and reach the summit of science and take their stations, with superior advantage, by the side of those who have been enervated within the walls of a college. No one in our land of intelligence is excusable for remaining under the dark mantle of ignorance. The sun of science has risen-all who will can be warmed by its genial rays. The means of acquiring knowledge are far superior to those enjoyed by Sherman and Franklin. Let their brilliant examples be imitated by Columbia's sons-our far famed Republic will then be as enduring as time. Let ignorance, corruption, ultra party spirit and fanaticism predominatethen the fair fabric of our FREEDOM, reared by the valor and cemented by the blood of the Revolutionary patriots-will tremble, totter and fall. Chaos will mount the car of discord-sound the dread clarion of the dissolution of our UNION and LIBERTY will expire amidst the smoking ruins of her own citadel. Forbid it patriotism-forbid it philanthropy-forbid it Almighty God! O! my countrymen! remember that with us is deposited the rich behest of LIBERTY-let us guard it with god-like care and transmit it to our posterity in all the loveliness of native purity.

JAMES SMITH.

MEN Sometimes forsake the path designed for them by their Creator in their manner of speaking, acting and writing. They vainly strive to imitate some noble personage of a higher order by nature and cultivation than themselves and become poor specimens of the Ape. Some young men of respectable talents and acquirements-when they mount the rostrum, endeavor to imitate some orator of notoriety instead of acting out free and unvarnished nature. Originality alone gives beauty and force to eloquence in all its varied forms. Like a piece of marble under the skill of the statuary-a more systematic form may be produced by art but the native material cannot be improved in beauty by the finest art-the brightest paint. Originality must form the base or the richness is lost. No ingenuity can remould the work of nature and retain the full strength of the grand original. We should profit by the wisdom and virtues of great and good men-improve by their precepts and examples-our manner in public speaking, our language, our style of writing-all must be original to render them forcible and interesting. Affectation in anything is disgusting to sensible men. It is a coin that cannot be palmed upon the discerning for genuine. Of all counterfeits this is the most readily detected. Away with this worthless trash.

If you have not gold, use silver-if neither, use copper-if you have only brass you need no urging to use that.

James Smith was a fine specimen of originality and pleasing eccentricity. He was born in Ireland in 1713. His father came to this country when James was a boy and settled on the west side of the Susquehanna river nearly opposite Columbia in Pennsylvania. James acquired a good classical education under Dr. Allison and retained a great partiality for authors of antiquity to the end of his life. He delighted in mathematics and became an expert surveyor. After finishing his course of study with Dr. Allison he read law in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, probably with an elder brother in that town and with Mr. Cookson. When admitted to the bar he located in the then far west near the present site of Shippensburg in Cumberland County of that state. He blended law and surveying in accordance with the desire and wants of the frontier settlers. Large tracts of valuable land were held under hasty and imperfect surveys and others were located by chamber surveys. Litigation was the natural consequence. No witness could tell more truth than the compass and protractor of Mr. Smith which were free from prejudice and partiality. Possessed of a penetrating mind he scanned future prospects and secured much valuable land. In his compound profession he had full employment. He was on the flood-tide of prosperity. Not willing to sail alone he took for his mate Eleanor Armor of Newcastle who superintended his freight and cabin stores with great skill and prudence.

Mr. Smith was original in everything. With a strong mind, an open and honest heart, a benevolent and manly disposition-he united great conviviality and amusing drollery-yet so discreet and chaste as not to offend the most modest ear. He delighted in seeing the contortions of the risible muscles which were uniformly on duty in all proper circles when James Smith was present. Whenever he came in contact with a pedant he would propound some ludicrous question to him with the utmost gravity-such as this-" Don't you remember that terrible bloody battle which Alexander fought with the Russians near the straits of Babelmandel? I think you will find the account in Thucydides or Herodotus." His memory was retentive and stored with numerous anecdotes which he sometimes related in court and often in company to amuse his friends. His manner was original beyond imitation. With all his wit and humor he held religion in great veneration and was a communicant of the church. No one that knew him dare utter one word against it in his presence, knowing that his cutting lash of keen ridicule would at once be applied. Such a mixture of

qualities are rarely blended in one man. His mind ranged with the quickness of lightning from the deep-toned logic and the profoundest thought to the eccentric ludicrous-all balanced by the equilibrium of discretion and each used at the appropriate time and place. His manner, language, style-everything which he said or did from the most trivial circumstance to the momentous concerns of the nation was purely original.

Of the affairs of his country James Smith was not an idle spectator. No man delights in liberty and independence more than an Irishman. Nor have the Irish people a warm affection for mother Britain. As oppressed as she is, no nation is more sensitive of her rights than "sweet Ireland." When British oppression showed its hydra head in the American Colonies Mr. Smith took a terrible dislike to the baste and declared he would make fight unless it withdrew its visible deformity at once. His heart beat high for his adopted country-he came promptly to the rescue. At that time he resided at York and was extensively engaged in iron works and pressed with professional business. He had never consented to fill public stations. Nothing but the importance of the crisis could have induced him to enter the public arena. He reasoned as did Josiah Quincy that-"We must be grossly ignorant of the importance and value of the prize for which we contend-we must be equally ignorant of the power of those who have combined against uswe must be blind to that malice, inveteracy and insatiable revenge which actuate our enemies, public and private, abroad and in our midst-to hope we shall end this controversy without the sharpestsharpest conflicts-to flatter ourselves that popular resolves, popular harangues, popular acclamations and popular vapor will vanquish our foes. Let us consider the issue-let us look to the end."

