able and brilliant soldiers who came to this country under similar circumstances as those above mentioned did noble service on the battle-fields of the union during the war in the United States, and also how immense the flocks of immigrants who were thrown upon our shores as participants in the strife of 1848, and who, by their intelligence and industry, beautified and enriched our fields and rendered most essential aid in the building up of our industries. This article may show to a limited extent how largely the American intellect evinced in letters and politics was augmented by these German exiles. Nor may it be amiss to add in conclusion that earnest study and profound learning were at all times largely represented by the German immigrants of previous periods. We read in the history of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, that the students of Harvard were surprised at finding among the early German immigrants so many profound Latin scholars, who spoke the Latin as fluently as their own native language. Dr. Kuntze, in the last century, was praised by the American scholars as the founder of Hebrew and oriental philology in America. Father Otterbein was a Protestant divine who came to America about the year 1752, at the age of twenty-six, and died at Baltimore in the year 1813. "Is Father Otterbein dead?" exclaimed Bishop Ashburton upon hearing of his demise. "Great and good man of God! Honor to his church and his country! He was one of the greatest scholars and theologians who ever came to this country or was born here." On the death of John Schwartz, a representative in congress from Pennsylvania, Charles Sumner said: "The brave and pure German stock, which, from that early day when first revealed to history in the sharp and clean-cut style of Tacitus, has preserved its original peculiarities untouched by change, showing that though the individual is mortal the race is immortal. We cannot forget the 'Fatherland' which out of its abundance has given to our republic so many good heads, so many strong arms, with so much of virtue and intelligence, rejoicing in freedom and calling no man master."

RESULTS OF KEEPING A SECRET

When Zebulon M. Pike was in New Mexico in 1807 he met at Santa Fé a carpenter, Pursley by name, from Bardstown, Kentucky, who was working at his trade there because he could not well get away. He had, in 1802, while out on the plains hunting, met with a series of misfortunes, and found himself, in 1804 or 1805, with a hunting party near the mountains. The hostile Sioux of the plains drove them into the high ground in the rear of Pike's Peak. Near the headwaters of "La Platte river" Pursley found some gold. He carried a little of it in his shot-pouch for months. He was finally sent by his companions to Santa Fé to see if they could trade with the Spaniards, and chose to remain at Santa Fé in preference to returning to the hunting-party.

He told the Spaniards about the gold he had found, and they tried very hard to persuade him to go and show them the place. They even offered to take along a strong force of cavalry. But Pursley refused, and his patriotic reason was that he thought the land was on United States territory. He told Lieutenant Pike that he feared they would not allow him to leave Santa Fé, as they still hoped to learn from him where the gold was to be found.

These facts were published by Lieutenant Pike soon after his return, but no one took the hint, or the risk was too great, and thus more than half a century passed before those same rich fields of gold were found and opened to the world. If Pursley had been somewhat less patriotic, and had guided the Spaniards to the treasures, the whole history and condition of the western part of our continent might have been entirely different from what it now is. That region would doubtless have been a part of Mexico; or Spain might have been in possession of it, owning California, and, with the gold that would have poured into her coffers, have been the leading nation in European affairs to-day. We can easily see how American and European history in the nineteenth century might have been changed if that adventurer from Kentucky had not been a true lover of his native country. All honor to Pursley! If I knew where he was buried I would feel like making a pilgrimage to his grave. He ought to have a monument, simply because he kept that secret so well.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

R.J. Cross.

SLAVERY IN CONNECTICUT

The colonial records of Connecticut contain frequent references to existing customs, and preserve many acts of the general assembly concerning slaves. In October, 1690, it was ordered that runaway negroes be returned to their owners, and no negro was to be ferried across a stream without a certificate.

When slaves became old it was customary to give them their freedom, and, that they might not suffer in their old age, the court, in May, 1702, ordered that " every servant shall be maintained by the person to whom said servant belonged." By an act of 1708, turbulent slaves were ordered to be whipped, not exceeding thirty stripes for one offense. To prevent disorder, the law of 1723 provided that no slave or Indian servant was to be abroad after nine o'clock in the evening, without special permission from his master. Any one so found must be "publicly whipped" on his naked body ten stripes, unless his master paid twenty shillings for his rescue from the penalty.

