Arrangements were made for resuming the Society's social meetings or soirees, to be held on the third Thursday of each month, during the winter. The Society adjourned to the first Thursday in November.

Susquehanna Fort," noted in the earlier history | but appears afterwards to have been saestione of Maryland, in which he believed he had that he did. Gen. Sumner's authority was »> succeeded. Foster, of Tewksbury, (then living,) who was Warren when he fell, and heard the words. paper will probably be printed in full. Col. Samuel Swett asked permission to 2078 7 a statement which he made at a former me to the effect that Aaron Burr, being tor pay for his passage from London to this c 1812, worked his passage home. This h was erroneous, though he had reCE TE mistaken. He had since received, z, istri *** person that he thought would not he was a fellow-passenger with Burt subject from Capt. Nichols, of Newharen the Aurora, Captain Potter, and Hu very poor and not able to payala. Niesz incog. He registered his nam nold. Col. Swett relatec z numisma anecdotes of Burr, some of wine printed, he thought.

MASSACHUSETTS.

NEW ENGLAND HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY.- (Officers, Vol. I. p. 46). A stated meeting was held in Boston on Wednesday, December 2, 1857, Rev. Martin Moore, in the

chair.

The library committee made a report of the donations since the last meeting, after which Mr. Drake, the corresponding secretary, read letters of acceptance from Hon. Reuben II. Walworth, of Saratoga Springs, N. Y., Henry D. Paine, M. D., of Albany, N. Y., and John L. Blake, Esq., of Orange, N. J., as corresponding members; and from Ezra Wilkinson, Esq., of Dedham, Winslow Lewis, M. D. and J. Colburn, Esq., of Boston, as resident members. Seven resident and four corresponding members were elected.

The

Mr. Ephraim G. Ware, of Boston read a paper on the life and mechanical genius of Joseph Pope. paper consisted chiefly of an interesting letter from a daughter of Mr. Pope, now living at an advanced age, addressed to her children. Mr. Pope was born at Boston Feb. 1, 1750 and learned the watchmakers' trade which he carried on in his na

tive town. In 1786 he finished an Orrery upon which he had been engaged for nine or ten years. He had quite an inventive genius and a great love for scientific studies; and was much respected by the leading men of Boston.

Wm. M. Cornell, M. D., read a review of GlGdon and Nott's "Types of Mankind." The paper was principally devoted to a vindication of translators of the Bible from charges in that boo He proved these charges to be unjust. I was very able performance.

Mr. Burnham read a paper prepared Wm. H. Sumner, of Jamaica Plain, wi not conveniently attend,) upon Gen Vi his conduct at the Battle of Bunker H Gen. Sumner gave the following

Fourth of July celebration in Boston. --
ment contained in the dying words c
those who were near him wher

dead man! Fight on my brave file
tion of your country!"

This .

the public papers of that day an ner and Dr. Waterhous I doubted whether Warren rein

The thanks of the So

Ware, Dr. Cornel. Ge. Samu
and copies of their paper we
archives.

Some miscellaneous business was transacted. | phied with the victories of peace. It is respected It was unanimously resolved that a course of lec- throughout the earth as the flag of the Free. tures should be delivered before the Society during

the present winter.

The paper of the evening was read by Alfred B. Street, Esq., of Albany, the subject being "The Battle of Saratoga.”

"Then success to the flag of our nation,

May its folds all around us be spread;
It is blazoned with deeds of the valiant,
And sacred with names of the dead.

"The stars are the symbol of union, –
May they ever in unity wave,
The white is the emblem of honor,
And the red is the blood of the brave

"Then success to the flag of the nation,

May it sweep o'er the land and the sea,
O, wherever its splendor is darting,
That it darted to nought but the free.

"Let us keep its bright glories unsullied,
Sustain it on ocean and shore,
Rear it high, a broad beacon of freedom
To the world, until time is no more."

