Jeffersonian Republican. (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, May 09, 1840, Image 1

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TlIC WHOLE AIIT OF GoVEUNJIEST CONSISTS IN ART OJ" BEING H0NE3 T JeflbrSOll.
C. W. 5e 71U, Publisher
EUchard ffngent, Ei:or
MILFOKD, PIKE COUNTY, PA., SATURDAY, MAY 9, 1840.
No. 16.
VOL. I
JFEFEKSOiN'iA.N REPUBLICAN.
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J III .
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POJGTitY.
For the' Jeflersoniau Republican.
THE AMERICAN CAPTIVE IN ARABIA.
The heavy chill of death is on me now,
Alas '. my aching brain has feverish grown,
And the cold sweat, methinks, stands on my brow,
My friends are gone, and I am all alone!! .
My hungry staiving crew have all expir'd,
And, oh ! how soon they all went one by one,
Insr.ir'd hope in vain their bosoms fir'd
For the decisive work of death was done.
0,that I now would cease from burning thirst,
Or Moses' adamantine Todlhad,
To cause the limped waters forth to burst,
And make my irresolute spirits glad.
But on my God, forsooth, I will rely,
Although a captive thus 1 onward roam,
And think of nought, jvhilst here, but how to die,
Far f rom mv kindreaTand mv native heme.
Westfall, April, 1640.
C. M.
JLires of the Signers of tlic Declara
tion of Independence from Penn
sylvania. CONTINUED.
INTRODUCTION.
Of the 52 Signers of the declaration of In
dependence, Pennsylvania furnished "111 e great
est number, Nine, Virginia sending but Seven,
there wore
" Hubert Mofris-tM2yrs:
Tof Phi
r .i..it,;
rieinamin TVnnklin
70
J Benjamin Rush
30
37
delphia.
beorge Clyner
5 James Wilson
6 John Morton
7 James Smith
8 Geore Ross
31 of Cumberland Co.
54 Chester
GO York
46 Lancaster
9 George Tavlor
60 Northampton
of these Messrs. Morris, Franklin, Wilson &
Morion only were members on the 4th July 1776,
when the great question of Independence was fi
nally decided,the other five having been elected
on the 20th July,in place of Messrs. Dickinson,
I Biddle, Weiiing, Humphries & Allen who con
IsiJered the measure as premature J had uni-
i iormly voted against it, for several vears rre-
uous, though the people of Penn'a. had on all
occasions shown a determination to resist y'ith
firmness eery encroachment on their rights
faml liberties, yet it is not to be denied, there
was a general reluctance to a separation from
the mother country. The colony had always
been peculiarly favored by the British Govern
ment, and had received many marks of its
go)d will her propnelary administration had
been conducted without a shadow of political
I oppression though its history is now and then
disfigured with controversies about the person
s' rights of the descendants of the founder and
tae several privileges granted and reserved bv
tahe charter. Her constitution was liberal in
Ideed democratic to a degree, which existed in
llew ol the other colonies and a large portion of
L i ....
gtuo population, were by habit, prejudice, and re
ligion, ouuitue inclined to measures ot uncom
promising 'iolence. It is true the rash and ar
bitrary pioceedings of the British ministry
Iwere fast wearing away all these bonds of
llfellowship,and Pennsylvania had a spirit not to
iistmd firmly by the other colonies, to support
filiem with her power and to participate in their
1 danger. Accordingly the delegates to the several
; sessions ol the Continental Congress, previous
i to '76 were uniformly instructed to" exert their
utmost endeavors to agree upon and recom-
I mend such measures as they shall judge to af-
loril tne best prospect of attaining a redress of
grievances and restoring that uninon and har
mony so essential to the welfare and prosperi
ty o! both countries'' they added that though
t'lt ";-pressive measures of tbe British Parlia
i ient have compelled us to resist them by force
(.! a-r!. yet " we enjoin you tha in behalf of
t c i!o:iy you dissent from and utterly reject
a y proposition, should such be made, that may
c iw or ten Tto a separation from Great Britain,
or a caane of a form of this government."
Tje evontsofthe winter and spring of '70 had
ho wever produced a great change of sentiment
in the colonyas the intentions of the Mother
Country were developed the people became
more and more covinced of the necessity of se
paration and bogan to prepare more earnestly
for resistance, In June,fresh instances were
.J
given to the delegates in Congress authori
zing them to concur with the other delegates
in adopting all such measures as upon a view
of all circumstances, shall be judged .necessary
for promoting the liberty, safely and interests
of America. These views of the assembly
were in perfect accordance with the wishes
of the people, but owing to the strong reluc
tance which existed among many of the mem
bers of thus producing an irreparable breach,
they were warmly opposed.
This difference of opinion resulted in the
dissolution of the Colonial Legislature which
was succeeded by a temporary body called
a provincial conference, consisting of a com
mittee chosen each county. It met at Phi
ladelphia, I assumed gradually a largo portion
of the legislative powers. They on tho 24th
June-passed a resolution unanimously, expres
sing a willigness that the United Colonies
should be declared free and independent states
Congress proceeded zealously towards the
great end, and after protracted debates elev
en colonies voted for Independence, Pennsyl
vania in the negative, a majority of her dele
gates had not changed their sentiments withtheir
coestitpents, until two absenting themselves
the remainder united (4 to 3) with their asso
ciated fellow members from other colonies.
This was on the eventful 4th Jul-, 1776. a day
never to be forgotten under these circumstances
it became necessary te elect new representatives
to take the place of the five hostile to indepen
dence, &the gentleman above named were chosen
They took their seats on the 20th July and
though they had not the privilege of voting
on the question they were by resolution, allow
ed to record their names on that glorious char
ter of our libertiy when we mention the name
of that great and good man John Dickenson
we give sufficient proof that unmanly fear
wasnot the ca;ise of the opposition of the retir
ed members to Independence. It was a reluc
tance to jeopardize the prosperity of the country
by involving it in a war with a powerful nation
It was " they asserted'' changing the whoh
system of resistance to arbitrary acts, into the
pursuit of ends, that the happiness of lite peo
ple did not require, and if unattended by suc
cess would fix a severe despotism on tne ruins
of liberty, that had been rashly hazarded.
It is rather singular that but three of the
signers wer aauvs fu r, v azua t -41 ,fc e.
iog from Ireland, one from England, one from
Scotland, and one each from Delaware and
Massachusetts.
4th, John Morion, was bom in the County of
Chester (now Delaware) in the year J 724 and
descended from Swedish ancestors his father
died previous to his birth and his widow was
again married to an Englishman named John
Sketchley who regarded his stepson with truly
maternal care. Being a skillful surveyor, he
.1,. .1. ,
i instructed him in that and o'her hrehfi of
I the mathematicks and carefully directed his
education until he was 40 years of ?tgo, John
aiufLuii v.assempioyeu in survey; arid larm
ing. In 1764 he received the commission of
a Justice of the Peace, and was soon after e
lected a member of t".te House of Assembly, of
which he continued for many years an active
and inflnential member and lor a long lime
1.' i 1- - i
Speaker. In 17ti5 he waj, ap;- it4tcd a mem-
berof the celebrated stamp act Ouiigress which
met at N.w York. In 1767 he v. as oieniod
Sheriff of the county of Chester. After the
battle of Lexington, a battalion of oIuntecr.i
formed in his neighborhood chose him for their
Colonel. About this period he was appointed
one of the Judges of the Supreme Court of
Pennsylvania. In 1774 he was elected to the
1st Congress ; he was re-elected to the 2nd
Congress aud took his seat in that body on the
10th of May following. On the 20ih of July,
1776, he was elected for the last time, a mem
ber of the great National Council. On the
question of declaring independence, the delega
tion from Pennsylvania being divided, Mr.
