known at Concord, New Hampshire, occurred in August, 1826. This storm
notably caused the land-slide in the Saco valley, which buried the
Willey family. The next was in early October, 1869, which caused the
slide of seventy-five acres of land on the western side of Tri-Pyramid
Mountain into Mad River, in Waterville.
Messrs. Rand, McNally, and Company, of Chicago, in their Atlas of the
World, give data to illustrate the two river systems of the country
spoken of. Names of sixty-seven lakes are given in Maine, and beside
these are ponds almost innumerable. By census statistics given, her
reservoir and land areas are as 1 to 13. New Hampshire is accredited
with three hundred and sixty-two lakes and ponds, being as 1 acre to 41
of land. Vermont has forty-one lakes and ponds, including Lake
Champlain, being as 1 acre to 24 of land. Massachusetts, forty-seven
lakes and ponds; Rhode Island, forty-seven; Connecticut, eighteen; New
York, two hundred and sixty, beside her great lakes; New Jersey, ten;
Pennsylvania (chiefly northeastern portion), fifty-eight; Michigan,
ninety-eight lakes, and ponds in great number; Wisconsin, seventy-two
lakes, and a large number of ponds; Minnesota, one hundred and forty-two
lakes, and ponds innumerable; Dakota, fifteen lakes, and a great number
of ponds; and Iowa, forty-eight lakes.
In contrast, Virginia has only Lake Drummond--really a part of the
Dismal Swamp; West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, none;
Indiana, eleven lakes, and Illinois, eight,--all on northern water-shed.
The Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama have no reservoirs. Lagoons exist in
the States bordering the Mississippi River and the Gulf, which are
filled by the overflow of the rivers.
A consultation of any good atlas of our country will confirm these
statements.
The two sections are thus contrasted. The Northern States have reason to
be very thankful for their more equable system, for the motive power its
reservoirs furnish, and for exemption from disastrous floods, as well as
from cyclones and tornadoes.
* * * * *
THE BOSTON TEA-PARTY.
[This account of the Boston Tea-Party is taken, _verbatim_, from "The
Boston Evening Post, Monday, December 20, 1773. Thomas and John Fleet,
at the Heart and Crown, in Cornhill, Messi'rs Printers." It adds another
link in the chain of evidence to prove that the patriots were disguised
as Indians.--ED.]
Having accidentally arrived at Boston upon a visit to a Friend the
evening before the meeting of the Body of the People on the 29th of
November, curiosity, and the pressing invitations of my most kind host,
induced me to attend the Meeting. I must confess that I was most
agreeably, and I hope that I shall be forgiven by the People if I say so
unexpectedly, entertained and instructed by the regular, reasonable and
sensible conduct and expression of the People there collected, that I
should rather have entertained an idea of being transported to the
British senate than to an adventurous and promiscuous assembly of People
of a remote Colony, were I not convinced by the genuine and uncorrupted
integrity and manly hardihood of the Rhetoricians of that assembly that
they were not yet corrupted by venality or debauched by luxury.
The conduct of that wise and considerate body, in their several
transactions, evidently tended to preserve the property of the East
India Company. I must confess I was very disagreeably affected with the
conduct of Mr. Hutchinson, their pensioned Governor, on the succeeding
day, who very unseasonably, and, as I am informed, very arbitrarily (not
having the sanction of law), framed and executed a mandate to disperse
the People, which, in my oppinion, with a people less prudent and
temperate would have cost him his head. The Force of that body was
directed to effect the return of the Teas to Great Briton; much argument
was expended. Much entreaty was made use of to effect this desirable
purpose. Mr. Rotch behaved, in my estimation, very unexceptionably; his
disposition was seemingly to comport with the desires of the People to
convey the Teas to the original proprietors. The Consignees have behaved
like Scoundrels in refusing to take the consignment, or indemnify the
owner of the ship which conveyed this detestable commodity to this port.
Every possible step was taken to preserve this property. The People
being exasperated with the conduct of the administration in this affair,
great pains were taken and much policy exerted to procure a stated watch
for this purpose.[A]
[Footnote A: This watch consisted of 24 to 34 Men, who served as
volunteers 19 Days and 23 Hours.]
The body of the People determined the Tea should not be landed; the
determination was deliberate, was judicious; the sacrifice of their
Rights, of the Union of all the Colonies, would have been the effect had
they conducted with less resolution: On the Committee of Correspondence
they devolved the care of seeing their resolutions seasonably executed;
that body, as I have been informed by one of their members, had taken
every step prudence and patriotism could suggest, to effect the
desirable purpose, but were defeated. The Body once more assembled, I
was again present; such a collection of the people was to me a novelty;
near seven thousand persons from several towns, Gentlemen, Merchants,
Yeomen, and others, respectable for their rank and abilities, and
venerable for their age and character, constituted the assembly; they
decently, unanimously and firmly adhered to their former resolution,
that the baleful commodity which was to rivet and establish the duty
should never be landed; to prevent the mischief they repeated the
desires of the Committee of the Towns, that the owner of the ship should
apply for a clearance; it appeared that Mr. Rotch had been managed and
was still under the influence of the opposite party; he resisted the
request of the people to apply for a clearance for his ship with an
obstinacy which, in my opinion, bordered on stubbornness--subdued at
length by the peremptory demand of the Body, he consented to apply, a
committee of ten respectable gentlemen were appointed to attend him to
the collector; the Body meeting the same morning by adjournment, Mr.