The speaker designated this action as the turning point of the Revolution. He glanced briefly over the grave events that preceded the battle. These circumstances and the history of the details of the conflict are found in all systematic historians. There appeared to be no new view of these transactions which the speaker might be anxious to present and enforce. His language was graphic and occasionally florid. The loss of the British was given as seven hundred, and the loss of the Americans at only one hundred and fifty. Burgoyne's subsequent movements were very distinctly delineated. The number of prisoners surrendered at the capitulation was stated as over seven thousand, among whom were several Rev. Dr. Osgood moved a vote of thanks to generals and members of Parliament. Burgoyne Mr. Street. The Secretary produced the origireturned to England, defended in the Commons nals of the Gates and Burgoyne capitulation corthe resistance of the colonists, and was instru- respondence, which was curiously scanned by mental in the subsequent approaches to a pacifica- several members. The vote of thanks being cartory acknowledgment of our national independ-ried, the Society adjourned.— N. Y. Times. ence. To the success of this battle our Republican nationality might fairly be said to be owing. It destroyed the military prestige of the English. The speaker concluded thus:

[Loud cheers.]

OHIO.

FIRE LANDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY. - The first annual meeting of the Fire Lands Historical Society took place in Norwalk on Thursday last, and was tolerably well attended by the old settlers. Hon. Elisha Whittlesey was present, and delivered the address.

"The stars of the new flag represented the new constellation of States rising in the West. The idea was taken from the constellation Lyra, which in the hands of Orpheus, signified harmony. The blue of the field was taken from the edges of the covenanters' banner in Scotland, significant also of the league and covenant of the United Colonies against oppression, incidentally involving the vir- The address of Mr. Whittlesey is very highly tues of vigilance, perseverance and justice. The spoken of. The speaker gave a very interesting stars were disposed in a circle, symbolizing the and instructive history of the Western Reserve, perpetuity of the Union, the ring, like the circling commencing with the original grants of territory, serpent of the Egyptians, signifying eternity. The by King Charles the II.; also of the Fire Lands, thirteen stripes showed with the stars the number and the origin of the name. We understand that of the united colonies, and denoted the subordina- it is to be published. Several interesting reports, tion of the States to the Union, as well as equality among themselves. The whole was a blending of the various flags previous to the Union flag, namely, the red flags of the army and the white ones of the floating batteries. The red color, which, in Roman days, was the signal of defiance, denotes daring, and the white, purity.

"What eloquence do the stars breathe when their full significance is known! A new constellation! Union! perpetuity! A covenant against appression! Justice, equality, subordination, courage and purity.

of

the history in brief, of some of the "Pioneers
the Fire Lands, were also read before the meeting.
In the Town Hall a bountiful repast was
spread, of which all were invited to partake, and
for which they were mainly indebted to the ladies
of Norwalk.

The origin of the name "Fire Lands," is as follows: During the Revolutionary war, the British burned certain towns in Connecticut as Norwalk, Fairfield and Danbury. At the close of the war, when Connecticut ceded her Western Reserve lands, the government granted five hundred And where now is not that banner known? thousand acres to those who had suffered by the Trophied with victories in war, and doubly tro-burning of the towns above named. These lands

were located, by townships, in Huron and Erie from a paper he is preparing on the Rev. Ebenezer counties, and were called, very appropriately, Kinnersley and his connection with Dr. Franklin "Fire Lands."- ·Cincinnati Gazette, Thursday, in his electrical discoveries. Nov. 26th, 1857.

