Qass. Book. COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT > One Hundred Famous Americans HELEN AINSLIE SMITH AUTHOR OF "great CITIES OF THE MODERN WORLD," " GREAT CITIES OF THE ANCIENT WORLD, "animals: wild and TAMK," "birds and FISHES," ETC., ETC. REVISED EDITION. ^, \ ^!^4i V-=^_ro!^^»>a£' WITH PORTRAITS AND OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS. NEW YORK GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS Q Lafayette Place k IN UNIFORM STYLE Copiously Illustrated. D'AULNOY'S FAIRY TALES. MATTIE'S SECRET. ONE HUNDRED FAMOUS AMERICANS. HEROES OF AMERICAN DISCOVERY. CrREAT CITIES OF THE ANCIENT WORLD. GREAT CITIES OF THE MODERN WORLD. ^' PAUL AND VIRGINIA. ILLUSTRATED POEMS AND SONGS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. LABOULAYE'S ILLUSTRATED FAIRY , TALES. SPORTS AND PASTIMES OF AMERI- C.A.N BOYS. THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS. LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF ROBIN- SON CRUSOE. THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON. LAMB'S TALES FROM SHAKESPEARE. WOOD'S ILLUSTRATED NATURAL HISTORY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. All bound in handsome lithographed double covers ; also in cloth. George Rontlcdge & So/is, 9 LAFAYETTE PLACE, NEW YORK. Copyright 1886. By JoSKFM I,. Bl.AMIRE. CONTEl^TS. Inventors 1 Early Statesmen and Orators 41 Later Statesmen and Orators 78 Lawyers 118 Early Military and Naval Commanders 139 Military and Naval Commanders op the Civil War 175 Pioneers and Explorers 201 Reformers ai^d Philanthropists -isi Eminent Divines -384 Physicians and Surc4eons ;',l 5 Scholars and Teachers ?,4?, Historians ai^j^t^ ^^^^^^ ists ?, Ii) Poets and j 404 Editors xiNALisTS , 438 DiST' Artists 4(17 P -N... 513 PEEFACE. nr TT'ITH more of an historical than a purely hiog-raphical purpose, and under a title more typical than literal, One Hundred Famous Americans aims to present a series of brief and intei'esting' sketches of some of the greatest men and women of America — to group them by the calling-s in which their most important work has been done, to describe the events of their lives; to tell what they have been to their companions, to their professions, and to the gi-eat interests of their nation and the Avorld at large — setting- forth from different standpoints their influence upon their own times and the future. Tlie endeavor has been to tell the stories of these great lives fairly and truthfully', omitting* for the most part all anecdotes and pui'el\' [)ei\sonal matters, while making- clear the distinguishing traits of each individual, not only as an individual, but also as a successful follower of his or her vocation. In this way some idea has also been given, it is hoped, of the most notable achievements in the history of the various professions here represented. It is not claimed that this selection foi-ms a perfect list of our greatest men and women : many names having been omitted that rank with those given : but even in the wide difference of opinion existing upon the merits of fame, it is believed that the characters herein described will be found to be a fair representation of those who have had the strongest influence upon our history. The compiler has been much aided in mak- ing the selection by the advice — most generously bestowed — of several authors and professional men of noted judgment. An attempt to bring this subject iv Preface. within the compass of one volume must leave very much unsaid ; but the object of this book will be met if it gives some sort of connected and graphic account of those who have done great work in or for our country-, and if it can pre- sent this inioi-niation in a way that will interest young people and bi-oaden their ideas of life and history. The illustrations have been taken from photo- graphs and historical portraits, models, or the real objects. Thanks ai-e due to Messrs. Harper & Brothers for permission to use the illustrations of A slier Brown Durand and Elias Haskett Derby. Helen Ainslie Smith. New York City. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIOJ^S. Adams, John, 59. Agassiz, Louis J. R. , 369. Anderson, Alexander, 503. Appleton, Daniel, 551. Appleton, William H., 553. Astor, John Jacob, 519. Astor Library, 521. Atlantic Telegraph Cable (1866), 30. Avidubon, John James, 353. Bancroft, George, 385. Beecher, Henry Ward, 311. Bennett, James G., 443. Blanchard, Thomas, 15. Boone, Daniel, 315. Booth, Edwin, 479. Brown, John, 261. Bryant, William C, 405. Calhoun, John Caldwell, 91. Carey, Henry Charles, 99. Chase, Salmon Portland, 111. Chiekering, Jonas, 535. Childs, George W., 465. Clay. Henry, 79. Clinton, De Witt, 77. Cooper, J. Fenmiore, 393. Cooper, Peter, i;. ■ Cooper Union, 28'6. Copk^>, Johns.. 48' Cotton-G' d in New Haven, Connecticut, January 8, 1825. About the time that Whitney invented the cotton-gin, Robert Fulton, a young American painter studying in England, decided to give up art for the sake of becoming a civil engineer. The young men, w^hose names are now often men- tioned together as the two greatest of early American inventors, were of exactly the same age, one a New Englander in Georg-ia, the other a Pennsylvanian in England. Robert Fulton. Fulton had been away from home ever smce he was twenty-two years old, and had spent a large part of his tune m studymg- art with Benjamin West, a famous Robert Fulton. American painter, whose honse in London was always a center for yonng artists from the master's native land. But, after several years of study, Fulton felt sure that his best Avork woidd be in engineei-ing- i-athei" than art, and he soon 6 One Hundred Famous Americans. proved his ability b^- luakiii^- a. iiuinbei- ol" useiul inventions that were patented, by jobs of civil engineering-, and writing- a work on "Canal Navigation," which was then a matter of g-reat interest in Europe. In 1797 — that is, when Fulton was thii-ty-two yeai's old — the American Minister to the coui't of France, Mr. Joel Barlow, invited him to g-o to Paris and live in his family. Fulton accepted the invitation, and made his home in the French capital foi; seven years. These were spent in making- experiments and in\entions, in managing- the lirst panorama ever shown in the l)riniant city, and in studying- sciences and lang-uag-es. He was making- up loi- the scant ("ducation of boyhood, for Fulton's pai-ents were so poor that lie had l)een put to the Jeweler's ti'ade when very young-. His exti-a time had been given to drawing- and |)ain1ing- instead of books, and almost all the money he liad earned by selling- his portraits and landscapes he used to l)uy a little farm in Peims,ylvania and settle his widowed mother comfortably- before he left home. In Pliiladeli)hia he had the friendship of Franklin — then a venerable old g-en- tleman of about eig-hty years; in England he had s])ent much time with some of the g-i-eat scientific men, and in France his g-enius and his noble character won friends for lum among- the best people in the country. His thin, active fig-ure, his line head and dafk eyes were well known among- them, too; and among- the people who untlerstood him he was always looked up to; he had already received sevei-al medals and honors, and, Avhat was woi-th nioi-e, the sympathy and con- fidence of many persons of inlluence. About this time there was a- g-ieat deal of interest and many experiuKMits upon th<> use of steajn foi- pi-opellhig- l)oats. A number of ell'orts bad l)een made, but no i-eal success was g-ained, until Fulton built a small steamboat, which was tried on the Seine and worked well, l)ut was slow. Soon after, he and his lielper and friend. Chancellor Livingston, raiue to New York, and ordered of Bolton & Watt, the g-reat Eng-lish engine-builders, an eng-ine, with which they began to experi- ment upon steamboats foi- use u[)on Amei-ican waters. For many years Fidton had been thinking- and wi-iting- about this subject, studying- up all that had ali-eady been discovered about it, and watching- every new experiment that was made, and laboring- with g-reatest energ-\' to ])ring- his own ideas to pei-fection and into prac- tical form, for he felt that such a deed would be of the g-i-eatest benefit, not only to Americans upon oin- givat lakes and rivers, but to the world. Month after month he worked and li-icd his little side-wheel craft, until finally he was sui-e beyond a doubt that he had t'oinid out the secret of moving- a boat by steam. When everything- was read\-, an announcement was made in the New York paper-s, tlial ])i'ople wishing- to g-o to Albany mig-ht take passag-e in the Clermont, ■which would leave the fool ol Cortlandt Street, on the Hudson River, Friday Robert Fallon. 7 inorniiiii', Auii'iist 4, 1807, Everybody read tliis notice and was interested and talked abont it; but only twelve people took passa^-*^, iov it was generally agreed, that one conld scarcely do a more risky thing- than trust his life to that great, new-fangled boat with a fire machine inside of it. Many peoi)le had never seen a ste;iin-engine, and did not know anything about it, and, while a few gave Ful- ton their aid and encouragement, a great many thought him ridiculous. Still, there was a great deal of curiosity about his experiment, and ci'owds thronged, the wharves, piers, and housetops, and almost the whole water--front of the city, -.'. \ ^5 E S S F :--^->V'' Cl-ERMONT. and much of tlie I'ivei'-banks tbcough the country, long before the vessel started. All along- her route there was the greatest excitement; hats and handkerchiefs were waved and shouts of praise greeted the ears of captain, creAV, and passen- gers, for the Clermont was a success, steam navig-ation was a reality, and Robert Fulton was a great man. The voyage from New York to Albany, a distance of a hundred and fifty miles, was made, a.gainst wind and tide, in thirty-two hours, and the return trip in thirty. There was a light bi-eeze against \\v,v both ways, so that there was no use for the sails, and th(^ voyage was made wholly by the power of the steam-engine. Regular trips were now made two or three times a week, and in a short time man>' ot her boats, built under Fulton's direction, were 8 0)16 Hundred Famous Americans. plying- tlieir way back and forth on the American rivers, wliile he still labored on to make more perfect the machinery of his g-reat invention. His fame and success were now firmly assured, and as long- as he lived he was employed by the United States Government upon steamboats, canals, and other engineering- coiniected with navigation. The torpedoes, or war instruments for blowing- up vessels by exploding- under water, which he had invented and showed without success to the g-overnments of Europe, were now improved and accepted by his own nation, and seven years after the Clermont's first trip, Congress set aside three hinidred and twenty' thousand dollars for a steam frig-ate or ship of war to be built under Fulton's direction. This was the greatest delight of the noble inventor's life. The work was finished the next year, and the Fulton suc- cessfully launched. But it was left for the great Swede, John Ericsson, as an adopted son of America, to bi-ing* naval warfare to its present hig'h state of per- fection. Hard and steady Avork, the anxious care and losses of money in lawsuits began to affect Mr. Fulton's health, and he died while yet in the prime of life and in the midst of his g-reat successes. It has been said that no American mechanic has ever lived who had such g-ood taste and so earnest a public spirit as Fulton ; while in France he wrote letters to Carnot to persuade hint to adopt the principles of free trade ; he urged the people of Philadelphia to buy West's pictures to start an American art gallery, and when this failed he bought two of the best himself, that America might hold some of the work of her first artist ; and these with his other art possessions Avere willed to the Academy of New York.' He encouraged and aided American talent wher- ever he could, and while carrying- on g-reat studies and experiments upon his steamboat and torpedo, he still foiuid time for planning- out a cable-cutter, floating- docks, and many other schemes for the advancement of enterprise in his native country. He had a noble, patient spirit, keeping- cheerful through all discourage- ments and ovei'coming- everything that stood in his way ; and he was so modest and quiet with it all, that few of his countrymen knew what a gi-eat man he was until they felt the sudden shock of his death. Mr. Fulton was born in Little Britain, Pennsylvania, in the year 17G5. He died in New York, the 24th of February, 1815. Although John Ericsson was born and brought up in the beautiful valleys of Central Sweden, and Jived foi- thirteen years in Enghind before he came to America — which was in 1 840 — he has been a citizen of the United States for almost half a century ; he has done the greater part of his work here, and it is due to his genius that the London Times could say twenty years ago that "the plain truth was. John Ei'icsson. 9 that the United States alone, among- all the nations of the eai'th, had an ii'on-clad fleet worthy of the name." The first ship Mr, Ericsson built for Amei'ica was the famous Princeton, "a g-imcracl^ of sundry inventions" that opened a new era in naval warfare for the John Ericsson. whole world. In the first place, it moved in the water by means of a propeller instead of the paddle or side wheels invented by Fulton. It was this invention which brought Mr. Ericsson to America, for the British Admiralty would take no notice of it, and our consul to Liverpool, Captain Robert F, Stockton, of the Navy, encourag-ed him to appeal to the United States, which he did with success 10 One Hundred Famous Americans. In the Princeton, the propelling- machinery — a simple, direct-acting- steam- eng-ine, smaller than any eng-ines of the same power ever used before — and the boilers were for the lirst time built below the water-line, out of reach of shot. She had also manj' other new contrivances that attracted a g-reat deal of notice. Among- them were furnaces and flues arrang-ed to burn either hard or soft coal and to save a larg-e amount of fuel, a sliding- telescope smoke-stack, g-un car- riag-es with machinery for checking- the gun as it bounds backward or recoils after a discharg-e , self-acting- locks, by which g-uns are flred in the rig-ht direction, no matter what the motion of the vessel ma^^ be ; and an instrument for finding- out in a moment hoAv fai- the ship is from any object. Altogether, the Princeton's trial trip proved her a g-rand success. The pro- peller alone was such a g-reat improvement that in a few years it completely changed the methods of ship-building, both for merchant service and for war. But the new era opened by this remarkable ship had a sad beginning-, for the g-rand .affair of her public exhibition was scarcely over, when Captain Stockton's " Peace- maker," one of her great g-uns, burst with a terrible explosion that killed two of the Secretaries in President Tyler's Cabinet, a Commodore in the Navy, and a number of otlier persons. It had been due to Captain Stockton's efforts that the Government had ordered the Princeton, and he had watched the work upon her from the first, and when this accident happened to one of his own experiments with large cannon, it was almost as fatal to Mr. Ericsson's work for the Navy as to the unfortunate men who stood loo near the g-un. Seventeen ^>Tars later, still unpaid by Congress and disap- pointed as he was, he had liard work to persuade the Government to accept his iron-clad Monitor, even when we were in great need of some sort of poAverful war-ship. At last he succeeded, and the much-derided "cheese-box on a plank" went down to Hampton Roads on the 8th of March, in the second year of the Civil War, and the next day liad all the world speaking- its praise for having- defeated and blockaded the moi-e pretentious iron-clad, the Merriniac. This prob- ably saved the Union side from losing the war, for the Merriniac was a tei'rible thing- against the Northern fleet, and was in a fair way to destroj^ the whole Navy when the Monitor met and "whipped" her. The Government then ordered of Mr. Ericsson six more such vessels, called monitors after the fii-st of their kind, and in a short time the United States had the best navy in the world. The Con- federates followed the example, and other nations began at once to give up wooden ships, and build iron ones, so that the victory at Hampton Roads caused the mak- ing over of the navies of all countries. In later years, some of Captain Ericsson's most important work has been in inventing- and improving- methods of submarine or under-water warfare, espe- John Ericsson. 11 cially in the shells called torpedoes ; for it is now likely that even the monitors will soon be displaced by another kind of naval warfare. While no one has done more than he in making- use of steam, a large part of this great inventor's life has also been given to experimenting with heat, so as to make use of it foi* a" motor or moving power. Long years of hard and patient woi'k have been put upon the caloric engine, MONITOK. and large sums of money were spent upon his caloi-ic ship, the Ericsson , which made a successful trip from New York to Washington in the winter of '51. It cost a great deal of money, furnished by New York ]nen, but it only proved that heated air cannot fiu-nish, in large quantities, anything like the power of steam. This had long been an undecided question, but as soon as the limits of the caloric engine ^vere proved the field was open for the great perfections that have since been made in the use of steam. But the caloric engine is far from a useless in- 12 • One Hundred Famous A}itericaus. ventioii ; it is of great service when a small amount of power is wanted, and noth- ing- can take its place in circumstances where water cannot be obtained. While at work upon it Mr. Ei'icsson made many discoveries and showed many facts about .heat which have been acknowledged as of great value to science. The caloric engine was first brought before the public in 18;]3, and Avas the re- sult of the most important studies of the g-reat inventor's life, proving '• that heat is an agent which undergoes no cliange, and that onl^^ a small portion of it disap- pears in exerting- the mechanical force developed by our steam-eng-ines.'" The in- vention attracted much interest among- the leading scientists of the time, and some of the g-reatest scholars in London gave lectures to explain it to the people. The latter part of Mr. Ericsson's life, which has been spent in New York, has been given to perfecting- the solar engine and to study and experiment toward making- use of the heat sent out by the burning sands of the great rainless reg-ions of both the Old and the New Worlds. This contains a vast amount of power which is now wasted, for it neither gives life nor keeps it, but makes Avhat mig-ht be fair and loveh^ g-ardens into desolate stretches of barren earth. The list of inventions and practical experiments that he made during the first ten years of his stay here Avould do credit to the ability of a whole society. Most of them were shown in the United States division of the London Industrial Exhi- bition in 1851, and received the pi'ize medal of the Exhibition. The best known and most important among the inventions Mr. Ericsson made, during the thirteen years he spent in Eng-land, were a new kind oi' pinnping--ma- chine, engines with surface condensers and no smoke-stack, blowers supplying the draft applied to a steamship, and an eng-ine made of a hollow drum, which is rotated or turned by letting- in steam, and continues to rotate, for some hours after shutting- ott' the steam, at the rate of nine hundred feet per second at the circmn- ference, or the speed of London moving- around the axis of the globe. He also made an apparatus for making- salt from brine, built machinery for pi-opelling- boats on canals, a variety of motors run by steam or hot air, a hydrostatic engine, to which the Society of Arts awarded a prize ; an instrument now used a g-reat deal in taking soundings without the length of the led line, a file-cutting machine and a number of others, maknig- in all about fourteen patented hiventions and forty new machines. He also was the first to practically apply the principle of condensing steam and returning tlie fresh water to the boiler, and, later, to apply the centrifugal fan- blowers now used in most of the stream-vessels in the United States. A couple of years latcM- he bvult a steam-engine on the Reg-ent's Canal Basin, in which steam was first superheated, as four years before he had first used the link motion for reversing steam-engines. Tliis was while he was living in England, before he T/ioinas J. Rodman. 