The ingratitude and villainous conduct of the country have occasioned the officers of the army to come into an agreement to assemble annually by Lines in their respective States and the whole triennially at some convenient place near the middle of the United States, to consult on matters of common concern. They have also established a fund composed of one month's pay from each officer and deposited in the care of a committee for the purpose of relieving the necessities of any distressed officer, his widow or orphans. The army find that the common acts of humanity are not to be expected from the country they have rescued from tyranny and that no relyance can be placed on their contracts and most solemn obligations; they are therefore drove to this expedient to secure themselves in some measure against the miseries of poverty.* . .

Ephraim Kirby, the writer of this letter, afterwards married Ruth, only child of Reynold Marvin, who lived in Litchfield, Connecticut, which became the seat of the famous law school of

*This letter of Ephraim Kirby's has never before been published. It is now in the possession of his great granddaughter, the wife of the writer.

those days. Kirby was a lawyer, and was the first to report the decisions of the courts of his state. He first kept the reports in manuscript in which form they are still preserved. He was finally induced by the bench and bar to publish them. He was probably the first law reporter, as the term is now used, in the United States. was afterward appointed by President Jefferson the judge and land commissioner for the then recently acquired territory of Louisiana. He died, however, on his way thither, and was buried at Fort Stoddard, Alabama.

He

Washington was the first PresidentGeneral of the Society of the Cincinnati, and held the office until his death, when he was succeeded by Hamilton.

Owing to the peculiar wording of the clause in the articles relating to new members, there has been from time to time considerable discussion and difference of opinion in the Society as to its full meaning. To limit the membership to the line of the eldest son has been strongly combated by some of the members, on the ground that such a construction was not compatible with American institutions, particularly when the articles.

tion by the states and the country had become settled, the owner of Mount Gulian opened the house, and in 1804 built an addition on the north end, thereby doubling the capacity of the house, but marring the symmetry of the original building. However, he built what he needed, for he had a large family and was given to hospitality. He was the son of the owner in the days of the Revolutionary War. After moving to Fishkill he became judge of the county and was repre$entative in Congress for a time. At his homestead he lived the life of an old-fashioned country gentleman for upwards of thirty years, spending part of the year in New York or in Washington.

All the holidays were duly observed ät Mount Gulian. At Christmas, 1826, Thomas Boylston Adams, one of the sons of President John Adams, was present. He was then stationed at West Point and had come up to visit John P. De Windt, whose wife was Adams's niece. Mr. De Windt's house being full of guests, Adams put up at the Star Inn. He thus describes his visit and dinner party. letter is worth inserting as reflecting the kind of life then lived at the old place:

The

"Christmas day, Monday, Dec. 25th, 1826. "Rose at 8, breakfasted by ourselves Buckwheats, Beefsteak, are our staple commodities here, and furnished us a fine meal. The cold was intense enough to freeze the Flats. Mr. De Windt called in soon and we all three crossed to Newburgh. We found the passage long and cold and the stove surrounded by women of the Kirk ganging.' We went to the Hotel Orange where we saw Torrance and were introduced by him to his friend Rev. Mr. Johnson, of the sect called 'Scotch Covenanters.' We stayed there 'till twelve and then walked about the town a short while. On our return we found the passage very delightful and proceeded up to Mr. De Windt's house, where we enjoyed a luncheon with all imaginable relish. Here we prepared for the company which we were to meet at Judge Ver Planck's this evening, to which place the politeness and kindness of Mr. De Windt had procured us an invitation. At four P. M. we started and reached the Judge's house in a short time. Here we

