1829.] SAMUEL COATES.-THOMAS GODFREY. TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF SAMUEL COATES. At a Special Meeting of the Managers of the Pennsylvania Hospital, held 6th month, 7th, 1830. The Managers having assembled for the purpose of following to the grave the remains of Samuel Coates, who died on the 5th instant, in the 82d year of his age, deem it the proper occasion to record on their minutes a tribute of respect, and affection for the memory of their venerable friend, as well as gratefully, though briefly, to commemorate and publicly acknowledge his services, as the long devoted and faithful benefactor of the Pennsylvania Hospital. Residing in his youth with a relative* who was one of its founders, he became early acquainted with, and much interested in its excellent design, and primitive efforts. He was chosen a manager of the institution in 1785, and continued so for more than forty years, during which period he acted as Secretary twenty-six, and as President of the Board for upwards of thirteen years. The increasing infirmities of declining life, induced him to retire from office in 1825, after which time until the late election, when indisposition detained him in his chamber, he showed an unabated attachment to the concerns of the establishment, by attending, and participating in the business of the annual meetings of the contributors. No individual ever connected with the administration of the Hospital bestowed so much personal attention upon its affairs, and a considerable portion of the funds which have enlarged the usefulness of this noble charity, were obtained by his impressive, and unwearied petitions in its behalf. The benevolence and vigour of his mind, were developed on all occssions, when suffering humanity made the appeal. Proofs of these generous, and efficient dispositions, are not few, and they were strikingly illustrated in the two memorable summers of 1793 and 1798, when pestilencet and death, reigned in Philadelphia.On the former of those awful seasons he was assiduous in his attentions as a manager, and by his presence and advice, encouraged, and sustained the officers of the House in the performance of their duties, amidst the surrounding consternation. And when the members of the Committee who periled their lives for the relief of the sick, and destitute, found themselves unequal to the exigencies of the occasion, and requested aid of their fellow-citizens, Samuel Coates promptly offered himself as an assistant, and continued to extend care over a district of the City, and to furnish succor to the afflicted inhabitants, until the return of health. And during the other period of calamity, he remained in town, and was the only Manager of this institution found at his post, throughout the epidemic. The fearful circumstances of that distressing moment, induced him to propose to attend at the Hospital in the place of the Steward, to enable Francis Higgins, who occupied that station, to assist in keeping the convicts at the Penitentiary, whose escape was apprehended, threatening plunder, and conflagration, in addition to the sorrows, which were dispensed to our then devoted metropolis. 381 great doctrines of Christianity, leading him to dedicate his life to works of mercy, and of kindness, so will it please the author of all goodness to bestow upon his departed spirit, a reward which cannot fade away! The Secretary is requested to cause the above minutes to be inserted in all the newspapers. ROBERTS VAUX, Secretary. NOTES ON THE PRIMITIVE HISTORY OF GERMANTOWN. THOMAS GODFREY, (The Inventor of the Quadrant, j Was born in Bristol township, about one mile from Germantown, in the year 1704, on a farm adjoining to Lukens' mill, on the Church lane. His grand-father, Thomas Godfrey, a farmer and malster, had purchased the place from Samuel Carpenter, merchant, of Philadelphia, on the 24th of August, 1697. His father, Joseph, died in 1705, when he was but one year old. His mother afterwards married one Wood, of Philadelphia, and put her son out to learn the business of a glazier and painter. His father's estate became his when he was of age. He appears to have sold it to John Lukens, on the 1st of Jan. 1735. While engaged at his business on the premises at Stenton (J. Logan's place,) accidentally observing a piece of fallen glass, an idea presented to his reflecting mind, which caused him to quit his scaffold and go into Mr. Logan's library, where he took down a volume of Newton. Mr. Logan entering at this time, and seeing the book in