Litchfield enquirer., 1851-07-03


Considering he very intimate historic
connection of our Revolution with the in
fluence Of the clergy, their active investi.
CATION to it, and their constant, powerful
cooperation in it, the transition we meke
in passing from our military history to that
OF the pulpit, is by no means violent. Only
IN speaking Of our great men here and our
theologic standing generally, | must speak
IN the brlefest manner. No mean distinc-
ton is it to say that the renowned theOlogi-
an, preacher and philosopher, Jonathan
Edwards, was native Of Connecticut, and
a graduate of Yale College. And though
the more active part of his life was spent in
Massachusetts, he retained his afinities.
more especially, with the churches and
ministers of Connecticut, / need not saw
that there is no American name of higher
repute, not only among the divines, but also
among the metaphysicians both of this coun-
try and of Europe DR.. Dwight was born
in Massachusetts but educated here, and
here was the scene of his life. Besides
these, having our Hooker, and Davenport.
and BelIamy, and Smalley. and by a less
exclusive property, our Hopkins and Ems
mons, and Griffin, all sons of Connecticut.
we have abundant reason, | think, to be-
satisfied with our high eminence in the de-
partment of theological literature and pull
pit effect.
AS regards our poets I will only detain
you to say that, while am far from think
ing that every thing which beats time in
verse is poetry, it is yet something that we
have our Trumbull, and Hillhouse, and
Brainard, and Percival, and Pierpont, and
Halleck, who, not to speak of others closer
to our acquaintance, have written what can
never perish, while wit may enven mems
hearts, or music and the sense of beauty
remain.
Including, next, in our inventory, mecha-
meal Inventions may say that the great
improvements in cotton machinery, by Gil
bert Brewster. justify the title sometimes
given him of the Arkwright of our country.
The cotton gin of Whitney. is machine
that, by itself, has doubled the productive
power, and so the value of the Southern
half OF our country. If the inventor had
been paid for his invention, and not defrau>
ded OF his rights by conspiracy 700 strosp
for the laws, the interest of his money
would redeem all the fugiives that cross
the line of free labor, as long as there is
such line 10 cross.
IN the United States, were from Hartford.
John Fitch of Connecticut, has the dis
tinguished honor ofproduclng the first steam
boat that ever moved upon the waters of the
world. He was unfortunate in his charac>
ter, though man of genius and high enthu.
slastn. Failing Ut the means necessary to
complete his experiments and universally
derlded BY the public, he persisted in the
confidence that steam was to be the great
agent OF river navigation in the world, and
gave 1t as last request, that ''his body
might be buried on the banks of the Ohio.
where bis rest would be soothed by the
blowing of the steam and the splash Of the,
waters"
1t is not as generally known that the first
steam locomotive ever constructed, was run
in the streets of Hartford The inventor,
was Doctor Kinsley, man whose history.
was strlkingly similar to that of Fitch. The
late eTheodore Dwight, known to many in
this audience, lent him the money with
which he made his experiments. He sue
ceeded IN part, but fell through into bank
ruptcy at the end, still persistng thaa steam
was to be the agent OF The land travel of the
world. His experiments were made be-
tween the years '97 and 80, previous to the
introduction of rails us the guides and sup,
ports of notion
1t now remains to speak of the rank We
have held, in the matter of education, and
the power we have exered by that means
IN The republic. II is remarkable that
very < share of the colleges in our na>
ZION elz|T their lineage, not from Harvard,
most distinguished in the fruits Of literature.
but from Yale. This is true of Dartmouth,
Princeton, Williams, Middlebury, Hamilton,
Western Reserve, Jacksonville and Athens
University In Georgia. These institutions
were some OF them planned 10 Connecticut
others OF them moved, or in some princiEa
degree manned, by the graduates of Yale
College and sons of Connecticut. Dr.
Johnson of Stafford. graduate of Yah
and &. EDWARDS Of Oxford. was the princi
pal originator and first President also o.
Columbia College. New York. | find in
the office of our Secretary of State, a pc.
tition to our Legislature from the Trustees
OF Princeton College, king leave to dray
a lottery here for the benefit of their insti
sutton, such leave being denied them br
their own State. They aver in their pett
ton, that sit would be happy means a
es fishing and perpetuating a desirabk
AMi uIouy octWoou tuo LWO iuStUu tIOuS, 1al0
and Princeton, which il will be the care of
your petitioners to promote and preserves
Leave W. gGz ted for it was The manner
OF our State 10 seize every opportunity in
every place for the assistance of learning.
| may 20 add that Mr. Crazy. to whose
active exertions in behalf of education the
school system and the Sla.e University of
Michigan are mainly due, is son of Con-
necticut and graduate of Trinity College.
CINCINNATI, goth Juno.
WITHDRAWAL FROM THE PROTESTANT
EPISCOPAL CnURcH-The Rev. B. P.
Angelrodt, distinguished minister Of
the Protestant Episcopal Church, has in
letter of considerable length to Bishop
f. ~. I r