstruction of the intentions of this board, my diately in. The pilot house was thrown into the river about lords have felt it necessary to direct me further to state that fifty yards. Such was the force of the explosion, that the the subject has been under the attentive consideration of Her principal Clerk, Mr. Birkinbine, who was in his berth in the Majesty's Government, and to add that her Majesty's Governoffice, was thrown forward, and, with the iron chest, fell ment do not propose to submit to Parliament a vote for the near the capstan, having been carried a distance of almost payment of such claims. (Signed,) forty-five feet. By the explosion, several were thrown overboard. The Captain instantly manned and sent the yawl out, and succeeded in picking up several of them. Those of the passengers who were injured, were around the stove in the social hall and suffered most from the falling of the floor and the stove. One had his leg broken in this way. Immediately after the accident the boat took fire, but was soon extinguished without serious injury. Fortunately she was in such a situation, that by the aid of the current they were enabled to run ! er ashore and make her fast. A despatch was immediately sent to Napoleon for medical and other aid, and all the assistance which, under the circumstances, could be, was rendered. R. GORDON." STOCKPORT, November 14. The new Postage Scheme.This plan is to come into operation on the 5th of December. At present the public will only have the benefit of a reduction of all rates above 4d. to that sum, the reason for not reducing at once to a penny, being to avoid encumbering the new arrangement, at first start, with the great influx of letters which might naturally then be expected. After the 5th of December, the post-office will carry packages of the weight of 1 lb. on paying a propor tionate postage. When the uniform penny scheme is to be adopted, is at present uncertain. The English government did not think it good policy to encourage intellectual improvement among the colonists; somewhat upon the principle, probably, that our Southern neighbours, at this day hold it bad policy to educate their slaves. We are told by Chalmers, in his Political Annals, that no printing press was allowed in Virginia, that in New England and New York there were assuredly none permitted, and that the other provinces probably were not more fortunate." 395 captain had taken the pilgrims to the cold and sterile Plymouth rock, instead of landing them, as he agreed, upon the fertile and pleasant shores of the Hudson. The Plymouth pilgrims were a religious colony; their pastoral teachers were literary men, and it is possible that the first thing like a book written in this country, which met with the honour of publication, was one of which we find the following account in Doct. Hyde's late century-sermon. "On the 10th November, 1621, (says he) just one year from the time the first company reached the cape, about thirty-five of their friends from Holland arrived, to join their little band. Among these, was Mr. Robert Cushman, a man of public education, and distinguished for his piety. Soon after his arrival he preached a sermon at Plymouth, the object of which was to encourage the pilgrims to keep their property in common stock. This sermon was printed in London, in 16:2, and afterwards re-printed in Boston. From the preface it appears that our forefathers supposed New England to be an island, of about the size of England, separated from the main land in America, as England is from the main in Europe." An error similar to that of Capt. Smith respecting Virginia; and it is perhaps worthy of remark here, that even Lord North, so lately as the time when he was sending out his fleets and armies to conquer America, talks of "the island of Virginia." We are told that " many of the first planters of New EngIn 1614, Capt. Smith the celebrated founder of Virginia, land were persons of good education, and some of them emimade a voyage of discovery, and surveyed the coast of Mas-nent for their abilities and learning." Harvard College was sachusetts bay; an account of which, highly coloured, to- founded as early as 1637, and contributed eminently to the gether with an accurate chart, he presented to Charles, Prince cause of literature in that section. Their earlier works are of Wales, afterwards Charles I., who was so much pleased upon controverted points of religious doctrine. They took with the country, that he gave it the name of New England. their cue from the times. Theirs was the age of intolerance, His account of this voyage appears to have been published in and religious controversy. Roger Williams, the founder of England, and was probably written, some part of it at least, Rhode Island, wrote many little tracts, with quaint and signiin America. It is referred to in Belknap's history, under the ficant titles. He was originally settled as a clergyman at title of "Smith's Voyage." Capt. Smith also wrote a history Salem, but differed with his brethren of Massachusetts about of the colony of Virginia, from the first adventures to it down the right of temporal courts to interfere with spiritual matters to 1624. Mr. Jefferson