his hand, inquired into the motive of his search, when he was exceedingly pleased with Godfrey's ingenuity, and from that time became his zealous friend. He procured for him a skilful person to try his quadrant at sea; and finding it fully answered every wish, he endeavoured to serve him by writing to his friends in England, especially to Sir Hans Sloane, so as to get for him the reward offered by the Royal Society. This was intended to be a measure in opposition to the claim of Hadley, who, it was supposed had obtained the description of the instrument from his nephew, who it was recollected had seen it in the West Indies. Such is the tradition of the matter in the Logan family as preserved by Mrs. Logan. James Logan asserts, in a letter to one of his friends, that Godfrey's discovery was two years prior to Hadley's. "Joshua Fisher, of Lewistown, afterwards of Philadelphia, merchant, first tried the quadrant in the bay of Delaware." Afterwards, Capt. Wright, carried it to Jamaica, where, unsuspicious of the piracy, he showed and explained it to several Englishmen, among whom was a nephew of Hadley's. Godfrey's affection for mathematical science occurred at an early period, from a chance opportunity of reading a book on that study. Finding the subject perplexed with Latin terms, he applied himself to that language with such diligence as to be able to read the occasional Latin he found. Optics and astronomy became his favourite studies, and the exercise of his thoughts, led him on to conceive at length the instrument which should enlarge his fame. Further particulars, in print, on this subject, may be found in the Philosophical Transactions, No. 435, and also in Bradford's American Mag The fulfilment of all these important duties was distinguished by remarkable single-mindedness, and ener-azine, for July, 1758. [Also see Register, vol. I. p.193.] gy, and simplicity of purpose, which at once proclaimed that he sought neither influence, nor the dispensation of patronage, nor any worldly gain, as incident to his public functions, and beneficent labours. In this he was not a man of mere pretension, and his example is therefore full of instruction, and worthy of imitation, and of praise. The grave stones of some of the family still remain upon the farm. I have seen two of them out in the field, close to a partition fence. They are of soap-stone, and the letters much effaced; but Mr. Nathan Spencer, near there, who honoured the inventor, had procured the inscriptions as they once stood, being told by Ann Nedrow to Spencer's father, and from him to Nathan, my informant, to wit:East side: Here lyeth the body of JOSEPH SON As by grace comes election, So the end of our hope is resurrection. West side: Death ends man's worke And labour here. The man is blest Whose labours just and pure. Is dead and gone before, &c. On the south side of the above described stone is supposed to have been placed the bodies of his father and mother, and on the north side, the body of his son Thomas, the inventor, and his wife. Mrs. Nedrow said she saw Thomas, the inventor, there buried in December, 1749. There was never any separate stone placed for him. Thus he, who has benefitted naval science and commerce with millions, has not had the requital of a stone to mark his memory-no "storied urn or monumental bust!" Village Telegraph. LAW CASES. COMMONWEALTH VS. CESAR JIMESON. Court of Oyer& Terminer-Indictment for a Misdemeanor. The court was occupied all yesterday with the trial of this case, which excited a good deal of interest, and is important on account of the novelty of the legal principles involved in it. The defendant, who is a coloured man, represents himself as a doctor, and the offence charged against him was bad management, want of skill, and gross negligence, as evinced in his treatment of one of his patients, a coloured girl, about 8 years old. he had cured of the rheumatism, others of jaundice,and one of a white swelling, after he had been under the care of a regular physician, and was getting worse daily. His honor Judge KING, in his charge to the jury, explained fully his views of the law. He stated that the case was of the first importance; that he had no recollection of a similar indictment in any of our courts.He could not assent to the doctrine advanced by the defendant's counsel, that mere mal-practice, unaccompanied by bad intentions and motives, is not indictable. He laid down the law otherwise. He said, that when a man, whether licensed or not, who undertakes the office of a