GOVERNOR JOHN BROOKS' TOUR IN MAINE 1818. [FROM THE BOSTON WEEKLY MESSENGER, OCTOBER 1, 1818.]

Communicated by Joseph Williamson, Esq.

PORTLAND, Sept. 29.-Governor Brooks' tour in Maine. On the eighteenth inst. his Excellency proceeded as far as Doct. Burnham's in Unity, where suitable provision had been made for his accomodation through the night. Next morning he renewed his journey through Joy, Dixmont, and No. 2, where he was met by a very respectable cavalcade, consisting of gentlemen of both political parties from Hampden, who escorted him to Hampden Corner, where an excellent dinner had been provided for him, his suite and escort. When his Excellency was ready to resume his journey, another cavalcade from Bangor, consisting equally of gentlemen of both parties, met and escorted him to Bangor, where he was announced by a salute from a company of artillery stationed there for the purpose. On Sabbath day his Excellency attended public worship at the meeting house of Rev. Mr. Loomis. Monday, the twenty-first, with Maj.-Gen. Herrick, accompanied by their suites, he reviewed part of Brig -Gen. Trafton's brigade, some of whom had marched voluntarily between thirty and forty miles to exhibit testimonials of their military ardour and discipline before the Commander-in-Chief. No marquee nor refreshment having been prepared in the field, his Excellency was escorted back to his lodging where an elegant entertainment was given by the military officers together with the municipal authorities of the town, of which a large company of military officers and gentlemen of respectability partook, immediately previous to his Excellency's leaving the place for Castine. During his stay at Bangor, the Governor received visits from some of the principal Chiefs of the Penobscot tribe of Indians-to whom he made some suitable presents through the medium of his aides.

Monday afternoon his Excellency passed over the Penobscot into Brewer, through Orrington, to the delightful little village of Bucksport, where he spent the night with Caleb B. Hall, Esquire. On the 22nd, he reviewed a regiment at Castine, and afterwards visited the U. S. fortifications at that place. Wednesday he reviewed another regiment. at Belfast. Thursday he was to review a regiment at Thomaston in the forenoon, (where he was met by Major-General King and BrigadierGeneral Wingate and their suites,) and another in the afternoon at Waldoborough. On Friday he reviewed a regiment at Nobleborough in the forenoon and another in the afternoon of the same day at Wiscasset. Saturday arrived at Bath and reviewed the troops at that place, from whence he was expected to proceed in the afternoon to Brunswick, where he was to spend the Sabbath. Two regiments were to be received at that place yesterday, and he may be expected at Portland in the course of to-day. From this town he will proceed to Wells, where we understand his Excellency will complete the objects of his tour by the brigade review which was postponed on account of the weather.

112 Old Town Village 1817. Murder of Knight in Bangor, 1816.

OLD TOWN VILLAGE, 1817.

(FROM THE BOSTON WEEKLY MESSENGER, Sept. 18, 1817.)

This village is compact, and contains nearly thirty wigwams, all standing on one street, and most of them so near together as to leave only a narrow passage way between them. Each wigwam constructed according to the old Gothic form with a gable end toward the street, is one story high, twenty or thirty feet long and half as wide. The plates and ridge-pole are supported by crotches thrust into the ground; the covering is rough board, battened or thatched with bark. None of the wigwams have any glass windows, and the entrance into them is through a narrow aperture, without any door or hinges. Within is a board or plank platform on each side, next the wall a foot or more above the ground, three or four feet in width; between the platforms the ground is bare. Here it is that the fires are all built without any chimney, a hole only being left open for the smoke through the roof. Four families frequently live in one of these wigwams, one in each corner, a fire serving two of them. On the platforms, they sit not unlike a tailor on his shop board. There they sleep without any other bedding than a few blankets. There they eat with the food in their fingers. They have nothing like a bed or chair or movable bench. A few iron and wooden vessels for cookery and a few baskets are all the furniture they have. At a little distance southerly from the street is their church, a building 40 x30, well framed and covered, and one story high. It has a porch, a cupola and a bell, also glass windows. Within is a desk for the priest, and an altar, two large candlesticks, and other service imitations of the Roman Catholic rites. On the right and left of the desk are a few seats for the deacons and elders; the floor of the church being covered with small hemlock boughs and evergreens, on which sit the Indians, both male and female. Here they worship once a week, and often meet week days for prayers. Near is the burying ground, where stands a large cross or crucifix, fifteen or twenty feet high, and within the cross itself is cut an aperture, which is covered with glass, under the glass appears the Virgin Mary with her infant Immanuel in her arms. At each grave a crucifix, some of which are not more than two feet in height.

