gentleman's sagacity and foresight, that to his perseverance (I had almost said management), do we owe the permanency of that bridge.

Before Mr. Peters became a Judge, indeed, soon after the war, in 1785, he visited England. His travels in that country, and the adjoining kingdoms under British rule, were extensive. He had in charge, on this occasion, a commission, somewhat of a public nature, and which introduced him to the acquaintance of the Primate and principal prelates of the English Church. Before the Revolution, the Protestant Episcopal Church in this country, of which Mr. Peters was a member, was governed by the Bishops of London; but, when our political connection was dissolved, no Protestant church here would consent to be regulated by a foreign diocesan. Mr. Peters, therefore, was commissioned to obtain the consent of the British prelates to ordain to the holy office of Bishop three priests of the American Episcopal Church, and thus give to it a canonical succession. An act of Parliament had already been obtained by the Bishop of London to enable him to dispense with such of the usual requisitions as were inconsistent with the engagements of certain citizens of the United States who had applied to him for holy orders; and, about the time the higher question of succession was agitated, the same subject was brought before the Danish Government, in consequence of a conversation between Mr. Adams, our then Minister to the same Court, to which a favorable answer was given; so that the Danish Church stood ready, in case of difficulty, to confer on our Church the necessary powers of Episcopal succession. But, it is believed, that this incident had no influence on the conduct of the British Government or Church, both of which are represented, by Mr. Peters, in a letter from England, dated March 4th, 1786, as favorably disposed; and subsequently confirmed by the courteous and friendly reception of the Right Reverend and venerable Bishop White and his colleagues, who found the Archbishops and all the Bishops, who were consulted on the business, acting with the utmost candor and liberality of sentiment; so that it is obvious that the English prelates were, from the first, ready and desirous to convey the succession to the American Church; and that the only condition they made was, that there should not be such a departure, either in discipline, worship,

or doctrine, as would destroy the identity of the two Churches in their spiritual character.

We now approach a period in the life of Judge Peters, which brought his fellow-citizens into close intimacy with him. It was a long period of widespread usefulness, in which he moved almost without a rival. As a practical farmer, Mr. Peters had, from time to time, communicated the results of the experiments made at Belmont, to such of his neighbors as chose to profit by them; but he had not written much, if anything, upon agriculture, before the year 1797. His first publication was then made, and contained a statement of facts and opinions in relation to the use of gypsum. This pamphlet circulated widely, and produced such a change in husbandry, by introducing the culture of clover and other artificial grasses, as gave a magical increase to the value of farms. Estates, which until then were unable to maintain stock, for want of winter fodder and summer pasture, were suddenly brought into culture, and made productive. Formerly, on a farm destitute of natural meadow, no stock could be supported; and even where natural meadow existed, the barn-yard was exhausted to keep up sufficient fertility (in the absence of irrigation), to feed a very few horses and black-cattle.

Such was the situation of our husbandry, for some years after the Revolution. It is proper to advert to it, that we may understand the full extent of our obligations to the Judge. In the year 1770, he was shown the effects of gypsum on clover, in a city lot, occupied by Mr. Jacob Barge, on the commons of Philadelphia.

The secret of its powerful agency came from Germany, where it was accidentally discovered. Mr. Peters obtained a small quantity, which he used successfully, and gradually promoted its consumption, until by his example, and his publications, the importation from Nova Scotia alone, into the single port of Philadelphia, increased to the enormous amount of fourteen thousand tons annually. This was before the discovery of that fossil in the United States.

In order to appreciate properly the industry of Judge Peters, in treating on husbandry and matters auxiliary to it, we must consult his voluminous communications, published in " The Memoirs of the Philadelphia Agricultural Society."

This distinguished citizen, always vigilant in promoting objects of public utility, founded the Agricultural Society, and presided over it from the day of its creation until his death.

Having endeavored to portray Judge Peters as a patriot, a legislator, a jurist, and a farmer, it remains to speak of him as a man in social life.

Unceremonious, communicative, friendly. "He talked with fluency mere pun," mere joke and frolic. He needed no artificial aid, where nature had been so liberal; and with his goblet of water, would, as he playfully said, "drink like a fish."

As a husband, a parent, a neighbor, a sincere Christian, there was, in reference to Judge Peters, but one voice. Every one united in praising his domestic and religious virtues.