physician, betrays gross and wanton ignorance of a dis ease, and a total ignorance or indifference to the consequences of the remedy, he is liable to a criminal prosecution. The jury left the box a little before 7 o'clock, and returned this morning with a verdict "guilty of the misdemeanor." Penn. Inq. COMMONWEALTH VS. SAMPSON. Habeas Corpus returnable before the Hon. Edward King, President, and Hugh Ferguson, Associate Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, for the city and county of Philadelphia, May 12th, 1830. The principal, and only point of importance in this case was-Whether a justice of the peace in the state of Pennsylvania has a right in a criminal case to authorise a private person to execute a warrant? After argument of counsel, Judge KING gave it as the decided opinion of the Court, That a justice of the peace in Pennsylvania, in a criminal case, may direct his warrant for an arrest to any person he pleases, but that he ought to direct it to a constable of the district or township, wherein it is to be executed, unless the urgency of the case should oth Doran for the Commonwealth. W. L. Hirst and Solomon for Defendant. Our readers will recollect the account published from the English papers, a day or two since, of one Clement Flindt, who escaped from Liverpool after defrauding his employer to a large amount. a Within an hour after authority to arrest him was received in this city, he was lodged in the Arch street prison, since which the following proceedings have occur. red. Some time about the middle of January last, the defendant was applied to, to attend the child, Mary Water-erwise require it. ford. When he arrived at the house, he inquired of the mother what ailed her. She described the symptoms, and stated that she complained of soreness in the stomach and bones, she also complained of her feet and legs. The mother asked him if he could help her; he replied that he could. She then asked him what his fee would be; he said it would cost three dollars, which must be paid before he could do any thing for the child. The money having been paid, the doctor proceeded to business, first cautioning the mother not to be alarmed; the operation being a severe one, the neighbours might possibly be alarmed. He directed some warm water to be brought in a tub, and asked for blankets, which he placed on a chair, on which he ordered the child to be seated; after every thing was arranged, he wrapt the blankets around the child, and had the tub placed below, into which hot bricks were put to create steam. As the water cooled, other bricks were put into the tub.The child soon began to scream, and said he was burning her. While under the operation, he gave her warm tea. After two or three hot bricks had been put into the water, the child still screamed and exclaimed, "I would rather die," and took her feet away; the doctor put them in again, & kept up the steam by fresh bricks, at the same time giving her the warm tea. Shortly after, the child died. On the part of the defendant, it was contended, that the child died of a wound inflicted on the head, previously to the operation; that it was not an indictable offence; that, to constitute the crime, malice or intention to injure must be shown. One or two cases were read and commented on by the counsel for the defendant, to show, that for such a charge an indictment could not be supported. Witnesses were examined on behalf of the defendant, who testified as to his reputation as a doctor, some of whom had been under his care, and had been cured by him, after the efforts of regular licensed doctors had failed. Several instances of his success as a practitioner were mentioned by the witnesses; some VS. District Court for the city John Stephen Burandon and county of Philadelphia. Clement Flindt. This was a rule to show cause of action, &why defendant should not be discharged on common bail, granted on motion of Mr. GRINNELL, for defendant, returnable on Saturday, May 29th. Mr. DUNLAP, for plaintiff, appeared and produced the affidavit of the plaintiff, sworn before the Lord Mayor of London, and certified by Thomas Aspenwall, Esq. American Consul at London, claiming £700, Sterling money, had and received by defendant to use of the plaintiff. The affidavit was opposed by the Deputy Counsel, on the ground that it did not comply with the nineteenth rule of the District Court, which is in the following words:- It is ordered, when the plaintiff himself is not present, and the evidence of the debt is brought from a foreign