county may make any walks or improvement on the town's land in front of the new court house, or in any way ornament the same with trees or posts, &c., leaving a sufficient road open on each side; but no building whatever to be erected on the land.

May 29.-The town voted to instruct their representative in general court to use every reasonable effort for better regulating and diminishing the sale and use of spirituous liquors, and for preventing pauperism.

Voted, also, that the selectmen be requested to address the selectmen of the several towns in the county, furnishing them with a copy of the above vote, and request their co-operation therewith; either on their own responsibility, or by laying the subject before their several towns respectively.

1822. The town voted to petition the legislature to pass a law prohibiting fires in the woods by coal-pits in Plymouth, Sandwich, Carver, Wareham and Kingston.

Mr. Ichabod Shaw died this year, aged eighty-seven. He was descended from John Shaw, of an ancient and respectable family, who was among our first settlers, and located himself in Middleborough. He was an ingenious and industrious artist, possessing a sagacious mind, and was held in regard for his friendly and social qualities. He was strongly attached to the names of the pilgrim fathers, and was himself an exemplifier of their simple manners and virtues. He married a daughter of deacon John Atwood of this town, and was the parent of five sons and seven daughters.

1823. December 22. This day brings us to the 203d year since the landing of the pilgrims in this place. The semiannual meeting of the Pilgrim Society was held, agreeably to the provision of their constitution. The interesting associations and pleasing recollections of the occasion were awakened and indulged, but the appropriate public performances were dispensed with.

1824. January 26. At a meeting of the inhabitants of the town, it was voted to petition congress for aid in repairing the beach. The petition expresses grateful acknowledgements for the appropriations heretofore made, for surveying and securing the harbor of Plymouth; after which it proceeds to represent, 'that since the landing of our ancestors in 1620, this beach has been gradually wasting. From the year 1784 to the present time, repairs have been necessary for its preservation; and since the year 1806, the sum of $40,000 has been expended in repairing it. This sum has been raised by grants from this state, by contributions of individuals, and by taxes assessed on

your memorialists. The repairs thus made, have hitherto warranted the belief, that with our means, though small, we should be able to preserve it without further aid from the public; such, however, has been the destruction, by the late violent storms, of the northern extremity of the beach, heretofore considered the most permanent, as well as the most important, and where repairs have not been considered requisite, that your memorialists are satisfied it is wholly beyond their means to make the repairs necessary to preserve it.

'Your memorialists forbear to describe the distress that the destruction of this beach will bring upon the inhabitants of the ports of Plymouth and Kingston, in the loss of their property and employments; nor would they particularly remind you of the hopeless situation in which our numerous class of fishermen would thereby be placed, who, from their youth, have had no other employment than in the fisheries; but they would most respectfully place the merits of their appeal on the importance of this harbor to the commerce, navigation and revenue of the country.

'There are now, belonging to the ports of Plymouth and Kingston, two ships, fourteen brigs, sixty-five schooners, and fifteen sloops, measuring 8,228 tons, which vessels are employed partly in foreign trade, partly in the coasting trade, and partly in the whale, cod, and mackerel fisheries,

'The amount of duties secured on imports in the district of Plymouth within the last three years, is $65,574 67, four-fifths of which amount were secured on importations at this port. This harbor is often frequented by vessels, when by adverse winds they are driven from their ports of destination north of this district; and, during the inclement seasons of the year, vessels are often saved from shipwreck by entering it. It is also of great national importance in time of war. It is the only harbor, south of Boston, in the Massachusetts Bay, embracing a sea coast of more than one hundred and fifty miles, in which vessels can then anchor in safety from the enemy. During the wars in which this country has been engaged, a large amount of property has been saved to individuals, and of revenue to the government, which, without this safe retreat, would have been lost. During the last war, many vessels were thus saved. The duties arising on the cargoes of two vessels amounted to $154,836 21, which, without this harbor, would have inevitably fallen into the hands of the enemy. From March, 1813, to May, 1814, was perhaps the most gloomy period of the war. The ships of the enemy were almost constantly cruising in the Massachusetts Bay. Yet, during this

short and perilous period, the duties secured at this port on the cargoes of vessels, that escaped the ships of the enemy and found safety in this harbor, amounted to the sum of $20,318 32. By the public surveys it also appears, that ships of the line can anchor with safety in this harbor, which may be considered as increasing the interest the public have in its preservation.

'Your memorialists, having thus briefly stated the importance of this harbor to themselves and the public, and their inability to make the repairs on the beach which are necessary to its preservation, do pray your honorable body to take the subject into consideration, and to grant them such aid in repairing it, as to your wisdom may appear proper.' Subsequent to this memorial, Congress made grants amounting to $43,566, for the repairs. See under head Beach.

