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and fleeing with terror from the orphan, the widow, and the slain of America.

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There are cases which cannot be overdone by There are persons too language, and this is one. who see not the full extent of the evil that threatens them; they solace themselves with hopes that the enemy, if they succeed, will be merciful. It is the madness of folly to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even merey, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war: The cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf; and we ought to guard equally against both. Howe's first object is partly by threats and partly by promises, to terrify or seduce the people to deliver up their arms, and receive mercy. The ministry recommended the same plan to Gage, and this is what the Tories call making their peace; peace which passeth all understanding,” indeed! A pea e which would be the immediate forerunner of a worse ruin than any we have yet thought of. Ye men of Peansylvan a, do reason upon those things! Were the back counties to give up their arms, they would fall an easy prey to the Indians, who are all arme 1: This perhaps is what some Tories would not be sorry for. Were the home counties to deliver up their arms, they would be exposed to the resentment of the back counties, who would then have it in their power to chastise their defection at pleasure. And were any one State to give up its arins, THAT State must be garrisoned by all Howe's army of Britons and Hessians to preserve it from the anger of the rest. Mutual fear is a principal link in the chain of mutual love, and woe be to that State that breaks the compact. Howe is mercifully inviting you to barbarous destruction, and men must be either rogues or fools that will not see it. I dwell not upon the vapours of imagination; I bring re-on to your ears; and in language, as plain as A, B, C, holl up truth to your eyes.

I thank God that I fear not. I see no real cause for fear, I know our situation well, and can see the

way out of it. While our army was collected, Howe dared not risk a battle, and it is no credit to him that he decamped from the White Plains, and waitel a mean opportunity to ravage the defenceless Jersies; but it is great credit to us, that, with an handful of men, we sustained an orderly retreat for near an hundred miles, brought off our ammunition, all our field-pieces, the greatest part of our stores, and had four rivers to pass. None can say that our retreat was precipitate, for we were near three weeks in performing it, that the country might have time to come in. Twice we marched

back to meet the enemy and remained out till dark. The sig of fear was not seen in our camp, and had not some of the cowardly and disaffected inhabitants spread false alarms thro' the country, the Jersies had never been ravaged. Once more we are again collected and collecting; our new army at both ends of the Continent is recruiting fast, and we shall be able to open the next campaign with sixty thousand men, well armed and cloathed. This is our situation, and who will may know it. By persever ance and fortitude we have the prospect of a glorious issue; by cowardice and submission, the sad choice of a variety of evils-a ravaged country- -8 depopulated city-habitations without safety, and slavery without hope-our homes turned into barracks and bawdy-houses for Hessians, and a future race to provide for whose fathers we shall doubt of. Look on this picture, and weep over it! and if there yet remains one thoughtless wretch who believes it not, let him suffer it unlamented.

Philadelphia, December 19, 1776.

LIBERTY TREE,

A Song, written early in the American Revolution.
TUNE-Gods of the Greeks."

In a chariot of light, from the regious of day,
The GODDESS of LIBERTY came,
Teu thousand celestials directed her way,
And hither conducted the dame,

A fair budding branch from the gardens above,
Where millions with millions agree,
She brought in her hand as a pledge of her love,
And the plant she named LIBERTY TREE

The celestial exotic struck deep in the ground,
Like a native it flourish'd and bore:
The fame of its fruit drew the nations around,
To seek out this peaceable shore.
Unmindful of names or distinctions they came,
For freemen like brothers agree;
With one spirit endued, they one
sued,

friendship

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And their temple was LIBERTY TREE
Beneath this fair tree, like the patriarchs of old,
Their bread in contentment they ate,
Unvexed with the troubles of silver or gold,
The cares of the grand and the great.
With timber and tar they Old England supplied,
And supported her power on the sea:
Her battles they fought, without getting a groat,
For the honour of LIBERTY TREE

But hear, O ye swains ('tis a tale most profane),
How all the tyrannical powers,

King, conmons, and lords, are uniting amain,
To cut down this guardian of ours.