13 came to America. He was one of the most important competitors in the famous locomotive contest on the Liverpool and Manchester Railroad, when Georg-e Stephenson's Rocket took the prize on account of its power to draw loads. Erics- son's engine, the Novelty, made thirt}' miles an houi', while the call was for onl}' ten. It has been wrongiy stated that the Novelty broke down on this trip. A leather diaphi'ag-m of the blowing-machine split, and some of the pipe joints gave out, both of which were easily fixed. While at work on these inventions, Mr. Ei-icsson showed some new facts about steam, which led to its use in ways unthougiit of before ; one of the most important being the steam fire-eng-ine, which so astonished London and the world at the bui-ning of the Argyle Rooms in 1829. This was " the first time that fire was ever put out by the mechanical power of fire." It would fill a g-ood-sized book to give the shortest kind of a description of the man^^ pi'actical inventions and improvements which Mr. Ericsson has made, to say nothing of the very great amount of knowledge his studies and experi- ments have added to science. His work has been recognized and his name honored all over the woild ; if he wished to, he could write after Ids signature scores of learned and knightly titles which have been confeired upon him by the Crown in his native land and by the great scieirtific societies of Europe and America . His life in the roomy old house in Beech Street, New York, has been filled with long hours of work for many years, his plan being to divide his time so as to make the most of every day, not for pleasures or friends, but for science and experiments in the great work of his life. Captain Ericsson was born in Langbanshyttan, Sweden, on the 31st of 3\i\y, 1803. The methods of warfare have been improved very much also by General Tlioiiias J. Rodman, who graduated from West Point the year after Captain Ei'icsson came to Amei-ica. General Rodman invented the fifteen-inch and twenty-inch smooth-bore guns, made by hollow casting, and he was the first in the world to make a powder which could be used in large cannon. He noticed that powder would burn slowly or rapidly according as the amount of one ma- terial or another was made more or less — that is, according to the relative pro- portion of the ingredients — and upon this idea he made many experiments with powders. Seven years before the war broke out, he found the proper way to mix the parts so as to form a powder that could be used in modern artillery. This is called the Rodman powder ; it was used in the heavy guns of the war, and was adopted in Europe as soon as the discover}^ became known. The Eng- 14 One Hundred Famous Americans. lish pebble and pellet powders, and the Russian prismatic powder, have all been made after the same idea. General Rodman was born in Indiana in 1818, and died in 1871. It has been said that Thomas Bltiiicliard has probably given the world more labor-saving- machines, which can be put to a greater number of uses and have done more for the connnon wants of life, than any other man either in this country or Europe. Mr. Blanchard was born on a farm in Sutton, Massachusetts, when Whitney and Fulton were young men of twenty-three. In 180G, when the Clermont was being built, this third great American inventor was a youth of eighteen, begin- ning life in his brother's machine-shop at West Millbury. Thomas's work was to put heads on tacks by hand, but within a few months after he learned to do it, he designed, made, and got to working a machine to make the tacks. It turned them out entire, at one motion, faster than the ticking of a watch and more finished than those made by hand. This machine was kept in use over twenty years, and though many otliers were built aftei' it, no necessary improvement has ever been made upon it. After a while he sold it for five thousand dollars, which seemed to him a large fortune, and, building a shop, fitted it with tools, and shut himself up for two years to work out the one idea of devising a machine which should turn the whole of a gun-stock. This had long- been tried in vain at most of the armories of the world, and was the greatest want in gun manufacture. Thomas heard of it ac- cidentally from the proprietor of the extensive shops below Millbury, who, hear- ing- of the yoimg genius of the tack-machine, sent for him to see if he could think of some way of making their machine for filing the ironwork of guns into shape run smoothl3\ When the gentleman saw the bashful, stammering young- man, he had little hopes of any help from him. But he showed him the machine and explained the difficult^^ After looking at it for a few moments, Thomas began a low, monotonous whistle, which he always made when studying deeply, and before long he suggested adding a very simple cam motion, which proved just the thing wanted. The pro]:)rietor of the armory Avas delighted, and exclaimed : "Well, Thomas, I don't know what you won't do next. I would not be sur- prised if you turned a gun-stock." As this is neither round nor straight in any part, a machine for turning it had long been thought an impossibility, so every- body round was surprised when Thomas gave another low whistle and stammered out : " We-we-well, I'll try that." The workmen all laughed, but Thomas was in earnest, and began at once to think out the machine. He alixnidy had the first principle of it in the cam motion, and not long after he worked out the whole idea Thomas Blanchard. 15 clearly in his mind. He was riding- home alone from the Springfield armory-, to which he had been called to make an adjustment to the butt-tiling- machine like that at Millbury, deep in thought, when suddenly some men by the roadside heard him call out : "I've got it! I've got it! I've got it!" He then sold his tack-machine, built the shop, and for two years only left his work for rest. But at the end of that time he had perfected a smooth-i'uniiing stocking-machine, or lathe for turning gun-stocks, which was soon found to be api)licable to a hundred other uses, and by which there are also made the wheel-spoke, piano-leg, shoe-lasts, and many other curious articles and tools of wood. It is the machine for turning any irreg- iQar forms according to the given pattern. It is made up of two points that hold the piece of wood to be turned, as in any lathe ; a revolving cutting-tool, whicli is set in a traveling carriage and has also a side, or what is called lateral movement on the carriage ; an iron pattern and the pieces that keep the cutting- tool in pkice so as to follow the pattern. There is a di'um with a belt that follows the cutting-tool as it advances along the lathe. This wonderful invention, which has been applied to hundreds of uses, has already been worth mill- ions of dollars to America, to England, and to France. It has proved so great a benefit to this country that Mr. Blanchard had his patent renewed three times by Congress, and received quite a good deal of money for it, although far less than its value, while he also lost a great deal in lawsuits. Even in the course of a few years, there were " more than fifty violators who pirated Mr. Blanchard's invention, and started up lathes in various parts of the country for making lasts, spokes, and other irregular forms. Combined and re- peated efforts were made to break down his patent. Eminent counsel wei'e em- ployed and all Europe scoured to find some evidence of a similar motion. But in no Tiio:\iAS Blanchard. 16 One Hundred Famous Americans. ag-e, in no country, could a trace be found of a revolving- cutting--tool working- to any given model like Blanchard's. Like the reaper, the revolver, and the sewing-- niachine, it had a general and unlimited application. It was really a discovery of a new in-iiiciple in mechanics, whereby the machine is made the obedient, faithful servant of man, to work out his designs after any g-iven model — be it round or square, sti-aight or crooked, however irregular — and reproduce the original form exactly every time.'' After he brought out this machine, he made many more valuable inventions and discoveries. He made a new kind of steamboat to tide over rapids and shal- low water, by means of which navigation now extends hundreds of miles further up our rivers than before. He devised a process for bending- large timber at any ang-le, without weakening it. This is of great advantag-e for ship-builders, who used to have much trouble in finding- timber grown to the right angle for knees of vessels. Mr. Blanchard also invented the oval slate frame, the method of making the handles of sho\'els by steam-bending, which saved just one-half of the timber and made a far more durable handle ; and this, like his lathe, has been made useful in a great many ways — arm-chairs, thills, and whoel-fellies, which used to be only made in four sections, are now in one straight strip bent to a circle. Mr. Blanchard waiB born at Sutton, Massachusetts, on the 24th of June, 1788. He died in Boston, April IG, 1804. The electric telegraph cost Samuel Fiiiley Breese Morse twelve years out of the prime of his life. They were years of the severest kind of self-sacrifice, labor, and disappointment for the sake of an idea ; but they were crowned with success at last, and his invention was pronounced "the greatest triumph which human genius ever obtained over space and time." The idea was not original with Professor Morse ; steps toward it had been made by several scientific workers from the beginning of the century. It was in October of 1832, wiien the good ship Sully was on her way from Havre to New York, that one of her passengers suddenly thought of sending signals on wires over distances by the means of elec- tricity. This passenger was Mr. Morse, a talented American artist, who had fallen into talk with an American professor upon electricity,— how old Benja- min Franklin drew it from the clouds along a slender wire, and about the new discoveries which had just been made in France by which electric sparks were ol)tained from the magnet. Mr. Morse said he thought that a signal system might be planned out on the same principle. As both the gentlemen had studied electricity, they found it very interesting to talk upon this subject day after day, and they suggested to each othef many possible and impossible ways in which Sanniel Finley Breese Morse. 17 they thouglit the sig-nahng mig-ht be done. But in the artist's mind the thoug'ht was more than interesting- talk with a fellow-passeng-er. It toolv deep root, and broug-ht i'ortli the great idea of tlie telegraph, but not according to any of the plans suggested on the voyage. From that time, although more than forty Samuel Finley Breese Morse. years of age, Mr. Morse gave up painting and all else beside to devote his mmd, his money, and everything that he had to the working out of a practical system of communication by means of electricity. He had begun to study this science at Yale College when a very young man, and in later years, while he gave up most of his time to art, he had always kept up the study of chemistry and 18 One Hundred Famous Americans. physics, especially electrical and g-alvanic experiments, and making- practical in- ventions. This had been a pleasure and a pastime to him before, but now it was life-work. He resolved to spend the whole of his life if necessary to the practi- cal development of this new idea. Transmitting Key. By the time he reached New York, all liis plans were arranged. The alphabet was made and sketches of his machineiy were drawn out in his note-book : he was ready for work, and he would spai'e hunself in no way till he had succeeded. It was a terrible struggle with want and discouragement. Time after time it didn't Morse's Recording Telegraph. come out right. Money went, and all his labor brought none in. He had three motherless children to support, beside everything else ; but with sympathy from his brother and friends, and faith in God and himself, he did not give up. Every iime his model failed to do what he intended, he found the flaw and worked it out, until at last all was correct and he knew he liad i-eached success. But the dark Samuel Finley Breese Morse. 19 (lays were not yet past. Our Government refused to do anything- with it ; he tried in vain to have it patented in Engiand, and, returning- home, had almost despaired of its adoption in tlie United ™T1 i igM i i i i MMIMMll i IBMPl i i U ] Bia i i i i ] i i i i n i Hi liiiiiiiii'iiiiii;!! I i I I liMilli Bill i i lEiaiii ] Hiwa i!iJiiB i i Bsm 11 i i iiiiiii i i I U iiii I I I I i HilMlM 1 S [] I tBiilMMj States, when, in 1843, at mid- night, the last moment of tlie spring session, Congress set aside thirty thousand dollars for tri- al, and gave permission to set up a line between Washington and Baltimore for experiment. This was done just before the sitting of the Democratic conven- tion in 1844. with the Washing- ton end in a room adjoining what was then the Supreme Coiu't Room. Here Mr. Morse receiv- ed the despatches fi-om the con- vention and read them to a large crowd that gathered around the window. Everybody was in- tensely interested, not only to hear from the convention, but with the wonderful way in which the news came. They could not realize that it was possible to learn in a moment just what was happening at Baltimore, and when it was said that Mr. Polk was nominated, thei'e were many who thought it far safer to wait till they heard direct by mail or messenger coming on the train. But the telegraph was a success beyond a doubt — it was not fairy w^ork or a dream, and its noble author received honors, medals, and wealth for the untold bene- fits of his discovery. Even then, he was not free from care and trouble. Several wearisome and costly lawsuits ^v ere brought against him by people who contested ^0 10 oa Iiii i i PBili Morse's Transmitting Plate. SECONDS. 20 Oup Hundred Faincms Americans. his claims, all of which were settled in his favor aft^er a while. Beside the honors paid to him in this country, it is said that no American ever received so many or so great honors as were paid him in Europe, for beside the g-old medals and insignia presented by several of the great sovereigns, a large purse was made up by an assembly of representatives from dilferent European countries that met in Paris about 1857. About twenty years before this, Wheatstone, of England, invented another kind of telegraphing apparatus, but that of Professor Morse was so much simpler that it easily took the lead. Besides the telegraph system which Professor Morse iiei-fected and the i-ecording instrument, and se\eral other valuable inventions, he took the tirst daguerreot^-pes in America, made a piunp-machiue for fire-engines, and, in later years, laid the first telegraph under water. This was an experiment tried in New York Harbor in 1S42, and he was so much interested iu it that in the next year he wrote to the Secretary of the Treasury, sug- gesting an Atlantic telegi-aph, Avhich was afterward brought to perfection b,N' the energy of Mr. Cyrus W. Field, of New York. Pi'ofessoi- Morse was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, April 27, 1791 ; he di(>d in New York April 2, 1S7-*. The great invention of Pro- fessor Morse had but half its present value and us(^fuliiess un- til Cyrus West Field carried it across the Atlantic Ocean and united the two continents by its magic wire. He was a retired merchant, about thirty-five years of age, when he lirst be- came interested in a water or marine telegraph. Some enterprising men had tried to build a wire across the island of Newfoundland, the most easterly point on the American coast, and to ha\'e this connect with a line of fast steamers, which, it was thought, could reach the nearest point in Ireland in five days. In this way, news could be carried from one continent to the other inside of a week. An attempt had ali-eady been made to build the line, but it had failed, and now it was wanted that some rich men would take hold of it and carry it through. ?.Tr. Field was avcII known as an able, enterprising, and wealthy man, who had Atlantic Telegraph Cable, 1866. Cyrus West Field. 31 built up a large business in New York from the smallest kintl of a beginning-. He was sti-ongly urged to take hold of this scheme, which, if well carried out, would be of great benefit to the country and a paying success. He agreed to think about it, and sat in his library, turning over a globe and considering, when the thought suddenly came to him, •' Why not carry the line across the ocean ? " The more he thought of it the surer he felt that this should be his vuidertaking. The Breaking of the Cable. The next year he obtained from the Legislature of Newfoundland the sole right for flfty years of landing telegraph cables on the island from both Europe and America. He formed a stock company at once, and in a couple of years organ- ized the ''Atlantic Telegraph Company " in London, furnishing one-fourth of the capital himself. The governments of Great Britain and the United States pro- vided ships, and the flrst expedition to lay the wire set out in 1857. This and another in the next year botli proved failures. Then some time passed, and a third trial was made, which succeeded in laying a cable. But this gave out in about a month. 22 One Hundred Famous Americans. Eleven years had now passed, and still the Atlantic telegraph was only a scheme. Many of the stockholders were discouraged, and Mr. Field and his ocean cable were ridiculed by the people and the press of Europe and America, But he never lost faith in the entei'prise, though its money and friends were fast growing less. The next ,year the Great Eastern was sent out to make another attempt. In mid-ocean the cable laid the year before was picked up antl joined to the cable on board, and so the line was once more connected, and the vessel, safely making her The Great Eastern at Anchor. way to Newfoundland, landed the western end of the ocean wire. The tests were made again and again, with perfect success. The great value of the work was acknowledged in both countries. Several of the English gentlemen who had giv- en their money and influence in helping along the work were honored with knighthood, and in America the greatest honors were bestowed upon Mr. Field. Congress gave him the thanks of the nation, a gold medal, and other testimonials, showing that they looked upon his work as one of the greatest achievements of the century. The French Exposition, whicli was held after the cable had stood the test of about a year's service, gave him its grand medal. This was its highest award and was only given to those who had proved themselves great public ben- Charles Goodyear. 23 ^factors. The thirteen years of labor amid discouragements and ridicule brought him full reward. Since then he has taken active and helpful interest in the laying of under-water cables in the Mediterranean and different parts of the East, and in the establishment of elevated railroads in New York City. Mr. Field was born at Stockbridge, Massachusetts, on the 30th of November, 1819, and is now living in New York City. It was by the patient, heroic labor of Charles Goodyear, in one blind exper- iment after another, that the process was discovered by which vulcanized India- Charles Goodyear. rubber can be made out of the sap of the African gum tree. It cost him eleven years and a half of the best part of his life, and for it he suffered poverty, disgrace for debts, and ridicule — sacrifices which were never made up to him, although he lived to see his invention used in five hundred different ways, and giving employ- ment in England, France, Germany, and the United States to eighty thousand persons, and producing eight million dollars' worth of goods every year. About fifty years ago, Mr. Goodj^ear, then a bankrupt hardw^are merchant of Philadelphia and nearly thirty-five years old, became interested, with about every- body else, in the wonderful trade of the many India-rubber companies that were 24 One HiiiKlrcd Fuinoni^ Aniericans. making- g-reat quantities of g-oods of many kinds. Being- in New York, one day^ lu^ bought one of tlie new India-rubber life-preservers that the Roxbury Com- })any liad just brouglit t)ut. He took it liome, and true to liis Connecticut birth,, began to examine it for the sal^e of seeing how it was made and if liecoukl impi-ove on it. He soon made ujj his mind upon both these questions, and befoi'e long- he was. ag-ain at the Roxbury's office with a plan, whicli he Avanted them to adopt. The- company was not able to undertake to make these improved apparatuses; but the man in charg-e saw the ingenuity of Mr. Goodyear's plan, and told him a sad little story, in lio]ies that he had found some one who would add another chapter to- the tale and make it come out all i-ight in the end. The story was something- like this : " There are, Mr. Goodyear, a great many India-rubbei- companies in the United States just now that seem to be doing- a very fine business, but really and truly they are not. The.y are all a g-ood deal like our company ; we made, diu-ing- the- cool months of 1833 and 1834, a very larg-e quantity of shoes and other rubber g-oods, and sold them to dealers at hig-h prices ; but in the summer a g-reat many of them melted, so that twenty thousand dollars' woi-th of om- articles were returned to us melted down in common g-uni that smelt so badly we had to bury it. We've- ti-ied mixing- new materials with the i-aw rubber, and new machinery, but even if our shoes can bear the heat of one sunnner, they will melt the next. Wagon- covers, overcoats, hats, and rubber-cloth grow sticky in the sun and stift' in the cold. The dir-ectoi-s of the companies don't know what to do. They'll be ruined if they stop making-, and the whole of the wintei-'s work may melt on their hands, as soon as warm weather comes. The capital of this company is already used up,, and unless the true way to use this gum is found — and that soon — the company will have to go down in complete ruin. Now, while the g-entlemen cannot take- Ibis improved life-preserver of yom-s, if you can only find out some way to make India-rubber that will stand the summer heat and the winter cold, tliey will gladly g-ive alnio.st anything- .you ask for that," It seemed like a chance talk, but it fixed the life-work of Chai-les Goodyear.. He made up his mind — oi- rather the thought grew in hhn like a presentiment — that this g-reat object could be g-ained, and he should do it ; and yet he knew little about chemistry, and disliked any complicated calculations, and had no money to- start with. Owing- to tlie failui-e of some business houses with which his falher's- firm was coimected, the hardware house of A. Goodyear & Sons Avas bankrupt,. and Charles was arrested for debt ahuost as soon as he reached home. He had a family, was in ratlier poor healtli, and seemed to have every reason to give up his idea about India-rub])(M-, and to find some paying Avork at once. But nothing could cliani:*' his mind (ii- discourage him. Li\"iny Avilhin tlu- Charles Goodyear. 