tT \\' " / * X .X^' r§: = "^<^-5;<^ -^c^ ■o , . *~ .^'^ ^^^ v^ ..-J^ ■ r^"^' .^^ '-^^ >o •^ ■s> >p°<. *^* \ * o , '^;; >P^ s :e , V I « <1 TV f. 8 1 \ x>* -••-;%•■■- -C -. ,<^^' .-^ A .-^ ,v\^ ^'^ o. ,•0' - , V I fl <^ "'« , v-*" .A "OO^ V. T' ' V ./>. ">. . c>^ >V c " ^ '• « 'o. r>^ oo^ ^.' .o^ -^ ^^^ ■"^^, V< --/ > ^ c '\° ^^^ : "--^^^ ,\'> » I A ' 1' 1 » n . . * . . ^ " . \^ - -•^. * , ^ ' f^ ;^ ■ - ^:--:v ^ - ^*,.o'^-^^ ^. 0> * J 1 4 HISTORY OP THE ir^i^mp g^^^^g OP AMERICA. BY i REV. CHARLES A. GOODRICH. WITH SKGRikVIXrGS. TWENTY THIRD EDITION. » IN WHICH THE HISTORICAL EVENTS ARE BROUGHT DOWN TO THE YEAR 1827. AND TO WHICH IS ADDED A GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW OF THE UNITED STATES. NEW-YORK, WILLIAM \r. R£ED &/ CO. MDCCCXXVIIl. DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT, ss. Be it remembered, That on the eighth day of h. s. March, in the forty-seventh year of the Indepen- dence of the United States of America, Rev. Charles A. Goodrich, of the said district, hath deposited in this oflSce the title of a hook, the right whereof he claims as author, in the vrords following — to wit : " A His- tory of the United States of America. By Rev. Charles A. Goodrich. With Engravings." In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled " An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned." CHAS. A. INGERSOLL, Clerk of the District of Conneetieut. A. true copy of Record, examined and sealed by me. CHAS. A. INGERSOLL, Clerk of the District of Connecticut. ^ / >- ^ PREFACE. 7? Some time since, the author pubhshed a His- tory of the United States for schools, the plan of which, though novel, met with general approba- tion. Encouraged by this sanction of a work, originally offered with much diffidence, the au- tujr ventures to bring before the public the present volume, founded upon the work above- mentioned, but somewhat expanded, both in respect to leading facts, and minute details. As to the views which led the author to adopt a plan, in treating a historical subject, so widely departing from precedent and authority, he would refer to his preface to the school book for an explanation. Whether these views will satisfy every one of the excellence of the plan, or not, it is hoped, that they may at least rescue the work from being classed with that deluge of publications, which inundate the country, and which seem to have no better origin than conceit, or pecuniary speculation. For the benefit of the reader who may not advert to the work already mentioned, the fol- lowing explanations may be necessary. 4 PREFACE. This History of the United States is divided into eleven periods — each distinguished by some pecuUar characteristic. The main purpose of this division is, to aid the memory by presenting certain prominent eras, from which the whole subject of dates may be distinctly surveyed ; and the object of attaching to each period some dis- tinguishing trait is, that the recollection may the more readily assign events to their eras, and thus determine their dates. Thus, a person acquaint- - ed with our division of the subject knows that all discoveries^ or nearly all, belong to period I, and therefore lie between the years 1492 and 1607. He is, therefore, able to fix the date of any discovery, with, sufficient accuracy for all practical purposes. The same will apply to events belonging to the other periods. Two sizes of type are employed. The matter in larger type is designed to give a brief outline of the history of the United States, and may be ^ read in connexion. The matter in smaller type is to be regarded rather in the light of notes, which, without studying exact regularity, are thrown in, as they may subserve the purposes of illustration and completeness in the delineation of events ; or as they may contribute to support the interest, and establish the recollections of the reader. INTRODUCTION. In entering upon the perusal of a volume with higher objects in view than those of mere amuse- ment, it is well to place those objects distinctly before us. What advantages, then, do we pro pose to ourselves, in perusing the History of the United States ? In general, it may be said, that the proper end of all reading is to make ^^ good men and good citizens.'^'' But by what particular steps is History to subserve this end ? 1 . History sets before us striking instances of rirtue, enterprise, courage, generosity, patriot- ism ; and, by a natural principle of emulation, incites us to copy such noble examples. History also presents us with pictures of the vicious ultimately overtaken by misery and shame, and thus solemnly warns us against vice. 2. History, to use the words of Professor Tytler, is the school of politics. That is, it opens the hidden springs of human affairs ; the causes of the rise, grandeur, revolutions, and fall of empires ; it points out the influence which the manners of a people exert upon a government, and the influence which that government recip- INTRODUCTION. locally exerts upon the manners of a people ; it illustrates the blessings of political union, and the miseries of faction ; the dangers of unbridled liberty, and the mischiefs of despotic power. Observation. In a free country, where every man may be called upon to discharge important duties, either by his vote, or by the administration of office, it is the business of all to be more or less acquainted with the science of politics. Nothing can better instruct us in this than the study of history. 3. History displays the dealings of God with mankind. It calls upon us often to regard with awe his darker judgments, and again it awakens the liveliest emotions of gratitude for his kind and benignant dispensations. It cultivates a sense of dependence on him ; strengthens our confidence in his benevolence ; and impresses us with a conviction of his justice. 4. Besides these advantages, the study of history, if properly conducted, offers others, of inferior importance, indeed, but still they arc not to be disregarded. It chastens the imagina- tion ; improves the taste ; furnishes matter for conversation and reflection ; enlarges the range of thought ; strengthens and disciplines the mind. GENERAL. DIVISION. The History of the United States of America may be divided into Eleven Periods^ eacli dis- tinguished by some striking characteristic, or remarkable circumstance. The jFiVf^t ^CtiOtl will extend from the DiscoT cry of America, by Columhifs, 1492, to the first permanent English settlement in Ameri- ca, at Jamestown, Virginia, 1607, and is distin- guished for Discoverie-. Obs. Previous to the discovery of America in 1492, the in- habitants of Europe, Asia, and Africa, were of course ignorant of its existence. But soon after this event, several expeditions were fitted out, and came to make discoveries, in what was tlien called the " New World." Accordingly, between 1492 and IfiOr, the principal countries lying along tlie eastern coast of N(.irt]i America, were discovered, and more or less explm =»d. As our history, during this period, embraces little more than accounts of these expeditions, we characterize it as remarKeu le for discoveries. The StCOIttI pf tiOtI will extend from the Settlement of Jamestoicn, 1607, to the accession of William and Mary to the throne of England, 1689, and is distinguished for Settlements. Obs. During this period our history is principally occupied in detailing the various settlements, which were either effected, or attempted, within the boundaries of the United States, It inchuJcs, indeed, wars with the natives — disputes between pro- prietors cf lands, and colonies — the formation of governments, &c. &c. ; but these are circumstances which pertain to, and form a part of, the settlement of new countries. As this pe- Iriod embraces the settlement of most of the original States in the Union, viz. IViassachusetts, including Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New-Hampshire, New-York, New-Jersey, Penn- sylvania, Maryland, Delaware, North and South Carolina, and Virginia, it is therefore characterized as remarkable for settle- menti. 8 GENERAL DIVISION. The S^i^ftTf 4PCT(0tl will extend from the Accession of William and Mary to the throne of England, 1689, to the declaration of the war by England against France, called " the French and Indian War," 1756, and is remarkable for the three wars of King William, Queen Anne, and George II. Obs. So long as the Colonies remained attached to the Eng" glish crown, they became involved, of course, in the wart »>1 the mother country. Three times during this period, was \TOr proclaimed between England and France, and, as the Frenv^ii had possession of Canada, and were leagued with several powerful tribes of Indians, as often did the colonies become the theatre of their hostile operations. This period is therefore most remarkable for these three wars. The ffS^\%Xi^\ ^rVfOtl will extend from the Declaration ofivar hy England against France^ 1756, to tlie commencement of hostilities by Great Britian against the American Colonies, in the battle of Lexington, 1 775, and is distinguish- ed for the French and Indian War. The jFiftll Pttie^^ will extend from the Battle of Lexington, 1775, to the disbanding of the American Army at West Point, New- York, 1783, and is distinguished for the War of the Revolution. The ^(lirtll J^etiO^ will extend from the Disbanding of the Arniy^ 1783, to the inaugu- ration of George Washington, as President of the United States, under the Federal Constitution, 1789, and is distinguished for the Formation and Establishment of the Federal Constitu- tion. The S^^ent!| I^CVCCJtr will extend from tlie Inauguration of Presidc7it Washington, 1 789, to the inauguration of John Adams, as President of the United States, 1797. This period is dis- tinguished for Washington's Administration. GENERAL DIVISION. 9 The ISiStttH llCtiOtI will extend from the Juauguratum of President Adams, 1797. to the Inauguration of Thomas Jefferson as president of the United States, 1801. This period is dis tinguished for Adams' Administration. The Xintll 4i)crf 04l will extend from the Tn- miguration of President J<:fferson, 1 80 1 , to the Inauguration of James; Madison a* president of the United Jr^taies, 1809. This period is distin- guished for Jefferson's Administration. The ^tnttl |)rriOll will extend from the In- auguration of President ModiHon, 1 809, tt) the Inauguration of Jamcjs Monroe, as president of the United States, 1817. This period is distin- guished for Madison's Administration, and the late War with Great Britain. The kalCtu it-:, 4^ttt4>5 will extend from the Inauguration of President Monroe, 1817, to the Inauguration of John Quincy Adams, and is dis- tjjiguished for Monroe's Administration. UNITED STATES. DISTINGUISHED rOR DISCOVERIES. Extending front the Discovery of San 8alva» dor by Coluwhus, '492, to the first perma- nent English settlement at Jamestown, ViV' ginia, 1607. Section I. The early discoveries on the Con- tinent of America were made by the Spaniards, English, and French. In these, the Spaniards took the Jead ; and have the honour of first communicating to Eu- rope the intelligence of a New World. For several year'^ *^)reviously to the discovery of America, the atten^.on of Europe nad been drawn to the enterprises of the Portuguese, who were attempting to discover a passage to rhe East Indies, by doubling the southern extremity of Africa. Christopher Columhus, a native of Genoa, roused by these enterprises, and strongly per- suaded that a western passage to the East Indies was practicable, by steering across the Atlantic, determined to ascertain the point by experiment. Accordingly, after encountering various diffi- culties he sailed from Spain, Friday, Aug. S, 1492, with a small fleet, under the patronage of Ferdinand and Isabel la, then on the united thrones of Castile and Arragon ; and on the 12th of Oct. 1492, discovered the Island San Salvador, .This Island is three thousand miles west of the PERIOD I....1492....1607....DISCOyERI£S. H Canaries, — ^the most wtisieni land known at the time of Columbus' discovery, — and is now known as one of the Bahamas. Columbus, after ujaturing his plan, first offered to sail under the patronage of th*' Senate of Genoa, but they treated his pro- ject as visionary. He next solicited tlie patronage of the Por- tuguese, but was denied. Disappointed in these applications, and despairing of assist- ance from Henry VII. of England, to who'^n he had sent his brother Bartholomew, but, who, being captured, did not reach England for several years : Columbus next laid his plans before Ferdinand and Isabella. Ferdinand was long deaf to his application ; but through the favour of Isabella, who listened to his plans, a treaty was made with him. The queen sold her jewels and defrayed the ex- pense of his outfit and voyage. His fleet consisted of the Santa Maria, Pinta and Nigna, with ninety men, victualled for a year. The whole expense was the small sum of about sixteen thouscuid dollai-s. Columbus, when he sailed, expected to land in India ;* but Providence was opening his way to an unknown world. He first touched at the Canaries, and thence stretched westwara into seas as yet unexplored. After sailing about two months, the crew became anxious and discontented. They were appalled at the extent of their voyage, and despaired of accomplishing the purposes for which it was undertaken. Columbus, however, in the midst of mu- tiny, and while every heart around him sunk under the most gloomy apprehensions, remained firm and inflexible. He con- trived to pacify the spirit of rebellion, by promising to return j if land should not be discovered within three days. Tlie night of the 11th of October, 1492, was memorable to Columbus, and to the world. Convinced from appearances that .and was near, he ordered the sails furled, and a w atch set. No eye, however, was shut. All on board was suspense and sleep- less expectation. About midnight, the cry of land ! land f was heard on board the Pinta. The morning came, — October 12th O. S< — and realized their anticipations. The island was distinctly in view. The occasion demanded an acknowledgment to Him, who had so auspiciously guided their way. All, therefore, bowed in humble gratitude, and joined in a hymn of thanks to God. * It has been stated, and perhaps with truth, that Columbus expected to find a western continent; but still the best authorities unite in saying, that bin object was to discoTcr a western passage to India. 12 PERIOD I...„1492-,.lG07....DlSCOVEBiES. Columbus, in a rich dress, and with a drawn sword, soott after landed wltti his men, with whom having kneeled and kissed the ground with tears of joy, he took formal possession of the Island, in the name of Queen Isabella, his patron. On landing, the Spaniards were surprised to find a race of people, quite unlike any ihat they had ever seen before. They were of a dusky, copper colour — naked — beardless, with long black hair, floating on their shoulders, or bound in tresses round their heads. The natives were still more surprised at the sight oi the Spaniards, whom they considered, as the children of the sun, their idol. The ships they looked upon as animals, with eyes of lightning, and voices of thunder. Having spent some time in examining the country, and in an amicable traffic with the natives, Columbus set sail on his re- turn. He was overtaken by a storm which had nearly proved fatal. During the storm, Columbus hastilj' enclosed in a cake of wax, a short account of his voyage and discovery, which he put into a tight cask, and threw it into the sea. This he did^ hewing that if he perished, it might fall into the hands of some navigator, or be cast ashore, and thus the knowlf dge of his dis« covery be preserved to the world. But the storm abated, and he arrived safe in Spain, March lf)th, 1493. For this discovery, it being thf first, and having laid the foun> dation for all the subsequent discoveries in America, Cohrnibus was doubtless entitled to the honour of giving a name to the New World. But he was robbed of it by the address of Ame- ricus Vespucias. This adventnrer was a Floreni ine who sailed to the New World in 1499, with one Alonzo Ojeda, a gallant and active officer, who had accompanied Columbus in his first voyage. On his return, he published so flattering an account oi his voyage, that his name wa« given to the continent with mani- fest injustice to Columbus. After this, ColumI)us made several other voyages, but did not discover the continent of America until Aug. 1, 1498, during his third voyage, at which time he made the land, now called Terra Firma, — South America. During this voyage Cohnnbus was destined to experience severe afflictions. After his departure from Spain, having been appointed governor of .'he Xew World, his enemies, by false representations, persuaded the king to appoint another in his place. At the same time th^ king was induced to give orders that Columbus should be seized and sent to Spain. This order was executed with ngid severity, and the heroic Columbus returned to Spain in ircms ' On his arrival, he was set at liberty by the king, bnt he never recovered his authority. Soon after a fourth voyage which he Landing of Columbus, p. 13. - •% ^E 1 K/fl n 1 ill ^p^^^^^^^^^^^fl llil^^ H m^ ^^^^^^i ^ ^^^^^S m HM^^ ^^pE ^^^H Indian icomen engaged in Agriculture, p. 16, \ PERIOD I....1493M..1607....V1SCOVERIES. IS made, finding Isabella his patroness, dead, and himself ne- glected, he sunk beneath his misfortunes and infirmities^ and died, May 20, 1506, in the fifty-ninth year of his age. Section II. In May, 1497, John Cabot, and his son, Sebastian Cabot, commenced a voyage of discovery, under the patronage of Henry VII. king of England ; and on the 24th of June, dis- covered land, which, being the first they had seen, they called. Prima Vista. This was the Island of Newfoundland. Leaving this, they soon af- ter fell in with a smaller island, which they nam- ed St. Johns ; thence, continuing westerly, they made the first discovery* of the Continent of America., and ranged its coast from Labrador to Virginia, or according to others, to Florida. Section III. The French attempted no dis coveries on the American coast until 1524. Thi. year Francis I. commissioned Verrazano, a Flo- rentine, for this purpose. He ranged the coast from Florida to the 50th degree of North Lati tude, and named the country New France. Section IV. In 1584, Sir 'Walter Raleigh, un- der commission of Queen Elizabeth, arrived in America, entered Pamplico Sound, now in North Carolina, and thence proceeded to Roanoke, an island near the mouth of Albemarle Sound. This country he took possession of, and, on r€'- turning to England, gave so splendid a descrip- tion of its beauty and fertility, that Queen Eliza- beth bestowed upon it the name of Virginia^ in celebration of her reign, and in allusion to her being unmarried. Section V. In 1602, Capt. Bartholomew Gos- nold, from Falmouth, England, discovered and gave name to Cape Cod, * I here follow the authority of Dr. HoLves in his "AmencflD A&- nalar who places the first discovery of the Continent by ColunUiui, il M98, as already related. 2 iG PERIOD I....1492....1607....DISCOVERIES. chorus, out, it is believed, they had no other composltionf which were preserved. Their arts and manufactures were confined to the construc- tion of wigwams, bows and arrows, wamp* ra, ornaments, stone haichets, mortars for pounding corn, to the dressing of skins, weaving of coarse mats from the bark of trees, or a coarse sort of hemp, &c. Th*'u agriculture was small in extent, and the articles they cultivated, were few in number. Corn, beans, peas, potatoes, raehtaS; nnJ a few others of a similar kind, were all. Their skill in medicine was confined to a tew simple pre- scriptions and operations, both the cold and warm bath were often applied, and a considerable number of plants were used with success. For son:e diseases they knew no remedy, in which cose they resorted to their Powow, or priest, who under took the removal of the disease by means of sorcery. !t may Be rem'.fked, however, that the diseases to which the Indians were liab'e, were few, compai-ed with those which pre vail in civilized society. The empioi/ments of the men were principally hunting, fish- ing, and trAir, The vHimen dressed the food ; took charge of the domesuc concerns; tilled their narrow and scanty fields ; and performed almost all the drudgery connected with their huii;-iehold affairs. The nun/jiements of the men were principally leaping, shoot- ing at marks, dancing, gaming, and hunting, in all of which they made the most violent exertions. Their dances were usually performed round a large fire. In their war dances they sung, or recited the feats which they or their ancestors had achieved ; represmted the manner in which they were per- formed, and wrought tliemselves up to an inexpressible degree of martial enthusiasm. The females occasionally joined in some of these sports, ' ut had none peculiar to themselves. Their dress was vaiiou&. In summer, they wore little be- sides a covering about the waist ; but in winter, they clothed themselves in tlie skins of wild beasts. They were exceedingly fond of ornaments. On days of show and festivity, their sachems wore mantles of deer-skin, embroidered with white beads, or copper, or they were painted with various devices. Hideousness was the object aimed at in painting themselves. A chain of fish-bones about the neck, or the skin of a wildcat, was a sign ot royalty. For habitations, the Indians had weektoams, or wigwams as pronounc*;d by the EJiiglish. These originally consisted of a strong pole, erected in the centre, around which, at the distance ©f ten or twelve feet, other poles were driven obliquely into the PERIOD X....1492....1607....DISCOVERIE8. 17 g;roundy and fastened to the centre pole at the top. Their coverings were of mats, or barks of trees, so well adjusted as to render them dry and comfortable. Their domestic utensils extended not beyond a hatchet of stone, a few shells and sharp stones, which the) osed for knives ; stone mortars for pounding corn, and some mats and skins upon which they slept. They sat, and ate, and lodged on the ground. With shells and stones they scalped their enemies, dressed their game, cut their hair, &c. They made nets oJ thread, twisted from the bark of Indian hemp, or of the sinews of the moose and deer. For fish-hooks they used bones which were bent. Their ybod was of the coarsest and simplest kind — the fleshy and even the entrails of all kinds of wild beasts and birds ; and in their proper season, green corn, beans, peas, &c. &c. which they cultivated, and other fruits, which the country sponta- neously produced. Flesh and fish they roasted on a stick, or broiled on the fire. In some instances they boiled their meat and corn by putting hot stones in water. Corn they parched, especially in the winter, and upon this they lived in the absence of other food. The money of the Indians called wampum, consisted of small beads wrought from shells, and strung on belts, and in chains. The wampum of the New-England Indians was black, blue, and white. That of the Six Nations was of a purple colour. Six of the white beads, and three of black, or blue, became of the value of a penny. A belt of wampum was given as a token of friendship, or as a seal or confirmation of a treaty. There was little among them that could be called society. Except when roused by some strong excitement, the men were generally indolent, taciturn, and unsocial. The women were too degraded and oppressed to think of much besides their toils. Removing too, as the seasons changed, or as the game grew scarce, or as danger from a stronger tribe threatened, there was little opportunity for forming those local attachments, and those social ties, which spring from a long residence in a ^larticular spot. Their language, also, though energetic, was too barren to serve the purposes of familiar conversation. In order to be understood and felt, it required the aid of strong and ani- mated gesticulation, which could take place only when great occasions excited them. It seems, therefore, that they drew no considerable part of their enjoyments from intercourse with one another. Female beauty had little power over the men ; and all other pleasures gave way to the strong impulses of public festivity, or burning captives, or seeking murderous revengCi ai the chase, or war, or glory, 2« IS PERIOD I....1492....1607....DISCOVEEi£S. War was the favourite employment of the savages oi Nortii America. It roiisea them from the lethargy into which ihey fell, when they ceased from the chase, and furnished them JUi opportunity to distinguish themselves — to achieve deeds of glory, and taste the sweets of revenge. Their weapons were bows and arrows, headed with flint or other hard stones, which they discharged with great precision and force. The southern Indians used targets made of bark ; the Mohawks clothed them* selves with skins, as a defence against the arrows of their ene- mies. When they fought in the open field, they rushed to the attack with incredible fury, and, at the same time, uttered their appalling war whoop. Those whom they had taken captive they often tortured, with every variety of cruelty, and to their dying agonies added every species of insult. If peace was concluded on, the chiefs of the hostile tribes ratified the treaty by smoking in succession the same pipe, called the calumet^ or pipe of peace. The government of tlie Indians in general, was an absolute monarchy ; though it differed in different tribes. The will of the sachem was law. In matters of moment, he consulted, how- ever, his counsellors; but his decisions were final. War and peace, among some tribes, seem to have been determined on in a council formed of old mm, distinguished by their exploits. When in council, they spoke at pleasure, and always hstened to the speaker, with profound and respectful silence. " When proposi- tions for war or peace were made, or treaties proposed to them, by the colonial governours, they met the ambassadors in council, and at the end of each paragraph, or proposition, the principal sachem delivered a short stick to one of his council, intimating tliat it was his peculiar duty to remember that paragi'aph. This was repeated till every proposal was finished ; they then retired to deliberate among themselves. After their deliberations were ended, the sachem, or some coiuisellors to whom he had delegated this office, replied to every paragraph in hs turn, with ,m exactness scarcely exceeded in the written correspondence of civilized powers. Each man actually remembered what was i'ommittcd to him, and with his assistance, the person who re- plied rememJkered the whole." The religious notions of the natives consisted of traditions., mingled with many superstitions. Like the ancient Greeks, Romans, Persians, Hindoos, &c. they believed in the existence of two gods, the one good, who was the superior, and whom they styled the Great, or Good Spirit ; the other evil. They worshipped both ; and of both formed images of stone, to which hey paid leligious homage. Besides these, they worshipped jous other deitJi^s — such as fire, water, thimder— any thing PERIOD I....1492....1607....DISCOyERIES. 