From the east to the west blow the trumpet to

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Mr. Paine, while in prison at Parks corresponded with a lady under the signature of The Castle in the Air," while she addressed her letters from "The Little Corner of the World." For reasons which he knew not, their intercourse was snddenly suspended, and for some time he believed his fair friend to be in obscurity and distress. Many years afterwards, bowever, he met her unexpectedly at Paris, in affluent circumstances, and inarried to Sir Robert Smith. The following is a copy of one of these poetical effusions-Note by Thon. Clio Rickman

It past over rivers, and vallies, and groves,
The world it was all in my view;

I thought of my friends, of their fates, of their loves,

And often, full often of you.

At length it came over a beautiful scene,
That NATURE in silence had made;

The place was but small, but 'twas sweetly serene,
And chequer'd with sunshine and shade.

I gazed, and I envied with painful goodwill,
And grew tired of my seat in the air;
When all of a sudden my CaɛTLE stood still,
As if some attraction was there.

Like a lark from the sky it came fluttering down.
And placed me exactly in view,

When who should I meet, in this charming retreat,
This corner of calmness, but you.

Delighted to find you in honour and ease,
I felt no more sorrow, nor pain;

But the wind coming fair, I ascended the breeze,
And went back with my CASTLE again.

ETHAN ALLEN.

ETHAN ALLEN, the hero of Vermont, was as proud of his literature as of his personal vigor and generalship. Indeed, no small part of the former was put into his writings. He wrote as he acted, a word and a blow. For a certain quick intense conception of things, the uninstructed physique of the mind, his narrative of his captivity is a model, like his own figure, of rude, burly strength. It is to be regretted that he did not choose a better province for the exercise of his intellect in his main work than a low form of infidelity and vulgar attack upon the Christian religion,

Ethan Allen, the son of a farmer in Connecticut, was born at Coventry in that state, Jan. 10, 1787. He removed to Vermont about the year 1772, and became the stubwwart legion of Fly Green Mountain Boys in their resistance to the territo

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Ethan Allen

rial claims of New York. Ilis brilliant surprisal

of Ticonderoga, in 1775, “in the name of the great Jehovah and of the Continental Congress," need hardly be mentioned here. It was probably the success of that adventure which led to the rash attempt upon Montreal, where he was taken

In this

prisoner; a captivity which gave rise to his authorship of a volume which contains as much of the essence of military revolutionary whigism and anti-toryism, as it is possible to convey in the same space. This work tells a sad story of the lack of gallantry and of the oppression of the British service at that time. A prisoner taken in war by the English seems to have been regarded as something between an enemy and a convict, not entitled to the honorable courtesy due to the one, and not exactly responsible to the gallows assigned for the other. The intermediate term was a rebel, and the respect for consanguinity which England should have shown in the struggle, was lost in the contempt of familiarity-as an old-fashioned father would whip his own children and reverence those of other persons. humor of his conquerors, Allen was taken from Montreal confined hand and feet in irons, carried on board the Gaspee schooner-of-war, taken from Quebec to Liverpool in a government vessel, suffering the accommodations of a slave ship, landed with indignity at Falmouth; was kept a prisoner and a show at Pendennis castle; removed to the Solebay frigate, which putting into Cork, the stores which tender-hearted Irish friends sent him were confiscated for the use of the vessel; was brought to the coast of America, and kept in various degrees of restraint, latterly under freedom of parole at New York, till the victory of Saratoga brought about his release in 1778. lle published the narrative of his captivity in the fo'lowing year.

A few sentences of this production will show the man in the author. It opens directly with the attair of Ticonderoga :-" Ever since I arrived at the state of manhood, and acquainted myself with the general history of mankind, I have felt a sincere passion for liberty." For a vivid picture of a personal encounter at a critical moment, witness his defence of himself against an Indian before Montreal, by seizing a British officer for a shield, and holding him before him:—

