from Wilmington, fifty-two north-northwest from Dover, and one hundred and thirteen north-northeast from Washington. It contains three churches, the college, an academy, and about eight hundred inhabitants. Delaware College is situated in this town. It was founded in the year 1833, and received an endowment of $100,000 from the state. It has a president, four professors, one tutor, and about fifty students. The first building of the college was erected in 1833, for eighty students, since which time it has been doubled in size. The centre is three stories high, with a basement, and the wings three stories; whole front, one hundred and eighty feet. 1 NEWCASTLE. This town, the former capital of the state, is situated on the west side of Delaware river, and is the site of the old Dutch fort Casimir, and of the village of Nieu Amstel, or NewAmsterdam, founded by the Hollanders. The public buildings are the courthouse, townhouse, arsenal, five churches, the academy, and the public library containing four thousand volumes. The population is about three thousand two hundred. LEWES, On Delaware bay, is a posttown in Sussex county, one hundred iles northeast-by-east from Washington. It is one of the early settlements, and its appearance is that of antiquity, the houses being old and shingled with cedar. The Ocean House, in this town, is a respectable hotel, for the accommodation of pleasure-parties, often visiting the place. DELAWARE CITY.-The town is situated on Delaware river, at the beginning of the Chesapeake and Delaware canal. It is thirty-two miles north from Dover, and opposite Peapatch island, on which is situated Fort Delaware. about four hundred inhabitants, a courthouse, an academy, a bank, &c. There is a communication three times a week with Wilmington by stagecoaches. Delaware, in several respects, bears a resemblance to the other two of the smallest states, Rhode Island and New Jersey: lying on the main route of travel and transportation near the Atlantic border, and deriving only a secondary advantage from the vast quantities of merchandise which annually pass through it on the way from larger states adjoining: yet, availing herself of the facilities which nature has afforded her in her narrow territory, she provides employment for the streams as they pour over her rocks, and use for her navigable waters. The chief of the latter is Delaware bay, which is the scene of an immense amount of trade, chiefly with Philadelphia, and much of it in coal. The channels are unfortunately winding and difficult. The County of Newcastle, which embraces the northern part of the state, is bounded north by Delaware county in Pennsylvania, east by Delaware river which separates it from Salem county (N. J.), south by Kent county in Delaware, southwest by Kent county in Maryland, west by Cecil county in Maryland, northwest by Chester county in Pennsylvania. It is thirty-eight miles long from north to south, and twelve miles mean breadth, with an area of four hundred and fifty-six square miles. The county lies between latitude 29° 18' and 30° 50′, and between longitude 1o 17' and 1° 38′ east from Washington. The boundary between Delaware and Maryland lies along the ridge of land which divides the waters of the Chesapeake from those of the Delaware; and hence, as might be presumed, Newcastle county has a gentle slope from west to east. MILFORD, Sixty-eight miles from Wil- Brandywine creek, with its various mington, stands on Mispillion creek. It branches, drains the northern part of has three academies and two churches, the county, and, flowing almost to Wiland contains about nine hundred inhab-mington, falls into the Delaware. Beitants. GEORGETOWN is eighty-eight miles from Wilmington, and near the headstreams of Indian river. It contains low this stream are the Apoquinimink, Blackbird, and Duck creeks, the last of which forms the boundary of Kent county. In this county is that part of Among the men distinguished in the the Chesapeake and Delaware canal eral creeks into Delaware bay, east the which we have noticed elsewhere. It tributaries of Rehoboth bay, south those extends to Elk river, a tributary of the of Pocomoke, and southwest those of Chesapeake. The principal excavation Nanticoke. on the route is three and a half miles in length, and at the deepest part seventy-revolutionary periods of the history of six and a half feet. this state was Cæsar Rodney; and some of the most interesting events connected with the important circumstances of those times may be here appropriately introduced, in an outline of his biography. Some of the lower parts of Newcastle county, near the Delaware, are low and marshy; but at some distance the surface becomes irregular and even hilly in the north. The soil is generally fertile, and produces grain, grass, and fruit. The tributaries of the Brandywine have so much descent as to afford many good mill-seats; and various manufactories are carried on in the interior of the county. His grandfather came to this country from England in the days of Penn, and, after a short residence in Pennsylvania, settled in Kent county (Delaware). His youngest son, Cæsar, inherited his estate, which was large, and married the Kent County is bounded on the north daughter of the Rev. Thomas Crawford, by Newcastle county, on the east by