1797. Peace Commissioners to France. C. C. Pinckney, Elbridge Gerry, and John Marshall were sent by the administration to France to negotiate a settlement of the difficulties between the two countries. Instead of a courteous hearing, they got only an intimation that, unless a considerable sum of money were forthcoming, war might be the result.." War be it, then," said Pinckney: "millions for defence, but not one cent for tribute." Such was the noble and constant spirit of the fathers. Hostilities actually began with a naval combat in the West Indies; but in 1800, with the accession of Napoleon Bonaparte to power in France, peace was restored. 1799. George Washington died at Mount Vernon, December 14, aged 67: "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." 1800. The seat of Government was removed from New York to Washington. A census showed a national population of something over 5,000,000. III. JEFFERSON'S ADMINISTRATION. THOMAS JEFFERSON, of Virginia, President: 1801-1809. AARON BURR, of New Jersey, Vice-President: 1801-1805. George Clinton, of New York, Vice-President: 1805-1809. 1801. The accession of Mr. Jefferson, it must be noticed, betokened a change of political parties. Washington and Adams were both Federalists, Jefferson was a Democrat. His administration was very vigorous, and made strong friends and bitter enemies. 1802. Ohio admitted to the Union: 17th State. 1803. The Louisiana Purchase. At this time the name Louisiana applied to the whole immense territory enclosed by the Mississippi River, the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the British Possessions on the north. This entire tract, comprising nearly 900,000 square miles, was now bought of France for $15,000,000. The national area was thereby more than doubled. The President at once sent an expedition to explore the new acquisition. The party, headed by Captains Lewis and Clark, traversed the continent, and brought back a wonderful story of observation and adventure. This is known as the Lewis and Clark Expedition. American com 1804. War against the Pirates. merce had suffered heavily from pirates on the Barbary coast. A naval expedition was sent to 1804. Napoleon make reprisal, and Tripoli was bom- proclaimed Embarded. It was in this naval campaign peror of the French. that the young Lieutenant Decatur so distinguished himself. 1805. Burr and Hamilton. Ex-Vice-President Burr, attributing to Alexander Hamilton some of the political misfortunes which were beginning to attend him, challenged him to a duel. In this duel Hamilton was killed, and Burr was obliged to take himself out. of the way, to escape the consequences which an indignant people were ready to inflict upon him. Shortly after he was suspected of treasonable designs for the formation of an independent domain in the West; but, though for lack of evidence he was formally acquitted of the charge, he never recovered from the stigma which these two incidents in his career fixed upon him. 1807. The Embargo. The indignities and injuries to which American commerce had been subjected, by reason of war between France and Great Brit- 1807. Abolition ain, induced Congress, at the President's of the slave-trade instance, to issue an embargo, which British dominthroughout the detained all vessels in American ports, ions. 1808-1814. The and required all American vessels then Peninsular War: England aiding away to return home. This measure, Spain against the which practically put an end to comFrench. merce, and so occasioned an almost complete prostration of business, was one of the most unpopular acts of Jefferson's Administration. The ombargo was repealed in 1809. 1807. Robert Fulton's steam-boat, the Clermont, was launched this year, and made its first voyage upon the Hudson, at the rate of about five miles an hour. 1807. The importation of slaves into the United States from any foreign country was made illegal after this time by Act of Congress. IV. MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION. JAMES MADISON, of Virginia, President: 1809-1817. 1810. Population of the United States 7,300,000. 1812. Louisiana admitted to the Union: 18th State. 1812. The War of 1812. The chief feature of President Madison's administration was another war with England, known as the war of 1812, it being in that year that hostilities actually commenced. For several years 1812. Napoleon's American commerce had suffered from Campaign in British cruisers, by whom vessel after Russia. The vessel was seized and confiscated. whole difficulty grew in some measure out of the mighty conflict then progressing between France and other European Powers, and there were not a few Americans who thought France was quite as much at fault for the injustice suffered by the young republic as England. War against England was finally declared in June of this year. The President was authorized to raise an army of 75,000 men, under Major-General Henry Dearborn, as commander-in-chief. His lieutenants were Generals Wilkinson, Hampton, Hull, and Bloomfield. The principal fighting in this war between the land-forces, was along the Canada frontier, where the English had the Indians for their allies; but its distinguishing feature, perhaps, was its naval battles, of which there were several that have become famous. These were fought not only at sea, but on the Great Lakes. In one of them the American frigate Constitution captured the British frigate Guerrière. In another, on Lake Erie, Commodore O. H. Perry captured an entire British fleet of six vessels; a most memorable engagement. to Elba. 1814. Capture of the Capital. In this the second year of the war occurred the most serious disaster which it brought to the American cause. A British force of 5000 men approached Washington by way of 1814. Napoleon the Chesapeake, and, after a skirmish surrenders to the with the militia at Bladensburg, cap- allies, and retires tured Washington, and burned the President's House, the Capitol, and other public buildings. A subsequent attack upon Baltimore was repulsed. At the close of the year a treaty of peace was signed at Ghent, John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, and others acting in behalf of the United States. The great op 1814. The Hartford Convention. position to the war, manifested by the Federalists, led to the holding of a New England representative convention, which met at Hartford, December 15, and continued in session twenty days with closed doors. George Cabot was President. This convention was suspected of treasonable designs, and a regiment of Kentucky troops was sent to Hartford to watch it; but its final deliverances proved to be eminently patriotic, albeit offering a decided protest to some of the war-measures of the administration. 1815. The Battle Battle of New Orleans. Though peace had been negotiated, the war was not over. While the news was on the way across the sea, a British force of 12,000 men attacked New Orleans. The city was defended 1815. Napoleon by 5000 men under General Andrew suddenly returns Jackson. The battle of New Orleans from Elba. Bat- was fought on the 8th of January, and tle of Waterloo. the result was a heavy defeat for the British. It was the last battle of the war. 1815. Pirates Again. Soon after the termination of hostilities a naval force was despatched by the government to the Mediterranean to punish the Algerine pirates, and very successfully did it accomplish its work. 1816-17. A National Bank. In its session during these years Congress chartered a national bank at Philadelphia, with a capital of $35,000,000. 1816. Indiana admitted to the Union: 19th State. 1817. The American Colonization Society was organized. VII. PERIOD OF SLAVERY AGITATION. 1817-1861. V. MONROE'S ADMINISTRATION. JAMES MONROE, of Virginia, President: 1817-1825. DANIEL D. TOMPKINS, of New York, Vice-President: 1817-1825. THE slavery agitation had its rise with Mr. Monroe's administration. 1817. Mississippi admitted to the Union: 20th State. |