19 which they conceived to be superior to themselves, and capable of doing them injury. The mannei of worship was to sing and dance round large fires. Besides dancing, they offered prayers and sometimes sweet scented powder. In Virginia, the Indians offered blood, deer's suet, and tobacco. Of the creation and the deluge they had distinct traditions. Marriage among them was generally a temporary contract. The men chose their wives agreeable to fancy, and put them away at pleasure. Marriage was celebrated, however, with some ceremony, and in many instances was observed with fi- delity, not unfrequently it was as lasting as life. Polygamy was common among them. Their treatment of females was cruel and oppressive. They were considered by the men as slaves, and treated as such. Those forms of decorum between the sexes, which lay the foun dation for the respectful and gallant courtesy, with which women are treated in civilized society, were unknown among them. Of course, females were not only required to perform severe labour, but often felt the full weight of the passions and caprices of the men. The rites of burial among the Indians, varied but little throughout the continent. They generally dug holes in the ground, with sharpened stakes. In the bottom of the grave were laid sticks, upon which the corpse, wrapped in skins and mats, was deposited. The arras, utensils, paints, and ornaments of the deceased were buried with him, and a mound of earth raised over his grave. Among some tribes m New England, and among the Five Nations, the dead were buried in a sitting posture, with their faces towards the east. During the burial they Httered the most lamentable cries, and continued their mourning for several days. The origin of the Indians, inhabiting the country, on the ar- I'ivai of the English colonists, is involved in much obscurity, and several different answers have been given by learned men to the inquiry, whence did they come to America ? The opinion best supported is, that they originated in i\.sia, and that at some form- er period, not now to be ascertained, they emigrated from that country to America, over which, in succeeding yeai*, their de- scendants spread. This opinion is rendered the more probable by the fact, that the figure, complexion, dress, manners, cus- toms. &c. &c. of the nations of both continents are strikingly si- milar. That they might have emigrated from the eastern conti- nent is evident, since the distance between the East Cape of Asia, and Cape Prince of Wales in America, across the streights of Bherlngj is only about forty miles, a much shorter distance than AQ PERIOD I....1492....1607....DISCOyERIES. •avages frequently sail in their caiioes. Besides this, the strcight M sometimes frozen over. VIII. We shall find it pleasant and profitable, occasionally ,o pause in our history, and consider what instruction may be dr^iwn from the portion of it that has been perused. In the story of Columbus, we aie introduced to a man of ge- nius, energy, and enterprise. We see him forming a new, and in that age, a mighty project ; and having matured his plan, we see him set himself vigorously about its execution. For a time, he is either treated as a visionary, or baflied by opposition. But, neither discouraged, nor dejected, he steadily pursues his purpose, surmounts every obstacie, and at length spreads his sails upon the unknown waters of the Atlantic. A kind Pro- vidence auspiciously guides his wa^, and crowns his enterprise with the unexpected discovery of a new world. While we admire the lofty qualities of Columbus, and look with wonder at the consequences which have resulted from his discovery, let us emulate his decision, energy and perseverance Many are the occasions in the present world, on which it will be important to summon these to our aid ; and by their means, ma- ny useful objects may be accomplished, which, without them, would be unattained. But, while we thus press forward in the career of usefulness — while we aim to accomplish for our fellow men all the amount of good in our power, let us moderate our expectations of re- ward here, by the consideration that Columbus died the victim of ingratitude and disappointment. Another consideration, of still deeper interest, is suggested by tlie story of Columbus, In his first voj'age, he contemplated chiefly the discovery of a passage to India. We who live to mark the wonderful events which have flowed from his discove- ry', within the short space of three centuries, cannot but advert with awe to Him, who attaches to the actions of a single indi- vidual, a train of consequences so stupendous and unexpected. How lightly soever, then, we may think of our conduct, let us remember that the invisible hand of Providence may be coimect- ing with our smallest actions the most momentous results, to our- selves and others. With respect to Americus Vespucius, it may be observed, that although he deprived Columbus, of the merited honour of fziving his name to the new world, and gained this distinction for himself — still, his name will ever remain stigmatized as having appropriated that to himself, which fairly belonged to another. UNITED STATES. DISTINGUISHES FOK SETTliEMENTS. Extending from the first permanent English settlement at Jamestoicn. Virginia j 1607, to the accession of William and Mary to the throne of England^ 1689. Section I. Prior t> the year 1607, a period of one hundred and fifteei> yparsfrom the discovery of San Salvador, by Columbus , attempts had been made to etiect settlements in various parts of North America ; bui no one proved success- ful, until the settlement at Jamestown. In 1606, King lames I. of 1 ngland, granted letters patent, — an exclusive right, or privilege,— to two companies, called the London and Ply- mouth Companies : by which they were author- ized to possess ihe lands, in America, lying be- tween the 34th and 45th degrees of north lati- tude ; the southern part, called South Virginia, to the London, and the northern, called North Virginia, to the Plymouth Company. Under this patent, the London Company sent Capt. Christopher Newport to Virginia, Dec. 20th, 1606, with a colony of one hundred and five persons, to commence a settlement on the island Roanoke, — now in North Carolina. — After a te- dious voyage of four months, by the circuitous route of the West Indies, he entered Chesapeake Bay, having been driven north of the place of his destination. 22 PERIOD II....1492....1607....SETTLEMENTS. Here it was coHcluded to land , and, proceed- ing up a river, called by the Indians, Powhatan, but, by the colony, James River, on a beaatiful peninsiila, in May, 1607, ihey began the first permanent settlement in North America, and called it Jamestoicn. The government of this colony was Formed in England, by the London Company. It «.'.on- sisted of a council of seven persons, appointed by the Company, with a president chosen by the council, from their number, who had two votes. All matters of moment were examined by this council, and determined by a majority. Capt. Newport brought over the names of this council, carefully sealed in a box, which was opened after their arrival. Among the most enterprising and useful members of this colony and one of its magistrates, was Capt. John Smith. As he acted a distinguished part in the early history of the colony of Virginia, a brief sketch of his lif*" will be mteresting. He was born in Willoughby, in Lincolnshire, England, in 1579- From his earliest youth, he discovered a roving -ind ro- mantic genius, and appeared irresistibly bent on -extravagant and daring enterprises. At the age of thirteen, becoming tired of study, he disposed of his satchel and books, with the inten* tion of escapijig to sea. But the death of his father, just at that time, frustrated his plans for the present, and threw him upou guardians, who, to repress the waywardness of his penius, con- fined him to a counting room. From a confinement so irk-, some, however, he contrived to escape not long after, and, with ten shillings in his pocket, » ntered the train of a young noble* man, travelling to France. On their arrival at Orleans, he received a discharge from fur- ther attendance upon lord Bertie, who advanced him money to return to England. Smith had no wish, however, to return. With the money he had received, he visited Paris, fi-om which he proceeded to the low countries, where he enlisted into the service as a soldier. Having continued some time in this capacity, he was induced to accompany a gentleman to Scotland, who promised to recom- mend him to the notice of king James. Being disappointed PERIOD II....1492....160r...SETTLEMENTS. 2» liowever in tnis, tie returned to England, and visited the place of his birth. Not finding the company there that suited his ro- mantic mm, he erected a booth in some wood, and m the man- ner of a recluse, retired from society, devoting himself to the study of military history and tactics, diverting himself, at inter- vals, «dth his horse and tance. Recovering about this time a part of his lather's estate, which had been in dispute, in 1596, he again commenced his travels, being then only seventeen years of age. His first stage was Flanders, where meeting 'vith a Frenchman, who pretended to be heir to a noble family, he was prevailed upon to accompany him to France. On their arrival at St. Valo^^,, in Picardy, by the connivance of the shipmaster, the Frenchman and attend- ants robbed him of his effects, and succeeded in making their escape. Eager to pursue his travels, he endeavoured to procure a place on board a man of war. In one of his rambles, search- ing for a ship that would receive him, he accidenlly met one of the villains concerned in robbing him. Without exchanging a word, they both instantly dr»'w their swords. The contest was severe, but Smith succeeded in wounding and disarming his an- tagonist, and obliged him to confess his guilt. After this ren- counter, havmg received pecuniary assistance from an acquaint- ance, the earl of Ployer, he travelled along the French coast to Bayonne, and thence crossed to Marseilles, visiting and cbserv- uig every thing in his course, which had reference to naval or mUitary architeciure. At Marseilles he embarked for Italy in company with a num- ber of pilgrims. But here also new troubles awaited him. During the voyage, a tempest arising, the ship was forced into Toulon, after leaving which, contrary winds so impeded their progress, that in a fit of rage, the pilgrims, imputing their il) fortune to the presence of a heretic, threw him into the sea Being a good swimmer, he was 3nabled to reach the island of St. Mary, off Nice, at no great distance, where he was taken on board a ship, in which, altering his course, he sailed to Alexandi'ia, in Egypt, and fbence coasted the Levant Having spent some time m this legion of countiy, he sailed on his retiurn, and on leaving the ship received about two thousand dollars, as his portion of a rich prize, which they had taken dur- oig the voyage. / Smith landed at Antibes. He now travelled through Italy, crossed the Adriatic, and passed into Stirria, to the seat of Ferdinand archduke of Austria. The emperor being at that tune at war with the Turks, he entered his army as a toIuu- teer 24 PERIOD II....1492....1607....SETTLEMENTS. By means c) liis valour and ingenuity, aided by his military knowledge and experience, he soon distinguished himself, and was advanced to the command of a company, consisting of two hundred and fifty horsemen, in the regiment of count Meldrick, a nobleman of Transylvania. Th? regiment in which he served was engaged in several ha- zardous enterprises, in which Smith exhibited a bravery admired by all the army, and when Meldrick left the imperial service for that of his native prince. Smith followed. At the siege of Regal he was destined to new adventures. The Ott-aians deriding the slow advance of the Transylvania army, the lord Turbisha despatched a messenger with a chal- lenge, that for the diversion of »the ladies of the place, he would fight any captain of the christian troops. The honour of accepting this challenge was determined b}f ot, and fell on Smith. At the time appointed the two cham pions appeared in the field on horseback, and in the presence o( the armies, and of the ladies of the insulting Ottoman, rushed impetuously to the attack. A short, but desperate conflict en- sued, at the end of which Smith was seen bearing the head of the lifeless Turbisha in triumph to his general. The fall of the chief filled his friend Crualgo with indignation, and roused him to avenge his death. Smith accordingly soon after received a challenge from him, which he did not hesitate to accept, and the two exasperated combatants, upon their chargers, fell with desperate fury upon each other. Victory again followed the faulchion of Smith, who sent the Turk head- long to the ground. It was now the turn of Smith to make the advance. He de- spatched a message therefore to tlve Turkish ladies, that if they were desirous of more diversion of a similar kind, they should be welcome to his head, in case their third champion could take it. Bonamalgro tendered his services, and haughtily accepted the Christian's challenge. When the day arrived the spectators as- sembled, and the combatants entered the field. It v/as an hour of deep anxiety to all ; as the horsemen approached, a deathless silence pervaded the multitude. A blow from the sabre of the Turk brought Smith to the ground, and for a moment it seemed as if the deed of death was done. Smith however was onlv stunned. He rose like a lion, when he shakes the dew from his mane for the fight, and vaulting into his saddle, made his faul- chion " shed fast atonement for its first delay." It is hardly necessary to add, that the head of Bonamalgro was added to the number. Smith was received with transports of joy by the prince of Indian Village, p. 16, Indian Amusements, p. 16. PERIOD II....1492....1607....SETTLEMENTS. 29 Transylvania^ who after the capture of the place, presented him with his picture set in gold, granted him a pension of three hun- dred ducats a year, and conferred on him a coat of arms, bear- ing three Turk's heads in a shield. In a subsequent battle between the Transylvanian army, and a body of Turks and Tartars, the former was defeated, with a loss of many killed and wounded. Among the wounded was the gallant Smith. His dress bespoke his consequence, and he was treated kindly. On his recovery from his wounds he was sold to the Basha Bogul, who sent him as a present to his mis- tress at Constantinople, assuring her that he was a Bohemian nobleman, whom he had conquered, and whom he now present ed to her as her slave. The present proved more acceptable to the lady than her lord intended. As she understood Italian, in that language Smith informed her of his country and quality, and by his singular ad- di'ess, and engaging manners, won the affection of her heart. Designing to secure him to herself, but fearing lest some mis- fortune should befall liim, she sent him to her brother, a bashaw, on the borders of the sea of Asoph, with a direction that he should be initiated into the manners and language, as well as the religion of the Tartars. From the terms of her letter, her brother suspected her de- sign, and resolved to disappoint her. Immediately after Smith's arrival, therefore, he ordered him to be stripped, his head and beard to be shaven, and with an iron collar about his neck, and a dress of hair cloth, he was driven forth to labour among some christian slaves. The circumstances of Smith were now peculiarly afflicting. He could indulge no hope, except from the attachment of his mistress, but as her distance was great, it was improbable that she would soon become acquainted with the story of his misfor- tunes. In the midst of his distress, an opportunity to escape present- ed itself, but under circumstances, which, to a person of a less adventurous spirit, would have served only to heighten this dis- tress. His employment was threshing, at the distance of a league from the residence of the bashaw, who daily visited him, but treated him with rigorous severity, and in fits of anger even abused him with blows. This last was treatment to which the independent spirit of Smith could not submit. Watching a fa- vourable opportunity, on an occasion of the tyrant's visit, and when his attendants were absent, he levelled his threshing in- strument at him, and laid him in the dust. He then hastily filled a bag with grain, and mounting tlie bashaw's horse, put himself upon fortune. Directing his course 3 {|e PERIOD II....1607...1689....SETTLEMENT3 towards a desen, he entered its recesses, and continuing to con- ceal himself in its obscurities for several days, at length made his escape. In sixteen days he arrivea at Exapolis on the river Don, where meeting with the Russian garrison, the commander treated Itim kindly, and gave him letters of recommendation to other commanders in that region. B« now travelled through a part of Russia, and Poland, and at le igth reached his friends in Transylvania, At Leipsic he enjoyed the pleasure of meeting his colonel count Meldrick, and Sigi.»mund, prince of Transylvania, who presented him wrth fifte«=n hundred ducats His fortune being thus in a measure re- paired, he travelled through Germany, France ana Spain, and having visited the kingdom of Morocco, returned once more to England. Such is a rapid view of the life of this interesting adventurer, down to his arrival in his nativo land. At this time the settle- ment of America was occupying the attention of many distin- guished men in England. The life of Smith, united to his fond- ness for enterprises of danger and difficulty, had prepared him to embark with zeal in a project so novel and sublime as that of exploring the wilds of a newly discovered continent. He was soon attacned to the expedition, about to sail undei Newport, and was apponited ont of the magistrates of the colo- ny sent over at that time. Before the arrival of the colony, his colleagues in office becoming jealous of his influence, arrested him, on the aosm-d charge that he designed to murder the coun- cil, "isurp the government, and make himself king of Virginia. He was therefore rigorously confined during the remainder of the voyage. On their arrival in the country he was liberated, but could not obtain a trial, although m the tone of conscious integrity, he repeatedly demanded it- The infant colony was soon in- volved in perplexity and danger Notwithstanding Smith had been calumniated, and his honour deeply wounded, his was not ♦he spirit to '•emain idle when his servicer were needed. Nobly disdaining revenge, he offered his assistance;, and by his talents, experience, and indefatigable zeal, furnished important aid to the infant colony. Continuing to assert his innocence, and to demand a trial, the time at length arrived when his enemies could postpone it no longer. After a fair hearing of the case, he Wcis honourably 'acquitted of the charges alleged against him, and soon after took his seat in the council. The affairs of the colony becoming more settled, the activ« spirit of Smith prompted him to explore the neighbouring coim- My . In an attempt to ascertain the source of Cliickahoming ri- PERIOD IL....1607....1689....SETTLEMENTS. tT ver, he ascended in a barge as far as the stream was uninterrupt- ed. Designing to proceed still further, he left the barge in the keeping of the crew, with strict injunctions on no account to leave her, and with two Englishmen, and two Indians left the party. But no sooner was he out of view, than the crew, impatient of restramt, repaired on board Uie barge, and proceeding some dis- tance down the stream, landed at a place where a body of In- dians lay m ambush, by whom they were seized. , by means of the crew, the rout of Smith was ascertained, and a party of Indians were immediately despatched to take him. On commg up with hmi, the> fired, killed the Englishmen, and wounded himself. With great piesence ol mind, he now tied his (ndjan guide to his left arm. as a shield Irom the enemie.s' ar- rows, 5rhile with his musket he despatched three of the most for- irard of the assailants In this, manner he continueo to letreat towards his canoe, while 'lie Indians, struck with admiration of his bravery follow- ed .'ith espectful cautioii Unfortunately coming to a sunken spot tihed with mire, while engrossed with eyeing his pursuers, he sunk so deep as to be imable to extricate himself, and was forcea to surrender. Fruitful in t^xpedients. lo avert immediate death, he presented an ivorv 'ompas.^ to the chief, whose attention was arrested by the vibralionr. of the n^'edle Taking advantage of the iinpres- 8ion whicn he had thas made, partly by signs, and pairtly by language, he excitec theii wonder still more by telling them of Its singular powers Their wonde. however seemed soon to abate, and their atten- tion returned to theii prisoner He was now boimJ, and tied to a tree and the savages were preparing to direct their arrows at his bi'^ast At thi.- instant the chief, holding up the compass, the> iaid down thei- arms, and led him in triumph to Powhatan theii king P.>whatap and his council doomed him to death, as a man whose courage and genius were peculiarly dangerous to the In- dians Preparations were accordingly made, and when the time arrived. Smith was led out to execution. His head was laid up • on a stone, and a club present.^d to Powhatan, who himseL claimed the honour of becoming the executioner. The savages in nience were circlins^ round, and the giant arm of Powhataa hau already raised the club to strike the fatal blow, when to ais astonishment the young and beautiful Pocahontas, his daughter, with a shriek of terror, rushed from the throng, and threw her- self upon the body of Smith. At the same time she cast an im- ploring look towuids her furious but astonished father, and m 28 PERIOD II....1607....1689....SETTLEMENTS. all the eloquence of mute, but impassioned sorrow, besought his life. The remainder of the scene was honourable to Powhatan. The club of the chief was still uplifted, but a father's pity had touched his heart, and the eye that had at (first kindled with wiath was now fast losing its fierceness. He looked round as if to collect his fortitude, or perhaps to find an excuse for his weakness, in the pity of the attendants. A similar sympathy had melted the savage throng, and seemed to join iti the petiticyi, (Which the weeping Pocahontas felt, but durst not utter, '• My father let the prisoner live." Powhatan raised his daughter, and the captive, scarcely yet assured of safety, from the earth. Shortly after Powhatan dismissed Capt. Smith with assur- ances of friendship, and the next morning, accompanied with a gu'trd of twelve men, he arrived safely at Jamestown, alter a captivity of seven weeks.* In 1609, circumstances having arisen to interrupt the triendly dispositions of Powhatan towards the colony, he plotted theii entire destruction. His design was to attack them unapprised} and to cut them off at a blow. In a dark and stormy night, the heroic Pocahontas hastened alone to Jamestown, and disclosed the inhuman plot of her fa- ther. The colony were thus put on their guard, and their ruin averted. It may be interesting to add concerning Pocahontas, that some time after this she was married to an English gentleman, by the name of Rolfe, with whom she visited England. She embraced the Christian religion, and was baptized by the name of Rebecca. She left. one son, who had several daughters, the descendants oi whom inherited her lands in Virginia, and are among the most respectable families in that State. Section IT. In the early part of this year, 1609, the London Company surrendered their rights to the king, and obtained a new charter. Under this charter Thomas West. Lord Dela- ware, was appointed governour for life. Towards the close of the year, the colony at Jamestown, amounting to five hundred inhabitants, was reduced in six mtmths, by pestilence, to sixty. Disheartened by this fearful ca- lamity, they resolved to leave the country, and return to England. They therefore embarked on board some vessels, just arrived from Bermuda ; but meeting lord Delaware, the new governour, * Bark's Virfniiia. PERIOD II....1607....1689....SETTLEMENTS. 