PRINCIPAL EVENTS

OF THE PERIOD

COMMENCING JULY 1, 1831, AND ENDING AUGUST 31, 1832.

JULY, 1831.

4. James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States, died in New York city, in the 73d year of his age. He joined the army of the revolution, in 1776, as a volunteer, and was wounded at the battle of Trenton, Dec. 26, 1776. He was afterwards elected a member of the Continental Congress, was appointed a minister to France by Washington, Secretary of State from 1811 to 1814, then Secretary of War, afterwards at the head of the Department of State; inaugurated President of the United States, March 4, 1817, which office he held for eight years. He was a native of Virginia. With the exception of a single vote, he was unanimously re-elected President, in 1821.

4. The bill for parliamentary reform was taken up in the British House of Commons, and debated.

6. The bill for parliamentary reform passed in the Commons, ayes 367, noes 231. 7. John Matthias Turner, D. D. bishop of Calcutta, dies at Calcutta. He was the fourth bishop of that See. His predecessors were Middleton, James, and Heber. 10. Died in Talbot County, Md. Daniel Martin, Governor of the State.

11. The French fleet force the passage of the Tagus, and take possession of the Portuguese fleet, lying off Lisbon, in consequence of demands of the French government for satisfaction of alleged injuries received by French subjects from the Portuguese authorities not being complied with. The court of Lisbon were forced to submit to the terms imposed by the French.

11. The Poles, under General Chrzanski, attacked, 5 miles from Warsaw, by the Russians, who are repulsed.

12. The country about the Red Sea, suffer greatly from the scurvy, fever, and cholera morbus. The latter was particularly dreaded, as the strongest men were carried off in 12 hours. At Mecca and the Hadje country, 45,000 souls were carried off in one month.

16. Destructive gale of wind at Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope. Six vessels driven on shore, and property to the value of £40,000 destroyed, but providentially no lives were lost.

19. The bark Lady Sherbrook, on her passage from Londonderry to Quebec, with 280 passengers and 15 crew, is wrecked on a point near Point Blanch, and only 32 persons saved out of the whole number.

21. Leopold, king of Belgium, makes his entrance into Brussels, after a triumphant progress through his dominions, from Ostend, where he landed from England. On the 22d his inauguration took place, and in the presence of the Congress, he took the oaths to preserve and defend the Belgic Constitution.

24. First meeting of the French Chamber of Deputies after the new election, opened by the king in person.

30. Col. Richard Varick, third president of the American Bible Society, dies at his residence at Jersey city, near New York, aged 79. He was in Washington's family in the revolutionary war, and afterwards, for many years, mayor of the city of New York.

AUGUST.

1. The opening of the new London bridge takes place. The king and queen attend the ceremony, going by water in state. It cost £500,000. No toll is in any event to be

imposed on the bridge. It is constructed of the finest granite, of which 120,000 tons were employed. During the whole time the work was in progress, 800 men were engaged. The length of the bridge from the extremities of the abutments is 928 feet; within the abutments, 782 feet. The roadway is 53 feet wide, footways, 9 feet each, and the carriageway, 35. It consists of 5 semi-elliptical arches. The least of these is larger than any stone arch of this description ever before erected. The centre arch is 152 feet span. Time employed in building, 7 years, 5 months, and 13 days.

2. A violent fire at Pera, a suburb of Constantinople, in which the hotels of the ambassadors of England, France, and Holland, which belonged to those nations, and the residences hired by the ministers of Russia, Prussia, Sardinia, and Naples, together with a number of churches, and 5,000 houses, fell a prey to the flames.

3. Died at Exeter, N. H. Oliver Peabody, Esq. aged 79.

3. The king of the Netherlands resumes war against Belgium, and obtains several advantages over the Belgic troops. King Leopold applies for protection to the five powers under whose auspices the settlement of the differences between the two States was proceeding. France immediately despatches 50,000 men to his assistance, upon which, on the 13th, the king of the Netherlands agrees to withdraw his troops, and consents to another armistice.