says, "He was honest, sensible and and left them. He was a great advocate for liberty of conwell informed, but his style is barbarous and uncouth. His science, and a man of extraordinary powers, but of eccentric history, however, is almost the only source from which we character. Mr. Verplank, in a late discourse before the Hisderive any knowledge of the infancy of our state." It seems torical society of New York, places him decidedly at the head that he was led into a single error, with regard to the geogra- of the founders of the American states, not excepting Wilphy of the country, probably from the accounts of the natives liam Penn. Notwithstanding his boasted principles of tolerarespecting the lakes, believing that the waters of the Chesa- tion, there is much fierceness and dogmatism in his contropeake communicated with the South Sea.* versial writings, and he took good care in establishing a college, to make it a fundamental principle, that the President and a majority of the trustees, should always be of his own religious persuasion. So lately as 18!9, I have heard the question debated in this very college, whether such a provision in their charter was consistent with his avowed principles of toleration; his descendents are far from being unanimous upon this subject. In 1643, he published a vindication of his doctrines under the title of "The bloody Tenet, or a Dialogue between Truth and Peace," in which he is said to have anticipated most of the arguments brought forward fifty years after, by the celebrated Locke. "When in his old age, the order of his little community was disturbed by an irruption of Quaker preachers, (says Mr. Verplank) he combatted them only in pamphlets and public disputations, and contented himself with overwhelming their doctrines with a torrent of learning, invective, syllogisms and puns." The title of one of his books against George Fox and his follower, Burrows, is "The Fox digged out of his Burrows." But notwithstanding his error in this respect, it has been remarked by a celebrated historian, (Dr. Robertson) that "so full and exact are his accounts of that large portion of the American continent comprehended in the two provinces of Virginia and Maryland, (meaning doubtless, the coasts) that after the progress of information and research for a century and a half, his map exhibited no inaccurate view of both countries; and is the original on which all subsequent deline ations and descriptions have been founded." A history of this colony during the same period, has also been written by the Rev. Wm. Stith, a native of Virginia, and President of this college. It is said, "that he was a man of classical learning, and very exact, but of no taste in style." We also learn from the "Notes of Virginia," that Beverly, a native, wrote a history of the same colony, down to the year 1700, "in the hundredth part of the space which Stith employs for the fourth part of the period." A concise history of Virginia has also been written by Sir William Keith, to as late a period as 1725. These were probably among the earliest books written in this country, but being obliged to take my information at second hand, I am unable to fix the periods of their origin. Generally speaking, south of New England, the early settlers appear to have found, in a genial soil and climate, temptations to neglect the culture of the mind, and did not, probably, trouble themselves with book-making. The New England colonists were differently situated; the Low Dutch Supposing the conjectures to be right, that the Great lakes were mistaken by him for the South Sea, we trust that his error as to Chesapeake bay, was nothing more nor less than a prophecy which some of us may live to see fulfilled. Mr. John Cotton, the first minister in Boston, in honour of whose native place the town was named, and from whom the celebrated Cotton Mather afterwards derived his Chris tian name, published a Treatise in 1645, in reply to Roger Williams, with this strange title: "The bloody Tenet washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb." A still more singular book on this subject, had been published, two years previous (in 1647) by Ward, of Ipswich, Mass. entitled, "The simple cobbler of Agawam." My heart (says he, to give a little specimen,) hath naturally detested four things; the standing of the Apochrypha in the Bible; foreigners dwelling in my country, to crowd out native subjects into the corners of the earth; alchymized coins; toleration of divers religions or of one religion in and also to "an excellent little book, full of precious matter, of that authentic historian, John Josselyn, Gent." We cannot say whether either of these books were written in this country, nor find any thing in relation to the early literature of the Munhattoes, or Manhades, unless the state papers of the celebrated Peter Stuyvesant, and William Kieft, Governors of the colony, in their controversies with Connecticut may be ranked under this head. These papers have all been collected and published by Ebenezer Hazard, formerly Post Master General of the United States. segregant shapes. He that willingly assents to the last, if possessions, written by Master Richard Blome, in 