LIMMA MHOim. I have feVvorh u'lto'n tho Altar of God, eternal hostility to every form of Tyranny over the Mlntt of IIan.ThomiU Jcflcmdri. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY JOHN S. INGRAM. Volume I is a subject of such thrilling the mcmorv of most men. in every ago and. nation, who nave rendered tlmsclvcs eminent, cither in the cause of fertile or vice, glory or infamy, has been handed down on the pnges of history. K -S5ong tho unlettered natidns? of the earth, $K?5find the exploits of their heroes and sa- jgea recorded in hieroglyphics, in wild and fMlantic tabids of mysterious tradition, icri graced with truth and impartiality, subject is not only interesting, but cal tbdtd improve our minds, by producing .afUCsire to emulate the examples of the .groat and good, arid by pointing out lb us fthc paths of error that lead us to disgrace fe'tntl ruiii. Tho interest felt in the history ofjan individual depends much upon the iftanncr the biographer performs his im portant and icasonablc duty, but more, upon the sphere of action, and tho magni tudes of the cause in which the individual iaa been engaged. The cause in which Sohn Hancock, the subject of this brief sketch, was engaged, is one ever httcrcst- ng to every philanthropist, and more es pecially td every American bosom. It was thg cause of humanity and equal rights, op posed to cruelty and oppression; the cause bfjAmcrican Independence, opposed to Bri- tyranny. The part he acted, was a- fllike creditable to his head and heart; his jfamc is enrolled on the bright list of the il lustrious patriots of the revolution. lie was a native of Massachusetts, born near Qiiincy, in 1737. Ills father, of the same name was a clergyman, eminent for his piety, and highly esteemed by the par- shloncrs under his chafgc4 He died during the infancy of his son, and left hint under Tf thb guardianship of his paternal uncle, who treated hint with all the tenderness of a jaHief, and continued him at school until he graduated at Howard College in 1754. "tylis uncle was a merchant of immense allh, and on the completion of his studies, placed him in his counting house, that he add to his science a knowledge of Ij'mcss, of man, and of things. In 1700, visited England, saw the mortal remains George II. laid in the silent tomb, and s head of his successor. He continued the business of his uncle until the age df enty-scven, when his patron and benc tof died, leaving him his vast estate, pposcd to be tho largest of any in the jvincd. He was, for many years, dad of the sc tmcn of Boston; and, in 1700, w'aselcct a mcmbor of tho General Assembly of issachusctts. He hero exhibited talents a superior order, which attracted tho at ition, excited the admiration, and gained ) esteem of his colleagues. It also excited to jealousy and irony of his enemies, who on put hint in the crucible of slander and irsccution; but after a long trial, he came mout like gold seven tried; he was woighed n the scales of Justice, and not found want- As a proof of the high estimation in which was held when in the assembly, he was Jmlaced on tho most important committee of that body, and was uniformly chairman. He was also eloctcd spcaljer, but the gover nor, who was jealous of his liberal princi ples, put his veto upon his election. His intelligence had led him to investi gate the laws of nature, of God, and man; lie arrived at the conclusion, that mc"n dro endowed bv their Creator, with n.nrinl n in. liferent privileges, that they are born equal, find they of right are and should, be free. le drank deep from the fountain of liberal principles, and was among the first to repel tlie blind and cttel policy of the mother country, and rouse! his iellow men to a fcceno of impending danger. ; ,! Although deeply interested in commer cial business, and more exposed to the Jvrath of kingly power than any individual Tn tho province, ho bodily placod himself fct tho head of associations for prohibiting flhe importation of goods from G. Britain, iHSiography 'MntSrcst. that StlaOOMSBURG, COLUMBIA COUNTY, PA. SATURDAY, JULY 8, 1837; The other provinces caught fire from these examples; and, to these associations, lnay be traced tho preliminaries of the tragic scene, that resulted in the emancipation of the enslaved colonies of the pilgrim fathers. As an evidence that vTohli Hancock was a leading patriot at that lime, tho first seizure that was made by the revenue officers, un der pretence of some trivial violntion of tho laws, was that of one of his vessels. The excitement produced by this transaction was so grcatj thut a large number collected to resCUd the rbpdrly. ft was moved under the guns of an armed ship, ready to repel any attack. But the popular fury rose like a thunder gust from tho western horizon; they rushed to the onset) brought away the vessel, razed to the ground some of the houses occupied by the custom house offi cers; and burnt, in triumph, the boat of the collectorsi This fire was, for a time, smoth ered by the mantle of authority, but it was tho fire of