the relations of the Germans and the Indians were for twenty years, at least, exceedingly pleasant. It so happened, however, that a Scotch-Irish settlement was formed a few miles away, on the opposite side of the Lehigh. The Irish and the Indians appear to have been from the first bitter enemies, and in several instances friendly Indians were shot without provocation, while on their way to Philadelphia or Bethlehem on official business. The most bitter enemy of the Indians was a certain Lieutenant Dodge, who had a fondness for collecting scalps, and was by no means particular as to the means which he employed in obtaining them. The Indians consequently became exasperated, and, Heckewelder informs us, a number of them agreed to take vengeance as soon as war should be declared. The French and Indian war excited the Indians along the whole border, and the animosity thus aroused continued to exist for many years. On October 7th, 1763, when the troubles were at their worst, Captain Jacob Wetterholt and a little company of soldiers left Bethlehem for Fort Allen. On the way they spent a night at the tavern of John Stenton in Allen township. They anticipated no danger, but a small party of Indians, who may have heard that their special enemy Lieut. Dodge was with the company, approached unperceived during the night, and when the door was opened in the morning by the servant of Capt. Wetterholt he was shot at and instantly killed. Capt. Wetterholt and Sergeant McGuire were also shot at and dangerously wounded, and John Stenton was shot dead. Capt. Wetterholt was taken to Bethlehem, and died next day. The Indians did not attempt to enter the house, and thus the redoubtable Lieut. Dodge escaped with his life. That he felt himself in a critical position is evident from a letter which he found means to send to Timothy Horsfield, of Bethlehem, and which we give verbatim; "John Stentons, Oct. the 8, 1763 Send me help or I am a Dead man this Sargt. Meguire is shot through the body At On the northern border of the Egypt settlement there were three farms, occupied respectively by John Jacob Mickley,* Nicholas Marks, and John Schneider. Mickley's farm was nearest to the river, and was consequently first visited by the Indians. It was a beautiful morning, and three of the children were gathering chestnuts at some distance from the house. The children were John Peter, Henry, and Barbara; the eldest was eleven years old, the youngest seven. No doubt they were as happy as children always are when gathering nuts, but suddenly their joy was changed to terror. Out of the adjacent forest a band of painted savages came rushing upon them. Little Barbara could run but a few steps when she was overtaken and knocked down. Henry had reached the fence, but while he was climbing it an Indian *John Jacob Mickley was born at Zweibrücken in the Palatinate in 1697, and came to America in 1733. The family is said to have been oriat first been written Michelet. John Jacob ginally of Huguenot origin, the name having Mickley, the elder, left three sons, besides several daughters. His eldest son, John Jacob, settled on a tract of land adjoining the site of the present villege of Hockendaqua, Lehigh that region are descended. The second son, county. From him most of the Mickleys in John Martin, removed to Adams county, where he has many descendants. John Peter, the third son, whose escape from the Indians, is here related, was a fifer in the war of the Revolution. He subsequently settled in Bedminster These from me to serve my country township, Bucks county, and has many deand king so long as j live Mr. Hosfield, Sir, Pray send me help for all my men are killed But one, and Capto. Wetterholt js amost Dead, he is shot through the Body, for god sake send me help. scendants in that county and in Philadelphia. threw a tomahawk and killed him instantly. Both of these children were scalped, but the little girl lived in an insensible condition until next morning. Peter reached the woods and hid himself between two large trees, surrounded by brushwood, where the Indians could not find him. Here he remained for some time, hardly daring to breathe, until hearing the screams of the Schneider family, he knew that the Indians were at that place, and that the coast was clear. Then, without returning home, he ran with all his might to tell the sad news to his brother John Jacob, who was at the house of Adam Deshler, where the neighbors often found a refuge in times of danger. After killing the Mickley children the Indians, for some unexplained reason, did not attack the house of the parents. There is a tradition that the Mickleys had a very fierce dog, who had a special antipathy to Indians, and that the latter was afraid of him, though it is hardly to be supposed that a whole war party could be kept at bay by a single dog. Passing by Mickley's house the Indians came to that of Nicholas Mark's. Here the family saw them coming and succeeded in making their escape. The Schneider family were, however, not so fortunate. Father, mother, and three children were ruthlessly murdered. Two daughters, who had attempted to escape, were overtaken and scalped, but subsequently recovered. As they were very poor the legislature voted them a small appropriation. Another daughter was carried away as a captive, and we are in ignorance of her final fate. After setting fire to the houses of Marks and Schneider the Indians took a direct course for the Blue mountains. They must have known that the country had been aroused, and that their only safety lay in a speedy escape. Their expedition appears to have been from the first a mere raid, undertaken by individuals rather than by the tribe as a whole. They sought to take vengeance on