poet have not been verified: Braddock is now merely regarded as a headstrong, reckless soldier, with an absurd and overweaning confidence in the discipline and courage of his regular soldiers, without sufficient good sense or reflection to perceive, that mere discipline and courage could not avail against stratagem in such a case.

"From an English Magazine of August, 1755, on the death of General Braddock, said to be slain in an ambuscade, by the French and Indians, on the banks of the Ohio, July 9th, 1755."

"Beneath some Indian shrub, if chance you spy
"The brave remains of murdered Braddock lie,
"Soldiers, with shame the guilty place survey,
"And weep that here your comrades fled away.
"Then with his brother chiefs encircled round,
"Possess the hero's bones of hostile ground,
"And plant the English oak, that gave his name,
"Fit emblem of his valor and his fame!

"Broad o'er this stream shall thus his honors grow,
"And last as long as e'er its waters flow."

SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON.

The following notice of this very able and distinguished man, cannot be regarded as out of place in our publication. Although we have no knowledge that he ever visited this point, yet his influence with the Six Nations was always felt wherever the power of those people extended. George Croghan and Alexander McKee, two of his deputies, were generally stationed in this country, and thus serve to identify his name with our early history. He was truly a remarkable man, a successful soldier without tuition in the art of war, and an efficient Indian agent-his services in aiding to rescue this country from the French dominion were invaluable. We, therefore, cannot think of passing by the following brief notice of his services and death.

"On Monday evening, 11th of July, 1774, departed this life, at Johnson Hall, in his sixtieth year, to the inexpressible concern of his family, and the infinite loss of the public, particularly at this critical juncture, the Honorable Sir William Johnson, Bart., his Majesty's Superintendent of

"His officers.

"Brad, in old Saxon English is the same as Broad, and Brad oke, the same as Broadoak. "The Ohio."

Indian Affairs, and one of the oldest council of this province. He had long labored under a complication of disorders, the consequences of his former fatigues and severe services in the defence of the country in general, and this province in particular. Still persisting in the exertion of all his faculties, and at the expense of health, ease, and domestic concerns, discharging the laborious duties of a most troublesome and difficult department, though much indisposed, he attended and transacted business with the Six Nations, who came lately to Johnson Hall on account of the murders committed by some of the frontier inhabitants of Virginia. The fatigue and hurry of spirits occasioned by the difficulties he found in accommodating these affairs at last obliged him to retire to his room, where he was immediately seized with a violent attack, which carried him off in an hour's time.

The impartial public well know and enjoy the fruits of his distinguished services, whilst crowds have experienced his benevolent and private bounty; and his united talents as a defender and improver of this country, will ever preserve his name amongst the most distinguished personages of the age in which he lived. In 1737 he came from Ireland under the auspices of his uncle, Sir Peter Warren, and lived many years in the Indian country, where he learned their language and gained their affection by his great generosity and humanity. In 1755, he stood forth in the defence of this province, then in the most imminent danger from the rapid progress of the French arms, and with a force consisting entirely of provincials, totally routed the army of Baron Dieskau; that victory proved highly acceptable to his sovereign, who created him a Baronet; and he was rewarded by the parliament of Great Britain with a present of five thousand pounds sterling. In 1758, he, by an intimate acquaintance with the genius and temper of the Indian tribes, who had been debauched by France from the interest of Great Britain, effected a reconciliation with fifteen different nations of that people, which paved the way for the future success of our arms in Canada. In 1759, he defeated the French army, destined for the relief of Niagara, under M. D'Aubry, presently after which the garrison surrendered that important post to the besiegers. These glories were obtained by dint of innate courage and natural sagacity, without the help of a military education; and what remarkably enhances those endowments, is the circumstance of his having taken in both actions, the commanders of the enemy. In 1760, he assisted at the taking of Montreal, and the conquest of the French Empire in that part of the continent. Since which, he has acted at the head of the Indian Department, over whom he early acquired, and constantly maintained, a surprising ascendency, by the influence and authority of his justice, benevolence, and integrity. In short, our gracious sovereign never sustained a heavier loss, in the demise of any subject, than of Sir William Johnson, whose char

acter was a combination of good qualities, and whose memory will be highly revered to the end of time.