Liberty. It only required to be fanned by the impolitic oppression, that eventually blew it Into curling flames. To prevent tho recurrence of a similar scene, several regiments of British troops, with all their loathsome vices fresh upon them, were quartered amongst tho inhabi tants. This was like pouring pitch on a fire to extinguish it. The stubborn and independent spirits of Boston were not to be awed into subjectidrt. The consequen ces were tragical. On tho evening of the 5th of Marcht 1770, a party of these sol diers fired Upon, and killed a number of the citizens, who had collected td manifest their indignation against those they hated more than they feared, Had an earthquake shook the town to its very centre, the agitation cquld not have beet! greater. Had it been smelting before devouring flames, the com motion could ndthavc been increased. The tolling of bells, the groans of the wounded and dying) the shrieks of wi dows! mothers and orphans; the flight of soldiers: the rush of the inhabitants; the cry of vengeance, urged on by popular fury; all combined to render it a scene of confu sion and horror, upon which imagination dwells and sickens; belteath which, descrip tion quails and trembles; at tho sight of which humanity bleeds at dvCYy pore. It is a commentary, strong and eloquent, upon the Impropriety of quartering soldiers a- mongst citizens, of maintaining civil law by military force, and of intruding upon tho sanctum sanctorum of privato and domestic pdacc. On the following day, a meeting of in- habitans was held; a committoe was nppoin' ted, at the head of which was Hancock, in. structcd to request the governor to remove the troops from the town. He at first re fused, but finding, under existing circum stances, that discretion was the better part of valor, ho ordered their removal. This, with promises that the offenders should be brought to condign puuishmont, prevented further" hostility at that time. 'J ho awful and imposing solemnities of interring those who were killed, was then attended to. Their bodies were deposited m the same tomb; tears of sorrow, sympa thy, ahd a just indignation, were mingled with tho clouds as they descended upon the butchered victims; and the event was, for many years annually commemorated, with deep and mournful solemnity. A To Dcuin and Requiem Was chaiintcd to their memory, and tho torch of liberty was re plenished at their tomb. At one of these celebrations, in tho midst of the revolution, Joint Haiieock delivered the address. A. few brief extracts will give the reader some idea of the feelings and sen timents that pervaded his bosom, and of his powers as an orator and a statesman. "Security td thd persons and property of tho governed is so evidently tho design and end of civil govermont, that to attempt a logical demonstration of it, would be like burning a taper at noon day, to assist tho sun enlightening the world. It cannot bo either virtuous or honorable to attempt to support institutions, which this is not the great and principal basis," "Some boast of being friends to govern ment'; I also am a friohd to government, to a righteous government, founded upon the principles of reason and justice; but 1 glorv in avowing my eternal enmity to tyranny." Ho then proceeds to pourtray in vivid colours, the wrongs inflicted by tho mother country, and urging his fellow cithens to vindicate their injured rights. In spcaklllg of the Boston massacre, his language speaks the emotions of his hdaving bosoln, tho feelings of his indignant soul. "I come reluctantly to the Impactions of that dismal night, where in such quick succession, wo felt the extremes of grief, astonishment and rage; where heaven, in angers suffered hell to take the reins; when Satan, with his chosen band, opened the sluices of New Ellglaitds blood, and sacri legiously polluted her land with the bodies of her guiltless sons. "Let this sad talc never bo told without a tear, let not the heaving bosom cease to burn with a manly indignation at the rela tion of it through the loilg tracts df future time; let every parent tell the story to his listening children, till tears of pity glisten in their eyes, or boiling passion shakes their tender frames. "Dark and designing knaves, murderous parricides! how dare you tread upon tho earth which has drunk the blood df slaugh tered innocence shed by your hands? How dare you breathe that air, which wafted to the car of heaven, the groans of those who fell a sacrifice to your accursed ambition? But if the laboring cartii doth not expand her laws; if the aif you breathe is not commissioned to be the minister of death; yet, hear it and tremble ! the eye of heaven penetrates the darkest chambers of the soul, and you, though screened from human observation, must bb arraigned, must lift your hands, red with the blood of those whose death, you have procured, at the tre mendous bar of God." His boldness greatly exasperated the ad herents of the crown, and every artifice was put m requisition to injure his growing pop ularity. Amongst