THOMAS McKEAN PETTIT.

THOMAS MCKEAN PETTIT was born, on the 26th of December, 1797, in Philadelphia. After the necessary preparation, he entered the University of Pennsylvania, and graduated there in 1815. He then entered the office of his kinsman, Joseph R. Ingersoll, as a student of law, and was admitted to practice as an attorney of the several Courts of Philadelphia at about the time of his majority. In 1820, he received the appointment of City Solicitor. Entertaining the political opinions of the Democratic school, he took an active part in maintaining their ascendency, and soon after the election of Governor Schulze, and the appointment of Frederick Smith as Attorney-General of the State, he received the appointment of Deputy Attorney-General of the Court of Oyer and Terminer for this city and county, and continued in the faithful and satisfactory performance of the duties of the office for a number of years. His attention, however, was not entirely confined to his professional and official duties; but consistently with a proper performance of them, he found leisure to aid in promoting the success of his political party, by taking a decided and active part in the animated contests that then agitated the country. He was

a member of the Hickory Club, so well known at the time for its efficiency in promoting the election of General Jackson to the Presidency of the United States. He was also a member of that Committee of Correspondence which was so distinguished by its publications (the production of the pen of its chairman, Mr. Wm. J. Duane), discussing the questions then at issue between the rival parties, and his name was affixed to their able addresses.

In 1830, he was elected a member of the House of Representa tives of Pennsylvania, and took a prominent and effective part in its business and discussion; and, in the year following, he was elected a member of the Select Council of the city. In the ensuing year, 1832, he was called to a position of still higher importance. He was then appointed by Governor Wolf an Assistant Judge of the District Court for the City and County of Philadelphia, and served in that capacity until 1835, when the term for which the Court was constituted expired. Upon that event, however, and before the passage of the law by which the Court was continued for the further period of ten years, he was again appointed by Governor Wolf, but to the still higher office of President Judge of the Court, and faithfully and unintermittingly served during the whole of the term. In the course of this period he was nominated by his Democratic fellow-citizens as a candidate for Congress, though, as his party was in a minority in the district, without any expectation of an election; and, during the same term, he was appointed by President Van Buren one of the Board of Visitors to West Point. His efficiency and capacity here as elsewhere were soon discovered, and, with Ex-Governor Marcy, of New York, he prepared the report of the proceedings of the Board. In 1845, upon the expiration of the term for which the District Court had been last created, and upon the re-creation of the Court in that year for another term, Governor Shunk being then in the executive office, Judge Pettit was once more appointed to the Presidency of the Court. Highly estimating the honor so repeatedly conferred upon him, he nevertheless determined to decline it, and to resume the practice of his profession. He accordingly adopted that course, but not long to remain entirely in private practice, for soon after he received from President Polk the appointment of United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the duties of

which he continued to perform with his accustomed vigor and ability during the whole of Mr. Polk's term. The succeeding four years he passed in private life, but upon the commencement of the presidential term of Mr. Pierce, he had conferred upon him the appointment of Director of the Mint of the United States. He entered upon the duties of the office with his wonted energy, but continued in the discharge of them for a short time only, when his career of usefulness was closed by death, on the 30th May, 1853, in the fifty-sixth year of his age.

Besides the faithful performance of the numerous and various trusts above referred to, Judge Pettit mingled freely with his fellowcitizens, and served them with his counsels and influence in other capacities. He was a Vice-President of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, a member of the Board of Managers of the Athenæum, and a member of the Franklin and the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. He also found time to devote to mere literary pursuits. Besides the preparation of numerous judicial decisions, he also assisted his friend, the Hon. Thomas Sergeant, of the Supreme Court of the State, to prepare for publication the "Common Law Reports of England." He also prepared and delivered several addresses. One in memory of his friend, the late Roberts Vaux, one before the Alumni of the University of Pennsylvania, and another before his Democratic fellow-citizens on the 4th of July, and acquitted himself in all in a manner to sustain his well-earned reputation.

In early life, he married Sarah Dale, a daughter of Commodore Richard Dale, of the United States Navy. He survived her a number of years, but now they lie side by side; one shaft records their names and marks the spot. Three children, one son and two daughters, survive them.