Bennington, Vermont. Gen. Whipple joined Gen. Gates about the same time and was in the bloody battles of Saratoga and Stillwater where the palm of victory was measurably attributed to the troops under his command. To the consummation of the brilliant victory over the British army Gen. Whipple contributed largely. Col. Wilkinson and himself were the officers who arranged and signed the articles of capitulation between the two commanders. He was one of the officers who conducted the conquered foe to Winter Hill near Boston. His faithful negro participated in all the perils of his old massa and could not have been more elated with the victory had he been the commanding general.

In 1778 Gen. Whipple was with Gen. Sullivan at the siege of New Port which was abandoned for want of the aid of Count D'Estaing whose fleet was injured by a gale. A safe retreat was effected in the night. In 1780 Gen. Whipple was appointed a Commissioner of the Board of Admiralty which he declined, preferring to serve in the legislature of his own state in which he continued for years. In 1782 he was appointed Financial Receiver for New Hampshire by Robert Morris. The office was arduous, unpopular and irksome but in his hands lost much of its odiousness. At the end of two years he resigned. On the 20th of June 1782 he was appointed a judge of the Superior Court. On the 25th Dec. 1784 he was appointed a Justice of the Peace and Quorum throughout the state which latter office he held to the day of his death. He was one of the commissioners on the part of Connecticut to settle the controversy between that state and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania relative to lands in Wyoming valley. In all the multiform duties that devolved upon him in the various public stations he filled he acquitted himself nobly. He possessed a strong analyzing mind, deep penetration of thought, a clear head and good heart.

At

During the latter part of his life he suffered much from disease in his chest which terminated his useful career on the 28th of Nov. 1785. his request before death, his body underwent a post mortum examination. His heart was found ossified. The valves were united to the aorta and an aperture not larger than a common knitting kneedle was all that remained for the passage of the blood. This explained the reason of his faintness under sudden emotion.

In all the relations of private and public life-from the cabin boy up to the lofty pinnacle of a well earned fame, Gen. Whipple was a model of consistency and virtue. He left a reputation pure as the virgin sheet. His career demonstrated clearly that in our country fame is confined to no grade in life and that practical knowledge, crowned with strong common sense, enables a man to be substantially useful to his country and

fellow men. Citizens of America of only a common education-you can and should be useful. Look at this bright example and govern yourselves accordingly.

WILLIAM WILLIAMS.

INFIDELITY, in all its multiform aspects, is a legitimate child of inconsistency. The man who has impartially read the Bible-who understands physiology, the philosophy of mind-the minutiæ of anatomy, the unerring laws of nature, the powers of reason-the revolving circuit of his own immortal soul and denies the existence of Him who spake and it was done-who commanded and it stood fast-disrobes himself of the noblest power bestowed by creative Wisdom and forfeits the high dignity of a man. All things, from the leaf that vibrates in the gentle breeze to the etherial sky spangled with stars, proclaim the existence of a God. Most assuredly there is a Supreme Being who rules, with unerring wisdom, in the kingdoms of Nature, Providence and Grace. Beyond all cavil this position is most conducive to the happiness of the human family in this life. The superstructure of the Infidel is clustered with present misery. If its foundation should prove sandy he curses himself in this world to be more wretched in the next. Aside from the question of its divinityReligion is the substratum of social order and human felicity. Infidelity is the destruction of both. History is crowded with demonstrations of this position. Banish the Bible and religion from our Republicremove this firm foundation upon which the Sages of the Revolution based it-anarchy would ensue and we should rush into the same vortex of ruin which engulphed the French Republic.

By many of our Revolutionary patriots religion was exemplifiedby all it was venerated. Among those of them who enjoyed its full fruition through life was William Williams born at Lebanon, Windham County, Connecticut, on the 8th of April 1731. He was the son of Rev. Solomon Williams whose paternal ancestor came from Wales in 1630. Solomon was pastor of the Congregational church at Lebanon for fifty-six years. He was a man of consistent and uniform piety-of liberal and expansive views and believed religion to be the foundation of rational liberty. His own soul enraptured with the substantial joys of practical piety-he strongly desired his children might inherit the same blessing. His prayers were answered. Of a large family of sons and daughters-all consecrated themselves to the Lord of glory

and became exemplary members of the church over which their father presided.

After completing his preparatory studies William entered Harvard College and graduated in 1751. He sustained a high reputation for correct deportment untiring industry and scholastic lore. His father then directed his theological course preparatory for the sacred desk. But his talents were too diversified for a clerical life. He had a taste for classics, architecture, mechanics, mathematics and general science. He was also inclined to travel. In 1755 he accepted a commission in the staff of Col. Ephraim Williams a kinsman of his and founder of Williams College at Williamstown, Mass. Sir William Johnson, who commanded the English troops, detached Col. Williams with 1100 men to reconnoitre the army of Baron Dieskau composed of a large force of French and Indians. After proceeding some four miles the detachment was attacked by a superior force lying in ambush. Col. Williams fell in the early part of the engagement bravely fighting for the mother country. His troops then retreated in good order until the main body came up and repulsed the enemy

The French war cost the Americans much blood and treasure. It was a matter of allegiance-not of interest. The Canadas were won by the Colonies for Great Britain. The pilgrim fathers were long treated and used as vassals of the English crown. Blended with the unparalleled cruelties of the hired minions of the mother country was damning ingratitude-the concentrated essential oil of Pandora that drives back the rushing blood upon the aching heart.

