officer of publick institutions. He served several in an official capacity; and to all he was a most useful member.

In the state of Massachusetts, especially in the metropolis, there are many institutions for pious and charitable purposes; for the promotion of literature; the encouragement of science and the arts. Gentlemen who in

terest themselves in the concerns of these in. stitutions, and have a warm attachment to the objects, may enjoy the satisfactions of knowledge, and the pleasures of goodness. Dr. Thacher was a member of the Charita ble Fire Society, a trustee of the Humane Society, and was a proprietor of the town li brary, all which he aided according to his a bility, He was a member of the Academy of Arts and Sciences; and one of the council of the Massachusetts Congregational charitable Society for the relief of destitute widows and children of deceased ministers. This society was incorporated March 24, 1786, and the president of the University, who is also the president of this body, preached a sermon for the benefit of the institution. The sermon was delivered in Brattle-street church, and a collection made. In the year 1795, Dr. Thacher preached a sermon which was printed, with some account of the institution.

At the convention of Ministers, May, 1802, Dr. Thacher was moderator, and delivered the Concio ad Clerum. It was a solemn and affecting sermon, and by his manner of ad

dressing the brethren, he seemed to have some premonition that his departure was at hand. His lungs had been affected some time, but his friends indulged a hope of the return of health, to which journeys in the pleasant season apparently contributed. But during the latter part of the summer his pulmonary complaints increased; he was unable to preach more than half the day.

His people were ready to ease him of his labours every way in their power, and when the physicians recommended the milder air of the southern states, they cheerfully defrayed the expence of the voyage. Their char ity flowed from the heart and their conduct did honour to their feelings, and to the cause of religion and humanity. He sailed from Boston in the month of November, for Sa vannah, and died on the 16th of December, in that city.

Note. The father and grandfather of Dr. T. had been preachers of the gospel before' they entered other professions. An old lady of Milton, who lately died; aged 85, recollect ed hearing sermons from Thachers, in direct suceession of five generations. Rev. Peter Thacher of Milton; his son Oxenbridge; his grandson of the same name; the late Dr. Thacher; and his son, now minister of Lynn ; beside collateral branches of the family. The elder Oxenbridge preached the first sermon that was delivered to the settlers at Punki

pog, now Stoughton. One of the old set-, tlers of the place, in a kind of rapture, addressed the Rev. T. Thacher of Dedham, upon hearing him preach-"Your grands father Oxenbridge was the first man that brought the bible among us." Boston, Aug. 1806.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

OF

GENERAL HORATIO GATES.

[From the New-York Commercial Advertiser, of May 1.]

WHILE America, in the possession of free. dom, peace, and unshackled industry, enjoys the glorious achievements of her heroes, they are descending successively to the grave. Within these few days another of her ablest commanders and most faithful citizens, Gen. Gates, has followed Montgomery, Greene," and Washington. The inevitable certainty of this doom does not the less awaken our regret; but when exalted worth is thus retiring forever from our view, let publick service and publick happiness be the just measures of our gratitude. General Gates, more fortunate than many of his illustrious colleagues, lived to see the cause of liberty and American independence not only triumphant but consolidated; and with this sweetest recompense of

his toils and dangers, had the highest pros-, pective satisfaction of a patriotiek mind; when dying it was his firm opinion that he could form no better wish for his country than that, the political condition and progressive prosperity in which he left it might be perpetual..

America was the country of his choice, England that of his nativity; and there he is said to have imbibed those principles of liberty and resistance to oppression which caused the revolution in 1688. This early and uniform attachment is a characteristick the more commendable, as he entered the British army. young, and retained in it the independence of his mind and principles. With the example of their acknowledged skill and bravery, it was natural that an officer whom nature had endowed with a happy disposition, should. largely partake of the spirit of his corps and. lay the foundation of that military excellence which was to display itself in that best and noblest cause. He so distinguished himself. in the British lines, that without purchase he obtained the rank of Major, acted as Aid de Camp to Gen. Monckton at the taking of Martinico, and had the honour of bearing to England the tidings of the important conquest (in which he had assisted) of that island. He was among the first troops that landed at Halifax after the peace of Aix-la Chapelle, under General Cornwallis, was afterwards in the 54th régiment with Gen. Braddock, and was shot through the body with that unfortunate off

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cer.

After the peace between Great-Britain and France, he purchased an estate in Virgin ia, where he resided until the commencement of our revolution, when he was appointed by Congress, Adjutant-General of the American forces, with the rank of Major-General, in fact the second officer in command, and after, wards appointed to take the chief command of the Northern army. What followed after two actions against the British is too deeply impressed on every mind to be here related. His name will deservedly live forever in the annals of America, to whose independence perhaps no single event contributed so much as the convention of Saratoga; it decided the contest between America and Great-Britain; it secured the reign of liberty and began the foundation of the best organized and happiest government that time has recorded. May America know its value !

When with the army, General Gates maintained personal dignity without distance, a thing never accomplished but by real merit ; he received the soldier and subaltern in private in a friendly and familiar manner; but in pub lick, or in the presence of spectators he kept those who approached him in their proper stations; while he supported subordination as necessary to discipline, he respected men in proportion to their merits.

After the peace he retired to his farm in Virginia, where he remained until he came to reside at New-York in 1790. But previously