who is said to have been the first clergyDelaware river, on the south by Sussex man in that part of the country. Cæsar county, and on the west by three coun-Rodney, the subject of the present ties of Maryland, viz.: Caroline, Queen sketch-a distinguished statesman of Ann, and Sussex. It lies between lati- Delaware, and one of the signers of the tude 38° 50′ and 39° 20', and between | Declaration of Independence-was born longitude 1° 18′ and 1° 50′ east from about the year 1730, and, according to Washington. Nearly the whole surface the law of entailment then existing in of this county has a slope east toward that state, became heir of the family Delaware bay, and here are the follow-estate. At the age of twenty-eight, he ing creeks, viz.: Mispillion, Motherkill, was appointed high sheriff of the county Jones's, and the two Duck creeks. A of Kent, after which he was a justice small part of the western border slopes of the peace and judge of the inferior westward, and is watered by the head-courts. springs of the Choptank and Nanticoke There are no records of the legislature rivers. The surface is but slightly va-of Delaware in existence, of an earlier ried, and the soil of middling quality. The length of the county is thirty-two miles, the mean breadth twenty, and the area six hundred and forty square miles. Sussex County is bounded north by Kent county, northeast by Delaware bay, east by the Atlantic ocean, south by Worcester county (Md.), southwest by Somerset county (Md.), west by Dorchester county (Md.), and northwest by In the time of the stamp-act, much Caroline county (Md.) It is thirty-five excitement was caused in Delaware; miles long from east to west, the mean and in 1763 the members of the assembreadth twenty-five, and the area eight bly held a meeting, during the recess hundred and seventy-five square miles. of the chamber, and appointed delegates It lies between latitude 38° 27′ and to attend a congress at New York, for 38° 58', and longitude 1o 14' and 1° 58' consultation on measures to be taken east. Most of the county is table-land, for the general good of the colonies. with some parts marshy; and streams They unanimously appointed Messrs. flow from it toward all the points of the Rodney, M'Kean, and Kollock, and the compass. From the northeast flow sev-speaker gave them explicit instructions. date than 1762, and therefore it has been found impossible to ascertain when Mr. Rodney commenced his career as a legislator. He was a representative for his native county at that time, and was one of the most prominent members, being appointed as a colleague with Mr. M'Kean, to transact some business of importance with the government. The delegates attended, and, after their | received the appointment of brigadierreturn, received a unanimous expres- general of Delaware, and not long aftersion of thanks for their services. From ward appeared in the field, at the time that period until the close of the war, of an invasion of the territory. Mr. Rodney, with his two associates first named, continued to be the most conspicuous and influential men in Delaware, in opposing the policy of Great Britain, and in sustaining the cause of America. Several circumstances rendered their situation very difficult and dangerous. The country was exposed to invasion, especially by the ships of the enemy, and a large proportion of the people were either favorable to the British government or undecided in their preference for the American. Among other creditable exertions made by him in the legislature of Delaware, he introduced an amendment into a bill, designed to prohibit the slave-trade, which was lost by only two votes. An attack of cancer in the cheek compelled him to seek medical aid by a residence in Philadelphia, after he had abandoned a previous design of going to Europe. He was made speaker of the house of assembly in 1769, and held that office several years; and he also performed the duties of chairman of the committee of correspondence, formed to promote harmony of views and action throughout the country. Though the presence of Mr. Rodney was deemed highly necessary at home, in the midst of the important and trying scenes of the day, he was present in congress at the time when the question of independence was decided, and was one of its most ardent advocates. On his return, his conduct again received the approbation of the legislature. In the autumn of that year (1776), however, by the exertions of his opponents, his reëlection to congress was defeated, as well as that of Mr. M'Kean; and he spent the succeeding year at home, attending to his private affairs and to the duties of the committees of inspection and of safety, to which he belonged. Colonel Haslet, who belonged to his brigade, having fallen at the battle of Princeton, General Rodney set out to join the Delaware troops in New Jersey, but on his way was ordered by Lord Stirling to remain at Princeton to forward troops to the army; after the performance of which duties he was permitted to return home, by a highly complimentary letter from General Washington. He was then appointed a judge of the supreme court, under the constitution of Delaware, which he declined; and was soon after called into the field to quell an insurrection in the county of Sussex. On the 1st of August, 