bull, will by him be exhibited for settlement, on his our yearly expenditures should certainly be rearrival in Philadelphia. I am, I confess, serious- duced, by a yearly payment of taxes, and as ly alarmed at the State of our Currency, and the much of the public funded Debt paid, from time to seeming delay of the necessary remedies. A fine time, as circumstances will admit. A youthful, spun theorem [theory?] on this occasion, I deem growing, vigorous, and industrious nation, need be unnecessary. It will not answer our purpose. under no great apprehension, from a very considerA careful attention to the nature and causes of the able public Debt. Peace, Arts, Commerce and indisorder, will naturally lead to the remedies need-dustry, will soon exonerate such a State. Your faful; the cure must be radically attempted, or the vor of 16th Novem. is also received, with its several applications will but increase the disease. The inclosures, which are particularly noticed. practice of Monopolizers, Engrossers, &c, are a I am with the greatest Respect & Regaru, great source of our evil. These however, are not Sir, Your most obedient hble Servant, the principal. Such as they are, think they may JON TRUMBULL. be reduced. Are not the means, by which we have Honorable HENRY LAURENS Esquire. been conducted to this situation, instructive lessons, pointing us to the cure? So long as our magazines were kept full, and our stores plentifully and seasonably provided, Speculators had not the opportunity of imposing an artificial scarcity & demand upon the Public; and thereby making their own The arrival of Admiral Arbuthnot, the known prices upon the articles of public consumption. Is determination of the British Cabinet against this it that we have exhausted our resources, that our State; the present position of the light Troops on supplies are now so scantily made from hand to Long Island, and other circumstances unite to conmouth? perpetually keeping up the demand, and firm my apprehension of an almost immediate invaplaying in tune to the desires of the ungodly seek-sion. May the Lord of Hosts be our Protector and ers of gain? Certainly not. Our internal re- Saviour.

DEAR SIR,

LEBANON, 6th Septem' 1779.

I HAVE the honor and pleasure of your communication of the 8th of July last.

sources are still great; our magazines can again I have lately received an Answer to my letter of be filled they must be filled; the idea of scar- the 27th June 1777, addressed to Baron Van Der city, from this artificial demand, must be removed. Cappellen. Enclosed, is his original with its enThis appears to me to be one great remedy. An- closures, written in French; The protest of the other, and very principal one, is to reduce the City of Amsterdam in Dutch, which [I] wish to quantity of circulating Cash, and means de- be returned by Mr. Brown, after communicated to vised to prevent the necessity of constant, and per- Honble Congress. I have a [Qu. no?] translapetual new emissions for new emergencies. To tion; no person near me is competent to doing it do this, Loans and Taxation must be co- well. I am unwilling to trouble you, yet venoperative. Taxation alone, will be too slow and ture to ask the Favour to procure me a good transdilatory. Loans must, therefore, be adopted; and lation of the whole. Enclosed is a packet for him, of these I think a foreign Loan must be most eli- prepared in answer left open for Congress and gible. I dont know how an internal one, in our your observation to communicate so far as you present circumstances, would operate. I am rather think fit and prudent. Please to seal and forof opinion, that, untill the value of the Paper Cur-ward the same by the first good conveyance. I rency is fully ascertained, by the Public, and so entertain raised expectations of some solid benefit long as a rapid depreciation is going [on], your to the public from this nobleman. Money and monied people will rather choose to make the best goods may be had most advantageously from the of their money, in some kind of business, than to Hollanders. trust to an uncertain future redemption in the hands of the Public. Confederation being finished, and Funds established, a foreign loan, I think, may undoubtedly be obtained; and this improved, in sale of Bills of Exchange, at the rates they will fetch, and perhaps a part invested, and realized, in silver and gold, brought into the States, and delivered for the redemption of part of our Bills, at such discounted rates, as would be easily com- Is there no means to prevent the further depreplied to, might be attended with very salutary con- ciation of our currency? can there be no radical sequences. At same time, in aid of this remedy, cure? The measures used formerly, in the case of heavy taxation should be kept up; our debts old Tenor bills, answered the end at that timeshould be paying; our new emissions should be why not at the present? The bills are of the naas small as possible; and punctually sunk off;-ture of Tallies, that each individual may know &

My youngest son, John hath an inclination to visit Europe. If he may appear in character, be useful to the public, and make an Emolument for himself, shall not set myself in opposition. Is there no employment with Doct Franklin, Secretary, &c. that may be had?-Shall mention the same to our Delegates without further Sollicitation.

a

bear his burden in an equal proportion. An appreciation will prove more pernicious than depreciation. Justice ought to be sought for and done to all, as far as is possible. Taxation is an infallible remedy. A tax nominally high is as easily borne as one of a lower denomination, where the value is the same. 'Tis always best to pay our debts, when the means for doing it is in our power, which is assuredly the case while the bills, or tallies, are so equally distributed.