25- prison limits, he beg-an his expeiiments, for India-rubber .i>-nm was one of the- easiest tiling-s in the world to obtain in those da3's. It was lilind woi'k, and success was long in coming". He was seldom out of jail for debt during any year from 1835 to 1841, and although the interest and the aid of his friends gave out, he patiently kept on in his trails, never being- too sure, however near he felt to suc- cess, and never becoming- altogether discouraged when his beautiful work melted with the summer's heat into a soft, bad-smelling mass of gum. He explained his difficulties to the great professors, physicians, and chemists of the day, but none of them could help him. The story of failure after trial was repeated time and again in Philadelphia, and then in New York, until it was amazing-, and too often provoking to those who loved him, that his patience lasted so long-. But perseverance was the gi-eatest trait- in Charles Goodyeai-'s character. Next to that was his love of l)eanty. This was the reason that he often decorated his India-rubber fabrics, and it led at length to his first real step toward success. He was bronzing- the surface of some India- rubber drapery, and, wisliiug to take off a little of the bronze, he applied af^ua- fortis, which not only tookoff the bronze but discoloi-ed tlu' fal^iic so Ihat it seemed spoiled, and Mr. Goodyear thi-ew it away. Several days after, he hapi)ened to think that he had not examined the effect of the aquafortis very closelx' ; lie hurried to find the piece lie had thrown away, and was surprised to see that it was a better quality of rubber than he had ever obtained before, especiallx' in In^aring- heat. He had his process patented, and even then did not know that lie had found his great secret, and that aquafortis is two-fifths sulphuric acid. Securing his patent and approval and some mone3', he still was far from out of his troubles ; the pawn- broker, poverty, and severe want for his family were the every-day circumstances. of his life. He succeeded in manufacturing- his goods, but now nearly all the- men of means or enterprise in the country hated the very name of India-i-ubber, with good cause ; the sticky, bad-smelling- summer experiences had ruined many wealthy capitalists and bankrui)ted scores of hrms. Mr. Goodyear was called a man of one idea, a crazy man, and so he seemed with his enthusiasm for liis rub- ber, which he wore in every form — cap, coat, shoes, and many other things, both for the sake of testing- and of advertising- it. At last he found a few men of the old Roxbury Company who could not get over their belief in the u.seful- ness of the rubber, and together they started up a new business, Avhich prospered greatly for a time. But Mr. Goodyear again became penniless and destitute when it was found that the aquafortis only vulcanized tlie sur-face and not the entire- fabi-ic. Every one, even his own family, now tried to dissuade him from doing any more with the stuff' which had caused such ruin. But he could not give it up, and 26* One Hundred Famous Americans. .buying" out another experimenter's invention for mixing" the g"um Avitli sulpliur, lie patiently set to work once more on his half -blind experiments — work, too, which he might have been spared long befoi-e if he had had a bettei" knowledge of chemistiy. The secret lay near at hand, but for months he coidd not g'rasp it, until, one day in the spring- of 1839, an accident revealed to him that a mass of g'umand sul- phur mixed would not melt after they had happened to hit ag"ainst a i-ed-hot stove I He tested it and ti-ied it in various ways, but the result was the same ; he had succeeded at last, and he now knew for a surety that g-um and sulphiu' mixed and put undei' g-reat heat would afterward stand both heat and cold. He felt himself amply repaid for the past, he said, and quite inditferent about the future. He spent six years more in the hardest trials and severest labors of all, w^ork- ing- this discovery out to a practical success, and patientl^^ perfecting one thing- rafter another until he had his inventions secured b3^ sixty patents. But even then he Avas not allowed his full reward, for the rig"hts were obtained by other persons in England and in France, and his j^ears of toil and hardship brought him onl}' scant returns in money. But he was happy that he had been success- ful, because the work and not the reward was what he labored foi". The woild acknowledged his services, and awarded him honors for his skill and perseve- rance. Highly as h© thought of the value of his discovery, he did not overesti- mate it. " Art, science, and humanity' are indebted to him for a material which is nseful to them all, and serves them as no other known mateiial could.'" Ml'. Goodj'ear Avas born in New Haven, Connecticut, December 29, 1800. He died in New York City, July 1, 18G0. In the early part of this century, when Goodyear was in the hardware business in Philadelphia, without a thought for India-rubber, and wdien Morse was studying- to become an ai'tist, and only amusing" himself with electricity, Cyrus Hall McCormick was a lad in his teens, living" on a farm in Vii-ginia, and watch- ing his father trj' in vain to make a reaping"-machine. Some of his time was spent in the public school, but the larger part of it was passed in helping upon the plantation. This being a large one, there were on it several saw and g-rist mills, a carpenter's shop and a blacksmithy, which Avere more interesting" than books or tutors to the planter's eldest son. From them and the farm work he g-ot the most important part of his education. AVhen alwut fifteen 3"ears old, he contrived a light, easy-acting- g-rain-cradle, for he Avanted to do his share of the harA^esting", and coidd not manag"e the un- handy cradle in general use. It Avas only a couple of years after this that he iiiA'ented a hill-side plow, Avhich Avas the first self-shai'i^ening plow cA^er made. With so much love for machinery, and a facultj^ for in\'ention himself, he was Cyrus Hall McCormick. 27 of course very much interested in his father's efforts, as he watched him try for years to do wliat had been attempted in vain ag-ain and again since the days of the first Christian century — to contrive a machine for reaping-. He wanted to try his Cyrus Halt. McCormick. own hand upon it, he had succeeded so well with the cradle and the plow ; but his father at first said no, it would be but time wasted : a reaper could not be made. At last, though, he consented, and his son — then almost grown into man- hood — took up the discarded machine. He g'ave his whole mind to picking out the 28 One Hundred Famous Americans. difficulties that prevented its working-, till tinally he had mapped out an entirely- new plan. Gradually he grasped the problem, and realized what would be the devices necessary to cut g-rain as it stands in the field, and his mind became filled with the details and arrang-ements of the wondei'f id reaper. He saw that the cutting- must be done by an edged instrument, actin'g with what is called a i-eciprocaiing inovement as the machine moved along- ; then he realized that it must liave the reel to gather and hold up the grain in a body ; then the sickle, with its fast recip- rocating and slow advancing motions ; and, finally, that there must be a receiving- platform on which the grain could fall and be taken care of. These were the great problems. After they were discovered, lie had only to make the parts so that they would act together upon Avheels. Tlien he began to build. Step by ste]i his ideal grew toward the perfect machine, the inventoi- himself constructing cranks, drive-wheels, gear-wheels, dividers, cutting-blades, gathering-reels, and all the other parts, until he finally had a reaper that could cut grain passably well with a man a\ alking l)esicle it to draw the swatli from the platform, while another man,, or a boy, rode on the back of the horse that dragged the nu\cliine through the field. In 1831 — that is, when Mr. McCormick was twenty-two years old — this reaper was tested before a yumber of leading Virginia farmers ; it cut several acres of oats successfully, and in the next year harvested fifty acres of wheat. It was cer- tainly a success. There was no doubt about its value, but Mr. McCormick felt' that farmers would not take hold of it yet, so for several years he made no efforts to develop it any further or to introduce it as it was. But letting it rest, he went into the iron smelting business, which promised to pay sooner and better. Instead, it brought misfortune, for the hard times of '31 came on, and, in the midst of the panic, Mr. McCormick's partner became frightened and left him, and the business failed. But the forsaken partner did not fail. By hard and steady work, courage, patience, and economy, he paid ail the debts, and won back his l)usiness standing. Although he came out of difhculty without a bit of money for himself, he had maintained the confidence of all who knew him and kept his honor and integrity unshaken. As soon as all the claims were settled, he turned to the reaper, which was already secured to him b}^ patents. He made some valuable improvements on it at once, and then moved to Cincinnati, which was at that time the center of the grain-growing region of the AVest. In a couple of years he moved again and set- tled in Chicago, where he set up his own factories and began to get himself fairl.>' established in the reaper manufacturing business. Up to within a few^ years of this time, he had had a great many set-backs and discom-agements, for Avhile he wt;nt about himself a great deal, introchiciuii- the machines. li(> had not been al)le to Cyrus Hall McCormick. 29 do his own manufacturing-; his makers as well as his ag-ents had not always ful- filled their contracts, and in man3' cases the reapers had failed to work. From 1831 to 1840, he only sold one machine, and that he took back. All the time he kept dilig-ently at work studying- the defects and correcting- them, depending- upon other business for his support and the income necessary to perfect and introduce the machines. Reaping Machine. It was in about the year 1840 that they beg-an to g-ive him satisfaction ; then he was willing- to sell them and Avas successful in finding- customers. After they had been thoroug-hly tested and were fairly in use among- the farmers in this country, he went to Europe to introduce them abroad. He took them to the g-reat World's Fair in London, in 1851, and g-ood-naturedl^^ stood all the ridicule that the papers and vis- itors made of his "monstrosity," knowing- that he should prove its value when he put it to work. The London Times said it seemed to be something- like a cross be- tween an Astley chariot, a wheelbarrow, and a fl3ing--macliine. A few weeks later it 30 One Hundred Famous Americans. was Mr. McCormick's turn to ridicule English stupidity — if he had had any desire to — for after the reaper had been thoroug'hly tested on several farms, it was voted by all as the most important thing- in the g-reat Fair. The Times itself said its- value was equal to the cost of the entire Exhibition. Among- all the other farm- ing tools and machinery shown — and there were many of them fi'om all countries. — this received the Great Medal, The papers turned from ridiculing- to praising, and Mr. McCormick suddenly found himself a very famous man. He was hon- ored as having- done more for agriculture than an^^ person of his time. The Cross of the Leg-ion of Honor was awarded to him in Paris, and — some years after that — he received the still g-reater distinctions of Officer of the Legion of Honoi- and of an election to the French Academy of Science. Unlike many inventors Mr. McCormick was a man of business, and as soon as his invention was developed into a successful reaper he undertook to fill the demand for it himself ; and, though he had several partners, he was always at the head of the bus- iness. At the same time he kept on studying to further improve his already wonder- ful machine. Stage by stage, it grew till it became the self-acting and, as it seems, absolutely perfect reaper of to-day— a machine that cuts both g-rass and grain, and more than that : without having to stop in its course across the field, it gathers what it cuts into sheaves, binds them securely with twine, and puts them safely on tlie ground . All this it does of itself, or automatically, as we say. The only person needed upon it is the one who di-ives the horses that draw it, and Avho sits on a high seat in front. Its working is so true and so simple that a boy or gir-l can manage it. When the Chicago works were finished, Mr. McCormick had not much capital and took a large risk in undertaking- to build seven hundred machines for the har- vest of 1848, but they w^ere all sold, and their maker had the satisfaction of feelings that the future success of his reaper was now assured. After conducting- the business in Chicago for over thirty years — either by himself or with various part- ners at different times — in 1880 it was made into a joint stock company with a paid-up capital of two millions and a half of dollars, Mr. McCormick being- Presi- dent, and his brother, who had been in partnership with him for twenty years, Vice-President. Four years after its incorporation, the McCormick Harvesting- Machine Com- pany was said to have a capital of three millions of dollars invested in their w^orks, with eighteen hundred men employed in the busy seasons, turning out nearly fifty-fivt! thousand machines a year. In all, it is stated, they have sold over three hundred thousand reaping and mowing- machines, and as each of these does the Avork of ten persons, an army of three millions of men would be necessary to do what is now being done by them. Large numbers of them are sent every year to New Zealand, Australia, Africa, South America, Russia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Elias Hoive. '61 France, and Great Britain. Tliej^ have done more for the enlarg-ement and de- velopment of the world's ag-ricnlture than any other single invention of ancient or modern times ; and it is largely due to them that the United States has become foremost among- all countries in agriculture, that our great growth in wdieat- raising has outstripped the record of any department of agriculture in any coun- try during the past thirty years, and that our hay-harvest has grown to be the most valuable of all the crops our land produces. When the venerable inventor died, his son and namesake took his place in the great business, and in the many good works with which he shared his prosperity. Mr. McCormick was very generous with his wealth, especially to the Presbyterian Church and to the city of Chicago. In his fiftieth year — the same in which he was married — he founded and endowed his great charity, the Presbyterian Theo- logical Seminary of the Northwest, in Chicago. Beside his first large gift, he aided the school bountifully for many years, luitil it was thoroughly established. He also gave money to pay for a iDrofessorship in the Washington and Lee Uni- versit}' at Lexington, Virginia. After the great fire of 1871 he was one of the first to i-ebuild in the burnt dis- tricts of Chicago, and at the time of his death, he was the owner of some of the finest blocks of l)uildings in the city. He was ahvays much interested in the progi'ess and welfare of Chicago, and gave liberally toward education and other public benefits. Cyrus H. McCormick was born at Walnut Grove, Virginia, February 15, 1809. He died in Chicago, Illhiois, May 13, 1884. Elias Howe set to work to invent a sewing-machine for two reasons. One- was that his health was too poor for him to follow his regular business of a machinist, and he thought he could support his family by making an invention. The other reason was that he knew there was great need in the world of a machine that could sew. He was at this time about twenty-three years old, low spirited, and frail in health, with a wife and three children. Life had not been successful to him so far. When sixteen years old he had left the work on his. father's farm and in his mill to be a machinist in Lowell, Massachusetts, and from there he went to Cambridge, bai-ely earning a living on accoimt of poor health. One day he heard some men talking in the shop about the great value that a sewing-machine would be, and from that time the thought of inventing one filled all his leisure, and finally became the business of his life. After intently watching Mrs. Howe ply her needle through the cloth as she sewed, he tried for a year to make a machine that would work somewhat like a hand. Then he thought that another stitch was needed, and by and by the idea. ~32 One Hundred Famous Americans. -came to him of using" two threads and forming a stitch with the aid of a shuttle and using- a cin-ved needle with the eye near the point. Being- poor himself, and his father also, he had to look about for some one to aid him cany out these ideas. Mr. Geoi-g-e Fisher, a wood and coal dealer of Cambridge, finally ag-reed to furnish five hundred dollars in money, and to have Mr. Howe and his family mal^e their home in his house, while the g'arret should be the workshop for mak- ing the machine. In return for all this a half interest in the patent, if one could be obtained, should g-o to Mi-. Fisher. Day after clay, and often part of the nig'ht, too, Ehas Howe labored ovei- his invention. In April, 1845, a seam was sewed, and in July a woolen suit for Mr. Fisher and one foi- Mr. Howe were nmde Avith tlie machine. The invention was at last complete and patented, but nobody wovdd l)u.\- it, or use it. People said the machine was ingenious and useful, no doubt, but they would not buy one. Mr. Fisher was disgusted, and the Howes all had to go back to Elias's father's house. Old Mr. Howe could not support them, and so the inventor got a place as engineer on a railwa^^ locomotive, while he sent his brother Aniasa to England to s€'e what he could do there with the model. Finally some arrangements were agreed upon with a corset-maker, and Elias with his wife and children went to London, but it was only another disappointment, -and after a little whilfe he had to send his destitute family back to fathei- Howe at Cambridge, while he strove further with his machine. But he met with no suc- cess, and was forced at last to pawn his model and patent-papers for money enough to buy his passage back to America. On landing in New York, he found that his wife was dying of consumption in Cambridge, while he was without money to pay his fare to her and too weak to ■walk. As soon as possible, his father or friends sent him something, and he reached home just in time to see the spirit of his wife pass away. This was the darkest hour of all his life. He had seemed to spend his whole self, labor, talents, and time for nothing ; death, poverty, and sickness filled his home — or was the trouble he brought into his father's home, for he had none of his own — and he could not help feeling that thrifty and industrious people had some reason to despise his want of success. Poor Mrs. Howe's death was the last shadow on the misfortunes of her sufTering husband. If she had lived, she wovdd liave seen better days, from the very month of his I'eturn. His invention had been taken up by some imprincipled mechanics and many .sewing-machines had been made after it, so that the name of the original in- ventor had become cpiite famous in his absence. Friends now came foi'ward with money to help him, and in 1846 he began suits against those who had stolen his patents. After six years of hard fighting, the courts decided these suits in Elias Hoiue. 