them, was his nomina. tion by the governor, who had unifofmly been his enemy, to the council, hoping by this stratagem, that he would, by his accep tance, turn the populace againstlilm. By a prompt refusal, ho defeated the intrigue of his enemies, and riveted himself more strong ly on the affections tif those who favored liberal principles, and rendered himself more obnoxious to the king's officers. He was at this time'eaptain of the governor's guard, and was immediately removed, and as a tes timony of respect to him, his company composed of tho first citizens of Boston, dis solved themselves at once. The tocsin of the revolution Was now sounded from the heights of Lexincton; American blood had again been shed by the British soldiers; the people sounded the dread clarion of the revolution ; thousands rushed to the rescue ; the hireling troops fled ; in their flight, they found the mcssen gers of death stationed on their whole route ; retribution met them at every corner ; the trees and fences were illumined by streams of fire from the rusty muskets of the native yeomanry and many of Britain's proud sons slumbered in the arms of death on that memorable, that eventful day. The goven.or, on the rccoption of this news, issued his proclamation In tho name of his most Christian Majesty, George the III., declaring the province in a stato of rebellion, but graciously offering pardon to all returning penitents, excepting John Han cock, fc Samuel Adams, who had also ren dered himself obnoxious by his patriotic and independent course. A secret attempt was made to arrest them, but was foiled' These two philanthropists were preserved to aid in tho glorious cause they had bold ly and nobly espoused, and to becomo shi ning lights in the blue arch of liberty, and bright examples of patriotism to future gen erations. Their proscription by the gover nor only served to endear them still more to their friends and their bleeding country. In 1771, John Hancock was unanimously elected president of tho provincial Congress of Massachusetts, and in 1775 hd was dalled to preside over the Constitutional Congress. He accepted this appointment with diffi dence, thefo being many of its number much his senior, and of eminent talents. He however succeeded in discharging the arduous duties assigned him with fidelity and great ability) to the satisfaction of his colleagues and his country. His was the only name affixed to the Declaration of Independence, when it was first published and presented to the gazing patriots for their approval and it stands first in relieve, on a thousand fac similids, scat tered through the world. It stands at the head of a list of sagds, whose names are enrolled in unfading glory, and will bo hand ed down to the remotest ages of time, un" sullied attd Untarnished. Impaired in his health and worn ddwn by a fatigue, Mr. Hancock resigned his station in Congress in October, 1777, having presided, over that august body for two years add a half, with a credit to hlntself, gratifying to his friends and advantageous to the cause of human rights. Soon after he returned home, he was elected to a convention of his native Btatc, to form a constitution for its government His experience and talents were of great service in producing a truly republican in strumcnt. tn 1780, he was elected the first governor under tho new constitution, and continued to fill the gubernatorial chair for five years, he was again elected, and continued to fill that station, with dignity and usefulness, during the remainder of his life. During his administration over the destinies of his dear native state, there were many difficulties to overcome, niany evils to suppress. The devastations of the war hadparalized every kind of business; reduc ed thousands from aflluenco to poverty polluted the morals of society; and left a heavy debt for them to liquidate. Many conflicting interests were to be subdued; and many visionary theories were to be ex. plodcd. Insubordination, arrayed in a faction of 12000 inen, threatening to an nihilatd tlie government, was the most pro minent evil to be subdued. Abuses and ri ots were disregarded; and it was .'bund ne ccssary to call out thd militia td preserve order. By tho prudent management of Governor Hancock, these difficulties were adjusted, the clamor of tho people hushed, their complaints silenced, order restored, and but few lives sacrificed at the shrine of treason. For a time, the Governor, by his firm and determined course, incurred the dis plcasufd arid enmity of many prominent men; and when reason resumed her station, and prosperity began to alleviate the bur dens that had been so strongly felt, their ire was appeased, thesour feelings of party spiiit lost their rancor, and admiration and esteem for his sterling virtues and talents, and the long and arduous services he had rendered his country and his state, disarm ed his enemies of their resentment, and produced uniform love and esteem. Ho used his best exertions in favor of the adoption of the federal constitution, and to