History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps & Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve

Front matter

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Preface

In the month of September last, the author published " The Pioneer History of Phelps and Gorhatn's Purchase — Monroe" — announcing in the preface that he would follow it up with a similar volume for each of the counties of Ontario, Wayne, Yates, Livingston and Allegany. The plan contemplated the use, in each case, of the same main body of the work, and the addition of a Supplement having especial reference to the county for which it was designed. In other words, in addition to what was contained in the body of the work, an hundred pages of matter for each county. The volume now presented is a departure from that plan.

To justify a seeming infirmity of purpose, it needs only to be stated that the experiment made with one county has fully demonstrated that the plan of publishing announced would involve an amount of expense which no prospective sales would justify. Necessity, the guarding against a loss which seemed likely to accrue from carrying out a plan that promised greater success than the sale of the published volume would indicate, has not only dictated the change, but upon the score of prudence, made it imperative.

The volume now presented is the general History of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase and Morris' Reserve, to which is added, a Supplement of nearly an hundred pages, embracing an extension of Pioneer events in what is now the counties of Ontario, Wayne, Yates, Livingston, Allegany and some of the eastern towns of Wyoming ; — local events and the influences of the war of 1812 ; and the crowning event of local prosperity, the completion of the Erie Canal.

The general plan of the volume as now presented will hardly be misunderstood by its readers . — It is a history of the Pioneer, or first settlement, of that portion of the Genesee Country embraced in the purchase of Oliver Phelps and Nathaniel Gorham, of the State of Massachusetts and the Seneca Indians, and of that portion purchased by Robert Morris, which he reserved in his sale to the Holland Company. The boundaries of the region embraced are indicated in the title page, and are more clearly defined in the body of the work. It is the eastern, and nearly the one half of what constitutes, properly, Western New York ; its eastern boundary being the Massachusetts line of pre-emption. . -

The work commences with the advent of the French upon the St. Lawrence, and traces their progress to this region, and along the shores of the Western Lakes to the Mississippi ; briefly recognizing the prominent events that followed under English and French dominion.

Enough of colonial history has been embraced — that which tended in this direction — to make such an induction to the main design of the work, as would secure an unbroken chain, or chronology of events, commencing with the landing of the French upon the St. Lawrence, and continued through the period of French and English occupancy. As all this was but incidental, it has been, generally, briefly disposed of, for the author was admonished that his space would be required when he had entered upon a less beaten track. Yet he may venture to anticipate that even the student of

X PREFACE.

history, -will find something of interest in this precedent portion of the work ; for it is not wholly an explored field, and each new gleaner may bring something from it to add to the common stock of histoiical knowledge.

It was the original design of the author to incorporate in the work, something of the history of our immediate predecessors, the Senecas. It was mainly abandoned however, on learning that a local author, quite competent for the task, (as his now published work bears witness,) was preparing for the press, a work which would embrace much of interest in their history.* Much of them, however, will be found scattered throughout a large portion of the work, and a separate chapter is appropriated to them, from the pen of a native, and resident of the Genesee Valley — a scholar aid a poet, whose fame has gone out far beyond his home, and conferred credit upon its literature. t 5^° See chapter II, Part I.

The colonial period passed, — the local events of the Revolution briefly disposed of; — Indian treaties, commencing under the administration of George Clinton — the almost interminable difficulties in which the State and individual purchasers were involved in with the Lessees, — the slow advance of settlement in this direction — are subjects next in order. Much of all this has been drawn from authentic records, and did not previously exist in any connected printed form.

The miin subject reached — settlement of the Genesee country commenced — a general plan of narrative, somewhat novel in its character, was adopted : — History, and brief personal Biography, have been in a great measure blended. This has vastly increased the labor of the work, but it is hoped it will be found to have added to its interest. It will readily be inferred that it involved the necessity of selecting the most prominent of the Pioneers in each locality — those with whom coftld be blended most of the Pioneer events. In almost every locality there has been regretted omissions ; a failure to recognize all who should have been noticed. This has been partly the result of necessity, but oftener the neglect of those who had promised to furnish the required information. "While the work contains more of names and sketches of personal history, than are to be found in any other local annals that have been published in our country, there are hundreds of Pioneer names reluctantly omitted.

