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meet in the city of Baltimore on the 18th day of June, and invite the Democracy of the country to fill the places of the Seceders.

The Seceders, by resolution, offered by Mr. Yancey declared themselves to be the "Constitutional Convention," and called those whom they had abandoned, the "Rump Convention." On the second day of their convention, they met in the Charleston Theatre. Behind their chairman was a drop-curtain with a painting of the Borgia palace around which clustered associations of great crimes. The courtly chairman conducted the business with energy. The convention adopted the majority report offered in the other body,

THE FRONT STREET THEATRE.

refrained from making a nomination, and on the 3d of May, adjourned to meet in Richmond, Virginia, on the second Monday in June. They assembled at Metropolitan Hall in that city, at the appointed time but took no definite action. They adjourned to meet at the same place on the 21st of the month, when most of the delegates hastened to Baltimore, where the regular convention, with Mr. Cushing as chairman, assembled in the Front Street Theatre on the 18th of June.

That body had a delicate task to perform in deciding the question concerning the admission to seats in the convention, of

the Seceders, and the latter, having voluntarily withdrawn, were no longer members of the convention. The committee on credentials took the matter in hand, and on the fourth day of the session, submitted two reports to the convention. The majority report was in favor of the admission of new delegates, and the minority report was against such admission.

The majority report was adopted, and the places of the Seceders were filled by Douglas delegates. Again there was rebellion against the fairly expressed will of the majority, and the whole or part of the delegation from Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, Delaware, Missouri and California, withdrew. the following morning, Mr. Cushing and a majority of the Massachusetts delegation, also withdrew. "We put our withdrawal before you," Mr. Butler, of that delegation, said, "upon the simple ground, among others that there has been a withdrawal, in part, of a majority of the States, and further (and that, perhaps, more personal to myself,) upon the ground that I will not sit in a convention where the African Slave-trade-which is piracy by the laws of my country-is approvingly advocated."

On the retirement of Mr. Cushing, Governor David Tod, of Ohio, was called to the chair, and the convention proceeded to ballot for a Presidential candidate. On

the second ballot, STEPHEN ARNOLD DOUGLAS was nominated, and on the evening of the 23d the convention adjourned.

The Seceders new and old, assembled at noon, on the 23d, in the Maryland Institute Hall, a room capable of seating five thousand people. It was almost full when the convention was permanently organized by the appointment of Mr. Cushing to preside. He declared that the body there assembled, formed the National Democratic Convention, composed as it was of delegates representing twenty

1 A delegate from Georgia, who was a mercantile dealer in Slaves, advocated the re-opening of the African Slave-trade,

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the Seceding delegates. It was argued and thought he should live to see the day when the doctrines

that as the convention at Charleston had invited the Democracy to fill the seats of

which he advocated would be "the doctrines of Massachusetts and the North." His remarks were offer.sive to a majority of his hearers, while they elicited the applause of many.[EDITOR.]

States. The Seceders, from Richmond, were invited to take seats in the convention, which they did, when the whole body proceeded to ballot for a candidate for President. On the nomination of George D. Loring, of Massachusetts, JOHN C. BRECKINRIDGE, of Kentucky, was chosen.

THE MARYLAND INSTITUTE.

with great bitterness of feeling, such as family quarrels usually exhibit.

Another convention assembled at Baltimore on the 9th of May. The delegates styled themselves the National Constitutional Union Party. They were composed almost wholly of the old Whig party and a waning organization known as the American or Know Nothing party. ExGovernor Washington Hunt presided. JOHN BELL, of Tennessee, was nominated for President, and EDWARD EVERETT, of Massachusetts, for Vice President. The platform of the BellEverett party, as it was called, was defined by the words :-THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COUNTRY, THE UNION OF THE STATES, AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS.

Six days after this convention adjourned, the representatives of the Republican party, formed in 1856, assembled at Chicago, with George Ashmun as President, and nominated ABRAHAM LINCOLN, of Illinois, for the

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After a harmonious session of a few hours, Presidency. the convention adjourned.

