escape till January 13th 1814, when all the ships except the President got out to sea. On the day ensuing, Decatur føllowed, when in passing the bar, his ship grounded and received considerable damage. It would have been well if he had returned. After sailing about fifty miles along the South side of Long Island, he was proceeding on his course, when at day-break on the 15th, he discovered that he was chased by four large ships, from which he, in vain, attempted to escape. He defended his ship as long as was consistent with propriety, and after 25 of his brave crew had been killed, and 55 wounded, he was obliged to yield to so vast a superiority.

On the 11th February 18 5, the long wished for, but very unexpected news of peace, arrived in this city, and afforded the greatest satisfaction to men of all parties, to federalists and republicans, to the friends of the administration and its opponents, who all united in celebrating the happy event. On the very evening on which the agreeable intelligence reached us, our city was partly illuminated, which was in a few days thereafter followed by more extensive demonstrations of joy. The definitive treaty of peace was agreed upon by the commissioners at Ghent, December 24th 1824, ratified by the Prince Regent on the 27th following, arrived in this city on the 11th, and at Washington on the 13th February, where it was ratified by the President and Senate, on the 17th following.

In the summer of 1822, we were visited by the yellow fever. The disease, in that season, made its appearance in a different quarter from that in which it had commenced its operations in former years. It had formerly always begun somewhere on the East river, but then it was first seen in Rector-street, towards the North river, a part of the city which had been heretofore deemed peculiarly healthy. And as its devastations were chiefly confined to that vicinity it was called the "Infected district."

Between 17th of June, when the disease commenced, to the 2d of November, when it terminated, the number of deaths were 1286, of which, owing to the blessing of God, on the timeous and salutary measures adopted by the board of health to check its career, there were only 240 by yellow fever.

I now come to an event which will long be remembered with pleasure by the inhabitants of this metropolis. On Sunday 15th August, General LA FAYETTE, who had for some time been anxiously looked for, arrived at Staten Island, where he remained at the mansion of his excellency the late DANIEL D. TOMPKINS, then vice president of the United States, till the day following, when he made his public en

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trance into this city. To this illustrious man, the United States are more indebted for that liberty and independence which they now enjoy, than to any individual now living, His gratuitous and highly important services as a Major General in our army, his unceasing exertions to procure aid from France, and his repeated and very liberal supplies of money for the use of our half naked and suffering soldiers, during the revolutionary war, were still fresh in the minds of our fellow citizens. Hence he was treated with a most cordial welcome-a degree of rapture almost bordering on enthusiasm. He landed at Castle Garden amidst the acclamations of many thousands, the ringing of bells, and the firing of cannons. All the merchant and coasting vessels in our harbour hoisted their colours, and the ships of war, packets and numerous steam boats, were decorated with flags of different nations in the most elegant manner. In short, no demonstration of joy, which the ingenuity of our citizens could invent, was wanting to express the pleasure which was so generally felt on the arrival of this veteran hero, this distinguished Guest of the Nation, at our metropolis. After tarrying a short time at Castle Garden, he was escorted to the City Hall, where he was received in form by the Common Council, and addressed in a very appropriate speech by the Hon. WM. PAULDING, junr. then mayor, to which he made an affectionate and very suitable reply. From thence he was conducted to the lodgings, previously provided for him, by the Common Council, at Mr. Bunker's splendid hotel in Broadway. During his short residence amongst us, he visited our navy yard and garrisons, our public institutions, theatres, &c. and was every where received with that gratitude, to which, from his eminent services, he was so justly entitled. He daily kept a levee, at certain hours, in the City Hall, where he was incessantly visited by crowds of citizens, with whom he conversed with great familiarity, and readily shook hands with every one, who came forward for that purpose.

The time of his departure having arrived, he was escorted by a numerous detachment of artillery, infantry, and cavalry, to Kingsbridge, where they took an affectionate leave of their noble and amiable friend. Although, when he landed at this port, he was in the 68th year of his age, and walked lame in consequence of his wound, he, in the space of thirteen months, visited most of the principal places in the United States, from North to South, and from East to West; and so ardent was is desire to behold the vast improvements, which, since his st visit, had taken place in every part of our country, that

it is highly probable he travelled with more despatch and made greater progress than had ever been done in the United States by any one, whether young or old. On the 13th of September, after taking an affectionate leave of the President, and heads of department, he proceeded to the frigate Brandywine, Commodore MORRIS, which had been fitted up for his accommodation, and in which he landed at Havre November following.

CHAPTER XII.

A short account of the rise, progress, and completion of the GREAT CANAL, and of the grand celebration, which took place in this city on that auspicious occasion.

THE citizens of this state may be proud on reading the following notice taken of this stupendous work, in Blackwood's Magazine, a journal by no means noted for partiality to this country. "There does not exist, at this time, on the whole face of the earth, any district more flourishing, more improving, more enterprising, than the state of New York. The great canal, which beggars to insignificance all similar undertakings in the old world, and which in point of extent is the largest line of continued labour in the world, after the wall of China, is of itself a sufficient proof and illustration of this fact."