His remains were decently interred in the church of his own building, at Johnstown, on Wednesday, the 13th, attended by upwards of two thousand people, in the following order, viz:

"The Clergy. J. Duncan, Esquire; Captain Chapman; P. Livingston, Esquire; Judge Jones; G. Banyar, Esquire; R. Morris, Esquire; Major Edmondston; Governor Franklin; supporters of the pall. Chief mourners, Sir John Johnson, Baronet, Colonels D. Claus and G. Johnson; John Dease, Esquire. The Physicians; Family; Mohawks; Conajoharies; High Sheriff, followed by above two thousand persons from the neighboring country. The Chiefs and Warriors of the Six Nations, who then at tended the Congress.

"Where it was interred, and a suitable discourse delivered by the Reverend Mr. Stewart, Missionary to the Mohawks at Fort Hunter.

"The Indians exhibited on the occasion of Sir William Johnson's death, the most extraordinary signs of distress and sincere affliction, that ever were before observed among that people."

Vol. I.

THE OLDEN TIME.

DECEMBER, 1846.

No. 12.

MASON AND DIXON'S LINE.

THIS famous line, which for many miles separates Pennsylvania from Maryland, and which by subsequent extension became also the dividing line between portions of Pennsylvania and Virginia, seems destined to become one of the most noted astronomical lines known in history. It is already as familiar among statesmen and politicians as household words, and is regarded by all as the dividing line between the free and slave holding states, and yet its true history is understood only by a few of the thousands who daily speak about it. The controversy between the states of Maryland and Pennsylvania raged for many years, was conducted with much fierceness, and was at last terminated by an amicable agreement between Frederick, Lord Baltimore, and Thomas and Richard Penn, in pursuance of which this famous line was run.

The history of that controversy, perhaps, does not come exactly within the scope of the original design of our publication; but as Mason and Dixon's line did extend into the field of our narrative, crossing, as it did, both the Youghiogany and Monongahela rivers, and as it was afterwards, in 1779, adopted throughout its whole length and extended to the south-west angle of this state, as the boundary between Pennsylvania and Virginia, we have considered that it may, with great propriety, receive a place in the Olden Time. We have, therefore, concluded to avail ourselves of a memoir upon the subject, prepared by our townsman, James Dunlop, Esq., many years ago, and published in the first volume of the transactions of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. This memoir and our lecture upon the controversy between Pennsylvania and Virginia, which was re-published in the tenth number of the Olden Time, form together a pretty full account of our much contested southern boundary. We regret that we had not in VOL. I-34

our possession, a copy of the memoir, in time to have given it priority in the order of publication, as the events it narrates had in actual occurrence. That arrangement would have been more natural and the memoir would have formed an easy introduction to the lecture.

A TREATISE ON MASON AND DIXON'S LINE.

A MEMOIR ON THE CONTROVERSY BETWEEN WILLIAM PENN AND LORD BALTIMORE, RESPECTING THE BOUNDARIES OF PENNSYLVANIA AND MARYLAND, BY JAMES DUNLOP, ESQ. MEMBER OF THE SENATE OF PENNSYLVANIA FROM FRANKLIN COUNTY. READ AT A MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA, NOVEMBER 10, 1825.

"THE disputes which occurred in times almost forgotten, between the proprietaries of Pennsylvania and Maryland, respecting the boundaries of their provinces, afford a subject of curious, if not useful, speculation. Their rise, progress, and termination, form not only an amusing portion of the history of the early transactions of our country, but are important, as intimately connected with the land titles of that part of the state which lies within the limits of the disputed territory.

"The clashing of the many grants made with such lavish profusion by the sovereigns of Europe, of the savages and soil of the new world, arose from their entire ignorance of the country. The thirst for gold, the spirit of adventure, and zeal of religious enthusiasm, all demanded clamorously, a participation in the wealth, independence, or retirement, which were fondly anticipated to flow from the mighty discoveries of Cabot and Vespucci. By virtue of the fancied right of priority of discovery, the Crown of England not only claimed but exercised the power of parcelling the extensive coasts and territories of North America, amongst her favorite courtiers or troublesome subjects.

"Whether this assumed authority was better founded, than that which flowed from papal supremacy to the sovereigns of Spain and Portugal, or the vacillating tenure of the thinly scattered and savage aborigines, it is now more curious than useful to inquire. For, however well founded the title derived from such sources might originally have been considered, time, possession, and power have given them a stability, which nothing can endanger, but the weakness and corruption of the holder.

From an ignorance of the geography of the dark and boundless wilderness which was so generously divided, the limits of the numerous grants were so vaguely designated, as invariably to create confusion, and embroil the claimants in difficulties and resentments which required the labor and patience of years to settle and allay.

"In the year 1681, when the charter was granted to William Penn, the distinguished founder of Pennsylvania, by Charles II. King of England, al