In all that relates to early difficulties with the Indians ; to threatened renewals of the Border Wars, after the settlement of the country commenced, the author has been fortunate in the possession of authentic records, heretofore neglected, which gives to the subjects a new and enhanced interest The accounts of the treaties of Messrs. Pickering and Chafin, with the Indians, are mostly derived from official correspondence ; while most of what relates to the councils held with them to obtain land cessions, west of the Seneca Lake, are derived from the manuscripts of Oliver Phelps and Thomas Morris, the principal actors in the scenes.

The author cannot but conclude, that poorly as the task may have been executed, it has been undertaken at a fortunate period. More than one half of this volume is made up from the reminiscences, the fading memories, of the living actors in the scenes described and the events related. No less than eleven, who, within the last fifteen months, have rendered in this way, essential service, — without whose assistance the work must have been far more imperfect — are either in their graves, or their memories are wholly impaired.

The thanks of the author are especially due to Henry 0'Rieii.y, for the use of val-

* " League of the Iroquois," by Lewis II. Morgan, Esq., of Rochester. t "W. H. C. Hosmer. Esq., of Avon.

PEEFACE. XI

uable papers collected with reference to continuing some historical researches, he had so well commenced ; to James H. Woods, for the use of papers of Ciias. Williamson ; to Oliver Phelps and James S. Wadsworth, for the use of papers in their possession, as the representatives of Oliver Phelps and James Wadsworth ; to John Greig and Joseph Fellows, for access to papers in their respective land offices ; and especially to the former, for the essential materials in his possession as the representative of Israel Ohapin, and his son and successor, Israel Chapin ; to Philip Church, for the assistance which is indicated both in the body of the work and in the Appendix ; to the managers of the Rochester Athenaeum, for the free access to their valuable Librarv; to C. C. Clarke, of Albany, and S. B. Buckley, of Yates, for valuable contributions ; to Joseph Sibley, of Rush, and Samuel De Veaux, of Niagara Falls, for their recollections of the War of 1812 ; to John H. Jones, Donald D. M'Kenzie, Robert M'Kay, Angus Cameron, Oliver Blackmer, Samuel King, George Hosmer, Byram Green Wm. H. Adams, R. G. Pardee, Levi Smith, Elias Cost, Dr. E. B. Woodworth, James D. Bemis, and others, most of whose assistance is recognized in the body of the work, for material aid.

The historical works which have been essential to the authors purposes, other than those duly credited, are : — Conquest of Canada, Mary Jemison, or the White Woman, History of Schoharie, or the Border Wars, History of Onondaga, O'Rielly's History of Rochester.

There are no illustrations ; partly because they are not essential to History, but mainly because they enhance the cost beyond what the sales of any local work will warrant The leading object has been to furnish a large amount of reading matter, in a plain, neat, and substantial dress, at a low price.

With some few exceptions, the county of Steuben is ommitted. In an early stage of the preparation of the work the author was apprized that a history of that county was about to be published.

2^° Errors in names, in dates, in reference to events, will undoubtedly be discovered. Depending upon memories often infirm one disagreeing with another, labor, research, for weeks and months, could not wholly guard against them.

The publication of this volume closes the labors of the author as a local historian- Three years have principally been devoted to the gathering up of the scattered fragments of the early history of Western New York. Imperfectly as the work may have been performed, few will be able to appreciate the amount of labor his now published works of over fourteen hundred octavo pages have involved. The asperities at least, of fault finding and criticism, would be softened if any just appreciation could be had of the crude and disjointed materials that have been gathered from a thousand sources Any considerable degree of excellence or perfectness in history is a work of time, of remodeling and revision. The gleaner of the raw material, can only hope that he is aiding others who will succeed him in long after years. In this instance, while the Author would not claim that his will be the standard history of Western New York, he may perhaps indulge in enough of self gratulation to assume that he has helped to preserve no small amount of materials which constitute such a work.

The entire history of no locality h^.s been designed. The work has too wide a range to admit of it. The History of Pioneer Settlement in all prominent localities, is distinctly its main feature. The necessity of repeating this has grown out of the fact that a different impression, somewhat prejudicial to the work, has in some instances prevailed, leading to an anticipation of far more in reference to some localities than was ever designed ; and more than the plan of the work would allow.

