eaty of Ghent. Many never returned to the
homes of their fathers--entire villages were depopulated, and their
sites overgrown in a few years with shrubbery. Those who came back from
the active campaign of 1814, were sullen and desponding. As an evidence
of what they had suffered, and how completely they had been abandoned by
their allies, the transactions of the first treaty at Springwells, at
the close of the war, may be referred to. The tribes were literally
starving and in rags.

The agents of the Executive and Governors, who were appointed to conduct
their intercourse after the war, were, in reality, called to execute a
high class of diplomatic functions, second only in general importance to
those required at the prime courts of Europe. The several classes of
duties which have been described denote, to some extent, in what this
importance consisted. Eighteen years had now elapsed since this
important commercial company had furnished traders to the discomfited
tribes. During twelve years of this period I had had charge of the
intercourse with by far the largest and most unfriendly and warlike of
the tribes; and, when I saw that Mr. Astor had disconnected himself from
the concern which he had organized; and that, to some extent, new agents
and actors were called to the field, I felt anxious to be at my post, to
supervise, personally, the intercourse act, and to see that no improper
persons should enter the country.

_15th_. Dr. L.D. Gale, of New York, writes me that the American Lyceum
has resolved to enlarge the scope of its objects. "We have, therefore,"
he remarks, "as we now stand, 1. The department of education. 2. The
department of physical science. 3. Moral and political science. 4.
Literature and the arts. The influence of the society has been very much
enlarged since its last meeting, and it now enrolls amongst its active
members many, indeed I may say a large share of the most valuable men of
science of the United States. The chief object of the physical science
department is to obtain, as far as possible, a report of the recent
history and progress, and, in some cases, the future prospects of the
different departments. So that we may be enabled to form a volume of
transactions that shall embrace all that is new or recent in the
departments, posted up to the present time.

"The subject of the antiquities of the western countries of the United
States, and especially the remains of towns and fortifications,