Morton gave his casting vote in the affirmative,
was an act of signal intrepidity, under all the
circumstances of the case, and the mental anx-
iety which he experienced in so novel and sol-!
cum a. situation preyea upon ins peace, and H
confidently said to have hastened his death. In
April, 1777, a violent infiamatory fever remo
ved him from this mortal scene in the 54th
year of his age, He was buried in the ccme
trv of St. James' Church in Chester, of which
he was a member, His character was truly
estimable m private as well as in public life
5lh. Robert Morris. The chief financier of the
Revolution was born in Lancashire, England, '
jttttuai, ni't, ui re5pectanie parentage, IJjs
father embarked for America and caused him
to fojlow, at the age of 13. lie received only
an English education, and before lie renrhmJ
his 15th year, was placed in the counling-hotise !
of Mr. Charles Willing at that time, om of the
itrst merchants ol Philadelphia. Fidelity, dil
igence, and capacity gained him the full confi
dence of Mr. Willing, after whose death he
was taken into partnership; by Ins aon, 'J 'has.
Willing, subsequently President of the U. S.
Bank. This partnership lasted from the year
J 751 unyil 1793, the long period of 39 years.
At the commencement of the revolution, Mr.
Morris was thoro extensively engaged in comr
merce, than any other merchant of Philadelphia.
No one embraced the American cause with
more zeal and firmness, and fen with more in
fluence and risk. He declared Jiimself imme
diately against the stamp act, signed without
hesitation th.c non-importation agreement in
17G.5, and in so doing, the house of Willing and
Morris made a direct and serious sacrifice of
trade. In 1775, Mr. Morris was. appointed b
the Legislature of Pennsylvania one of the sec
ond general Congress. He was"placed on ev
ery committee of Ways and Means, and con
nected with all the deliberations and arrange
ments relative to the navy, maratiine affairs and
financial interest.
Besides aiding his coun'ry Jiy hir, judgment
and talents for business, he burrowed money to
a very large amount, on his personal responsi
bility, for the use of the government. This per
sonal credit, growing out of Lis reputation for
probity, ability and resources,' was wonderful,
and ol incalculable ada:ilago,;to the American
cause. It rarely failed when the treasury yield
ed nothing for tne public exigencies.
In May, 1777,he was elected a third time to
Congress, and continued to be the soul of the
financial concerns. Washington to whom he
was deputed by Congress in that year con
ceived the utmoht faith in his .patriotism and
ability, which all the subsequent events of their
intimate intercourse and the connexion of Mor
ris with public affairs, serveojio perpetuate.
In 17S0, Mr. Morris established a bai'k by
subscription, of which his sitnre was 10,000,
mainly with, the object of supplying the anny
with provisions. It continup until the follow
ing year, when the Bank of North America was
founded. Iiis extensKe commercial and nri-
j vate correspondence with G?eat Britain and the
UoMinent lurmshsu unn, wim early and im
portant political information, ilis constant man
f A - 1 -1
ifestations ot confidence in ve'issue of the rev
olutionary struggle inspired4! h'uiny others with
the same sent intents'. His "whole example did
incalculable service. Feh.:20j 1781, he was
appointed superinTfrnu'tntof finance, and by sub
sequent resolutions of Confrres, vented with
runwrs, which jrsve lam in aci,-thc control of
all the public pecuniary interests. This ardu
ous office he adtnirsildlisciiifd until the end
of the war. " The wholV.fc'jkiness'of finance"
said he "may be comprises in 'two short but
nprisell ii
o a iitaJi.jaii v sen ln c p .s. U i s e t h e nub
lie revenue by such modes as may be most ea
sy, and most equal to me people, and to ex
expend it, in the most frugal, fair and honest
manner." The. condition of the treasury, when
he undertook it; was nearly as bad as possible.
Upon its improvement depended the preserva
tion of the military force. The establishment
ofthe Bankol Nerth America was one of his
first and most beneficial measures'. The notes
of the in.-titution v. ere declared bv Congress
i receivable as gold and silver, for the payment
of ali duties and taxes in each of the U. States.
... o
: Morris furnished the plan, and published it, with
a cogent appeal to tne patriotism 01 all Ameri
can citizens. A cotomporary writer -has re
marked that " the sudden restoration of public
at.d private credit, which took place on the es
tablishment of the bank, was an event as extra
ordinary in itself, as any domestic- occurrence
dtirit i tbe progress of the revolution." At this
I- ., . n
ue, the private foituue of Mr. Morris was am-
ple, but supposed to be much larger than it re
ally Wi.s ; and he rendered this personal credit
subservient to the public good. His advances
at particular times on account of the confeder
acy or of individual Slates, were enormous.
His general situation, and the impossibility of
relieving ait tue wants wnicn wore relerred to
his department, exposed him to slanderous
cnarges, and harsh suspicions, which have in
no instance withstood a lair inquiry, The ne
cessary supplies of every thing required for
Washington's expedition against Cornwallis
were abtaned chiefly by means of Mr. Morris
credit. He issued his own notes to the amount
of one million four hundred thousand dollars,
which were finally all paid. These were the
sinews of war, without vhkh Cornwallis would
not have been captured. The history of the
! dWieuhics which he had to evade or overcome,
and the expedients to which he resorted, in the
course of his financial administration would fill
a volume.
January 24, 1783, Mr. Morris announced to
the President of Congress, his intention to re
sign his office, Nothing but the' public danger
could have induced him to accept it, and, the
danger being past he felt himself at liberty to
escape from excessive toil, and manifold liabili-
ties. He consented however to servo until tlir
12th of May. On the 2d Mav after repea
ted conferences with a Committee of Congroas
he was prevailed upon to continue in office, and
he riidjiot finally leave it until November 1784.
At his reqeuest in May of hat year, Congress
appointed a' board of treasury Commissioners,
who were to " cooperate with and succeed him
in the management of the finances In ren
dering an account of his Ste'ward.shiphe. pub
lished an able address to the inhabitants' of the
United States containing excellent counsel,
tn September 1781, Congress had resolved
that " until an gent of marine" should be ap-pointedjalL-the
dutiesj-powers andoauthorities
assigned to that office should be devolved on
and executed by the Superintchdant of finan
ces." The additional burthen was iiksome to Mr.
Morris no agent was appointed and he was
appointed and he was obliged io administer the
affairs of the many, until the close of the year
1784. His Expansive faculties, his habits of
irder his energy and rigid justice, in the trans
ection of business, enabled him to acquit him
self creditably on this sphere. In 1786, sir.
Morrison consented 10 be elected into the as
sembly of Pennsylvania, in order to obtain the
onewal of the charier of the bank of North
America.
5eiit aii?I Character of Warren.
rty A. H. EVERITT.
Duriug the progress of this famsns
battle, which took pl?ce June 17,
1775, a little incident occurred, in
which Gen. Putnam, and friaj. Small
of the British army, were the par
ties concerned, and which throws
over the various horrors of the scene
a momentary gleam of kindness and.
chivalry. These two officers were
personally known to each other, and
had, in fact, while serving in the for
mer wars against the French, con
tracted a close friendship.
After the fire from the American
works had taken effect, Maj. Small,
like his commander, remained almost
alone upon the field. His compan
ions in arms had been all swept
away, and standing thus apart, he
became immediately, ftom the bril
liancy of his dress, a conspicuous
mark for the Americans within the
redoubt. They had already pointed
their interring rifles at his heart, and
the delay of another moment would
probably have stopped its pulses for
ever. At this moment Gen. Putnam fe-v
cognized his friend, and perceiving
the imminent danger in which he
was placed, sprang upon Uie para
pet, and threw himself before the
levelled rifles. (l Spare that officer,
my gallant comrades,''' said the no
ble minded veteran: "we are friends:
we are brothers: do you not remem
ber how we rushed into each others'
at ms, at the meeting for the exchange
of prisoners?" This appeal, urged
in the well known voice of a favor
ite old chief, was successful, and Ma
jor Small retired unmolested from
the field.
Gen. Warren had come upon the
field; as he said, to learn the art of
war from a veteran soldier. He had
offered to take Col. Prescott's or
ders; but his desperate courage
would hardly permit him immediate
ly to ret'n e. It was not wilhout ex
treme reluctance, and at the very la
test moment, that he quitted the re
doubt: and lie was slowly retreating
from it, being still a few rods dis
tance only, when the British had ob
tained full possession. His person
was of course in imminent danger.
