satisfied with it, and assumed the responsibility of rejecting it, in the spring of 1807, without submitting it to the Senate.

A British naval commander now ventured upon an act which threw the relations between the two countries into a more hopeless state than ever. The United States frigate "Chesapeake," 38, under the command of Commodore Barron, was about to sail for a European station. Strict orders were issued to her officers not to enlist any British subject, knowing him to be such; but it was said that four of her crew were deserters from the British frigate "Melampus." Several British war vessels were lying in the Chesapeake bay, and one of these, the "Leopard," a fiftygun frigate, put to sea a few hours before the "Chesapeake” sailed. The latter vessel sailed before she was fully ready for sea, and the work of getting the ship in order was still in progress, when she was hailed off the capes by the "Leopard," under the pretence of sending despatches to Europe. A lieutenant of the British frigate came on board and demanded the surrender of the four men we have mentioned. Commodore Barron refused the demand on the ground that there were no such men on board. The lieutenant then returned to his ship, and the "Leopard" opened fire upon the "Chesapeake" and killed three of her men and wounded eighteen others. The "Chesapeake" was utterly unprepared for resistance, and Barron struck his colors after a single gun had been fired. The four men were taken from the "Chesapeake," the "Leopard" sailed for Halifax, and the American frigate returned to Norfolk.

The news of this outrage excited the profoundest indignation throughout the country. On the 2d of July, 1807, the president issued a proclamation ordering all British vessels of war to depart from American waters, and the people were warned against holding any intercourse with them. A special session of Congress was called, and the American minister at London was ordered to demand satisfaction for the outrage. The British government had received information of the affair before the arrival of the American demand. The action of the commander of the "Leopard" was disavowed, and a special messenger was sent to the United States to arrange the matter. Great Britain disclaimed the right to search vessels of war, and the excitement was quieted for a time.

In December, 1806, as the outrages upon American commerce were continued, Congress, at the recommendation of the president, passed the "Embargo Act," by which all merchant vessels of the United States were prevented from leaving the ports of this country. This measure entirely put an end to the intercourse between the United States and the European nations. It was hoped by the president and the friends of the measure that it would compel Great Britain and France, by the loss of

our trade, to put a stop to their arbitrary measures. Its only effects were to cause very heavy loss to the mercantile interests of this country,' and to produce a general discontent throughout the Eastern and Middle States. Thousands of persons were thrown out of employment by the enforced idleness of the ships, and many of these turned their attention to manufacturing pursuits, which received a decided impetus; so that some good grew out of the embargo, after all.

In the election of 1808 Mr. Jefferson, following the example of Washington, declined to be a candidate for a third term, and the Democratic or administration party supported James Madison for the presidency, and George Clinton for the vice-presidency. They were elected by large majorities; but the effect of the embargo was seen in the casting of the electoral votes of the five New England States against the administration. The disaffection of the New England States induced Mr. Jefferson, just before the expiration of his term of office, to recommend to Congress the repeal of the embargo act. His opinion was unchanged as to the propriety of the embargo, but he recommended its repeal as a measure of peace and conciliation. The law was repealed on the 1st of March, 1809; and in the same month Congress passed an act prohibiting trade with France and England.

At the close of his term of office Mr. Jefferson withdrew from public life, and retired to his home at Monticello, in Virginia. The wisdom and success of the general policy of his administration had far outweighed his mistakes, and he retired from office with undiminished popularity, and with the respect and confidence of the nation. Indeed his popularity was greater at the close of his administration than at the beginning a rare and gratifying reward to a public servant. His great services in the revolution, his draft of the Declaration of Independence, his acquisition of Louisiana, and the purity and grandeur of his character, placed him, in the public estimation, next to Washington.

WILLIANS

AARON BURR.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

THE ADMINISTRATION OF JAMES MADISON-THE SECOND WAR WITH ENGLAND.