1687;" he examines his heart by, daylight, his conscience will tell him he is either an atheist or an heretic, or a hypocrite, or at best, a captive to some lust. Polypiety is the greatest impiety in the world. To authorize an untruth by toleration of the state, is to build a sconce against the walls of heaven to battle God out of his chair. Persecution of true religion, and toleration of false, are the Jannes and Jambres to the kingdom of Christ, whereof the last is by far the worst. He that is willing to tolerate any unsound opinion, that his own may be tolerated, though never so sound, will, for a need, hang God's Bible at the Devil's Girdle." [See Belknap's History of New Hampshire, Vol. I.] This controversy, occasioned a book called "The New England fire-brand quenched," which was published before the year 1710, and is to be found in the Birmingham Library. Increase Mather, an eminent divine of Boston, and some time President of Harvard College, a man of learning and Liety; respected in Europe as well as in this country, was one of our carliest writers of note. We learn from the Cyclopædists, by whom honourable mention is made of him, that "he was the author of many Theological tracts:" of "a brief History of the war with the Indians in New England:" (published in 1677) of "an Essay for the recording of illustrious providences, wherein account is given of many remarkable and memorable events which have happened in this last age, especially in New England" of "a Discourse on Comets;" "a Dis course concerning Earthquakes," &c. He was born in Dorchester, Mass., in 1635, and died in 1723. Hubbard and Penhallow both wrote narratives of the Indian wars in New England; the former as early as 1677, about the period of the termination of the great war with Philip. Some idea of the importance of these wars may be formed from the facts, that this celebrated chief, the son of Massassoit, could command three thousand warriors-that the contest lasted three years, during which time the colo nists lost 600 souls. Cotton Mather, son of the author above alluded to, was William Penn wrote two letters to his friends in England, dated at Chester, shortly after his first arrival, one of them giving an account of the province, the other being a justification of himself against some attacks made upon his character. Excepting these, I cannot learn that any of his numerous publications were written in this country. Indeed, he spent but little time here, and during that period must have been busily engaged in the affairs of his government. Next to William Penn, the man who makes the most considerable figure in the carly history of this State, is James Logan "He made some valuable communications to the Royal Society, three of which are to be found in the 38th Vol. of its transactions (for the years 1733-4) and his charges as Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, are said to have been re-printed and read with admiration in London. He corresponded regularly with the most eminent among the scientific worthies of his time such as Linnæus, Fabricius, Dr. Meade, Dr Holley, Sir Hans Sloan, Dr. Fothergill, Peter Collinson, and Wm. Jones, (father of Sir William.)*** One of the papers above alluded to, is entitled "Some experiments re-pecting the impregnation of seeds and plants;" another, "Some thoughts concerning the sun and moon, when near the horizon appearing larger than when near the zenith." Doct. Mitchell says that the former is a remarkable tract and calculated to perpetuate the author's fame. As this is a man upon whose literary character, Pennsylvania can dwell with peculiar pride, I copy a further notice of his by far the most conspicuous writer in our early history. It Publications, together with some account of his attainments, would be delightful to dwell upon his character, but that he believed in witchcraft, and tarnished all his virtues by that miserable superstition. He was born in 1662, and died in 1727. He understood the Iroquois Indian tongue, and wrote and published treatises in that language He pub lished nearly four hundred distinct pieces, many of which were, of course, very small, such as single essays, sermons, &c. Among these we may notice, "Magnalia Christi Americana, or an Ecclesiastical history of New England, from its first planting in 1620, to 1698""The wonders of the invisible world, being an account of the trial of several witches lately executed in New England, and of several remarkal lo curiosities therein occurring" "Joannes in Eremo, or the lives of famous divines," and "Indian Chris tiana; or an account of the propagation of Christianity in the East and West Indies." His principal work, the "Magnalia," was written about year 1700. To give some idea of his work upon witchcraft, we add short notice of its contents.* the a I. Cbservations up on the nature, the numbers, and the operations of the Devils. II. A short narrative of a late outrage committed by a knot of witches in Swedeland, very much resembling, and so far explaining that under which New England has laboured. III. Some Counsels directing a due improvement of the horrible things lately done by the unusual and amazing range of Evil spirits in New England. IV. A brief Discourse u; on those temptations that are the more ordinary devices of Satan. Printed, first at Boston, and re-printed in England. Mr. Diedrick Knickerbocker, in his amusing history of New York, refers to "a valuable history of the American *The book it elf, (says Mr. Walsh) is to be found in the Library of Harvard College, bound up in a volume with other tracts.