2D with one hundred and eighty men and provisions, they returned with them to their settlement, and the affairs of the colony again began to prosper. Section III. In 1614, some Dutch adventur- ers built a fort at Albany, on Hudson's river. This commenced the settlement, and laid the foundation of that city. The next year, a fort was built, and a settlement begun, by the Dutch, on the Island of Manliattan, now New- York. Hudson's river derived its name from Henry Hudson, who entered, and gave name to it, lC08. At this time, or according to others, in l609, he ascended the river to the place were Al- bany now stands. Hudson was in the service of the Dutch East India Company, or sold his claims to them. The Dutch, accordingly, took possession of the country, naming it New Ne*- therlands. New- York, they called New-Amsterdam. These names they retained, till the conquest of the country, by the English, in lGG4. Section IV, In 1614, Capt. John Smith sailed from England, with two ships, to America. He ranged the coast from- Penobscct to Cape Cod. On his return to England, he presented a Map of the country to Prince Charles, who named it New-England. Six years from this, Dec. 22, 1620, a colony, commonly known by the name of Puritans, land- ed at Plymouth, in Massachusetts, and soon after began the Jirst permanent settlement in New- England. These colonists were originally from England ; but were driven thence by the arm of persecution, for urging a more thorough reform- ation in the Church of England. They fled from England, first to Amsterdam, in Holland, in 1607, with their pastor, the Rev. Mr. Robinson. From Amsterdam, they soon af- ter removed to Leyden, where they continued, until they embarked for America. Among the motives which influenced them to remove to America, tlie prospect of enjoying " ft 50 PERIOD II....1C07....16S9. ..SETTLEMENTS. purer worship and a greater liberty of conscience," was the principal. To secure these objects, they were willing to become exiles from a civilized country, and encounter the dangers and priva- tions which might meet them in a wilderness. Having resolved on a removal to America, they concluded to settle on Hudson's river, and to live in a distinct body,undei the protection of the London, or South Virginia Company. Having with some difficulty obtained a grant from the Virgi- nia Company, they speedily prepared for the voyage, departed from Ley den in July, touched at South-Hampton, England, whence they sailed in August ; but on account of a leak in one of their ships, they were twice compelled to put back. On the sixth of September following, they finally bid adieu to their countr}', and on the ninth of November, discovered Cape Cod. It is said, that the master of the vessel was a Dutchman, and was bribed in Holland, to carry them to the north of tiie Hudson, that they migiit not disturb the Dutch there ; who, though compelled in I6l4, by Capt. Argal from Jamestown, to acknowledge the Sovereignty of King James, and the governour of Virginia, had not long after thrown off the British yoke. They soon percei*ed themselves to be beyond the limits o^ the company's patent, from which they had derived their title. But, winter being at hand, and fearing to encounter the dangers of the sea, on an unknown coast, they determined to seek a place of settlement where they were. Before landing, " having devoutly given thanks to God for {heir safe arrival, they formed themselves into a body politick," forty-one signing a solemn contract, according to the piovisions of which they were to be governed. Mr. John Carver was elected governour for one year. Parties were now despatched to fix upon a spot for their settle- ment. Several days were employed for this purpose, during which, a number of Indians were seen, who fled on being ap- proached. They also discovered baskets of corn hid in the sand, which served for seed the ensuing spring. At length, a suitable spot Avas selected for a settlement, and a house immediately ereoti^^d. The colony was divided into nine- teen families, each of whicli built its own cottage. On Lord's day, Dec. 3 1 , they attended public worship, for the first time on shore, and named the place Plymouth. Section V. The same month, (Nov.) that the Puritans arrived on the coast from England, King James I. issued a patent to the duke of Lenox, PERIOD II ie07....1689....SETTLEMENTS. S^ Fcrdinando Gorges, and others, styling them, «* The Council of Plymouth, in the county of De- von, for planting and governing New-England in America." This Patent granted to them the territory between the 40th and 48th degrees of north latitude, and was the foundation of all the subsequent patents which divided the country. Section VI. In March, 1621 , the colony of Ply- mouth, through Governour Carver, entered into a league of friendship, commerce, and mutual de- fence with Masassoit, the great sachem of the neighbouring Indians. This treaty which was strictly observed until the breaking out of Phillip's war, (a period of more than fifty years,) gave general peace to the colony, and laid the founda- tion for their intimate and amicable correspond- ence with the neighbouring Indian tribes. The person, chiefly instrumental in bringing this event to pass was Samoset, a sagamore of the country, laying at the distance of about five days journey. He was the first visitant of the co- lony at Plymouth, and greatly surprised the inhabitants, by call- ing out as he entered their village, " Welcome Englishmen ! Welcome Englishmen !" He had conversed with the English fishermen who had come to the eastern coast, and had learned some of the language. He informed the colony that the place where they were settled, was called by the Indians Patuxet; that five years before a plague had swept off* all the natives from the place, so that there was neither man, woman, or child re- maining. Providence had thus singularly prepared the way for the colonies to take possession of the land, without molesting a single owner. Samoset, having been treated with hospitality by these stran- gers, was disposed to cultivate a further acquaintance with them ; and on his third visit was accompanied by Squanto, a native of the country, who had been carried away in l6i4, by one Hunt, and sold into Spain, hut had been taken to London, whence he had returned to America. They informed the English that Masassoit, the greatest sa- cliem of the neighbourhig Indians was near with a guard of sixty men. Mutual distiust prevented for some time, any advances from either side. But Squanto, who was at length sent to Ma- sassoit, returned, saying that the sachem wished the English to 82 PERIOD U....1607....1689....SETTLEMENTS. send some one to confer with him. Mr. Edward Winslow w»" accordingly sent, bearing suitable presents to the chief. These proving acceptable, Masassoit left Mr. Winslow in the custody of his men as a hostage, and ventured to the English, by whom he was hospitably entertained, and with whom he concluded the treaty already noticed. Section VII. In 1619, a governour general of the Virginia Colony arrived from England, with instructions to convoke a colonial legisla- ture. To this assembly, eleven corporations, or towns, sent representatives, who sat with the governour and council, appointed by the Com- pany. This was the first legislature to which the people of America sent representatives. In 1621 the London Company established a constitution and form of government for the co- lony. The powers of this government were vested in a governour and two councils. One of these was called the council ot state, to ad- vise and assist the governour. This council was to be appointed and removed by the com- pany. The other was called the general assem- bly, consisting of the council of state, and two burgesses, or representatives, deputed from each town, hundred, or plantation. This assem- bly met annually, and were entrusted with the business of framing laws for the colony, the go- vernour having a negative upon their proceedings. No laws were valid until ratified by a court ol the company in England. In 1622, the Virginia Colony, which for some time had enjoyed great ^prosperity, and had re- ceived frequent accessions, experienced a stroke which nearly proved fatal. The successor of Powhatan,, who was of a proud, revengeful spirit, and extremely hostile to the colony, concerted a plan to cut them off at a blow. On the 22d of Marcli, it was so far put in execution, that three PERIOD n....l607....1G89....SETTLEMENTS. SS \ hundred and forty-seven of the colony, men, women and children, were butchered almost in the same instant. A war of extermination soon succeeded, which not long after was followed by a famine. The losses of the colony, however, which these calamities had brought upon them, were soon in a measure repaired, by the arrival of new adven- turers. Section VIII. While the Virginians were mourning their losses, the Plymouth colony be- gan to experience the distresses of famine. By the time their planting was finished in 1623, their provisions were so far exhausted, that they had neither bread, nor corn for three or four months. A drought continued from May, until some time in July. Under these afflictions, however, they appointed a day of fasting and prayer, to humble themselves, and to seek unto God. Notwithstanding their many fears, a plentiful harvest followed, which was suitably noticprJ by a day of thanksgiving and praise. Section IX. This year, 1623, a number of persons from England arrived in the river Pis- ' cataqua, and began two settlements ; one at the mouth, at a place called Little Harbour, the other at a place now called Dover. — These were the first settlements in New-Hampshire. Section X. In 1624, the London Company, which had settled Virginia, was dissolved by an act of king James I. under pretext of the calami- ties which had befallen the colony, and the dis- sensions which had agitated the company. Their charter was taken away, and the govern- ment of the colony assumed by the crown. The king himself appointed the governour, in 34 PERIOD II....1607....1689....SETTLEMENTS. whom, with twelve counsellors, the powers of government were vested. The London Company, thus dissolved, consisted of gentlemen of noble and disinterested views, who had expended more thaa one hundred thousand pounds of their fortunes, in this first at tempt to plant an English colony in America ; and more than nine thousand persons had been sent from the mother coimtry to people this new settlement. At the time of the dissolution of the company scarcely two thousand persons survived. Charles I. succeeding James I. in 1625, brought the Virginia Colony more immediately under the direction of the crown. Un(ier this administra- tion, the colony suti'ered much for many years, from the severe and arbitrary restraints im[)osed upon it by the king, through the governour and council. Sectio7i XI. It has been stated, that the lands, upon which the Plymouth colony settled, were granted by the crown to "the Council of Plymouth," in England, in JNovember, 1620. This was the same month that the Puritanw had arrived in the country. Being apprized of this grant, the colony, in 1626, began to take mea- sures to purchase these lands. The negotiations for this purpose ended the next year in a patent, which the company granted them for one thou- sand eight hundred pounds sterling, with ample powers of government. The government t>t the colony was at first formed and con ducted according to a voluntary compact, entered into before landing. Till the year 1624, it consisted of a governour and one assistant only. From this period five were annually chosen, the governour having a double vote. Th» number of assistants was afterwards increased to seven. — The laws of the colony were enacted, and the affairs of government conducted, by these offi- cers for neai' twenty years. In 1 639, the towns in this colony, for the first time, sent deputies. The colony continued distinct near seventy years, until l6i)l, when, by charter of William and Mary, it was united to the colony of Massachusetts, and the Provmce of Maine. PERIOD II 1607 1689....SETTLEMENTS. S9 Section XII. In 1628, the foundation was laid for another colony, in New-England, by the name of the colony of Massachusetts Bay. The patent of this colony was granted by the Council of Plj-- inouth, or New-England, to Sir Henry Roswell and others ; and conveyed to them the territory lying between three miles north of the Merrimack, and* three miles south of Charles Ri- ver. Sir Henry Roswell and his associates, however, soon sold the patent to Sir Richard Saltonstall, John Endicott, and others in England, who were projecting a settlement in New-England, for the purposes of greater religious freedom. The same year, John Endicott was sent over, and began the settlement of the colony of Mas- sachusetts Bay, at Salem, then called by the Indians, Naumkeak. As the patent granted to this colony conveyed no powers of government, King Charles, in 1629, granted these powers by charter. Six ships, furnished by the company, brought over four hundred persons, men, women and children, three hundred of whom settled at Salem, the remainder at Charlestown. During the succeeding summer, 1630, John Winthrop, who had been appointed governour, and Thomas Dudley, deputy governour, with one thousand five hundred people, arrived at Charlestown ; but owing to a mortal sickness, which soon after prevailed in that settlement, the governour and several of the planters remov- ed to Shawmut, which they named Boston. Governour Winthrop, and his associates, came over under an arrangement to transfer the government of this colony, from London to New-England, and to place it in the hands of officers to be elected by the freemen. This was carried into effect, and the freemen continued annually to elect their officers of govern- ment. The colony soon experienced the distresses of mortal sickness and wasting famine. There was scarcely a family, in which ther« had not been a death before spring, and many of the people were obliged to subsist on clamsj muscles^ acOrns, and nuts. Friday, ^Q PERIOD II....1C07....1689....SETTLEMENTS. Febrnarv 6, was appointed as a day of fasting ; butthe day be fore, a ship arriving laden with provisions, the govemour, on he joyfd occasion, appointed a day of thanksgiving throughout the ^^^sTction XIII. In 1632, Charles I. granted a patent to Lord Baltimore, conveying to him a tract of country on the Chesapeake Bay, which, in honour of Henrietta Maria, daughter of Henry the great of France, he named Maryland. The next year, 1633, Lord Baltimore appoint- ed his brother, Leonard Calvert, governour of the province, who, with about two hundred planters, chieflv Roman Catholics, began a set- tlement in 1634, near the mouth of the Potomac, on the northern side. Emigrants soon flocked to this province from England and the other colonies, on account of the greater religious freedom ^'Ti^the patent, the proprietor, with the consent of the freemen, or their delegates, was authorized to make all necessary laws, not opposed to the laws of England ; the king did not reserve a right to interfere in the government of the province. This was the oi-iginal government of the colony of Maryland, which, however, afterwards underwent various modifications. Section XIV. In 1633, the first house was erected in Connecticut. This was a trading house at Windsor, the materials of which some Plymouth adventurers sent in a vessel up Con- necticut river. On their arrival in the river, they found some Dutch, from New Amsterdam, who had previ- ously heard of the intended settlement at Wind- sor, occupying a fort, which they had erected, where Hartford now stands. On the approach of the Plymouth adventurers, the Dutch garrison ordered them to stop ; but the commander gal- lantly disregarded the order, and proceeded to Windsor. Two years from this, 1635, about sixty men, PERIOD II 1607....1689....SETTLEMENTS. $7 women, and children, from Newtown and Wa- tertown, in Massachusetts, commenced their journey through the wilderness to Connecticut river. They settled at Windsor, Wethersfield and Hartford. The same year, John Winthrop, son of tlie governour of Massachusetts, arrived from Eng- land, with a commission, as governour of Con- necticut, under lord Say and Seal, and lord Brook, to whom the council of Plymouth had given, in March, 1631, a patent of the territory. Soon after Winthrop's arrival at Boston, he despatched u Dark of thirty tons with twenty men, to take possession of Con- necticut river, and to build a fort at its mouth. This was ac- cordingly erected, and called Saybrook fori A {ew days after their eirrival, a Dutch vessel, from New Netherlands, appeared, to take possession of the river ; but, as the English had already mounted two cannon, their landing was prevented. The next June, 1636, the Rev. Messrs. Hooker and Stone, with a number of settlers, from Dorchester and Watertown, re- moved to Connecticut. With no guide but a compass, they made their way, one hundred miles over mountains, through swamps and rivers. Their journey, which was on foot, lasted a fortnight, during which they lived upon the milk of their cows. They drove one hundred and sixty cattle. Section XV. This year, 1636, Roger Wil- liams, having been banished from the colony of Massachusetts in 1634, removed with his family to Mooshawsic and began a plantation, which he called Providence. From this we date the settlement of Rhode Island. Williams was a minister of Salem ; on account of promul- gating opinions, civil as well as religious, which were contrary to those prevalent at that day in the colonies, though some of these are now universally admitted to be just, he was summon- ed, in 1636, to appear before the General Court, and the ministers of the colony. Mr. Hooker was appointed to dispute with him ; but being unable to induce him to renounce his opinions, he was sentenced to depart out of the jurisdiction. In 1638, William Coddington, who has sometimes been called the father of Rhode Island, with eighteen others, removed from 4 S8 PERIOD II....1607....16S9....SETTLEMENT& Massachusetts, and having purchased of the Indians, the Islaod' Aqutneck, began a settlement on the northern part of it. Others followed the next summer, and commenced another settlement on the south western side — dividing the Island into two town- ships, Portsmouth and Newport. They formed themselves into a body politick, and elected Mr. Coddington chief magis- trate. In 1640, the inhabitants of Providence agreed upon a form of government. Rhode Island, so called from a fancied resem- blance to the ancient island of Rhodes, soon began to be extensive- ly settled, both on account of its natural fertility, and also on ac- count of the religious freedom allowed to all denominations. In 1644, Roger Williams visited England, as agent of the settlers, and obtained of the earl of Warwick, one of the Ply- mouth company, a free charter of incorporation for Providence and Rhode Island Plantations. In 1663, a royal charter was granted to them, by Charles II. This charter constituted an assembly, consisting of a governour, deputy governour, and ten assistants, with the representatives appalled at the destruction ol" Mystic, that thej fled to- wards Hudson's riven The troops pursued them as lar as a jjreat swamp in E'airfield, wheie another action took place, in which the Indians were entirely vanquished. This was followed by a treaty with the remaining Pequot'' about two hundred in number, agreeably to which they were * Tided among the JNarragansetts and Moheayans. Thus terminated a conflict which for a time was eminently distressing to the colonies. This event of peace was celebrat- ed thioughout New-England, by a day of thanksgiving and praise. Section XVII. The expedition against the PeqHots made the English acquainted with Quin- napiak or New-Haven ; and the next year, 1G38, led to the settlement of that town. This, and PLRIOD II....1607....1689 41 the adjoining towns, soon after settled, went by the name of the colony of New-Haven. Among the founders of this colony was Mr. John Davenport, a celebrated minister of London. Theophilus Eaton, who had been governour of the East India Company, and Edward Hop- kins, a merchant of London. The unmolested enjoyment of civil and religious liberty was the object of theii emigration, as jt was of most of the emigrants to this country. Having purchased the land of Monauguin, sachem of the country, whom they paiid to his full satisfaction, on the 18th of April, they kept their first Sabbath in the place, under a large oak tree, where Mr. Davenport preached to them Section XVIII. The following year, January 14, 1639, the three towns on Connecticut river, Windsor, Hartford, and Wethersfield, finding themselves without the limits of the Massachu- setts patent, met, and formed themselves into a distinct commonwealth, and adopted a constitu- tion. This constitution, which has been much admired, and which for more than a century and a half underwent little alteration, ordained that there should annually be two general assemblies, one in April, the other in September. In April the officers of government were to be elected by the freemen, and to consist of governour, deputy governour, and five or six assistants. The towns were to send deputies to the general assemblies. Under this constitution, the first governour was John Haynes, and Roger Ludlow, the first deputy governour. Section XIX. The example of the colony of Connecticut, in forming a constitution, was fol- lowed, the next June, by the colony of New-Ha- ven. Both constitutions were essentially alike. Theophilus Eaton was the first governour of the colony. Section XX. This same year, 1639, SirFer- dinando Gorges obtained of the crown a charter of all the land from Piscataqua to Sagadahock, calling the territory the Pro* ince of Maine. He formed a system of gpvernment for the province, but it did not flourish. In 1661 , or 1652, it was 4 * 4j| PERIOD II....1607....1689....S£TtL£Mt:NTS. taken under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts, by request of the people of Maine. The Plymouth colonists had obtained a patent for land lying on the Kennebeck river in 1628, and had erected a house there for trade. Scattered settlements were made in the tei-ritory some years afterward ; but the history of their progress is ob- scure. Section XXI. The next event of importance in our history is the union of the colonies of Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New- Haven, by the name of The United Colonies OF New-England. The articles of this confede- ration, which had been agitated for three years, were signed May 19th, 1643. To this union the colonies were strongly urged by a sense of common danger from the Indians, (a general combination of whom was expected,) and by the claims and encroachments of the Dutch, at Manhattan, New- York. By these articles of union, each colony retained its distinct and separate government. — No two colonies might be united into one, nor any colony be received into the confedei'acy, without the consent of the whole. Each colony was to elect two Com- missioners, who should meet annually, and at other times if ne- cessary, and should determine " all affairs of war and peace, of leagues, aids, charges, and numbers of men for war," &c. Upon notice that any colony was invaded, the rest were imme- diately to despatch assistance. This union subsisted more than forty years, until the charters of the colonies were either taken away, or suspended by James II. and his commissioners. In 1648, Rhode-Island petitioned to be admitted to this con- federacy, but was denied, unless she would be incorporated with Plymouth, and lose her separate existence. — This she refused, and was consequently excluded. The effects of this union on the New-England colonies were in a high degree salutary. On the completion of it, several In- dian Sachems, among whom were the chiefs of the Narraganset and Moheagan tribes, came in, and submitted to the English go- vernment. The colonies also became formidable, by means of it, to the Dutch. This union was also made subsarvient to the civUand religious improvement of the Indians. PERIOD n....lG07....1689....SETTLEMENTS. 4f Prior to this period, Mr. Mayhew and the devoted Elliot had made considerable progress towards civilizing the Indians, and converting them to Christianity, They had learned the Indian language, and had preached to the Indians in their own tongue. Upon a report in England of what these men had done, a so- ciety was formed for propagating the Gospel among the Indians, which sent over books, money, &c. to be distributed by the Commissioners of the United Colonies. The Indians at first made a great opposition to Christianity ; and such was their aversion to it, that had they not been over- awed by the United Colonies, it is probable they would have put to depth those among them who embraced it. — Such, however, were the ardour, energy, and ability of Messrs. Mayhew and Elliot, aided by the countenance and support of government, and blessed by Providence, that in 1660, there were ten towns of con- verted Indians in Massachusetts. In l6y5, there were not less than three thousand adult Indian converts, in the islands of Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. SectionXXll. 