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in the public funds. He was exquisitly delicate in regard to his official character, being determined, if possible, to prevent the impeachment of his motives, and preserve his integrity and good name unimpaired.

In June, 1804, colonel Burr, vice-president of the United States, addressed a letter to general Hamilton, requiring his acknowledgment or denial of the use of an expression, derogatory to the honour of the former. This demand was deemed inadmissable; and a duel was the consequence. After the close of the circuit court, the parties met at Hoboken, on the morning of Wednesday, July the eleventh, and Hamilton fell on the same spot, where his son, a few years before, had fallen, in obedience to the same principle of honour, and in the same violation of the laws of God and of man. He was carried into the city, and being desirous of receiving the sacrament of the Lord's supper, he immediately sent for the Rev. Dr. Mason. As the principles of his church prohibited him from administering the ordinance in private, this minister of the gospel informed general Hamilton, that the sacrament was an exhibition and pledge of the mercies which the Son of God had purchased, and that the absence of the sign did not exclude from the mercies signified, which were accessible to him by faith in their gracious Author. He replied "I am aware of that. It is only as a sign that I wanted it." In the conversation which ensued, he disavowed all intention of taking the life of colonel Burr, and declared his abhor rence of the whole transaction. When the sin of which he had been guilty was intimated to him, he assented with strong emotion; and when the infinite merit of the Redeemer, as the propitiation for sin, the sole ground of our acceptance with God, was suggested, he said with emphasis: "I have a tender reliance on the mercies of the Almighty, through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ."The Rev. Bishop Moore was afterwards sent for, and, after making suitable inquiries of the penitence and faith of general Hamilton, and receiving his assurance that he would never again, if restored to health, be engaged in a similar transaction, but would employ all his influence in society to discountenance the barbarous custom, administered to him the communion. After this his mind was composed. He expired about two

o'clock, on Thursday, July 12, 1804, aged about fortyseven years.

General Hamilton possessed very uncommon powers of mind. To whatever subject he directed his attention, he was able to grasp it; and in whatever he engaged, in that he excelled. So stupendous were his talents, and so patient was his industry, that no investigation presented difficulties which he could not conquer. In the class of men of intellect he held the first rank. His eloquence was of the most interesting kind; and when new exertions were required, he rose in new strength, and touching at his pleasure every string of pity or terror, of indignation or grief, he bent the passions of others to his purpose. At the bar he gained the first eminence. Ibid.

WILLIAM PENN,

An eminent writer among the Quakers, and the planter and legislator of Pennsylvania, was born at London, the 14th of October, 1644. In 1660, he was entered a gentleman commoner of Christ Church, in Oxford, where, having before received an impression from the preaching of one Thomas Loe, a Quaker, withdrew, with some other students, from the national worship, and held private meetings, for prayer and preaching. This gave great offence to the heads of the colleges, and Mr. Penn, though but 16 years of age, was fined for non-conformity, and still continuing his religious exercises, was at length expelled his college. Upon his return home, he was, for the same reason, treated with great severity by his father, who at last turned him out of doors: but his resentment abating, he sent him to France, with some persons of quality, where he continued a considerable time, and returned not only well skilled in the French language, but a polite and accomplished gentleman. About the year 1666, his father committed to his care a considerable estate in Ireland; but being found in one of the Quaker meetings in Cork, he with many others, was thrown into prison, but on his writing to the earl of Orrery, was soon discharged. However his father being informed of this, sent for him to England, and finding him N

inflexible to all his arguments, turned him out of doors a second time. About 1668, he became a public preacher among the Quakers, and that year was committed close prisoner to the Tower, where he wrote several treatises, and being discharged after seven months imprisonment, went to Ireland, where he also preached amongst the Quakers. Returning to England, he was, in 1670, committed to Newgate, for preaching in Grace Church-Street meeting-house, London, but being tried at the sessionshouse in the Old Bailey, he was acquitted. On the 16th of September, the same year, his father, who was then perfectly reconciled to him, died, and left him a plentiful fortune; but his persecutions were not yet at an end; for the 5th of February, 1671, he was committed to Newgate, for preaching at a meeting in Wheeler-Street, London, and during his imprisonment, which lasted six months, he wrote several treatises. After his discharge, he went into Holland and Germany; and, in 1672, married, and settled with his family at Rickmansworth, in Hartfordshire. The same year he published several pieces, and particularly one against Reeve and Muggleton.