the whites for real or supposed wrongs, and only succeeded in injuring a people who haddone them nothing but good. On the centennial anniversary of these occurrences Oct. 8th, 1863, a number of members of the Mickley family held a reunion at the ancestral homestead, and der Eil (Was ebbes rechtes werre will, nemmt immer 'n guti Weil.) Wann Mäple schun, un Weidebäm, mit Blätter steh'n bedeckt. Hot en die Sun un Frühlingsluft, mit knapper Wann dan die Luft 'mol wärmer werd, dasz Far'n langi Zeit scheint nix gericht-ken (Die Kersche un die Mäple-blüth, find jeder (Die Kersche un die Mäple-blüth, find jeder Doch endlich weisze Schwänzcher sich-recht ohne g'sucht,) in de Blätter drin OUR POLITICAL DEGENERACY. BY REV. T. G. APPLE, D. D. It is felt on every side that fearful political corruption prevails in the management of our national and state government, and that it has entered into the local government of county, city, and town. The subject has, indeed, become as trite as that of the weather in ordiconversation. No matter how the nary general subject may be started, when the closing remark comes that terrible corruption has come to permeate and dominate all our politics, assent is readily given and so the conversation or discussion ends. Several thoughts are suggested by the subject which may be worthy the earnest into whose hands the direction of politiconsideration, especially of young men, cal affairs must soon pass. I. Our first thought relates to the manner and spirit in which the men who of public trust are commonly spoken of. are elected and appointed to hold offices And the public press must come in here for a large share of responsibility-a responsibility that tells powerfully upon the rising generation. We refer to the universal habit of speaking disrespectfully of men who occupy public places, and of those who are aspirants for of fice. Of course the reply is ready at hand that a spirited and pungent criticism of public men is necessary in order to restrain the natural tendency towards corruption. But this necessity does not excuse the wholesale and slanderous abuse of those who occupy offices of trust and honor. St. Peter (1 Peter ii. 10) refers to those in his times who "despise government, presumptuous and self-willed, who are not afraid to speak evil of dignities, &c." From the manner in which our rulers are spoken of in the public press the young are trained to think lightly and contemptuously of men in office from the president down to the most inferior office-holder. begets a want of reverence for government itself, and a habit of disrespect for those who administer it. In the ordinary associations of life men are taught to treat those around them with respect; they regard the sacredness of personality even in those whose lives and ac This tions may not deserve commendation. greater in power and might, bring not Why then should not the same gentle- railing accusation against them before manly courtesy be observed towards the Lord" (2 Peter, ii. 11), or as St. those in office? Nay, why should not Jude has it (i. 9), "Yet Michael, the even greater care be observed to speak archangel, when contending with the of them personally with gentlemanly devil, durst not bring against him a respect, while their public acts are criti- railing accusation, but said, The Lord c zed, and if need be condemned? Re rebuke thee." spect and reverence for government lie at the basis of all civic virtue. But the public press is responsible to a large extent for the manner in which this is cultivated in the minds of the young. A man need only be brought forward for public office and at once his character is blackened in one way or another, even though it has previously stood fair in the estimation of his fellow-men. The higher the office the more bitter is the denunciation. Young persons are led to suppo-e from reading such denuncia tion from day to day that all who are in office and who are candidates for office, must in the nature of the case be bad and corrupt men. We drop titles in this country, but with them we often, nay generally, drop even a respectful address. The name of the presi ient is bandied about like that of any Tom, Dick, and Harry, without even the usual "Mr." a tached to it. There is no rational excuse for this prevailing disrespect of office and officeholders. The office and the man may be respectfully referred to even while honest criticism is made of whatever wrong may be connected with them. There is one point in reference to which reformation may begin. And one way to begin it is to introduce a different spirit and language into the family and the school. If the press considers it necessary to continue its language and style, let parents and teachers infuse into the minds of the young respect and reverence for the government, and for rulers as "ministers of God" (Rom. xii. 4). This will at least lay a foundation in the young for a respectful spirit towards the government, and go far towards counteracting the demoralizing spirit that will confront them in after years from other sources. It may be said, if the government is bad it ought to be denounced. We answer no; let the wrong be denounced, but the government be respected. The two are not the same. "Whereas angels, which are II. Our second thought is, that in this unqualified defamation of our rulers there is a vast deal of exaggeration and downright falsehood. Ah, it is said, you do not know the amount of political corruption that prevails; all politicians are corrupt, and you cannot overdo the matter in denouncing office-holders. But here we dissent. The wilful and confirmed dishonest and corrupt officeholder is the exception, not the rule. Our presidents, senators and governors, our