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da

alle

B

JONATHAN ELLIOT,

Office of the National Register,

Editor and proprietor, at Washington City.

July 1, 1819.

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

WASHINGTON CITY, JANUARY 2, 1819.

[VOL VII

No. 1.]
Printed and Published, every Saturday, by Lawrence, Wilson, & Co. at five dollars per annum.

Contents of this No. of the National Register.

ORIGINAL.-Address to 1-Song, 14-Minor Cri-

ticism, 14-Editor's Cabinet-Foreign News, 15-History

of Congress, 15-Bank of the United States, 16.

SELECTED.- Miscellany-Astronomica Calculation, 2-
Dwarf Skeletons, 2-Breach of promise of marriage,
3-Progress of Crime, 3-Statistics-Boundary line of
the state of Georgia, 4-Affairs of the Bank of the United
States, 5-Foreign Affairs-Number and rank of

naval officers, 7-Rates and duties on articles imported
from the United States into Upper Canada, 7-Home
Affairs-Message of Gov. Findlay to the Legislature of
Pennsylvania, 7.-Proceedings of Congress, 11.

Address of the Proprietors of the National
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City of Washington,
January 2, 1819.

MISCELLANY.
ASTRONOMICAL.

Of the difference, on the parallel of 45 degrees, of the latitude by observation (with a sextant, quadrant, or other instrament proper for the purpose,) and the true latitude on that parallel, taking into view the spheroidal figure of the

Earth

If we admit a degree of latitude on the Earth's surface to be equal to 69 2 of our miles, the cir. cumference, supposing its form to be that of a perfect sphere, is 249.12, and the diameter 7929.735 miles.

But it has been ascertained, upon principles that will not, probably, be now controverted, that the true figure of the Earth is that of an oblete spheroid, the ratio of whose polar axis to the equatorial diameter is as 318 to 319 The polar diameter, according to this proposition, is 7904.877 of our miles.

1

iv small. This awakened his curiosity, and led him to a minute examination, which convinced him they were the remains of human beings much smaller than those of the present day. He seemed warranted in this conclusion, as well from the

uniform appearance of the skeletons (the length of which in no case exceeds 4 feet) as from the teetn, which bore the evident marks of those belonging to adult persons He communicated these

facts to a gentleman of this place, who, on Sunday

last, together with two other gentlemen, accompanied Drs. Waller and Grayson to the place of interment. They found, as had been stated, in a wood adjacent to the house, a great number of graves, situated on small tumuli or hillocks, raised about three feet above the surface, they examined several the first of which, by actual measurement, was discovered to be only 23 inches in length. The grave was carefully cased on both sides, as well as at the head and foot, with flat stones; in the bottom also a stone was fixed on which the

body was lying, placed on the right side, with the head to the east. Time had completely destroyed all the soft parts of the body, as well as decomposed the bones, which, however, still preserved their relative situation.

The teeth, which were expected to furnish the best and perhaps only data to judge, were found in a state almost perfect, being defended by the enamel, which seems only to yield to chemical decomposition. To the astonishment of all, they proved to be teeth of a being, who, if it had not attained the age of puberty, had unquestionably arrived at that period of life when the milk teeth yield to the second or permanent set. The molares and incisores were of the ordinary size of the second teeth. The jaw bone seemed to have its

The diameter of a perfect sphere equal to the spheroid above stated, is found, by taking a geo- ful complement, unless it was the dentis sapienta,

metrical mean of these two diameters, to be 7917. 296 miles: if we divide this by 636, twice the ratio of the polar axis, we have 12 4485 miles, equal to the difference, on the parallel of 45 degrees of the latitude by observation, supposing the Earth to be a perfect sphere, and the true latitude, allowing for its real spheroidal form. The latitude by observation should, therefore, be 45° 10 47" 61 dec.

The following rule will give the corresponding latitude, by observation, on any parallel, from 0° to 90 degrees:

Let a represent the equatorial diameter, and y the polar axis of the earth.

December 28, 1818.

WILLIAM LAMBERT.

xx

Explanation of the algebraical signs. square

or what is better understood by the wisdom teeth, which make their appearance from 18 to 22 or 23.

The next grave examined was on an adjacent mound, and measured 27 inches; it resembled in every respect the first, except that the top of it was covered with flat stones placed horizontally. several others were opened, all of which present an umform appearance, and none, although many were measured, proved to be in length more than 4 feet 2 or 3 inches. From these facts the mind

is brought to the irresistible conclusion, that these are the remains of beings differing altogether from, and inferior in general size to, ourselves. For, if in the subject first mentioned, we suppose it to be a being of the usual growth, the fact of its having attained the age of 7 or 8 years, as seems proved from the teeth, is directly opposite to and at war with the circumstance of its being only 23 inches long, the usual length of a child 8 or 10 months old, and justifies the conclusion that, by nature, it was destined to be of inferior size.

As to the time that those bodies have been deposited, there is no clue by which to form any certain opinion. The bones have been thoroughof the equatorial diameter, divided by the squarely changed by time, nothing remaining but the of the polar axis; X multiplied by, equal to.

DWARF STELETONS. Tron the Missouri Gazette, printed at St. Louis, on the 6th of November, 1818.

lime or earthy particles of them, which can undergo no further change, and may as well be supposed to have been in this state five centuries as one. It is certain they have been there an immense length of time from the large growth of A short time since, Mr. Long, the proprietor of timber on the mounds, and the roots of trees that a farm on the south bank of the Meramec river, I had made their way through the graves. This

subject certainly invites the attention of the learned and curious, and opens an ample field for investigation, at least to form some plausible conjecture of a race of beings who have inhabited our country at a period far beyond that of which tradition gives us any account.

