Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-08-24
THOMAS GODFREY

~ INC fstHO3S or me IecTSbHrO liHeiifGencey
OScivI the other day an account of useful in
ventions and just cncomium on their authors
found with regret that the Quadrant now in use for
measuring the altitude OF the SUM- and other elevat-
Ia 1IoJec'r, was not noced 'espucius robbed CO.
um6us oil the glory ofgiyng n name TO America. and
iiIlcy has deprived the real inventor of the fame OF
having gwen his name to the instrument mentioned
~ Us universally admitted that Thomas Godfrey OF
hilidelpha, was the famous father of the Quadrant
but The manner in which he lost the fame and enolu.
ment attendant upon his invention is not universally
known. lhe circumstances | am about TO reinte
came from any grandfather, who was tue intimate o!
uoaifey, and who died at the advanced age of l09
years. They strictly true
inonls ,Fodircy. AT one time n giazer, who
carried ms box OF glass; putty, hammer and knife on
ms arm and went through the streets of Phadclnba
10 memh or repiac" briAer plnrs in windows. While
performing Que OF these Operations ut window on
the north side of Arch street, opposite a pump girl
alter MIN ne, pail place.! it on the path way. The
noise caused Godfrey 10 turn roan1 when he observ
Ell the rays oil the reelected from his window iu,o
the bucket of watci
Hhat crea, ers7ts iron, ifIe r,ases sr5iac'' This
Ws me l.st dca tio,lirey lad iha celebrated iusru-
nieni. iis ingenious mint niiu, diatey conceived
ta' u ne couid perfect reduced circle and ,v nra rs
OF reflection, draw the dSwn 70 horizon the o.t
OF navigation would be rendered more certain thnn by
ue re foSc so termed, then in use for measuring
a,l,ts lis success pro.li;crd ihc Quadrant called
'doiey =. lie formed bis model in wood. and iu
separate pieces, carried them at different time, to
NharieS itann, an Instrument maker OF PHILADELPHIA
Godfrey had brother in tho West India tro,Ic ,,l
VINO at this time WIS about SAILING for Ian,aica T,
Ann he entrusted the quaIrant to tcs It's usefulness
Wno 'ona II wonderiai tor tue Intended purpose. Ar
rived at his port of dcsi;na.ioa he wa, prasin, his
brotners invention before some officers OF the Br,jsi,
navy, ono OF whom, Lieutenant iiadlev reuues. ed
TO sec The instrument, ans! so Suisied was he of lis
excellence that he offered 500 Cuinoas Tor t-Ihis
N'pu'in Godfrey thought cXtra. aIant offer when
pr yoNcs could be obi1ned for less than ms many
pence ana oil course accepted the money Hadlcy
carried tne QUADRANT 10 England and placed it IN the
hands oil his brother, a mathematical ustrin,nn, ma,
ker IN the Strand III added one or two of The ,nrk
Green's presented it TO Government Obtained the pa
seat received the premium for useful inventions and
give ms name to that OF which Godfrey was the un,is
Godfrey made known his claims but to, late. the
patent had been obtained, the cmo!ument received
an"tc slnzicr was compelled rest satisfied will, the
.qI'9ca' h3nor oi having his name placed upon the
records a. The FAMOUS THOMAS GoDFREY
Ihs has hcen the fate of many great men Co
Pc'hcuS deprived Pytliasoras of the honor OF disco
VefnT the truth of the construction of the Soor Sys
lch OhsShi disputed the right of Newton TO his i'm
mortal system Of Optics a French astronomer cndca-
roure!' TO take from our Franklin the discovery that
Lightning was nothing hut an electric fluid and Had
icy has gwen his name to Goiirey's Quadrant.
ALBANY, n. Y. August 1G-The case of
ooo-nong-gise, otherwise called Tommy .Jem
my, Seneca Indian. was argued at the bar
nesday OF the present week This Indian yvas
ihuicted at late court OF oyer and tcrmincr
IN the county Of Erie, for the murder of an In
DIAN woman. BY his counsel he plead 10 the
jurisdiction Of the court, that the Seneca ma
tion OF Indians was a sovereign and iHdepen-
cent nation, exercising exclusive jurisdiction
OF all offences committed by one of that "a
lon, upon any other of the same milton with
In the territory belonging 10 them and that
the prisoner, as well as the person killed
were persons belonging to the Seneca nation /:
ana the offence, If any, was committed with
10 inc territory. To this plea, a replication
was filed IN the court below, denying the ale
cations of the plea, and an issue Of fact was
loIned, which was tried by Jury, who found
Tor the prisoner according TO his plea. The
court below suspended giving judgement, and |
.hc proceedings were removed by certiorari
into the Supreme court. A motion was there
made by the attorney general for judgement
nat the prisoner answer further, nOtwithstau- |
ling the verdict of the Jury. The argument
vas opened on Tuesday by Mr. J. G.. Spencer
n behalf of the people. He was followed bv
VT. Oakly, on behalf of the prisoner and on
Tuesday and Wednesday, Mi. Talcott. the at
0rney general, replied. On the part of the
'eopIc u was commended, that the jury bad
Undertaken to find inferenccs of law, rather
nan fact that the maxim which declared u-
les Judges of the law as well as the fact in
riminal cases, applied only to those cases
mere the merits had been put in issue bySa
eneFal plea OF not guilty. That therefore,
ne court were not bound by the finding OF The
ny TO admit the conclusions of law contain
IN theT verdict That the facts set forth