33 his favor. He opened a. small factory in New York, which yielded some prolits, while the royalties of other machines added to his income, so that he linally made a fortune of two million dollars, although a portion of this had to be spent in de- Elias Howe. fending- his patent. He lived to see the machine over which he had labored so hard and lost so much that could never be repaired, appreciated as one of the g-reatest labor-saving- contrivances in the world, while the manufacturing- of them g-ave a living- to tens of thousands of mechanics, yielded for.tunes to the manu- facturers, and a revenue of millions to the United States. Honors came to him. 34 One Hundred Famous Americans. as well as wealth at last. He received the Ci'oss of the Legion of Honor, and a ^okl medal from the Paris Exposition. Many attempts had been made to sew l)\- machineiy before Mr. Howe's day, but his succeeded. His machine would actually do the woi'k, and his name is now honored far and wide for the labor he has savetl to millions by bravely keeping- on in spite of the weary toil and poverty- he endui-ed while patientl;\' work- ing- out his idea. It has been said, that the life-histor\' of this man, with its strivings, its failures, and the long warfare for his rights, teaches the grandest lessons of i)atience and earnest strug-g-le, wliile its final triumph of mechanical and tinancial success opened the way for an army of workers who, in following his steps, have bi-ought forth a multitude of improvements and additions, which are a source of immense wealth and save a vast amount of labor to both the men and Avomen of liis own countiy and Europe. When the war broke out, Mr. Howe entered the ai-my as times this gave dissatisfaction to his employers, but in Boston his experhnents bi-ought him more money than his position, so he gave It up to try the duplex telegraph. This succeeded finally, although it failed fpr a time and made the inventor feel pretty down-hearted as he took his way from Rochester to New York ; but affairs soon brightened, for tlie fixing of the stock indicator opened the way for a series of the greatest inventions of this century. It is said that he owns in all over a hvmdred and fift>' patents, all but about a dozen of which are sort of safeguai-ds for the valuable ones. Among his chief woil^s are the perfecting of a cheap and serviceable electric Tcrrti — Jerome — Dennison — Hoivard. 37 lig-ht, and the inventions of the quadruplex telegT"iph.\- and the elective pen. By means of the quadruplex telegraphy, four messages may be sent at the same time over the same vvii'e, in opposite directions, eacli being kept distinct from the otlier, and perfectly delivered. The electi-ic pen, for multiplying copies of letters or draw- ings, is made up of a tube-shaped pen in which a needle, driven by electi-icity, works in a motion like that of a sewing-machine needle, and perforates the lines drawn with it so that the perforated sheet may be aftei'ward inked and used in w. dupli- cating press, when the ink, passing throug-h the tiny holes, leaves a hnel\-dotted ti'acing like the oi'iginal on another sheet. But of all Mr. Edison's inventions, there are probably none so wondei-ful and of so g-reat fame as the carbon telephone and the phonograph. He has just married, and is now living- in Orang-e, New Jersey. Mr. Edison was born in a little village of Erie County, New York, Februaiy 11, lcS4r. There are many other names that deserve an honorable place upon the list of American inventors. Eli Terry, of Plymouth, Connecticut, first began to make wooden clocks shortly after the Revolution, and started the clock-making indus- try, to \vhich Cliauiicey Jerome, his apprentice, gave a great impulse by in- venting metal machinery to take the place of the wooden works. Watch-ma kii]g by machinery also began in America in 1850. Two yeai's beforti this, two Boston men, Aaron L. Deiiiiisoii, a watch-repairer, and Edward Howard, a clock-makei", began to discuss together tlie plan of making watches by machinery. Mr. Dennison was leader in the pi'oject, antl after talking it over a great deal here, he tiaveled through Switzerland and carefidly noted every- thing about watch-making in the home of the ai-t, where skillful woi'knien made the best and most wonderful watches in the woi'ld by hand. After he came home, experiments were begun, and the two men started in business, soon setting' ui> the Boston Watch Company's factory at Roxl)iu'y. It was only a small beginning' at first, and a large part of the finest works liad to be imported. They were pretty expensive and not always perfect time-keepers. Still it was a great advance to have machinery that could make a watch at all. Soon other companies took up the industr^^ especially the American Company at Wal- tham, Massachusetts, and in a few years they began to be \'ery successful. No amount of care or labor was spared to improve them, and now our American fac- tories turn out a better ordinary time-keeper than the Swiss walcli. The prices, too, have been made so low that few Swiss watches are now iiiiportetl, and the American watches — especially from the rival Waltham and Elgin comi)anies — are crowding out the Swiss w^atches in all the markets of the world. 38 One Hundred Famous Americ<(ii.s. American in.i^emiitv luis led the world for several years in niacliiner}^ for mak- ing- cloth and other goods of woolen and cotton. A Avriter of authoiity says: '"There is not a machine in the w^hole list for sphming and weaving wool- ens, from the picker and the card to the nap-cuttei', which we have not im- pi'oved, and made to do bettei- and faster work than the machines used on other continents. Some of the machines are purely of American invention. The w^on- derful Bigelow automatic loom, by which figures of any kind can be woven into carpets, is the idea of Erastus B. Bigelow, of Massachusetts, who took out his patent in 184r), and achieved what Europe had given up as hopeless. Up to tliat time cai-pets were woven entirely by hand, but Mr. Bigelow's inven- tion gave the woi'ld a power-loom which would make figures that would match and would weave so rapidly as to increase the production from eight yards a day, which Avas the average of hand labor, to tAventy-seven yards a day for two-ply carpet. The same machine was also found to be al)le to weave the heavy Brussels caipet, the production of which is increased from foiu* to twentv yards a day. •' This made the carpet business a very lively one, and furnished goods at prices which almost everybody could pay, and the trade, which in 1850 was worth a little less than thi-ee milUous of dollars, was in 1876 worth thirtj^-six millions. James Lyall, of New York Cit^^, has improved the old loom for weaving dress goods in many ways, but particularly by inventing a new shuttle which has a pos- itive, or dii-ect and unvarying motion, so that it can be made to fly across almost any width of loom, and so weaves the desirable *' extra wide" goods which were luiknow^n much less than fiftj^ years ag'o. The great improvements in the art of piinting — most of which have been made in this centui'y — are the work of many minds on both sides of the globe ; but it is to Ricliarcl March Hoe, of New York, that the world owes the perfect c^iinder presses j which ai'e now used to print some of the greatest newspapers in Europe and in America^ Mr. Hoe's father, Rol)e]-t Hoe, was an English inventor, afid the lii-st ]ierson who set up a cylinder press in this coiaitry : and Richard March began to invent and improve machinery- when he was a school- boy. At twenty-two years of age he went to England to patent an improvement upon saw-making, and Avhile abroad he gave a great deal of thought and labor to printing-presses, especially the steam-presses invented some twenty years Franklix Press. Bichnrd March Hoe. 39 before by Frederick Konig-, a Gerinan, and then used by the London Times. Gradually, he kept improving- u|)on this, adding- inventions and making- altera- Webb Perfeotinu Pkess. Pkints and delivers, folded, 34,000 copies an hour of an eight-page paper. tions, until he perfected the great Hoe Cylinder Press, which prints seventy thousand four-page newspapers in an hour, making- an impression on both sides 40 One Hutnlred Famous Americans. of the sheet at the same time, and cutting- them apart and fokiing- them before they leave the press. There are also many others who liave benefited the woild hy their inventions and experiments. The gi-eat faculty of American ingenuity, which was first most Machine for PRixTixd Paper-hangings. remarkable in Benjamin Franklin, the statesman, has made scores of illustrious names in our liistorv. There is no branch of industry, science, or art. no kind of business, work' or play, that has not been allcied and improved by the great army of American inventors. EARLY STATESMEN AND ORATORS. NEVER in the world's history has a small body of people in a far-oil" and newly-settled country been watched with so much interest and attention by other nations as were the revolting- patriots of America. The battle of Bunker Hill sent a bright Hash of valor across the i^tlantic that re- vealed to the Old World the spirit and mettle of the NeA\ ', and drew men to study the histoiies and the characters of the people who were resisting- the power of Great Britain, who seemed not only to know their rights, but to be ready to establish the justice of their claim, and to dci- fend it to the end. Suddenly the eyes of all mankind wei'e turned upon the rough beginning of a country beyond the Atlantic; and from out its small and scattered cities, its unexploi'ed stretches of wilderness, and its uneducated settler families — fai' away from each other and often divided in feeling — thej' saw rise up a race of noble, pure-minded, reso- lute men, whose greatness soon com- manded the interest and the resi^ect of the most eminent people in Emope. All the world watched these patriots as they passed through one of the most trying times known in history, and. with one voice, at the end, united in naming them among the truly gi'eat whose fame is for all time. 42 One Hundred Famous Americans. Benjamin Franklin was then the most miportant American hi the eyes of all foi^eig-ners, as he had been tor almost fifty years the most able and respected of all men in his own land. His strongi^'-bnilt, well-formed figure, his courtly manners, and pleasant face, with its lig-ht skin and gra3' eyes, was known in Eng-- land long before the smoke of powder rose over Bunker Hill. He lived there for over a year when he was about twenty years old, working as a journe^^man printer, and twenty years before the war he was chosen by the Pennsylvania Assembly to make an official visit to London to plead before the Privy Council the cause of the people against the sons of William Penn, who were proprietary governors owning larg-e estates, upon which they claimed that they should not pay the Assembly tax. Franldin had a quiet, logical, and exceeding-ly fair way of speaking-, and was so successful in his arguments that the Council decided that the estates of the Penns should beai- an equal share of the public taxes. Se\en .years later he made another visit to the mother country. This time it was for several of the Colonial Assemblies, and on even more serious business, being- in regard to what the Americans felt were unjust taxes on the part of Great Britain. A very strong- feeling had g-rown up by this time between England and the Colonies, and the hateful Stamp Act was passed the next year ; but in the following- year, when the claims of the Americans were examined before the House of Commons, it was due to the talent, skill, and the g-reat amount of hifor- mation which Franklin had at command in presenting his countr^^'s cause, that the Act Avas repealed. But other laws, just as hard and as much disliked, were kept in foi-ce, and the dispute between the tAvo counti'ies still went on. Franklin did all in his power to have the mutters peacefullj^ settled, l)ut when he found that it was im]iossible for the Americans to gain their rig-hts by talk, he returned home, after a stay of over ten years, and joined heartily in the fight for freedom. The battle of Lexington had taken place while he was at sea, and the whole country was now filled with excitement. The day after he landed , on the fith of May, 1775, he was made a delegate to the Continental Cong-ress, and was there put upon the famous committee of five, with Jefferson, John Adams, Rog-er Sherman, and Robei't R. Livingston, to prepare the Declaration of Independence, which, after it was adoptiHl and dul\- engrossed on parchment, he, Avith the fifty-fom' other honoi-ed patriots, risked life, land, and all against the power and WTath of Great Britain in signing- it. Franklin was a statesman, not a soldier, and his work during the Revolution- ary War Avas to draft the first plan of government, called the Articles of Con- federation ; to help collect militia to defend his State, Pennsylvania ; to take up all the diffeiYMit duties and cares of the first Postmaster-General; to A'isit AVasli- ington's c;imp and consult Avith the Commander-in-Chief upon AA-ays and means: Benjamin Franklin. 4:'. to g-o to Canada to see if the people there woukl join with the Colonies ; and to labor devotedly for his country's cause on committees of the greatest importance, and in the conventions that controlled the public actions of all the whole people. When, before the close of the second year of the war, it became necessar3' for us to have a helping- friend in some g-reat foi-eign power, it was the wise and venera- ble Dr. Franklin who was entrusted with the mission to France. Although he was then in his seventieth year, he was still one of the shrewdest and best ag-ents that ever managed the affairs of any countrj^ . He at once became a g-reat favor- ite in Paris. People were charmed with his simple ways and quaint manners, for he pretended to be nothing more than a plain Colonist, although Oxford Univer- sity, in England, had made him a Doctor of Laws, and he was famous all over Europe for learning, statesmanship, dis- coveries in science, practical inventions, and wisdom about common things. In a short time he completely won over the divided favor of the French people to the American side, but for a long while the government would not ag-ree to do any- thing for us, because France did not want to bring- on a war with Great Bi'itain b^' uniting openlj^ with the Colonies, al- thoug-h she had given us secret aid from the first. But we needed more than that ; we wanted a firm and open ally, and so while Dr. Franklin was allowing himself to be the pet of French society, while he PuiNTma-PKESS used t?y Frankxin. was making- the acquaintance of the g-reatest literary and scientific people of the capital, and interesting- ever^- one by his own part in these things, he was still more earnestly trying to bring about a treaty and alliance with the g-overnment. After about a year of toilsome business that taxed all his resources as well as his good temper, the object was secured, the treaty was made, and a fleet of six- teen war-vessels under Count D'Estaing, and an armj' of four thousand men were sent to America in the summer of 1778. Franldin was now able to buy vessels, which were made into American cruisers. The next year he helped to fit out a fleet of vessels, which were sent out from France under command of John Paul Jonesj, the story of whose gallant life is told in the chapter on Commanders. 44 One Hundred Fumous Americans. The agreements in tliis treaty were most favorable to the United States, and it has often been said that we owe onr independence to it. But it did not secure rest or even smootli saihng for our old and busy statesman. During- the re- mainder of the war, he stayed on at Paris, devoting- himself to all the difficult and perplexini;- foreign affairs that fill the pages of those years of our history. They were of all kinds, civil, military, and naval, and kept Franklin constantly at work ; " smoothing, aiding, contriving, and assisting by word and b\- pen. always wise, always to the point, he steered the bark of his couiitiy to the desired haven." When the struggle was over, with John Adams, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, and Henry Laurens, he made the treaty of peace with England, and signed both the preliminary, or first treaty, and the final, or last one, in Paris. He afterAvard arranged for a treaty with Prussia, in which he put an article against privateer- ing — that is, arming private vessels and giving them a right during war to do what tliey can toward breaking up the commerce of the enemy. " This treaty," said Washington, "makes a new era in negotiations. It is the most liberal treat3^ which has ever been entered into by independent powers." After all these and many more labors, that it would fill a book to give an ac- count of, you may be sure he was welcomed home with the greatest lienors pos- sible. Everybody, from the highest to the lowest, paid him their respects. But he had scarcely been here a month before new calls of duty were made upon him. For three years he was President of Pennsylvania, under the old Constitution of the State, and when the chief men of the nation wei-e called to a general assembly to form the Constitution of the United States, the aged statesman was present, '• counseling and suggesting as ever, and pouring oil on the troubled Avaters of controversy." He made a motion that the meetings of this convention should be opened every day with prayer, saying : " I have lived a long time, and the longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the af- fairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid ? " This was near the close of that long life, Avhich spread over three genei-ations of American history, beginning in the old Puritan time, covering the whole of two wars, from the battle of Quebec to the Yorktown surrender, and seeing the entrance of the new era of the United States, an independent and self-govei'uing nation. His last public act was to sign the memorial address presented to Congress by the old Abolition Society, of which he was President. Wlien lie had passed a^vay and the story of his life was fully told, it was then known Avhat a really great man he was. Beside his statesmanship, which was so alile in small things and great, that the success of th(^ Ri'volution was very largely due to him, he w;;s a gi-cal Beiijatn in Franklin. 45 philosopher and scholar, a public benefactor, and a practical inventoi- and work- man. He made a new and very important step in the progress of philosophy. and set forth new principles in politics ; " he showed his countrymen how to think and write ;" he published some of the first American newspapers, and the famous *' Poor Richard's Almanac." This was announced as being- edited by Richard 46 One Hundred Famous Americans. Saunders, of Philomath, and printed and pnbUshed by Benjamin Franklin, of Philadelphia. From the year 1732 it was issued annually for a quarter of a cen- tury . It had a place in almost every household in the land, not only on account of the inlormation it contained, but also for its shrewd and worldly-wise maxims, which were afterwai'd gathered into a- pamphlet called " The Way to Wealth," and, being' ti'anslated into man^y' lanyuag'es, long- ag'o became a part of the world's stock of wise proverbs. Soon after he returned to Philadelphia — after his short first stay in Eng-land — he l)eg-an to make himself felt for g-ood in the city, although he was then but a young- printer, just of age. He g-athered his friends together into a social and literary club, called the Junto. It was a small circle of scriveners, joiners, and shoemakei's, who, with Franklin for their leader, met to impi'ove themselves, help mankind, their country, their friends, and each other. Everything- about it Avas cai-ried on with the same simplicity and common-sense that always marked its founder in whatever he did. Althoug'h its influence was soon felt far ;md wide by branch clubs, it was never enlarg-ed, and even its existence was kept a secret. It lasted for forty years, and out of it g-rew the American Philosophical Society, while the small collection of books, owned in connnon by its members, was the beg-inning' of the g-re^at Philadelphia Librai-y — •" The mother of all the North American subscription libraries." Perhaps the hig-hest praise that was ever g-iven to this g-reat and g-ood man was spoken by Lord Chatham, in 1775, when he said that the i-L^presentative from America was " one whom all Europe holds in hig-h estimation for his knowledge and wisdom, and ranks with our Boyles and Newtons ; who is an honor not to the Eng-lish nation only, but to human nature." The nobility of his miud and character was due chiefly to his own efforts. His parents had a larg-er family than the^^ could easily support, and Benjamin was put to work in his father's soap factory in Boston when lu; was ten years old ; but he shows in tht; Autobiog-raphy, or the story of his life written by himself, how he educated and supported himself at the same time, and by living according- to sti-ict i-ules of work, stud\', temperance, and honor, g-radually raised himself to a high place among the g-i-eatest, most usefid men of his own or any other time. Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on the 17tli of Janu- ary, 1700. He died in Philadelphia on the 17th of April, 1790. It has been said that our first debt of g'-ratitude for American liberty was due to three men — Georg-e Washington as a general, Benjamin Franklin as a states- man, and Kobert Morris as a financier. The first two men were great in many ways, and have a wide fame in more Robert Morris. 47 than one vocation, while Morris is celebrated only as a money manager. Bntinthe use of his one talent and in the giving- of his one vast gift he saved his adopted country from ruin and the labor of the other patriots from ending- in failure. He was an Englishman by birth, but having- been bi-ought to this country Ijy his father when he was a boy, he g-rew up as stanch a patriot as those of the oldest Colonial blood. Ver^' soon he began to show a wonderful talent for business. As a lad of fifteen he was put in a Philadelphia counting-house, and when he reached the age of twenty he became a partner in the hrm and commenced to amass a fortune. B,y / / Robert Morris. the time the war-cloud with England began to gather, he was a very wealthy man, famous for his integrity and ability. No hrm in Pennsylvania — then one of the most important and wealthy of all the Colonies — did a larger business than that of Willing & Morris. But when the troubles thickened with England, he bold ly sided with the patriots, and by assenting- to what is known as the Non-impoi-tation Act of 1TG5, sacrificed a great deal of trade advantage for the sake of principle, for his house was then doing a large and profitable lousiness with the mother country. Ten years later he was a member of the Continental Congi-ess. and altliougn, like many others, he felt that the time had not yet come to adopt it, he signed the Declaration of Independence. For several years after, he served on the Commit- lee of Ways and Means, and hy his careful management and judicious advice upon money matters was of the greatest service to the cause. When our Uttle 48 Ofic Hundred Famous Americans. Treasury ^rew low, or was empty, and Cong-ress was very c-lose to failure, he g-ave all he had himself, and borrowed large sums of monej^ on his own credit, or usetl the honorable name of his firm to obtain funds which would never have been risked to Congress, whose cause seemed vei-y likely' to fail an^'wa^'. But Robert Morris's name was as g-ood as the g"old, and when the destitute troops ( weiv on the verg-e of an outl)reak among- themselves, and Washington was almost in despair, the signature of the honored mei'chant raised fifteen millions of dollars fioiu the French, and made it possible for the Commander to carry for- ward his last cami)aign anil force the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. ^lori-is did even more tlran give his own wealth and bori'ow from othei'S on his own credit, when that of the United States would not be accepted ; he under- took the difficult task of arranging- some system by which the funds needed to cari-y out our plans might be raised, and by which the nation might have credit and i-evenues in the place of the poverty and bankruptcy that then existed. Finally, in 1781, Congress decided that the only thing- to be done toward better- ing- the state of oui' money matters was to appoint some able man to look after them, and so they dt>cided that the Govei'ument should have a Superintendent of Finance, and Robert Morris was appointed to till the office. It then became his duty not only to look after the use of all the funds in the Treasurj^ which, with the vast needs of the wai' and the scarcity of money, was a great task, but he had also to settle ui)()ii some plan for raising the public revenues in a way that would l)e as easy as possibl- to the people, andAvould not bear harder on one than aiiotlici-. One of the tirst tbings he did was to found the Bank of ;N'oi'th America. Over si.Kty yeai-s before, John Colman had proposed, in New England, a plan for a joint-stock corporation to carry on a money-lending business, whose notes, properly secui-ed, should become a currency for genei-al use. The scheme met with no faxor then, but a few years later it was taken up by Massachusetts, and in a littk- while many other Colonies tried the experiment of lending money to be ap|)lied toward public expense, and for the use of which interest was p:iid every y.-ai-. The wise and far-seeing statesman. Benjamin Franklin, approved highly of the plan, and those who tried it found it a profitable business. But it was only a venture, and was tried by but a few of the Colonies before the Revolution l)rok<' out. Now Morris proposed to carry it out on a more serious and larger scale, anil witii the advice of his two able friends, Alexander Hamilton and Gouverneur Mori-is, it was laid before Congress, from wliich the Bank of North America, of the State of Pennsylvania, received its charter on the last day of the year 1781, So far successful. Morris began to establish the 1)ank at once. By putting forth great efforts and spai-ing no pains he induced important people in'the coun- Robert Moi-ris. 49 try to subscribe to it and to put gold and silver money in its vaults. Tlionias Paine, whose famous "• Common-sense "' papers had done so much six and seven years before to rouse the people to patriotism and to call out volunteers for the rank and file of the army, was now Clerk in the Pennsylvania Assembly. He subscribed five hundred dollars to the bank himself, and used his talent for writ- ing and every other means in his power to help the institution along-. Before long- the bank's credit was established, and Morris was able to relieve the suffering" army. During the first six months of its existence it loaned to the Government four hiuidred thousand dollars, and to the State of Pennsylvania eighty thousand dollars. It proved a thorough success. The charter was re- newed several times ; from a State bank it was made a National one in 1864 ; and, although it was only intended as a security to those who would lend money to aid tile Government, it pi'oved profitable to its stockholders, for from 1792 to 1875 it paid them over ten cents a j^ear for the use of every dollar they had in it. It is still in existence, one of the oldest institutions in the country. It is well known that Mr. Morris had complete conti'ol of tlie national funds during the three most trying years we ever had in money affairs, but the great- ness of liis work can scarcely be understood now, foi- there was then not so strong a bond between the States as at present. There was jealousy and disti'ust be- t\veen them, so that it was not eas^^ to get them to act together. Moreover, money was scarce with all, and many were very poor. Besides all the work and care of these money operations and looking after the way in which the funds were used, which would require an entire bureau nowadays, Mr. Morris carried another burden almost as heavy, in the management of the Navy Department, equipping fleets and supplying the needs of our warriors on the sea. When victory came, it relieved the generals and the soldiers, but it brouglit no rest to the statesmen and the financier. Morris made many eloquent and constant appeals to the States, calling upon them, in the name of duty and policy, to give each its share to pay the duties levied on imports. But little response came, and not until he was thoroughly disheartened and wanted to resign, did Congress pass resolutions for aid. The Government could not spare his services, and so he toiled on until the latter part of the year 1784. After the war. he was twice a member of the Pennsyhania Legislature, and 'helped to frame the Federal Constitution. He served as a Senator afterward, and more than once was pressed by Wasliington to accept the office of Secretar\' of the Treasury in his Cabinet. But he refused this office, and named Alexander Hamilton as one better able to fill it than himself. After his term as Senator was over, he went out of public life with less than half the wealth he h;ul when he entered it. Being still in the pi'inie of life, he 50 One Hundred Famous Americans. entered into business u^ain, and built up a large East India trade. In the same- year that he resig-ned the office of financier, he sent the Empress of China fioni New York to Canton, the first Aniei'ican vessel that ever entered that port. He also marked out a course to China, by which the dangerous winds that sweep over the Eastern seas at some seasons of the year might be avoided, and, to prove the wisdom of following this course, he sent out a vessel that made a successful trip ovei- it. After awhile he bought a great deal of land in the western part of New York, then the wild frontier. But the investment proved a failure, and Mr. Moi'- ris lost about all that he had. The great man who had saved the American armies from mutiny and famine, who had redeemed the credit of his State and his adoptetl country, had made his wealth the nation's, and staked his own spotless reputation foi- hei- sake, spent his last years in poverty and debt. Neither his count r\' nor his State came forward to relieve his distress, although for their needs he had given everything he had, excepting his honor — there never was a shadow cast on that, either in public or in private life — and they owed him princely fort- unes in debts of gratitude. Kol)ert ^Morris was born in Lancaster, England, June, 1734. He died in Phila- delphia, May S. lS()(i. Robert Morris's assistant in managing the money affairs of the country during" the Revolution was his illustrious friend, (jroiiveriieur Morris, of New York. He was one of the first lawyers and statesmen in the land, and had made patriotic speeches at the Continental Congress which placed liim among the most ehxiueut men of that noble and talented assembly. He had a fine face, and a straight, handsome figure, which looked so much like George Washington's, that while in Paris he stood for the figure of Houdon's statue of Washington. For many years there was scarcely a national meeting of any importance held,, to whicli (TouveriKMii- Morris was not sent by New York as longashehved in that State, and afterward l)y Pennsylvania. We are told that his speech in favor of independence, in the first Congress, was as remarkable for logical force as Patrick Henry's for fiery eloiiuence. But his counsel and Avisdom were even greater than his eloipience, and haxing a wonderful foresight, his advice in regard to laying plans for future events aiv now believed to have been of the greatest importance to tlie country. He saw ahead what jn-ogress we should make and how Ave should want to gi-ow, and it is to his foi'elhought that we owe a great many of the wise provisions in om- national plans wliich have been found so valuable as the country has grown. When only .'ightccn years old, he began to Avrite a series of articles in the news- papers, upon the givat science of political economy, which was then almost un- Gourenieur JSEovn's. 51 heard of in America. Questions of trade, debt and credit, exchang-e and cui-rency were taken up and laid before the people with such originality, acute reasoning, and thorough knowledge, that mature and thoughtful men were amazed at the boy who could write them, but at the same time they were instructed, and these papers, and the financial essays written later, both "taught and influenced public sentiment, and prepared the waj^ for whatever libei'al and enlightened policy on this and kindred subjects was adopted." When, in 1787, a call was made for delegates from each State to form a con- vention to talk over and frame a Constitution for the new government, Gouver- neur Morris was chosen as one to represent the State of Pennsylvania. With all his mind and will, sacrificing- his own feeling-s and interests, and l)eing without the sympathy of his family and old friends, he joined in the work and the cause of American freedom, and histoi-y give.^ him a jilace among our most courag"eous, pui'e-minded patriots, while the people of his own times praise him for his self-respect and simplicity, and say that in force and intellect, as well as in fig-ure and features, he was one of the most commanding of men. He was the friend of Washing-ton, Schuyler, and Greene, of Robert Morris, Hamilton, and Clinton, of Paul Jones and of Jefferson. The army, the navy, and the affairs of state were upon his mind and heart, and whether at home or abroad the leaders in American progress had in him an able friend and adviser. In later years he did a great deal for our trade by securing easier terms in oui' commei'cial treaties, and for two j^^ears he represented the United States at the Court of France. Returning* home, he was United States Senator for three years, and after that, while living quietly upon his family estates in Morrisania. above New York City, his interest and aid Avent out to all the great movements of the day. He was one of the first to see the need of some means of connecting- the intei'ior part of the country with the Atlantic sea-board, and brought forward what was then thought to be the wild idea of the Eiie Canal. The plan, which was first pro- posed by Jesse Hawley, was said to be ridiculous and impossible; but Morris kept on talking- about it and showing liow it could be carried out, mitil finally, after his death, when De Witt Clinton, Peter Cooper, and othei's took it up, the g-reat feat was accomplished, and trade was opened between the center of the continent and the ports and cities of the Eastern States. It was Gouverneur Morris, too, who succeeded in having laid out the few broad avenues there are in New York, and urged that the city be surveyed as far as Harlem, which was then thought to be much farther into the country than the population of New York would ever extend. But in tliis, as in many other matters, less than one century has proved that he could see further into the future of the American nation than almost anv man of his time. 5-.> One Hundred Famous Americcois. Gouverneur :\Ioi'ris was born January 31, ir5;2, in that part of New York City called Morrisania. where lie also died on the 6th of November, ISIG. When Robert .Moitis. the financier of the Revolution, made the suggestion that Alexjinder Hamilton be Secretary of the Treasury in President Washing- ton's Cabinet, he selected from a large company of able statesmen the greatest political genius that America has ever had. ''Next to George Washington," said Chief Justice Marshall, "there has been no one to whom our Republic owes more."' A full quarter of a centmy younger than Washington, and from ten to twenty years youngei' than almost all the other leading statesmen of his day, as a financier, a politician, a lawyer, and an orator, he had no equal. He was not an American born, and his public life lasted only thirty years, yet in that time he made so deep an impression upon our country and our government, that "his prin- ciples of finance, of foreign affairs, of political economy, and of the powers and duties of govei-nment under the Constitution may be fomid on every page of our history, and have sway to-day throughout the length and breadth of the land." He took part in drawing u}) our laws and Constitution, explained them to the people, designed many of our great institutions, and gave our rough and new- formed nation the piittern of a fine lawyer, a courageous, noble, upright states- man, and a thorough gentleman. This man, whose name stands out so grandly on the pages of our history, Avas i)orn in the West Indies, a British subject. His father was a Scotchman, and his mother was a beautiful, witty Fi-ench Huguenot woman. She died when he was l)ut a little boy, and, his father being poor, Alexander was brought up by his mother's relatives. When twelve years of age he was taken as clerk in a count- ■ ing-room, and set to a work that he could not bear. In writing to one of his boy friends about his place, he said he would willingly risk his life, though not his character, to get above it; there was no chance to rise at present, "but," he said, "I mean to prepare the way for futurity." So, in leisure from his office work — which he took pains to do well, whether he liked it or not — he read Plutarch and Pope, and many other authors. He also wrote a good deal, and one composition describing a se\'ere hurricane that crossed the W^est Indies was published, and attracted so much notice that his relatives decided that he was too talented a boy to be neglected l)y them, and that he deserved a better chance than he could have ill the office of a West Indian mei-chant. So it happened that, in 1773, he came by ship to Boston, and from there to New York, which was ever afterward his home. He knew no one when lie came, but the letters of a good old friend in the Indies secured for him a few good new ones here. His iiiaiii ohjcct was to get an echication, and he h)st no time in l)ecoming a Alexander Ha mi Jf on. 53 pupil in the celebrated gramniar-school at Elizabetlitown, New Jersey, which was reckoned one of the best in the country. After a year's hard study, with odd mo- ments used in writing- hymns, eleg-ies, and verses of all sorts, he returned to New York and entered King-'s College, which is now Columbia Colleg-e. Although Hamilton was only sixteen then, he was very anxious to g-et ahead, and had a tutor's private lessons beside his regular college work, and soon pushed far lieyond his class. People said, ' ' That little West Indian will make his mark some day . ' ' And Alexander Hamilton. the day was not long in coming-. After he had been here about two ^xars, he went up to Boston for a visit, and found the city full of excitement about the way Great; Britain was treating the Colonies. For some time he did not know which country to side with, for such an energ-etic, restless, ambitious young: man as he must join one or the other. Finally, he resolved that it should be ag-ainst the Eng-lish. When a g-reat. open-air meeting- was announced, to urg-e New York to join the other Colonies in preparing- for a Congress, Hamilton went to hear the speakers. But he was disappointed ; they seemed to him to leave the best thing's unsaid, and suddenly he felt that he could say what they had left out, and he found himself moving- toward the platform, and on it, before the g-reat mass of people. The 54 One Hundred Famous Americans. croAvd stared at this small, slight youth with the dark skin and the deep-set eyes, who was so bold as to come before them. For a minute he, too, felt himself out of iilaoe, and could not find the words he was going- to use, but again a minute and out they came, carrying- '* the eloquence of sound reason and clear logic, com- bined with great power and clearness of expression, and backed by a strong and passionate nature/' He poured out the thoughts he felt the other orators had left unspoken. Some peo])le in the cj-owd, stirred by his oratory, murmured, "It is a collegian ! '' '• It is a ct)llegian ! " whispered others, and his hearers forgot or forgave it, that he was a stranger and only a boy. This was the first stroke of Hamilton's " mark in the world." It was the be- ginning of thirty 3'ears of public life that only closed with his death. He was " in lor Congress," and was ready to do all in his power in the American cause. He answered the Tory pamphlets so ably that they were at first believed to have come from the most eminent men of the party ; and when he became known as their author, he was famous at once. The leaders gave him a sure position and caused the Tories — or Americans who, siding with Great Britain, were opposed to in- ile])entlence — to make him tempting offers to join their side, which offers he refused. Now his great work was vigorous essays against England, speeches at public meetings, and his leisure was given to the study of military affairs and practice in ;i volunteer corps. He took a promiuent part in everything connected with New York in the troubles that now gathered, showing zeal and enthusiasm, wisely guitlcd by self-restraint aud cool bravery. ''In the midst of revolutionary ex- citement he did not hesitate to come forward to check his own party, to oppose and censure their excesses, and to take the side of the unpopular minority in be- half of meiry, justice, order, free speech, and a free press." Early in 177<) he took command of an artillery company, upon which he spent his secuutl and last remittance fi-om his relatives, in equipments. This company was so well ti-ained that General Greene's attention was drawn to it, and he was so impressed l)y the young captain's talent that he introduced him to General Wash- iugton. He showed his worth soon after this at the sorry battle of Long Island, :ni(l aftei- the bntlles of White Phiins. Ti'enton, and Princeton, he Avas as famous lor gallantry in the field as for literary talent. In the early part of the second year of the wai', he became one of Washing-ton's aids, with the rank of lieutenant- <(»lonel. Tile Commander-in-Chief soon felt his woi-1h so much tliat he employed him as seci-etary, confiding to him his most secret thoughts, choosing him t)efore any otliers to carry out his most important business, and using his aid in planning campaigns and devising means to su])i)oi-t the army. The next year Aoung Hamillou took an active part in the battle of Monmouth, l»ut ali-eady lie was gelling (h'cpjy inteivsted in 1 he money affairs of the country, Alexander Hamilton. 