Part First

CHAPTER I. — [From page 9 to page 46.] — Advents of Europeans to this continent— The French upon the St. Lawrence — First Expedition of Champlain — Introduction of firearms to the Indians — Advent of Recollet Franciscan and Jesuit Missionaries — Advent of the first of our race to Western New York — French expedition to the Valley of the Mohawk — Advent of Marquette and Joliet to the region of the Upper Lakes and the Valley of the Mississippi — Advent of La Salle — First sail vessel upon the Upper Lakes — Invasions of the Seneca country by De la Barre and De Nonville — Founding of Fort Niagara — Massacre at Schenectady — English expedition against Quebec — Count Frontenac invades the country of the Onondagas — Joncaire — The English establish a fort at Oswego

— The Ohio Company — Braddock's Expedition — Montcalm — Capture of Crown Point — Mr. Pitt's administration — Vigorous prosecution of the war against the French colonies.

CHAPTER II. — [From page 46 to page 56.] — Siege and surrender of Fort Niagara — Conquest of Western New York

CHAPTER III. — [From p. 56 to p. 69.] — Siege and capture of Ticonderoga, Crown Point, Quebec and Montreal — Peace of 1765 — End of French Dominion.

CHAPTER IV. — [From p. 69 to p. 65.] — English Dominion — Border Wars of the Revolution — Sir William Johnson — John Johnson — Joseph Brant — Forays upon the Mohawk — Col. John Butler — Flight of the Tories to Canada — British and Indian council at Oswego — Tory and Indian invasions from Canada — Sullivan's campaign — Refugees from the Mohawk and Susquehannah settle upon the Genesee River — Mary Jemison.

Part Second

CHAPTER I. — [From p. 85 to p. 99.] — Our immediate predecessors, the Senecas, with a glance at the Iroquois — Their warlike character — Their conquests over their own race — Their wars with the French.

CHAPTER II. — [From p. 99 to p. 126.] —Conflicting claims to Western New York

— Indian Treaties — The Lessee Company — British Interference — The Military Tract — Settlement advances Westward.

CHAPTER III.— [From p. 127 to p. 134.] —The Genesee Country at the period when settlement commenced — Its position in reference to contiguous Territory

— Condition of the country generally after the Revolution — Reminiscences of Gen. Micah Brooks.

CONTENTS. Xlll

CHAPTER IV.— [From p. 135 to p. 152.] — Phelps and Gorham's Purchase of Massachusetts' — Oliver Phelps — His advent to the Genesee Country — His treaty ■with the Senecas — The English use of spirituous liquors among the Indians — Nathaniel Gorham — Gallery of Portraits in Court House in Canandaigua.

CHAPTER V.— [From p. 153 to p. 162. — Jemima Wilkinson — Her origin— She assumes divine attributes — Has followers or disciples — Advent of the " Friends" to Western New York — Names of heads of families — Death of Jemima — Decline of her institution.

Part Third

CHAPTER I.— [From p. 1G3 to p. 210.] — Commencement of surveys and settlement of the Genesee Country — Canandaigua — Gen. Israel Chapin — Mrs. Sanborn— Heads of families in Canandaigua in 1790 — Organization of Ontario county — First town meeting in Western New York — Reminiscences from the book of miscellaneous records in Ontario Clerk's office — Drief biographical sketches of prominent early citizens of Canandaigua — Heads of families in Canandaigua in 1803 — Church organizations — Election returns, 1799 — Early names and early events in Bloomfield, Pittstown, Gorham, Bristol, Farmington, Manchester, Phelps, Geneva — Reminiscences of James Sperry, Micah Brooks, Mrs. Farnum — The Gold Bible — James Reese.

CHAPTER II. — [From p. 240 to p. 284.] — Sale of Phelps and Gorham to Robert Morris — Resale to English Association — Advent of Charles Williamson — Events under his agency — Williamsburg — The Germans — Mr. Williamson's enterprises at Geneva — Letter to him from the Friends at Jerusalum — Early movements at Lyons and Sodus — Purchase of the One Hundred Acre Tract at the Falls of the Genesee, by Mr. Williamson — The Allan Mill — Scotch emigrants settle at Caledonia — Races at Williamsburg — Early names connected with Mr Williamson's enterprizes — Difficuties attending his agency — His influence with English statesmen in reference to final consummation of the Jay Treaty — Charles Cameron — John Johnstone — Close of Mr. Williamson's agency — His return to Europe — His death — Robert Troup — Joseph Fellows — John Greig.

