nots flying from the sanguinary persecutions that followed the revocation of the edict of Nantz, planted themselves in Oxford in this County; but in this war they were destroyed, or driven off by the natives. After the peace, many of them returned to their possessions, and their descendants have been found among the most respectable inhabitants of that town.

The peace of Ryswick, Dec. 10, 1697, put an end to hostilities between the parent countries, and the Indians,unsupported by their French allies, ceased any further depredations.

G.

REVOLUTIONARY PAPERS.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE ARMY,

ON THE DEPRECIATION OF THE CURRENCY.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 136.

Nothing now being necessary with regard to the rate of depreeiation, but the approbation of the whole court, it was accordingly submitted to them on the 1st January, where it met with the most violent opposition; and after fully debating the matter previous to the final vote, they passed the following Kesolve, viz:

In the House of Representatives, January 6, 1780.

Whereas, it is just and reasonable, that all advances which have been made to that part of the army, raised in this State, in consequence of the high prices of the necessaries of life, should be taken into the account when their wages are made good, therefore, Resolved, That the committee who have been appointed to settle the accounts of the army, be, and they are hereby directed to reckon to the accounts of any of the non-commissioned officers or private soldiers, any bounties they already have or may receive, from any town or individual person in this State; provided proper return of the same is made, agreeable to the orders of this court; the resolve of November 25th, 1779, to the contrary notwithstanding.

Sent up for concurrence.

JOHN HANCOCK, Speaker.

In Council January 7, 1780,

Read and Concurred.

JOHN AVERY, D. Secretary.

True Copy Attest.

Consented to by the major part of the Council.

This Resolve being agreed to by both Houses, the Court then approved of the rate of depreciation, and proceeded to enact the following Law.

JOHN AVERY, D. Secretary.

State of Massachusetts Bay, in the year of our Lord, one Thousand
Seven Hundred and Eighty.

An Act to provide for the security and payment of the balances that may appear to be due by virtue of a Resolution of the General Assembly, of the 6th of February, 1779,to this State's Quota of the Continental Army, agreeable to the recommendation of Congress, and for supplying the Treasury with a sum of money for that purpose.

Whereas, it is necessary immediately to make provision, to enable the Treasurer of this State, to pay to this State's Quota of the Continental Army, the balance which may appear to be due to them on the first day of January in this present year.-Be it therefore enacted by the Council and House of Representatives in General Court Assembled, and by the Authority of the same, that the Treasurer of this State, be, and he hereby is directed, on the credit thereof, to issue his notes, for the payment of the balances which shall appear, were on the said first day of January, due to each Officer and Soldier, belonging to this State's Quota of the Continental Army, (upon receiving a Warrant from the Council of this State for the same,) in the manner and form following, viz:

State of Massachusetts Bay the first day of January, A. D. 1780. In behalf of the State of Massachusetts Bay, I the subscriber, do hereby promise and oblige myself and successors in the office of Treasurer of said State, to pay unto or to his order, the sum of on or before the first day of March, in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven Hundred and with interest at six per cent. per annum; both principal and interest to be paid in the then current money of said State in a greater or less sum, according as five bushels of Corn, sixty-eight pounds and four-seventh parts of a pound of Beef-ten pounds of Sheep's Wool-and sixteen pounds of Sole Leather, shall then cost more or less than one hundred and thirty pounds current money at the then current prices of said articles, this sum being thirty two times and an half what the same quantities of the same articles would cost at the prices affixed to them, in a law of this State, made in the year of our Lord, 1777, intitled "an act to prevent monopoly and oppression," the current prices of said articles, and the consequent value of every pound, of the sum herein promised, to be determined agreeable to a Law of this State Intitled, "An act to provide for the security and payment of the balances that may appear to be due by virtue of Resolution of the General Assembly of the sixth

of February, 1779, to this State's Quota of the Continental army, agreeable to the recommendation of Congress, and for supplying the Treasurer with a sum of money for that purpose.

H. G. Treasurer.

Which form shall be printed on good paper, to be procured by the Treasurer, with a suitable Border round the same, within which shall be inserted the Words, State of Massachusetts Bay,' the word 'Committee,' the words 'Witness my hand,'and the word 'Treasurer'-struck off from a Copper plate, which the Treasurer is likewise directed to procure, and each Blank shall be stamped in some convenient part of it, with a stamp to be procured by the Treasurer for that purpose, and when said notes are issued, a counterpart indented of each note, shall be kept by the Treasurer.

And be it further enacted, That Thomas Dawes and Richard Cranch, Esqrs. be a committee to sign Blank notes in the form prescribed, at the left hand, and to number them before they are filled up by the Treasurer.