1662. The colony of Connec- ticut, having petitioned king Charles II. through governour Winthrop, for a charter of incorpora- tion, his majesty granted their request, and issued his letters patent, April 2d, constituting them a body corporate and politick, by the name of The Governour and Company of the English Colo- ny of Connecticut in New-England in America. The territory granted to lord Say and Seal, and lord Brook, in 1631, and confirmed by this charter to Connecticut, was bounded east by Narraganset river ; south by Long-Island sound ; north by Massaciuisetts ; and extended west to the Pa« cifick Ocean. The charter of Connecticut ordained that there should be a governour, deputy governour, and twelve assistants to be chosen annually. The charter instituted two general assemblies for each year, to consist of the above officers and deputies from the towns : the former to compose the upper, and the deputies the lower house. The government under the charter was essentially the same with that which the people had themselves adopted, in 1630, and continued to be the constitution of the colony and State of Connecticut until the year 1818. This charter included the colony of New-Haven ; but not be- ing agreeable to that colony, it did not unite with Connecticut until two years after. The granting of a charter to Connecticut 44 PERIOD II....1C07....1689....SETTLEMENTS. was followed the next year, 1663, by a similar grant to Rhode* Island and Providence Plantatiovs, as already noticed. Section XXIII. The settlement of the Dutch at Manhattan, in 1615, and their submission to the government of Virginia, which sent an expe- dition against them the same year, has already been mentioned. But the succeeding governour threw off the English yoke, and from that time they had remained independent of the English. — Belonging to a different nation, and having different interests, they availed themselves of every occasion to perplex and annoy the New- England colonies. They even laid claim to a considerable part of Connecticut. At length, king Charles II. sensible of the evil consequences of having a Dutch colony in the heart of his American dominions, determined to dispossess them. Accordingly in the year 1664, he made a grant of the whole country, in- cluding in it the several colonies of New- York, New- Jersey, and Delaware, to his brother, the duke of York and Albany. An expedition was soon fitted out against the Dutch, under command of Col. Richard Nichols, who shortly after appeared at Manhattan, and demanded a surrender. To this demand, the Dutch governour, Stuyvesant, yielded Aug. 27, being unprepared for defence. — Thus the whole country passed into the hands of the English. In honour of the duke, the two principal Dutch settlements were now named New- York and Albany. Section XXIV. A short time previous to the surrender of the Dutch, the duke of York con- veyed to lord Berkley, and Sir George Carteret, the territory of New- Jersey. This name was PERIOD n....I607...-1689....SETTLEMENTS. 49 given it, in complirneut to Carteret, who had been governour of the Isle of Jersey, in the English Channel. Soon after the grant, but before it was known, three persons from Long-Island pur- chased of the natives a tract which was called Elizabeth town grant, and a settlement was be- gun at Elizabethtown. In a few years, emigrants from various parts of Europe settled Newark, Middletown, and other places. The first s<'Ttlement in New-Jersey was made three or four years alter the settlement of Plymouth in New-England, by some Dutchmen and Danes. The inhabitants were considerably nu- merous at the lime of the surrender of the province to the Eng- lish government. The next year, 1665, Philip Carteret, who had been appointed governour by the proprietors, ar- rived at Elizabethtown, which he made the seat of government. He administered the government according to a constitution, which the proprie- tors had formed. This constitution ordained a free assembly, consisting of a governour, council, and representatives, the latter to be chosen by eac^i town. The legislative power resided in the assembly — th« executive in the governour and council. Section XXV. Delaware was also includ- ed in the grant to the duke of York. At this time it was in the hands of the Dutch, but an expedition was sent against it under Sir Robert Ca;rr, to whom it surrended Oct. 1,, 1664, soon after which, it was put under the authority of the English governour of New-York. Delaware was first settled in lG27, by a number of Swedes and P'ins, who at the instance of Gustavus Adolphus, king ot Sweden, emigrated to America. They landed at Cape Henlo.. pen, which, on Hccount of its beauty, they called Paradise Point; the Delaware they named Swedeland Stream. The Dutch at New Netherlands laid claim, however, to the territory, and mutual contests subsisted for a long time between them and the Swedes. After several times changing masters, the territory finally surrendered to the Dut :h, who held posses 46 PERIOD II....1607...168a...SETTLEMENTS. sion of it, at the time of the English expedition against *it under Carr, in l664. Section XXVI. After the reduction of New- York, Col. Richard Nichols, Sir Robert Carr, George Cartwright, and Samuel Maverick, Esqrs. entered upon the duties of a commission from king Charles, " to hear and determine com- plaints and appeals, in all causes, as well mili- tary as criminal and civil," within New-England, and to proceed in all things for settling the peace and security of the country. The conduct of these commissioners was ex- ceedingly arbitrary and offensive to the colonies. Under pretext of executing their commission, they received complaints against the colonies from the Indians ; required persons, against the consent of the people, to be admitted to the pri- vileges of freemen ; to church membership, and full communion . heard and decided in causes which had already been determine(^ by the esta- blished courts : and gave protection to criminals. After involving the colonies in great embarrass- ment and expense, they were at length recalled, and the country saved from impending ruin. Section XXVII. In the year 1663, the tract of country, extending from the 36th degree of north latitude to the river St. Matheo, was erected into a province by the name of Caro- lina, so called in honour of Charles IX. king of France, under whose patronage the coast had been discovered in 1563. This tract was conveyed, by charter of Charles II. King of England, at this time, to Lord Cla» rendon, and seven others, who were made abso- lute proprietors of the territory, and invested with ample powers to settle and govern it. Two years after, the charter was confirmed and enlarged, so PERIOD II 1607....1689....SETTLEMENTS. 47 as to embrace the whole territory, now divided into the two Carolinas, Georgia, and the Flori- das. As early as l650, a settlement Avas begun in Albemarle county, by planters from Virginia, and emigrants from otiier places. This settlement was placed by the proprietors, under the super- intendence of Sir William Berkley, governour of Virginia, who was instructed to visit it, and to appoint a governour and council of six for it. The attention of the proprietors was next turned to the coun- try south of Cape Fear, which they erected Into a county by the name of Clarendon. This county was settled in 1665, by emigrants from the Island of Barbadoes. Sir John Yeamans, who was from that island, was appointed governour, and a eeparate government granted, similar to that of Albemarle. In 1669, another settlement was made still further south, at Port Royal, under the direction of WiUiam Sayle, who was ap- pointed the first governour. The name of this county was Car- teret. Thus three distinct governments were formed in Caro- lina. In 1671, Gov. Sayle, dissatisfied with the situation of Port Royal, removed to the northward, and took possession of a neck of land between Ashley and Cooper's river. Here was laid the foundation of a town called Charlestown. Nine years after, however, the inhabitants removed to " the Oyster Point," where Charleston, the present capital of South Carolina, was begun. The place which they left went by the name of " the Old Town." In consequence of the unhealthiness of the climate, Governour Sayle died shortly after his removal to Old Charleston, upon which this colony was annexed to the government of that of Clarendon, under governour Yeamans, and the three govern- ments were reduced to two. During the administration of governour Sayle, a constitution, prepared, at the request of the proprietors, by the celebrated Mr. Locke, was attempted to be put in force. By this constitution, a president of a palatine court, to consist of the proprief'irs was to be chosen for life. An hereditary nobility was to be established, consisting of Icmdgraves and ca- ciques. A parliament, chosen once in two years, was to be held, consisting of the proprietors, of the nobUity, and of repre- sentatives ftom each district. AH were to meet in onp apart- ment, and to have an equal voice. No business, however, could be proposed in parliament, until it had been debated in a grand 4S PERIOD n....ie07....1689....SETTLEMENTS. conncil, to consist of the governour, nobility, and deputies of proprietors. This constitution it was found impossible to reduce to prac- tice. Great opposition was made to it ; and in Albemarle an insurrection was occasioned by an attempt to enforce it. It was tlierefore at length abandoned, and the former proprietary go- vernment restored. This latter sort of government continued from 1669 to 1729j when the proprietors surrendered their title and interest to the King of England. The province was now divided into North and South Carolina, and their governours and councils were appointed by the crown. 8ection XXVIII. This year, 1675, began the memorable war in New-England, with the In- dians, called King Philip'' s war ; by which the peace of the colonies was greaUy disturbed, and their existence for a time seriously endangered. For several years previous to th*: f»peiiing of the war, the In- dians had regarded the English with in. reasing jealousy. Th^'y saw them growing in numbers, and j aj idly extending their set- tlements. At the same time their ( wn hunting grounds were visibly narrowing, and their power dnd privileges sensibly de- creasing. The prospect bel'ore th«:m was humbling to the haughty descendants of the original lords of the soil. The principal exciter of the Indians at this time against the English, was Philip, sachem of the Wampanoags, grandson and successor of Masassoit, who, fifty years before, had made a treaty with the colony of Plymouth. Philip's residence was at Mount Ho})e, Bristol, Rhode-Island. The immediate cause of the war was the execution of three Indians by the Enghsh, whom Philip had excited to murder one Sausaman, an Indian missionary. Sausaman, being friendly to the English, had informed them that Philip, with several tribes, was plotting their destruction. The execution of these Indians roused the anger of Philip, who immediately armed his men, and commenced hostilities. Their first attack was made June 24th, upon the people ol Swanzey, in Plymouth colony, as they were returning home from public worship, on a day of humiliation and prayer, undei the apprehension of the approaching war. Eight or nine per- sons were killed. The country was immediately alarmed, and the troops of the colony flew to the defence of SwaHzey. On the 28th, a com- pany of horse and a company of foot, with one hundied and ten volunteers from Boston, joined the Plymouth forces at Swanzey. F£RIOD II....1607....1689....SETTLEMENTS. 49 The next morning an attack was made upon some of Philii/s men, who were pursued, and five or six of them killed. This resolute conduct of the English made a deep impression on the enemy. Philip, with his forces left Mount Hope the same night — marking his route, however, with the burning ot houses, anJ (he scalping of the defenceless inhabitants. It being known that the Narragansets favoured the. cause of Philip, he having sent his women and children to them for pro- tection, the Massachusetts forces under Capt. Hutchinson, pro- ceeded forthwith into their country, either to renew a treaty with them, or to give them battle. Fortunately, a treaty was concluded, and the troops returned. On the 17th of July, news arrived that Philip, with his warri- ours, was in a swamp at Pocasset, now Tiverton. The Massa- chusetts and Plymouth forces imr>ediately marched to that place, and the next day resolutely cha'^ged the enemy in their recesses. As the troops entered the swamp, the Indians continued to re- tire. The English in vain pursued, till the approach of night, when the commander ordered a retreat. Many of the English were killed, and the enemy seemed to take courage. It being impossible to em junter the Indians with advantage in the swamps, it was deterr med tc starve them out ; but Philip, apprehending their design, .ontrived to escape with his forces. He now fled to the Ni' mucks, a tribe in Worcester county, Massachusetts, whom he induced to assist him. This tribe had already commenced hostilities against the English ; but, in the hope of reclaiming them, the governour and council sent Cap- tains Wheeler and Hutchinson to treat with them. But the In- dians, having intimation of their coming, lurked in ambush for them, fired upon them as they approached, killed eight men, and mortally wounded eight more, of whom Capt. Hutchinson was one. The remainder of the English fled to Quaboag, Brookfiekl. The Indians, however, closely pursued them into the town, and burnt every house excepting one, in which the inhabitants had taken refuge. This house at length they surrounded. " For two days they continued to pour a storm of musket balls upon •'t, and although countless numbers pierced through the walls, but one person was killed. With long poles, they next thrust against it brands, and rags dipped in brimstone ; they shot ar- rows of fire ; they loaded a cart with flax and tow, and with long poles fastened together, they pushed it against the house. Destruction seemed inevitable. The house was kindling, and the savages stood ready to destroy the first that should open the door to escape. At this awful moment a torrent of rain descend ed, and suddenly extinguished the kindling llames," 5 50 PERIOD II 1607....1689....SETTLEMENTS August 4th, Major Willard came to their relief, raised ffat siege, and destroyed a considerable number ol the assailants. During the month of September, Hadley, Deerfield, and JSorth field, on Connecticut river, were attacked ; several of the inha bitants were killed, and many buildings consumed. On the 1 8th, Captain Lathrop, with several teams and eighty young men, the flower of the countv of Essex, were sent to Deerrield to trans- port a quantity of grain to Hadley. On their return, stop])ing to gather grapes at Muddy Brook, they were suddenly attacked by near eight hundred Indians. Resistance was in vain, and seventy of these young men fell belore the merciless enemy, and were buried in one grave. Captain ^losely who was at Deer- field, hearing the report of the guns, hastened to the spot, and with a few men, attacked the Indians, killed ninety-six, and wounded forty, losing himself but two men. Early in October, the Springfield Indians, who had hitherto been friendly to the English, concerted a plan, with the hostile teibes, to burn that town. Having, under cover of night, re- ceived two or three hundred of Philip's men into their fort, with the assistance of these, they set fire to the town. The plot, how- ever, was discovered so seasonably, that troops arrived from Westfield, in time to save tht town, excepting thirty-two houses, already consumed. Soon after hostilities were commenced by PhiHp, the Tarren- teens began their depredations in JNew-Iiampshire, and the Pro- vince of Maine. They robbed the boats and plundered the houses of the English. In September they fell on Saco, Scar- borough, and Kittery, killed between twenty and thirty of the inh .bitants, and consigned their houses, barns, and mills, to the flames. Elated with these successes, they next advanced towards Pis- cataqua, committing the same outrages at Oyster river, Salmon Falls, Dover and Exeter. Before winter, sixty of the English, in that quarter, were killed, and nearly as many buildings con- sumed. The Indians in those parts, however, had real ground of com plaint. Some seamen, hearing it reported that Indian children could swim by instinct, overset the canoe of Squando, sachem of the Saco Indians, in which were his squaw and infant child This act Squando could not overlook, especially as some time after the child died, and, as the sachem believed, on account ol some injury that it then received. Besides this, several Indiana had been enticed on board a vessel, cajried off", and sold into slavery. To redress these wrongs, the Indians commenced hos tllities. Notwitlistanding the Narragansets had pledged themselves by PERIOD II 1607....1689....SETTLEMENT3. 51 their treaty, not to engage in the war against the fc^nglLsh^ it was discovered that they were taking part with the enemy. It was deemed necessary, therelore, tor the safety of the colonies, early to check tliat powertiil tribe. Accordingly, governour Winslow of Plymouth^ with about one thousand eight hundred troops from Massachusetts and Coa* necticut, and one hundred and s xty friendly indinns, comment* ed their march from Petty quan scot, on the 1 9th of Dect-mber, 1675, througn a deep snow, towards the enemy, who were in a swamp about fifteen miles distant. The army arrived at the swamp at one in the afternoon. Some Indians at the edge of the swamp were fired upon, but fled. The whole army now entered and pursued the Indians to their fortress. This stood or. a rising ground, in the middle of the swamp. It was a work of great strength and (abttr;ince At length the English gave back, and were obliged to retreat out of the tort. At this crisis, the army being on the point of a fatal repulse, some (.'onnecticut men, on the opposit'' side ot the l«»rt. disro- vered a place destitute of palisades ; they instai-tly spraji^ 'MiO the fort, fell upon the rear of »he lndiaii.>>, and, aided by th« rest of the array, after a de.sperate conflict, achieved a complete vic- tory. Six hundred wigwams were now set on fire. The sc'^ae was awful. Deep volumes of smoke rolled i>p to heaven, min* gling with the dying shrieks of mothers and infants, while the aged and infirm were consuming in the flames. Even at this distant period, we cannot recall this scene without pain, and can justify this severity of our ancestors, nly by ad- mitting its necessity (c • selt-preservation. The Indians in thf "ort were estimated at rour thousand : of these seven hundred warriours were kilted, and thref hundred died of their wounds ; three hundred were taken prisoners, and as many women and children. The rest, "X'^ept such as were consumed, fled. The victory of the English, complete as it wj-.s. was purchas- ed with blood. Six brave captains fell ; eighty of the troops were killed or mortally wounded ; and one hundred and fifty were wounded, wko recovered. S0 PERIOD II....1607....1689....S£TTLfiM£NTS. From this defeat, the Indians never recovered. They wertf not yet, however, effectually subdued. During the winter they still continued to murder and burn. The towns of Lancaster, Medfieid, Weymouth, Groion, Springfield, Morthampton, Sud- bury, and Marlborough, in Massachusetts, and of Warwick and Providence, in Rhode-lsland, were assaulted, and some of them partly, and others wholly destroyed. In March, Captain Piercf, with fifty English, and twenty friendly Indians, were at- tacked, and every i.nglisliman, and most of the Indians, were slain. In April, Captain Wadsworth, marching with fifty men to the relief of Sudbury, was surrounded, and eJl either killed on the spot, or reserved for long and distressing tortures. The success of the Indians, during the winti'r, had been great; but OR the return of spring the tide turned against them. The Narraganset country was scoured, and many of the natives were killed, among whom was Canonchet, their chief sachem. On the 12th of August, lG76, the finishing stroke was given tc the war in the United colonies, by the death <.f Philip. Aftei his tlight from Mount Hope, he had attempted to rouse the Mo- hawks against the English. To effect his purpose, he killea, at several times, some of that tribe, and laid it to thn English. Bui his iniquity was discovered, and he was obliged hastily to flee. lie returned at length to Mount Hope. Tidings of his return were brought to Captain Church, a man who had been of eminent service in this war, and who was bet- ter able than any other person to provide against the wiles of Jie enemy. Capt. Chm-ch immediately proceeded to the place of Philip's concealment, near Mount Hope, accompanied by a small body of men. On his arrival, which was 'n the night, he placed his men in ambushes round the swamp, charging them not to move till daylight, that they might distinguish Philip, should he attempt to escape. Such was his confidence of suc- cess, that taking Major Sandford by the hand, he said, " It is scarcely possible that Philip should escape." At that instant, a bullet whistled over their heads, and a volley followed. The firing proceeded from Phihp, and his men, who were in view. Perceiving his peril, the savage chief, desperately snatch- ed his powder horn and gun, and ran fiercely towards the spot where an Englishman and Indian lay concealed. — The English soldier levelled his gun, but it missed fire : the Indian fired, and shot Philip through the heart. Captaui Church ordered him to be beheaded, and quartered. The Indian who executed this order, pronounced the warriour's epkaph, " You have been one very great man. You have made many a man afraid of you. But so big as you be, I will n( v chop you to pieces." PERIOD II....1607....1689....SETTLEMENTS. 59 Thus fell a savage hero and patriot — of whose transcendant abilities our history furnishes melancholy evidence. — The ad vantage of civilized education, and a wider theatre of action, might have made the name of Philip of Mount Hope, as memo* rable as that of Alexander, or Caesar. After the death of Philip, the w ar continued in the province of Maine, till the spring of 1678. But westward, the Indians having lost their chiefs, wigwams, and provisions, and perceiv- ing further contest vain, came in singly, by tens, and hundreds, and submitted to the English. Thus closed a melancholy period in the annals of New-Eng- land history ; during which, six hundred men, the flower of her strength, had fallen ; twelve or thirteen towns had been destroy- ed, and six hundred dwelling houses consumed. Every eleventh %mily was houseless, and every eleventh soldier had sunk to his grave. So costly was the inheritance which our fathers have transmitted to us. Section XXIX. The grant of the territory of New- York, by Charles II. to his brother the duke of York, in 1664, has already been noticed, as also its capture from the Dutch, the same year. In 1673, a war commencing between England and Holland, the latter sent a small fleet to New- York, and the town immediately surrendered. The following year, 1674, the war terminatedj and a treaty was concluded between England and Holland. By this treaty New- York was re- stored to the English. To prevent controversy about his title to the territory, the Duke of York took out a new patent, and appointed Sir Ed- mund Andross governour, who entered upon the duties of his appointment, in October of the same year. The administration of Andross, however, was arbitrary and severe. He admitted the people to no share in legislation, but ruled them by laws, to which they had never given their assent. Connecticut also experienced the weight of his oppression and despotism. That part of her territory west of Connecticut ri- ver, althoHgh long before granted to the colony of Connectieof, 5 * 94 PERIOD II....i607....1689....S£TTLEM£NT5. was included in the grant to the duke of York. By virtue of this grant, Andross now claimed jurisdiction over the territory^ and in July 1675, made an attempt with an armed force, to take possession of Saybrook Fort. The governour and council of Connecticut, having notice o| his coming, sent Capt. Bull to defend the fort. On the arrival of Andross at the mouth of the river, after making a show of force, he invited Capt. Bull to a conference. This was granted ; but no sooner had he landed, than he attempted to read his com- mission, and the duke's patent. This Capt. Bull firmly and positively forbid, and Sir Edmund, finding the colony determin- ed, at all events, not to submit to his government, relinquished his design and sailed for Long-Island. Section XXX. But the colonies had other trou- bles to experience, and other enemies to combat In 1676, while the Indian war was still going on, complaints were made in England against the colonies, for violating the acts of trade. These acts imposed oppressive customs upon certain commodities, ifimported from any country besides England, or if transported from one colony to another. The acts were considered by the co- lonies as unjust, impolitick, and cruel. For se- veral years they paid little attention to them, and his majesty at length required, that agents should be sent to England to answer in behalf of the co- lonies for these violations. By the acts of trade none of the colonies suf- fered more than Virginia and Maryland, their operation being greatly to lessen the profits on their tobacco trade, from which a great portion of 'heir wealth was derived. In addition to those sufferings, the colony of Virginia, in violation of chartered rights, was divided, and conveyed away in proprietary grants. Not only uncultivated woodlands were thus conveyed, but also planta- tions, which had long been possessed, and im- proved according to law and charter. The Virginians complained, petitioned, remon '.MduAi.. PERIOD II 1607 1689....SETTLEMENTS. 