There is even at this period some doubt with respect to the person who first conceived the vast idea of uniting the waters of Lake Erie with those of the Atlantic ocean, by a GREAT CANAL. As the Hon. Gouverneur Morris had made a tour through the western parts of this state in the summer of 1800, during which time he viewed lakes Ontario and Erie with great attention, and made himself well acquainted with the soil and situation of the different streams with which the western country was watered, it is highly probable that he was the first who conceived the practicability of carrying such a project to a happy conclusion. He clearly foresaw the incalculable benefits which would result to the state when such a work should be finished. His expectations on this point were undoubtedly sanguine. But it will readily be admitted, that it is far more easy to form correct notions of a great and useful project than to put them in execution. Hence though he who devised the plan of our Great Canal merits commendation, the man who by his unceasing exertions surmounted every

difficulty thrown in the way, and got it carried into complete operation is evidently entitled to much more.

I am far from wishing to detract from the merits of Mr. Morris; but it may be asserted without fear of contradiction, that had it not been for the comprehensive genius and unremitted exertions of DEWITT CLINTON, our present governor, the grand canal which has been lately finished, would have still remained in embryo. It was he who proposed, and who after overcoming the many difficulties which had been thrown in the way, had the principal agency in bringing to a happy termination this stupendous work.

The danger and folly of party spirit was never more apparent than in the early opposition to the commencement of the canal, which its enemies. by way of derision, denominated Clinton's big ditch. So long as the great event of the undertaking appeared doubtful, they readily allowed that he was the sole adviser of the measure; and if from any cause whatever, the plan had not been completely executed, they would have blamed him, without mercy as the principal cause of involving the state in a very enormous and useless expenditure. When they found, however, that the work would certainly be completed in a less time than its friends had at first imagined, and that further opposition would be of no av il, they came forward to acknowledge their error and to appropriate to themselves, if possible, the merit of prosecuting and bringing it to a happy conclusion. But in order that they might be able to effect their purpose, it was deemed necessary to remove their chief commissioner.

Mr. Clinton had been a leading member of the Canal board for 14 years; he had been ever at his post and indefatigably attentive to the object of his appointment, the great work was rapidly progressing and in a short time would have been finished. At this very juncture, towards the close of the session of 1824, they removed that gentleman from the Canal Board. Never had the proceedings of our legislature roused the astonishment and indignation of our citizens so much as this did.Meetings were immmediately called throughout the state, and the people in general did every thing in their power to remove from themselves the stain of ingratitude, A very numerous meeting was held in the park in this city on the 19th May 1824, where after appointing WILLIAM FEW chairman and JOHN RATHBONE Junior, secretary, they unanimously passed eight resolutions, the fourth of which is in the following words : "Resolved, That we consider De Witt Clinton pre-eminently useful to the age, in which he lives and that for 14 years of pub

lic service in the prosecution of the great Northern and Western Canals, without salary or reward, he is richly entitled to the gratitude of the people of the state of New-York, to the gratitude of the nation at large, since they are national works, and to the gratitude of posterity, since they will benefit all future generations." They represented his removal as an act degrading to the state, a violation of justice, an outrage on public opinion and a serious injury to the highest interests of the state and they declared that notwithstanding his removal, their confidence in his capacity and integrity and their respect for his public and private life was unimpaired. A committee of thirty was appointed to communicate the proceedings of this meeting to De Witt Clinton and to give them publicity throughout the state."

Respecting the early difficulties, which were opposed to the commencement of the canal and the means by which they were obviated, Mr. Clinton thus happily expresses himself in his reply to the New-York Address "At the commencement of the year 1816, a few individuals held a consultation in the city of New-York, for the purpose of calling the public attention to the contemplated Western and Northern Canals. The difficulties to be surmounted were of the most formidable aspect. The state in consequence of her patriotic exertions during the war, was considerably embarrassed in her finances; a current of hostility had set in against the project; and the preliminary measures however well intended, ably devised or faithfully executed, had unfortunately increased, instead of allaying prejudice. And such was the weight of these and other considerations, that the plan was generally viewed as abandoned.Experience evinces, that it is much easier to originate a measure successfully, than it is to revive one, which has been already unfavourably received. Nothwithstanding those appalling obstacles, which were duly considered, a public meeting was called, of which WILLIAM BAYARD was chairman and JOHN PINTARD secretary; a memorial in favour of the canal policy was read and approved and a correspondent spirit, which induced the legislature to pass a law authorizing surveys and examinations, took place in evey part of the state.'

On April 17th 1816, "An act was passed providing for the improvement of the internal navigation of the state and an appropriation of $20,000 was made to defray the expense of surveys &c. The report of the commissioners at the next session of the Legislature, respecting their proceedings presented such conclusive evidence, in favour of the proposed canals, that an act was passed, April 5, 1817; but not without the mos