CHAPTER III.— [From p. 284 to p. 315.] —Unsettled relations with England after the Treaty of 1783 — Western New York disputed ground — Difficulties with the Indians — British influence brought to bear upon them — Butler, Brant, and the Johnsons — Indian disturbances at the West — The Pickering Treaties at Tioga Point and Newtown — General Israel Chapin is appointed Superintendent of Six Nations — Indian deputation to the seat of government at Philadelphia — Joseph Brant visits Philadelphia — Threatened attack of the Indians upon the new settlements in the Genesee Country — The British retain Forts Niagara and Oswego — Baron Steuben — Gen. Chapin holds a council with the Indians at Le Boeuf, Pa. — Wayne's Victory — The Pickering Treaty at Canandaigua — Quiet and confidence restored — Death of Gen. Chapin — Capt. Israel Chapin — Jasper Parish.

CHAPTER IV. — [From p. 315 to p. 324.] —Attempt of Gov. Simcoe to break up the settlement at Sodus Bay.

CHAPTER V — [From p. 324 to p. 378.]— James and William Wadsworth — their

XIV CONTENTS.

advent to the Genesee Country — Location of Indian villages on the Genesee River — Land Speculation in the United States after the Revolution — James Wadsworth visits Europe — The large fanning operations of the Wadsworths — Land purchases and agencies of James Wadsworth — His business operations generally— Becomes the patron of Agricultural and Educational Reforms — His death

— Some Dotice of his family — William Wadsworth — First Town meeting, District of Geceseo — Names of Pioneers west of East Bloomfield — Village of Geneseo — Notices of early settlers — Wm. H. Spencer — A Recluse — Horatio and John H. Jones — The Mills Family — First saw mill west of Genesee River

— Old Leicester — Moscow — Ebenezer Allan — Mount Morris Tract — Valley of the Canascraga — Dansville and its First Settlers — Wm. Fitzhugh — Charles Carrol— Avon — Judge Hosmer — Capt. Ganson — Other early settlers — Avon Springs — Reminiscences of George Hosmer — Lima — Asahel Burchard — Capt. Davidson — Abner Migells — Other early settlers.

CHAPTER VI.— [From p. 378 to 403.] Pioneer events in what is now Wayne County — Notices of Pioneers — Attack of Indians upon Surveyors's camp — John Swift, Reminiscences of Stephen Durfee and Ebenezer Spear — The Durfees, Fosters and Reeves — William Howe Cuyler — Pioneers and Pioneer events in Lyons

— Sodus — Col. Peregrine Fitzhugh — Dr. Wm. N. Lummis — Topography, —

Ridge Road and Sodus Bay — " District of Sodus" — Pultneyville.

CHAPTER VII.— [From p. 403 to p. 436.]— Pioneer events in what is now Monroe- Peter Shaeffer — Indian, or Ebenezer Allan — Reminiscences of Peter Shaeffer, of Wm. Hencher — .Pioneer names and events west of Genesee River — Town of Northampton — Reminiscences from early town records — Braddock's Bay, the Atchinsons — Other early settlers — Brighton — its early proprietors and settlers

— Enos and Orange Stone — The Lusk family — Reminiscences of Oliver Culver and Enos Stone — "Tryon Town" — Henry Ward — Gen. Fassett — Other early adventurers — Victor — The Boughtons — Other early settlers — Farther notices of West Bloomfield and Bristol.

CHAPTER VIII.— [From p. 436 to p. 446.] — The Morris Treaty at Big Tree — Cession of the Territory west of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase — Morris' Reserve and Holland Purchase.

CHAPTER IX.— [From p. 447 to p. 457.] — Allegany — John B. Church and Philip Church — Pioneer names and events — Interesting historical Reminiscences, from Judge Philip Church.

CHAPTER X.— [From p. 457 to 4G0.] The Pioneer Printers and Newspapers.

CONTENTS OF APPENDIX.

Earthquake, [Extract from Manuscripts in Jesuit's College at Quebec,] page 463 — Denonville's Invasion of the Seneca Country, p. 465 — Extract from Gen. Washington's orders, p. 473 — Peter Otsequette, Hendrick Wcmple, p. 475 — Oliver Phelp's speech to the Indians in answer to their complaints, p. 476 — Jemima Wilkinson, from Manuscripts of Thomas Morris, p. 477 — The one Post Office in the Genesee Country.. 1803, p. 478— Gen. Amos Hall's Census in 1790, p. 479 — Murder of Major True-

CONTENTS. XV

man, p. 480 — The Pultney Title, p. 481 — Red Jacket, Farmer's Brother, Indian War Dance, p. 482 — Shay's Rebellion, p. 483 — Lord Dorchester's speech to the Indians, p. 484 — Win. Ewing's letter to Gen. Chapin — Wayne's Victory, p. 485 — Unpublished Reminiscences of Red Jacket, p. 487 — Capt. BrufT's letter from Fort Niagara, p. 4b8 — Reminiscences of Philip Church, p. 488 — Reminiscences of James D. Bemis, p. 492.

CONTENTS OF SUPPLEMENT.

CHAPTER I. — [From page 495 to 502.] Continuation of Pioneer events in what is now Wayne County — Village of Newark — Lockville — Palmyra, farther recognition of Pioneer names — " District of Tolland " — First Town Meeting — Extract from Mr. Fisher's Sermon — Long Island — Early Lawyers, Merchants, Physicians of Palmyra — First Newspaper — Early Mechanics — Organization of Churches — Farther personal Reminiscences — Incorporation of village.

TOWNS of Ontario, Walworth, Marion, Williamson, Sodus and Lyons. — [From page 502 to 510.] — Names of Settlers in all of what is now Ontario, Walworth and Marion, in 1806 — Williamson — Opening of Ridge Road — Poppino's Corners — Early names and early events in Williamson — Sodus, its early settlers after the decline of Mr. Williamson's enterprizes — " Turner's Comers" — Settlers in Sodus and Lyons in 1799 — Town of Lyons — Organization of Wayne County — Wm. H. Adams — Henry Towar.

CONTINUATION of Pioneer events in what is now Ontario.— [From p. 510 to p 525.] — Additional early names in Canandaigua — Reminiscences from early files of Ontario Repository and Messenger — Extracts from Records of Ontario Clerk's Office — Town of Seneca — early names and events — village of Geneva — Farther Reminisceuces of Victor — The killing of a noted horse thief — Continuation of Pioneer names — Relics of Ancient and Indian occupancy, — of De Non veil's battle with the Senecas.

CONTINUATION of Pioneer exents in whatis now Yates.— [From p. 52G to p. 534.] — " District of Jerusalem" — An early Tax Roll — The Pioneer Mill — Names of early Settlers — The Potter family — Elder Goff — Wagoner's — Penn Yan — Extracts from Travels of Liancourt.

CONTINUATION of Pioneer events in what is now Livingston. — [From p. 535 to p. 552.] — Calelonia, York, early names and early events — Avon — Livonia -. Extracts from Wadsworth correspondence — Nunda — Portage — Early names Hunt family — Begole Family — Col. Williams.

CONTINUATION of Pioneer events in what is now Allegany.— [From p. 552 to p. 565.] — Almond — Elder Gray, the Van Campens, M'Henry's &c. — Alfred — Early names in town of Angelica — Village of Angelica — Twelve Western Towns — Samuel King — Crandall — Town of Ossian — Allegany county — Towns of Perry, Castlile, and village of Portageville, in Wyoming county.

CONCLUSION. — [From page 565 to p. 588.] —Brief Retrospect — Local effects of the War of 1812 — Completion of the Erie CanaL

ERRATA.

Page 131 — arts of peace, instead of "acts."

Page 151 — read sister instead of "daughter of Zachariah Seymour."

Page 174 — in note — Judge Taylor, should be in place of •' Judge Wells."

Two references ■which belong to page 325 are carried over to page 326.

Page 314 — 8th line, "after," should precede "his appointment."

Page 4 1 G — 9th line $200 instead of "$2,00."

Page 483 — Shay's Rebellion — " General order" — date should have been 1786.

Part First. Chapter I

BRIEF NOTICES OF EARLY COLONIZATION.

It was one hundred and sixteen years after the discovery of America by Columbus, before the occupancy of our race was tending in this direction, and Europeans had made a permanent stand upon the St. Lawrence, under the auspices of France and Champlain. In all that time, there had been but occasional expeditions to our northern Atlantic coast, of discovery, exploration, and occasional brief occupancy ; but no overt act of possession and dominion. The advent of Champlain, the founding of Quebec, from which events we date French colonization in America, was in 1608. One year previous, in 1607, an English expedition had entered the Chesapeake Bay and founded Jamestown, the oldest English settlement in America. In 1609, Henry Hudson, an Englishman, in the employ of the East India Company of Holland, entered the bay of the river that bears his name, and sailed up the river as far as Albany. In 1621, permanent Dutch colonization commenced at New- York and Albany. In 1620 the first English colonists commenced the permanent occupancy of New England at Plymouth.

In tracing the advent of our race to our local region, French colonization and occupancy, must necessarily, take precedence. Western New- York, from. an early period after the arrival of Champlain upon the St. Lawrence, — until 1759, — for almost a century and a half, formed a portion of French Canada, or in a more extended geographical designation, of New France.

France, by priority of discovery, by navigators sailing under her flag, and commissioned by her King, in an early period of partition among the nations of Europe, claimed the St. Lawrence and its tributary waters and all contiguous territory, as her part of the New World. Setting at defiance, as did England the papal bull of Pope

10 PHELPS AND GOPJIAJl's PURCHASE.

Alexander VI., which conferred all of America, " its towns and cities" included, upon Spain and Portugal, her then King, Francis 1. entered vigorously into the national competition for colonial possessions in America. While the English and Dutch were cruizing upon our southern and eastern coasts, entering the bays, and mouths of their rivers, hesitating and vasciliating in measures of permanent colonization ; and the Spaniards were making mixed advents of gold hunting and romance, upon our south-western coast ; the French were coasting off the mouth of the St. Lawrence, and unappalled by a rigorous climate, and rough and forbidding landscapes, resolving upon colonization upon its banks. " Touch and take," was the order of the day ; with but little knowledge of the value of the vast region that had been discovered, of its capabilities and resources, but such as had been gained by navigators in a distant view of the coasts, and an occasional entrance into bays and rivers : the splendid inheritance was parcelled out, or claimed by the nations of Europe, as lightly and inconsiderately as if it had been of little worth.

The subjects of France, as it would now seem, when such a vast field had been opened for possession ; after they had seen and heard of more promising and congenial regions, made but a poor choice of her share in the New World. We are left principally to conjecture for the explanation : First, the broad stream of the St. Lawrence invited them to enter and explore it ; no where were Europeans met by the natives with more friendly manifestations ; and a lucrative trade soon added to the inducements. It was a mighty flood that they saw pouring into the ocean, with a uniformity that convinced them of the vast magnitude and extent of the region it drained. Though ice-bound for long and dreary months, when spring approached, its fetters gave way, and on rolled its rushing tide, a " swift witness" that it came from congenial regions embraced in their discovery. Beside, a '-'shorter route to the Indies," across this continent, was one of the prominent and early objects of European navigators, following the discovery of Columbus. It was in fact, a main object, allied perhaps with visions of precious metals ; — for actual colonization, was at first but incidental to the leading objects.*

* Upon llie shores of the Chesapeake, upon the Hudson and St. Lawrence, and in the bays of New England, the first information sought after by European adventures, of the natives, through the medium of signs, had reference to the directions from which the rivers flowed, and the existence of precious metals.

It was but a natural deduction, that the broad and deep river they had entered from the ocean, and its tributaries, were stretched out in aflong line toward the Pacific coast.*

The progress of colonization in all the northern porlion of the continent, after discovery, was slow. What in our age, and especially where our own countrymen are engaged, would be but the work of a year, was then the work of a century. It was before the world had been stimulated by the example of a free government and a free people, unincumbered by royal grants and charters, and their odious and paralizlng monopolies. It was before governments had learned .the simple truths that some of them are yet slow in appreciating, that the higher destinies of our own race are only to be worked out in the absence of shackles upon the mind and the physical energies of the governed. It was when the good of the few was made subservient to that of the many; and Kings and their favorites were central orbs around which all there was of human energy, enterprize and adventure, was made to revolve as sattelites. It was when foreign wars and conquests, and civil wars, in which the higher interests of mankind were but little involved, were diverting the attention of Europe from the pursuits of peace, civilization, and their extended sphere. There was no prophet to awake the sleeping energies of the Old World to an adequate conception of the field of promise that was opening here; — no one to even foreshadow all that was hidden in the womb of time ; and had there been, there would have been unfolded to Kings and Potentates, little for their encouragement; but how much to man, in all his noblest aspirations, his looking forward to a better time!