55 strated — but without effect. Agents were sent to England, to lay their grievances at the foot of the throne, but agents were unsuccessful. At length their oppression became insupportable, and the discontent of the people broke out int© open insurrection. At the head of this insurrection was place one Nathaniel Bacon, an Englishman, who soon after his arrival, had been ap- pointed a member of the council. He was a young man of commanding person, and great energy and enterprise. The colony at this time was engaged in war with the Susque- hannah Indians. Bacon despatched a messenger to governour Berkley, requesting a commission to go against the Indians. This commission the governour refused, and, at the same tirae^ ordered Bacon to dismiss his men, and on penalty of being de- clared a rebel, to appear before himself and the council. Exas- perated by such treatment. Bacon, without disbanding the rest of his men, proceeded in a sloop with forty of them, to Jamestown. Here a quarrel ensued, and Berkley illegally suspended him from the council. Bacon departed in a rage, with his sloop and men, but the governour pursued him, and adopted such measures that he was taken, and brought to Jamestown. Finding that he had dismissed Bacon from the council ille- gally, he now admitted him again, and treated him kindly. Soon after, Bacon renewed his importunity for a commission against the Indians. Being unable to effect his purpose he left Jamestown privately, but soon appeared again with six hundred volunteers, and demanded of the assembly, then sitting, the re- quired commission. Being overawed, the assembly advised the governour to grant it. But soon after Bacon had departed, the governour, by the same advice, issued a proclamation, denounc* mg him as a rebel. Hearing what the governour had done, Bacon, instead of marching against the Indians, returned to Jamestown, wreaking his vengeance upon all who opposed him. Governour Berkley fled across the bay to Accomack, but the spirit of rebellion had gone before him. He therefore found himself unable to resist Bacon, who now ranged the country at pleasure. At length the governour, with a small force, under command of major Robert Beverly, crossed the bay to oppose the male- contents. Civil war had now commenced. Jamestown was burnt by Bacon's followers ; various parts of the colony were pillaged, and the wives of those that adhered to the govcrnour's party were carried to the camp of the insurgents. 55 PERIOD II....1607....1689....SETTLEMENTS. In the midst of these commotions, it pleased the Supreme Ruler to withdraw Bacon by a natural death. The malecon- tents, thus left to recover their reason, now began to disperse. Two of Bacon's generals surrendered, and were pardoned, and the people quietly returned to their homes. Upon this Berkley resumed the government, and peace was restr>red. This rebellion formed an era of some note in the his lOry of Virginia, and its unhtippy effects were felt for thirty years During its continuance, husbandry was almost entirely neglected and such havock was made among all kinds of cattle, that the people were threatened with distressing famine. Sir William Berkley, after having been forty years governour of Virginia returned to England, where he soon after died. Three 3'ears after, l6T9, lord Culpepper was sent over as go vermiur, with certain laws prepared in conformity to the wishes of the ministry of England, and designed to be enacted by the assembly in Virginia. One of those laws provided for raising a revenue for the suppying moneys and enacting laws, not contrary to the laws of England. In May, 1681, Penn sent one Markham, with a few others, to take possession, and prepare for a settlement. The next year, Penn published a form of government, by which the supreme power was lodged in a general assembly, to consist of a govem- ♦ See page 34, wliere the boundaries of the territory granted to Connec- ticut are given. (^ PERIOD II....1&07....1689....SETTLEMENTS. Our, council, and house of delegates. The council and house lo be chosen by the freemen. The proprietor and governour to preside, and to have a treble voice in the council, which was to consist of seventy-two members. It was also agreed, that every person of good moral character, professing his faith in Christ, should be a freeman, and capable of holding any office ; and that none who believed in one God, should be molested in his religion, or be compelled to attend, or maintain religious worship. In October, Penn, with two thousand planters, mostly Quakers, arrived at New-Castle. In December, he convoked an assem- bly ; but so few delegates appearing, he ordered, that instead of seventy-two, three members only should constitute the council, and nine the house of assembly. Penn now entered into a treaty with the Indians, of whom he purchased large tracts of territory ; at the same time, he com- menced the city of Philadelphia, which, in one year, increased to a hundred houses and cottages. Pennsylvania had a more rapid and prosperous settlement than any of the other colonies. This was doubtless owing part- ly to its healthful climate and fruitful soil, partly to the fact, that the great obstacles of settlement had been overcome by the other colonies, and partly to the religious tolerance, mildness, and equity, which characterized its laws, and their administra* tion. In l683, Penn, at the request of the freemen, granted them a new charter, by which eighteen persons were to form the coun- cil, and thirty-six the assembly. The next year, Penn himself returned to England. The lasting prosperity of Pennsylvania, the foundation of which must be traced to his wisdom and benevolence, is an eloquent culogium upon his character. Section XXXV. In the year 1684, June 18, an event highly interesting to the colony of Mas- sachusetts took place in England. This was a decision in the high court of chancery, that she had forfeited her charter, and that henceforth her government should be placed in the hands of the king. The person chiefly instrumental in bringing about this event was Edmund Randolph, a man who had long been the enemy of the colonies, and who, for several years, had filled the ears of the king with cun)plaints against them for violating the acts oftradew Indian Council, p. 18. Building of Jamestoron. p. 22. £ PERIOD II 1607....1689,...SETTLEMENTS. (n To answer to these complaints, Massachusetts repeatedly incurred the expense of sending agents to England, and of main- taining them there ; but his majesty would accept of no con- ditions, short of a surrender of her charter. As she would not make this surrender voluntariij'-, it was violently wrested from her. Before king Charles had time to adjust the af- fairs of the colony he died, and was succeeded by James II. Soon after his accession, similar proceedings took place against the other colonies Khode-Island submitted, and gave up her char- ter. Plymouth sent a copy of her charter to the king, with a humble petition that he would re- store it. Connecticut voted an address to his majesty, in which she prayed him to recall the writ that had been filed against her, and request- ed the continuance of her charter. The petitions and remonstrances of the colo- nies were, however, of no avail. Both the heart and hand of the king were manifestly against them. After all their hardships and dangers iii settling a wilderness, they had no other prospect before them than the destruction of their dearest rights, and no better security of life, liberty, and property, thnn the capricious will of a tyrant. In pursuance of this cruel policy towards the colonies, two years after the charter of Massachu- setts was vacated, king James commissioned and sent out Sir Edmund Andross as goverriour of all New-England, Plymouth excepted. ' He amved at Boston, Dec. 20, 1686. The commencement of his administration was comparatively auspicious. In a few months, however, the fair prospect was changed. Among other arbitrary acts, restraints were laid upon the freedom of the press, and marriage contracts. The liberty to worship in the congregational (J2 PERIOD II....1607....1G89....SETTLEMENTS. way was threatened, and the fees of all officers of government were exorbitantly and oppressive- ly enhanced. In October, Sir Edmund, and suite, with a guard of about sixty regular troops, went to Hartford, where the assembly of Connecticut was in session. He entered the house of the as- st mbly, demanded the charter of Connecticut, and declared the colonial government to be dissolved. Extremely reluctant to surrender the charter, the assemb y rtitentionally protracted its debates till evening, when the char eer was brought in, and laid on the table. — Upon a preconcerted signal, the lights were at once extinguished, and a Capt. Wads- worth, seizing the charter, hastened away under cover of night, and secreted it in the hollow of an oak. The candles, which nad been extinguished, were soon relighted without disorder ; out the charter had disappeared. Sir Edmund, however, as- sumed the government, and the records of the colony were closed. The condition of the New-England colonies was now distressing, and as the administration of Androeg was becoming still more severe and oppressive, the future seemed not to promise al- leviation. But Providence was invisibly prepar- ing the way for their relief. Nov. 5th, 1688, William, Prince of Orange, who married Mary, daughter of James II. landed at Torbay, in Eng- land, and, compelling James II. to leave tihe kingdom, assumed the crown, being proclaim- ed Feb. 16th, 1689, to the general joy of the nation Section XXXVI. jHanuevs^ of tftc (STO^s lOUi!5it^« In the colonies of North America, at the close of this period, three varieties of cha- racter mighic be distinguished. In New- England, the strict puritanical notions of the people wrought a correspondent austerity upon the manners of society. Placing implicit faith in the Scriptures, they moulded their government, and shaped pri- vate character and morals upon a severe and li- teral construction of them. They were devoal — patriotic — industrious — ^and pubhc spirited ; and though of a grave, reflecting exterior, they often showed that shrewd inquisitiveness and keen relish of a jest, which are still character- istic of the New-Englanders. Tiie laws of the colonies throw some light on the views and manners of the people. - As examples, in 1 Cr39, the drinking ol healths was prohibited by law in Massachusetts. In 1 651, the legislature of tliat colony prohibited all persons whose " estate did not exceed two hundred pounds, from wearing any gold or silver lace, or any bone lace above two shillings per yard " The law authorized the selectmen to take notice of tlie costliness and fashion of the " apparel of the people, especially in the wearing of ribands and great boots." The New-Haven colony, in 1639, resolved that they would be governed by the rules of Scripture ; and that church members only should act in the civil affairs of the Plantation. In 1647, the colony of Connecticut expressed their disappro- bation of the use of tobacco, by an act of assembly, in which it was ordered, " that no person under the age of twenty years, nor any other that hath already accustomed himself to the use thereof, shall take any tobacco, until he shall have brought a certificate from under the hand of some who are appioved for knowledge and skill in physic, that it is useful for him ; and also that he hath received a lirensp from the court for the same. All others, who had addicted themselves to the use - For several years, its unsettled state prevented that attention to a religious estaldishmeot, which afterwards the subject receiv- ed. At the expiration of thirteen years from the founding of the colony, there were but eleven parishes, and five ministers ; the inhabitants of the colony did not at this time, however, much exceed two thousand persons. In 1621, the colony received a large accession to its numoers, and the governour and council were instructed " to take into special regard the service of Almighty God, and the observance of his divine laws ; and that the people should be trained up in true religion and virtue." At the same time, the Virginia Company ordered a hundred acres of land, in each of the bo- roughs, to be laid oft' for a glebe, and two hundred pounds ster PERIOD II 1607 1689....SETTLEMENTS. 65 ling to be raised, as a standing and certain revenue out of the profits of p?ch parish, to make a living: this stipend was thus settled — that the minister shall receive yearly five hundred pounds of tobacco, and sixteen barrels of corn ; which were col lectively estimated at two hundred pounds sterling. In lG42, the assembly passed a law proliibiting all, but those who had been ordained by English bishops, from preaching. In 1650, during the time of governour Berklev, the parishes of the colony were further regulated, the religion of the church of England was confirmed and established, and provision made for the support of the ministers. The maintenance of a minister was put at sixteen thousand pounds of tobacco, which as valued, at that time, at ten shillings per hundred, was about eighty pounds sterling. But in addition to this, he had a dwelling house and glebe ; also four himdred pounds of tobacco, or forty shil- lings for a funeral sermon, and two hundred pounds of tobacco, or twenty shillings for performing marriage by license, or five shillings when the banns were proclaimed. The tobacco des- tined for the minister was brought to him, well packed in hogs- heads, prepared for shipping. To raise this crop, twelve ne- groes were necessary. The special object of the New-England planters, in settling the country, was the enjoyment of their religious opinions, and the free exercise of religious worship, without molestation. Early attention was, therefore, paid to the gathering of churches, and the regulation of religion. They were Calvinists in doc- trine, and Congregational in discipline. Each church maintained its right to govern itself. They held to the validity of Presbyterian ordination, and the expediency of synods on great occasions. From the commencement, they used ecclesiastical councils, convoked by particular churches for advice, but not for the judicial determination of controver- sies. In each of the churches there was a pastor, teacher, ruling elder, and deacons. The pastor's office consisted principally in exhortation ; upon the teacher devolved the business of ex- plaining and defending the doctrines of Christianity. The busi- ness of the ruling elder was to assist the pastor in the govern- ment of the church. Early provision was made for the support of the ministry. On the arrival of the colonists of Massachusetts Bay, at Charles- town, before landing, a court of assistants was held, and the first question proposed was. How shcdl the ministers be maintained ? The court ordered that houses be built, and salaries be raised for them at the public charge. Their two ministers, Mr. Phil- •fps, and Mr. Wilson, were granted a salary— The former thirty 6* QQ ' PERIOD II....1607....1689 ...SETTLEMENTS. pounds per annum, and the latter twenty pounds, until the ar- rival of Ids wife. After the settlement of the several colonies, all persons were obliged by law to contribute to the support of the church. Spe- cial care was taken that all persons should attend public wor- ship. In Connecticut the law obliged them to be present on the Lord's day — on all days of public fasting, and thanksgiving, appointed by civil authority, on penalty of five shillings, for every instance of neglect. By the year 1642, twenty-two years from the landing of the pilgrims at Plymouth, there had been settled in New-England, seventy-seven ministers, who were driven from the parent coun- try, fifty towns and villages had been planted, and thirty or forty churches gathered. In 1637, the first synod convened in America, sat at Newtown, Massachusetts, and was composed of all the teaching elders in the country, and messengers of the several churches. Ma- gistrates also were present, and spoke as they thought fit. The object of calling this synod was to inquire into the opinions of one Ann Hutchinson, a very extraordinary woman, who held public lectures in Boston, and taught doctrines considered here- tical. The whole colony was agitated and divided into parties. The synod, after a session of three v/eeks, condemned eighty-two erroneous opinions wliich had become disseminated in New England. The Dutch Reformed Church was introduced into New-York with the first settlers, and was generally embraced by the Dutch population of that colony. The Roman Catholics first came to America in 1632 ; they settled in Maryland, and now con- stitute a respectable and numerous portion of the inhabitants of that state. The first Baptist church in America was form- ed at Providence in 1639. Their sentiments spreading into Massachusetts, in 1651, the ge- neral court passed a law against them, inflicting banishment for persisting in the promulgation of their doctrines. In 1656, the Qtmkers making their appearance PERIOD II....1607....1689....SETTLEMENTS. 67 in Massachusetts, the legislature of that colony passed severe laws against them. No master of a %'essel was allowed to bring any one of this sect into its jurisdiction, on penalty of one hundred pounds. Other still Severer penalties were inflicted upon them in 1657, such as cutting their ears, and boring their tongues with a hot iron, &c. They were at length banished on pain of death, and four, refusing to go, were executed in 1659. Without intending to justify these severities towEird the Bap- tists, ioiuakers, and other sectaiies, it is still proper to state, as some apology for them, that the conduct of the leaders of these sects was often calculated, and no doubt designed, to provoke persecution. They sought improper occasions to inculcate their peculiar tenets — departed unnecessarily from the decencies of social intercourse, and rudely inveighed against established and cherished opinions. In this way the peace of the colonies was disturbed, and that unanimity of religious sentiment which had hitherto existed, was broken. Our forefathers sought to avert these evils by the arm of civil power ; not yet having learnt that persecution is a ready way to propagate the sentiments of the persecuted. In the year l646, a synod met at Cambridge, which, by ad- journment, protracted its session to lG48, when it dissolved. This synod composed and adopted the " Cambridge Platform," and recommended it, together with the Westminster Confession of Faith, to the General Court and to the churches. In this sy- nod were present the ministers and churches of Connecticut, and New-PIaven, who united in the form of discipline which it recommended. This, in connexion with the ecclesiastical laws, was the religious constitution of Connecticut, until the compila- tion of the Saybrook Platform, a period of about sixty years. Section XXXVIII. S^tatTC UUtf COttf= Wlf trtt- The colonies, during this period, had little other trade than with England, though the West-India trade had begun, and there was some commerce with Canada, and a few ports on the European continent. The colonies imported from England all their merchandise ; and ex- ported thither tobacco, peltry, and atlength some beef, pork, grain, and fish. The importations from England, however, much exceeded the ex- ports thither 68 PERIOD II 1607....1689.,..SETTLEMENTS. During the first thirty years of the colony of Virginia, their ex- ports were confined to tobacco. But the price of it fell at length from three shillings and sixpence per pound, to twenty shillings per hundred, in consequence of which, a trade was opened with the frontier Indians, and the five Nations. The skins of the deer, elk, and buffalo, and the furs of the (Uter, hare, fox, muskrat, and beaver, were procured for rum, hatchets, blankets, &c. These skins and furs were exported to England. English grain and Indian corn were also exported to a considerable extent. Although the Virginians owned a lew vessels, the greater part of the trade was carried on by English vessels, during this pe- riod. They brought to the colony English manufactures, and took tobacco, furs, skins, grain, tar, pitch, &c. in return. The Virginians also carried on some trade with Canada. Ilie principal article of export from iSew-England doring this period was peltry, which was procured of the Indians for goods of small value. In l639, a fishing trade was begun at Cape Anne, and in 1641, three hundred thousand codfish were sent to market. The first vessel directly from t!ie West Indies was a Dutch ship of i 60 tons, which arrived at Marblehead, l635. The first American vessel that went to the West Indies was a pin- nace of thirty tons, in 1636. The ship Desire of Salem made a voyage in l638 to New-Providence and Tortuga, and returned laden with cotton, tobacco, salt, and negroes. This was the first introduction of African slaves into New-England. The first importation of indigo, and sugar, from the West Indies, "mentioned in our accounts, was made in 1639. In 1642, a Dutch ship exchanged a cargo of salt for plank and pipe staves, the exports of lumber from Ne\v-England. The next year, eleven ships sailed for the V/est Indies with lumber. In l67'S, the annual exports of the New-York colony, besides beef, pork, tobacco, and peltiy, were about sixty thousand bushels of wheat. About ten or fifteen vessels on ^n average of one hundred tons, English and Colonial, traded to this colony in a year. Section XXXIX. ^frtCttltUtt* Early at- tention was paid to agriculture. The first busi- ness of the settlers, was to clear the forests and supply themselves with food from the soil. But the fertility of the earth taught them soon to look to agriculture as a source of wealth, as well as ol subsistence. It therefore became the leading object of industry in the colonies. PERIOD II....1607....1689....SETTLEMENTS. 69 The method adopted by the first settlers to clear the land was very slow and laborious, compared with the presem modes. They used generally to cut down the trees and dig up the stumps, before tillage. Tobacco was early cultivated in Virginia, and soon began to be exported. The year alter the colony landed, the people gather- ed corn of their own planting, the seed of which they received of the Indians. Vineyards were attempted, and experienced vine- dressers were sent over for the purpose of taking care of them. Flax, hemp, barley, &c. were cultivated to a considerable ex- tent. Rye was first raised in iMassachusetts, in 1633. Ploughs were early introduced into the country. The first neat cattle, ever brought into New-England, were introduced by Mr. VVinslow, in 1624. In 1629, one hundred and forty head of cattle, some horses, sheep, and goats, were brought to Massachusetts Bay. In a few years they became so numerous as to supply all the wants of the inhabitants. In 1623, the cattle in Virginia hdd increased to above onetliousand head. New- York raised considerable beef and pork for exportation, and in 1678, they exportj^d sixty thousand bushels of wheat. Section XL. ^tts auU ^tianttfacttttes* The colonists, during this period, being chiefly ocfupied in gaining a t^ubsistence, and in protect- ing themselves against their enemies, had occa- sion for few articles beyond the necessaries and comforts of life. Arts and manufactures could, therefore, receive but little encouragement, be- yond the construction of such articles, and even those were principally imported. In 1620, one hundred and fifty persons came from England to Virginia to carry on the manufactuie of silks, iron, potash, tar, pitch, glass, salt, &c. but they did not succeed. In 1673, Chal mer says of New-England, " There be five iron works which cast no guns — no house in New-England has above twenty rooms — not twenty in Boston have ten rooms each — a dancing school was set up here, but put down — a fencing school is al- lowed. There be no musicians by trade. All cordage, sail- cloth, and mats, come from England — no cloth made there worth four shillings per yard — no alum, no copperas, no salt, made by their sun." The first buildings of the settlers were made of logs and thatch ed, or were built of stone. Brick and framed bouses were soon ^0 PERIOD IL...1607.. .1689....SETTLEMENTS. built in the larger towns, and afterwards in the villages. The frames nnd brick were, however, in some instances, imported. The first mill in New-England was a wind-mill, near Watertown, but it Was taken down in 1632, and placed in the vicinity of Boston. Water-mills began to be erected the next year. The first at- tempt to build water-craft, in New-England, was at Plymouth, in 1626. A house carpenter sawed their largest boat intit two parts, and lengthened it five or six feet, built a deck, and rigged it into a convenient vessel, which did service for seveii years. The first vessel, built in Massachusetts, was a bark in ifiSl, called The Blessing of the Bay. In 1633, a ship of sixty tons was built at Medfnrd. In 1 QSC:), one of one hundred and twenty cons was built at Marblehead. In, 1 641, a ship of three hun- dred tons was launched at Salem, and one of one hundred and sixty tons at Boston. From this time ship building rapidly ex- tended in the northern colonies. The hr St p7rnting in New- England, was done in l639, by one Day. The proprietor of the press, was a clergyman, by the name of Glover who died on Wn prissage to America. The first thing printed was th Freeman's ()ath, the second an Almanack, and the third an edition jf the Psalms. No other printing press was established in America, during this period. John Elliot, the celebrated missionary, having translated the bible into the Indian language, had it printed at Cambridge in I664. The mode of tiavelling considerable distances was on foot or on horseback, there being no carriages for that purpose, and the roads from one village to another being only narrow foot-paths, through forests. Sectiofi XLl. ||0|Jiillti^n. We may esti- mate the population of the English American co- lonies at the close of this period at nbout 200,000. It is impossible to ascertain very exactly the population of the American colonies at the close of this period. The estimates made by writers are vague, and often contradictory. The esti mate of Dr. Humphries in 1 7<'l, which seems as well entitled to credit as any other, is as follows ; Souls. Souls. Massachusetts, 70,000 New-York, 30,000 Connecticut, 30,000 Jerseys, 15,000 Rhode-Island, 10,000 Pennsylvania, 20,000 New-Hampshire, 10,000 Maryland, 25,000 Virginia, 40,ooa PERIOD II — 1607....1689....SETTLEMENTS. 