-Nat. Gazette. and of his splendid Library. "He was well versed in both ancient and modern learning, acquainted with the oriental tongues, master of the French, Greek and Italian languages; deeply skilled in the mathematics and in Natural and Moral Philosophy; as several pieces of his own writing, in Latin, &c. demonstrate; some of which have gone through divers impressions in diffrent parts of Europe, and are highly esteemed. Among his productions of this nature, his Experimenta Meletemata de plantarum generatione, with his observations arising therefrom, on the generation or his experiments on the Indian corn or maize of America; of plants, published in Latin at Leyden, in 1739, and after He died wards in 1747, re-published in London, with an English This collection has since been added to the Philadelphia Library, a seperate building having been fitted up expressly for its reception, and the whole being free of access to all Excepting these, I have been able to find but few traces of early literature, in our own state, and those consisting principally of disputes between the Proprietor or his Governors and the Colonial assembly, and of the testimonials of public friends. One of the most remarkable of these, by Richard Townsend, is preserved in Proud's History, and also in Clarkson's life of Penn. It gives us to understand some interesting particulars about the way of living of the early settlers. He was one of the persons who came over with William Penn, and settled first near Chester, but removed, afterwards, 7 miles above Philadelphia, where he had a mill, &c. to which the people used to bring their grists on their backs.* Proud has also preserved for us in his history, a description of Pennsylvania, in Latin verse, by Thomas Makin, second master of the Friends' public grammar school in Philadelphia, inscribed to James Logan, Esq., and found among his papers after his decease. It was written in 17.9. The English version of it is something like the ditty which represents an honest son of Erin describing the wonders of the Philadelphia Museum. * "The various woodpeckers here charm the sight; Whose names would be too long to mention here. Large sturgeons num'rous crowd the Delaware, But where more scarce, 'tis more esteemed and dear.', Some of Dr. Franklin's works, perhaps, ought to be noticed, in an account of our early Literature, Not to speak of his newspaper Essays, his first thing like a book was probably the Almanac, published in 1752, under the name of RICHARD SANDERS. He tells us in his Memoirs, that "it was continued by him about twenty-five years, and commonly called Poor Richard's Almanac.'" His subsequent works are well known. It would fill a small volume to enumerate them and refer to their contents. It is suffi cient to observe that he is one of the few American writers, whose works have extorted European admiration, and commanded the praise of the Scotch Reviewers. He has undoubtedly added more to our literary and scientific character, than any other writer. Hutchinson's history of Massachusett's Bay is one of the most authentic early accounts of this country, and is referred to by all subsequent historians. It may be observed, that in early times, Massachusetts was known by the name of the "Bay State," as at this day the common people in New England, frequently call their neighbour to the West, York State. The author was one of the Royal Governors of that province, and the same person whose letters Dr. Franklin got possession of in such a mysterious manner— which produced so great an excitement in this country, and so highly exasperated the English government. Those persons who look into the secret causes and moving springs of human events may here learn the immediate cause of our revolution at the time it occurred. He is no doubt the ancestor of our neighbors of the same name, as his Christian name is still retained in the family. Joseph Townsend, of Baltimore, has lately forwarded to me a copy of the marriage certificate of Richard Townsend, of Buckelbury, in the county of Berks, England, dated in 1677, probably the same person. This paper I beg leave to deposit with the records of our Society. Not having the work at hand, I cannot say exactly when it was published, but I presume it must have been written before the revolution. + Sec Temple Franklin's work. 397 Doct. Belknap's History of New Hampshire, was published in 1784, and is one of our most valuable early histories. It breathes a liberal spirit, and is one of quite a philosophic character This same author also wrote "The For esters," an amusing allegorical account of the early troubles of the New England colonies, and their religious disputes, conveying a just satire upon their intolerance. Proud's History was not published till 1795, and is a mere compilation. He is somewhere styled " an honest chronicler," and his work contains the materials of a good history, collected from the most authentic sources. He informs us in his Preface, that the_collection was begun by Caleb Pusey, one of William Penn's first council, and whose descendants, I understand now reside in Chester county.