11. Dreadful hurricane in the island of Barbadoes, by which 3,000 lives were lost, chiefly among the negroes; 16 vessels driven on shore, and the whole island nearly desolated. The hurricane also extended to the islands, St. Lucia and St. Vincent, and the damage done was very extensive, though not attended with such a serious loss of lives. The loss of property at St. Vincent, was estimated at £500,000. Sixteen slaves were killed on one estate.

13. Skrzynecki is superseded by Dembinski as commander in chief of the Polish army.

17. The Rothsay Castle, steamboat, plying between Liverpool and Beaumaris, England, lost on the night of this day, with nearly 200 passengers and crew on board, of whom only about 20 were saved. The captain was intoxicated.

18. Died in Jackson county, Michigan, Noah Seaman, a native of Swanzey, Ms. aged 100 years, and 1 months.

21. Insurrection of the troops in Lisbon, against Don Miguel, suppressed, as it is stated, with the loss of 300 lives.

22. A serious insurrection of the slaves in Southampton county, Virginia. The whole number of lives sacrificed was 110 or 112. The whites massacred were 64; about 30 or 35 colored people were shot down by the troops called out to quell the insurrection; one militia man was killed in a rencontre, and 12 negroes executed. One Nat Turner, a fanatic, was at the head of the insurrection.

25. An Eulogy on James Monroe, pronounced in Boston, by John Quincy Adams. 26. A duel fought near St. Louis, Mo. between Spencer Pettis, member of Congress from Missouri, and Thomas Biddle, paymaster of the United States army; fatal to both. 27. An Eulogy on James Monroe, delivered in Cincinnati, Ohio, by Judge McLean. 27. M. Casimir Perier introduces into the French Chamber of Deputies, the project for the abolition of hereditary succession in the peerage.

27. Died in Wooster, Ohio, Rev. Ralph Cushman, of Cincinnati, agent of the American Home Missionary Society, formerly of Manlius, N. Y.

SEPTEMBER.

3. Rev. John H. Rice, D. D., Professor of Theology in the Union Theological Seminary, Va. dies at his residence at Prince Edward, aged 54. He was one of the most highly esteemed and influential clergymen in the United States. He conducted for some years, with great ability, the Richmond Literary and Evangelical Magazine. A memoir is preparing by Wm. Maxwell, Esq. of Norfolk.

8. Died at his house in New York, Samuel L. Mitchell, M. D., LL. D. an eminent naturalist, and a gentleman of multifarious learning.

8. The coronation of William IV. takes place in England.

8. Warsaw is taken by the Russians, after two days hard fighting, in which they acknowledge the loss of 5,000 men. Count Paskewitsch, the Russian commander, was wounded. The suburbs on the southwest side are almost entirely burned down. Count Witt was appointed governor of Warsaw, and Gen. Korff, commandant. The news of its fall produced an extraordinary sensation at Paris. The majority of shops were shut; business was in a considerable degree suspended, and Perier and Sebastiani, two of the ministers, narrowly escaped with their lives.

16. Three Christian missionaries, Messrs. Butler, Trott, and Worcester, sentenced by the Superior Court of Georgia, at Lawrenceville, to four years' imprisonment at hard labor, in the penitentiary, for residing in the territory occupied by the Cherokees, with

out taking an oath to support the constitution and laws of Georgia. Mr. Trott afterwards submitted and was liberated. Messrs. Worcester and Butler were thrown into prison, where they are yet confined.

20. The 94th birth day of Charles Carroll, the only surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence, was celebrated at his residence in Maryland.

22. The second reading of the Scotch reform bill carried in the House of Commons 209 to 94.

24. Died at Bethlem, Ct. Mrs. Anna Steel, aged about 100 years. She had grandchildren who are grandfathers. She retained her mental faculties to the last.

26. The National Antimasonic Convention assembles at Baltimore, and on the 28th, nominates William Wirt, of Maryland, for President of the United States, and Amos Ellmaker, of Pennsylvania, for Vice President.