The officer I capitulated with, then directed me and my party to advance towards him, which was done; I handed him my sword, and in half a mi nute after, a savage, part of whose head was shaved, being almost naked and painted, with feathers intermixed with the hair of the other side of his head, came running to me with an incredible swiftness; he seemed to advance with more than mortal speed; as 3pproached near me, his hellish visage was beyo all description; snake's eyes appear innocent in comparison to his; his features extorted; malice, death, murder, and the wrath of devils and damned spirits are the emblems of his countenance; and in less than tw feet of me, presented his firelock; at the instant, his present, I twitched the officer, to whom I gave my sword, between me and the savage; but he single me out to but by this

round with great fury, trying to shoot me without killing the officer; was nearly as nimble as he, keeping the officer in such a position that his danger was my defence; bet, in less than half a minute, I was attacked by just such another imp of hell: Then I made the officer fly around with incredible velocity, for a few seconds of time, when I perceived a Cann dian, who had lost one eye, as appeared afterwards, taking my part against the savages; and in an instant an Irishman came to my assistance with a fixed bayonet, and drove away the fiends, swearing by

he would kill them. This tragic scene composed my mind. The escaping from so awful a death made even imprisonment happy; the more so as my conquerors on the field treated me with great civility and politeness.

We hardly need his assurance, that while confined on board the Gaspee schooner in irons, he was "obliged to throw out plenty of extravagant language, which answered certain purposes at that time, better than to grace a history." The nonchalant humor of the man was defiant even of death. "The canse," says he, "I was engaged in I ever viewed worthy hazar ling my life for, nor was I, in the most critical moments of trouble, sorry that I engaged in it; and, as to the world of spirits, though I knew nothing of the mode and manner of it, I expected nevertheless, when I should arrive at such a world, that I should be as well treated as other gentlemen of my merit." His characters of those about him show a subtle knowledge of human nature, as this hint at a fool in authority: "I now found myself under a worse captain than Symonds, for Montague was loaded with prejudices against every body and every thing that was not stamped with royalty; and being by nature underwitted, his wrath was heavier than the others; or at least his mind was in no instance liable to be directe 1 by good sense, humor, or bravery, of which Symonds was by turns susceptible." His account of Loring, the British commissary of prisoners in the days of prisonships at New York, is in his strongest manner.

This Loring is a monster!-There is not his like in human shape. He exhibits a smiling countenance, seems to wear a phiz of humanity, but has been instrumentally capable of the most consummate acts of wickedness, which were first projected by an aban doned British conseil clothe 1 with the authority of a Howe, murdering premeditatedly, in cold blool, near or quite two thousand helpless prisoners, and that in the most clandestine, mean, and shameful manner, at New York. He is the most mean spirited, cowardly, deceitful, and destructive animal in God's creation below, and regions of infernal devils, with all their tremendous horrors, are impatiently ready to receive lowe and him, with all their detes table accomplices, into the most exquisite agonies of the hottest region of hell fire.

Probably the British were as glad to part with a gentleman who could employ his tongue as pow erfully as his sword, when he was denied the latter weapon, as Allen was to be released by Elins Boudinot, sent by Congress for the service, and fall into the open arms of General Washington, at Valley Forge, "with peculiar marks of his approbation and esteem." It is told of one of Allen's word encounters with a British officer, that the latter replied to his challenge, to produce another woman who had seven such sons as his mother-that Mary Magdalene was a case in point, who was also delivered of seven devils.

His interview with Rivington, the pleasureloving king's printer at New York, during his parole, is characteristic of both parties. Rivington had offended him by his allusions, and Allen swore "he would lick him the very first opportunity he had." The sequel is told by Rivington himself. "I was sitting," says he, "after a good dinner, alone, with my bottle of Madeira before

