road, for several miles back, is lined, on both sides, with peach trees, loaded, to breaking, with fruit, and near enough to be pulled ad libitum by the hand, as we rushed along in the carriage. I have never seen a finer fruit country. Then we are within eight miles of the Chesapeake, and about the same distance from the mouth of the Susquehanna-fanned by land and sea breezes.

"But we are in serious apprehension of being obliged to leave this delicious place to-morrow. Judge Dorsey, the Chief Justice, is taken sick and goes home. One of the remaining two associates is laid up with tooth-ache, and is not here yet. If he comes, it is the general impression that the two juniors will not, and ought not, to try cases of such a nature as these, without the Chief Justice. So, do not be surprised if I am with you by Thursday; and be not disappointed if I am not,—because, at present, it is all conjecture what the course will be."

Amongst the matters of mere personal concern, which furnish the staple of nearly all I have to record of Mr. Wirt at this period of his life, the reader may be amused with the impressions made upon him by a short visit as far as the Hudson River, it being the first excursion into this region of the United States which he had yet attempted. The purpose of this journey was to place his son Robert at West Point, and to provide for his entrance into the military academy, to which he had lately received an appointment. We have a few sketches of his travel in letters to Mrs. Wirt, from which I make some extracts:

"CAMDEN, September 21, 1820. "Here we are, opposite to Philadelphia!—So, this is Philadelphia! Humph! as Sterne said of Paris. And what is there in Philadelphia to make such a mighty fuss about? One single church steeple and a shot tower are the only striking objects in view. All the rest is a mass of brick houses with white windows, on too flat a plain to be seen more than one or two hundred yards from the water. So, it is only by information that I know it extends two miles across to the Schuylkill. The extent upon the water which they say, including suburbs, is four miles,shows a common, plain, quakerly place, and, in point of beauty,

no more to be compared to Richmond than a drab coat to the imperial purple. But the approach up the Delaware is very beautiful.

Let me see if they will allow me to breathe here long enough to give you a diary.

66

At five o'clock, P. M., we were off in the steamboat, at Baltimore for Philadelphia; passed Fort McHenry, whose "Star Spangled Banner" formed the subject of Key's celebrated song. The night bright and beautiful, and we kept the deck till nine, then supped and to bed, having to rise at one in the morning to take the stage from French Town to New Castle.

"Cut off! The bell is ringing for the Trenton boat-and so, here we are-off for Trenton :

"On Christmas day in Seventy-Six."

"NEW YORK, September 23.

"We arrived here yesterday morning at ten. After dressing, I sallied forth in quest of the commodities to be purchased for Robert, intending on my return to give you an account of every thing. We returned at two,-when I found the mail had closed at one; so my chance to write was gone till to-day. In the evening we went to the Battery, and then to West's circus to let Robert see another entree of those celebrated horses. This morning I rose early to visit the Fish Market. The first person I met in the twilight was Mr. Hagner of Washington. He had just arrived from the north. Upon his suggestion I went into another room, where I found Mr. Calhoun and Major Roberdaux. In about five minutes afterwards, to the surprise of us all, came in Major Bomford, and soon after him, Major Thayer, the commanding officer at West Point. We were in a parlor assigned to Wilde and his family, and, being invited to join them, we all breakfasted together. Calhoun insists on my going to visit the forts with him to-day, at eleven. Instead of employing the morning in a journal of my interesting travel to this place, I shall go. I will write to you again to-morrow. We are invited to dine with the Corporation on Monday.

"September 24.

"They played us a trick yesterday. Instead of carrying us to the forts, they took us to a silk factory on Staten Island, where we were detained the whole day; and this by a ruse de guerre, without the sanction or knowledge of the Secretary, against his will, and very much against all propriety-for the troops were under arms at all the forts, expecting him, throughout the day. For my own part, I thought it such a breach of the respect due to the Secretary, (whom, by-the-bye, it was intended to honor, or rather, to catch from him a reflected honor and to throw it on this institution) that I was out of humor all day. Besides which, it was time lost to me without an equivalent; for I did not, by any means, consider a turtle dinner on Staten Island, as a compensation for the lost opportunity of seeing the fortifications and the city itself. I have not the least doubt my displeasure was visible in my manner, and that I shall be set down for a very surly, illnatured fellow-which, you know, is not the case.