71 New-England, J 20,000 Mid. and S. Colonies, 142,000 Total, 262,000 JN'onn Carolina, 5,000 Soutli Carolina, 7,000 142,000 Making a deduction from this account, so as to bring the esti- mate to the close of our period, we state the whole white popu lation ot the English American colonies in 1689? at about two hundred thousand. Section XLII. fEtTUtatiOtl* In New-Eng- land schools were founded at the outset of the colonies for the education of all classes : in the southern colonies, provisions for the education of the higher classes only were attempted during this period. Scarcely had the American colonists opened the forests, and constructed habitations, before they directed their attention to the oDJect of education. Previously to I6l9, the king of England authorized the col- lection of monies throughout the kingdom to erect a col- lege in Virginia, for the education of Indian children ; one thousand five hundred pounds were collected for this purpcxse, and Henrico was selected as a suitable place for the seminary. The same year, the Virginia company granted ten thousand acres of land for the projected university. — This donation, while it embraced the original object, was intended also for the foun- dation of a seminary of learning for English scholars. In addition to a college, the colonists, in l621, instituted a dety produce a government unsteady and capricious. This eo- vernment re-acts upon their manners, and aids rather than cnecks their licentiousness. On the contrary, in New-England, the se- vere puritanical manners of the people produce a rigid, energet- ick government, and this government returns its puritanical in- fluence back upon the manners of the peopie. 7 UNITED STATES. DISTINGUISHED FOR THE WARS OF KING WILLIAM, QUEEN ANNE, AND GEORGE II. Extending from the accession of William and Mary to the throne of England, 1689, to the Declaration of the War by England against France^ 1756, called " the French and Indian War.'' Section I. The news of William's accession to the throne of England, filled the colonies with ecstacy. Under the sudden impulse of their feelings, the inhabitants .of Boston seized Sir Edmund Andross, with about fifty of his associ- ates, and put them in close confinement, where they lay, until ordered to England, to answer for male-administration. Connecticut and Rhode- Island immediately resumed their charters, and were permitted by his majesty to re-establish their former governments. Massachusetts soon after obtained a new charter, in some respects less favourable to the colony, but in others, more so, than its former one. Andross had formerly been governour of New- York, under the duke of York, in which province his administration had been distinguished for measures both arbitrary and severe. Subsequent governours, under the duke, and after he came to the throne, had generally pursued a similar course. The discontents of the people had been PERIOD IIL...1689....175R ^5 gradually increasing, and they were ready for revfflution, when the above intelligence of the proceedings at Boston arrived. A revolution soon commenced, and, although attended by un- happy events, issued in the restoration (^t the rights of the people, and the formation oi a con- stitution, which laid the foundation of their pro- vincial code. From the reduction of New- York, in 1664, to 1683, t Albany, and there employed thHr influence to foment opposition. Both Leis- ler, in New-Yoik, and the people at Albany, held their respect- iv» u^arrisons in the name nf William and Mary, but neither w i:ld submit to the authority of the other. In this state of things, a letter from the lords Carmathei. and Halifax, arrived, directed, " To Francis Nicholson, Esq. or in 76 THREE WARS OP WM. III.,..ANNE....GEO. II. his absence, to such as, for the time being, take care for preserv- ing the peace and administering the laws, Sec. Accompany- ing tnis letter, was another of a subsequent date, vesting Nichol- son with the chief command. As Nicholson had absconded, Leisler construed the letter as directed to himself, and from that time assumed the title and au- thority of lieutenant governour. The southern part of New- York generally submitted to lim ; but Albany refusing subjec- tion, Milbo .1, his son-in-law, was sent to reduce them. In his first attempt he failed ; but during the ensuing spring, 169O, he took possession of the fort, find the inhabitants submitted. On the 19th of March, I691, Col. Slaughter arrived at New- York, in the capacity of the king's governour. Nicholson and Bayard, vho had been imprisoned by Leisler, were released. The tatter was obliged to abandon the fort, and with Milbom, his son-in-law, was apprehended, tried for high treason, and condemned. Their immediate execution was urged by the peo- ple ; but the governour, fearful of consequences, chose to delei rt. I'o effect their purpose, an invitation was given him by the citizens to a sumptuous feast, and while his reason was drowned in intoxication, a warrant for their execution was presented to him and signed. Before he recovered his senses, the prisoners were no more. Measures so violent gieatly agitated the existing panics, but in the end, the revolution which had taken place, restored the rights of Englishmen to the colony, (iovernour Slaughter con- voked an assembly, who formed n constitution. This consti- lution, among oilier provisions, stcured trials by jury, freedom from taxation, except by the consent of the assembly, and tole ration to all denominations of ('hristians, exceptmg Roman Ca- tholicks. Section II. While theKsetroubles were distress- ing the colonies of the north, that of Carolina, in the south, was far from being in a state of tranquillity. Dissen.^ions early arose in that co- lony respecting the proprietary government, un- der which they still continued. On the one hand, a part of the people insisted upon implicit obe- dience to all the laws and regulations of the pro- prietors in England : while another part contend- ed, on the other hand, that no such obedience was due Both parties being ardent and deter P£RIOD III....16S9....1756. 77 mined, the conflict between them was violent, and greatly prolonged, to the serious injury of the colony. In addition to these dissensions, others arose between the English settlers, and a colony of French Protestants who had planted themselves in the county of Craven ; to whom the English denied nearly every civil privilege, and especially the right of representation in the assembly. In view of these accumulating troubles, John Archdale, one of the proprietors, was sent to America in 1695, with full powers to redress grievances, and, if possible, to adjust existing differences. Archdale was received with cordiality, and by his singular wisdom and address, was so happy as to accomplish the purposes of his mission, ex- cept that he was unable fully to secure the rights and liberties of the French refugees. Not long after, however, the prejudices of the English against them abated, and they became incorpo- rated with the freemen of the colony. Section III. About this period, 1692, commenc- ed in Danvers, then a part of Salem, Massachu- setts, a singular infatuation on the supposed pre- valence of witchcraft. In a short time, this infa- tuation pervaded several parts of New-England, producing, in its progress, the greatest distress in private families and disorder and tumult throughout the country. The first suspicion of witchcraft in New-England, and in the United States, began at Springfield, Massachusetts, as earky as 1645. Several persons, about that time, were accused, tried, and executed in Massachusetts ; one at Charlestown, one at Dorchester, one at Cambridge, and one at Boston. For sdmost thirty years afterwards the subject rested. But in 1687 or 1688, it was revived in Boston ; four of the children of John Goodwin uniting in accusing a poor Irish woman with bewitching thrm. 7* 78 PERIOD ni..,.lG89....l7Si. Unhappily the accusation was regarded with attention, and the woman was tried and executed. Near the close of February, 1692, the subject was again re- vived, in consequence of several children in Danvers, Salem, be- ginning to act in a peculiar and unaccountable manner. Their strange conduct* continuing for several days, their friends be- took themselves to fasting and prayer. During religious exer- cises it was found that the children were generally decent and still ; but after service was ended, they renewed their former inexplicable conduct. This was deemed sufficient evidence that they were labouring under the influence of witchcraft. At the expiration of some days, the children began to accuse several persons in the neighbciurhood of bewitching them. Un fortunately they were credited, and the suspected authors of th» spell, were seiiied and imprisoned. From this date, the awful mania rapidly spread into the neigh bou'-ing country, and soon fippeared in various parts of Essex Middlesex, and Suffolk. Persons at Andover, Ipswich, Glou- cester, Boston, and several other places, were accused by theii neighbours and others. For some time, the victims were selected only from the lower classes. But at length the accusations fell upon persons of the most respectable rank. In August, Mr. George Boroughs, some time minister in Salem, was accused, brought to trial, and con- demned. Accusations were also brought against Mr. English, a respectable merchant in Salem, and his wife; against Messrs. Dudley and John Bradstrcot, sons of the then late governour Bradstreet ; against the wife of Mr. Hale, and the lady of Sir William Phipps. The evil had now become awfully alarming. One man, named Giles Corey, had been pressed to death for lefusing to put him- * The manner in which those who were supposed to he afflicted with this malady were exercised, is thus described hy Cotton Mather in his Magnalia. " Sometimes they were deaf, sometimes dumb, sometimes blind, and often all this ot once. Their tongues would he drawn down their throats, and then pulled out upon their chins to a prodigious 'ength. Their mouths were forced open to such a widcness that their jaws went oTit of joint ; and anon would clap together again with a force like that of a spring lock ; and the like would happen to their shoulder-blades, and their elbows, and their hand-wrists, and several of their joints. Some- times they would be benumbed, and be drawn violently together, and pre- sently stretched out and drawn back. They complained that they were cut with knives and struck with blows, and the prints of the wounds were seen upon them." We cannot believe that all this actually took place ; probably the persons were singularly affected, and the excited fancies oi ' 'i^sc who looked on, added the rest of the picture. PERIOD I1I....1689....175S. 79 self on trial by jury ; and nineteen persons had been executed, more than one third of whom were members of the church. One hundred and fiity were in prison, and two hundred were accused. At length the inquiry was anxiously suggested, where will this accumulating mischief and misery end ? A conviction be- gan to spread that the proceedings had been rash and indetien- sible. A special court was held on the subject, and fifty who were brought to trial, were acquitted, excepting three, who were afterwards reprieved by the governour. These events were fol- lowed by a general release of those who had been imprisoned, " Thus the cloud," says the late President Dwight, " which had so long hung over the colony, slowly and sulltuly retired ; and like the darkness of Egypt, was, to the great joy of the distress- ed inhabitants, succeeded by serenity and sunshine."* We, who live to look back upon this scene, are wont to con* template, with wonder, the seeming madness and infatuation, not of tlie weak, illiterate, and unprincipled : but of men of sense, education, and fervent piety. Let us consider, however, that at this period, the actual existence of witchcraft was taken for granted, and that doubts respecting it were deemed little less than heresy. The learned Baxter, who lived at this time in England, where the same notions on this subject prevailed, pro- nounced the disbeliever in witchcraft, an " obdurate Sadducee ;'* and Sir Matthew Hale, one of the brightest ornaments of the English bench, repeatedly tried and condemned those as crimi* nals, who were accused of witchcraft. The human mind is prone to superstition, and more or less of it prevails in every country, even in those which are civilized and refined, and upon which divine revelation sheds its light. In the case of the people of Essex, where this delusion chiefly prevailed, there were circumstances existing which did not exist in England. They had lived for some years among the savageSj had heard their narratives of Hobbamocko, or the devil, of his frequent appearance to them, of their conversations with him, and of his sometimes carrying them off. Every village was tlie theatre of some such scenes, and stories of mystery and won- der, heightened by imagination, went the rounds during their winter evenings, confirmed their opinions, roused their adniira-! tion, and furnished materials for approaching terrours. The circumstances attendiiig the first strange appearances were also unfortunate, and powerfully tended to give them cur- rency. The family of a minister, who was himself credulouS| ♦D wight's Trayels. 80 THREE WARS OF VVM. III...J^NE....GEO. IL and with whom an Indian and his wli-' lived, were first affected. The opinions of the Indians were d* ••med iniportani, as they were supposed to be adepts in the science of witchcraft. Added to this, tht- physician of the viliagt' cuiicurred in the opinion, and th*- frict was therefore no longer to be doubted. The atti-niioD of the publick mind was iraniediately roused, and as others se*>m ed to be exercised in a siinibr manner, the wav was prepared for the dehision to spread. Children of not more than twelve years of age were permitted to give their testimony : Indians were called to tell their stories of wonder, and women their noc turnal frights. For a time the counsels of age were unheard ; wisdom was confoundect, and relii'ion silenced. If, however, the uniform protestations of those who were exe cuted, or tlie confessions of mmibers who had been accusers, or the conviction of errour on the part i>f those who wtre leaders in these awful scenes, be credited, we shall be satisfiea that the whole oriirinated in I" " ' ' ' ' ij. All who were executed, excepting the first, j .iinucence with their dying breath, when a confession would have saved their lives. Y ears afterwards, those who had been accusers, when admitted to the churcli, ackno\\leci2ed tlieir delusion, and asked " pardon for having brought the guilt of innocent blood on the land," Even juries, who h.ad beenconceinett in the trial and condem* nation of some of these unfortunate suflV rcrs, recanted their er- rours. "We do sij:nify," to use the language of a jury subse- quently conscious of their wrong, " our deep sense of, and sor- row for, our errours in acting on such evidence ; we pray that we may be considered candidly and aright, by the living suffer- ers, as bein^ then, under the power of a general and strong de- lusion." In one instance at least, a church, that of Danvers, which had exconimuiilcalod a person on suspicion of witchcraft, and who was hunsr, four years afterwards, recalled the sentence, " that it mi'jht not stand against her to all generations." In conclusion it may be remarked, that no people on earth are notr more enlightened on this subject than are the people of America. Nothing of a similar kind has since existed, and pro- bably never will exist. Stories of wonder, founded upon an- cient tradition, or upon a midnight adventure, sometimes awe the village circle on a winter's night, but the succeeding day chases away every ghost, and lulls every fear. It becomes the present generation to advert with gratitude to their freedom from those delusions which distressed and agitated their ancestors, ra- ther than to bestow invectives upon them, since they could plead in palliation of their errour — the spirit of the age In which they liTPd. PERIOD III. ..ICbO. ...1726. gl Section IV. Hcarcely wcjrc tin; coIonicN reliev^ ed from tho oppreciHion of kinj* JameM, before they were viKitod willi troulilih v-Yuik, aiul iuKti^ali <1 llit- Indiann lo join tlii-in in iheir lu»ttiliti< ». Count l^'rontennc, a brHve and i-nterpriHin^ of- ficer, wan now tlie governout of (-aiiada. In- flamed with the rehentrntiii which had kindled in the biihoniof hif inahier, Loni.'- X I V.of I'Vance, B^raiuHl William, liir bin irealmtrnl t)f Jamch, lie fitted out three expeditioiiH, in the dead of winter, af^aiiiHt the Ainericant olonieK— onea^aiiiMtJ\eW" Y«»rk, a H'cond aj^aim-t New-llanipHhire, anut three hundred men, in February fell upon Schenectady, a viU liig<- 'i-niiui iiopoh'tiblr- lor un i-n<-niy l<; appi<>i«<'h. The attack was made ULlhe d«'ad ol the night, while the inb'd'it- ant*> w'Ti- in a profoumi ftifr'i'p. Not a ^*-i\\mf\ was awnk** ••& announcf the apjiroachint' danger. Cure had been taken, by a diviiiion ill th< enemvt to attack alnumt every hnu6e in thf Hame niomeni. V\ hfu th«- prt'paraiionit wer« ready, on a preron<«rl« ed (signal, the apailing war-whctop wan begun : houws werr bro- Ken open and aei oji fire— inen and women were dragged fron> 82 THREE WARS OF WM. UI ...ANNE GEO. 11. their beds, and with their sleeping infants were inhumanly mur- dered. Sixty persons perished in the massacre, thirty were made prisoners, while the rest of the inhabitants, mostly naked, fled through a deep snow, either suffering extremely, or pfirisliing in the cold. The second party, directing their course to \pw-Harnp. shirt, burned Salmon Falls, killing thirty of the bravest men, and carrying fifty-four of the inhabitants into a miserable cap^ tivity. ^ The third party, proceeding from Quebec, destroyed the set- tlement of Casco, in Maine, and killed and captured one hmi- dred people. Section V. Roused by these proceedings of the French, the coiony of Massachusett.-j resolv- ed to attack the en( my in turn. Accordinoly an expedition consisting of" seven vessels, auifeight hundred men, under command of 8ir William Phipps, sailed for the reduction of Port Royal, in Nova i?5cotia, which was easily and speedily effected. A second expedition, under the same comman- der, was soon after resolved upon by the colonies of New- York, Connecticut, ;uid Massachusptts, united, for the reduction of Montreal and Uue- bec. A combination of unfortunate circumstan- ces, however, defeated the design, and the ex- pedition after encountering numerous hardships and disasters, returned. The plan was for the troops of New-York and Connecticut, consisting of about two thousand, to penetrate into Canada, by Lake Champlain, and to attack Montreal, at the sam^time that the naval armament, ronsistine of between thirty and forty ves- sels, with a similar number of men, shouW invest Quebec The troops destined for Montreal not being supplied, either with boats or provisions, sufficient for crossiif the lake, were obliged to return. The naval expedition did not reach Quebec, until October. After spending several days in consultation, the land- ing of thetroofis was eftected, and they b.^^an their march for the town. At the same time the ships wi-re drawn up ; but the attack, both by land and water, was alike unsuccessful. The troops were soon after re-erabarKed, and the weather, prov. PERIOD 1II....1689....175G. 83 ing tempestuous, scattered the fleet, and terminated the expedb tion. The success ol* the expedition had been so confidently calcu- lated upon, that provision had not been made lor the payment of the troops; there was danger, therefore, of a mutiny. In this extremity, Massachusetts issued bills of credit, as a substi- tute for money ; the first emission of the kind in the American colonies. Sir William Phipps, to whom the above expeditions were en- trusted, was a native of New-England. The extraoi dinary in- cidents of his life will serve to exhibit the powerful spirit of per- sonal enterprise which the peculiar circumstances of the colo- nies called forth. The place of his birth, which happened in l650, was a small plantation, on the river Kennebeck, at that time nearly the limit of thfc English settlements on the east. His father was a gim- smith, who had a family of twenty-six children by one wife, twenty-one of whom were sons, of which William was nearly the youngest. His father dying while he was quite a lad, he lived with his mother until his eighteenth year, during which time he was chiefly concerned in the care of sheep. Contrary t© the wishes of his friends, he now indented himself as an ap- prentice to a ship-carpenter, for four years, in which time he be- came master of his art. Upon the expiration of his service, he went to Boston, where he followed his trade about a year, during which he learned to read and write, and in which time he was respectably married. Failing of that success in his trade, which his enterprising ge- nius coveted, he turned his attention to the sea, and during his first voyage, hearing of a Spanish wreck near the Bahamas, he di- rected his course thither, but obtained from it only sufficient to furnish himself for a voyage to England. On his arrival in that country, he heard of another Spanish wreck, in which was lost an immense treasure ; buttheprecise spot of which was as yet un- discovered. Being sanguine in the belief that he should be more successful than those who had preceded him, in their attempts to discover it, he solicited the patronage of several persons in office, through whose influence he was appointed to the Algier Rose, an English frigate of eighteen guns and niuptv-five men, in which, some time after, he sailed in quest of the wreck. It often happens that Divine Providence, previously to crown- ing a man's exertions with success, involves him for a season in difficulties, and tries him with disappointments. This was strik- ingly verified in the case of Capt. Phipps. Not meeting with . jhe success which he had promised his crew, they at length be- came mutinous, and on a sudden rushed upon him, while onjhe^ 84 THREE WABS OF WM. III....ANNE....GEO. II. quarter deck, with drawn swords, and demanded of him, as ih* only condition of life, that he should join them in escaping to the South Seas, to engage ui piracy. Although entirely miarmed, he stood firm and collected until he had fixed his plan, and then with a courage bordering on rashness rushed in upon their pointed swords, dealing his blows so judiciously that he felled numbers to the deck, and so awed the rest, that they consented to yi^ld. At another time finding it necessary to careen his vessel, he put into a desolate Spanish island, near to a rock from which a temporary bridge was extended to the ship. Mutiny was se- cretly working among his crew. While preparations were mak- ing by the carpenter for repeiiring the vessel, ninety of his men left her, and retired into the adjoining wood, under pretence of diversion, but in reality for mutinous purposes. Here a plan was formed, which was to seize Capt. Phipps, and the nine or ten men who were known to be friendly to him, and to abandon ihem to their fate on the island. Apprehensive that the carpenter might be necessary on their voyage, they sent to him, then at work on the vessel, and re- quested that he would come to them. On his arrival he was apprized of their design, and threatened with death should he not second their views. The carpenter, being an honest man, requested an half hour to think upon the proposal, and return- ing to the ship, accompanied by a spy from the mutineers, re- sumed his work. On a sudden, feigning himself severely dis- tressed with pain, Ue excused himself, while he should hasten to the captain, who was below, for a dram. In few words, while the dram was getting, he discovered the plot to Capt. Phipps, and sought his advice. The captain bid him go back to the rogues, sign their articles, and leave the rest to him. No sooner had the carpenter gone, than Capt. Phipps summoned the men on board, of whom the gunner was one, and having briefly stated the plan in agitation, demanded of them, whether they would share his fortune ; to which they unanimously agreed. All their provisions were on shore in a tent, round which seve- ral guns had been planted, to defend them from the Spaniards, should