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me, when I heard an unusual noise in the street, and a huzza from the boys. I was in the second story, and, stepping to the window, saw a tall figure in tarnished regimentals, with a large cocked hat and an enormous long sword, followed by a crowd of boys, who occasionally cheered him with huzzas, of which he seemed insensible. He came up to my door and stopped. I could see no more. My heart told me it was Ethan Allen. I shut my window and retired behind my table and my bottle. I was certain the hour of reckoning had come. There was no retreat. Mr. Staples, my clerk, came in paler than ever, and, clasping his hands, said, "Ma ter, he has come!" "I know it." "He entered the store and asked if James Rivington lived there?' I answered, 'Yes, sir.' 'Is he at home?' 'I will go and see, sir,' I said; and now, master, what is to be done? There he is in the store, and the boys peeping at him from the street." I had made up my mind. I looked at the Madeira— possibly took a glass. "Show him up," said I; and if such Madeira cannot mollify him, he must be harder than adamant." There was a fearful moment of suspense. I heard him on the stairs, his long sword clanking at every step. In he stalked. Is your name James Rivington?" "It is, sir, and no man could be more happy than I am to see Colonel Ethan Allen." "Sir, I have "Not another word, my dear colonel, until you have taken a seat and a glass of old Madeira." But, sir, I don't think it proper "Not another word, colonel. Taste this wine. I have had it in glass for ten years. Old wine, you know, unless it is originally sound, never improves by age." He took the glass, swallowed the wine, smacked his lips, and shook ""Not his head approvingly. "Sir, I come — another word until you have taken another glass, and then, my dear colonel, we will talk of old affairs, and I have some queer events to detail." In short, we finished two bottles of Madeira, and parted as good friends as if we had never had cause to be otherwise."

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After his captivity, Allen returned to Vermont, where he was received with a hearty welcome at Bennington. He again identified himself with the history of the independence of Vermont both against England and the neighboring states, and after that was secured in 1791, lived mostly in retirement, composing his infidel work, Reason the only Oracle of Man, which appeared in 1784.

De Puy's Ethan Allen. p. 202.

Reason the only Oracle of Man, or a compendious system of natural religion, alternately adorned with confutations of a variety of doctrines incompatible to it; deduced from the most exalted ideas which we are able to form of the Divine and Human characters, and from the universe in general. 8vo. pp. 477. Bennington, Vt. 1784. As the greater portion of this edition was destroyed by fire in its printing office, and it has not been reprinted entire, this is now a very scarce volume. A mutilated edition appeared about 149 in New York.

When Graydon was a prisoner in New York in 1777, after the loss of Fort Washington, he met Allen, and has left in his Memoirs a striking account of his impressions of the man. "Ilis figure was that of a robust, large-framed man, worn down by confinement and hard fare; but he was now recover ing his flesh and spirits; and a suit of blue clothes, with a gold laced hat that had been presented to him by the gentlemen of Cork, enabled him to make a very passable appearance for a rebel Colonel. He used to show a fracture in one of his teeth, occasioned by his twisting off with it, in a fit of anger, the nail which fastened the bar of his handenfs; and which drew from one of the astonished epectators the exclamation of "Dama

Of this book, Dr. Dwight, in his Travels, has remarked that it was the first formal publication in the United States, openly directed against the Christian religion. When it came out, I read as much of it as I could summon patience to read. Decent nonsense may possibly amuse an idle hour; but brutal nonsense can only be read as an infliction of penal justice."*

The story of Allen's second marriage, illustrating these opinions, is told by his latest biographer, De Puy, in his interesting and valuable contribution to the history of Vermont.t

"General Allen, who had at various times resided at Bennington, Arlington, and Tinmouth, at last took up his residence on the Winooski. During a session of the court at Westminster, he appeared with a magnificent pair of horses and a black driver. Chief Justice Robinson and Stephen R. Bradley, an eminent lawyer, were there, and as their breakfast was on the table, they asked Allen to join them. He replied that he had breakfasted, and while they were at the table, he would go in and see Mrs. Buchanan, a handsome widow who was at the house. He entered the sitting-room, and at once said to Mrs. Buchanan, Well, Fanny, if we are to be married, let us be about it.' Very well,' she promptly replied, 'give me time to fix up.' In a few minutes she was ready, and Judge Robinson was at once called upon by them to perform the customary ceremony. Said Allen, Judge, Mrs. Buchanan and I have concluded to be married; I don't care much about the ceremony, and as near as I can find out, Fanny cares as little for it as I do; but as a decent respect for the customs of society requires it of us, we are willing to have the ceremony performed.' The gentlemen present were much surprised, and Judge Robinson replied, General Allen, this is an important matter; have you thought seriously of it?' 'Yes, yes,' exclaimed Allen, looking at Mrs. Buchanan; but it don't require much thought.' Judge Robinson then rose from his seat and said, 'Join your hands together. Ethan Allen, you take this woman to be your lawful and wedded wife: you promise to love and protect her according to the law of God and