OCTOBER.

1. Free Trade Convention meets at Philadelphia, and continues in session till the 7th. 1. Died at Wapaghkonetta, Blackhoof, a chief of the Shawnese tribe of Indians, aged about 114 years. The latter part of his warfaring life was devoted to the American cause. He was at St. Clair's, Harmer's, and Crawford's defeats, and, perhaps, was the last man living who was in Braddock's defeat.

5. The 22d annual meeting of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, at New Haven, Ct. They pass a vote unanimously, approving the course pursued by their missionaries among the Cherokees. Rev. E. Cornelius is chosen Corresponding Secretary in place of Mr. Evarts, deceased. Receipts during the year, $100,934. Expenditures, $98,312.

7. The reform bill is refused a second reading in the House of Peers, by a vote of 199 to 158, after an interesting debate in which the bill was opposed by Lords Wynford, Eldon, Lyndhurst, Tenterden, and the archbishop of Canterbury, and supported by the Lord Chancellor Brougham, Earl Grey, and the Duke of Sussex. The news spread over the country with almost telegraphic rapidity. At Birmingham, the bells of all the churches and chapels were muffled and tolled, as on the most solemn occasions.

9. Died at Philadelphia, Benjamin R. Rees, M. D. professor in Jefferson College.

9. The president of Greece, Count Capo D'Istria, was assassinated as he was going to church, by Constantine and George Mavromichaelis, the brother and son of Petro Bey, whom D'Istria had imprisoned.

10. A resolution in support of the ministry, introduced into the House of Commons by Lord Ebrington, after an animated debate, was passed 329 to 198.

10. An amendment to the bill before the French Chamber of Deputies, making the peerage transmissible by hereditary descent, was rejected by a vote of 324 to 86.

12. Died in New Brunswick, N. J. Rev. John De Witt, D. D. professor of Biblical Literature in the Theological school of the Dutch Reformed Church, and one of the professors in Rutgers College, aged about 42.

12. A Rail Road Convention of 100 members assembles at Utica, N. Y. to consider the expediency of constructing a rail road on the route of the Hudson and Erie canal, from Schenectady to Buffalo, nearly unanimous in favor of the project.

18. The French abolition peerage bill was finally passed, ayes 386, noes 40.

19. The fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of Sabbath schools was celebrated in New York city.

20. The Parliament of Great Britain were prorogued by his Majesty in person, to the 22d of November. He stated that his desire remained unaltered to promote the settlement of the question concerning a constitutional reform. The number of bills passed in the two sessions, was 194, 41 of which were private.

20. In the Belgian Chamber of Representatives, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs submitted the protocol agreed upon by the plenipotentiaries of the Five Powers, respecting the terms of the division of Belgium and Holland, which is declared to be final, and to be enforced by the whole of the subscribing powers.

29. Dreadful riots occur at Bristol, England, on occasion of the entrance into the city of Sir Charles Wethrell, M. P. an antireformer. The new jail (cost, £100,000) was burnt; the county prison, the bride well, and toll houses were also destroyed; the bishop's palace, the mansion house, the custom house, excise office, &c. were burnt. Property destroyed was estimated at £500,000. Many lives were lost.

NOVEMBER.

1. A Literary Convention assembles in New York, and continues in session five days. Ex-president Adams was called to the chair. Albert Gallatin and Lieut. Gov. Livingston Vice Presidents, John Delafield and Prof. Jocelin Secretaries. The Convention was opened with prayer by the Rev. Pres. Fiske, of Middletown, Conn. On Friday, a

constitution for a national society was adopted, to be called the National Literary and Scientific Society. A committee of 18 was appointed, who, or a majority of whom, shall have power to elect 85 others; and they, with the committee, or so many of them as shall assemble on the call of the committee, shall constitute the society at its first meeting.

3. The Belgian Congress, after several days debate, adopt the articles of separation from Holland, proposed to them by the Conference, by a majority of 35 to 8.

4. Several cases of the cholera spasmodica, occur at Sunderland, England, most of which terminate fatally.

21. Died at Schagticoke, N. Y. Jacob Yates, Esq. in the 77th year of his age, supposed to be the last surviving American captain who was in the battle of Stillwater.

21. On this day, and the following, frightful riots occurred at Lyons, France. They originated in a "striking for higher wages," on the part of the operatives engaged in the silk manufacture. Thirty thousand men were thrown out of employment. For some time, the city was at the mercy of the mob. Several hundred persons were killed or wounded.

25. A reinforcement sailed from New Bedford, Ms. to join the Sandwich Islands mission,-8 ordained missionaries and a physician, with their wives, and Mr. Edmund H. Rogers, printer, making 19 persons in all.

31. Died at Lenox, Ms. Hon. William Walker, aged 80, formerly an officer of the revolution, for many years Judge of the Common Pleas and of Probate, and President of the County Bible Society.

DECEMBER.

5. At 12 o'clock the Senate of the United States was called to order by Mr. Smith, of Md.; and the House of Representatives, by the Clerk. Andrew Stevenson, of Virginia, was re-elected Speaker of the House, he receiving 98 votes of 195-being the exact number necessary for a choice.

6. The President of the United States transmits to both houses of Congress his annual message. The President states that the revenue received in the present year, amounts to $27,700,000; and the expenditure for all objects, other than the payment of public debt, will not exceed $14,700,000. The sum applied to the payment of the public debt, will not fall short of $16,500,000. In reference to the Cherokee Indians, the President remarks" that one half if not two-thirds of that tribe, will follow the wise example of their more westerly brethren. Those, who prefer remaining at their present homes, will hereafter be governed by the laws of Georgia, as all her citizens are, and cease to be the objects of peculiar care on the part of the General Government." Most of the foreign relations of the Government are in a peaceable state. The attention of Congress is called to the condition of the District of Columbia, to the extension of the judiciary system, to an amendment of the Federal Constitution, giving the election of the President to the people, and limiting his service to a single term, to the relief of certain insolvent debtors, to the complicated system of public accounts, &c.

6. The Parliament of Great Britain is opened by the king in person.

12. Lord John Russell makes his opening speech on Reform in the House of Commons, and obtains leave to bring in a bill, which was read once. The principles of the bill were the same as that introduced at the preceding sessions, with some slight modifications. 15. Great disturbances in Ireland. In a rencontre between the police and peasantry, near Waterford, 19 police officers were massacred. 6,000 or 7,000 peasants were in

arms.

16. The question on the second reading of the Reform Bill in the House of Commons, was taken at a quarter past one on Sunday morning, and carried 345 to 236. At the former session, the majority was but 109. Some of the antireform members were probably absent. On motion of the Lord Chancellor, the House adjourned to the 17th of January.

17. A new city, buried under the lava, discovered by Professor Zahn, between Vesuvius and Pompeii. Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Stabia, had been previously discovered. 30. The whole amount received from all parts of the Union for the relief of the sufferers by the Fayetteville, N. C. fire, was $92,297 88. Of this sum Massachusetts contributed a larger amount than any other State, $14,518 69-Pennsylvania contributed $12,731, North Carolina, $11,406 34.

31. Amount of duties which accrued at the New York Custom House in 1831, exceeded twenty millions of dollars. Amount secured in Boston, in the same period, $5,227,608 42, exceeding by $200,000, the sum received, in any previous year since the establishment of the Government.

31. A dreadful insurrection of the slaves in Jamaica. More than 150 plantations destroyed, and the loss of property was more than $4,000,000. About 2,000 negroes were supposed to have been killed. At one time, 30,000 men were under arms.

JANUARY, 1832.

13. A great Temperance Meeting in the capitol at Washington. Hon. Lewis Cass, Secretary of War, in the Chair, and Hon. Walter Lowrie, Secretary of the Senate, Secretary. The meeting was addressed by Messrs. Grundy, Webster, and Frelinghuysen, of the Senate, and Bates, and Wayne, of the House.