So ended the conventions of the hopelessly divided Democratic party, in the early Summer time of 1860. The respective political friends of STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS and JOHN C. BRECKINRIDGE, the opposing candidates, went into the canvass

And so it was that the Presidential canvass in 1860, opened, and was carried on, with four opposing candidates in the field. It resulted in the election of Mr. Lincoln, when secession on a grand scale was attempted, which resulted in one of the most terrible of civil wars recorded in history.

FRIENDS' MEETING-HOUSE AT JERICHO.

The RECORD is indebted to Mr. Henry Onderdonk, Jr., for the following sketch of the oldest of the Societies of Friends on Long Island:

The origin of the society of Friends at Jericho, (anciently called Lusum or "The Farms,") runs into the hidden past, far back of any extant records. Perhaps Ri. Doudney, a minister traveling east from Hempstead, in August, 1657, took Jericho on his way to Oysterbay, whence he embarked for Rhode Island. However that may be, the first zeal of the new converts seems, in the course of time, to have cooled a little; for "the Quarterly meeting, 30th of 10th mo., 1676, desired

Friends of the Farms to observe their Week-day meetings with diligence as formerly ordered."

For over a century there was no public meeting-house, but Friends met at private houses. Mary, widow of Thomas and mother of Ri. Willits, as early as 1678, had opened her house for meetings and the entertainment of traveling preachers. We shall confine ourselves to giving extracts chiefly from the. minutes of the Quarterly and Monthly meetings.

1683. 20th of 12mo. "Friends having something in their minds concerning the reading of Friends' papers in meeting,

that their children may thereby come to understand the order of Friends in their affairs and in their marriages, agreed that they be read at the Farms at the 12th month every year."

1690. 30th of 6th mo. A First-day meeting was now held at Jericho, every five weeks; but the Week-day meetings were kept alternately at Westbury and Jericho, Friends of both meetings joining

in one.

Mary Willits, "a mother in Israel," and Abigail her daughter-in-law, in 1707, reported their sufferings for several years previous, as follows:

In 170-,the constable on a demand of 10s. for the priest that should be sent from England to Hempstead, by reason she could not pay it, took 102 yards linen cloth worth 31s. 6d. On a like demand he went into the chamber of her daughterin-law, and took 91⁄2 bushels wheat worth 385. The next year the constable came to their houses in their absence, and took for John Thomas, priest, what wheat he pleased; they never knew how much. Another time on a demand of 21s. 6d. for building the priest's worship-house at Hempstead, the constable went in her yard and took 5 wethers worth 50s., and took from her daughter-in-law on a demand of 12s., two pair of new shoes and two pewter platters, worth 255. Next year on being denied money for the priest, the constable went into an inner room, got her keys, searched her chest and took money, she knew not what. Another year the collector demanded a tax-rate, and while she was telling [counting] the money, he pulled out of his pocket another rate for the priest's worship-house, and took what he pleased for the same.

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1712. 30th of 6th mo. The state of affairs at Jericho and places thereaway, being inquired into, are reported generally well and the meetings duly kept up."

1713. 17th of 12th mo. "Died Widow Mary Willits, aged near 85, an ancient worthy minister in the church of Christ. She received the blessed Truth in her early days and bore a public testimony in meeting, and continued faithful to the end of her days."

1713. 27th of 12m0, "The Monthly meeting heretofore kept at Jericho is to be kept for the time to come at Westbury."

1757-8. 11th mo. Wm. Reckitt was at Jericho on a First-day. "The meeting consisted of several hundreds of people who heard the Truth declared, with great attention."

1757. 2d of 9th mo. "Died Abigail Willits in her goth year, having seen her grand-daughter's grand-child. She had lived a widow upwards of 50 years, in good esteem, and with a sober and religious character amongst Friends, and died in good unity with them, having for some time longed for her course to be finished."