were introduced to the company, consisting of the Judge and lady, two of their daughters, Mrs. Nevilles, a third daughter lately married to Mr. John N., of Newburgh, Mrs. Mesier and daughter, Mr. Mesier, two sons of Mr. M. and Rev. Mr. Thomas, Mr. Nevilles and a young gent. lately from the West Indies. The day was kept up in the best style. An enormous fire, and Whiskey Punch upon entrance. I was accommodated with a seat near the ladies, much to my satisfaction. The younger Miss Ver Planck (Louisa) is very handsome and interesting. Miss M. is accounted a beauty, and I think with some justice. She is agreeable and very entertaining. I was extremely pleased with her, and had the happiness to escort her to the dinner table which was arranged with great effect. I was very unfortunately separated from Miss M. in the Dining-room, tho' was partially reconciled by being placed beside Mrs. Nevilles whom I found very agreeable. In fact I know not when I have met a more agreeable company, especially of ladies. I forgot to mention Mrs. De Windt and Miss Neefield who composed part of the company. I sat on the right of the Judge in front of whom was a large saddle of venison, the finest I ever saw; opposite was a turkey, boiled, with oysters in the finest style. Partridges, Rabbits, Geese, Ducks, Chickens, Brants, Chicken Pie, Oysters, indeed every variety that could be desired. The dinner passed off very pleasantly and the dessert still more so, Pies, Puddings, Jellies, Fruits, and all kinds of wines, &c. We arose from the table at about eight o'clock (Dr. Schenck, of Poughkeepsie, was also one of the guests, and not the least agreeable) having sat down at five. The ladies retired and the gentlemen closed around the fire and discussed the merits of a bottle of Skuppernong (wine made in So. Ca.). It was said by Mr. V. (the young gentleman who brought it) to be very fine for the kind, but the Judge and company thought it better to make Whiskey Punch of than to drink. About 9 we went into the drawing-room and took Coffee with the ladies, who were still more agreeable.

"Some of the company retiring reduced the circle to so small a compass that we could all talk to each other from our seats, and after an hour passed in this way, we thought best to retire, which we regretted exceedingly, so we bid the ladies farewell and after a parting glass & many good wishes we left the house and walked home. Left Mr. De Windt and went to our lodgings & soon to bed. We were very much pleased and gratified with our evening's entertainment, indeed I could not have passed it more satisfactorily out of my family. The weather was severely cold which increased with snow during the night.

"Tuesday, Dec. 26th, 1826. "Rose at 8 and were obliged to leave without calling on the ladies or Mr. De W. whom we wished particularly to see to thank him for a new act of kindness. We had been entertained, and lodged, free of expense, and he had even got the start of us in the settlement of our bills. We left in the Horseboat, and after a long and stormy passage, landed in Newburgh in time to take the Steamboat Franklin. We met Torrance at Newburgh and Church on board and tho' it snowed violently we had an agreeable trip to the Point, where we arrived before 12, having touched at Cornwall and Cold Spring. Reported for duty next day."

In May, 1883, the Society of the Cincinnati celebrated its centennial by chartering a steamboat and sailing up the Hudson, stopping at West Point, at Newburgh to visit the headquarters of Washington, where the army had been disbanded, and then to the old house where the Order had been formed one hundred years before. The Cincinnati were welcomed at the house by the grandson of the last named owner of the place assisted by several of his friends from the neighborhood. A meeting of the Order

was held in the Cincinnati room, as it is still called in the family. The Institution of the Society and the Declaration of Independence were read, and afterwards many toasts were drunk and speeches made at the collation, and several hours spent at the house and place. The Cincinnati were then accompanied by their host to the steamboat, by which they returned to New York. A few years later Mount Gulian came into the possession of the writer of this article.

Of the original number of the State Societies of the Cincinnati-one in each of the old thirteen states-but five or six survive. This falling off may be attributed to a variety of causes, principally perhaps to the fact of the Society having to a great extent accomplished its objects, but also to the difficulty encountered in obtaining charters in the different states, owing to political jealousy. But the foundation of the Order was an important fact in our history; and the place of its birth should be an interesting place to all Americans.

SE

EVERAL years ago, as one of the American steamers running between Boston and St. John, New Brunswick, rounded the eastern end of the island of Campobello and came in sight of Eastport, to which place she was bound, her commander, in conversation with a passenger who was inquiring about the places along the route, pointing ahead, said: "There is Eastport, Maine, my birthplace; and yet I am a native of the state of Massachusetts, and was born under the flag and laws of Great Britain."

the Revolutionary War was negotiated between the representatives of the United States and Great Britain at Paris, September 23, 1783. Among its provisions was one that "all islands [on the Atlantic coast] within twenty leagues of the shores of the United States shall belong to her territory, excepting such islands as now are or have heretofore been within the limits