country, founded on any bonds, notes, bills of exchange, or other papers, executed, signed or acknowledged by the defendant himself, if it shall appear that due proof hath been made of the execution, acknowledgement or signature, before a lawful magistrate or public officer, according to the forms of the country from whence they came: and certified under some known public seal of that country,the judge being satisfied that a good cause of action appears, may, at his discretion, hold the defendant to bail; but no affidavit of the plaintiff himself, or any other person, taken in such foreign country to prove any demands or accounts not accompanied with such writings, executed, acknowledged or signed by the defendant, and proved as aforesaid, shall be sufficient to hold the defendant to bail,altho' such affidavit be certified under any public seal or seals, unless it shall likewise appear in evidence to the judge, that the defendant hath acknowledged such demands or accounts to be just. Mr. Dunlap, in reply-This rule is contrary to the law of the land, and the commercial law of usages of the whole world. So the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania held in the case of Walker vs. Bamber, 8 S&R, 61, upon a similar affidavit. The rule has been rescinded by the District Court in repeated decisions. In the case of Butler vs. Croft, in 1825, upon full argument, Levy, President, and Morgan, Justice, held that the rule was contrary to the law of the land and obsolete. [Reported in Democratic Press, April 13, 1825.] This decision was adhered to by the Court, in the case of Bolton and Spragg, in the same Court, March, 1828, No. 56, and in some other cases, mentioned by different gentlemen at the bar. BY THE COURT.-We have more than once decided that this rule was rescinded. We therefore discharge the rule in this case, and hold the defendant to bail in 4500 dollars. John C. & William H. Smith vs. William H. Smith. District Court, May 29. Defendant was supercargo of the Thomas Scattergood, hence to Canton. An agreement had been entered into by the parties, whereby the plaintiffs engage to pay defendant three per cent. commission 'upon the whole investment,' to be made in China. Considerable expenses were incurred in despatching the cargo, such as porterage, drink for the crew, &c. which were proved to be customary. The defendant had retained a commission upon the whole disbursements, including these charges, and the action was brought to recover this portion of the commissions. Several respectable merchants testified, that the word investment would be considered bymercantile men as embracing the whole disbursements, upon which commissions were commonly charged. A verdict was accordingly found for defendant. C. J. & C. Ingersoll, for plaintiff-Chauncey, for defendant.-Morn. Journ. CENSUS OF WEST-CHESTER. We are indebted to T. H. Jefferis, Esq. Deputy Marshall for taking the Census of this and the neighboring towns, for the following table of the inhabitants in the Borough of West-Chester. Vil. Rec. FREE WHITE MALES. FREE WHITE FEMALES. Under 5 years... METEOROLOGICAL REGISTER. 383 157 74|67|66|29.100.18.05|05|29.09 S 2637070 67 05 10 15 29.10 S W 3 61 67 66 64 25 28 23 29.25 N 23 47 42 29.37 S 40 30 28 29.32 S 30 35 35 29.33 N 55 60 60 29.58 N 65 60 58 29.61 N 60 60 55 29.58 N 64 63 50 29.59 N 48 30 12 29.30 N 28 38 40 29.35 E 35 30 20 29.28 S 20 25 24 29.23 S 30 30 37 29.32 W 50 45 40 .45 S E 33 20 14 .22 SE toE W W 16 26 26 Saturday Days of the month. A. M. 1, 12, 16, Clear, 2, Rain, 3, 23, 30, Cloudy, 4, 9, 15, 25, 29, Cloudy, Clear, 5, 11, Cloudy, Thund.gusts. 6, 14, 19, 20, 21, Clear, Clear, Clear, Rain, BLACK FEMALES. .15 .18. .21 18, 22, 24, 26, 27, 28, 31, Clear, On the 5th, at noon Thermometer at 77°, the highest in the month-On the 7th, in morning Thermometer at 45°, the lowest in the month; Range, 32°-On the 8th in the morning Barometer at 29.65 the highest-On the 2d, in morning Barometer at 29.05 the lowest; Range, 00.60-Difference between the mornings and noons from 2° to 10°--The wind has been 6 days East of the Included in the foregoing are, 1 deaf and dumb-2 meredian, 16 days West of it, 3 North and 6 Southblind-and 27 foreigners not naturalized. Cloudy, We however not only load the vassels, but create the freight, and also build the vessels to carry it all same day.