any chance to pass that way. These guns Capt. Phipps ordered his men to charge, and silently to turn in the direction of the mutineers, while he should pull up the bridge, and with the assistance of two or three others bring the guns on board to bear on every side of the tent. Scarcely were these preparations ended, when the mutineers, flushed with their anticipated success, made their appearance. On their nearer approach, Capt. Phipps bade them advance at their peril ; at the same time directing his men to fire, should a eingle one come forward. Awed by his decision, and the dcalli- PERIOD III....lfi89....1756. So .ike preparations visible, they paused ; upon which Capt. Phipps informed them that their plot was discovered, and that he was determined to leave them to that late, which they had designed for him, and those ol the crew who were too virtuous to second their villanous purposes. At the same time he diiected the bridge to be let down, and the provisions to be brought on bociril — while some of the men should stand with matches at the guns, with orders to fire should a single mutineer advance. This un- expected reverse, and especially the prospect of a certain, but a lingering death on a desolate shore, had the efi'ect to subdue the mutineers, who now on their knees besought his pardon, and promised obedience to his orders. Unwilling, however, to trust them, Capt. Phipps tied their arms one alter another ; and when all were on board, immediately weighed anchor, and sailed . for Jamaica, where he dismissed them, from this place, hav- ing shipped another crew, he sailed for Hispaniola, intending to proceed in search of the Spanish wreck ; but his crew proving unfit, he returned to Lngland. Through the assistance of the duke of Albemarle, and other per- sons of quality, he was furnished with another ship and a tender, with which he sailed for Port de la Plata, where after completing his preparations, lie proceeded in search of the wreck. Having for a long time fruitlessly sought the object of his voyage, in the neighbourhood of a reef of rocks called the Boilers, further search was about being abandoned, when, as one of the buats was returning to the ship across the reef, one of the men looking over the side, spied as he thought a sea feather, growing out of a rock : whereupon an Indian diver was directed to descend and fetch it up. But what were their surprise and joy, on his return, to learn that he had discovered several guns, lying on the bottom of the deep. A second descent of the Indian increased their joy still more, for on his rising, he was bearing in his hand a sow, as they called it, or a mass of silver, of th > value of several hun- drt«d pounds sterling. Tidings of the aiscovery were immedi- ately conveyed to Capt. Phipps, who, with his men, repaired to tht spot, and upon leaving the place, carried with him thirty- two to.is of Silver bullion, besides a large quantity of gold, pearls, and jewels, over which the billows had been rolling for more than hall a century. On his arrival in London, the property thus resci\ed was valued a* nearly three hundred thousand poui.ds sterling ; yet of this sum such was his exemplary honesty and liberahty, that partly by fulfilling his assurances to his seam«^n, and partly by conscientiously paying over to his employers all their dues, he had left to himself less than sixteen thousand !)ounds. As a reward to his fidelity, howt ver, he received a arge present from the duke of Albemarle, and upon a repra- 8 86 THREE WARS OF WM. III....ANNE....GEO. IT. sentation of his enterprise to the king, his majesty conferred up» on him the honour of knighthood. Liberal offers were made to him by the commissioners of the navy to continue in England, but he had too great an attachment for his native country to think of a permanent residence in any other land than that of New-Englanfl. James 11. was at this time on the throne of England, by whom the colonies in America had been deprived of their charters, and under whose governours they were severely suti'ering from ar- bitrary laws, and excessive exactions. — Pleased with Phipps, tKe king gave him an opportunity to ask of his majesty what he pleased ; upon which, forgetting personal aggrandizement, he besought for New- England, that her lost privileges might be re- stored to her. This was too great a boon to be granted, and the king replied, " any thing but ihatJ' His next request was, that he might be appointed high sherifi of the country, hoping that by means of his deputies in that office, he might supply the country with conscientious juries " which was the only method," says Mather, "thai the New-Engl;mders had left them to secure any thing that was dear unto them." Having at some expense obtained his request, after an absence of five 3'ears, he arrived in his native country ; but the king's government found means not only to set aside his commission as high sheriff, but also to raise against him such a tide of oppo- sition, that he had nearly been assassinated before his own door. Finding affairs in so unsettled a state, and his own situation un- comfortable, he, not long after, took another voyage to England. Soon after his arrival in that country, James abdicated the throne, and the Prince of Orange ascended it. This event was the harbinger of better things to Mew-England. Having ten- dered his services to William, and rejected with disdain the go- vernment of New-England, proffered to him about this time by the abdicated king, he hastened bis return to America, hoping now to be of some sorvice to his country. Li the unsettled state of the colonies, his wisdom and influence were of great import- ance, and contributed not a little to forward the revolution, which issued in freeing the colonies from the" tyranny of James and his ministers. The latter part of the life of Sir William Phipps is rendered doubly interesting, by his openly espousuig the cause of religion. At the age of forty he was publickly baptized in one of the churches of Boston, and received into her communion. In an address on that occasion, in conclusion he observed, " I have had proffers of baptism elsewhere made to me, but I resolved rather to defer it until t could enjoy it in the communion of these churches. I have had awful impressions from the words of the PERIOD III....1680....1726. 87 Lord Jesus, ' Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my a Word, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed.' When God had blessed nie with something ol tht world, 1 had no trouble so great as this, lest it should not be in mere}' ; and I trembled at nothing more than being put off with a portion here. I'nal I may be sure ol better things, 1 now ofier myself ujito the com- munion of the taithluL" King William's war breaking out at this time, he sailed upon the f xpedition against lort Ro^ai and Quebec, related above. In the lollowing year he received a commission as captain gene- ral and governour in chief over the province of Mask>achusetts Bay. INo appointment could have been more accej)table to the people. He came to the governuient however in unsettled times, and though his administration was marked by iiisinterestedness and liberality, it was his lortune, as ji is the fortune of all in high stations, to have enemies, loo restless to remain at ease, the^ at length preferred charges agauist him to the king, who, though satisfied of his fidelity, consitlenng it expedient to in- quire into the case, directed ISii W illiam to appear m Lngland. In obedience to the royal command, h» took leave of Boston, in ISov 1 ny4, attended with ever\ (it nionstration of respect Irom tht people, and with addresses to their Majesties, ihat he might be Ciuitinued in his present r-^spectable and useful station. On his arrival m England, the cloud, which had hung over him. was fast dispelljujr, and tlu prospect flattering of his speedy return to his government uninjured by the accusation of preju- dice and calunniy. But Providence had now accomplished its d;\signs in respect to him. He was sudd-'nly attacked by a ma- lignant disease, which terminated his lile^ in hebruary, to the great jrrlef of all who were acquainted with the gen'^rosity and patriotism, integrity, and piety, that ilistinouisbed him. T he lite of such a man is always replete with instruction. It reveals to those in the humbler walks ot life, the means by which the> may not only arrive at distinction, but to that which is ol far higher importance — an extended sphere of usefulness in church and state. Enterprise, exertion, integrity, will accom- plish every thing.* Sectioft VI. The failure of the expedition to Qupbecwafci humbling to New-Enghtnd, and pro- ductive of other unhappy consequences. The Indian tribes, Mohawks, Oneidas, ^enecas, On- * Mather's Magnalia. 88 THREE WARS OF WM. UI....ANNE GEO. II. ondagos.and Dela wares, called the Fire Nations, settled along the banks of the Susquehannah, and in the adjacent country, who were in alliance with Great Britain, and had long been a safe- guard to the colonies against tiie French, be- came dissatisfied. They blamed the English for their inactivity, and manifested a disposition to make peace with the French. To restore the confidence of the Indian allies, Major P. Schuy- ler, the next year, l6yi, with three thousand men, nearly half M*)liavvks and Schakook Indians, made iui attack on the French settlements, north of Lake Champlain. De Callieres, govera- our of Montreal, was waiting to oppose him. After a severe encounter, Schuyler made good his retreat, having killed thirteen officers and three hundred men. New-York found great security against the encroachments of the French, m the Five Nations, who now cairied on a vigorous war, along the river St. Lawrence, from Montreal to Quebec. But the eastern portion of the country, particularly New- Hampshire, suffered exreedingly ; the storm falling with the greatest severity upon them. Doth Coimerricut nnd Massachu- setts raised tn>ops tV.r tht-ir detence ; but such was the dansrer and distress of the colony of New-Hampshire, that the inhabit- ants were upon the poiru of abandoning the Prevince. The winter of I^!^)6 was unusually severe. Never had the country sustained such K»sses in commerce, n«)rhad provisions, in any period of the war, been more scarce or borne a higher price. Section VII. In the midst of these distresses, the country was thn^atened with a blow, which it seemed impossible that it should sustain. The marquis Nestnond, an officer of high reputatidn, was despatched from France, with ten ships of the line, a galliot, and two frigates. Count Fron- tenac, from Canada, was expected to join him at Penobscot, with one thousand five hundred men. With this force, they were to make a de- scent on Boston ; to range the coast of New- foundland, and burn the shipping which should fall in their way. To finilh their work of de- ^ISRIOi) III....1689... 1756. 89 stiuction, they were to take New- York, whence the troops, under Frontenac, were to return to Canada, through the country, wasting and de- stroying the regions through which they shouid pass. But De JNesmond sailed too late for the accomplishment of his purpose- On his arrival on the coast, not being abJ#e to join Frontenac in season, the expedition failed, and the colonics were saved. At length, Dec. 10, 1697, a treaty was concluded between France and England, at Ryswick, in Germany, by which it was agreed, in general terms, that a mutual restitution should be made of all the countries, forts, and colonies, taken by each party during the war. King William's war, which was thus terminated, had been marked by atrocities oq the part of the French and Indians, un- til then, unknown in the history of the cohmies. Women, soon expecting to become motliers, were generally ripped up, and their unborn offspring inhumanly dashed against a stone or tree. Infants, when they became troublesome, were despatched in the same manner. Or, to add to the anguish of a mother, her babe was sometimes lacerated with a scourge, or nearly strangled under water, and then presented to her to quiet. If unable soon to succeed in this, it was too effectually quieted by the hatchet, or left behind to become the prey of prowling beasts. Some of the captives were roasted alive ; others received deep wounds in the fleshy parts of their bodies, into which sticks on Are were thrust, until tormented out of hfe, they expired. In me instance, an infant was tied to the corpse of its mother, and eft to perish, vainly endeavouring to draw nourisliment from ler bosom. Great were the sufferings of those whose condition was the oost. They were subjected to the hardships of travelling with- out shoes, without clothes, and o/ten without food, amidst frost, and rain, and snow, by night and by day, through pathless de- serts, and through gloomy swamps. No kindness was shown them, and no pity felt for them. If they fainted under their burden, or only remitted for a moment their toil , they received from their in- human conductors the severest chastisement, or expired by means of a blow from the tomahawk. Such were some of the calarai> ties which our ancestors endured in the defence of the countryi which they have transmitted to us with so much honour. 8* . yO THREE WARS OF WM. III....ANNE....GEO. II. The details of individuu! sufferings, which occurred during this war, were they faithfully recorded, would excite the sym- pathies of the most unfeeling bosom. One instance only can we relate. In an attack by a body of Indians on Haverhill, New-Hamp- shire, in the winter of 1697, the concluding y^ar of the war, a party of the assailants, burning with savage animosity, approach- ed the house of a Mr Oustan. . Upon the first alarm, he flew from a neighbouring field to his family, with the hope of hurry- ing them to a place of safety. Seven of his children he directed to flee, while he himself went to assist his wife, who was confin- ed to the bed with an infant, a week old. But before she could leave her bed, the savages arrived. In despair of rendering her assistance, IMr. Dustan flew to the door, mounted his horse, and determined in his own mind, to snatch up and save the child which he loved the best. He fol lowed in p«rsiiit of his little flock, but, upon coming up to them, he foftnd it impossible to make a selection. The eye Oi the pare . oidd see no one of the number that he could abandon to the kiiite of the savage. He determined, therefore, to meet his fate with them ; to defend and save them from their pursu- ers, or die by their side. A body of Indains soon came up with him, and, from short distances, fired upon him and his little company. For mor« than a mile he continued to retreat, placing himself between his children and the fire of the savages ; and returning their shots with great spirit and success. At length he saw them all safely lodged from their bloody pursuers, in a distant house. It is not easy to find a nobler instance of fortitude and courage, inspired by affection, than is exhibited in this instance. Let us ever cultivate the influence of those ties of kindred, which are capable of giving so generous and elevated a direction to our ac- tions. As Mr. Dustan quitted his house, a party of Indians entered it. Mrs. Dustan was in bed ; but they ordered her to rise, and, before she could completely dress herself, obliged her and the nurse, who had vainly endeavoured to escape with the infant, to quit the house, which they plundered and set on fire. In these distressing circumstances Mrs. Dustan began her march, with other captives, into the wilderness. The air was keen, and their path led alternately through snow and deep mud ; and her savage conductors delighted rather in the infliction of torment, than the alleviation of distress. The company had proceeded but a short distance, when an fodlan, thinking the infant an incumbrance, took it from the nurse's arms, and violently terminated its life. Such of the PERIOD III....1689....1756. 92 Other captives as began ti) be weary, and incapable of proceed- ing, the Indians killed with their tomahawks. Feeble as Mrs. Dustan was, both she and her nurse sustained with wonderful energy, the fatigue and misery attending a journey of one hun- di-ed and fifty miles. On their arrival at the place of their destination, they found the wigwara of the savage, who claimed them as his personal property, to be inhabited by twelve Indians. In the ensuing April, this family set out with their captives, for an Indian set- tlement still more remote. The captives were informed that, on their arrival at the settlement, they must submit to be strip- ped, scourged, and run the gauntlet, between two files of Indians. This information carried distress to the minds of the captive wo- men, and led them promptly to devise some means of escape. Early in the morning of the 31st, Mrs. Dustan awaking her nurse and another fellow-prisoner, they despatched ten of the twelve Indians while asleep. The other two escaped. The women then pursued their difficult and toilsome journey through the wilderness, and at length arrived in safety at Haverhill. Subsequently, they visited Boston, and received, at the hand >f the General Court, a handsome consideration for their extra- ordinary sufferings and heroick conduct. " \Vhether all their sufferings," says Dr. D wight, to whom we ai'e indebted for this interesting story, " and all the danger of suffering anew, justified this slaughter, may probably be ques- tioned by the exact moralist. Precedents innumerable, and of high authority, may indeed be urged in behalf of these captives ; but the moralist will equally question the rectitude of these. Ft w persons, however, agonizing as Mrs. Dustan did, under the evils which she had already suffered, and in the full apprehen- sion of those which she was destined to suffer, would have been able to act the part of nice casuists ; and fewer still, perhaps, would have exercised her intrepidity. That she herself approv- ed of the conduct, which was applauded by the magistrates and ilivines of the day, in the cool hours of deliberation, cannot be doubted. The truth is, the season of Indian invasion, burning, butchering, captivity, threatening, and torture, is an unfortunate time for nice investigation, and critical moralizing. A wife, who had just seen her house burnt, her infant dashed against a tree, and her companions coldly murdered one by one ; who supposed her husband and her remaining children to have shar- ed the same fate ; who was threatened with torture and inde- cency more painful than torture ; and who did not entertain a doubt that the threatening would be fulfilled ; would probably feel no necessity, when she found it in her power to despatch the 92 THREE WARS OP WM III....ANNE....GEO. II. authors of her sufferings, of asking questions concerning any thing, but thp success of the enterprise. " But whatever may be thought of the rectitude of her con duct, that of her husband is in every view honourable. A finei succession of scenes for the pencil was hardly ever presented to the eye, than is furnished by the efforts of this gallant man, with their interesting appendages. The artist must be destitute in deed of talents, who could not engross every heart, as well as every eye, by exhibitions of this husband and tather, flying to rescue his wife, her infant, and her nurse, from the approaching horde of savages ; attempting oo his horse to select from his flying family the child which he was the least able to spare, and unable to make the selection ; facing in their rear the horde of hell-hounds; alternatel}' and sternly retreating- behind his ines- timable charge, and fronting the enemy again ; receiving and re- turning their fire; and presenting himself, eqnnlly, as a barrier against murderers, and a shelter to the flight of innocence and anguish. In the background of some or other of these picinres, might be exhibited, with powerful impression, the kindled dwell- ing; the sickly mother; the terrified nurse, with the new-born infant in her arras ; and the furious natives surrounding them, driving them forward, and displaying the trophies of savage vic- tory, and the insolence of savage triumph." Section VIII. Scarcely had the colonies re- covered from the wounds and impoverishment of King William's war, which ended in 1697, before they were again involved in the horrours of another war with the French, Indians, and Spaniards, commonly called "• Queen Anneh War,^^ which continued from 1702, to the peace of Utrecht, March 31st, 1713. By the treaty of Ryswick, it was in general terms agreed, that France and England should mutually restore to each other all conquests made during the war. But the rights and pretensions of either monarch to certain places in Hudson's Bay, &c. were left to be ascertained and determined at some future day, by commissioners. The evil consequences of leaving boundaries thus unsettled were soon perceived. Disputes arose, which, mingling with other differences of still greater importance, led England to de- clare war against France and Spain, May 4th, 1702. Section IX. The whole weight of the war in America, unexpectedly fell on New-England. PERIOD II1....1689....1756. 93 The geographical position of New- York particu- larly exposed that colony to a combined attack from the lakes and sea ; hut just before the com- mencement of hostilities, a treaty of neutrality was concluded between the five Nations and the French governour in Canada. The local situa- tion of the Five Nations, bordering on the fron- tiers of New-York, prevented the French from molesting that colony ; JVlassachusetts and New- Hampshire were thus left to bear the chief ca- lamities of the war. The declaration of war was immediately fol- lowed by incursions of French an- sand men, from the colonies of Connecticut, New- York, and New-Jersey. The fleet arrived in the St. Lawrence, Aug. 14th. In proceeJ- 96 THREL WARS OF WM. III....ANNE....GEO. 11. ing up the river, through the unskilfulness of the pilots, and by contrary winds, it was in imminent danger of entire destruction. On the 22d, about midnight, the seamen discovered that they were driven on the north shore, among islands and rocks. Eight or nine of the British transports, on board of which were about one thousand seven hundred officers and soldiers, were cast away, and nearly one thousand men were lost. Upon this disaster, no further attempts were made to prosecute the expe- dition. The fleet sailed directly for England, and the provin- cial troops returned home. Gen. Nicholson, who had advanced to Lake George, hearing of the miscarriage of the ex{(edition on the St. Lawrence, returned with the land forces, and abemdoned the enterprise. The failure of this expedition was unjustly imputed, by the motiier country, wholly to New-England ; nor did the colonies receive any credit for their vigorous exertions in raising men, and fitting out the fleet. The expedition was not, however, without a beneficial effect, as it probably prevented Annapolis from falling into the hands of the enemy. Section Xlll. The spring of 1712 opened with new depredations of the enemy upon the frontier settlements. Oyster River, Exeter, York, Wells, &c. were again attacked and plun- dered. Many inhabitants in diflerent parts of the country were murdered, although, in some portions of the colonies, one half of the militia Were constantly on duty. Section XIV. The northern colonies were not alone in the distresses of Queen Anne's war. Carolina, then the southern frontier of the Ame- rican colonies, had her full share in its expenses and sufferings. Before official intelligence had been received of the declaration of war by England against France and Spain, in 1702, although war had actually been declared. Gov. Moore, of the south- ern settlements in Carolina, proposed to the as- sen)bly of the colony an expedition against the Spanish settlement of St. Augustine, Florida. Although assured of its easy conquest, and of PERIOD I1I....1689....1756. 