expedition across the continent. This expedition set out in 1804, under the command of two army captains, Lewis and Clark, discovered the sources of the Missouri River, crossed the Rocky This Mountains, and explored the Columbia River to its mouth. exploration not only resulted in some very interesting discoveries, but also gave the United States one of its strong claims to the region called Oregon (T 485).

Stephen Decatur. One incident in the war with Tripoli made the name of Stephen Decatur, a lieutenant in the navy of the United States, famous. The American man-of-war, the " Philadelphia," had run aground and been abandoned to the Tripolitans. Decatur took a small vessel, the "Intrepid, ' which had been captured from the enemy, and in the evening sailed up to the "Philadelphia," keeping the identity of his vessel well concealed. Although the frigate was in the narbor, within the range of the Tripolitan guns, Decatur and his men leaped aboard, captured and set fire to the ship, and sailed out of the harbor. The guns fired upon them from all sides, but Decatur escaped without the loss of a man. Tripoli lost one of its most valuable prizes by a feat which earned for the lieutenant the well-merited promotion to the rank of Commodore in the American navy.

428. War with Tripoli. The only American war that occurred during Jefferson's administrations was the war with Tripoli. For more than a century the Barbary States, on the Mediterranean coast of Africa, had been the scourge of all civilized nations. The people were Mohammedans, and claimed the right to capture the vessels and enslave the men of all those Christian nations that did not purchase peace. The United States, as well as the nations of Europe, had paid these pirates their demands, and had been accustomed to suffer indignities from them that they would not have borne from any other people. In 1801 the United States. refused to pay the tribute, and American vessels became the prey of Tripolitan cruisers. A fleet was sent against the pirates, and for four years a naval war was kept up against Tripoli. Peace was made in 1805, whereby the annual tribute to Tripoli came to an end, and soon after the other Barbary States accepted similar terms. This war proved to be of value to the United States, not only in freeing her from humiliation, but in raising her in the opinion of European nations, and in providing her with a stronger and better navy.

429. European War. - England and France were continually at war during the early part of this century, and were thereby seriously injuring American commerce. In 1806 England ordered her vessels to blockade all the ports of those nations that had taken sides with

France. Napoleon replied by issuing the "Berlin Decree," prohibiting all commerce with the British Isles, and declaring them to be in a state of blockade. The next year the British "Orders in Council" were issued, forbidding American vessels to enter any port of Europe except those of Great Britain and her ally, Sweden. The "Milan Decree" followed, in which Napoleon ordered the capture of any American vessel that had previously entered an English port.

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The "Chesapeake." One incident nearly brought on immediate war with Great Britain. The American naval vessel, the "Chesapeake," had on board three seamen who had deserted from an English vessel, but all of whom were Americans by birth. On the 22d of June, 1807, a British ship, the "Leopard," demanded the surrender of these men, and, on being refused, fired upon the "Chesapeake," which was unprepared for the attack, and compelled her to strike her flag and allow a search to be made.

430. American Seamen. The United States received great injury from these acts of the two leading nations of Europe, as her vessels were thus shut out of all European ports, unless they ran the blockade. The Americans had another cause of complaint in the claim that Great Britain made, of the right to stop any vessel, search it for sailors that had been British subjects, and

Aaron Burr.

force them into her service again. This was called the "right of search and impressment." If any seamen thus taken from American vessels were not British subjects, they had no opportunity to prove their claims.

431. Embargo Act. -- The people of the United States were not ready for war. Public meetings were held denouncing the outrage; but the government had little confidence in the new navy, and deemed it best to try some other method of protecting American commerce. Late in the year 1807 Congress passed the Embargo Act, which forbade

(After the painting in Hist. Society Rooms Newark, N. J all vessels leaving or entering American harbors, except for the coast

trade. This act rested heavily upon the commercial portions of the country, and, in fact, was a serious injury, while it caused less

harm to English commerce, against which it was aimed. In 1809 the Non-Intercourse Act was substituted in place of the Embargo Act. By this act England and France alone were forbidden intercourse with American ports.

