A naval armament was decided upon, captures of French 1798. vessels were authorized, and all treaties with France were declared void. hostilities, the dificul ties. 7. The land forces however were not called into ac- 1. Partial tion; and after a few encounters at sea, in which an and measures American armed schooner was decoyed into the power of fing the enemy, and a French frigate captured, the French Directory made overtures of peace. The president, therefore, appointed ministers, who were authorized to proceed 1799. to France, and settle, by treaty, the difficulties between the two countries. "When in a Washington. Dec. 14. 3 Proceed ings of con gress on re igence of this ceiving intel event. 8. Washington did not live to witness a restoration of 2 Death of peace. After a short illness, of only a few hours, he died at his residence at Mount Vernon, in Virginia, on the 14th of December, at the age of sixty-eight years. telligence of this event reached Philadelphia, congress, then in session, immediately adjourned. On assembling the next day, the house of representatives resolved, "That the speaker's chair should be shrouded in black, that the members should wear black during the session, and that a joint committee, from the senate and the house, should be appointed to devise the most suitable manner of paying honor to the memory of the man first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.' mourning on 9. In accordance with the report of the committee, and 1. Public the unanimous resolves of congress, a funeral procession this occasion. moved from the legislative hall to the German Lutheran church, where an impressive and eloquent oration was delivered by General Lee, a representative from Virginia. The people of the United States were recommended to wear crape on the left arm, for thirty days. This recommendation was complied with, and a whole nation appeared in mourning. In every part of the republic, funeral orations were delivered; and the best talents of the nation were devoted to an expression of the nation's grief. 10. Washington was above the common size; his frame was robust, and his constitution vigorous, and capable of enduring great fatigue. His person was fine; his deportment easy, erect and noble; exhibiting a natural dig. nity, unmingled with haughtiness, and conveying the idea of great strength, united with manly gracefulness. His manners were rather reserved than free; he was humane, benevolent, and conciliatory; his temper was highly sensitive by nature, yet it never interfered with the coolness of his judgment, nor with that prudence which was the strongest feature in his character. His mind was great and powerful, and though slow in its operations, was sure in its conclusions. He devoted a long life to the welfare The person ance, man al appear ners, and character of Washington. ANALYSIS. of his country; and while true greatness commands re. spect, and the love of liberty remains on earth, the me mory of Washington will be held in veneration. 1800. 1. Events of the years 1800 and 1802. 11. 'During the summer of 1800, the seat of govern. ment was removed from Philadelphia to Washington, in the District of Columbia.* During the same year the territory between the western boundary of Georgia and the Mississippi River, then claimed by Georgia, and called the Georgia western territory, was erected into a distinct government, and called the Mississippi Territory. Two years later, Georgia ceded to the United States all her claims to a Treaty lands within those limits. In September," a treaty was wouth France. concluded at Paris, between the French government, then in the hands of Bonaparte, and the United States; by which the difficulties between the two countries were hap pily terminated. a. Sept. 30. 3 Efforts of parties to close of Adams's ad 12. As the term of Mr. Adams's administration drew Por the towards its close, each of the great parties in the country made the most strenuous efforts,-the one to retain, and ministration. the other to acquire the direction of the government. 'Mr. larity of the Adams had been elected by the predominance of federal federal party. principles, but many things in his administration had tended to render the party to which he was attached unpopular with a majority of the nation. 4. Unpopu 5. Principal causes of pubtent. 13. The people, ardently attached to liberty, had tic discon viewed with a jealous eye those measures of the govern. ment which evinced a coldness towards the French revo lution, and a partiality for England; because they believed that the spirit of liberty was here contending against the tyranny of despotism. The act for raising a standing army, ever a ready instrument of oppression in the hands of kings, together with the system of taxation by internal duties, had been vigorously opposed by the democratic party; while the Alien and Sedition laws increased the popular ferment to a degree hitherto unparalleled. 