During the Revolutionary war, Friends scrupled to bear arms, and suffered accordingly. We cite but one out of many: Elias Hicks reports 5th of 4th mo. 1777, that a serjeant took from him a pair of shoes worth 8s. for a fine for his not appearing to stand on guard; and 28th of 8th mo., another serjeant took a pair of silver buckles worth 18s, two pair of stockings worth 15s. and two handkerchiefs worth 5s. for a fine for his not going at the time of an alarm.—3d of 12th mo. On a demand of 12s., towards paying some men hired to repair the Forts near the west end of the Island, a lieutenant took from him a great coat worth 26s. 1778. 6th mo., he was distrained of a pair of stockings worth 5s. and a razor-case and two razors worth 4s., for refusing to pay towards hiring of men to work in the fortifications near Brooklyn ferry. 1779, 10th mo., he was distrained of two bags containing three bushels of wheat worth £3. 10 for a demand on his wife (he being from home) of £3 for his not assisting to build a fort at Brooklyn ferry.

1786. 29th of 3d mo. "It is proposed to divide Westbury Preparative meeting and settle one at Jericho at the house of the two widow Seamans, they appearing free thereto."

1 Whaleboatmen from the Main often crossed the Sound in the darkness of night and plundered the inhabitants of the Island. Hence guards patrolled the shores, and in case of an alarm, the people were warned out to pursue the robbers ere they reached their boats.

1787. 25th of 7th mo. "It is proposed to build a meeting-house at Jericho 42 by 34 feet and 21 feet posts. The cost was £363. Stoves £23. 17. 9.

1788.

24th of 9th mo. Friends' school stock is divided. The share of Jericho is 101. 4. 10. and half the school-house at Westbury.

THE TRIP TO CAMBRIDGE.

I have before me a small broadside, on which is printed the following burlesque account of Washington's trip to Cambridge, after he received the appointment of Commander-in-Chief of the armies, from the Continental Congress, in June, 1775. It may here be remarked that Washington was not often the butt of ridicule by the Tory writers; the shafts of their wit were usually lavished on the subordinate officers, and the mass of the "rebels."

TRIP TO CAMBRIDGE.

When Congress sent great Washington,
All clothed in power and breeches,1
To meet old Britain's warlike sons
And make some rebel speeches;

'Twas then he took his gloomy way
Astride his dapple donkeys,"
And travelled well, both night and day,
Until he reached the Yankees.

Away from camp, 'bout three miles off,
From Lily he dismounted,3
His serjeant brushed his sunburnt wig
While he the specie counted.

All pricked up in full bag-wig,♦

The shaking, notwithstanding

In leather's tight, Oh! glorious sight! He reached the Yankee landing.

1 Breeches mades of the dressed hides of deer, were then generally worn by military men, on duty, and by others.

Washington's progress from Philadelphia to Cambridge was the reverse of a gloomy way." It was a perpetual ovation. Crowds of citizens and public bodies everywhere pressed to see him, and offer him their homage. He rode a fine white charger, and was accompanied by his faithful bodyservant, Billy.[EDITOR.]

3 The author of the song, in a note, says the name of the donkey was probably "suggested to Washington, by the whiteness of its hide, which was pretty well exposed to the weather, from the constant chafing of the articles with which it was ladened." The whole donkey story is an imaginary

one.

4 Washington never wore a wig. His own hair, which grew in profusion, was powdered and tied behind after the manner of wigs of that day.-[Editor.]

At Cambridge. He arrived there with Major-general

The women ran, the darkeys too; And all the bells, they tolled; For Britain's sons, by Doodle doo, We're sure to be consolêd.

Old mother Hancock with a pan
All crowded full of butter,
Unto the lovely Georgius ran,

And added to the splutter.

Says she, "Our brindle has just calv'd,
And John is wondrous happy.1
He sent this present to you, dear,
As you're the country's papa.'"
"You'll butter bread and bread butter,
But do not butt your speeches;
You'll butter bread and bread butter,
But do not grease your breeches."
Full many a child went into camp,

All dressed in homespun Kersey,
To see the greatest rebel scamp

That ever crossed o'er Jersey.

The rebel clowns, oh! what a sight!
For awkward was their figure:
'Twas yonder stood a pious wight,
And here and there a nigger.