Stop, stop, Judge. The law of God,' said Allen, looking forth upon the fields, all nature is full of it. Yes, go on. My team is at the door.' As

him, can he eat fron!"* Iis style was a singular compound of local barbarisms, seriptural phrases, and oriental wildness; and though unclassic and sometimes ungrammatical, it was highly animated and forcible. In the following sentence of his narrative, though it is not perhaps strictly correct in its construction, there is to me, à flash of moral pathos not unworthy a Robertson. When the fleet,' says he, consisting of about forty-five sail, including five men-of-war, sailed from the cove (of Cork) with a fresh breeze, the appearance was beautiful, abstracted from the unjust and bloody designs they had in view. Notwithstanding that Allen might have had something of the insubordinate, lawless frontier spirit in his composition, having been in a state of hostility with the government of New York before the war of the revolution, he appeared to me to be a man of generosity and honor; several instances of which occur in his publication, and one not equivocally came under my own observation. General Wash ington, speaking of him in an official letter of May the 12th, 1768, observes, with a just discrimination, that there was an original something in him which commanded admiration."— Graydon's Memoirs, 218,

11. 406.

Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Heroes of 76, with a sketch of the Early History of Vermont, by Henry W. De Puy, author of "Louis Napoleon and his Times," "Kossuth," &c. Bulalo. Phlaney & Co., 1853,

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soon as the ceremony was ended, General Allen and his bride entered his carriage and drove off.”

Two anecdotes of Allen show the best nature of the man. He once gave a note to a citizen of Boston, who put it in collection in Vermont. Judgment was about being taken, when Allen employed a lawyer to stay proceedings. To his surprise, he heard, from a distant part of the court-house, his lawyer deny the signature; upon which he rushed forward, and in a loud, indignant. tone, confronted him: "Mr., I didn't hire you to come here and lie. That is a true note. I signed it; I'll swear to it; and I'll pay it! I want no shufiling. I want time. What I employed you for, was to get this business put over to the next court; not to come here and lie and juggle about it."* This proves his honor; another instance shows his humanity. When two children, daughters of a settler, were once lost in the woods of Vermont, search was made for them by the townspeople and given up. Ailen mounted a stump, made an eloquent, pathetic appeal, rallied the company for a new expedition, and the children were restored to their parents. Another anecdote is somewhat ludicrous, but energetic. While at Tinmouth, he was one day in the house of the village physician when a lady was present for the purpose of having a tooth drawn. As often as the doctor was ready, the lady's timidity baulked his operations. big nature grew restive at the sight. Doctor, take out one of my teeth." teeth are all sound." 66 Never mind. direct you." Out came a tooth. “Now, madam,” says Allen to the lady, "take courage from the example." He once threatened to apply the argumentum ad hominem in this novel form on a somewhat larger scale. A man had been convicted of supplying the British with provisions, and been sentenced by a jury of six to be hung. A lawyer interposed for a new trial, as twelve must constitute a legal jury. The public was disappointed at the reprieve. Allen addressed them with an oath, advising to wait for the day next appointed, promising " You shall see somebody hung at all events; for if Redding is not then hung, I will be hung myself."t

Allen's "Here, "But your

Do as I

It was not long after the time of these stories, in the full possession of his powers, at the age of fifty, he was cut off suddenly by apoplexy, at Burlington, Vermont, February 12, 1789.

A brother of Ethan Allen, Ira Allen, wrote the Natural and Political History of the State of Vermont, published in an octavo volume in 1798.

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mined me to take part with my country. And, while I was wishing for an opportunity to signalize myself in its behalf, directions were privately sent to me from the then colony (now state) of Connecticut, to raise the Green-Mountain Boys, and, if possi ble, with them to surprise and take the fortress of Ticonderoga This enterprise I cheerfully undertook; and, after first guarding all the several passes that led thither, to cut off all intelligence between the garrison and the country, made a forced march from Bennington, and arrived at the lake opposite to Ticon leroga, on the evening of the ninth day of May, 1775, with two hundred and thirty valiant GreenMountain Boys; and it was with the utmost dificulty that I procured boats to cross the lake. However, I landed eighty-three men near the garrisoa, and sent the boats bak for the rear-guard, commanded by Col. Seth Warner, but the day began to dawn, and I found myself under the necessity to attack the fort, before the rear could cross the lake; and, as it was viewed hazardous, I harangued the others and soldiers in the manner following:

Friends and fellow soldiers-You have for a number of years past been a scourge and terror to arbitrary power. Your valor has been fained abroad, and acknowledged, as appears by the advice and orders to me, from the General Assembly of Connecticut, to surprise and take the garrison now before us. I now propose to advance before you, and, in person, coaduet you through the wicketgate; for we must this inorning either quit our pretensions to valor, or possess ourselves of this fortress in a few minutes; and, inasmuch as it is a desperate attempt, which none but the bravest of men dare undertake, I do not urge it on any contrary to his will You that will undertake voluntarily, poise your firelocks."

The mea being, at this time, drawn up in three ranks, each poised his firelock. I ordered them to fare to the right, and at the head of the centre-file, marched them immediately to the wicket-gate aforesail, where I found a seatry posted, who instantly snappe his fusce at me; I ran immediately towards him, and he retreated through the covered way into the parale within the garrison, gave a halloo, aud raa under a bomb-proof. My party, who followed me into the fort, I formed on the parade in such a manner as to face the two barracks which faced each other.

The garrison being asleep, except the sentries, we gave three huzzas which greatly surprised them. One of the sentries made a pass at one of my officers with a chargel bayonet, and slightly wounded him: My first thought was to kill him with my sword; but, in an instant, I altered the design and fury of the blow to a slight cut on the side of the head, upon which he dropped his gun, and asked quarter, which I readily grated him, and demanded of him the place where the commanding officer kept; he shewed me a pair of stairs in the front of a barrack, on the west part of the garrison, which led up to a second story in said barrack, to which I immediately repaired, and ordered the commander, Capt. De la Place, to come forth instantly, or I would sacrifice the whole garrison; at which the Capt. came immediately to the door, with his breeches in his hand; when I ordered him to deliver me the fort instantly; he asked me by what authority I demanded it: I answered him, "In the name of the Great Jehovah, and the Continental Congress." The authority of the Congress being very little known at that time, he began to speak again; but I interrupted him, and with my drawn sword over his head, again demanded an immediate surrender of the garrison: with which he then complied, and VOL 1.-14

ordered his men to be forthwith paraded without arins, as he had given up the garrison. In the mean time some of my officers had given orders, and in consequence thereof, sundry of the barrack doors were beat down, and about one third of the garrison imprisoned, which consisted of the said commander, a Lieut. Feltham, a conductor of artillery, a gunner, two serjeants, and forty-four rank and file; about one hundred pieces of cannon, one thirteen inch mortar, and a number of swivels. This sur prise was carried into execution in the grey of the morning of the tenth of May, 1775. The sun seemed to rise that morning with a superior lustre; and Ticonderoga and its dependencies smiled to its conquerors, who tossed about the flowing bowl, and wished success to Congress, and the liberty and freedom of America.

FRANCIS HOPKINSON.

HOPKINSON, the author of The Pretty Story, and the famous ballad, The Battle of the Kegs, was one of the prime wits of the Revolution, and may be ranked alongside of Trumbull for his efficiency in the cause. The genius of the two men may be readily distinguished. They had wit and humor in different combinations. The author of M'Fingal had more of the power, Hopkinson a larger proportion of that gentle quality which plays around the heart. The one had the advantage in verse, the other in prose. The works of both remain eminent ornaments of the literature of their country. We have had nothing better in their way since.

Trai Hopkinson

Francis Hopkinson was born in Philadelphia in 1738. His father, Thomas, was an Englishnan, who emigrated to that city, having secured, it is with the niece of the Bishop of Worcester. He said, government patronage through his marriage assisted Franklin in his discoveries in electricity, and actively promoted the liberal improvements of the day. Upon his death his widow directed the education of the son who was sent to the College, since the University of Pennsylvania. He afterwards studied law. In 1761 he served as secretary in a conference held on the banks of the Lehigh, between the government of Pennsylvania and several Indian nations. One of his poems,

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