6. Alien and Bedition laws. 14. The "alien law," authorized the president to order any foreigner, whom he should judge dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States, to depart out of the country, upon penalty of imprisonment. The "sedition. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. Georgetow Potomac The District of Columbia is a tract of country ten miles square, on both sides of the Potomac River, about 120 miles from its mouth, by the river's course. In 1790 it was ceded to the United States by Virginia and Maryland, for the purpose of becoming the seat of government. It includes the cities of Washington, Alexandria, and Georgetown. WASHINGTON CITY stands on a point of land between the Potomac River and a stream called the Eastern Branch. Capitol, probably the finest senate house in the world, the cost of which has exceeded two millions of dollars, stands on an eminence in the eastern part of the city. The President's house is an elegant edifice, a mile and a half N.W. from the capitol. (See Map.) The 1. How these garded, and latos toere re 2. what roas their effect. The prest tion of the year 1800. dential elec law," designed to punish the abuse of speech and of the 1800. press, imposed a heavy fine and imprisonment for "any false, scandalous, and malicious writing against the gov ernment of the United States, or either house of congress, or the president." "These laws were deemed, by the democrats, highly tyrannical; and their unpopularity contributed greatly to the overthrow of the federal party. 15. In the coming election, Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Burr were brought forward as the candidates of the democratic party, and Mr. Adams and Mr. Pinckney by the federalists. After a warmly contested election, the federal candidates were left in the minority. Jefferson and Burr had an equal number of votes; and as the constitution provided that the person having the greatest number should be president, it became the duty of the house of representatives, voting by states, to decide between the two. After thirty-five ballotings, the choice fell upon Mr. Jefferson, who was declared to be elected President of the United States, for four years, commencing March 4th, 1801. Mr. Burr, being then the second on the list, was consequently declared to be elected vice-president. CHAPTER III. JEFFERSON'S ADMINISTRATION, FRCM MARCH 4, 1801, TO MARCH 4, 1809. Subject of Chapter III. 3. Changes 1. 'On the accession of Mr. Jefferson to the presidency, 1801. the principal offices of government were transferred that followed to the republican party. The system of internal duties the accession was abolished, and several unpopular laws, passed during the previous administration, were repealed. of Mr. Jeffer son. 4. State of Ohlo: treaty with Spain, tion. and its violaa a. Constitution adopted b. Concluded in November. 2. In 1802, Ohio,* which had previously formed & part of the Northwestern Territory, was erected into state, and admitted into the Union. During the same year, the Spanish governor of Louisiana, in violation of a recent treaty, closed the port of New Orleans against the United States. This caused great excitement, and a c. Oct. 1793. See in 438. OHIO, the northeastern of the Western States, contains an area of about 40,000 square miles. The interior of the state, and the country bordering on Lake Erie, are generally level, and in some places marshy. The country bordering on the Ohio River, is generally hilly, but not mountainous. The most extensive tracts of rich and level lands in the state, border on the Sciota, and the Great and Little Miami. On the 7th of April, 1788, a company of forty-seven individuals landed at the spot where Marietta now stands, and there commenced the first settlement in Ohio. ANALYSIS proposition was made in congress, to take possession of all Louisiana. of Louisiana. 1803. 1. Purchase 3. A more pacific course, however, was adopted. In 1800, Louisiana had been secretly ceded t› France, and a negotiation was now opened with the latter power, which resulted in the purchase of Louisiana for fifteen millions of dollars. In December, 1803, possession was taken by the United States. "That portion of the territory embra. cing the present state of Louisiana, was called the "Territory of Orleans;" and the other part, the "District of Louisiana," embracing a large tract of country extending westward to Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. a April 30. b. Dec. 20. 2. How divi ded and na med. 3. War with Tripoli. clared by the Bashaw, June 10, 1801. 