From The Erection Of The County Of Delaware To The War Of 1812.

Governor Henry Lee, of Virginia, as chief commander of the army, took up the line of march for the scene of tumult, and an imposing body it was when we recall that Governor Thomas Mifflin led the Pennsylvania troops, Governor Richard Howell, of New Jersey, those from his State, Governor Thomas S. Lee those from Maryland, and Gen. Daniel Morgan those from Virginia. President Washington, accompanied by Gen. Knox, Secretary of War, Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, and Judge Richard Peters, followed the army. In the mean time the more conservative part of the inhabitants of the offending counties, when they learned that the overwhelming force was coming against them, dispatched a committee to visit the President. An interview was had, and the campaign finally ended without further bloodshed. A few of the leaders in the insurrectionary outbreak were subsequently tried, and convicted of treason. They were, however, pardoned by Washington, and the rebellion, which at one time promised to be difficult of suppression, melted away before the determined action of the Federal government.

The general history of Delaware County, until the declaration of war between Great Britain and the United States, is very meagre of stirring incidents, and little took place excepting those matters which belong to the story of the several townships, or judicial narrative, which will be related under these headings, so that it is unnecessary to refer to those events in this summary of the county's annals. Dr. Smith has so admirably portrayed this placid period in our history that a reproduction of his statement will sufficiently represent the quiet but certain progress of that day. "Owing to the European war that raged during this period," he says, "the commerce of our country was benefited, and there was an increased demand for its agricultural products. Our county fully shared these advantages, and the result was an effort on the part of our farmers to improve their lands, and thereby to increase their products. These lands in many places had become exhausted by a system of bad farming that is generally adopted in new countries, and it was not then uncommon to see large tracts abandoned for agricultural purposes and left uninclosed. These exhausted tracts generally received the appellation of 'old fields.' The use of gypsum and lime as manures now began to be introduced; the former at first worked almost miracles by the increased productiveness it imparted to the soil. It was soon discovered, however, that its effects were greatly diminished by repeated application, and, as a consequence, it became less used; while lime, though slow in developing its benefit, soon became the general favorite with our farmers, and deservedly so, for it cannot be denied that it was owing to its extensive and continued application, combined with a better system of farming, that much of this county has been brought from an exhausted condition to its present state of fertility and productiveness."

The Second War With England.

In a work such as this it is not to be expected that space can be given to a discussion of the causes which led the Congress of the United States, on June 18, 1812, to a declaration of war against Great Britain, but it is sufficient to say that the act was looked upon as largely a political measure, - the Democratic party, which was then in power, declaring for a vigorous prosecution of the war, while the Federalists opposed the contest as unnecessary, injudicious, and destructive of our commercial prosperity. In the city of Baltimore to such an extent was party spirit aroused that serious breaches of the peace and riotous attacks were manifested between the opposing political factions.

In the county of Delaware, as elsewhere, there was a division of sentiment, but the preponderance of opinion was adverse to the war, and was outspoken in its disapproval. On Aug. 5, 1812, in the Chester and Delaware Federalist (now Village Record),¹ appeared the following advertisement:

"COUNTY MEETING. THE FEDERAL REPUBLICANS and all others friendly to Peace and Commerce in Delaware county are requested to meet at the house of Isaac Cochran, in the township of Upper Providence, on Saturday, the 8th of August, at 2 o'clock P.M., on business preparatory to the ensuing ELECTION in October and November next."

The county meeting thus called was largely attended. Thomas Smith was appointed chairman, and Maskell Ewing secretary, and the following preamble and resolution were unanimously adopted:

"The Congress of the United States having on the 18th of June last passed an act declaring war against Great Britain and her dependencies, which has thrown this heretofore happy and prosperous country into a hostile attitude, at a time, too, when we are unprepared by land or sea, our territory and citizens exposed to invasion and plunder, our commerce unprotected, a prey to an enemy whose ships have power to control the ocean, -
"Resolved, That we view the proceedings as hostile to the happiness and interest of this country, and consider the men who sanctioned it by their votes as unworthy of our confidence, that we will exercise every constitutional right to displace them and put those at the head of our affairs whom we deem capable of honestly representing us."

The resolution met with such general approval that a meeting of the young men of the county was called in the court-house at Chester, and on Aug. 22, 1812, the building was crowded, many persons who attended being unable to enter the doors. Samuel Edwards, Esq., then a rising young lawyer who had been admitted a few years previous, was called to preside, and Zedekiah W. Flower was appointed secretary. A lengthy address, evidently carefully prepared, was read, in which it was argued that no good reason, excepting the impressing of American seamen by English vessels, had been advanced by the advocates of the war, and even that cause should and could be removed by negotiation between the two nations. The following resolutions were adopted: