63 B. C. CICERO, with the authority of a consul, summoned the senate to
the temple of Jupiter, where it was assembled only in times of public
alarm, and delivered his famous invective in the presence of Cataline.
3 B. C. CAIUS CILNIUS MAECENAS the friend and counselor of Augustus,
died. To him Virgil dedicated his _Georgics_, and Horace his _Odes_.
1280. The statute in English law called _quo warranto_, passed.
1297. WALLACE granted a protection to the monks of Hexham, for their
lives and possessions. "Abide with me, for there alone can you be
secure; for my people are evil doers, and I can not punish them."
1492. A marvelous _thunder stone_ fell about mid-day at Ensisheim, in
Alsace, which weighed as is learnedly attested, 255 pounds.
1594. MARTIN FROBISHER, the English navigator, wounded at Croyson near
Brest, of which he died.
1609. The Half Moon, under Henry Hudson, on her return from the
discovery of New York and Albany, arrived at Dartmouth, in England,
whence he forwarded tidings of his arrival and an account of his
discoveries, to the directors of the East India company at Amsterdam.
1665. The first _Gazette_ in England was published at Oxford, where the
court had retired, during the great plague. It was removed to London in
the February following, and took the title of _London Gazette_. (Quære.)
1696. Third frame of government of Pennsylvania passed by Gov. Matthews.
1704. ANDREW ACOLUTH (_Acoluthus_), a German linguist of extraordinary
acquirements, died.
1724. JOHN KYRLE, the celebrated _Man of Ross_, died, aged 90. He is
immortalized by Pope, and more by his own beneficent actions.
1724. The president and vice-president of Thorn, in Poland, sentenced to
be beheaded for neglect of duty, it being alleged that they had suffered
religionists to riot. The sentences against the protestants were so
severe and harsh, that all the protestant powers of Europe interposed
for a reversal, but without success.
1752. _The Adventurer_, by Dr. Hawkesworth, appeared.
1775. Lord DUNMORE declared Virginia to be in a state of rebellion; he
proclaimed martial law, and invited the slaves to join him.
1783. The last person publicly burned by the Spanish inquisition. This
was a woman, who perished at Seville. The victims of that diabolical
institution were afterwards doomed to die in dungeons, where the shrieks
of agonizing nature could only be heard by those whose interest it was
to conceal them.
1794. Nymegen, which had been pronounced by British engineers strong
enough to check the irruption of the _sans cullotes_ into Holland, was
evacuated by the British and Dutch, who succeeded in crossing the Waal.
1805. LEWIS and CLARK'S party arrived at the mouth of the Columbia
river, in sight of the ocean.
1806. The Prussian general BLUCHER, surrendered to the French, with
16,000 men and 80 cannon. This was the last body of the Prussians left
after the battle of Jena, and closed all opposition to the views of
Bonaparte in Prussia.
1811. Battle of Tippecanoe; the Indians under the Shawnee prophet,
brother of Tecumseh, were defeated by the United States troops under
Gen. Harrison. The Indians lost 300 killed; American loss, 188 killed
and wounded.
1812. Battle of Dorogobouche; the Russians attacked the retreating
French army, which, after a desperate and sanguinary contest, retreated
to the river Dnieper. The field presented to the victors a continued
line of dead and dying, the snow being absolutely blackened with the
bodies of man and beast, destroyed by ball or sword, cold or famine.
1814. Pensacola, in Florida, taken by the Americans under Gen. Jackson,
who kept possession of it until the Spaniards could obtain a sufficient
force to maintain their neutrality from violation by the British.
1836. A great balloon journey from London to Weilburg, in Nassau, a
distance of nearly 600 miles, which was traversed in 18 hours. It
carried upwards of a ton ballast, besides a quantity of wine and other
stores; its greatest elevation was 2 miles.
1837. The press of the _Alton Observer_, an anti-slavery newspaper,
destroyed for the third time at Alton, Illinois, by the mob. The Rev.
Elijah P. Lovejoy, the editor, was killed, and also one of the mob.
1838. ANNE GRANT, a Scottish authoress, died, aged 84. She was
distinguished for her literary taste and conversational powers. The
scene of her _American Lady_, is laid in the city of Albany.
1842. WILLIAM MCPHEETERS, a distinguished American divine, and for many
years a successful teacher of youth, died at Raleigh, N. C.
1848. Agreeably to an act of the American congress, all the states voted
for electors for president and vice-president.
1856. The first marriage of a Hindoo widow was celebrated at Calcutta,
the parties being of high rank.