Upon a stump, he placed himself,
Great Washington, did he,
And through the nose of lawyer Close,
Proclaimed great Liberty.2

The patriot brave, the patriot fair,
From fervor had grown thinner,
So off they marched, with patriot zeal,
And took a patriot dinner.3

Charles Lee, at two o'clock in the afternoon of the 2d of July, and at nine o'clock the next morning, formally took command of the army. [EDITOR.]

1 The family of John Hancock, who was then President of the Continental Congress, is here alluded to.

2 Washington issued a Proclamation, in which he declared that the colonies had taken up arms in the defence of that freedom which was their birthright, and that they would not lay them down until hostilities should cease on the part of the aggressors.-EDITOR.]

3 The author says in a note: "Corn-pudding and Yankee rum, a great promoter of rebellion and riot."

THE FIRST RAILROADS AND LOCOMOTIVES IN THE

UNITED STATES.

The September No. of the RECORD contains an article on this subject in which the writer has failed to notice the earliest constructed railroad in our country, and also to give any accounts of another road which was among the most interesting of those constructed at an early day.

The earliest railroad constructed in the United States, was undoubtedly that built by Thomas Leiper in 1806,' at his quarries in Delaware County, Penna., while the most noted among our early railroads was that near Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, constructed in 1827, for the transportation of coal from the Summit mines to the Lehigh river. The writer of the article referred to has left unnoticed both of these early efforts in railroading.

The following account of the first mentioned road is taken from the "History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania," p. 389, and the facts contained in it were given in a letter to the author of that work by the late Hon. George G. Leiper, who was the oldest son of Thomas Leiper, the builder of the road, and who well remembered its construction.

"The first railroad in the United States was built in Ridley township in 1806, by the late Thomas Leiper, for the transportation of stone from his quarries on Crum Creek to his landing on Ridley Creek, a distance of about one mile. . The ascents were graded inclined plains, and the superstructure was made of white oak with cross-ties and string pieces. The cars or trucks were very similar to those now in use, the wheels being made of cast iron with flanges. The line of road can still be seen. This railroad was superseded by the Leiper canal, which passed from the upper quarries down Crum Creek to the landing, and was built by the Hon. George G. Leiper, the eldest son of Thomas Leiper, in 1828, and continued to be used till 1852, when it, in turn, was superseded by the present railroad."

The following is appended to the fore

1 There is good authority for stating that this road was not constructed until the year 1810.-[C.)

going account of the "first railroad" as a foot note.

"Previous to engaging in the railroad enterprise, Mr. Thomas Leiper employed a millwright from Scotland, named Sumerville, to lay a track sixty yards in length at a grade of one inch and a-half to the yard, he having seen a similar one in Scotland and England. The experimental track was constructed on a vacant lot in the Northern Liberties of Philadelphia, and when the day of trial came, a large concourse of people assembled to witness the experiment. After having loaded the car with all the weights that could be procured from the neighboring hay-scales, wagers were offered to any amount that the horse could not move it to the Summit; but when the word was given, the horse moved off with ease amid the plaudits of the assembled multitude.”

It is well known that the Mauch Chunk road was built in 1827. At the commencement of that year the timber used in its construction was still in the forest, and yet it was completed and in use within a few months. The timbers were mostly laid on a graded turnpike which. accounts for the rapid execution of the work. It extended with a continuous descent of one hundred feet to the mile, from the Summit mines of Mauch Chunk mountain to the Lehigh river, and the loaded cars passed down by gravity-each train taking down a sufficient number of mules to haul back the empty cars. It is said this arrangement was made at the suggestion of the late Josiah White whose name is so creditably associated with the Lehigh navigation. The writer made a trip on this railroad in 1829, when, for the time, it was doing an immense amount of work. The rails were of squared timber plated with iron after the manner of most of our early railrords. To many visitors the most amusing feature of a trip on the road was the grotesque, unconcerned complacency with which the mules enjoyed their down-hill ride which was uniformly accompanied with a good feed.

S.

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