ing to me," said the president, "to enter on the discharge of 1817. these" official "duties at a time when the United States are blessed with peace. It is a state most consistent with their prosperity and happiness. It will be my sincere desire to preserve it, so far as depends on the Executive, on just principles, with all nations-claiming nothing unreasonable of any, and rendering to each what is its due."1 into the Mississippi was erected into a state, and admitted into the Mississippi Union. By the act of admission it is provided, that the public admitted lands, while belonging to the United States, and for five years Union. from the day of sale, shall be exempted from all taxes; and that lands, belonging to the citizens of the United States, residing without the state, shall never be taxed higher than lands belonging to persons residing within the state; and that the river Mississippi, and the navigable rivers and waters leading into it, or into the gulf of Mexico, shall be common highways, and forever free of toll or duty to all the citizens of the United States. In return for this concession, congress has provided, that, after paying a debt to Georgia, and indemnifying certain claimants, five per cent. of the nett proceeds of the public lands, lying within the state, shall be devoted to the making of roads and canals for the benefit of the state. and taken persons. An expedition was undertaken in the summer of this year Amelia Islagainst East Florida by persons claiming to act under the au- possession thority of some of the Spanish colonies. The leader of this of by unexpedition styled himself "Citizen Gregor M'Gregor, brigadier authorized general of the armies of the United Provinces of New Grenada and Venezuela, and general in chief, employed to liberate the provinces of both the Floridas, commissioned by the supreme governments of Mexico and South America." The persons that combined for this purpose took possession of Amelia Island, at the mouth of St. Mary's river, near the boundary of the state of Georgia. The president, apprized of this transaction, ordered an expedition, consisting of naval and land forces, to take possession of Amelia Island. A squadron, under the conmand Taken by of J. D. Henley, captain in the navy, and commander in chief authority of of the Naval Forces of the United States, with troops under the command of James Banhead, major of the first battalion of Artillery of the United States Army, and commanding Military Forces, arrived off Amelia Island on the 22d of December; and the next day took possession of it, hoisting the American flag at Fernandina. The president, in a message to congress relative to the capture of Amelia Island, observed: "In expelling these adventurers from these posts, it was not intended to 1 American State Papers, xi. 323-331. U. States. 1817. make any conquest from Spain, or to injure, in any degree, the cause of the colonies."-" Amelia Island," said the secretary of state, "was taken, not from the possession of Spain, but of those from whom she had been equally incapable of keeping, or of recovering its possession, and who were using it for purposes incompatible with the laws of nations and of the United States."1 Dec. 26. University of Virginia. Alleghany Georgia free schools. Act of parliament. On account of the increasing display of hostile intentions by the Seminola Indians, orders were issued from the government, through the secretary at war, to major general Andrew Jackson at Nashville, Tennessee, to repair to Fort Scott, and assume the immediate command of the forces in that quarter of the southern division. The regular force there, at this time, was about 800 strong, and 1000 militia of the state of Georgia were called into service. General Gaines estimated the strength of the Indians at 2700.2 The University of Virginia was established by an act of the legislature. A literary fund has been created by the state, consisting of monies received from the United States for military services during the late war. The fund before the close of the following year, amounted to 1,114,159 dollars. Of this sum the legislature has appropriated 45,000 dollars to the support of primary schools, and 15,000 to the University.3 Alleghany College, at Meadville, in Pennsylvania, was incorporated by a charter from the legislature; and the Rev. Timothy Alden was inaugurated president.4 The legislature of Georgia appropriated 200,000 dollars for the establishment of free schools throughout the state. An act of parliament was passed, by which British and foreign vessels were allowed to carry passengers from Great Britain and 1 Official documents of President Monroe, and Report of John Q. Adams, Secretary of State, with a list of Papers transmitted with his Report to the President, in American State Papers, vols. xi. and xii.—An establishment, similar to that on Amelia Island, had been previously made by the adventurers at Galvezton, near the mouth of the river Trinity. 2 American State Papers, xii. 356. 3 The University was fixed at Charlottesville. On the 7th of March, 1825, the University was organized under the direction of 7 professors with 49 students. 