55 .and had written a number of public letters upon the subject. In 1781 he left the army to devote himself to another department of the country's work, although he Avent back to it ag-ain in about five months, and took command of a battalion in Washing-ton's army. On the 14th of October he stormed and took a redoubt himself, and was at the head of his command in the sieg-e of Yorktown. After tlie sui'render, he turned to the stud}^ of law, and, although he kept his rank in the army, he refused to receive any pa^'. It has been said that whatever he did in the war was well done, but his place in history is rather due to services as a statesman than as a soldier. He was not old enough to obtain large chances, and although he proved himself to have courage, dash, and coolness, and showed both nerve and foresight, the commanders felt that he was too young a man to have positions of great responsibility. But as a statesman nothing could keep him from the front. The fii'st year of peace, he was sent to the Continental Congress by New York, and was one of the leading and most useful men there from the first. " No one," said Washington, " has greater probity and virtue than Hamilton.!' But that Congress was made up of a different set of men from those who drew forth the praise of all Europe in 1TT4 and 1775. He brought all his power of mind and speech to bear upon the affairs before the Assembly, while " his winning elo- quence was the wonder and delight of friend and foe," as one of his hearers said : he was able to do very little in that evil time which made the prospects of our nation look so gloomy at the close of the war. In less than a year he re- signed and began to practise law in New York. Although his preparation had been small, he rose at once to first rank among the lawA'ers of the country. He was equal to Webster as a reasoner, far beyond him in creative power, and had both force and nre as an orator. He was always at work. There are no bare spots in his life, and even while he was busy with his own cases and clients, his interest went out and his labors were put forth toward all matters of national importance. When the feeling of the people in New York went too far against the Tories, it was Hamilton — stanch an American as he was — who stood up against their being pei'secuted. As a member of the Abolition Society, of which Benjamin Franklin was President, he made the resolution that each member of it should set his own slaves free. A few years later he was leader in the movement toward a firm and durable union of the States, and a member of the convention to form a Federal Constitution, for the country was much divided, and a loss of credit and of trade was being seriously felt because of the want of strong and united govern- ment. Congress had become so weak that it was driven by the insults and menaces of a small body of unruly soldiers from the regular meeting-place in 56 One Hundred Famous Americans. Philadelphia, to Princeton. The polished anil able statesman, Gouverneur Morris^^ said that Hamilton's chief speech before the convention was •• the most ahle and impressive he ever heard," and when the plan of g-overnment was adopted, he si^Mied the Constitution, and did all in his power to have it ratified by the people, although he had offered a different plan himself, which was not accepted. Not satisfied with speeches alone, he united with James Madison and John Jay in writing- a series of papers, or essays upon the Constitution, which were printed in the New York i/azette, and were afterward made up into several volumes, called " The Federahst. " As Hamilton wrote more than half of these wise and also brilliant essays, which all parties recognize as the best commentary ever written on tile Constitution of the United States, "The Federalist" is deemed one of his two greatest services rendered our country. And although the Constitution was strongly opposed by a powerful party, it was at last accepted mainly through the influence of these essays, and Hamilton's name has been passed around the world as one of the men who have best known upon what principles and laws a great government should be built up. But Hamilton's most important work of all was in the country's finances, — in the three great projects known as the assmnption of the State debts, the Funding- Act, and the National Bank. These changed the bankruptcy of the new nation into solvency and honor, and to him is due the credit of having solved the prob- lem, of fii-st importance at the time, and that which underlay eveiy other matter to be met l\v the new government. The experiment of Robert Morris's Bank of North America proved the value of an institution " which should make loans to the Government as well as to pri- vate indivieluals ; which should take and place Government bonds as our ' syndi- cate^s ' do now ; and which should furnish the people with a secure paper currency to supplement the limited amount of coin in circulation. But Hamilton held that the Bank of North America had then become a State institution and that a National Bank should be organized. England had such a one, and France also.. With a foresight which the experience of the country with greenbacks at a later- day proved correct, he objected to the issue of paper money directly by the Gov- ernment, saying that it is of a nature so lia])le to abuse, and it may even be affirmed, so certain of l)eing ai)used, that the wisdom of the Government will be shown in ncvei- trusting itself in the use of so seducing and dangerous an expedient." All tins he laid before Congress, i-ecommending a Bank of the United States, and his. plan was adopted and the bank incorporated in 171)1. The North favoied it and tlie South opposed it from the ver^^ first, but the plan was carried out with suc- cess, although thei-e was s\ich a strong feeling against it, that the charter was not renewed when it exi)ired in ISII , l)ut after the money panic and the war troubles ot John Adams. 57 1812, another was given, and the second Bank of the United States was chartered in 181G. This expired in twenty 3'ears and was never again renewed. Hamilton's plans for the money matters of the country had not been long in use before public credit was restored and life and prosperity came back to trade and industry. He was warmly in favoi* of a protective tariff — that is, a ttix on foreign goods brought into this country for sale — so as to encourage the people to take up trades and manufactures, and to supply the market with goods made in this country, rather than to import them from other lands. He is often spoken of as the great Federalist, for he was for years the leader of the political party known as the Federalists, whose chief aim, when it was formed, was to unite the States into one government. Washington, Franklin, Adams, and a great many other of the ablest men of the times were the founders of the party, and it is due to them that we have one united Government binding all the States together, instead of a country made up of many independent, (^r almost in- dependent, States, as was the desire of the Anti-Federalist party, of which Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry were the great leaders. It could not be possible that a man of so many affairs, so attractive in looks and manners, and of such power, should be without faults or without enemies. But while Hamiltou was often sharp, severe, and confident of himself, he had a very generous natui'e, and often set aside all personal feeling to support the meas- ures of other men, when he thought them right. He was also courageous enough to bring his influence to bear squarely against those he thought unworthy. Twice this was the case with Aaron Burr, a brilliant and able man, but, in the opinion of Hamilton, one not to be trusted. After securing Jefferson's election as President against Burr, and defeating him also in the contest for Governor of New Yoi'k, Burr insolently called for an explanation from Hamilton, and finally challenged him to fight a duel. Hamilton felt in honor bound to accept his enemy's challenge, but purposely shot in the air, Avhile Burr's bullet made a mortal wound, and the brightest, ablest, and purest-minded statesman in America was killed. Alexander Hamilton was born in the West Indian island of Nevis. January 11, 1757. He died in New Ycrk City July 12, 1804. The first pftblic act of John Atlains was in the 3'ear 1765. The citizens of Braintree, Massachusetts, had called a meeting to talk over the new law recfuir- ing stamps to be jiut on all paper used in business, and on all newspapers that were bought. The stamps often cost a great deal, too — the price being set accord- ing to the business they were used in. There was a very strong feeling- against the tax in all tlie Colonies, and Adams offered resolutions or instructions resisting it, to be sent l\y. the town to the Legislature. They wei'e accepted by Bramti-ee and -adopted by forty other towns in the Colony. 58 One Hnndred Famons Americans. From this time forth John Adams was a public man. He moved to Boston, where his talents were alreadj' known, and soon became the chief law3'er for the patriots. Thus, throug-h his profession, he grew to be one of the foremost leaders in the cause of American liberty. After the Stamp Act was repealed he wrote pati-iotic articles in the Boston Gazette, .some of which were copied in a London journal and made a good deal of a stir. He was elected to the Legislature, and in a few ^■ears more, Avhen the Boston Tea-party had roused the people into action against the mother country, John Adams was one of the five Massachusetts mem- bers in the first Congress. He was as ardent here as he had been in Boston, speaking earnestly for independence, and was chosen to w^ork with Jefferson in preparing the Declaration of Inde})endence, although it is now believed that the great member from Virginia drew up this noble paper entirely by himself. But on the 28th of June it was the tall, stout, well-knit figure of Adams that, with the precious roll in hand, rose before Congress, in his grave and impressive manner, and it was the large head and expansive brow of the Massachusetts member upon which the assembly looked, while the e^^es that so often beamed with fun now shone with earnestness and patriotism, as the voice so often heard pouring out sti'ong and able arguments for I'ights and liberty broke forth into the stiri'ing words, '-When i.u the course of Imman events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve," etc. ]\Iany members of the Congress were opposed to this paper, and there were stioiig debates on botli sides; but, says Jefferson, "Adams was the ablest advo- cate and champion of independence on the floor of the house. He was the Colos- sus of that Congress. He came out witli a power which moved his hearers from their seats." Li the storm of war which followed this thunder-clap, Adams did not buckle on the sword and turn soldier as well as statesman, but he still kept hard at woi-k, for war recpiires as able men out of the fight as in it. He was chair- man of tw(Mity-five connnittees in Congress; he almost created and then looked after all the War Department we had, and also took charge of many impor- tiint matters between this country and Europe, and visited France, England, and Holland on public business. After the war he went to Europe, and, with FiaiiUlin. Jay, Jeft"erson, and Laurens, settled the treaty of peace with England. A few years later he Avas the first regular Ambassador or Minister from the Un;t<'d States to England. He soon came back from this trip and was made Vice- Pi-esidiMit. He was veiy earnest in supporting Washington, and in the Senate gave about twenty casting votes— probably more, it is said, than all the Vice-Pres- idents since. Neai-ly all of these were to support Washington's policy or on some iniMortant new law. John Adams. 59 After Washing-ton had been President for eig-ht years he refused to fill the ofiice for another term, and the first part^^ contest for electing- a President was held. There were five important men in the field, hut the larg-est number of votes were cast for Adams, and the next larg-est foi- Jefferson. So, as that was the way in which the President and Vice-President were elected at first, these two men, who had once been warm friends, but were now enemies through some differ- ences of views, stood tog-ether ouce more as leaders of the people. But in the old John Adams. Declaration days they Avere both on the same side: now the President was at the head of the old Federal party, while the Vice-President was leader of the new Republican party, which afterward changed its name and became better known as the Democratic party. Mr. Adams was full of large and noble ([ualities : he was more affectionate and warm-hearted than he often showed by his manner : he loved his fellow-men, and delighted in society and conversation, but he had a violent temper, although it soon cooled. He was very energetic and honest himself, and he could not endure cant or hypocrisy. But there was one other fault which probably harmed his political influence more than any other— that is. the confidence in himself which 60 One Hundred Fammts Americans. made liiiu iinpatient and jealous of any opposition to liis own settled views. This he could not bear, and often resented with his quick temper and sharp words. As Pi-esident. he pretty closely followed Washin£;-ton"s example, keeping- the old Cabinet. He would not join with France in the war with England, partly brought on l)y France's ])a rl in the American Revolution. The nation was not then fit to g'et into another war; l)ut the French Directory were displeased, and violated the rig-hts of the United States at sea, and sent liome her envoys. Then, without con- sulting- his Cabinet, for he knew they would oppose it, President Adams took the responsibility of sending- another Ambassador to France, who was received. This tlirew the Cabinet into confusion, and roused bad feeling- in both parties; but it has passed into history as the most courag-eous act of his life, and one of the bold- est sti-okes of American statesmanship, for it saved the country from a wai- at a time when the nation could not have endured it. The President and the Fe(k>ralists in Congress also lost favor with the people by passing- what ai'e called the Alien and Sedition Laws, the first of which al- lowed the President to arrest any alien, or foreig-ner, in the United States who mig-ht seem to be dang-ei'ous ; while undei- the Sedition Law an3' one who should speak evil of the Government could be punished. Meanwhile, the new party g-rew strong-er every year, and at the close of Adams's term of office, Jefferson Avas elected in his place. Mr. Adams felt very badly, and did not even wait to see the new President take the chair. He suddenly fell from a high place to almost nothing- in the eyes of the people, and went quietly «)iit of public life to the Massachusetts town where he -was born, the name of which had been chang-ed meanwhile from Braintree to Quincy. His own pai-ty, too, turned ag-ainst him, and he seemed to receive noth- ing but spite from eithei\ Settled in comfort and plenty upon his New Eng-land estates, he spent a g-reat deal of time in writing-, and these articles, which were published in the neAvspapers, g-i^adually showed the people how great a mistake tlun' had made in their- treatment of the man who had tried to serve them faith- fully for nearly forty years. The public g-rew to love and venerate him and to i'e,gret that they had allowed i>arty feeling- to blind them to the virtues of their g-reat statesman. He was spoken of as '"noble old John Adams," and finally he had the pleasure of seeing his son. John Qxhncy Adams, made President. But the most beautiful thing that came about after these sad latter days was that he and Jefferson g-rew to be friends again, and wrote letters to each other as long- as they lived. Tlie end, too, came for each on the same day. The hand that penned the Declaration of LidejK'ndence— the g-reatest paper in American history— and the voice that, after callin.^v for it amongr the loudest,' presented it and plead for it, John Hancock. 61 -were both stilled by death on the fiftieth anniversary of the day in which Congress adopted it. John Adams was born in Braintree — now Quincy — Massachusetts, on the 19th of October, 1735, and died at the same place July 4, 18:36. In the times before the Revolution, John Adams's name was oftener linked with those of John Hancock, James (_)tis, and Samuel Adams, than with any others in that larg'e and noble company of New England patriots. Of these, Samuel Adams was the leading- man. John Hancock was a member of the Massachusetts Legislature, boldly standing- up for liberty, about the time of the Stamp Act. He was one of the richest men in New England, led the best society in the Colony, and did a larger merchant business than almost any one else. About the first of the Boston out- breaks ag-ainst the British was caused by the King-'s officers seizing- his sloop Liberty and charging- her with hiding- forbidden goods. The people turned out in indignation ;ind treated his majesty's officers so roughly that they had to race to the fort in the harbor for safety, and leave their burning boat to the Americans. In 1773, Hancock was one who helped along the Tea Riot, and soon after made the bold and eloquent oration upon the victims of the " Boston Massacre " of 1770, at which the royal g'overnment took such great offense, that the effort was made to seize Hancock and Samuel Adams, which caused the fight at Concoi'd. There were few men at that time whose courage and patriotism were as great as Hancock's. He was leader of the Republican party in New England, had been a member of the General Assembly, was made President of the ProAincial Con- gress of Massachusetts, and in 1774 was chosen to the high office of President of the Continental Congress at Philadelphia. When the Declaration of Independ- ence was made in July it contained only the signatui'es of Secretary Charles Thompson and President Hancock, who said, when he had finished writing his name in large, bold letters, "The British ministrj^ can read that name without their spectacles. Let them double their rewai'd." By this he meant the large reward that had been off ei-ed the year before for the arrest of himself and Samuel Adams, Avho were considered arch-rebels agamst King George, and were the only two men excepted in the pardon offered b^^ General Gage after the fight in iOld King Street, now known as the " Boston Massacre." f \ Hancock had to leave Congress on account of his health, but he was soon -called upon to help make his State's Constitution, and to become its first Governor. Excepting for a short time, when he declhied the office, he was at the head of the Massachusetts commonwealth during the rest of his life. John Hancock was born at Braintree — now Quincy — Massachusetts, January 12, 1737. He died in Boston October S, 17!)3. 