-Contributed by Joseph Williamson, Esquire.

THE MURDER OF KNIGHT IN BANGOR, 1816.

(FROM THE BOSTON WEEKLY MESSENGER, July 12, 1816.)

BANGOR, June 29. Murder. On Thursday evening last two Indians of the Penobscot tribe entered the public house of Messrs. Knight & Lumbert, in this town, and being noisy and troublesome, Knight que ted them to leave the house. this they refused to do and were immediately put out. Their resentment kindled, they threw stones at the house. Mr. Knight went out and attempted to drive them away, when sad to

relate, one of the Indians met and stabbed him with his knife, of which wound he expired in a few minutes. He has left a wife and child to mourn the untimely exit of an affectionate husband and tender parent, and society is robbed of a valuable member. The Indians are

in custody.

Peol Susop is the criminal, he does not deny the killing, is willing to die as expiating the crime upon the principle of retaliation; says he should not have stabbed Knight if he had not been in liquor.

This is the first instance of the kind that has happened within the knowledge of any person that we know of, and considering the uniform harmless deportment of the Penobscot Indians towards the white people we view it as an extraordinary event, and to be attributed only to intoxication; and it is hoped it will prove a warning to the white people to be inore careful in future in furnishing Indians with ardent spirits. The man who sold the liquor that produced this dreadful catastrophe, cannot, upon any moral principle exculpate himself from a large degree of blame.

(FROM THE BOSTON WEEKLY MESSENGER, July 10, 1817.)

BANGOR, June 28,. Trial for murder. At the Supreme Judicial Court which was holden at Castine last week. Peol Susop, an Indian of the Penobscot tribe, was indicted and tried for the murder of William Knight, late of this town. The prisoner was brought to the bar on Thursday in the court house, but so great was the crowd of spectators the court adjourned to the meeting house, and there after most of the day had been spent in a patient investigation of all the circumstances of this unhappy event, the case was ably argued by the learned counsel for the prisoner, the Hon. Messrs Mellen and Williamson, who had been appointed to this arduous task by the Court, and by Mr. SolicitorGeneral Davis on the part of the Government. After which the court as is usual in Capital trial asked the prisoner if he had anything further to say in his defense, who replied that John Neptune would say something for him. This man though not the present chief of the tribe, is distinguished for good sense and information, and came forward to the forum with the ease and assurance of a Cicero. His speech was not brilliant, but impressive; he alluded to several murders committed on the Tribe by our people, which had escaped punishment, and particularly named the case of Livermore, who was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of an Indian but is now in the State Prison under a commutation of punishment by the Executive; and said, he and his brethren were willing Livermore should be released from his imprisonment in case Susop should be acquitted. He also expiated largely on the importance of living in peace and amity with our neighbors; said it was the sincere wish of his Tribe as well as the Quoddy and St. Johns Indians to be on good terms with the Americans since we were all brethren of the same great family, and reminded the audience that this life at best was short and transitory. The jury after retiring a short time returned a verdict of "Not Guilty of Murder, but Guilty of Manslaughter." The sentence was one year's imprisonment. in the County Gaol.

The facts constituting the offense in this case were that Susop in a

state of intoxication and in a violent passion had, with none or a very slight provocation, stabbed Knight to the heart with a hunting knife. He was arrested on the spot, and committed to gaol nearly a year ago. About thirty of the Tribe among whom was Susop's wife and relation attended the trial and behaved with the utmost decorum. Weekly Register, Contributed by Joseph Williamson, Esquire.

SENTENCE OF PEOL SUSOP, 1817.

The Supreme Judicial Court for the Counties of Hancock, Washington and Penobscot opened its session at Castine June 17, 1817, and closed June 26th present. Judges Parker, Thatcher, Putnam and Wilde. In the case of the State vs. Peol Susop he was found guilty of manslaughter. Peol Susop in addition to the year's solitary imprisonment he has already received and a further year he has still to endure, was ordered to recognize in the sum of $500 to keep the peace and be of good behavior towards all the citizens of this commonwealth, for two years after his term expires. His sureties of the Penobscot tribe were Lieutenant-Governor John Neptune and Squire Jo Mary Neptune; of the Passamaquoddy tribe Capt. Salmond; of the Saint John's tribe Captain Jo Tomer.

