A British officer had been seized by the Whigs of the city, and was being carried along in a cart to an appointed place, where he was to be tarred and feathered. Clinton, sword in hand, rescued the victim at the risk of his life. In 1784 we find him recommending to the legislature the creation of a Board of Regents of the University, of which he became ex-officio a member. ative of a great commercial State, he was loath to part with the import duties to the General Government. Before New York came into the measure, the constitutional number of States, nine, had already signified their agreement. Virginia, the tenth, had signified her agreement on the 25th of June. It became, therefore, a question with New York, when she made her decision a month later, not whether there should be a union of States, but whether she should belong to it or not. On this issue the Governor and the Convention gave their acquiescence, with the When the active movements in Massachusetts, consequent upon the popular insurrection known as Shay's Rebellion, drove a portion of the malcontents into understanding that the instrument New York, where they were rallying should be speedily submitted to at Lebanon for renewal of hostilities, amendment. Clinton summoned the militia, and put them to flight. On another occasion, not long after, he took part in the attempted conciliation, and then in the prompt military suppression of the civic disturbance in New York, the Doctors' Mob. The division of parties now brought him a competitor for the office of governor. Under the old Constitution, the elections were triennial, and Clinton, as we have seen, had served without opposition since the State government went into operation, in The affair at Lebanon was a practical 1777. Robert Yates, a judge of the illustration of the defects of govern- Supreme Court, was set up as his oppoment under the old Confederacy, and nent; a man of character and influence, had much to do with opening the eyes | whose nomination by the Federalists of the public to the necessity of a fixed was a concession to their opponents, legitimate authority in legislation. It for Yates had withdrawn from the immediately preceded the Convention Convention of the Constitution at Phifor the formation of the Constitution, ladelphia in furtherance of his advoand doubtless influenced many sober- cacy of State sovereignty. His perminded people in its favor. Governor sonal weight, also, brought him many Clinton was President of the New York votes, so that he came very near gainConvention which ratified this great ing the election. At the next election, instrument in 1788. He was by no in 1792, John Jay was set up in oppomeans, at the outset, a friend to the sition, and obtained a numerical ma measure. Indeed, he took the lead in jority, when objections were interposed the State in opposition, as the head of to the informality of the votes of cer the Anti-Federalists. As the represent-tain counties, which were sustained by the referees. These votes being thrown out, Clinton was found to have a majority of one hundred and eight. This was his last term. At its close, he issued an address to the electors, pleading his thirty years of service to the public in elective offices, and asking for retirement. Before passing from this period of his public duties, we should notice his efforts, in 1789, in behalf of a provision for setting apart lands in the new townships for the promotion of literature and the support of common schools, and in 1791, and the following year, for improvement of agriculture and Internal Communication by the Northern and Western Inland Lock Navigation Companies-efforts which connect his name with the more successful and eminent labors of his nephew. After a few years' retirement, George Clinton is again brought forward, in 1801, as a candidate for the governor's chair, and elected. The next Presidential election carried him into the Vice-Presidency by the side of Jeffer. son, as the representative of the Republican party. He was reelected in 1808, with Madison. In 1811, he gave his casting vote, as President of the Senate, against the renewal of the charter of the Bank of the United States, asserting, in a brief, pointed speech, the principles which he had long held as a strict constructionist. He did not survive this Presidential term. He died at Washington, in office, on the 20th April, 1812, in the seventy-third year of his age. His remains repose in the Congressional Burying-ground, with an inscription from the pen of De Witt Clinton: "To the memory of George Clinton. He was a soldier and statesman of the Revolu tion. Eminent in council and distin guished in war, he filled with unex ampled usefulness, purity and ability among many other offices, those of governor of his native State and of Vice-President of the United States. While he lived, his virtue, wisdom and valor were the pride, the ornament and security of his country; and when he died, he left an illustrious example of a well spent life, worthy of all imitation." Such was the public position and elevated character of George Clinton, "a soldier and statesman of the Revolution." Eulogy needs no higher terms. He is spoken of as frank and amiable in private life as he was firm and dig nified in public. We might look for as much from the old defender of Fort Clinton, a man not to be trifled with, of original force and weight, whose courage and strength were directed to manly, honorable ends. FRANCIS MARION. was well known. He was then employed in the neighborhood of Charles. ton; being engaged in the occupation of Fort Johnson and the command of Dorchester. He was with Moultrie, at Sullivan's Island, during the fierce day of battle which we have already described,' and particularly distinguished himself in the gallant defence. FRANCIS MARION, the partisan gene- | to gather a company, which he speedily ral of South Carolina, was of Huguenot effected in the eastern region, where he descent, the first American settlers of the name being Benjamin Marion and Judith Balnet, his wife, who came from France in 1690, and established themselves in a plantation on one of the tributaries of the Cooper River, near Charleston. Gabriel, the son of Benjamin, married Esther Cordes. These were the parents of Francis Marion. He was born, it would appear, in St. Johns Parish, Berkeley County, probably in 1732. His early life was passed, till his twenty-seventh year, in agricultural pursuits, when we first hear of him in connection with military matters in the period of the old French war. He took the field with Moultrie, and fought gallantly by the side of that officer in the Cherokee country against the savages at the battle of Etchoee. He then returned to his farm, near Eutaw Springs, ripening for the work of the Revolution, which found him at the height of manhood, at the age of forty-three. The people of his district relied upon his understanding, for we find them sending him as their delegate to the Provincial Congress of 1775, when he was appointed captain in the regiment of his former superior officer, Colonel Moultrie. His first duty was At the ill-managed attack upon Savannah, by the combined forces of D'Estaing and Lincoln, which ended so disastrously for the Americans, Marion was present with his regiment, which did much by its gallantry to redeem the honor, if not the fortunes, of the day. Next came, in the winter of 1780, the siege of Charleston, by Sir Henry Clinton. It was evident from the be ginning that the city must fall, and it has been a point much discussed whether Lincoln should have attempted to defend it, whether it would not have been better for the cause that he should withdraw his troops, and besiege the British from the open country. This was what afterwards took place when the conquerors were 'Ante, Life of Moultrie. |