At this critical moment, Major
Small, whose life had ben saved in
a similar emergency by Gen. Putnam
attempted to requite the service by
rendering one of a like character to
Warren. He called out to him by
name from the redoubt, and begged
him to surrender, at the same time
ordering the men around him to sus
pend their fire. Warren turned his
head, as if he recognised his voice,
but the effort was too late. While
his face was directed towards the
works, a ball struck him on the fore
head, and inflicted a wound wkich
was instantly fatal.
Had it been the fortune of War
ren to live out the usual term of ex
istence, he would probably have
passed with distinction through a
high career of usefulness and glory.
His great powers, no longer limited
to the sphere of a single province,
would have directed the councils or
led the armies of a vast confederate
empire. We should have seen him
like his contemporaries and fellow
patriots, Washington and Jefferson,
sustaining the highest magistracies
at home, or securing the rights and
interests of the country in her most?
important embasies abroad; and, at .
length, in declining age, illumina
ting, like them, the whole social
sphere, with the mild splendour of a
long and peaceful retirement. This
destiny was reserved for them for
others.
To Warren, distinguished as he
was, among the bravest, wisest, and
best of the patriotic band, was as
signed in the inscrutable 'decrees of.
Providence, the crown of early mar
tyrdom. It becomes not human frail-"
ty to murmur at the will of Heaven,;
and however painful may be the first
emotions excited in the mind by the
sudden and premature eclipse of so
much talent and virtue, it may, per
haps well be doubted whether, by
any course of active service, in a ci
vil and military department, Gen.
Warren could have rendered more:
essential benefit to the country, or.ftj
the cause of liberty throughout th'e
world, than by the single act of he-,
roic self-devotion which closed his
existence. The blood of martyrs has
been, in all ; ges, the nourishing rain .
of religion andjibertj.
There arcsiany'among the patri-
ots and heroes of the revolutionary
war, whose names are conirtcted"
with a greater number of importmnt
transaetions; whose biography,. cor
respondence and writings, fill more
pages ; and whose names will occu
py a larger space in general history;
but there is hardly one whoscexam
pl will exercise a more inspiring
and elevating influence upon his.
countrymen and the world, than of
the brave, blooming, generous, self
devoted martyr of Bunkers Hill. -
The contemplation of such a char
acter is the noblest spectacle which
the moral world affords. It is de
clared by a poet, to be a spectacle
worthy of the gods. It awakens,
with tenfold force, the purifying
emotions of admiration and tender
ness, which are represented as the
legitimate objects of tragedy.
A death like that of Warren, is,
in fact, the most afTecting and im
pressive catastrophe that can ever
occur, in the splendid tragedy which
is constantly going on around us,
farjmore impressing and interesting,
for those who can enjoy it, than any
of the mimic wonders of the drama
the real action of life. The enno
bling and softening influence of such
events is not confined to cotempora
rie or countrymen. The friends of
liberty, from all countries, and
throughout all time, as they kneel
upon the spot that was moistened by
the blood-of Warren, will find their
better feelings strengthened by the
influence of the place, and will gath
er from it a virtue in some degree
allied to his own.
Rheumatism. A highly respectable
correspondent in Massachusi Its has re
quested us, from motives of philanthropy,
to publish the following receipt for curing
the rheumatism, the efficacy of which he
has witnessed. Ve can only repeat to
the afiheted his words 1 Try it, we do
not think it can do hurin, and it may do
good.
" Takr one gill of alcohol and one gill
of spirit? of turpentine mix them in a
bottle and add one ounce of camphor.
Apply this compound by rubbing thor
oughly with a piece of flannel the part
affected, three nights in succession then
omit three and so on till a cure is affect
ed. It is a powerful medicine, and if it
should affect the stomach, take a small
quantity of brYmdy, ginger tea, or some
thing of ajik& exciting nature"
1.
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