-Bangor Register.

OLD LETTERS, NO. 11I.

NATHAN CLIFFORD⭑.

NEWFIELD Jan. 11, 1844.

BROTHER ELISHA (Ayer) :—

I have not much to do and so I have been employing myself in overseeing the making of fine wagons; I have two nearly done, made by different Mechanics each for myself; I have selected every stick of the timber, and it is free of sap, if there is an ounce of sap I will give you the wagon. I want to sell you one and take payment out of your demands, price $45. Shall I send you one to Portland in the Spring. All well here. George is getting a living "rub and go". I have bought me a horse for $100. good one, and have also got a sleigh most done which will cost me too much to keep, in all $70. It is a buggy lined like a chaise. I would sell it and get me a cheaper one, that has no chaise top. James is courting. Lewis is doing very well. Your mother is with James. Tell Williant to rise early. Yours Truly,

NATHAN Clifford.

Nathan Cliford,born in Rummeey, N. H., Aug. 1803. Educated at Haverhill Academy and Hampton, N. H., Literary Institute, studied law and settled in Newfield, Me., 1827. Representotive, 1830-31-32-33. Speaker the last year 1833. Attorney General of Me. 1834. Representative Congress, 26th and 27th Congress 1837-38-39-40. Atorney General of the United States 1846. Minister to Mexico, 1847. Appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1858. Removed to Portland. Died at Cornish Maine. July, 25, 1881.

+ The late William R. Ayer of Lincoln, Me.

TITLE OF LANDS OF THE BINGHAM ESTATE ON MT. DESERT ISLAND, HANCOCK COUNTY, IN THE STATE OF MAINE, 1873.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, by Resolve of the General Court, approved by Gov. Hancock, July 6, 1787, granted the Eastern Half of Mt. Desert Island, (with parts of Trenton, Lamoine, Hancock and Ellsworth on the Main) to Bartholomy De Gregoire, and Maria Theresa, his wife, the grand-daughter and direct heir of "Monsieur" De La Motte Cadillac, in confirmation of the grant of Louis XIV, of France to the Sieur Cadillac, in 1691. The Resolve is recorded in the Hancock County Registry of Deeds, vol. 1, folio 426. The petition upon which the Resolve was based does not appear of record in Maine. It is among the archives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Bartholomy De Gregoire and Maria Theresa, were naturalized Nov. 2, 1787, in pursuance to an enabling act of the General Court. The act and the oath are recorded in Hancock County Registry of Deeds, vol. 3, folios 199, 200.

Bartholomy De Gregoire and Maria Theresa conveyed all their remaining interest in the Grant to Henry Jackson, by deed dated, Aug. 4, 1792, and recorded vol. 1, folio 518. This deed excepted the Lots sold to settlers.

Henry Jackson conveyed all the lands remaining unsold to William Bingham of Philadelphia, by deed dated July 9, 1796, vol. 5, folio 74. William Bingham died in England in 1804, and by his will, probated in Philadelphia, Sept. 19, 1805, and in Maine, (Hancock County) Feb. 27, 1810, he devised his entire Estate to certain Trustees to hold twofifths in trust for his son, William Bingham the younger, until his majority, when the son should take free of the trust, and to hold threefifths in trust for his two daughters, Anne, wife of Alexander Baring of London, afterward Lord Ashburton, and Maria Matilda, wite of Henry Baring of Loudon, an equal part to each, until the death of each daughter, when the children of each daughter, should take that daughter's share, free of the trust.

The son attained his majority, and both daughters died prior to Jan. 1, 1850, so that all the trusts under the will terminated, and the estate was held, two-fifths by the son, and three-fifths by the children of the two daughters.

As to the three-fifths

Anne B. Baring (at the time of her decease, the Dowager Lady Ashburton) left surviving her seven children-William, (2d Lord Ashburton) Francis, Frederick, Anne, (married Mildmay) Harriet, (Marchioness of Bath) Louisa and Lydia, and no other child.

Francis, Frederick, Louise, Lydia, Harriet, (of Bath) and Francis and Henry Mildmay, (heirs of Anne B. Mildmay) conveyed all their interest to William, Lord Ashburton, who thus acquired one-half of the three-fifths, by deed dated Dec. 17, 1851, and recorded vol. 98, folio 144.

Maria Matilda, after the death of Henry Baring, married to Marquis du Blaisel, and at her death left surviving five children,-Henry B.,