02 One Hundred Famous Amerieans. James Otis ^vas, it is believed, the greatest of early New England orators, and one of its ablest men. He was a leading lawyer in Boston from the time he fii-sl settled there in i;4S; but it was thirteen years after that when he broke forth with his finest burst of eloquence against the Writs of Assistance, before the General Courts of Massachusetts. Tliese Writs of Assistance were general search-warrants, which allowed the officers of the king to break open any citizen's store or dwelling to search for contraband merchandise; and, as they opened the way to many abuses, the people were very much roused ag-ainst them. When Otis i-ose to defend the rights of the people against this unjust measiu-e, he was, says John Adams, "a flame of fire He hurried away all before him. American independence was then and thei'e born." The ora- tor soon became the foremost leader of the popular party in Massachusetts, and held a liigh place in the Legislature for his ability and his eloquence. It was upon his motion that a congress of representatives of the various Colonies should meet, that the celebrated *' Stamp Act Congress " was held in New York in 17(i5. For several years Mr. Otis held the office of Judge Advocate under the Crown, but as he saw the government making one effort after another to enslave the Colonies, he made up his mind that he woidd not even practice his p7x)fession under royal right, aifd gave up his paying office two years after the gi'eat meeting in New York. He was now, both as a speaker and a writer of political pamphlets, foremost among the patriots of the North. When the news reached Boston that a body of armed Biitishers were coming- lo keep the city in order, Otis Avas looked to as the counsellor of the people. He was chosen moderator of the town meeting that first gathered at Faneuil Hall. I)ut being found too large for that room, adjourned to the Old South Church ; and ill the pulpit of that old house Otis poured forth his preaching's upon the saci-ed rights of libei'ly — moderation fii'st, but, if resistance was necessary, resist- ance to death. But "all through the great struggle to Avhich his eloquence had excited his countrymen, James ( )tis was like a blasted pine upon the mountains."" A political enemy by a bloAv on the head had so wreck<>d his reason that after the autumn of ITdK he was never wholly in his right mind for any length of time, althoug-h he i-eturn<'d to the L<'gislature in 1771, and there were times when he could even practice his profession, but his usefulness was gone. A man named Robinson was sent<:Miced to \r.\\ ten thousand dollars for this assault, but Mr. Otis forgave him the deed and had the fine remitted. James Otis was born at Bai'ustable, Massachusetts, February 5, 1725. He was killed by lightning in Andover, Massachusetts, May 23, 1783. ^ ^/5^^^^%C^^ ^^^A c:^' Facsimile of the Signatures to the Declaration of Independence. (j4 One Hundred Famous Americans. It lias been said lliat the title of the Father of Amei-ica l^elonj^s more truly to Samuel Adams than to any other man, for it was he who awoke the Colonies to t he desire for independence which Washington led forth the armies to achieve. He was not a great orator— Hancock, Otis, and many whose names are now forgotten, were "more eloquent than Adams— but he was a g-reat, moving-, in- dependent spirit, who knew how and Avhen to act, and who g-ave his life wholly to the service of his country from the time he was about thirty years old. He was a Harvard graduate, when it meant a great deal to have been to any college ; he had learned all classes of people in the office of tax-gatherer; he had been a plain member and a clerk of the Massachusetts Assembly, and when there came to be a real i>artv opposed to the Bi'itish yoke, Samuel Adams was a bold and leading- meinl)er of it. Ill May, 1TG4, ten years before the Revolution broke out, it was he who first spoke forth, for Boston and all America, a jjrotest against Lord Grenville's plan for taxing the Colonies. He was one of the most active members of the Colonial Legislature, and John Adams describes him, in his diary, as " zealous, ardent, and keen in the cause, ahvays for softness, delicacy, and prudence when they will do, but stanch and stiff and strict and rigid and inflexible in the cause." The next year he originated the idea of the Colonial Congress, and afterward advocated the Continental Congress. It was his lioldness as spokesman of the conmiittee that secured the removal of the troops after the " Boston Massacre ;" and although at first, in the Philadel]>hia Congress, he counseled settling our troubles peaceably if we could, no one did more than he to bring about the separation from England. " Step by step, inch by inch, he fought the enemies of liberty dur- ing the dark hours before the Revolution," excited the people to throwing the tea in Boston Harbor and other acts resisting the t\'ranny of Great Britain; and counseled courage and perseverance in the hearts of those who feared the results. When some of the members of the Continental Congress doubted the success of the effort, Adams exclaimed : "I sliovdd advise persisting in our struggle for libei-ty, though it were revealed from Heaven that ninety-nine were to perish and only one of a thousand were to survive and retain his liberty ! One such freeman must possess more virtue and enjoy more happiness than a thousand slaves, and his children may have what he has so nobly preserved." He signed the Declaration and was one of the most useful members of the Con- tinental Congress from the beginning to the close of the Revolution. Much of the success of the patriots is due to the industry and judgment of this hard-working menibci-, who is now sometimes called the helmsman of the Revolution. After tlu' surrender at Yorktown, he left Congress, but on gomg back to Massa- chusetts, was not allowed to rest from public life. He was called to help in re- Patrick Henry. 65 organizing- the Commonwealth, and, after the death of Hancock, was elected to the office of Governor yeai- after year, until he was seventy-five years old and no long'er able to carr3^ its cares. When Ml'. Adams was an old man, his son died and left him enough to live on. Before that he was always poor, and in middle life, Avhen his children were little, his first wife supported the family. Samuel Adams was born in Boston, September 27, 1722, and died in the same city October 2, 1803. The rich and most lo3^al commonwealth of Virginia was not so ready to resist the oppression of Great Britain as the leading Colonies of the North. The Legis- lature — or House of Burgesses — had almost reached the close of its session in 17G5 without taking any decided measure upon the Stamp Act, when, one day, a tall and slender young man, unknown to many in that splendid assembly, arose to speak. It was Patrick Henry, a new member, and a lawyer from Louisa County. The rich planters were amazed and indignant, that this raw laAv.yer, unprac- ticed in statesmanship, should l)e so bold as to address the house upon so impor- tant a sul)ject. But Henrj^ had something to say, and soon held the attention of every member. He offered a brief set of resolutions, setting forth that the Bur- gesses and the Governor had the exclusive right and power to lay taxes and im- ports on the people of this Colony, and that not only the Stamp Act, but all acts of Parliament affecting the rights of the Colonies, were not according to the Con- stitution and therefore void. This was entirely too bold for a large number of the members and raised a great storm, but Henry would not yield. The old walls rung with the powerful enthusiasm and mighty force of his words, and even the most patriotic were surprised when he blazed forth : " Caesar had his Brutus, Charles the First his Cromwell, and George the Third '" " Treason ! Trea- son ! " broke in the presiding officer and the members, after which the orator finished in a calmer tone, "may profit by their example. If this be treason, make the most of it." The resolutions were adopted, and from that time forth Patrick Henry has stood among the first and greatest of American orators. He was a zealous patriot, and became a powder in the Colonies. He took a leading part among Virginians in all the important affairs that followed this stand against the King, keeping up his profession meanwhile with what would have been wonderful ability for a man far better educated than he ; for Patrick Henry was not a scholar and a gentleman born and bred, as were many of his great companions. He was about thirty years old at this time, and, until two years before, had made a failure at ever^^thing he 66 One Hundred Famous Americans. ever tried to do, excepting- at idliii.^- away his time, hunting- and fishing, scraping- a violin, playing on a flute, following the hounds, and telling stories. When he was about twenty-five ^^ears okl, he made an effort toward becoming- a lawyer, and althoug-h he was admitted to the bar, he had so little to do in his profession tliat he stayed at home mostly and helped about the tavern at Hanover Court- House, kept by his father-in-law, who also supported Henry's wife and family. But one day he was called to court to take a part in a case called the " Parson's Cause,*" which some more important lawyer had refused. His opponent was one of the prominent men of those times, and the plaintiffs smiled at their already as- sured success when this awkward, backward, ill-mannered man rose to speak for the other side. But suddenly his timidity and bashfulness passed away ; he seemed to change completely before their eyes; his form swelled out; and his clear, forcible words astonished every hearer. The plaintiff's left their seats under the burning- storm of his words, and the jury returned to them a verdict of one penny damages. The people grew so enthusiastic that they lifted tlie young- man on their shoulders and carried him out of the Court-House in triumph. He was from that day an eminent man in his profession ; plenty of business and mone.>- beg-an to come to him now, and in a couple of years he was elected to the Virginia House of Bui-gesses, Vhere, in his first session, he made the great speech which S' set the ball of the Revolution rolling-." Yet, all this was but a foreshadowing- of what he w^as to do, Now that he had once set himself to work in real earnest, the wonderful powers of his mind beg-an to show themselves ; friends and strang-ers were surprised with his wisdom and power of speech. At that time our country was sorely in need of men fearless and eloquent, with hearts full of the love of justice and liberty— men who had seen and studied people, who knew the records of history, and the laws that had made nations great or caused them to fall. It was just such a man that this roll- ing stone, this unsuccessful student, farmer, and merchant had been unknowing-ly preparing himself to be. He was as much surprised as 'A\^\ one at what liad been hidden witliin him so long. But noAv that he knew, he labored with all his sti-ength to make the most of himself. The bad manners, slovenly dress, and the idle, careless habits that marred his youth were corrected. Always honorable, he noAv gained the reputation of being also prompt and faithful in all matters of business. H<' was a man who never drank liquor or used bad language. His companions lo\ed and i-espected him. He was kind and hospitable to friends and straiig-(n-s. generous to his neighbors, and although it is said that h(^ w^as jealous of his rivals, there is no actual record of it; but there is record of his having- spoken heartil.y in praise of them more than once. 'J^he great man's face sometimes looked stern and severe, with its de(^p lines Patrick Henry. 67 and the grave, thoug-htful expression upon the hig-h forehead and al)out the res- okite mouth and chin. His complexion was dark and his cheeks had no color in them. His nose was long and tinely shaped, and the full eyebrows were very often drawn together, hut when he smiled a hrig-ht sunshine seemed to spread over his countenance, lighting- up the deep-set blue-g-ray e^^es that seemed quite dark from the long-, heavy lashes, and completely changing- his mouth. Those Patrick Henry. who knew him well could almost tell whether he was pleased or displeased , and just how much, by the expression of his lips. In 1773 he worked with Thomas Jefferson, Dabney Carr, and the two Lees upon the Committee of Correspondence, whose duty it was to spread intelligence among- the Colonies ; he met with the different Virginia Assemblies that were so often broken up by the Royal Governor and reorganized by the people : and was one of the delegates to the Congress at Philadelphia, which sent a petition to the King- and an address to the people of the mother country. But it was after his return to Virginia when the convention of March, 1775. (ii^ One Hundred Famous Americans. was hold in Riohnioiul tluit liis iireatest blaze of oratory came out. All now looked 111)011 him as the lt>adiiii;- spirit of the Assembly', but when he presented resolutions to organize militar\' forces and take an open stand against Great Britain l)y puttiiiii- the Colony in a state of defense, there was a strong- opposition raised. AViUiam Wirt lells us that Henry answered these falterers in the stirring- words : ••Tlieic is no retreat but in submission and slavery. Our chains are already forged. Their clanking- may be heard in the plains of Boston. The next g-ale that sweeps fi-om the Noi-th will bring- the clash of resounding- arms. I know not what course others nia.\ lalse, but as for me, g-ive me liberty or g-ive me death! "* Without a vote against it, the resolution was adopted ; and when, in less than a nu>nth, the news from the North told of the fights at Lcxing-ton and Concord, Virginia was ready to join in with the New Eng-land Colonies for freedom, liberty and I'ig-ht. Henry set about g-athering- military forces at once, and did some g-ood woi'k ni command of them for a time, but resigned before very long- and devoted his time and strength to the work in the Leg-islature, where he stayed all through the A\ar. After peace was restored, as Governor and member of conventions, he sjient an active and useful life, declining- many of the higher offices offered hmi by both Pi-esidents Washington and Adams. John Randolph, of Roanoke, said that Patrick Henry was Shakespeare and Garrick combined and brought into the real business of life. Never was there such a genius to put his thought into words as Shakespeare, and no one at that time could utter those words as David Garrick had done. Patrick Henry was born at Studley, Virginia, May 29, 1736. He died in the same State, at his country-seat, Red Hill, in Charlotte County, June 6, 1799. Very few men luue left a deeper impression upon ovir nation and government than Tlioinas Jetterson. From the time when, as a brilliant young lawyer twenty-six years old, he was first elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses, till, at the age of sixtA'-six, he retired from the President's chair after two successful adnnnisti-ations, he was one of the foremost men in American politics. When only seven years old, and attending a poor country school in Albemarle County, Viigiiua, he showed such signs of becoming- a scholar that a tutor Avas soon after engaged to give him private lessons in French and the ancient lan- guages. He entered an advanced class in William and Mary College when he was seventeen, and here he sti^adily fulfilled the promise he had given, and studied from twelve to fifteen hours a day, making the best of all that the young college could give the youth of Virginia in those old Colonial times. In two years he graduated and then began to study law as earnestlv as he had devoted himself to Thomas Jefferson. 69 lang-uag-es and mathematics, and when he was twenty-four he was admitted to the bar and immediately won a place among the foremost lawyers of his time. He seemed to bound into success 'at once, and to be quickly rewarded for his hard work and diligent study in preparation. Before long-, too, he was taking- Thomas Jefferson. active part in the Colony's politics. The tall, bony, well-developed figure of Jef- ferson soon became one of the common sights at the public assemblies. Being- considerably over six feet tall, his square-looking- features, ruddy skin, sandy or reddish hair could not fail to attract attention, and his quick, positive way, and disregard for formally polite usages, made him as marked in manners as he was m looks. He was a thorough i-epublican, and could not even bear to be addressed 70 One Hundred Famous Americans. by so small a title as " Mr." He wanted society to acknowledg-e all men equal, and in i-eiiard to slavery, which was then common in the North as well as in the South, he said openly: "'I tremble for my" country when I remember that God is just, for this is politically and morally wrong." He made a vain effort in the House of Bur.iivsses to give masters the right to free their slaves whenever they thouglit i)ro|)('r. Although he never made a foi'mal speech in his life, Jefferson was ranked as the ablest i)t)litical leailer of his time, being especially quick and prompt to act. A large part of his public Avoi-k was done with his pen. In 177:5 he united wdth Patrick Henry and other patriots on the famous Committee of (Jori-espondence, and the next year, at the convention in Philadelphia, presented a paper called "A Summary View of the Rights of British America." This was a strong argument for the right to resist unjust taxes, and many parts of it are much like some por- tions of the Declaration. It was so able that Edmund Burke caused it to be printed in England, with a few changes. The. convention would not adopt its rad- ical measures, hoping still to make some peaceful half-way settlement with the mother country. But it was afterward adopted by the patriots of Virginia, where Avith such men as Patrick Henry, Peyton Randolph, Richard Henry Lee, and George Washington, aroused, the cause moved rapidh- on. Military forces were mustered, and Jeffei-son placed commander-in-chief by Washington's appoint- ment : and in the conventions and congresses that followed each other in those troubled and important years, Thomas Jefferson was one of the ablest, most active, and impoi'tant of all the noble company drawn from every Colony. He made speeches, answered arguments, advised others, served on committees, and worked \\ith untiring zeal upon the great and serious affairs of the da,y, crowning all by the noble Declaration of Independtnice, which is now ranked as one of the vei-y ablest documents ever written, and stands as the most important paper in all modei"n political history. At the request of the other members of the com- mittee, Jeffei'son, who was chairman and the youngast man among the five, pre- pared the Declaration entirely himself; and John Adams, who was a better speakei-. read it to the assembly. Jefferson left Congress to be in the Virginia Legislature, where he labored, almost without rest, in making over and improving old laws and proposing new ones. Vii-ginia was settled by many proud old families, who strongly opposed evt-rN-thing that they feared would interfere with their privileges. Jefferson was of grantl old stock, too, but with him the new era of equality and liberty had opened : lir had its int^'rests at heai-t, and untiringly used both voice and pen in tlieir hchair. Among the most important of his reforms were the establishment of rrligions ficcddni and s1()|)ping the importation of slaves. Others were in regai'd to Thomas Jefferson. 