1774, an assembly of delegates met at Newcastle, in compliance with an invitation sent by him, as speaker of the house of delegates, to determine what measures to adopt in the existing crisis; he was The invasion by the British army a chosen chairman of the meeting; and little later again occupied him, and he then, in company with Messrs. M'Kean marched with the militia of his county, and Read, was appointed to constitute and stationed himself south of the Amerthe Delaware delegation to the Ameri-ican line, at the command of Washingcan congress at Philadelphia. He took his seat in that body on the fifth of September, and the next day was made a member of the grand committee, whose business it was to state what were the rights of the colonies, and when and how they had been violated. The conduct of the Delaware delegation received the unanimous approval of their legislature on their return, and Mr. Rodney was appointed a delegate to the succeeding congress. He soon after year 1783. ton, to intercept the way between the enemy and their fleet. But his raw troops, in a few hours, returned to their homes in spite of his efforts. After this he was elected governor of the state, and held the office four years, although the fluctuations of parties were frequent and strong. After that period he declined public offices, as his health had become greatly impaired; and he fell a victim of the cancer early in the The following extract from the pre-servations of intelligent physicians; to amble to the constitution of the Medical confer honorary rewards on the efforts society of Delaware, published in 1789, of genius and industry; to superintend is interesting on account of its early date : "The physicians of the Delaware state had long regretted their unconnected situation. Despairing to obtain some of the most important objects of their profession while thus detached from one another, and convinced that experience has uniformly attested the advantages of literary association, they lately presented a memorial to the honorable legislature on that subject. Af ter duly considering the application, the general assembly, for the liberal purpose of fostering the interest of science, granted a charter of incorporation to a number of the said physicians and their successors for ever, and the name and style of the president and fellows of the medical society of the Delaware state.' the education of medical students, and connect with the elements of medicine an adequate knowledge of all the kindred and subservient sciences; to enlarge our sources of knowledge, by imparting and disseminating the discoveries and publications of foreign countries; to correspond with learned societies and individuals; to appoint stated times for literary intercourse and communications; to cultivate harmony and liberality among the practitioners of medicine; and, finally, to promote regularity and uniformity in the practice of physic." A quorum of the fellows of the society having assembled at Dover on Tuesday, May 12, 1789, the constitution was adopted, and the following officers were appointed : James Tilton, M. D., president. censors. Edward Miller, M. D., secretary. The following brief but honorable remarks on the condition and prospects of Delaware, were published in the American Museum, in 1789, under the head of an Epitome of the present "The object of this society is to animate and unite its respective members in the arduous work of cultivating the science of medicine, and its auxiliary branches; with an especial view to its practical use, the alleviating of human misery, the diminution of mortality, and the cure of diseases. To accomplish this interesting purpose, they will direct their endeavors to investigate the endemical diseases of our country; to trace their effects on its aboriginal in-state of the Union :habitants, and the successive changes "Delaware, ninety-two miles in length they have undergone, in the progress and twenty three broad by a census in of society from rudeness to refinement; 1790, contained fifty nine thousand to remark the general operations of po- inhabitants. This state, though circumlitical, moral, and natural causes on the scribed in its limits, derives great imhuman body and its diseases; and, par-portance from its rank in the Union. ticularly, observe and record the effects of different seasons, climates, and situations, and the changes produced in diseases by the progress of science, commerce, agriculture, arts, population, and manners; to explore the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms, and every accessible department of nature, in search of the means of enriching and simplifying our materia medica; to extend the substitution of our indigenous for exotic remedies; to rescue from oblivion, and collect for public view, the fugitive ob Attached to the new constitution, and having the honor to take the lead in its adoption, there is no doubt of its giving efficacy to its righteous administration." This state is, as we have before remarked, the smallest in the Union with respect to population; and also in territory excepting Rhode Island. According to the last census, the population of Delaware was 91,407; that of Rhode Island 147,543. The area of Delaware is 2,120 square miles; that of Rhode Island, 1,360 square miles. |