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Recorded in

Deed Book, I.

W., No. 5, p. 692.

1823, Dec. 1.

convey the island and sandbar, in the river Delaware, opposite the city and liberties of Philadelphia, called the Windmill Island and sandbar, in trust, to convey, to the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Communication Company, a site for a bridge, and to pay off a promissory note to John McCollister, of Tennessee, &c.

Acknowledged December 15, 1820. Recorded at Philadelphia, January 11, 1821.

Deed Poll.-John Douglass, Sheriff, to Jacob Deed Book, D., S. Thompson, conveys all the right, title and interest of Edward Sharp in seven equal undivided tenth-parts of island, &c.

p. 178, District Court.

1824, June 10.

Deed Poll.-John Douglass, Sheriff, to Jacob

Deed Book D.,p. S. Thompson, conveys

278, Dist. Court.

1827. Feb. 19th.

Notice.-John Smith to James Stokes, accord(Produced.) ing to the proviso in the Lease, that he is ready to pay the purchase money, and requiring a deed.

1827, Sept. 15th.

Recorded in

Deed Book, G. p. 750.

W. R., No. 16,

(Produced.)

1840. April 15.

Deed.-Jacob S. Thompson, of Sussex county, New Jersey, to John Smith, conveys the premises mentioned in the lease, except two-fifths of one-tenth, &c.

Acknowledged September 15, 1827. Recorded September 19, 1827, at Philadelphia.

John Smith died intestate, leaving a widow Ann, and six children, to wit, John, Thomas G., Robert W., Ann Jane, Elizabeth M., and James G. Smith, in whom all his estate vested.

Deed.-Ann Smith, (widow,) Ann Jane Smith, Joseph McMackin, and Elizabeth M., his wife,

(late Elizabeth M. Smith,) and James G. Smith, a minor, to John Smith, Thomas G. Smith, and Robert W. Smith, convey the premises above described, and all their interest in the whole of the island and flats.

Acknowledged April 15, 1840.

(Produced.)

June 26.

Deed.-John Smith and Wife to Thomas G. 1846. Smith and Robert W. Smith, convey one-third of the premises above described, and also all their interest in the whole of the island and W. M., No. 12, flats.

Recorded in Deed Book, A.

p. 286.

Acknowledged June 26, 1846.
Recorded June 27, 1846.

(Produced.)

Deed endorsed on second preceding deed. 1846. Dec. 21st. James G. Smith, having attained full age, to Thomas G. Smith and Robert W. Smith ratifies and confirms the conveyance by his Guardian, made April 15, 1840.

Acknowledged December 21, 1846.

(Produced.)

WASHINGTON AND "CENTINEL X."

BY WORTHINGTON CHAUNCEY FORD.

[That Washington was in late life sensitive to attacks from anonymous writers in the press is well known, and a rather theatrical account of his rage on one such occasion has come from no less a witness than Jefferson. This sensitiveness was no late development, but is to be met with when Washington was the colonel of the Virginia regiment in 1756. The small body of men then collected for the defence of the colony's frontiers must have been of a stuff to try the temper of the young commander. Enjoying small pay, stationed in a wilderness, expected to cover a territory which could not have been covered by three times their numbers, and subject to little attention from the Governor and Burgesses, it is not strange to find complaints upon the score of discipline as well as on the failure of the troops to do all that was expected of them. Rumors of drunkenness and immorality, of gross neglect of duty, and of a general disregard of military propriety became common, and finally attracted the attention of the Governor. No blame was attached to Washington personally, but he was informed of the rising complaints and admonished. Finally the criticisms culminated in an anonymous communication to the Virginia Gazette, signed "Centinel X," and Washington was so touched that he proposed to resign. His leading officers threatened to throw up their commissions, and were only restrained by the soothing promises of the Governor and Burgesses to make a public declaration of confidence in them.