71 the holding- and inheritance of property, for to his mind the aristocratic old English customs and laws were out of place in a republican g-overnraent. He also made up a complete plan for common school and higher education in Virginia. During the whole of the war Jefferson was active and busy at the head of civil affairs in his native State. He followed Patrick Henry as Governor. He held this office during the most gloomy time in the conflict, but not with great credit, for he was not a military- man, and several times the State and his own life were endangered by the enemj^'s forces. He saw this himself and refused the office a second term, and General Nelson, of Yorktown, was chosen in his place. In 1783 he repoited the settlement of the peace treaty to Congress, and an- nounced that the world acknowledged the independence which the Americans had declared on the Fourth of July, seven years before. At the next session his bill for the Federal coinage was passed, and the pounds, shillings, and pence of Eng- land were displaced for the national currency of the United States ; he also took a noted and active part in regard to the government of the Western tei'ritory and many other important mattei's ; and, excepting that Congress would not agree to Ms measures for "the total abolition of slavery after the year 1800," his plans were adopted as he presented them. The larg'er part of the next five years was spent by Jefferson in Government business with foreign countries, mostly as American Minister to Paris, in place of the honored Benjamin Franklin. This was a happy time to the great Vii-ginian, whose life had been filled with many cares and sorrows beside the duties of pub- lic life. He published there his famous book, called " Notes on Vii-ginia," which is the finest of his writings and attracted a great deal of attention and praise throughout all Europe. In 1789 he asked to come home. He reached America soon after Washington was elected President, and accepted the second place in the nation by becoming- Secretary of State. Up to this time there had been scarcely any part^' feeling in the country. But Jefferson had not been in office long before a pi-etty distinct division of party views was plain among the people. Alexander Hamilton, in favor of Federal government, was at the head of the old party, the Federalists, Avho, as opposed to the Royalists, had won the independence of the land. But now there was a new division. Jefferson believed in States' rights, opposed the Constitution, and taking a stand against many of Hamilton's views, became leader of the new Republican party, the same that was afterward called the Democratic party, and has been one of the great elements in the politics of the United States ever since. This party insisted upon each State being more im- portant than the one government over them all, and thought that the Federal power ought to be as limited as possible. This brought out a good deal of strong 72 One Hundred Famous Americans. fei'liiift- and opposition, so that party feeling" was far stronger than national feeling- witli many people on both sides. After Washington, John Adams and Jefferson were about the most promi- nent men in the country, so, when the time for another election came round, and the o-reat first President gave notice that he would not accept another term of office, these two received more A'otes than any others for the Presidency. According to the Uiw then in force, Adams, having the most votes, was President, and Jeffer- son, with the next largest number, Avas Vice-President. For these four years he led a quiet life, as is the usual custom with Vice- Presidents : but when the lively contest for the next election came he stepped forth once more, more prominent than ever, and for eight years was not o\\\y at the head of the nation, but the foremost of American statesmen. He began at once a great many reforms, especially against the stately and formal manners and the expensive public customs that had before existed. He rode to his in- auguration alone and on horseback, where others before him had gone in a coach drawn by four horses. He sent a written message to Congress instead of going himself and delivering a formal speech, as the others did ; and in many other things he carried his " Jeffersonian simplicity," as it is commonly spoken of, so far that we were ridiculed abroad as a careless-behaving and ill-bred people. The only very important event in this President's first term — when the polished Aaron Burr was Vice-President — was the famous "Louisiana purchase." Tliis was to buy the gi-eat territory that, adjoining the United States on the west, extended from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains. It was as lai'ge as the whole of the United States possessions, and was offered by Napoleon for fif- teen millions of dollars. As Congress was not then in session, Jefferson took the responsil)ilit\- of tlu; great purchase; upon himself, for he feai'ed that even if Congress were called to a special session, it would oppose the plan ; and he knew that there was no time to be lost, for if the United States did not buy the great tract, Eng- land was already almost prepared to make a desperate attempt to get it away from France. It was a bold deed, which many people strongly censured at the time, but wliich has pi-oved — as Jefferson foresaw it would — one of the greatest benefits our nation could have received. George Clinton, who Avas a great and prominent man, the first R('i)ul)lican of New York and the father of our common schools, was Vice-President during Jetferson's second term ; and this was a more stirring time tlian the first. Among tlic most imjiortant events of this administration was the gi-eat trial of Aaron V>\\v\\ who. hy his wild operations in Mexico, drew the Government into troultlf Willi S|»:iiii and into other serious difficulties. A short time after this, Hamilliiii. Hit- grcal Fcdeialist leader, died also by the hand of Burr. Steps were Jolin Jay. 73 taken in other countries that ruined our foreign trade and caused g-reat money troubles throughout the land ; and, greatest concern of all. Great Britain issued a "right of search," by which she claimed — and took — the privilege of boarding- our vessels when they were found on the high seas, to search for her own subjects, according to the doctrine that any one who had once been a British subject was so always. • B3' this a great many of our sailoi's, in spite of their pi'otests, Avere impressed into the British service, until finally it was done for the last time in June, 1807, when the English ship Richard fired into the American frigate Chesapeake, boarded her, and carried away four men who were declared to be British deserters. The whole country was roused. The President declared against any armed British vessels coming into American waters, and also issued the Embargo Act, which forbade all American vessels from leaving home ports. This poorly' met the trouble, for it killed all foreign trade, and there was a sti'ong feeling against it. The old Federal party woke up to new life to resist it, and only a few days before the third President's term closed, the act was repealed. Jefferson's political life closed in 1809, and in his quiet home at Monticello, Virginia, he spent the remainder of his days, devoting a large amount of thought and money to establishing the University of Virginia, at Charlottesville, to which he gave great care, and was proud of calling himself the father. Thomas Jefferson was born at Shadwell, A^irginia, April 2, 1743. He died at Monticello, a portion of the old family estate, July 4, 1826. The year after Jefferson was admitted to the Virginia bar, John Jay became a lawyer in New York. The two men were about the same age — Ja\- a little the younger — and both very soon became distinguished, not only as laAy^'ers, but also as earnest, able patriots. They Avere not old enough to take any part in the Stamp Act excitement, but they became so prominent in the affairs that soon followed, that they were both sent to the first Continental Congress in 1774. Jay was the leading man from New York, and Avas put upon the famous committee of three to pi-epare the address to the people of Great Britain, Avhich AA^as sent Avith an api^eal to the King for the rights of the American Colonies. He dreAv up this paper alone, and Jefferson, not knoAving Avho AA^rote it, said, "It is the production of the finest pen in America.'' After this there AA^ere many important papers, and difficult errands of states- manship Avhich John Jay Avas called upon to fulfill, for his oAvn Colony and for Congress, and he thrcAv his Avhole strength and spirit into the Avork. Duties in the NcAv York convention kept him awaj^ from Congress when the Declaration was adopted, but, warml^^ in favor of it, he supported it cordially* and did a great deal to make the umvilling New Yorkers adopt it. Almost as soon as he returned to ';4 One Hundred Famous Americans. Fliiladelphia he was elected President of Congress, and lor nearly a year he pre- sided over that body of great men, with great dignity and abihty, while he was also Cliief Justice of the Court of New York. The next year he went to Europe, and was kept there by Government business (hiring all the years of 1 lie war, and until some time after the treaty with England was signed at Paris in 1 ;m;{. On coming home he found that Congress had made hi I a Hecretai-y of Foreign Affairs. As the Government w^as then in very unset- tled and unpleasant relations to European nations, and without almost any power and dignity of its own, this was the most important office in the land. Jay cheer- fully took up its many and difficult duties and attended to them ably and faith- fully as long as the Govermnent by Congress lasted. In the eighth year of American independence the Government was reorganized under the new Federal Constitution, and when George Washington, at the head of the nation, was forming his Cabinet, he otfered Mr. Jay the choice of the offices in his gift. He felt that no one Avas more deserving of this choice, nor better fit- ted to fill the duties of whatever post he might select, for at this time Jay was a man over forty yeai's old. and had proved himself a thorough statesman in some of the most trying allairs of the nation. He selected the office of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and in him tlie bar of the nation had for its first chief one whose Icai-iring and ability, and prudence, mildness, and firmness were a worthy model t'oi- all who might follow. He did not wush to undertake the errand to England to settle the differences lietween the two countries in 1794. He knew very well that it would be impossi- l)l(' at that time for any one to niake a treaty with Great Britain that would meet with favor from all of the public, for the feeling of the people w^as much di- vided. However, he went, and the settlement famous in history as ''Jay's Treaty" was agreed upon before the close of the year. There was great op])osi- tion to it in France and by the ••' French party," or people favorable to France in t his country. So much excitement was raised about it that mobs gathered in the cities, lit bonfires, threatened many things, and they even burned an effigy of Jay in Boston. But Alexander Hamilton, Fisher Ames, and some of the strongest men in the country supported the treat}-, audit was finally adopted, and remamed ill torce for about ten years. By tlie time the ambassador returned, the matter was quietly accepted in this country, and he found himself already elected Governor of New York. Wliile he hi -1(1 this office, slavery was abolished in the State, for Jay had long been a strong advocate of anti-slavery in all parts of the country, and was President of one of its largest societies. He served as Governor for two terms, but declined a third, :ind also ivfuscd the offer of his old office of United States Chief Jus- De Witt Clinton. 75 tice. He was then nearly sixty years old, and wished to spend the rest of his days out of politics and public life, excepting- where he could be useful in helping- along- niattei-s of national peace, temperance, religion, and liberty for slaves. He was a devout and earnest man, of uprig-ht moral character, deep piety, and lofty unselfishness and patriotism. John Jay was born in New York City, December 12, 1745, He died at Bedford, New York, May 17, 1829. Probably the ablest statesman that ever followed John Jay as Governor of New York was De Witt Clinton. Fresh from college and law studies, he be- g-an his political life as private secretary to his uncle, the honoi-ed Georg-e Clinton, Avho was Governor before Jay ; and althoug-h he was then only twenty-one years old, he soon had an active part in the public affairs of the day. In the course of about twelve years, he rose from one office to another, and became the chief leader of the Democratic party in New York, aithoug-h after the Democrats were united to the Tammany Society, he became a stanch Republican. He was legislator and Senator in the State, United States Senator, and in 1803 became Mayor of New York City. This was then a very important office, for the Mayor was also President of the Council, and Chief Judge of the Common Pleas and the Ci'iminal Courts. *'He was," says an American writer, " on all sides looked upon as the most rising- man in the Union," Altog-ether he held the office of Mayor for eig-ht years, and the Empire City prospered veiy much under his wise and able manage- ment. The New York Historical Society, the old Academy of Arts, the first Orphan Asylum, and other institutions to encourag-e art, literature, science, and benevo- lence, were founded by him or throug-h his influence. A larg-e part of his life was devoted to establishing- free schools, public librai-ies, and other aids to students who cannot obtain a costly education. During- the last years that he was Mayor, he was also Lieutenant-Governor of the State, and in 1817 he was almost unanimously' elected Governor, His g-reat object, during- both his first and second terms as Governor, was to have the State carry out Jesse Hawley's plan for the Erie Canal, Throug-h his efforts a bill authorizing- the building- of this canal was passed by the Leg-islature in the spring- that he was elected Govei-nor, and his chief object now was to see it com- pleted. But people did not believe it possible, and the State would not provide money to continue the work. Clinton's "big- ditch" became a standing- joke for all the wits and newspapers in the country-. It was ridiculous— people said — to think of making- a canal sixty- three miles long-, and supposing- that it could ever be used for boats to g-o from the 7(3 Que Hniulred Fanwiis Americans. seaboard to the great lakes. While many merely made fun it, a large party foug-ht against it, as a scheme that would be a g-reat loss to the State. Chnton declined to be Governor in 18-3:3, and his enemies streng-thened very much the opposition to his plans, and even removed him from the presidency of the Canal Commission. But this was so unjust that the people rallied around him, and elected liini Gov- ernor ag-ain llie next term b\- the largest majority a candidate for tliat office ever received. Clinton and his friends, meanwhile, had been keeping steadily at Avork toward proving- the value of their great plan : and in 1825 the "ditch" was finished, the sluices were opened, and the Avaters of Lake Erie made their way to the sea, form- ing- a water-course that is Avortli millions of dollars to the State and the nation, every year. Those who had called Clinton insane before now praised him without measure. Bonfires and fire-Avorks, speeches and processions Avere the order of the (la\-, and Clinton Avas its hero. A great majority re-elected him as Governor. President John Quincy Adams offered him the place of Ambassador to England, but he declined that, as he still had work to do in his OAvn State. This Avas a change in the Constitution so as to alloAV universal suffrage at elections, and has since been carried out, although Clinton did not live to see it, for he died suddenly at Albany, in the mi«lst of his Avork and of the popularity Avhich — outside of his party — was a long while in coming to him. Few people have done so much for their covmtry and so influenced their times as this tall, distinguished-looking man, whose rugged, sincAvy frame and massive head bespoke the power as well as the haughty nature Avithin. Although he sometimes lost sight of party as Avell as personal friends in his high ambition, espe- cially in his -' never unworthy, but ahvays uuAvise " desire to reach the President's chair, and while his bravery Avas sometimes rashness, and by not controlling his temper he too often got into needless difficulties Avith others, he has been ranked as " Avithout exception the greatest man of the period to Avhich he belonged." and " one of the few Avho are not OA-ershadoAved by the greater merits and opportimi- ties of those Avho came before him and liaA^e a ReA'olutionary renown." The futui'e and the present Avants of his country, in its uncertain condition after the Avar, Avere cleai'ly before his eyes, and he had the courage to labor for this Avith untii-ing zeal at a time when a large number of the men around him had feAv motives above personal i-enown or gains and party spite, and devoted themseUes to abusing him, misrepresenting him, and openly attacking all that he did. One bitter defeat the.A- secured, but he appeared again after a few years, stronger than evei-, e(|ual to {'xery ofTicial responsibility, and Avith a stronghold on the mass of people, partly won by his ability as an oi-ator, and ])artly on account of his good deeds of kiiiihicss. He always took iij) the rights of the Aveak against the strong, De Witt Clinton. TT and " there was not a poor man in New York but looked up to him as a friend and admired that stateliness of hearing- which others called haug-htiness." In spite of De Witt Clinton. all his ancient enemies — the Tammany party— could do against him, he held the people's love until the day of his death. De Witt Clinton was born at Little Britain, New York, March 2, 1769. He (lied in the Governor's chair, at Albany, February 11, 1828. LATER STATESMEN AND ORATORS. A BOUT lifteen years after Patrick Henry's great g-eniiis first awoke in ])lead- -i-TV. ing ag-ainst the famous "Parson's Cause," Henry Clay, the second of America's greatest orators, was born, in a low, swampj^ district called the " Slashes," only a few miles away from the very tavern Avhere Henry had lived. He began his education at a log'-cabin school-house in Hanover County. His father died when he was about five years old, leaving a large family and scarcely any- tliing to support them, so it was Clay's duty to work, more than to study, even while he was ver.y young. He did chores, helped on the farming, and carried g-raiii to the mill. This is why, in after years, he was called the " Mill-boy of the Slashes." When fourteen years old he went into a store in Richmond, from which he was taken into the office of the Clerk of the Court of Chancery. He was an awkward boy then, and the othei" lads in the office made fim of him. But they found out, before long, that he was able to take his own part, and that it was better to have Henry Clay for a friend than an enem3\ His work was mostly dull copying, but he gathered from it all the knoAvledge and hints about law that he could, and so pleased the Chancellor that he asked him to become his private secretary. The Chancellor was a very industrious and pain.staking man, not only in studying- law, but in gathering- general knowledge. His secretary was just the sort of an energetic, studious fellow he liked, so he talked with him and taught him a gi^eat deal, and always found him glad to learn. In a little while Clay began to read law, and did it so earnestlj^ and thoroughly that he was able to practice before he was twenty-one. Although he was bright and winning in liis manners, he did not seek gay, hvely young people for his com- panions ; most of his time was given to work, but he had a few well-chosen young- friends, and never lost a chance to be with good men and women from whom he could learn wisdom in knowledge and character. The year- in which Henry Clay was admitted to the bar, there were a great many people moving westward to settle the fertile valleys of Kentucky. The young lawyer thought this would be a good chance for him to build up a fine Henry Clay. 7f> practice, and so he became a citizen of Lexing-ton. He was very poor at first, l)ut whatever he undei-took was so well done that he soon became widely known and Henry Clay. had plenty of business. In a few years he married a Kentucky lady, and beg-an to take an active part in politics on the side of the newly-formed Republican part\-, led by Thomas Jefferson, and opposed to the Federal party, led by Alexander Hamilton. go One Hundred Famous Americans. About tliis time, the people of Kentucky were making over tlieir Constitution, and Clay worked so zealously to have slavery put out of the State that he lost a j4-reat deal of his popularity, for Kentucky had large interests in slave labor. But he came back into favor again after his noble opposition to the Alien and Sedition Laws, described in the sketch of John Adams ; and in 1803 he was elected to the Kentucky Legislatui'e b}- a lai-ge vote. He was now among the foremost men of his State, and was soon sent to the United States Senate to finish out the term of a man who had retired. In about three j^ears more he was returned by regular election, and aftei- that term was over he became a member of the House of Rep- resentatives in Washington, where he was elected Speaker after a few months. These were in the early years of this century, when troubles were thickening- bet ween England and America for a second time. Clay's stand was decidedly in favor of letting the war come on. He is said to have done more than any one else toward the success of the war party, which was led by John C. Calhoun, of South Carolina, then a new member, but a great power. Clay strongly denounced Eng- land's claim of right to search our vessels on the high seas and take away our sailors because they had once been British subjects, and he declared that we should hold to our rights as a nati(3fi at whatever cost. But he was not a lover of strife, as Cal- houn seemed to be, and when Russia offered, as a friend to both countries, to help arrauge some terms of peace, " Hariy of the West," as Clay was called, was thought to be a wise person to put upon the committee foi' the United States. With foui- otlier commissioners, he went to Ghent, iu Belgium, where a treaty was agreed upon the day before Chiistinas, 1814. This treaty ended the war, and by Clay "s cai-ef ul management was made favorable to the United States in many ways. On ccjming back to America, he was at once re-elected to Congress and to the Speakership, which post he held thirteen j-^ears altogether. There Avas a powerful