4. Since 1801 war had existed between the United c. War de- States and Tripoli, one of the piratical Barbary powers. In 1803, Commodore Preble was sent into the Mediter. ranean, and after humbling the Emperor of Morocco, he appeared before Tripoli with most of his squadron. The frigate Philadelphia, under Captain Bainbridge, being sent into the harbor to reconnoitre, struck upon a rock, d. Oct. 31, and was obliged to surrenders to the Tripolitans. The officers were considered prisoners of war, but the crev were treated as slaves. This capture caused great exul tation with the enemy; but a daring exploit of lieute nant, afterwards Commodore Decatur, somewhat hun bled the pride which they felt in this accession to thei navy. 1803. 1804. of the frigate e. Feb. 3. 5. Early in February of the following year, Lieu • Recapture tenant Decatur, under the cover of evening, entered the Philadelphia. harbor of Tripoli in a small schooner, having on board but seventy-six men, with the design of destroying the Philadelphia, which was then moored near the castle, with a strong Tripolitan crew. By the aid of his pilot, who understood the Tripolitan language, Decatur succeeded in bringing his vessel in contact with the Philadelphia; when he and his followers leaped on board, and in a few minutes killed twenty of the Tripolitans, and drove the rest into the sea. 6. Under a heavy cannonade from the surrounding vessels and batteries, the Philadelphia was set on fire, and not abandoned until thoroughly wrapped in flames; when Decatur and his gallant crew succeeded in getting out of Account of the harbor, without the loss of a single man. 'During the Tripoli con month of August, Tripoli was repeatedly bombarded by the American squadron under Commodore Preble, and a severe action occurred with the Tripolitan gun-boats, which resulted in the capture of several, with little loss to the Americans. the roar with tinued. f. Aug. 3. 6. Death of Hamilion 7. In July, 1804, occurred the death of General Ham ilton, who fell in a duel fought with Colonel Burr, vice- 1804. president of the United States. Colonel Burr had lost the favor of the republican party, and being proposed for the office of governor of New York, was supported by many of the federalists, but was openly opposed by Hamilton, who considered him an unprincipled politician. A dispute arose, and a fatal duel was the result.* 'In the fall a July 11. of 1804, Jefferson was re-elected president. George Clin- 1. ton, of New York, was chosen vice-president. 8. At the time of Commodore Preble's expedition to the Mediterranean, Hamet, the legitimate sovereign of Tripoli, was an exile; having been deprived of his government by the usurpation of a younger brother. Mr. Eaton, the American consul at Tunis, concerted, with Hamet, an expedition against the reigning sovereign, and obtained of the government of the United States permission to undertake it. b 2. Election of 1804. Hamet: ez pedition planned by him and Eaton. 1805. b. Feb. 23. that expedi tion. d. April 26. 9. With about seventy seamen from the American 3. Account of squadron, together with the followers of Hamet and some Epyptian troops, Eaton and Hamet set out from Alexan- c. March 6. driaf towards Tripoli, a distance of a thousand miles, across a desert country. After great fatigue and suffering, they reached Derne,‡ a Tripolitan city on the Mediterranean, which was taken by assault. After two successful engagements had occurred with the Tripolitan army, the reigning bashaw offered terms of peace; which and June 10. being considered much more favorable than had before been offered, they were accepted" by Mr. Lear, the authorized agent of the United States. 10. In 1805 Michigan became a distinct territorial government of the United States. Previous to 1802, it formed, under the name of Wayne County, a part of the Northwestern Territory. From 1802 until 1805 it was under the jurisdiction of Indiana Territory. . e. April 27. May 18, Treaty con cluded June, 3, 1805. 4. Michigan. 1806. and trial of 11. 'In 1806 Colonel Burr was detected in a conspiracy, the design of which was to form, west of the Alleghany 5. Conspiracy Mountains, an independent empire, of which he was to be Col Burr. the ruler, and New Orleans the capital; or, failing in this project, it was his design to march upon Mexico, and establish an empire there. He was arrested and brought to trial in 1807, on the charge of treason, but was released for want of sufficient evidence to convict him. 12. "The wars produced by the French revolution still 6. Wars produced by the French Revolution. • Hamilton fell at Hoboken, on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River, opposite the city of New York. Alexandria, the ancient capital of Egypt, founded by Alexander the Great in the year 331, A. C., is situated at the N.W. extremity of Egypt, on a neck of land between the MediterraDean Sea and Lake Mareotis. Derne is about 650 miles E. from Tripoli. |