4 It was founded in 1815, by a number of enterprising and public spirited citizens of Meadville, Crawford county, who raised upwards of 6000 dollars. The state has made appropriations in money to the amount of 11,000 dollars. The Rev. Dr. Bentley, of Salem, Massachusetts, who died in 1819, bequeathed to this College all his classical and theological books, nearly 1000 volumes, among which is a large portion of the best editions of the ancient Fathers, and Greek and Roman classics. James Winthrop, LL.D. of Cambridge, Massachusetts, who died in 1821, after removing the books of a less literary and permanent character, bequeathed to the same Seminary the whole of his Library, consisting of more than 3000 volumes. Isaiah Thomas, LL.D. of Worcester, Massachusetts, made a donation to it of more than 400 volumes of valuable modern, miscellaneous works, with a pair of elegant London made globes. The corner stone of Bentley Hall was laid in 1820. Ireland to the United States, in the proportion of one passenger 1817. only to every five tons.1 A treaty was concluded with the Wyandot and other Indian tribes on the 29th of September. The city of Sandusky, in Ohio, was laid out. The village of Sandusky. Rochester, in the state of New York, was incorporated. The Rochester. first village election for trustees was held on the 1st of May. The first house for public worship was built in Carroll street. The first law, establishing a Canal fund, and directing the N. York canal to be commenced, was passed by the legislature of New Canal. York. The first excavation was begun on the 4th of July. The Delaware Society for promoting American manufactures Manufac was instituted at Wilmington. The Scotch loom, by Gilmore, tuzes. was introduced at the Lyman factory at North Providence. A Professorship of Natural Religion, Moral Philosophy, and Harvard Civil Polity, was established in the University of Cambridge, and College. Levi Frisbie, A. M. was inaugurated Professor.-The foundation of a Professorship of the French and Spanish Languages was laid in the same University, and George Ticknor, A. M. was inaugurated Professor.2 A Professorship of Rhetoric and Oratory was founded in Yale Yale ColCollege, and Chauncey Allen Goodrich, A. M. was inaugurated lege. Professor. A mission was commenced, by the American Board of Com- Brainerd. missioners for Foreign Missions, at Brainerd, in the state of Tennessee, among the Cherokee Indians.3 The corner stone of the first Independent church in Baltimore Baltimore. was laid. The United Foreign Missionary Society was formed by the Missionary General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United Society. States, the General Assembly of the Reformed Dutch Churches, and the General Synod of the Associate Reformed Church. The Academy of Natural Sciences, formed at Philadelphia in 1812, was incorporated. 1 Walsh's Appeal, sect. i. p. 22. British vessels were permitted to convey passengers to other countries, in the proportion of one for every two tons. On the 6th of February, this year, lord Lauderdale said in the House of Peers, that the law interfered to prevent a poor artisan from leaving his country, and transferring his industry elsewhere; and that persons who attempted to export machinery were subjected to capital punishment. Ib. 2 This Professor is styled "Smith Professor," from the late Abiel Smith, Esq. of Boston, who bequeathed 20,000 dollars to the foundation. 3 In 1820, houses for the missionaries, a school house, a ware house, and other buildings had been erected, and a farm of 60 acres brought under cultivation. In 1821, the missionaries had two schools, containing 96 Cherokee children. In 1826, the Cherokee government had established a printing press, which should use both the English and Guess's syllabic alphabet. A newspaper, printed at Newtown, called the Cherokee Phenix, was published by the Cherokees. 1817. Illinois ad the Union. Timothy Dwight died, at New Haven, in the 65th year of his age; Andrew Pickens, John Morgan, and Thaddeus Kosciusko, general officers in the war of the revolution.2 1818. ILLINOIS was admitted into the Union. At the time of its mitted into admission, the government of the United States granted to the state, on certain conditions, one section or thirty-sixth part of every township for the support of schools; and three per cent. of the net proceeds of the United States lands, lying within the 1 Memoir of the Life of President Dwight, prefixed to his "Theology." Memoir in Farmer and Moore's Collections, 1823. The Rev. Dr. Dwight was born at Northampton, in Massachusetts, in 1752, and at a very early period gave uncommon indications of genius and of an aptitude for the acquisition of knowledge. At the age of 13, he entered Yale College, where he was graduated in 1769. In 1771 he was chosen tutor, and he continued 6 years in that office, the duties of which he performed with great reputation. At this early period he wrote the "Conquest of Canaan," which he finished when he was only 22 years of age. In 1777 he was licensed as a preacher, and the same year received the appointment of a chaplain to general Parsons' brigade, and joined the army at West Point. In 1778 he returned to his native town, where he remained five years; employing a portion of his time as an instructor of youth, and occasionally officiating in the pulpit. In 1783 he was settled in the ministry in Greenfield, a parish in the town of Fairfield, Connecticut, where