"About five we went to see the Vice-President,* who lives at the north end of Staten Island, fronting New York, and who, in answer to an invitation to the aforesaid silk dyer's had been reported sick in bed. He met us, however, at the gate, looking as well and smiling as ever. We staid fifteen minutes, were introduced to his family, and then returned to New York in the steamboat "Nautilus," about dark. On our return Mrs. Wilde told us she was quite surprised at reading in the newspapers of the day where we had been:-so that the printers, it seems, knew more of the Secretary's movements than he did himself. As to the sights-I must put off all that 'till my return; for if I spend my time in describing, I shall lose half that I ought to see."

"WEST POINT, September 27.

"We arrived here last night.-I pass over the beauties of the Delaware River and of New York, to come at once to this place. Yet, how can I write a word-with that heavenly band of music, surpassing anything I ever heard of its kind,—and that exact, majestic, and most beautiful march of the cadets, which is now

• Mr. Tompkins.

going on in my view, on the finest plain and amidst the most captivating landscape in the world!-I can't stand this divine. echo of the bugle from the mountains!

"The music pauses for the drill, and I resume my pen. Poor Robert is very differently employed, being now under examination before the academic staff, to determine whether he is to be admitted or not. He has been told by Thayer that the examination is very severe; but Thayer kindly requested a private interview with him this morning and put some preparatory questions to him. He has told me that Robert will certainly pass.

"There goes the band again!-and here come these ravishing echoes once more from the mountains, which mountains hover over us with the old revolutionary fort, "Putnam," crowning the summit to the southwest. It is all in vain to write. There are too many beautiful objects. We have Newburg in full view, eight miles up the river, seen through the majestic jaws of the mountain, which form the passage for the river to the northwest. The academic staff have come to see me. Robert is highly spoken of.

"I go to Newburg to-morrow to get on board of a descending boat at ten at night."

VOL. 2-11

CHAPTER VII.

1821.

THE TRIALS AT BEL AIR.-ENCOUNTERS PINKNEY.-RIVALRY.-LETTER TO CARR. SEVERE LABORS.— SICKNESS. - REMEMBRANCES OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.-SUMMER EXCURSION TO SARATOGA, LAKE GEORGE, ETC.CHARLES COLLEY-A STORY OF MR. POPE'S.—LETTER TO POPE.—BURGOYNE'S SURRENDER.

THE cases which had taken the Attorney General to Bel Air last year, now came on for trial in April. There was a great array of counsel. Mr. Pinkney and General Winder were the leading members associated in the defence. Mr. Wirt, General Harper, Mr. Mitchell, a gentleman distinguished at the Baltimore bar for his professional talents, and not less for his wit and humor, were engaged, with others, in the prosecutions. I hope I shall not be considered as transcending the limits of propriety, in referring to a few passages in the letters written to Mrs. Wirt, at this period, relating to these trials. They speak confidentially, and in good earnest, the writer's exultation in the success of his own performances. There is no motive at this time to conceal such opinions; and the expression of them, when we regard the circumstances in which they were written, and especially the person to whom they were addressed, will scarcely be open to the censure of egotism. We shall see the old rivalry renewed.

April 2, 1821.

"This being my day to make a speech, I commenced at ten, thinking I should have done in two hours: but I spoke four, and was so much exhausted at two o'clock, that the Court adjourned without my application,-I being then only about half way in my speech. I satisfied myself; and knowing me as you do, that is enough for me. I will only add that Pinkney paid me the compliment to say that it was very beautiful and apparently very argumentative.' Others hold more flattering language; but I am