As soon as the proclamation, prohibiting the importation of arms from England, was known here, you dismantled the king's fort at Newport, and took possession of forty pieces of cannon. All our leading men, not only had at heart, but avowed the same sentiment as that contained in General Greene's letter to Governor Ward, then a member of the first Congress, dated on the 4th of June, 1775, at the camp on Prospect Hill. "Permit me," says he then, " to recommend from the sincerity of my heart, ready at all times to bleed in my country's cause, a declaration of independence, and call upon the world and the great God who governs it, to witness the propriety and rectitude thereof." We anticipated Congress in the declaration of Independence; for, by a solemn act of our General Assembly, we dissolved all connexion with Great Britain, in the May previous. We withdrew our allegiance from the king, and renounced his government forever, and, in a declaration of Independence, we put down in a condensed, logical statement, our unanswerable reasons for so doing.' pp. 35, 36. There are two or three of General Greene's letters in existence, in which he urged the declaration of Independence more than a year before that measure was resorted to by the Congress. To Rhode Island, it would seem, is due the credit of the first formal declaration by any colony; although South Carolina had two months before formed a new constitution, and instituted an independent government, which, after all, was perhaps as strong a declaration of independence as could be made. Virginia did the same in May, about the time of the Rhode Island declaration. But, in recurring to this subject, we must not forget the Mecklenburgh declaration of independence in North Carolina, made in a solemn manner on the nineteenth of May, 1775, a year before that of Rhode Island. This event is as well authenticated, as any in the revolutionary history. We have examined the subject in another place. See Vol. XII. p. 35, for January 1821. We take the liberty of correcting a slight error, into which the author has fallen, in a matter of some importance. Speaking of the religious freedom early enjoyed in Rhode Island, as established by Roger Williams, he says, 'Your ancestors announced this opinion, and enjoyed its legal exercise, long before the able and amiable Roman Catholic, Lord Baltimore, adopted and enforced it.' But it happens, that Lord Baltimore settled his colony in Maryland, in 1634, the very year in which Roger Williams was banished from Salem. Religious freedom was a first principle with Lord Baltimore from the beginning of his settlement. It cannot be said, therefore, that Rhode Island enjoyed this privilege long before Maryland. We have expressed our opinion on a former occasion [Vol. XX. p. 102.], and we still believe it true, that the first legislative act in favor of unlimited toleration, which is recorded of any government, was passed by the Roman Catholic colony of Maryland. We have not taken up Mr Hunter's Oration for the purpose of criticism, yet one or two remarks are demanded from us on this subject. With a good deal of vigor of thought, a rapid style of composition, and a high tone of patriotic feeling, there are some faults of language and rhetoric, which ought not to be passed over. You will find, for instance, such words as rationalize, stabilitated, inobstructible, insurgency, violative. Some of the author's metaphors are strained in no ordinary degree. He tells us, that the Rhode Islander, in the enjoyment of his religious liberty, 'may drink the waters of life, in rude simplicity, from the palm of his hand, from the crystal cup of reformed episcopacy, or from the embossed and enchased golden chalice of papal gorgeousness.' Again, Rhode Island 'is like the fabled sea nymph, described in the Grecian Anthology, and depicted on antique gems and cameos, of exquisite exility of form, but whose long, slender, and streamy arms embrace, in their graceful fold, a hundred other islands and shores.' Once more, a certain operation of the mind 'sublimates imagination to evanescence.' Few other passages are so extravagant as these, yet there are many examples of loose expressions, and an indefinite use of language, which should not have escaped an accurate writer. 2.-The Ohio Gazetteer, or Topographical Dictionary, containing a Description of the several Counties, Towns, Villages, Settlements, Roads, Rivers, Lakes, Springs, Mines, &c. in the State of Ohio; alphabetically arranged. By JOHN KILBOURN. Eighth edition, carefully revised and corrected. Columbus, Ohio. 12mo. pp. 231. THE progress of the states of the West, in population, wealth, and improvement, is so rapid, as not only to defy political calculation, and set at nought all former precedent, but also to outstrip the geographer in his greatest speed. The tide is so strong and incessant, that the change is perpetual, and what is true to day will be doubtful tomorrow, and entirely false in a week to come. To no state does this remark apply more strikingly, than to Ohio, the astonishing growth of which, within the last thirty years, would have seemed a miracle at any former age of the world. Within the memory of thousands now living, Ohio was a wilderness, the abode only of savages and wild beasts; it now contains more than half a million of inhabitants, who exhibit evidences of improvement, and are prosecuting schemes of enterprise, that would do credit to the oldest nations. Indeed, the great canal now in execution, connecting the Ohio river with Lake Erie, and running a distance of more than three hundred miles, is a work of which Europe might justly boast. Civil institutions, agriculture, manufactures, and all the resources of power and wealth, advance in