he continued nearly 12 years, highly distinguished as a sound theologian, and an able and eloquent preacher. In 1795 he was chosen to the presidency of Yale College, vacant by the death of president Stiles, and he very ably performed its duties, with little interruption, until his death. Beside an official superintendence of the college, he was the stated preacher, the professor of theology, and the instructor of the senior class. The disease which terminated his life, was attended with excruciating pain, which he endured with exemplary patience and resignation; and he died in peace, sustained by the Christian hope of immortality. His publications were: Election Sermon, 1791; a Sermon on the Genuineness and Authenticity of the New Testament; Two Discourses on the nature and danger of Infidel Philosophy; a Discourse on the character of Washington; a Sermon on the death of Mr. Ebenezer Marsh; on Duelling; on the opening of the Theological Institution in Andover; a Sermon occasioned by the death of governor Trumbull, 1809; the Dignity and Excellence of the Gospel, a Discourse at the Ordination of the Rev. Nathaniel W. Taylor; Fast Sermons; a Sermon before the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions; and other occasional Sermons; Essays, published in the Memoirs of the Connecticut Academy of Sciences; Conquest of Canaan; Greenfield Hill; and, since his death, "Theology; explained and defended in a series of Sermons," 5 volumes, 1818; and "Travels in New England and New York," in 4 volumes, 1821.-See a Review of the Memoir of the Life of President Dwight in the North American Review, vii. 347-364; where the writer says, and proves, "The author of the Memoir has done injustice to the character of his learned predecessor." 2 Major general Pickens was nearly 80 years of age.-General John Morgan was of Morganza, Washington county, in Pennsylvania.-General Kosciusko was born in Lithuania, and was educated at Warsaw. To learn the art of war and of national defence, he came to America, and entered the service of the United States. He remained here until the end of the war, and here merited and obtained the friendship of general Washington, of whom he was the companion in arms. He died at Soleure in Switzerland, aged upwards of 60 years. state, for the encouragement of learning, of which one sixth part 1818. must be exclusively bestowed on a college or university. The constitution provides, that no more slaves shall be introduced into the state.1 President's The president, in a message to the house of representatives, March 25. concerning the occupation of Amelia Island, stated, "that the message project of seizing the Floridas was formed and executed at a about Ametime when it was understood that Spain had resolved to cede lia Island. them to the United States, and to prevent such cession from taking effect. The whole proceeding, in every stage and circumstance, was unlawful. The commission to general M'Gregor was granted at Philadelphia, in direct violation of a positive law, and all the measures pursued under it, by him, in collecting his force, and directing its movements, were equally unlawful." He "never could believe, that the colonial governments of Spain had given their sanction either to the project, in its origin, or to the measures which were pursued in its execution." A college, under the direction of the Baptist denomination, College. was opened at Waterville, by the name of Maine Literary and Theological Institution. General Jackson, with the troops of the United States, took Pensacola. possession of Pensacola in May. An act was passed to provide for the education of children Education. at the public expense, within the city and county of PhiladelCharity Inphia. The corner stone of the Charity Institution in Amherst, stitution. Massachusetts, was laid.2-The Massachusetts General Hospital Hospital. was founded in Boston. Eliot. The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions Mission at established a mission at Eliot among the Choctaw Indians. In the summer of this year, that place was an entire wilderness.- Domestic The Domestic Missionary Society for Massachusetts Proper was Miss. Soc. formed by the General Association of Massachusetts. The Seamen's meeting was opened by the Rev. Dr. Jenks, Seamen's on Central Wharf in Boston.3 1 Morse. In 1817, there were upwards of 16,000,000 acres of land in Illinois, belonging to the United States, obtained by purchase from the Indians. The portion of these lands lying between the Illinois and the Mississippi, has been assigned by congress as bounty lands to the soldiers who enlisted during the late war.-Kaskaskia, the capital of Illinois, was settled upwards of 100 years ago from Lower Canada; and a few years since, about one half of the inhabitants were French. 2 For the classical education of indigent young men of piety and talents, for the Christian ministry. 3 This effect of Christian benevolence was made under the patronage of the 'Boston Society for the religious and moral instruction of the Poor.' The first service was performed in a large Hall at Central Wharf, which has ever since been occupied for the same purpose. Similar efforts were made, about this time, at London, Philadelphia, and New York; and since, at Baltimore and Charleston. meeting. |