entreat You to be persuaded that Nothing could be more agreeable to me than your polite Congratulations. Permit me, in Turn, to felicitate You on the happy Repossession of your City.

Great as your Joy must be on this pleasing Occasion, it can scarcely exceed that which I feel, at seeing You, Gentlemen, who from the noblest Motives have suffered a voluntary Exile of many Years, return again in Peace & Triumph to enjoy the Fruits of your virtuous Conduct.

The Fortitude and Perseverance which You and your Suffering Brethren have exhibited in the Course of the War, have not only endeared You to your Countrymen, but will be remembered with admiration and Applause to the latest Posterity.

May the Tranquility of your City be perpetual.-May the Ruins soon be repaired, Commerce flourish, Science be fostered; And all the civil and social Virtues be cherished, in the same illustrious Manner which formerly reflected so much Credit on the Inhabitants of New York. In fine, may every Species of Felicity attend You Gentlemen & your worthy fellow Citizens.

Go. Washington.

ADDRESS OF THE FIREMEN OF NEW YORK TO GOVERNOR CLINTON. The Firemen's Address to His Excellency, George Clinton, Esq., Governor of the State of New York in America.

May it Please Your Excellency: As the Change of Government has now taken place on the Arrival of your Excellency in this City-We the Fire Engineers of the several Fire Engines, and Companies belonging to the same, beg leave to lay before your Excellency, the State and Condition of the Fire Engines &c as also of the several Companies and Number of Men now belonging to the same.

We further beg leave to represent to your Excellency, That the Fire Engines with the other emplements belonging, were before

the late Fire all in good Condition and the Companies under good Order and Regulations: And as there are at present a number of Fire Buckets wanting, and also some necessary to be done (Occasioned by the late Fire) to the several apparatus belonging to the Engines, which require immediate dispatch, not knowing how soon they may be wanted--we think it Our duty, and therefore take this early Opportunity to represent this matter to your Excellency, as the safety and preservation of this Metropolis at Times depend greatly in keeping the Engines in good Order.

We now beg leave to inform your Excellency that we held a commission Jointly and Severally, under the late Governor Robertson, and are happy to say we always gain'd applause from the Citizens for Our good Conduct in the Alarming time of Fire in this City-Should it please your Excellency to Continue us in this office under your Administration we will always Act with such Conduct, as we make no Doubt will, when Called upon in Time of Fire gain the applause of your Excellency, as well as in the late Fire we have of the Citizens.

We Remain with Great Respect Your Excellency's Most Obed: Most Humble Servts.,

John Balthaser Dash

George Stanton

Francis Dominick

Jeronemus Alstyne

New York 27th November 1783.

A List of the Names of the Foremen and Common men belonging to the Several Fire Engines, with the Numbers of the same:

FRAUNCES TAVERN.

Fraunces* Tavern, Washington's quarters, on the evacuation of the city, by the British troops, 25th of November 1783, stands on the corner of Broad and Pearl streets, New York City. This old mansion, around which, some of the most interesting reminiscences of our Revolutionary history are connected, still remains, although somewhat altered from its original appearance. It was erected about 120 or 130 years ago, by the Delancey family, then one of the most distinguished and opulent in New York, and was considered equal in size and architectural display, to any at that period, in the city.

As a tavern, it was the most noted in New York, and was the resort of the bloods of that day, who formed themselves into social clubs, and among whom were some of the most active and distinguished men of the Revolution. Samuel Fraunces, or as he

*This is the manner in which Sam. Fraunces signed his name, and it is thus recorded by him in the Deed of Conveyance in 1785.

was familiarly called, "Black Sam," (in consequence of his swarthy complexion,) was of French extraction, and appears to have been a prince of a publican. He purchased the house in 1762, from Oliver Delancey, for £2,000 provincial currency, but did not open it as a public house, until some time afterward.

The first notice of "Sam," that we have been able to discover, is an advertisement in Parker's Post Boy, February 5th, 1761, by which it appears that he not only acted as landlord, but had done considerable business as a dealer in different kinds of preserves. Here is the advertisement: "To be sold at a very reasonable rate, by Samuel Francis, at the sign of the Masons' Arms, near the Green, New York, a small quantity of portable soup, catchup, bottled gooseberries, pickled walnuts pickled or fryed oisters, fit to go to the West Indies, pickled mushrooms, a large assortment of sweetmeats, such as currant jelly, marmalase, quinces, grapes, strawberries, and sundry other sorts."

The Masons' Arms, was very popular, under the management of Sam," as a Mead and Tea Garden, places much frequented by both sexes, on pleasant afternoons. On purchasing the Broad street house, Sam sold out this, and it is thus announced in the same paper: "May 13, 1762 John Jones-Begs leave to acquaint the publick, That he has removed to the house formerly kept by Samuel Francis, at the sign of the Masons' Arms, next to Mr. Degrusia, in the Fields, where he intends to give the same entertainment as formerly given by Mr. Francis, and that in the best Those gentlemen and ladies that please to favour him with their company, may depend on the best usage, from their humble servant, John Jones."

manner.

Fraunces then opened the Vauxhall Gardens, which formerly stood in Greenwich street, near the site occupied at present, by

Stuart's Sugar Refinery- but which he again resold in 1771, and opened the much more celebrated tavern in Broad Street.

During the troubles which preceded the Revolution, Fraunces' Tavern seems to have been the resort of both Whig and Loyalist, political affairs not having sufficient power to sever the social ties of those whose custom it was to assemble there and discuss his Maderia, a wine, the excellent quality of which, "Sam's " cellar stood proverbial. It must not be presumed that "Sam" was an idle spectator, of the events then passing around him; his sympathies were with the Whigs, and he became one of Washing. ton's most faithful friends and followers. It was through the instrumentality of his daughter, that the attempt to poison Washington was frustrated, she being at that time housekeeper at Richmond Hill, Washington's quarters. This house was one of those which suffered some injury from the broadside of the Asia, when she fired upon the city.

Freneau, in one of his poems, thus speaks of it:

"Scarce a broadside was ended 'till another began again "-
By Jove! it was nothing but Fire away Flannagan!
Some thought him saluting his Sally's and Nancy's

"Till he drove a round shot thro' the roof of Sam Francis."

In May 1904 this venerable structure passed into the hands of the Sons of the Revolution of New York.

WASHINGTON'S FAREWELL TO HIS OFFICERS

At Fraunces' Tavern, New York 4th December 1783.. Last Thursday noon the principal officers of the army in town assembled at Fraunces' tavern to take a final leave of their illustrious, gracious and much loved commander, General Washington. The passions of human nature were never more tenderly