The Plot of Aaron Burr. After the murder of Hamilton, Burr fled, and for a time remained in hiding. When he did return to civilization, he met with so cool a reception that he soon began scheming for some means of recovering his prestige. In 1806 he went across the Alleghanies, and was soon joined by men who were willing to unite in any scheme that might For bring them wealth or power. some time the plot seemed likely to be successful, but soon the authorities arrested the leaders, and the conspiracy was at an end. It has never been fully known what Burr planned, but it is thought that he proposed to form a new nation out of the western territories and the Spanish provinces, and to put himself at its head. Though Burr was tried on a charge of high treason, no treasonable act could be proved against him, and he was set free. He afterward spent many years as an exile, and then returned to America and practised law again. He was shunned by his neighbors, and when he died no expressions of love or regret were heard.

Caucuses of the members of Congress, representing each party, were held in 1808; and in the Republican caucus James Madison of Virginia was nominated for President, and George Clinton of New York for Vice-President. Pinckney and King, whose vote was larger than four years before, but still smaller than that received by Madison and Clinton.

The Federalists renominated

CHAPTER LVIII.

THE WAR OF 1812.

433. Foreign Affairs. President Madison took the oath of office. March 4th, 1809, and found foreign affairs in a very deplorable state. The Non-Intercourse Act had not proved beneficial to American commerce even in the eyes of its friends. It was repealed in 1810,

and an act was passed, proposing that, if either France or England should promise to cease injuring American commerce, non-intercourse would be declared with the other. The government received the impression from Napoleon that the Milan and the Berlin decrees were repealed, and it therefore forbade trade with Great Britain. For two years this state of things continued, during which President Madison and his cabinet did all in their power to avoid war, and yet ot humiliate the country.

434. Declaration of War. The war spirit was rising, and especially in the West the demand for a war with Great Britain was unmistak

able. The Republican party had obtained new leaders in a number of young men who were coming rapidly to the front, and who were earnest in their desire for war. Henry Clay of Kentucky (513) was made Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1811, and he was ably seconded by John C. Calhoun of South Carolina (¶ 472) and William H. Crawford of Georgia (¶ 452).

Two incidents occurred during the year 1811 which strengthened the hostility against England. Tecumseh, a chief of the Indians in the Northwest Territory,

attempted to form a confederacy of all the Indians in the vicinity. His object was to resist the encroachments of the United States, and he received aid in his attempt from British agents. The Indians suddenly attacked General Harrison (T 483) at Tippecanoe,

but were completely defeated. Tecumseh soon after crossed the line into Canada, and entered the British service.

The other incident recalled the unprovoked attack upon the Chesapeake' four four years before. The British war-vessel, "Little

James Madison, the fourth President, was another of the famous statesmen belonging to the period of the Revolution. On account of his leading influence in drafting the Constitution he has received the name of the "Father of the Constitution." Later, Madison, in his political beliefs, followed closely in the footsteps of Jefferson, but, unlike Jefferson, always succeeded in keeping the friendship of his opponents. He was greatly opposed to the Alien and Sedition Laws, and, much to his distress, his speeches and writings on the question were years afterward freely quoted by Calhoun and his followers as an authority for their doctrine of "Nullification." Madison was born in King George County, Virginia, March 16th, 1751, and died June 28th, 1836.

members.

Belt," fired upon an American frigate, "The President," without cause, and was severely injured by the return fire.

President Madison sent to Congress, June 1st, 1812, a message which recounted the grounds for war: (1) impressment of our seamen; (2) attacks upon American vessels; (3) injury to our commerce; and (4) tampering with the Indians. In response to this message Congress declared war against Great Britain, June 18th, 1812.

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435. Condition of the People. The war party in Congress was composed of the larger portion of the Republican A small minority of them, together with the Federalists, were bitterly opposed. Most of the people in New England considered friendship with England necessary, and that the war would injure their section more than the rest of the country. Only indirectly was this true. But few battles occurred within the territory of New England, though the war proved very disastrous to her commerce. The Canadian border bore the brunt of the war, which for the most part was around the Great Lakes. The preparation that had been made was meagre indeed. Scarcely a dozen efficient vessels belonged to the American navy, making but a small fleet compared with the powerful British navy, which consisted of more than a hundred heavy ships. The army was small, made up of

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