cap the climax of his well earned fame, he left a sick bed on tho last week of tho ses sion of the Assembly of his State, and, by his vote and influence, induced them to ac cept and sanction that important instrument of confederation, that has thus far held us in the bonds of union, strength and pow er. Governor Hancock now had the satisfac tion of seeing prosperity spread Its benign influence over the whole infant republic, & her institutions, laws, trade, manufactures, commerce and agriculture, based on the firm pillars of freedom and eternal justice. His long nursed vision was reduced to a happy reality; he felt that he could die in peace; and, on the 8th of October, l"f03, his spirit took its flight suddenly and unex pectedly, to join the kindred spirits that had gone before, td enter upon1 tho retired scenes of the eternal world. He continued to serve his country to the last, and, if a particle of malice against him lingered in the dark bosom of arty man it was buried with him in the tomb. Governor Hancock was airtiable in privatd character; hiehlv honorable in his feelings ; gentlemanly ill Ins deportment; fashionable in his style of living i foitd of innocent, amusements, bdt free from corrupting vices ; liberal and char itable ; a friend to the poor, tho oppressed, and the distressed ; diligent in business : open and frank in his disposition ; a faithful companion ; a public spirited citizen, and a consistent man. Eriancs'cerice of property It is well for both rich and poor to be often reminded of the extreme changcablcncss of their condi tion in this country. Judgd Story remark ed with great justice as well as force, in his speech in theJMassachusdtts Convention: "In our country, the highest mart is not above the people; the humblest is not below the people. If the rich may be said to havd additional protection, they have not addition at power. Nor does wealth here form a permanent distinction of families. Thosd who are wealthy to-day pass to the tomb, and their childrdn divide their estates. Pro perty tltiis is divided quite as fast as it ac cumulates. No family can, without its own exertions, stand erect for a longtime under our statute of descents and distributions, the only true legitimate agrarian law. if silendyand quietly dissoivds the mass heap ed up by tho toil and diligence of a long life of enterprise and industry. Property is continually changing like the waves of the" sea. One wave rises and is sooh swallow ed up in the vast abyss and fie'en no more Another rises, and having readied its des tined limits, falls gently awayf and is suc ceeded by yet another which, in its turn breaks and dies away silently on the shore. The richest maii among us may be brought down to the humblest level; and the child with scarcely clothes to cover his nakedness, may rise to the highest office in our govern'-' ment. And the poor man, whife he rocks his infant on his knees, may justly indulge" the consolation, that if he possesses talents and virtue, there is nO office beyond the' reach of his honorable ambition. It is a mistaken theory, that gdvernraent is founded fdr one object only. It is organized for the' protection of life, liberty and property, and all the comforts of society to enable us to Indulge in our domestic affections, and qui etly to enjoy our hdmCs and our firesides.' People may talk as they please about the happiness of the rich, but after all, the worklngman, who" is out of debt, and has plenty to do, has the greatest cause to b'e contented. Happy in the company of his' wife and children, and free from all anxiety, lie goes to hfs daily toil with the satisfac tion of knowing that the day's labor will bring with it enough to satisfy his wants, and what further can he desire'. He only knows what a notary is by hearsay, and as for 3 o'clock, tho sooner it comes tho near er he will be to the end of his daily toil; The only notes he thinks about are bank notCSf aitd provided tiiat on Saturday night he has enough to lay in his 6toro for the ensuing week, it is immaterial to hiiri whether the Banks grant discounts or not. Ho has no insurance to watch after, nor" docs he care for tho rates of exchange. Td him the present is every thing, nor does hd trouble himself about speculations as to the' future, for he knows that the same kind Providence that has cherished and protected him and his in by-gono days, will continue his fostering care in those' to come The Hit palpable. A few oa'vs since, a traveller stepped into u bank located in a village in the neighborhood of this citw- and immediately after his entrance pulled off his hat, coat and cravat ;' this done ho' cast a look at tho cashier, who was seated in a corner "calm as a summer's morning," and with a ddmmanding shako of his head, said, "Sir, had1 ne you belter be gittin that are water heatedP" Tho Teller informed him that ho was in tho wrong "shop." "You are iri a Bank, sir, not in a barber's shop." "A bank, eh!" ejaculated tho stran gor; "dang me, they told me itwasasiiK vi so shop?' Western Hemispheres