Monumental Edifice. September 1.-The funds of the Pilgrim Society being thought sufficient to warrant the trustees in commencing the building of a monumental edifice, the corner-stone was this day laid, with appropriate solemnities. This edifice is to be seventy by forty feet, with walls of unwrought, split granite; the height from the top of the foundation to the eave cornice, being about thirty-three feet, forms two stories. The lower room is to be about ten feet in the clear of the ceiling; and the upper to the impost moulding about twenty feet, to which being added the curve of the ceiling, is about twentythree feet. The present contract extends no farther than to enclose the main building. It is intended, as soon as the state of the funds will justify, to form the front by an addition of about twenty feet, with a double tier of steps, having entrance to the upper room, and by descent to the lower. The front

will be finished with a Doric portico on four columns, of about twenty feet in height, the base of which will be from three to four feet above the level of the street. The situation presents a full view of the outer harbor.

The Pilgrim Society, under the escort of the Standish Guards, proceeded to the meeting-house, where intercession was made by the Rev. Mr. Kendall, select passages of scripture were read by Rev. Mr. Willis, of Kingston, and an address on the character and virtues of our fathers was delivered by Alden Bradford, Esq., reaching the hearts of his hearers as it came warm from his own. The solemnities of the church were closed by singing a hymn in the tune of Old Hundred, after the ancient manner, line by line. The society, under the same escort, and preceded by the children of the several schools, then proceeded to the site of the proposed building, laid the corner-stone, when the venerable President, John Watson,

Esq., described some of the highly valued privileges of our descent. He expressed his gratitude that his life had been spared to witness these solemnities; and, after the filial zeal of the present generation shall be attested, in the completion of this monument to perpetuate the virtues of the pilgrims,' he would say, like the patriarch of old, Now let thy servant depart in peace. The Rev. Dr. Allyne expressed our sense of dependence on the Almighty architect for the success of this, and all our labors, and supplicated a divine blessing. Thus in good earnest have we laid the foundation of 'a monument to perpetuate the memory of the virtues, the enterprise, and unparalleled sufferings of the men who first settled in this ancient town,' where for ages their descendants may repair and trace their feeble beginnings, and contemplate the astonishing results, that a beneficent Deity has annexed to the resolute, unwearied, conscientious performance of the duties of piety and benevolence.

The following articles were deposited in an excavation made in the stone for that purpose.

Deposits.-Sermon delivered at Plymouth by Robert Cushman, December 12th, 1621.

First Newspaper printed in the Old Colony, by Nathaniel Coverly, at Plymouth, in 1786.

Coins of the United States, and of Massachusetts.

Odes composed for the Anniversary.

Constitution of the Pilgrim Society, and the names of its Members.

Daniel Webster's Century Oration for 1820.

Massachusetts Register.

Old Colony Memorial began in May, 1822, by Allen Danforth.

Columbian Centinel, by Benjamin Russell, containing an account of the entry of General Lafayette into the city of Boston.

Plate.- -'In grateful memory of our ancestors who exiled themselves from their native country, for the sake of religion, and here successfully laid the foundation of Freedom and Empire, December xxii. A. D. MDCXX. their descendants, the Pilgrim Society, have raised this edifice, August xxxi. A. D. MDCCCXXIV.

A. PARRIS, ARCHITECT.

J. & A. S. TAYLOR, BUILDers.

H. MORSE, Sc."

In the summer of the present year, a general joy was dif fused through the United States by the arrival on our shores

of that illustrious friend of our country General Lafayette. All ranks of people and all public bodies vied in homage and respect to this great personage.

The morning after the arrival of General Lafayette in Boston, Dr. Thacher called on him, with the subjoined letter from the selectmen of Plymouth, in behalf of the citizens of the

town.

'GENERAL LAFAYETTE,

Plymouth, Mass. August 21st, 1824.

'Sir the inhabitants of this town cordially unite with their fellow-citizens, in bidding you a sincere welcome to the United States. Living on the spot where their ancestors, the founders of the American republic, first landed and settled, the inhabitants cherish a deep interest for those who have aided the cause for which they emigrated to these shores; which cause you, with other distinguished friends of freedom, successfully supported through the perilous period of the revolutionary war.The privations you suffered, and the perils and hardships you encountered during that interesting struggle, in leaving your home and country, and exposing your life to the dangers of the American camp for the freedom and independence of the States, justly entitle you to the lasting gratitude of the American people; and as long as they are worthy of the rich and invaluable blessing they now enjoy, they cannot fail of looking to you as their unwavering benefactor.

Should it be convenient to you before leaving the United States, to visit this place, the inhabitants will be highly gratified in having the pleasure of waiting on you, and expressiag to you personally, assurances of their gratitude and esteem. In behalf of the inhabitants and by order of the selectmen of Plymouth. Z. SAMPSON, Chairman.'

Answer.

'SIR Nothing could afford me a greater satisfaction than to have the honor to pay my respects to the citizens of Plymouth; nor will I leave the shores of America before I have enjoyed this heartfelt gratification. But my present first visit to this part of the Union is shortened by previous engagements, and the obligation to go towards the seat of government at Washington city. I anticipate the time when it will be in my power, personally, to present. the citizens of Plymouth with my grateful and affectionate acknowledgments for their kindness to me. Be pleased to accept the tribute of those sentiments, and to believe me, with much personal regard, your obedient servant, 'LAFAYETTE.'