great and certain-the issue uncertain. The greatest powers of Europe paid tribute to those barbaric pirates, and it was no disgrace to the infant United States to do the same." March 3. The administration of Washington was very successful. It was beset with difficulties and hindrances, but the spirit of wisdom and conciliation, which marked the leaders of that period, made it possible to institute our present representative government. Moderate expenses, moderate taxes, and moderate duties simplified the difficult problem of finances. Abroad several important treaties had been secured, and, by one of them, war had been averted. Washington observed a strict neutrality during the war of France and England, and did not suffer popular sympathy to go astray. At home, the hostile Indian tribes had been subjugated, and a formidable insurrection had been peaceably subdued by the mere exhibition of military power. Public credit was elevated by the assumption of the State debts, and the world saw that there was both the willingness and the ability to pay every dollar of debt. Trade, commerce and agriculture, touched by the magic power of peace and protection, sprang into renewed life and activity. A constant tide of immigration set in, and new states were rapidly formed. The nation had now been safely conducted from a losely-jointed and inadequate confederacy to a more compact and durable form of goverment, and Washington with the honors of war and the still brighter laurels of peace thick upon him, longed for rest and retirement. The second term being now ended, he was enabled to carry out his long-cherished wishes, and having witnessed, as a private citizen, the inauguration of his successor, he withdrew to Mt. Vernon, where peace and plenty crowned with happiness and tranquility the decline of an eventful and illusitrous career. X. POLITICAL PARTIES. Differences in public opinion began to operate with more force and celerity, as Congress entered upon the continuous and systematic work of legislation. Sectional interests, in some cases, convictions of right and duty in others, or strong and prevailing inclinations to particular lines of public policy, in still others, became some of the dominating principles about which political parties began to crystalize. In the beginning, the mode of electing the President and Vice President was attended without any cumbrous political machinery. The main design apapers to have been the selection of the best man for the executive head of the nation, and it was supposed that a body of electors would exercise such choice with more wisdom and ability than belonged to the common people; and for this reason the electors were left entirely free to vote by ballot for two persons, of whom one, at least, should not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves. We may enumerate some of the questions from which party lines began to divide: 1. The location of the permanent seat of the government brought out sectional interests. 2. The assumption of the State debts was opposed by Jefferson and his adherents. There was no opposition to the funding of the Continental debt. 3. The Tariff question was as much a difficulty to adjust then as now, and produced the same disagreement. 4. The establishment of the United States Bank was a measure of great importance, and one which subsequently furnished the occasion for a most persistent political struggle. The two parties also were destined to change places in their advocacy of this measure and its expediency. 5. Slavery began, even at this early day, to be a vexing question, and the forces which afterwards became so deadly in their opposition to each other were just beginning to disclose themselves. Petitions against its continuance, on the one hand; a determination to protect it by enactments, on the other, gave warning of that fierce storm which although now not larger than a man's hand, was eventually to spread over the entire land, and break in great fury. 6. The Treaty with England, remarkable for what it yielded, rather than for what it obtained, formed another occasion for separation in political thought and conviction. 7. The centralization of power in the Federal government, awakened the opposition of the Republicans, who were jealous of State rights. On the one side, there seemed to be an undue leaning to monarchial forms and ideas; and on the other, a too great partiality for a popular and free government, such as was then being tried in France, during the Revolution. It is doubtless well that these two antagonisms continue to exist in a representative government, so that neither anarchy nor despotism can ever gain the ascendency. From the discussion and agitation of these and kindred topics, two parties sprang into being-the Federal and the Republican. Jefferson, Madison and Randolph became the leaders of the opposition, and soon gathered about themselves a young and vigorous party. Hamilton and Adams were the chiefs of the Federalists and gave to the administration of Washington and its measures, their powerful support. The Federalists were also called "Monarchists" and "Aristocrats," on account of their supposed tendencies; and the Republicans, "Anti-federal" and "Anticentralization." The electoral vote showed that these two parties were numerically very nearly equal. XI, FINANCIAL STATEMENT. The Public Debt of the United States originated in 1790, when by vote of Congress the State debts, in the sum of $21,000,000, were assumed, and the arrearages of interest on the Continental and State debts were funded and consolidated with the principal. Year. Imports. Public Debt. Expenditures. Exports. 1791 $75,463,476 $7,207,539 $19,012,041 1792 77,227,924 $29,200,000 9,141,569 20,753,098 31,500,000 1793 80,352,634 7,529,575 26,109,572 31,000,000 1794 78,427,400 9,302,124 33,026,233 34,000,000 1795 80,747,587 10,405,069 47,989,472 69,756,268 1796 83,762,172 8,367,776 67,064,097 81,436,164 XII. OUTLINE OF CONCURRENT EVENTS. England: George III., King, William Pitt, prime minister, Fox and Sheridan lead opposition, Burke "On French Revolution," war with Holland 1795, with Spain 1796, Increase of East India possessions. France: The Revolution of 1789, Jacobin Club, Louis XVI. beheaded January 21, 1793, Reign of Terror to 1794, Robespierre against the Girondists, First Coalition against France 1794, Robespierre guillotined 1794, Bonaparte in Italy 1796, Executive Directory 1795-97. Germany: Francis II., Sovereign 1792-1835, war with France 1793, Bonaparte at Rivoli 1797. Prussia: Frederick William II. 1786–1797. Switzerland: Helvetian Republic 1798, Struggle against Centralization, French Invasion. Russia: Catharine II. (widow of Peter) 1762-96, war against the Porte 1787-1792, with Sweden 17881790, Alliance with England 1793, Partition of Poland 1795, Paul Czar 1796-1801. Denmark: Christian VII. to 1808. Belgium: Revolt 1787-1791, United to France 1797. Spain and Portugal: Charles IV. 1788-1808, French Invasion 1794. Turkey: Selim III. 1789-1807, war with Austria and Russia, Ismail taken 1790. Europe in a state of ferment and unrest. A period of great political changes. |