BATTLE OF THE CROOKED BILLET.-A move- THE NEW YORK correspondent of the Boston ment is now on foot in the neighborhood of Hat-Post writes of an interesting Revolutionary collecborough (formerly Crooked Billet), Montgomery |tion: “A project has been quietly set on foot by our county, Pennsylvania, to erect a monument to Mercantile Library Association, to obtain possesthe memory of the officers and men who fell in sion of a valuable collection of Revolutionary and battle at that place on the 1st May, 1778. A other national historical matter, which has been party of American militia, under the command offered to the Association upon temptingly reaof Brig. Gen. John Lacey, were attacked on that sonable terms. The collection comprises upward day by a detachment of British troops from of three thousand different articles, in the shape Philadelphia, under the command of Lieut.-Col. of autograph letters (never published), portraits, Abercrombie. Owing to the failure of the patrols maps and views of various head-quarters, battleof Lacey to scour the country on the morning of grounds, etc., gathered by incessant exertion, rethat day, as they had been ordered, the American search, and the expenditure of much money on camp was surprised, about sunrise. A number the part of Mr. A. Tomlinson, who, now wishing were killed and wounded, and the balance suc- to place the collection permanently and safely, has ceeded in making their retreat, with the loss of made propositions to the Mercantile Library Astheir baggage and camp equipage. Two or three sociation, which that body has undertaken to meetings have been held on the subject of erecting accept. a monument on the battle-ground. Considerable money has been subscribed, a lot obtained, and the enterprise will undoubtedly be successful. The proposed monument will cost about $1000.

MONUMENTAL.-A monument of marble, with a shaft ten feet high, has been finished in Charleston, South Carolina, to be placed at the bloody field of Waxhaws, where Col. Tarleton, with a doubly superior force, slaughtered nearly a whole under Col. Abraham Buford, after they had surrendered. The Virginians had left home for the relief of Charleston, but hearing of the surrender of that city, were returning when surprised and cut off. It was from this fiendish massacre that sprung the American war-cry, "Remember Tarleton's quarters." A British historian confesses that at this battle "The virtue of humanity was totally forgotten."

PERKENPINE & HIGGINS, No. 56 North Fourthstreet, have issued in a very creditable style, “Me-regiment of three hundred and fifty Virginians, morials of Methodism in New Jersey, from the foundation of the first Society in the State, in 1770, to the completion of the first twenty years of its history, containing sketches of the ministerial laborers, distinguished laymen, and prominent societies of that period; by Rev. John Atkinson, of the Newark Conference."

To collect the unwritten history of a people is no easy task, and yet it is one for which future generations will be grateful. The author of "Methodism in New Jersey" has succeeded in making a very interesting book.

MR. GEORGE BANCROFT has been invited by the Committee in Cleveland, Ohio, to deliver the oration at the inauguration of the Perry Statue, on the 10th of September next, in that city.

MESSRS. A. WILLIAMS & Co. announce a History of Williams' College, by Rev. Calvin Durfee.

A HISTORY of Orange, New Jersey, by the Rev. James Hoyt, and a History of Shirley, Massachusetts, by Rev. Seth Chandler, are announced.

RARE AND VALUABLE AMERICAN COINS.-We understand that one of our principal auctioneers has in preparation a catalogue of American coins, medals, medalets, &c., &c., comprising many very fine and rare specimens of American colonial pieces, Washington pieces, mint pattern piecesbesides the full series of United States cents, in superior condition; dollars, half ditto, quarter ditto, dimes, and half dimnes. Among them are some of the extremely rare half-cents, in splendid proof condition; 1838 and 1852 dollars; two varieties 1838 pattern half dollars; 1849 pattern three-cent piece, of great rarity; Washington piece ("He is in Glory, the World in Tears"), in silver. Washington cent; 1791 small eagle- A correspondent of the Boston Journal states: the rarest type, in fine condition, &c., &c. The "That although the town of Nantucket, as a corwhole is from the private cabinet of a gentleman porate body, refused to make an appropriation of this city, and we think it will repay the for the proposed Centennial Celebration, in Auexamination of every collector, as it is very sel- gust next, a subscription-list has been started, and dom such a cabinet, in such fine and (in many in- there will, doubtless, be a demonstration that will stances) really superb condition, is offered for sale. I do credit to the sea girt-isle.'

Mr. BrotherheAD has just issued "Eminent Philadelphians, now Deceased," with portraits, by Henry Simpson, Esq.

THE

HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

JULY, 1860.