* Having brought into view in the course of the duty assigned me, some of the dark shades in the character of our ancestry, I must be permitted to remark, that those traits were not so much peculiarities of the colonists, as of the age in which they lived. (I refer again to Verplank.) "In every great exertion of genius, in that age, whether in poetry, in eloquence, in moral theological speculation, or in ac tive life, there was an incongruous and unaccountable mixture of the gigantic and the childish-of glorious truth, and miserable prejudice. Pope's criticism on the poetry of Milton, may serve for a universal description of the talents of that day." "Milton's strong pinion now not heav'n can bound, Now, serpent-like, in puns, he sweeps the ground." It would be easy to adduce instances of religious intolerance and belief in witchcraft, similar to what prevailed in New England at that day, from almost every quarter of the globe. Who was more intolerant than Cromwell?who believed more firmly in witchcraft than Sir Matthew Hale? But I forbear. This is too much like the man, who having done wrong himself, attempts to blacken the character of his neighbours. Fain would I draw a veil over this part of our early history; but this again would be like an attempt to stifle conscience. It is more honourable and profitable to confess the faults of our ancestors, in sorrow, and take warning by their errors, than to attempt to justify them by the example of others, or vainly seek to hide them in blind forgetfulness. Our country has not even yet attained that age, or degree of wealth, from which extraordinary literary efforts are to be expected. We have too much business on hand-many new states yet to found, and millions of acres of land to settle. We have no great Universities with Libraries which have been accumulating ever since the dark ages, and immense foundations for the exclusive support of literary men laid in the purchase of souls from purgatory during the reign of Popish superstition. But, we have all the Literature of the greatest and most learned nation in the world ready furnished to our hands, in our native language; and, it has been well observed, that, among us, "the men who write, bear no proportion to those who read." *(I take this opportunity to deposit with the President of the Society, the original manuscript of a sermon, preached at Sandwich, Mass. in 1723, by the Rev. Benjamin Fessenden. Also the orignal "Petition of Freeholders and other inhabitants of the town of Sandwich to the Selectmen," requesting them to call a town-meeting upon the subject of public grievances-dated Jan. 1, 1773, and relating to the prime causes of our Revolution) and could not fail to extend to New England. They had Belief in witchcraft was epidemic in the 17th century, Sir M. Hale, Stanville, Perkins, Keeble and Dalton, to supthe authority of the English statutes, and such names as [Hutchinson's History. port them. A Great Load-Dr. J. Wagonseller of Selinsgrove, Pa., loaded one of his boats with 2,401 bushels of wheat, some time last week, for the Philadelphia market.-Union Cy. Star. his native state and married, and was extensively engaged in Texian operations when death arrested him, still in the prime of life. Though a man of defective education, his great energy of character and extensive travels made him the most entertaining of companions. An Eventful Life.-Captain Gilbert Y. Francis, formerly of Virginia, died recently in New Orleans of the yellow fever. His was indeed an eventful and remote life. The Natchez Free Trader states that he has passed through many surprising adventures, and has left a memoir of them for publication. He was in very early life attached to the navy, then to the stage--had travelled over the four quarters of the globe-was Emigration.-On Wednesday about one hundred and for two years a prisoner in the great desert of Arabia--after-sixty coloured persons left this port in the ship Archer, Capwards a slave to the Bashaw of Tunis--then lieutenant of a tain Marston, for Port Spain, in Trinidad. They had been Guerilla party in Spain, and minister of a Dutch lugger trad- hired by an eminent planter on that island to labour, and ening to the Malaccas. He was subsequently overseer of a sugar couragement was given them that they should have priviestate in Jamaica-then engaged in cutting logwood in the leges which would make their residence desirable. forest of Campeachy--was for three months a prisoner among banditti in Mexico--then a captive among the Camanches→→ was ransomed by some fur traders from the Oregon-was employed by the governor of the Russian settlements to command a brig in the wheat trade with Chili-finally revisited Schuylkill Bank.-Hosea J. Levis was unanimously elected President of the Schuylkill Bank, in the city of Philadelphia, in the place of William Meridith, Esq. resigned on account of ill health. |