16. Annual meeting of the American Colonization Society, at the capitol at Washington. Gen. C. F. Mercer, one of the Vice Presidents, in the Chair. The meeting was addressed by Hon. William Archer, M. C. of Virginia, Hon. E. Everett, M. C. of Massachusetts, and Rev. L. Bacon, of Connecticut.

17. Meeting of the New York State Temperance Society, at Albany. Hon. Reuben H. Walworth, Chancellor of the State, in the Chair. The Society circulated, during the year, 10,000 annual reports, 350,000 circulars, 100,000 family temperance constitutions, and 1,000 copies of the Temperance Advocate, at an expense of $4,500. Number of Auxiliary Societies, from 1,000 to 1,500; members, from 150,000 to 200,000.

25. After a long and most interesting debate, the House of Delegates of Virginia, adopted, ayes 64, noes 59, the following preamble and resolution. Profoundly sensible of the great evils arising from the condition of the colored people of this commonwealth; induced by humanity, as well as policy, to an immediate effort for the removal in the first place, as well of those who are now free, as of such as may hereafter become free; believing that this effort, while it is in just accordance with the sentiments of this community on this subject, will absorb all our present means; and that a further action for the removal of the slaves should await a more definite development of public opinionResolved, as the opinion of this committee, that it is inexpedient for the present, to make any legislative enactments for the abolition of slavery."

25. The Senate of the United States, by the casting vote of the Vice President, rejected the nomination of Martin Van Buren, as minister to Great Britain. Twelve senators delivered speeches against the nomination, and five defended it.

28. Weather intensely cold in the Northern States. At 7 o'clock A. M. at the city mills, on the mill dam, Boston, the thermometer stood at 18 degrees below zero; at Roxbury, 16; at Jamaica Plains, 18; at Watertown, 19; at Charlestown, 17. The change

in temperature from Wednesday morning to Friday, was about seventy degrees.

FEBRUARY.

11. Great flood on the rivers in the Western States. At Maysville, Ky. the Ohio was 50 feet above low water mark. At Wheeling, Va. it rose higher than it has risen within the memory of the oldest person living. The whole valley of the Ohio was a continued scene of desolation. At Cincinnati, the water was 62 1-2 feet above low water mark. 12. Died at Hartford, Conn. Rev. E. Cornelius, Corresponding Secretary of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, in the 38th year of his age. He was born at Somers, N. Y. July 31, 1794, graduated at Yale College, in Sept. 1813, licensed to preach the gospel in 1816, settled in Salem, Mass. in July, 1819, became Secretary of the American Education Society in 1826, and of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in 1831.

12. The cholera malignant made its appearance in London. In the north of England, the whole number of cases from the commencement had been 4,452, deaths, 1,331.

15. The legislature of Maryland appropriate $200,000 for the removal of free blacks, now in the State, to be apportioned among the several counties, according to the ratio of free black population in each. Healthy free colored persons, of both sexes, over the age of 18, are first to be removed, with their own consent. The same bill declared it to be unlawful to sell spirituous liquors to a slave. No free negro or mulatto may emigrate to or settle in the State, under a heavy penalty.

18. The House of Representatives of the United States, vote to employ Mr. Horatio Greenough, an American artist, now in Italy, to execute a statue of General Washington, to be placed in the capitol. Mr. G. has consented to undertake the work for $20,000, and to finish it in four years.

21. A French squadron from Algiers, having troops on board, appeared in the Adriatic, off Ancona, and on the 23d landed 1,500 men, who took possession of the town.

MARCH.

It ap

1. The French Chamber of Deputies were occupied by a debate on the opera. pears that almost all the theatres in Paris are bankrupt; 1,300,000 francs were voted for their assistance.

3. The decision of the Supreme Court of the United States, in reference to the imprisoned missionaries, Messrs. Worcester and Butler, was pronounced by Chief Justice Marshall. The laws of Georgia, under which the missionaries were imprisoned, were declared to be repugnant to the constitution, and an order was issued for the immediate