upon the body of the old and decrepid George Jacobs, senior, by George Herrick and others, and return made to the court as follows: —

"The testimony of George Herrick, aged thirtyfour years, or thereabouts-Testifieth and saith, that sometime in May last, by order of their Majesties Justices, I went to the prison in Salem to search George Jacobs, Sen., and likewise Wm. Downton. The Goal keeper, and Joseph Neal, Is it not high time for Congress to erect and Constable, was in prison, and concerned with me establish Boards, of Treasury, of War, of Navy, in the search. When, under the said Jacob's of Appeals, and every other executive part? right shoulder was found a tett, about a quarter of No member of Congress to [be] employed thereon, an inch long, with a sharp point drawn downwards, 'tis burdensome, and on all accounts disagreea- so that I took a pin from Downton, and run in ble and detrimental. The apparent frequent calls through the said tett, but their was neither water, for yeas and nays are unprofitable and dis- blood or corruption, nor any other matter, and so gusting. we made return. Wm. Downton Testifyeth to the above written. And we further testify and say,

Let us trust in the Lord, persevere to the end, and wait with patience untill our labors crowned with success.

are

I am, with great Truth and Regard, Dear Sir, Your most obedient hble Servant, JON TRUMBULL. P. S. Please to find means that my letter may be Franked to Amsterdam; whatever the charge may be, will repaye.

Honorable HENRY LAURENS, Esq.

SALEM WITCHCRAFT

that yo
said Jacobs was not in the least sensible in
what we had done, for after I had made return to
the Magistraits, and returned, I told y said Jacobs,
and he knew nothing before.

Sworn in Court, August 4th, 1692."

of a witch mark upon the body of the poor old This most indubitable evidence of the finding

man seems to have sealed his fate; for he was, with John Proctor, forthwith convicted, and sent back to prison, where the latter made his will, and they were, with several others, hung at Gallows Hill, on the 19th of August, 1692. George Jacobs, Sen., was ignominiously buried alone, on a Birch Plain, on his own farm, at Danvers-Port, where his grave can be seen at this day. After the delusion had subsided, George Herrick, to judge from the following petition, appears to have suffered severely by poverty and neglect, occasioned, we have reason to believe, by his close connection with that sad tragedy:

BY S. P. FOWLER, OF DANVERS PORT, MASS. Upon examination of the Court Documents, relating to this delusion, we are strongly impressed with the belief that George Herrick, of Salem, was present at the execution of Giles Cory, in the capacity of a Deputy Sheriff, and when that unfortunate old man was pressed to death, was the person mentioned by Calef, who, when his tongue was pressed out of his mouth, forced it in again with "To his Excelency, Sir William Phipps Knight, his cane. Perhaps there was no person more ac- Capt. General Governor of their Majesties Teritively engaged in the prosecution for witchcraft, or tories and Dominion of y Massachusetts Bay, in who afterwards suffered more from the indigna- New England, and to the Hon. William Stoughtion and reproach of an afflicted community. He ton, Esq., Lieut.-Governor of said Province — and himself informs us that for the term of nine to the Rest of the Honoured Councell

months and upwards, he was constantly employed The Petition of your Poor Servant, George in serving warrants, and apprehending prisoners, Herrick, Most Humbly Sheweth- That, whereas attending examinations at courts, and conveying your Excellencies and Honors Poor Petitioner prisoners from prison to prison. We have proof having been employed as Marshall and Deputy that he was very active at the executions, a swift Sheriff for the County of Essex, for the Term of witness against the accused, and visited prisons for nine months and upwards, in Serving of Warrants, the purpose of searching prisoners for "witch and apprehending many prisoners, attending Exmarks" it being understood in those days, that aminations, and Courts of Oyer and Terminer, as the devil affixed his mark to those in alliance with likewise by mittimus and writs of habeas corpus, him, exhibiting itself in the form of a teat or ex- have often conveyed Prisoners unto Prison, and crescence, and found to be callous or dead. This from Prison unto Prison, it hath taken up my whole cruel and detestable examination was performed time, and made me Incapable to get any thing for