Letter from John Quincy Adams, inclosing the tinguished in the history of our Revolution. I

the conclusion that we are degenerating from the lofty energies of our Revolutionary principles, and falling into that retrograde movement which physical nature sometimes presents in the aspects of the planets, hope, with me, that this apparent deviation from the progress of moral and political improvement upon earth, is but an incidental anomaly in the promulgation of that great_and universal law which the visions of John Adams beheld in the ancient prophecies of the kingdom of the just.

If I have given you a sermon for an autograph, I pray you to excuse me, and believe me, with great respect to be, your fellow-citizen and servant, JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.

John Adams to Elbridge Gerry.

PARIS, May 23, 1780.

MY DEAR FRIEND: The Baron de Arundl desires a letter of introduction to some gentleman in Congress from me, and I don't know to whom to write upon this occasion, better than to you. I enclose you some of our Constitutions.

redeemed pledge of their lives, their fortunes, and
their sacred honor. If, at one of the most trying
periods of that conflict, in March, 1779, you find
Mr. Adams complaining of the dangers which
beset the cause, and the difficulties which it had to
encounter from the weakness, the selfishness, flat-
tery, vanity, and corruption of the times, yet
confiding without the admission of a doubt in the
ultimate success of the cause itself,-may we not
take it, in these times when the cause has suc-
ceeded, and the nation, formed by the labors
and sufferings of those days, has enjoyed such a
career of prosperity as was never before by Di-
vine Providence allotted to man; may we not take
it as an admonition, that the adherence to those
principles of our fathers has been among the prin-
cipal causes of that prosperity? Should we not
proceed a step further, and inquire whether that
half-century of unexampled prosperity might not
have been still more resplendent with glory, but
for our own aberrations from those principles,
the contemplation of which had fired the soul of
the writer of the inclosed letter with visions of
an approaching kingdom of the just, to result
from the success of that Revolution? In review-
ing its history and our own, while we remember
with exultation and gratitude the triumphant
issue of the cause, and the favors of heaven by
which it has been followed, is there not remain-
ing an augury, both retrospective and prospect-
ive, upon ourselves?
That kingdom of the just,
which had floated in the virtuous visions of John
Adams, while he was toiling for his country's in-
dependence, that kingdom of our Father in
Heaven, for which His Son taught us to approach
Him in daily prayer,-has it yet come; and if
not, have our advances towards it been as pure,
as virtuous, as self-denying, as were those of our
fathers in the days of their trial of adversity? |
And if we lay these questions in seriousness to
our souls, are we not bound to interrogate them
still further?-to cross-examine them if they
answer with too confident assurance of their
own righteousness, and ask them whether of late,
and even now, we are not stationary, or more than
stationary, moving backwards, from that progress
towards the kingdom of the just, which was
among the anticipated fruits of our Revolutionary
warfare? The highest, the transcendent glory of
the American Revolution was this-it connected,
in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil
government with the precepts of Christianity. If
it has never been considered in that light, it is
because its compass has not been perceived. The
letter which I now send you, short as it is, may
disclose it. But this investigation opens a field
of inquiry too important and too vast for a letter
merely inclosing an autograph. I offer it here to
your meditations, and if they should lead you to HON. E. GERRY, ESQ.

A vessel has arrived at L'Orient with a paper of 8 April; and there are letters to the Countess de la Luzerne, and others perhaps, as late as the 15th, but not a line from Congress to any one, that I can hear of certainly none to me. I want very much to get some correspondent who will send me the newspapers and the journals by every vessel from Baltimore or Philadelphia. The Court here have all these things from their ministers, consuls, etc., but we get nothing. They communicate nothing of this kind to any body,-not to me, nor to Dr. Franklin, nor to any indeed of their own patrons. It is inconsistent with the maxims of this government that they should. They communicate nothing to the Public-the people being of no consideration in public councils. They leave the public to pick up intelligence in scraps from England, Holland, America, Spain-anywhere and anyhow. that if you intend that we shall be informed of any thing, you must assist us.

So

What am I to do for money? Not one line have I received from Congress, or any member of Congress, since I left America.

Clinton's letter is a great curiosity. I have written more to Congress, since my arrival in Paris, than they ever received from Europe, put it altogether, since the Revolution. Whether any thing has reached them, I know not.

I am, affectionately, yours,

JOHN ADAMS.

John Adams to John Trumbull, the Author of ent of Business as you, and therefore must not it, which is not likely, he will not be so independ

McFingal.