In 1677, he again travelled into Holland and Germany, to propagate his opinions. In 1681, Charles II. in consideration of the several debts due from the crown, to Mr. Penn's family, granted him and his heirs the province lying on the west side of the river Delaware, which from thence obtained the name of Pennsylvania; upon which Mr. Penn published a brief account of that province, with the kings patent, and proposing an easy purchase of lands, and good terms of settlement, for such as were inclined to remove thither; many came over, when he appointed commissioners to purchase the land he had received from the king, of the native Indians, and concluded a peace with them. The city of Philadelphia was planned and built; and he himself drew up the fundamental constitutions of Pennsylvania in twenty-four articles. In 1681 he was elected a member of the_Royal Society; and the next year embarked for Pennsylvania, where he continued about two years, and then returned to England. Upon the accession of king James to the throne, he was taken into great favour with his majesty, which exposed him to the imputation of being a papist; and Dr. Tillotson, among others, having entertained a

suspicion of him, Mr. Penn, fully vindicated himself; however, upon the revolution, he was examined before the council, in December, 1688, and obliged to give security on the first day of term, which was afterwards continued. He was several times discharged and examined; and at length warrants being issued out against him, he was obliged to conceal himself for two or three years; however, being at last permitted to appear before the king and council, he represented his innocence so effectually that he was acquitted.

In 1699, he, with his wife and family, embarked for Pennsylvania, whence he returned in 1701, in order to vindicate his proprietary right, which was attacked during his absence.

Upon queen Anne's accession to the crown, he was in great favour with her; but, in 1707, he was involved in a law-suit with the executors of a person who had formerly been his steward: but though he was generally thought to be aggrieved, the court of chancery did not think proper to relieve him, in consequence of which, he was obliged to live within the rules of the fleet for several months, till the matter in dispute was accommodated. He died, at his seat, at Troyford, in Buckinghamshire, 30th of July, 1718, in the 74th year of his age. Mr. Penn's generous and pacific spirit, joined to his great abilities, deservedly procured him respect from the most distinguished persons, and made him universally beloved. Ibid.

Sketch of the life of Major General Arthur St. Clair, by Gen. Wilkinson.

I REMAINED with the brigade on Mount Independence, until the beginning of September, when brigadier-general de Roche Fermoy took command of it, and I was transferred to that able, but unfortunate officer, General St. Clair, to whose instruction I am much indebted for my principles of service and knowledge of details. He had been introduced at an early age, into the Royal American or 60th British regiment, and during the seven years' war, had seen a great deal of active service under dis

tinguished commanders. He served at the taking of Louisburg under General Amherst, and the next campaign carried a pair of colours on the plains of Abraham, the day General Wolfe bartered his life for deathless renown. The native ingenuity, liberal education, literary taste, and polished address of Ensign St. Clair, could not escape the observation of the conqueror of Canada, and his able coadjutors, Morcton, Townshend, and Murray; and the circumstance of their attentions, enlarged his sphere of information, and gave scope to his genius and dispositions. After the peace of '63, he sold out and entered into trade, for which the generosity of his nature utterly disqualified him; he, of course, soon became disgusted with a profitless pursuit, and, having married, after several vicissitudes of fortune, he located himself in Ligonier valley, west of the Allegheny mountain, and near the ancient route from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. In this situation the American revolution found him, surrounded by a rising family, in the enjoyment of ease and independence, with the fairest prospects of affluent fortune, the foundation of which had been already established by his diligence, industry, and enterprize. From this peaceful abode, these sweet domestic enjoyments, and the flattering prospects which accompanied them, he was drawn by the claims of a troubled country. A man known to have been a military officer, and distinguished for knowledge and integrity, could not, in those times, be concealed even by his favourite mountains, and therefore, without application or expectation on his part, he receiv ed the commission of a colonel in the month of December, 1775, together with a letter from President Hancoc', pressing him to repair immediately to Philadelphia. He obeyed the suminons, and took leave not only of his wife and children, but in effect, of his fortune, to embark in the cause of liberty and the united colonies. In six weeks he completed the levy of a regiment of 750 men; six companies of which marched in time to join our troops before Quebec; he followed with the other four in May, and after the unlucky affair at Three Rivers, by his counsel to General Sullivan at Sorel, he saved the army we had in Canada. Subsequently to these events, he rose to the rank of major-general, and was honoured with the confidence and friendship of General Washington to the day of his death. At Trenton he saved the army by

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