During the campaign Mr. Williams became disgusted with the hauteur of the British officers towards native Americans who were by far the most efficient troops against the Indians and French, whose mode of warfare they better understood. Released from the army, he resolved never again to submit to such indignities. He returned home and commenced the mercantile business. Soon after, he was elected town clerk, a member of the assembly and appointed a justice of the peace. These were unsought favors-purely a tribute to merit. For a long time he was either speaker or clerk of the House of Representatives in which he served nearly one hundred sessions. For fifty years he faithfully served in a public capacity.

When the Revolutionary storm began to darken the horizon of public tranquillity he boldly met its raging fury. Extensively and favorably known-his salutary influence had a wide range. When the tocsin of war was sounded he closed his commercial concerns and devoted his whole time to the glorious cause of equal rights and rational

Liberty. His learning, piety, honesty of purpose, energy of action and large experience-combined to give great weight to his character. He was an active member of the council of safety and on the second Thursday of October 1775, was appointed a delegate to the Continental Congress. He entered zealously into the deliberations of that revered body and made himself truly useful. He was ever ready to go as far as any one to obtain the liberation of his suffering country from the serpentine coils of tyranny. He was in favor of bold and vigorous. measures and advocated the Declaration of Rights from its incipient conception to its final adoption. He was greatly instrumental in dispelling the doubts of many whose motives and desires were as pure but whose moral courage was less than his. He was well versed in the different forms of government, international law and the routine of legislation. When he spoke in public he was listened to with profound attention. He was a member of Congress in 1776-7 and when the final vote was taken upon the Magna Charta of our Liberty William Williams responded a thundering-AVE-that told his boldness. and his zeal. That vote stands confirmed by his signature-a proud memento of his unalloyed patriotism-a conclusive proof of his moral firmness.

He was free from that aspiring ambition that is based on self and nurtured by intrigue. His motives emanated from the pure fountain of an honest heart. To promote the glory of his country was the ultimatum of his earthly desires. Upon the altar of Liberty he was willing to sacrifice his property and life. To vindicate the cause of Freedom he was willing to spend his latest breath. He used every honorable exertion to rouse his fellow citizens to a sense of danger and induce them to enlist in the common cause against the common enemy. At the time Congress was compelled to flee from Philadelphia he risked his life to rescue Colonel Dyer from the fangs of the British who had planned his arrest. They both made a hair-breadth escape. When the government treasury was drained of its last dollar, Mr. Williams threw in what he termed a mite of hard money, being over two thousand dollars for which he took continental money only to die in his hands. How emphatically things are changed. Now the public treasury distributes mint drops profusely upon many whose pretended services are as worthless as continental rags-in some instances absolutely injurious.

He was remarkably active and fortunate in obtaining private donations and necessaries for the army. He went from house to house, receiving small parcels of any and every article that would alleviate the wants of the destitute soldiers. At different times he forwarded to

them more than a thousand blankets. During the winter of 1781 he gave up his own house for the accommodation of the officers of the legion of Col. Laurens and did all in his power to render officers and soldiers comfortable. His industry was equal to his patriotism seldom retiring until after twelve and up again by the dawn of day.

Mr. Williams was a member of the convention of his state when the Federal Constitution was adopted and gave it his hearty sanction. He was never permitted to retire from the public arena until prostrated by disease which terminated his useful career on the 2d of August 1811. He had lived the life of a good man-his end was peaceful, calm and happy.

He was a fine figure of the middle size, dark complexion and hair, piercing black eyes, an aquiline nose, an open and ingenuous countenance, a stentorian voice and strong physical powers. He was blessed with a clear head, a noble heart, a sound judgment, an acute perception and a logical mind. Not a blot could be found upon the fair fame of his public or private character. During the latter part of his life he was troubled with an increasing aeafness and spent much of his time in Christian devotion. But few men have served their country as much and no one more faithfully than did WILLIAM WILLIAMS.

JAMES WILSON.

THE history of party spirit is red with blood. Its career has been marked with desolation and ruin. It often rides on the whirlwind of faction or on the more dreadful tornado of fanaticism. It has blotted kingdoms and empires from existence, consumed nations, blighted the fairest portions of creation and sacrificed millions upon its sanguinary altar. Confined to no time or place-it has taken deep root in our own country. Its poison has contaminated our political and religious atmosphere most fearfully. It has had its victims of blood in this land of republican and Christian professions. Its miasma has reached our ballot boxes, violated the peaceful fireside, traduced private character, invaded patriotism, induced perjury, countenanced forgery, corrupted our elective franchise and produced mobocracy in its most direful aspect. Great and good men have been victimized by reckless partisans who stop at nothing and stoop to everything to accomplish their purposesright or wrong. They look at the end regardless of means.

In recurring to the eventful period of the American Revolution those who are not familiar with the history of the local politics of that day