-Lehigh Pioneer. There was frost on the 7th, 8th and 10th-There was rain on the 1st, 2, 3, 5, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 23, and 30,The heaviest rains were on the 1st, 5, 11, 12, 13, 16, and 17; thes fell mostly in the night, attended with sharp lightening and loud thunder, and what is very remarkable, neither thunder nor lightening commenced, untill after the rain bad continued for some time. This month was 24° colder than 1829, and 3° warmer than last April -The general aspect of the month cold and wet. One day's work at Mauch Chunk, between sunrise and half past four, P.M. Two hundred and sixty eight tons of coal quarried at the Mines, loaded and brought down the rail road, nine miles-unloaded from the wagons down the chute, and loaded into boats. The boats for this coal all built the same day, and within the above mentoned time. Forty thousand feet of lumber sawed in one day and night. The above we find is the average work of each day, throughout the week. We do not profess to be familiar with the business of our sea ports, but presume the above is equal to the full loading of a first rate brig in the merchant service. on the 8 1 226 1 305 Before 8-588 is the number of degrees of the Ther 70 mometer during the month. 333 3 832 588-31-19 nearly before 8 3 432 1011 31-32+at noon 6 897-30-29 nearly at Sunset 982 290 1871. 3)80(26+ Mean average per day during Jan. 3 3 1045 The quantity of Rain that fell, .64 376 21 15 173 17803 New Coal Mines.-The Short Mountain, situated in Lykens' Valley, from examinations recently made, is found to contain numerous veins of first quality Anthracite coal, not more than thirty miles distant from Harrisburg, and the Mahonoy mountain and valley, about ten miles further north, contains large bodies of the same mineral. The contiguity of those mines to the Susquehanna, and the short distance between them and Harrisburg, Middletown, Marietta, Columbia, Lancaster, 3991 &c. secures to their proprietors a convenient and steady 470 market, while the prospect of the Pennsylvania canal to 614 the Chesapeake, or the formation of a rail road from 511 York Haven to Baltimore, one of which must and will 181 be constructed, encourages the friends of the prosperity 749 of the interior of Pennsylvania to persevere in their ex1477 ertions to prove, by facts, that the mines of the Susque482 banna, are as valuable-as worthy of state encourage354 ment and protection-as those of the Delaware, Lehigh 8829 and Schuylkill that their natural and only markets are the rich counties bordering upon the Susquehanna, and the cities and towns upon the Chesapeake. This subject shall be resumed, when certain examinations now in progress in Lykens' Valley are completed. Lanc. Gaz. Outward Coast wise-136 Vessels-Tonnage, 11,944. THE REGISTER OF PENNSYLVANIA. DEVOTED TO THE PRESERVATION OF EVERY KIND OF USEFUL INFORMATION RESPECTING THE STATE. VOL. V.-NO. 25. EDITED BY SAMUEL HAZARD. PHILADELPHIA, JUNE 19, 1830. The Committee on Agriculture, who were instructed by a resolution, to inquire into the expediency of adopting measures to extend the cultivation of the white mulberry tree in the United States; to promote the culture of silk, by introducing the necessary machinery for reeling the same from cocoons; and for acquiring and disseminating practical knowledge therein, make the following report in part: last summer. THAT the committee have been greatly aided in their inquiries on these important subjects by essays, published recently, by Mr. John D'Homergue, a native of France, who came to the United States during the Mr. D'Homergue, being unacquainted with our language, has been assisted in the writing of these essays by Peter S. Du Ponceau, Esq. of whom it is unnecessary to speak, he being extensively known as a gentleman of the most patriotic views, possessing great scientific attainments, and an unblemished character. The committee, therefore, consider these essays, and the facts contained in them, as entitled to high confidence. Among the facts developed are several of an important nature. It appears that American silk is superior in quality to that produced in any other country. In France and Italy, twelve pounds of cocoons are required to produce one pound of raw silk, whilst eight pounds of American cocoons will produce one pound of raw silk. That cocoons cannot be exported to a foreign market from several causes, their bulk, their fiability to spoil by moulding on ship board, and because they cannot be compressed without rendering them incapable of being afterwards reeled. NO. 129. part of the United States. The climate of every State in the Union is adapted to the culture of silk; hatching the eggs of the silk worm