Mr. Smith was a man who looked at the beginning and ending. He examined closely causes, effects and results. He understood human nature and knew well the pulsations of the colonists. He believed the bone and sinew of the land would never yield to the tyranny of mother Britain without a "sharp conflict." For that conflict he was prepared. He well knew that there was but little sinecure mushroom dandy stock on hand-that the great mass was bone and sinew of the first water. He was for prompt action. A convention of delegates from each county in the state was convened to consider the course proposed by the patriots of New England when the Revolutionary storm had commenced its precursory droppings. Of this convention Mr. Smith was a prominent member and one of the committee that prepared an address to the members of the general Assembly recommending them to

appoint delegates to the proposed general Congress with the following instructions which specify the grievances complained of.

"We desire you therefore-that the deputies you appoint may be instructed by you strenuously to exert themselves at the ensuing Congress to obtain a renunciation on the part of Great Britain of all the powers under the statute of 35th Henry VIII. ch. 2d-of all the powers of internal legislation-of imposing duties or taxes internal or external and of regulating trade except with respect to any new articles of commerce which the Colonies may hereafter raise-as silk, wine, &c. reserving a right to carry them from one colony to another-a repeal of all statutes for quartering troops in the colonies or subjecting them to any expense on account of such troops-of all statutes imposing duties to be paid in the colonies that were passed at the accession of his present majesty or before this time, whichever period shall be judged most advisable-of the statutes giving the Courts of Admiralty in the Colonies greater power than the Courts of Admiralty in England-of the statutes of 5th George II. ch. 22d and of the 23d of George II. ch. 29th-of the statute for shutting up the Port of Boston and of every other statute particularly affecting the province of Massachusetts Bay passed in the last session of Parliament. If all the terms abovementioned cannot be obtained, it is our opinion that the measures adopted by the Congress for our relief should never be relinquished or intermitted until those relating to the troops-internal legislation-imposition of taxes or duties hereafter-the 35th of Henry VIII. ch. 2d-the extension of Admiralty Courts-the Port of Boston and the Province of Massachusetts Bay are obtained. Every modification or qualification of these points in our judgment should be inadmissible."

By these instructions, directly from the people, we can judge of the feeling that pervaded the great mass of the yeomanry at that time. By referring to the instructions given to the delegates to Congress by the general Assembly, it will be seen that royal influence pervaded that body as they contain scarcely a feature or point similar to those from the primary convention of the people. See them in the life of Ross. That the reader may more fully understand the points referred to in the instructions above copied I will explain the statutes alluded to in their order.

By the statute of 35th Henry VIII. ch. 2d a citizen of America was liable to be arrested and taken to England to be tried for high crimes. By the 5th of George II. ch. 23d the colonists were prohibited from exporting hats and hatters were limited to a specific number of apprentices" that hatting may be better encouraged in Great Britain." The

statute 23d George II. ch. 29th imposed similar but more numerous restrictions-the whole and the other particulars named in the instructions being in violation of the constitution of England and of the charters predicated upon it. Constitutional and charter privileges had grown sacred by long and acknowledged usage, by learned and legal construction and by numerous declaratory Acts of the British Parliament passed when sitting under the mantle of reason, justice and sound policy. So fully convinced was Mr. Smith of the true issue between the Colonies and mother Britain that on his return home he raised a company of volunteers and was elected captain by acclamation. This was the pioneer company of Pennsylvania raised for the purpose of confronting the ugly baste-tyranny. It was nine months before the bloody affair at Lexington, showing that Mr. Smith had arrived at a correct conclusion as to the true issue. He introduced thorough discipline in his new corps and imparted to every member the same patriotic fire that illuminated his own noble soul. Around this military nucleus the bone and sinew continued to rally until a regiment was raised. Mr. Smith accepted the honorary title of Colonel but imposed the active commanding duties upon a younger man. He had put the ball in motion and was gratified to see it rolling onward with increasing momentum towards the goal of LIBERTY. When the time arrived for action this regiment did honor to all concerned.

Mr. Smith was a member of the next people's convention which convened at Philadelphia in January 1775. He was one of the foremost to oppose force to force and peril life for freedom. He was called an ultra whig and accused of treating the government of his most Christian majesty indecorously. His patriotism had carried him six months in advance of most of the leading men. No one could outstrip him in zeal in the cause of equal rights. His course was onward-right onward to action. For this the time soon arrived. In the spring of 1776 he was on a committee with Dr. Rush and Col. Bayard to organize a camp of 4500 troops to be raised in Pennsylvania. No man was better calculated to render efficient service in this important branch of business. The committee immediately prepared an appeal to the yeoman military which was approved by Congress and widely circulated. It was written in bold and forcible language pointing to the Independence of the Colonies as the great incentive to action. It had a powerful and salutary effect and met with a response from the people that caused the hirelings of the crown to fly from the province like chaff before the wind. The complement of men was promptly raised.

Almost simultaneous with the promulgation of the Declaration of In