Rotch was directed to protest in form, and then apply to the Governor
for a Pass by the Castle; Mr. Rotch executed his commission with
fidelity, but a pass could not be obtained, his Excellency excusing
himself in his refusal that he should not make the precedent of granting
a pass till a clearance was obtained, which was indeed a fallacy, as it
had been usual with him in ordinary cases,--Mr. Rotch returning in the
evening reported as above; the Body then voted his conduct to be
satisfactory, and recommending order and regularity to the People,
dissolved. Previous to the dissolution, a number of Persons, supposed to
be the Aboriginal Natives from their complection, approaching near the
door of the assembly, gave the War Whoop, which was answered by a few in
the galleries of the house where the assembly was convened; silence was
commanded, and prudent and peaceable deportment again enjoined. The
Savages repaired to the ships which entertained the pestilential Teas,
and had began their ravage previous to the dissolution of the
meeting--they apply themselves to the destruction of the commodity in
earnest, and in the space of about two hours broke up 342 chests and
discharged their contents into the sea. A watch, as I am informed, was
stationed to prevent embezzlement and not a single ounce of Teas was
suffered to be purloined by the populace. One or two persons being
detected in endeavouring to pocket a small quantity were stripped of
their acquisitions and very roughly handled. It is worthy remark that,
although a considerable quantity of goods of different kinds were still
remaining on board the vessels, no injury was sustained; such attention
to private property was observed that a small padlock belonging to the
Captain of one of the ships being broke another was procured and sent to
him. I cannot but express my admiration of the conduct of this People.
Uninfluenced by party or any other attachment, I presume I shall not be
suspected of misrepresentation. The East India Company must console
themselves with this reflection, that if they have suffered, the
prejudice they sustaine does not arise from enmity to them. A fatal
necessity has rendered this catstrophe inevitable--the landing the tea
would have been fatal, as it would have saddled the colonies with a duty
imposed without their consent, and which no power on earth can effect.
Their strength and numbers, spirit and illumination, render the
experiment dangerous, the defeat certain: The Consignees must attribute
to themselves the loss of the property of the East India Company: had
they seasonably quieted the minds of the people by a resignation, all
had been well; the customhouse, and the man who disgraces Majesty by
representing him, acting in confederacy with the inveterate enemies of
America, stupidly opposed every measure concerted to return the
Teas.--That Americans may defeat every attempt to enslave them, is the
warmest wish of my heart. I shall return home doubly fortified in my
resolution to prevent that deprecrated calamity, the landing the teas in
Rhode Island, and console myself with the happiest assurance that my
brethren have not less virtue, less resolution, than their neighbours.
AN IMPARTIAL OBSERVER.
* * * * *
PUBLISHERS' DEPARTMENT.
We give with this number of the Bay State a fac-simile reproduction,
from a rare copy in our possession, of "An Oration, pronounced at
Hanover, New Hampshire, the Fourth Day of July, 1800," by Daniel
Webster. This oration was delivered when the future statesman was in his
eighteenth year. It cannot fail to interest every reader of the
Magazine, and will be a treat to every collector of Americana.
Our Lowell article in the March number of The Bay State Monthly has been
severely criticized--especially the cuts. To the older residents of that
city each picture was of interest from association. We should have given
credit to the excellent History of Lowell, written by Charles Cowley,
LL.D., and to the Year Book, published by the Mail.
A System of Rhetoric is the title of a book by C.W. Bardeen, published
in 1884 by A.S. Barnes and Company, of New York.
The subject is divided into sentence-making, conversation,
letter-writing, the essay, oratory, and poetry. The book under
consideration is an able and exhaustive treatise and must become highly
prized as a textbook.
A Brief History of Ancient, Mediaeval, and Modern Peoples, with some
account of their monuments, institutions, arts; manners, and customs, is
the title of a book of six hundred pages, with two hundred and forty
illustrations, issued by the same publishers.
There is a large amount of information crowded within its covers, made
available by a thorough index.
[Illustration: ORNAMENTAL FIREPLACE. (Magee Fine-Art Castings.)][A]
[Footnote A: Note.--By the delay of the artist, this page, designed for
the Chelsea article in the February number of The Bay State Monthly, was
not ready in season.--Ed.]
The unique designs, massive beauty, and artistic grace of Magee's
fine-art castings place them in competition with the finest work in
brass and bronze. From the antique suit of armor, platinum plated, to
the light and graceful leaf, for holding the quill and pencil, their
designs include a great variety of ornamental articles: tiles, shields,
panels, sconces, brackets, plaques, arms, trays, fireplaces, and
jewelry-boxes.
Their reproduction of the strange and fantastic hand-made studies of
Chinese and Japanese artists would puzzle the Celestials, especially in
the coloring and finish. Professional critics are often deceived as to
the materials employed, so fine a finish will iron receive.
This class of work is in its infancy--its possibilities are very
numerous.