That she considered marriage as the sacred in-
stitution of Heaven, and it would be betraying
the feelings of her heart if she ever bestowed
her hand on another. She breathed forth pray.
ers for his happiness, and wished him to remem.
ber her in his supplications to the Throne of
Grace. There never was a more pathetic and

From the Albany Daily Advertiser of Dec. 2, 1818. eloquent appeal to the feelings of an audience,

MONTGOMERY CIRCUIT.

Breach of Promise of Marriage.

or which called more loudly for exemplary damages from a jury. The tear of sympathy stole from The circuit court in and for the county of every eye, the glow of honest indignation flushed Montgomery, was opened before his honor Mr. every countenance. The counsel of the defenJustice Spencer, on Monday, the 16th inst. and dant, by the introduction of this letter, were continued during the week. Among the trials truly heaping damages on the head of their which excited a great degree of interest and client. The letter of the lady evinced a mind feeling, was that of an action brought by a lady highly cultivated and refined, a heart possessing, residing in Canajoharie, against a physician living in an eminent degree, the softness of her sex, and at Saratoga, for a breach of promise of marriage. a composure and tranquillity, which could alone very feeling and eloThe respectability and standing of the parties, be derived from religion and virtue. the novelty of the case, and the peculiar circum stances attending it, engaged a more than ordi-quent charge to the jury, after remarking on the

His honor the judge, in

a

rare occurrence of actions of this nature, dwelt with much force on the peculiar circumstances at tending the one before them. A lady of refined manners and good education, alive to every noble sentiment, and, to add to the interest which she excited, being in delicate health, had been made

to

to celibacy,

nary attention On the part of the plaintiff it was proved that the defendant had paid his ad dresses to her, and even solicited the consent of her father to a union, whieli was given. A num. ber of letters written by the defendant to the plaintiff, were read in evidence, which contained the warmest professions of friendship and esteem, and breathed in every line the soft accents of love. This correspondence, which had continued for a considerable length of time, was broken off by the defendant. From some pretended cause, his heart became estranged from the former object lady his love-he had met with another young lady (the friend of the plaintiff,) whose glittering purse perhaps dazzled his eyes, and with a mag-lease the defendant from his engagement, it

of

netic power attracted his wavering heart. He addressed her-gained her heart-and added to his faithless conduct the sanction of matrimony, leaving the former idol of his affections a prey to tender anguish.

The defence relied on was, that the plaintiff had released him from his engagement, by advising him to marry her friend. As evidence of this, but most fatally for the defendant, and most unfortunately for his learned counsel, a letter was introduced written by the plaintiff to him. It was the last which she had addressed to him, composed at a time when her heart was wrung with the painful conviction that she had ceased to interest him, and when the more painful intelLigence was communicated that he was on the eve of being united to another. Under these truly afilicting circumstances, so trying to the tender sensibilities of the female bosom-she addressed hien-not with harsh epithets of censure and reproach; but in the most tender and affectionate language. In the spirit of grief, she told him of the information which she had received, requesting him to inform her without reserve, whether

and

life.

In

pine in solitude, and consigned gained her affections, and solemnly promised to through the faithless conduct of one who had or through protector be her companion summing up the evidence, he adverted, with mach emotion, to the letter of the lady, to which he paid the highest tributes; observing, at the same time, that so far from evincing a disposition to reshowed the very reverse-it presented the defendant in a more odious view, and exhibited the brightest part of the lady's character. That the receipt of such a letter, written under such circumstances, was enough to break the heart of any other man. He told the jury that this was the most aggravated case which had ever come before him, and that it was their duty to lay a heavy hand on the defendant. To the honor of a jury, composed of the honest yeomanry of the country, be it said, they returned to the bar with a verdict for the fair plaintiff of five thousand dollars.

Breach of Promise of Marriage. In the report of this trial in our paper of yesterday, the names of the parties were omitted. Many inquiries have been since made respecting them, which it was not in our power to answer; but we learn by a Johnstown paper now before us, that the name of the lady is Miss Lucy Hubbard, of Canajoharie, and that of the defendant Dr. John 11. Steele, of Saratoga.- [Ed. Alb. D. Adv.

PROGRESS OF CRIME.

he was indeed about to be united to another; and From the Charleston City Gazette of the 14th De

cember, 1818. HIGHWAY ROBBERY!

On Saturday last, two men, named Solomon Cumbo and Daniel James, were brought before J. H. Mitchell, esq. justice of peace, for having The subjoined are the particucommitted a robbery on the Georgetown road, near this town.

without evincing a spark of jealousy or resentment, she offered the warmest tribute of friendship and respect to the amiable qualities of her friend-recommending her as every way calculated to make him happy, and if he had determined to make her his wife, telling him to do so with as they came out on the examination: out delay. As for herself, she had become reconciled to her unhappy situation, though lan-lars, It appears that four men, of the names of Dan guage was inadequate to describe the deep an The fair prosiel James, John Robinson, and Jim, sea. a jeweller by trade, left guish which had rent her bosom men, and Bell, smiling hope of connubial happiness pects had held up to her view, were blasted forever.

drive on. James, in his deposition before the || back, appeared to have bestowed the name of