In 1730, slaves were whipped for slander, not exceeding forty stripes, and were to be sold to pay charges, unless redeemed by master or mistress. The slave was to be allowed to make his own defense at his trial the same as a white person. Efforts were repeatedly made by the colonists to check the importation of slaves. At a meeting of the "council of safety,” in Hartford, January, 1708-9, an answer was given to an inquiry of the lords of trade, relative to the African trade for negroes; in which the council reported that there were but few negroes in this government, and that "they were supplied from the neighboring governments, save that sometimes half a dozen a year may be imported from the West Indies. None have ever been imported by the Royal African Company or separate traders."*

In 1715 it was forbidden by the general court to import "Carolina Indians as slaves, lest they should be injurious to the colonies. The general assembly of Connecticut passed an act in 1774, as follows: "Whereas the increase of slaves in this colony is injurious to the poor, and inconvenient: Be it enacted by the governor, council, and representatives in the general court assembled, and by authority of the same: That no Indian, negro, or mulatto slaves shall at any time hereafter be brought *Colonial Records of Connecticut, Vol. XV., p. 557.

or imported into the colony by sea or land, from any place or places whatsoever, to be disposed of, left, or sold within this colony."

If slaves were bought or sold contrary to this act, the violators of the law were to pay the treasurer of the colony one hundred pounds lawful Yet slaves were sold, though probably not imported, after this legislative act of 1774. The following bill of sale of a negro slave, now in possession of the Historical Society of Westport, explains itself :

"Know all men by these presents that we, Ebenezer Jesup & Abigail Meeker both of the Town & County of Fairfield & State of Connecticut, and administrators upon the estate of Daniel Meeker, late of said Fairfield, deceased, for the consideration of Fifty Six Pounds, lawful money, received to our full satisfaction of Ebenezer Coley of said Fairfield, have & do by these presents bargain, sell, & convey unto him ye said Ebenezer Coley, & to his heirs & assigns forever, a certain Negro Boy name Prince, about ten years of age, with ye sd Coley to live, & him to serve in yo capacity of a slave during ye whole term of his natural life; and furthermore we the s Ebenezer and Abigail do for ourselves, heirs & executors & administrators, covenant with him ye sd Coley, his heirs and assigns, that, until the ensealing of these Presents, we are as well seized of yo so servant, & have as good right to bargain & sell him as the said Meeker in his lifetime had, and will so far forever warrant and defend him to said Coley, his heirs and assigns, against all claims & demands whatsoever. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands & seal this 15th day of February A. D. 1785.

In presence of

David Beers,

Samuel Meeker.

Ebenezer Jesup, [seal]
Abigail Meeker. [seal]"

Local newspapers, seventy-five years ago, furnished some curious advertisements. Here is one taken from the New York Spectator for April, 1814:

"RUNAWAY NEGROES!

Sixty Dollars Reward.

Ranaway from the subscriber, from Flat Lands, King's Co. Long Island, on Monday the 7th ultimo, a Negro Man & his Wife; named Will & Sue, & three children, all of very yellowish complexion. The man is five feet high, middling thick set, with a scar on his right shin-his wife is about the same height, rather thin, she has longish hair, and has lost two of her front teeth; it is impossible to describe their clothing, they had

such a quantity-the eldest of the children is a girl about seven years of age; the second is four; and the youngest two years old. Whoever will return them to their masters, or leave them at the City Prison in New York, shall receive the above reward. All masters of vessels and others are forbid harboring or employing the said Runaways, at their peril.

Johannes Remsen,
John Schenck."

Here is another from Greenwich, Connecticut, a year later, dated June 15, 1813:

66

Ranaway, from the Subscriber on the ninth inst., a negro man named James, nearly 18 years of age and about 5 feet 10 in. high: took with him at the time a brown cloth coatee & pantaloons a light figured cotton vest and tow cloth frock and trousers. He is marked by a scar obliquely across the ridge of his nose with others on his feet, particularly a large one on his left foot just back of the small toe, occasioned by the cut of an axe, which causes it to be stiffened. All persons are hereby cautioned not to harbor said runaway: and whoever will give information of him so that he can be obtained by the subscriber (to whom he is bound until he is 21 years of age,) shall be liberally rewarded.

Blatt Buffett."

These advertisements bring the slave and his master before us at a comparatively late day, and some of the present generation in Connecticut can remember the old negro servants who spent their early life in slavery.

WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT.

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James & Coby,