And be it further enacted, That the Treasurer be, and he is hereby directed, to issue to each of said officers and soldiers, in favor of whom a warrant shall be drawn by the Council of this State, for their respective balances, four notes, (in form aforesaid,) of equal sums as near as may be, the whole containing the balance due to them respectively; one of which notes to be payable the first day of March, Anno Domini, one thousand seven hundred and eighty one, another payable the first day of March, 1782, the third payable the first day of March, 1783, and the fourth payable the first day of March, 1784, and the Council are hereby empowered and requested to issue their warrants in favor of any of the said officers and soldiers, upon its being certified to them by the Committee of this Court, appointed to settle with the army, what is the balance due to such officer and soldier; provided it shal! appear by a return made by a General officer or Commanding officer of a Regiment, that any such General, Field, Staff, or Commissioned officer, belongs to this State's Quota of the Continental army, during such returns, specifying to what Company, Regiment or Corps they belong.

And be it further enacted, That the Treasurer of this State be, and he is hereby directed and empowered to issue his notes, in the manner and form aforesaid, to each non-commissioned officer, and

private soldier, who is or hath been of this State's Quota of the Continental army, who engaged for three years, and who hath not or shall not before the settlement is made, and the balance due to him ascertained, re-inlist as one of this State's Quota of the Continental army, during the war, upon receiving a warrant upon the Council therefor; saving that the payment of the balance due to such officer or soldier, shall be in four notes, of equal value, as near as may be; and the first note shall be made payable the first day of March, 1785, the second note shall be payable the first day of March, 1786, the third note shall be payable the first day of March, 1787, and the fourth note shall be payable the first day of March, 1788-and the Council are hereby empowered and requested in like manner, to issue their warrants in favor of such non-commissioned officers and private soldiers, on being certified as before mentioned by the committee of this Court, appointed to settle with the army, what the balance due to such non-commissioned officers and soldiers is, and upon its appearing by a return aforesaid, that he was enlisted for three years as one of the State's Quota of the Continental army-and that he hath served in said army the whole of the three years, or that his time is not yet expired, and he is still in the service-and the Council are also hereby empowered and requested, and the Treasurer is hereby empowered and directed, to proceed in the same manner and form, (Mutatis Mutandis,) with respect to the Executors, Administrators, or Heirs, at Law, of such officers and soldiers who were engaged for three years, or during the war, as part of this State's Quota of the Continental army, and who have died or been slain in the service, upon similar certificates being produced.

And be it further enacted, That the Justices of the Superior Court of Assize and General Goal Delivery, or the Major part of them for the time then being, are hereby empowered and directed, to compute and determine at their first session, in every year, what are the current prices of the said four articles, of Corn, Beef, Sheep's Wool,and Sole Leather, upon an average through the State at the several times of payments of the aforesaid notes, herein mentioned and also what is the true value of every pound of said notes, in the then current money of the State, and shall certify the same to the Treasurer, and lodge a copy thereof in the Secretaries Office, upon the first day of March every year during the term of eight years. And the Treasurer is thereupon directed to pay the value of said notes, and the interest there on remaining unpaid, as they become due accordingly.

THE LANDING OF THE PILGRIM FATHERS.

BY MRS. HEMANS.

THE breaking waves dash'd high

On a stern and rock-bound coast,
And the woods against a stormy sky,
Their giant branches toss'd;

And the heavy night hung dark

The hills and waters o'er,

When a Band of Exiles moor'd their bark
On the wild New England shore.

Not as the Conqueror comes,

They, the true-hearted came;
Not with the roll of the stirring drums,
And the trumpet that sings of Fame :

Not as the Flying come,

In silence and in fear ;

They shook the depths of the desert's gloom,
With their hymns of lofty cheer!

Amidst the storm they sang;

And the stars heard, and the sea!

And the sounding aisles of the dim woods rang

To the Anthem of the Free!

The ocean Eagle soar'd

From his nest by the white waves' foam,
And the rocking pines of the forest roar'd-
This was their welcome home!

There were men with hoary hair,
Amidst that Pilgrim band-
Why had they come to wither there,
Away from their childhood's land?

There was woman's fearless eye,

Lit by her deep love's truth;

There was manhood's brow serenely high;
And the fiery heart of youth.

What sought they thus afar?

Bright jewels of the mine?

The wealth of seas, the spoils of war?-
They sought for Faith's pure shrine!

Aye! call it holy ground,

The soil where first they trod!

They have left unstain'd what there they found,

Freedom to worship God!

169