ANTENIL, April 28, 1785. DEAR SIR: It was with much Pleasure that I received your Letter by Mr. Humphreys, in whom I have found all those valuable qualities you led me to expect. From him too I received a copy of "McFingal," a Poem which will live as long as "Hudibras." If I speak freely of this Piece, I can truly say, that altho' it is not equal to itself throughout (and where is the Poem that is so?) yet there are many Parts of it equal to any thing, in that kind of Poetry, that ever was written.

indulge it, but devote himself wholly to the Law. My Sage and amiable Friend, the Abby de Mably, who has been some time declining, I am now told, is no more.* At his advanced age, this is nothing surprizing, but I regrett his Loss very sincerely, on many accounts. He has not left in France a wiser or more independent spirit. Above the ambition of a Courtier, or even of an Academician, he has spent his life in propagating Principles of Legislation and Negotiation which do honour to human Nature, and tend to the advancement of its Happiness in Society. I wish his writings were generally known in Amer

This

He had given me encouragement that he would, this Spring, undertake to compose a general summary of Morals and Politicks. work will be now lost, but I hope his valuable Manuscript will soon be published. Two Vol umes of "Remarks on the History of France," a Treatise "Sur le Beau," and another on the "Course of the Passions in Society," are, as he told me himself, ready for the Press.

Give me leave, however, to repeat, what I be-ica. lieve I have formerly said to you, in some Letter or Conversation-at least I have long thought of it, and said it to others-that altho' your Talent in this way is equal to that of any one, you have veins of Poetry of superior kinds. I wish you to think of a subject which may employ you for many years, and afford full scope for the pathetic and sublime, of which several specimens have shown you master in the highest degree. Upon this plan I should hope to live to see our young America in Possession of an Heroick Poem, equal to those the most esteemed in any Country.

As it is probable, from the last letters from N. York, that I shall have to cross the Channel,* not indeed in a Balloon, but upon an enterprize equally hardy, the means of correspondence will be more easy, safe, and frequent, and I should be glad to hear from you as often as your Practice and the Heroick Poem aforesaid will admit.

This Letter will go by my son; but if he should go by Water from N. York to Newport, he will send it to you. If he passes by Land through N. Haven, he will have the Honour to deliver it. He was so young when you were acquainted in my Family, that I presume you will scarcely know him. The passion for Poetry is not always proportioned to the Talent. In the former he would bear some comparison with you at his age, but he has not yet given such proofs of the latter, and probably never will. If he had

66

* As the first Minister from the United States to the Court of Great Britain, to which mission he was appointed in 1785. Crossing the Channel in a balloon," refers to the then recent enterprise of the French aeronaut, Blanchard, who, on the 7th January, 1785, had made the first aerial voyage across the channel, from England to France. It may, perhaps, also refer to the trip-possibly then already projected-by Pilatre de Rozier, from the French to the English side of the channel, which terminated so fatally to himself and his companion, M. Romain, on the 15th of June following the date of Mr. Adams' letter.

With great esteem and affection, I am, Sir, your
most obedient and most humble Servant,
JOHN ADAMS.
JOHN TRUMBULL, ESQ.

John Adams to Dr. Franklin.

26 April, 1785. MR. ADAMS returns his respectful Compliments to Dr. Franklin. Mr. Jefferson will be so good, this evening, as to enquire, at the Post Office, for orable life, seems strikingly prophetic. Though a very smooth versifier, the late President A. was certainly not, in the true Horatian sense, a poet "Poeta nascitur, nonfit!" He was, at the date of this letter, a boy of eighteen, and was then on his return from Europe, where he had spent the three years preceding in the capacity of private secretary to the Hon. Francis Dana, our minister to Russia. Two years afterwards (in 1787), he graduated at Harvard, and commenced the study of law in Boston. The original of this letter (entirely in the autograph of his father), bears the address "To John Trumbull, Esq., Connecticut," in a neat, round, schoolboy hand, doubtless that of the youthful J. Q. Adams.

Gabriel Bonnet, Abbé de Mably, to whom the concluding paragraph of this letter relates, was a distinguished historical and political writer of France, born at Grenoble, in 1709, and educated at the Jesuits' College at Lyons. He afterwards removed to Paris, where he passed the life of a retired man of letters, and where he died, in 1785. His principal works are:

"Entretiens sur l'Histoire," "Le Droit Public de l'Europe,' ," "Des Principes de Négotiations," "Observations sur l'Histoire de la France," "Observations sur l'Histoire de la Grèce " and "Sur les Constitutions des Etats Unis de l'Amérique."

It was principally in opposition to the views of Turgot and the Abbé de Mably, as expressed in this lastThis reference to the penchant for poetry, which, it named work, that John Adams himself published, is well known, was retained by the venerable John while in London, in 1787, his "Defence of the AmeriQuincy Adams to the close of his long, active, and hon-can Constitutions."

C.