may be accelerated or retarded to suit the putting forth the leaves of the mulberry. That tree is easily propagated from the seeds of the fruit, and is adapted to almost any soil. sale of our raw silk. The committee regard the general culture of silk as of vast national advantage in many points of view. If zealously undertaken and prosecuted, it will, in a few years, furnish an article of export of great value; and thus the millions paid by the people of the United States, for silk stuffs, will be compensated for by the The importation of silk, during the year which ended on the 30th of September, 1828, amounted to $8,463,563, of which $1,274,461 were exported; but, in the same year, the exportation of bread stuffs from this country amounted only to $5,414,665, leaving a balance against us of nearly two millions. The committee anticipate, that, at a period not remote, when we shall be in possession of the finest material produced in any country, the manufacture of silk stuffs will necessarily be introduced into the United States. The culture of silk promises highly moral benefits, in the employment of poor women and children in a profitable business, whilst it will detract nothing from agricultural or manufacturing labour. The culture of silk will greatly benefit those States which have abundant slave labour, the value of whose principal productions, particularly in the article of cotton, has been depressed by over production. It is well ascertained, that, altho' France produces within herself much silk, she pays annually more than $20,000,000 for imported silk. The committee have been unable to ascertain the amount of raw silk purchased from other countries in England, but they are satisfied the amount is large, and that, in these countries alone, a ready market can be found for all the raw silk raised in the United States for many years to come. The committee have, through their chairman, corresponded with Mr. Du Ponceau, and this report is accomIt is further demonstrated in these essays, and in a panied with a communication from that most respectamemorial lately presented by the manufacturers of silk ble man and useful citizen, exhibiting his matured views stuffs of Lyons, in France, to the Minister of commerce on this interesting subject. Mr. D'Homergue is now and manufactures, that the art of filature can only be ac- in Philadelphia, and unless sufficient inducements are quired by practical instruction, by some one intimately offered to him to remain in this country, he will very acquainted with, and accustomed to, that process. That soon leave it for ever. He possesses, in an eminent no human skill or ingenuity, unaided by practical in- degree, all the practical knowledge necessary, as an instruction, is capable of acquiring that art, to any profila- structor in the theory and practice of the art of reeling ble extent. It is made manifest, that, although the cul- silk from cocoons, and manufacturing the same into the ture of silk has been carried on for many years in some various forms and qualities of raw silk known in the silk parts of the United States, and more particularly in trade, having, from his infancy, been instructed in all It is believed to be almost imConnecticut, it has been conducted very unprofitably, the various processes. compared with what the results might have been, if the possible to procure from Europe another person so comart of filature had been understood. The sewing silk petent to impart a knowledge of these arts as Mr. D'made in Connecticut is from the best of silk, and is, af- Homergue is. The acquisition of his services and inter all, quite inferior to that of France and Italy; instruction is invaluable; and, in the opinion of the com these latter countries, sewing silk is manufactured from mittee, if he be suffered to leave the United States at imperfect cocoons, or from refuse silk. It appears, this period, it would be a national misfortune. In the also, that, unless the silk is properly reeled from the co-confident belief that Congress will, unhesitatingly, procoons, it is never afterwards susceptible of use in the vide for the appropriation of a small and insignifica finer fabrics. sum of money, in promoting a measure which cannot fail to realize to the nation such rich results, the committee have prepared a bill, which they beg leave to present. It is a gratifying consideration to the committee, that the benefits from the culture of silk, and the acquisition of the art of reeling the same, will be common to every VOL, V. 49 |