I was unable for many years to discover a copy of "Centinel X," as the Virginia Gazette is very rarely found in our collections, and only a few volumes exist in the Virginia State Library. Fortunately, the article was copied into the Pennsylvania Journal, and I reproduce it with other and unpublished material bearing upon it. The letter from Richard Bland, though written more than a year before the controversy came to a head, in all probability called out from Washington the statement of facts used in the article attributed to Bland by Washington. I do not know whether this article appeared in any newspaper, and this copy is taken from a manuscript in the Washington Papers. The remonstrance of the officers is obtained from the same source. It is known that Washington sent ten shillings to his brother Augustine, "for publishing an answer to the 10th centinel," but I am unable to trace the answer.]

"DEAR SIR :

BLAND TO WASHINGTON.

"WILLIAMSBURG, 7 June, 1755.

"I have the pleasure of receiving your letter by Mr. Gist; and I assure you I should look upon it as a singular felicity if I could contribute towards perfecting any scheme for the advantage of my country: my endeavors, so far as my influence will reach shall never be wanting. I had the mortification of finding the majority of our House against the most vigorous measures for effectually putting a stop to the French attempts upon our Frontiers: But tho numbers carried it against my opinion, I am not yet convinced that an attack upon Fort Du Quesne, or a lodgment near that place, with a sufficient force so as to keep them in perpetual alarm, is impracticable. This is my favorite scheme, and I should be very glad to hear of its having your approbation.

"We have had a dispute with the Council who flung out our first bill of supply by an equal division of 5 on each side, upon the question being put for a third reading. This strange conduct under our present situation gave our House great resentment. They voted a severe resolve against the Council, & immediately ordered the same bill under a different title to be bro't in, which was passed in two days, and sent again to the Council, who gave their concurrence to it upon more mature consideration, so that you are to have this year 1272 men, including non-commissioned officers to compose your regiment; and I do not at all doubt but you will do everything in your power for the advantage of your country that can be done by so small a force; & I must heartily wish you success in all your undertakings.

"Another bill has passed our House for laying out £5000 in a proper cargo of goods to carry on a trade with the Indians for the public benefit under the direction of Col. Peter & Wm. Randolph, Mr. Cary, Mr. Walker & myself. This bill is now before the Council. If it passes into a law, we shall I believe, engage with Mr. Gist, as Factor, to carry it on: Your recommendation of him will have all proper

weight with me, and I am persuaded with the other trustees and directors.

"As I have some tho'ts of writing an account of our transactions which I desire to communicate to public view in order to wipe off all reflections from my country and the several persons concerned in the conduct of our military enterprizes so far as they can be justified, I shall take it as a particular mark of friendship if at your leisure hours, if you have any, you would send me short heads of such things relative to the French invasion with the dates when they happened as you judge most interesting and proper for such a work. I will speak the truth with boldness, and I hope with approbation from every honest and good man, amongst whom I assure you without flattery, I place you in the first rank.

66

"I am, dear Sir, your most &c.

"RICHARD BLAND.

"If I have the pleasure of hearing from you, please to direct to me at Jordan's, in Prince George County."

666

66

THE VIRGINIA CENTINEL, NO. X.

Quis metus, 6 nunquam dolituri, ó semper inertes
Tyrheni, quæ tanta animis ignavia venit ?—
Quo ferrum? quidve hæc gerimus tela irrita dextris?
At non in Venerem segnes, nocturnaque bella;
Aut, ubi curva choros indixit tibia Bacchi,

Expectare dapes, et plena pocula mensæ,
Hic amor, hoc studium-

VIR.

"The Profession of Soldiers, Especially at such a Time as this, is not only noble, but benevolent; and worthy at once of universal Honour and Gratitude. They are the Guardians of their Country, and all that is inclined [included?] in that important Word. And therefore, their Merit should not be invidiously depreciated; their Foibles maliciously exaggerated; or their Conduct censured by Chimney corner Politicians, who lie sneaking at Home, in inglorious Ease, and know not their Circumstances, or the Reasons upon

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