the same rapid ratio. Seven colleges and about fifteen academies, have been established by charter in Ohio. Common schools are numerous, and are multiplying continually. About two years ago a law was passed, instituting a uniform system of common schools throughout the state. The Ohio legislature consists of a senate and house of representatives, the members of which are chosen in districts according to the population. By the constitution the number of senators can never be over thirtysix; nor that of the representatives over seventytwo. There is a peculiar feature in the legislative authority, applicable, we presume, to very few of the states. The general assembly has the sole power of passing laws, the signature of the governor being in no case necessary. The judges are chosen by the legislature for seven years; the justices of the peace are chosen for three years by the people of each township. If success is a proof of merit, Mr Kilbourn's work demands praise. We have the eighth edition before us. His plan is simple, and well adapted to his purpose. The towns, counties, rivers, and remarkable places, are arranged in alphabetical order, with such remarks attached to each, as its importance would seem to require. The number of inhabitants in the several townships, and the distances between the principal towns, are carefully noted. In short, all the geographical and statistical knowledge usually found in gazetteers, has evidently been collected with great industry by the author, and exhibited in a manner at once perspicuous and satisfactory. He gives some curious particulars respecting the ancient mounds and fortifications in Ohio. But nothing has struck us as more odd, in looking through the book, than the number of places of the same name. We will add here a few examples. The name of Bloomfield, as given to a county and towns, occurs five times; Canaan, four; Center, five; Clinton, seven; Concord, eight; Fairfield, nine; German, five; Franklin, sixteen; Green, eighteen; Harrison, sixteen; Jackson, eighteen; Knox, five; Jefferson, eighteen; Liberty, eleven; Madison, nineteen; Milford, six; Monroe, twenty; Orange, six; Oxford, seven; Perry, fifteen; Pike, nine; Pleasant, seven; Richland, ten; Salem, thirteen; Springfield, thirteen; Troy, six; Union, twentyseven; Washington, twentytwo; Wayne, twenty. And this is not all; the changes are rung on almost every name with the suffixes ville, field, burgh, and others. Thus we have Waynesville Waynesburgh, Waynesfield; Jacksonville, Jacksonburgh; Franklinton. And then comes the prefix New, as New Liberty, New Madison, New Salem. A more deplorable confusion of names could hardly be imagined. It not unfrequently happens, indeed, that two adjoining counties have each a town of the same name, and bordering upon the same line; thus, you have but a single step to take from Madison in Franklin county to Madison in Pickaway county, these two towns being separated only by a line; and so of others. The legislature of Ohio could not do a wiser thing, than to appoint a committee of ingenious men to devise as many distinct names, as there are separate towns in the state, and then to let them be assigned by lot. This would require no great stretch of invention on the part of the said committee, and the benefit hereafter would be incalculable. 3.-The Harvest Festival, with other Poems. By F. S. H. 18mo. pp. 79. Boston. True & Greene. NOTWITHSTANDING the weeds sprinkled amongst these flowers, and notwithstanding an unnatural and inexcusable contempt, which the author entertains for a most laudable, painstaking, and responsible class of individuals, videlicet, reviewers, which we regret to perceive, but which time will doubtless correct in a young man; notwithstanding these things, we say, he so combines a flow of numbers, often melodious, and a luxuriance of fancy, elegant though unpruned, with a delicate perception of whatever is beautiful in nature, that we cannot but hail him, as one of that favored, but melancholy brotherhood, whose aspirations are 'beyond the visible diurnal sphere,' whose thoughts and desires do not seek the world so much, as, in his own language, they seek 'the melody among the leaves Of the green woods,' and the brooks, as they 'Go murmuring on, bathing the roots of flowers, The 'Harvest Festival,' the longest poem in this collection, possesses merit, and, what is better, gives promise of dramatic excellence. Where the author intends to be familiar, his language is simple and colloquial, and where the subject requires it, he becomes elevated and energetic. We cannot say, however, that this poem seems to us the best specimen of his talents. From the smaller pieces, some of which are very spirited, and others of a more fanciful cast, we have selected the following verses, which struck us as very simple and pretty, and on the whole a fair instance of his skill in song writing. 'O yes! our forest home is sweet, Its sylvan bowers I love, 'T is like some fairy's cool retreat, Or glen where sprites might rove ;- Like Love o'er Beauty's soft fring'd eye. Then when the fresh breeze blows aside The misty veil of morn, And tints like blushes of a bride, Her virgin cheek adorn, We haste where gushing fountains play, And laugh the joyous hours away, In the light of Beauty's sunny eye.' p. 34. We might select others equally good, but must hasten to notice some short sketches, entitled 'Dreams,' in which our author, with a graphic pencil, has drawn portraits of several of the most celebrated amongst our own poets, with such force and keeping, that a glance serves to distinguish them. The following sketch of one of our sweetest bards, we like extremely. A little further on There was a goodly grove, and one sat there pp. 64, 65. |