Inauguration of Mr. Madison-Negotiations with Mr. Erskine Their Failure-Seizure of American Vessels in France-Sufferings of American Ship-Owners-Great Britain Stations her Ships of War off American Ports-Affair of the "President" and "Little Belt" -Trouble with the Northwestern Indians-Tecumseh-Battle of Tippecanoe-Meeting of the Twelfth Congress-Measures for Defence-Admission of Louisiana into the Union -Death of George Clinton-The British Ultimatum-War Declared against Great Britain-Opposition to the War-The British Offer of Settlement Rejected-The War for "Free Trade and the Sailors' Rights”—Mr. Madison Re-elected-Campaign of 1812 -Preparations for the Invasion of Canada-General Hull Surrenders Detroit to the British-Loss of the Northwestern Frontier-Failure of the Attack on Queenstown— Exploits of the Navy-Capture of the "Guerrière" by the "Constitution "-The Privateers-Russia offers to Mediate between the United States and England-Financial Affairs-Harrison's Campaign-Massacre at the River Raisin-Defence of Forts Meigs and Stephenson-Perry's Victory on Lake Erie-Battle of the Thames-Death of Tecumseh-Recovery of the Northwest-Capture of York-British Attack on Sackett's Harbor Repulsed-Removal of General Dearborn-Failure of the Campaign on the Lower Lakes-The Creek War-Jackson's Victories-Naval Affairs-The British Outrages in Chesapeake Bay-Negotiations for Peace-Capture of Fort Eric-Battles of Chippewa and Lundy's Lane-Siege of Fort Erie-Successes of the Americans-Advance of Prevost-Battle of Plattsburgh-Macdonough's Victory on Lake Champlain-Battle of Bladensburg-Capture of Washington-Destruction of the Public Buildings by the British-Attack on Baltimore-Death of General Ross-"The Star-Spangled Banner" -The British Attack on the New England Coast-Opposition of New England to the War The Hartford Convention-The British in Florida-General Jackson expels them-Jackson at New Orleans-Arrival of the British Expedition off the Coast-Vigorous Measures of Jackson-Battle of New Orleans-Defeat of the British-Naval Affairs-The Treaty of Peace-The Barbary Powers Humbled-The Tariff-The Bank of the United States-Admission of Indiana-James Monroe elected President.

AMES MADISON, the fourth president of the United States, was inaugurated at Washington on the 4th of March, 1809. He was in the fifty-eighth year of his age, and had long been one of the most prominent men in the Union. He had borne a distinguished part in the convention of 1787, and was the author of the Virginia resolutions of 1786, which brought about the assembling of this convention. He had entered the convention as one of the most prominent leaders of the national party, which favored the

consolidation of the States into one distinct and supreme nation, and had acted with Randolph, Hamilton, Wilson, Morris, and King, in seeking to bring about such a result. When it was found impossible to carry out this plan Mr. Madison gave his cordial support to the system which was finally adopted by the convention; and while the constitution was under discussion by the States, he united with Hamilton and Jay in earnestly recommending the adoption of the constitution by the States, in a series of able articles, to which the general title of the "Federalist" was given. After the organization of the government Mr. Madison was a member of the House of Representatives, and was regarded as one of the leaders of the Federalist party, and gave to Hamilton his cordial support in the finance measures of that minister. Towards the close of Washington's administration, however, Mr. Madison's political views underwent a great change. He was a near neighbor and warm friend of Mr. Jefferson, and was greatly influenced by the opinions and the strong personal character of that great statesman. As the political controversies of the time deepened, he became more and more inclined towards the Republican or "Strict Construction" party, and in Mr. Adams' administration took his position as one of the leaders of that party. At the time of his election to the presidency, Mr. Jefferson having withdrawn from public life, Mr. Madison was the recognized leader of the Democratic party, as the Republican party had come to be called. In 1799 his famous report upon the Virginia resolutions of 1798 stamped him as one of the first statesmen in America; and this report has always been regarded by succeeding generations as the most masterly exposition of the true principles of the constitution ever penned. During the whole of Mr. Jefferson's administration Mr. Madison served as secretary of state, and not only added to his great fame by his eminent services in that capacity, but prepared himself for the difficult duties of the presidency.

JAMES MADISON.

Mr. Madison had opposed the embargo, while sustaining the general foreign policy of Mr. Jefferson, but was in favor of the non-intercourse act, which forbade the country to trade with England and France. This act contained a clause, which provided that it should cease to apply to either or both of them as soon as they should repeal their "decrces," or "Arders in council," affecting the commerce of the United States.

Mr. Erskine, the British minister to the United States, a man of noble