Who was born at Beverly, 13th August, 1805, and died at Washington, 7th August, 1852. An upright lawyer, a liberal statesman, a good citizen, studious of the Past, yet mindful of the Future. Throughout an active life he strove for the improvement of his fellow-men. The faithful friend of Education, he upheld our Public Schools. A lover of Virtue, he opposed Intemperance by word and example. In the name of Justice and Humanity, he labored to abolish the punishment of Death. Inspired by Freedom, he gave his professional services to a slave hunted down by public clamor, and bore his testimony, in Court and Congress, against the cruel enactment which sanctioned the outrage. He held many places of official trust and honor, but the Good Works filling his days were above these. Stranger! at least in something imitate him. * * * * * AUTHORSHIP OF THE ORDINANCE OF FREEDOM IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. LETTER TO HON. EDWARD COLES, AUGUST 23, 1852. Mr. Coles has been private secretary to Mr. Jefferson, and then to Mr. Madison, and afterwards Governor of Illinois. The following extract of a letter from him to Mr. Sumner, dated Schooley's Mountain, New Jersey, August 18, 1852, raises the question of the authorship of the Ordinance of Freedom. "Not having the pleasure of a personal acquaintance with you, I shall ask the favor of Senator Cooper to present you this, and to make me known to you, and thus explain the obligation you have placed me under, as the friend of Mr. Jefferson, to correct an error you lately made in the Senate, by which you take from him, and give to another, one of the noblest and most consistent acts of his life. "In your speech in the Senate, on the occasion of the death of Mr. Rantoul, you spoke of Nathan Dane as the "_Author_" of the Ordinance for the government of the Territory northwest of the Ohio. With my recollection,--for I have no book or person to refer to at this summer retreat,--I could not have been more surprised, if you had designated as the author of the Declaration of Independence one of the members who added his name to it after it had been adopted by Congress." SENATE CHAMBER, August 23, 1852. Dear Sir,--I have been honored by your letter of August 18th, in which you kindly criticise an allusion by me in the Senate to Nathan Dane, as the author of the Ordinance of 1787. You award this high honor to Mr. Jefferson.