legislators and judges, as a class, are honest and upright men. They are so regarded and treated in private social life. How is it then that while in their private business and social relations they are trusted, honored, and esteemed, they must needs wear a totally opposite character the moment their hands touch the administration of the government We grant there are exceptions. Not al are honest and upright. Corruption in public places often comes to light; but we still maintain it is not the rule. It could not be while all the acts and measures of public men are constantly open to the observation and watchful criticism of the public. With all its imperfections, faults, and corruption, our government and its administration are immeasurably superior in honesty, integrity, and purity, to most of the despotic and monarchical governments of the past. Wrong and oppression are not legalized as they were in many of those governments, and are even now by some of the governments of the old world. The people are less oppressed with taxes, less held under the despotic sway of the wealthy and the titled, more free to enjoy the fruits of their labor, than in the best governments of Europe with all its boasted civilization and culture. And yet to listen to some of the purists and reformers of the day one would suppose that America is the most corrupt nation on the globe, and its government ready to fall to pieces on in order to appear the fairer yourself by the false contrast. Be true, and fair, and honest, in your denunciation of corruption and wrong, and you will still have enough of that work to do. account of the corruption of our politics! It is not so. Many evils necessarily go along with free government, but we have no vile oppression here, for instance, in Pennsylvania. But do not corrupt political bosses rule the people, III. And now a third thought ocand does not the political machine grind curs: the way to correct political corthem down into the very dust? Is it ruption, allowing as we do that it exists, not admitted that any of the parties lies not so much in party mechanical when in power oppress the people, and organizations and external management bribe, and lie, and steal? Is it not all and method, as in the cultivation of a grab-game for office, and a frantic private virtue. We do not undervalue rush for the spoils? One would, indeed, the power of "machinery" for good or think that our politics are a very pande- evil. When the "political machine" monium, and expect to see a veritable comes to be used for corruption, another smoking Tophet, and the people roast- machine may have some power to correct ing in it, to listen to the exaggerations the evil. Such machinery is undoubtthat are indulged in when this subject edly necessary in order to carry on our is spoken of. And yet, visit our well-political life. So, at least, it seems. to-do farmers and observe their happy families, their quiet, serene, life, or go into our towns and cities and observe the prosperous business, and the good living of the laboring man, compare all these with the condition of things in the monarchies of the old world, and then say whether we are suffering so terribly from the awful corruption of our politics. There is corruption in all the walks of life, in business and trade, in the social circle, everywhere, but balance against this the honesty and integrity of the majority of our business men, and the purity of the majority of our homes. Why not do the same in reference to our governmental affairs? Why speak of our happy social life, and of our prosperous business life, and then find only corruption so soon as we come into the sphere of political life? But, it is said, eternal vigilance is the price of liberty, and we must exaggerate the evil in order to prevent corruption. We do not believe it. Exaggeration, even in the pulpit, where it is often found, does not lessen, it rather promotes the evil. Faith in men is essential to the maintenance of the social fabric. Let that once be lost, and the foundations are gone. There is much of it introduced even into our education now-a-days, under the head of "methods of teaching," &c. We do not undervalue methods and plans and schemes. But the hard work of reforming the evils of society falls back at last upon the virtuous formation of individual character. The two exert a mutual influence, we know, but the lasting moulding power comes from individual character. A few bad individual characters will leaven a whole organization, and if they do not entirely corrupt it they at least give it bad reputation. And so also strong good individual characters will operate to inspire virtue into the mass. Where, then, are we to form individual good character? In the family, in the school, and above all under the moulding power of the religion of Christ. It may be said that they have been tried and still they do not suffice. But for whatever good we find in our modern civilization over the degradation of heathenism, we are indebted to Christianity, and, as factors in its bosom, to faithful family training and good schools. These are the common beneficent powers that, like the air we breathe, are not indeed so much observed and noted as great boasting plans of reformation, but they are, after all, the reliable powers to mould our civilization. Some men exaggerate the prevailing corruption in order to pubsh and exalt their own immaculate virtue. But instead of justifying exag- Let a pure Christianity be reverenced geration, such egotism, vanity, hypo- and honored, let family government and crisy and selfishness, only damns it. discipline be encouraged and mainDo not seek to blacken your antagonist | tained, and let our good schools go on |