97" being amply rewarded by its treasures of gold and silver, numbers of the more considerate in the assembly were opposed to the expedition. A majority, however, being in favour of it, two thousand pounds were voted, and one thousand two hundred men were raised, of whom one half were Indians — but the expedition entirely failed. With the forces above named, and some merchant vessels, impressed as transports, Gov. Moore sailed for St. Augustine. The design was for Col. Daniel, an enterprising officer, to pro- ceed by the inland passage, and to attack the town by land, witli a party of militia and Indians ; while Moore was to proceed by sea, and take possession of the har]>our. Daniel advanced against the town, entered and plundered it, before the governour'g arrival. The Spaniards, however, retired to the castle, with their principal riches, and with provisions for four months. The governour, on his arrival, could effect nothing for want of artillery. In this emergency, Daniel was despatched to Ja- maica for cannon, mortars, &c. During his absence, two large Spanish ships appearing off the harbour. Gov. Moore hastily raised the siege, abandoned his shipping, and made a precipitate retreat into Carolina. Col. Daniel, having no intelligence that the siege had been raised, on his return, stood in for the harbour, and narrowly escaped the ships of the enemy. In consequence of this rash and unfortunate enterprise, the colony was loaded with a debt of six thousand pounds, which gave rise to the first paper currency in Carolina, and was the means of filling the colony with dissension and tumult. Section XV. The failure of this expedition was soon after, in a measure, compensated by a successful war with the Apalachian Indians, who, inconsequence of their connexion with the Span- iards, became insolent and hostile. Gov. Moore, withabody of white men and Indian allies, march- ed into the heart of their country, and compelled them to submit to the English. All the towns of the tribes between the rivers Altamaha ant! Savannah were burnt, and between six hundred and eight hun- dred Indians were made prisoners. Section XVI. Although this enterprise was 9 99 THREE WARS OF WM. UI....ANNE GEO. II. successful, new dangers soon threatened the co- lony. Its invasion was attempted, 1707, by the Flench and Spaniards, in order to annex Caro- lina to Florida. The expedition, headed by Le Feboure, consisted of a French frigate, and four armed sloops, having about eight hundred men on board. Owing to the prompt and vigorous measures of Johnson, who had superseded Moore as governour, the enemy were repulsed, and the threatened calamity averted. No sooner was the intended invasion rumoured abroad, than preparations were commenced to repel the enemy. The militia were mustered and trained, and the fortifications of Charleston and other places repaired. These preparations were scarcely completed, before the fleet of the enemy appeared. Some time elapsed, however, before thoy crossed the bar, which enabled the governour to alarm the surrounding country, and to call in great numbers uf the militia. At length, with a fair wind, the enemy passed the bar, and sent a summons to the governour to surrender. Four hours were allowed him to return his answer. But the governour in- formed the messenger that he did not wish one minute. On the reception of this answer, the enemy seemed to hesitate, and at- tempted nothing that day. Tht day succeeding, a party of the enemy, landing on James ^sleUid, burnt a village by the river's side. Another party of oiw hundred and sixty landed at Wando Neck. The next day, both these parties were dislodged — the latter party being sur- prised, and nearly all killed or taken prisoners. This success so a.^imated the Carolinians, that it was deter- mined to attack the oi.°n»y by sea. This was attempted with a force of six vessels under command of William Rhet, but oi the appearance of Rhet, the enemy weightd anchor, and pre- cipitately fie.(\. Some days succeeding this. Monsieur Arbuset appeared on the. coast with a ship cf force, and landed a number of men at Sewee Bay. Rhet sailed out against him, and at the same time, Capt. Fenwick crossed the river, and marched to attack the enemy by land. After a brisk engagement. Fenwick took the enemy on land, prisone's, and Rhet succeeded in capturing the shi-p. Section XVII. In 1 71 0, a large number of Pa- latines, inhabitants of a Palatinate, a small terri- PERIOD III....l€89....176e. 99 lory in Germany, whose governour or prince is called a Palatine, arrived and settled on the Ro- anoke, in Albemarle and Bath counties, within the boundaries of North Carolina. These were a great accession to the strength and numbers of the colony, which, although of sixty years stand- ing, was exceedingly small. The same ye.ir, near three thousand of the same people came to New-Vork. Some settled in that city and built the old Lu- theran church ; others settled on Livingston's manor. Some wert into Pennsylvania, and at subsequent periods, were lollow- ed by many thousands of their countrymen. Two years after the above settlers arrived in Car-^lina, and during (dueen Anne's war, a plot wa^ 'id by the Corees and Tuscaroras, with other Indian tribes, to massacre tiie whole number. This plot was soon so far put in execution, that one hundred and seven settleis were butchered in their houses, in a single night, inturmation of their distress was speedily sent to ( liarU'sion; soon after which. Col. Barnwell, with six hun- dred militia ami three hundred and fifty friendly Indians, exph)red their way thrt)ugh the inter- vening wilderness, and came to their relief. i)n his arrival. Col. B. surprised the Tuscaroras, killed three hundred of them, and made one hun- dred prisoners. The surviving Indians fled to a town which had been fortifi- ed by the tribe ; but here they were ag.im attacked by Baruweli, who killed great numb^ s ot them, and comnelled the re.namder to sue for peace. It is r-stimated that the Tuscaroras, in this war, lost one thousand of their nwmber. The remainder of the tribe, early after the war. abanrloned the country, arnd became united with the Five Nations, which since that time, have been called the Six Nafi'ins. Section XVlll. The next year, March 31st, 17 U^. a treaty of peace was concluded at Utrecht, between England and France. This relieved the apprehensions of the northern part of the 100 THREE WARS OF WM. III....ANNE....GEO. IL country, and put a welcome period to an expen- sive and oistressing war. After the peace was known in America, the eastern Indians sent in a flag and desired peace. The governour of Massachusetts, with his council, and with that of New-Hampshire, met them at Portsmouth, re- ceived their submission, and entered into terms of paoitication. By the above treaty between England and France, New- foundland and IN ova Scotia were ceded to Great Britain, ft was aJso stipulated that " the subjects of France, inhabiting (-a- nada, and other places, shall heieafter give no hindrance or mo- lestation lu the Five Nations, nor to the other nations of Indians Who are friends to Great Britain." B> the treaty also, the i^'«^nch reliuquisned all claim to the Five Nations, and to all parts of their territories, and as far as respected themsei s, en- titled the British crown to the sovereignty of the country. Section XIX. The termination of Queen Anne's war gave peace to the northern colonies, but the contest with the Indians for some time continued to distress the CarcUinians. Scarcely had the people recovered from the above war with the Corees and Tus» aroras, before they Were threatened with a calamity still greater and more general. The Yamosees, a powerful tribe o*' Indians, with all »he Indian tribe's from F lorida to ('ape F'ear river, formed a conspiracy for the total extirpa- tion of the Carolinians. The l.')th of April, 1715, was fixed upon as the day ot general destruction. — Owing, however, to th* wisdi.m, despatch, and firmness of Governour Craven, and the blessing o*" Providence, the calamity was in a measure avert- ed, and the coloH'es saved, though at the expense, during the war of near four hundred of the inhabit, ns. The Yamosees wen* expelled the province, and took refuge among the Span- iards in Florida. Section XX. In 1719, the government of ( a- rolina, which till now had been proprietary, was changed, the charter was declared by the king's privy council to have been forfeited, and the co- lony, from this time, was taken under the roya! protection, under which it continued till the Ame- rican revolution. PERIOD in....l689....l756. IQl The people had long been disgusted with the management of the proprietors, and were resolved, at all hazards, to execute their own laws, and defend the rights of the province. A sub- scription to this effect was drawn up, and generally signed. On the meeting of the assembly, a committee was sent with this subscription to the governour, Robert Johnson, requesting him to accept the government of the province, under the king, instead of the proprietors. Upon his refusal, the assembly chose Col. James Moore go- vernour, under the crown, and on the 21st of December, 1719, the convention and militia marched to Charleston foit, and pro- claimed Moore governour in his Majesty's name. The Carolinians, having assumed the goveniment, in behalf of the king, referred their complaints to the royal ear. On a full hearing of the case, the privy council adjudged that the pro- prietors had forfeited their charter. From this time, therefore, the colony, as stated above, was taken under the royal protec- tion, under which it continued till the American revolution. This change was followed, in 1729, by another, nearly as important. This was an agreement between the proprietors and the crown, that the former should surrender to the crown their right and interest both to the government and soil, for the sum of seventeen thousand five hundred pounds sterling. This agreement being carried into effect, the province was divided into North and South Carolina, each province having a distinct governour under the crown of England. Section XXI. It has been stated that peace was concluded by Massachusetts and New-Hamp- shire, with the eastern Indians, soon after the pacification at Utrecht, in 1713. This peace however was of short duration, dissatisfaction arising on the part of the Indians, because of the encroachments of the English on their lands, and because trading houses were not erected for the purchase of their commodities. The governour of Massachusetts promised them redress ; but the general court not carrying his stipulations into execution, the Indians be- came irritated, and, at the same time, being ex- cited by the French Jesuits, were roused to war, which, in July, 1722, became general, and con- 9* lOS THREE WARS OF WM. III....Ai^N£... G£0. tt. tinued to distress the eastern settlements until 1725. The tribes engaged in the war, were the Norridgewocks, Pe- nobscots, St. Francois, Cape Sable, and St. John Indians. In June, 1725, hostilities ceased, soon after which a treaty was signed by the Indians, and was afterwards ratified by commis< sioners from Massachusetts, New-Hampshire, and Nova Scotia. This treaty was greatly applauded, and under it, owing to ihe more pacifick feelings of the Indians, and the more faithtul ob servance of its stipulations by the English, the colonies expe- rienced unusual tranquillity for a long time. Section XXII. The settlement of Georgia was begun in 1733, and was named after King George II. of England, who was then on the throne. In the settlement of Georgia, two ob- jects were principally in view — the relief of indi- gent inhabitants of Great Britain and Ireland, and the greater security of the Carolinas. The charter was granted to twent)^-one persons under the title of trustees, and passed the seals June 9th, 1732. The first settlers, one hundred and sixteen in number, embarked from England, in November of the same year, under General Ogle- thorpe. They landed at Charleston, whence they repaired to Savannah river, and C(jmmenced the town of that name. The colony did not flourish for many years. In their regu- lations for its management, the tnistees enacted that all lands granted by them to settlers should revert back, in case of the failure of male succession ; although certain privileges were to be allowed to widows and daughters. At the same time, all trade with the Indians was prohibited, unless by virtue of spe- cial license. The use of negroes and the importation of rum were absolutely forbidden. Although the trustees were actuated by the purest motives — by principles of humanity, and a regard to the health and moials of the inhabitants, this system of regulations was unfitted to the condition of the poor settlers, and was highly injurious to their increase and prosperity. Emigrants, however, continued to arrive. The first adven- turers being poor and unenterprising, a more active and efficient race was desirable. To induce such to settle in the colony, eleven towns were laid out in shares of fifty acres each ; one of which was offered to each new settler. Upon this, large num- bers of S\<'iss, Scotch, and Germans, became adventurers to the PERIOD in....l689....1756. IGS colony. Within three years from the first settlement, one thou- sand four hundred planters had arrived. To aid the colony, parliament made several grants of money j individuals also gave considerable sums for the same purpose ; owing, however, to the irapolitick regulations of t'le trustees, the colony maintained only a feeble existence. Section XXIII. Upon the declaiation of war by England against Spain, Oglethorpe was ap- pointed, 1740, to the chief commond in South Carolina and Georgia. Soon after his appoint- ment, he projected an expedition against St. Augustine. Aided by Virginia and Carolina, he marched at the head of more than two thousand men, for Florida, and after taking two small Spanish forts, Diego and Moosa, he sat down before St. Augustine. Capt. Price, with seve- ral twenty gun ships, assisted by sea ; but after all their exertions, the general was forced to raise the siege, and return with considerable loss. Section XXIV. Two years after, 1742, the Spaniards invaded Georgia in turn. A Spanish armament, consisting of thirty-two sail, with three thousand men, under command of Don Manuel de Monteano, sailed from St. Augustine, and arrived in the river Altamaha. The expedition, although fitted out at great expense, failed of ac- complishing its object. General Oglethorpe was at this time at fort Simons. Finding himself unable to retain possession of it, having but about seven hundred men, he spiked his cannon, and, destroying his military stores, retreated to his head-quarters at Frederica. On the first prospect of an invasion, general Oglethorpe had applied to the governour of South Carolina for assistance, but the Carolinians, fearing for the safety of their own territory, and not approving of general Oglethorj le's management in his late expedition against St. Augustine, declined furnishing troops, but voted supplies. ^ In this state of danger and perplexity, the general resorted to stratagem. A French soldier belonging to his army had de- serted to the enemy. Fearing the consequences of their learn- ^. 104 THREE WARS OP WM. 1U....ANNE GEO. II. ing his weakness, lie devised a plan by which to destroy the credit of any information that the deserter might give. With this view,, ho wrote a letter to the French deserter in the Spanish camp, addressing him as if he were a spy of the English. This letter he bribed a Spanish captive to deliver, in which he directed the deserter to state to the Spaniards, that he was in a weak and defenceless condition, and to urge them on to an attack. Should he not be able, however, to persuade them to this, he wished him to induce them to continue three days longer at =heir quarters, in which time, he expected .two thousand mea, and six British men of war, from Carolina. The above letter, as was intended, was delivered to the Spanish general, instead of 'he deserter, who immediately put the latter in irons. A council of war was called, and while deliberating upon the measures which should be taken, three supply ships, which had been voted by C^rnlira, appeared in sight. Imagining these to be the men of war alluded to in the letter, the Spaniards, in great haste, fired the fort, and embarked, leaving behind them seve- ral cannon, and a quantity of provisions. By this artful, but unjustifiable expedient, the country was relieved of its invaders, and Georgia, and probably a great part of South Carolina, saved from ruin. Section XXV. In 1 752, the colony, continu- ing in a languishing condition, although parlia- ment had at different times given them nearly one hundred thousand pounds, and many com- plaints having been made against the system of regulations adopted by the trustees, they surren- dered their charter to th€ crown, upon which the government became regal. In 1755, a general court was established. Section XXVt. March 29th, 1744, Great Bri- tain, jLiider George 11. declared war against France and Spain, The most important event of this war, in America, was the capture of Lou- isburg, from the French, by the New-England colonies, under command of sir William Pep- perell. After the peace of Utrecht, in 1713, the French had built Louisburg, on the island of Cape Breton, as a security to their navigation and fisher}', and had fortified it at an expense of fiv6 PERIOD I!I....1689....1755 105 millions and a half of dollars. The fortifications consisted of a rampart of stone, nearly thirty -six feet in height, and a ditch eighty feet wide. There were six bastions, and three batteries, with embrasures for one hundred and forty-eight cannon, and six mortars. On an island at the entrance of the harbour, was another battery of thirty cannon, carrying twenty-i^ight pounds shot, and at the bottom of the harbour, opposite the entrance, was situated the royal battery of twenty-eight forty-two pound- ers, and two eighteen pounders. The entrance of the town, on the land side, was at the west, over a draw-bridge, near which was a circular battery, mounting sixteen guns of twenty-four pounds shot. These works had been twenty-five years in build- ing, and though not entirely completed, were of such strength that the place was sometimes called the " (libraJtar of America." The acquisition of this place was deemed emi- nently important to New-England, since, while in possession of the French, it had furnished a safe and convenient retreat to such privateers as dis- turbed and captured the inhabitants of the colo- nies employed in the fisheries. Imptessed with the necessity of measures to secure this fortress, Governour Shirley of Massachusetts had solicited the assistance of the British ministry, for the acquisition of Cape Breton. Early in January, 1745, before receiving an answer to his let- ters to England, he communicated to the general court, under an oath of secrecy, a plan which he had formed, for an attack on Louisburg. To this plan strong objections were urged, and the proposal of the governour was at first rejected ; but upon reconsideration it was carried, by a majority of a single voice. Circulars were immediately addressed lo the colonies, as far south as Pennsylvania, requesting their assistance, and that an embargo mi^ht be laid on all their ports. The New-England colonies only, however, were concerned in the expedition. Of the forces raised, Massachusetts furnished three thousand two hundred and fifty ; Connecticut five hundred and sixteen ; Rhode-Island and New-Hampshire, each three hundred. The naval force consisted of twelve ships and vessels. In two months the army was enlisted, victualled, and equipped for ser vice. On the twenty-third of March, an express boat, which had been sent to commodore Warren, in the West Indies, to invite his co-operation, returned to Boston, with advices from him, that as the contemplated expedition was a colonial affair, with- out orders from England, he must excuse himself from any con* 1Q6 THREE WARS OF WM. in....ANNE....GEO. II. cern in the enterprise. This intelligence was peculiarly unweU come, bu^ the governour and general concealing the tenour of the advice, the array was embarked, and the next morning the fleet sailed- On the fourth of April, the fleet and army arrived in safety at Canso, where thpy were joined by the troops from New -Hampshire, and soon aft* », by those from Ccmnecticut. Most unexpectedly to the general, Commodore Warren, with Iiis fleet, arrived at Canso, haviut,, soon after his advices by the express boat to Governour Shirlt-y, received orders to repnir to Noith America, and to concert measures with thf G» vernour for his majesty's service. Hearing that the fleet had sailed for Cans'), he proceeded directly for that port. Great was the |oy which pervaded the whole fleet and ramp, op the arrival of this important auxiliary force. After a short consultation with Ge- neral Pepperell, Commodore Warren sailed to cruise before Louisburg, and, not long after, was followed by the fleet and army, which, on the thirtieth of April, arrived in Chapearouge bay. The enemy were, untii this moment, in profound igmo- rance that any attack was meditated against them. The sight of the transports give the alarm to the French, and a detachment was sent to oppose the landing uses, but from this point it was soon apparent thnt littl" unp.-ession could be made upon the fortifications of the town. Finding it impracticable thus to accomplish his purpose, Wolfe next decided on more daring measures. For the purpose of drawing Montcalm to a general battle, Wolfe, with his troops, crossed the river Montmorenci, and attacked the enemy in their amrenchments. Owing, howevei , to the grounding of some oJ the boats which conveyed the troops, a part of the detachment did not land so soon as the others. The corps that first land'd, svitnout waiting to form, ruslied forward, impetuously, towards ;he enemy's entrenchments. But their courage proved theii- iiin. A close and well directed fire from the enemy cut them Jown in great numbers. 15G PERIOD IV....1756....1775. ftlontcalm's party had now landed, jand were drawn up on I lie beach in order. But it was near night, a thunder storm • WHS approaching, and the tide was rapidly setting In. Fearing t'.ie consequences of delay, Wolfe ordered a retreat across the Moatmorenci, and returned to his quarters oh the Isle of Or- leans. In this rencounter, his loss amounted to near six hun* dred of the flower of his array. The difficulties of effecting the conquest of Quebec now press- ed upon Wolfe with all their force. But he knew the import- ance of taking this strongest hold — he knew the expectations of his countrymen— he well knew that no military conduct could shine that was not gilded with success. Disappointed thus far, and worn down with fatigue and watch- ing, General Wolfe fell violently sick. Scarcely had he reco- vered, before he proceeded to put in execution a plan which had be«n matured on his sick bed. This was to proceed up the ri- ver — ^gain the heights ol Abraham, and draw Montcsdm to a general engagement. Accordingly, the troops were transported up the river about nine miles. On the 12th of Sept. one hour after midnight, Wolfe and his troops left the ships, and in boats silently drop- ped down the current, intending to land a league above Cape Diamond, and there ascend the bank leading to the station he wished to gain. Owing, however, to the rapidity of the river, tkey fell below the intended place, and landed a mile, or a mile and a half, above the city. The operation was a critical one, as they had to navigate, in silence, down a rapid stream, and to find a right place for land- ing, which, amidst surrounding darkness, might be easily mis- taken. Besides this, the shore was shelving, and the bank so steep and loft , as scarcely to be ascended even without oppo- sition from an enemy. Indted the attempt was in the greatest danger of being defeated by an occurrence peculiarly interesting, as marking the very great delicacy of the transaction. One of the French sentinels, posted along the shore, as the English boats were descending, challenged them in the custo- mary military language of the French, " Qui vit V " who goes there?"; to which a captain in Frazer's regiment, who had served in Holland, and was famiUar with the French language and customs, promptly replied, " la France." The next ques- tion was still more embarrassing, for the sentinel demanded " a quel regiment .'" " to what regiment." The captain, who hap- pened to know the name of a regiment which was up the river, mth Bougainville, promptly rejoined, "rfe la Reitie" "the Queen's." The soldier immediately replied, "passe" for he concluded at onccj that this was a French convoy ofprovisionsj FRENCH AND INDIANA WAR. 1S7 which as the English had learned from some deserters, was ez> pected to pass down the river to Quebec. The other sentinels were deceived in a similar manner ; but one, less credulous than the rest, running down to the water's edge, called out " Pour quois est c« que vous ne parlez plus haut ?" " Why dont you speak louder ?" The same captain, with perfect self-command, replied, " Tais toi, nous serons- entendus!"- "Hush, we shall be overheard and discovered !" The sentry, satisfied with this caution, retired, and the boats passed in safety.* About an hour before day, the army began to ascend the pre- cipice, the distance of one hundred and fifty or two hundred feet, almost perpendicular ascent, above which spread the plains of Abraham. By day-light, Sept. 13th, this almost incredible enterprise had been effected — the desired station was attained, the army was formed, and ready to meet the enemy. To Montcalm, the intelligence that the English Avere occupy- ing the heights of Abraham was most surprising. The impossi- bility of ascending the precipice he considered certain, and there- fore had taken no measures to fortify its line. But no sooner was he informed of the position of the English army, than per- ceiving a battle no longer to be avoided, he prepared to fight. Between nine and ten o'clock, the two armies, about equal in numbers, met face to face. The battle now commenced. Inattentive to the fire of a body of Canadians and Indians, one thousand five hundred of whom Montcalm had stationed in the cornfields and bushes, Wolfe di- rected his troops to reserve their fire for the main body of the Prench, now rapidly advancing. On their approach within forty yards, the English opened their fire and the destruction became inunense. The French fought bravely, but their ranks became disorder- ed, and, notwithstanding the repeated efforts of their officers to form them, and to renew the attack, they were so successfully pushed by the British bayonet, and hewn down by the Highland broadsword, that their discomfiture was complete. During the action, Montcalm was on the French left, and Wolfe on the English right, and here they both fell in the crhi cal moment that decided the victory. Early in the battle, Wolfe received a ball in his wrist, but binding his handkerchief around it, he continued to encourage his men. — Shortly after, another ball penetrated his groin ; but this wound, although much more severe, he concealed, and continued to urge on the contest, till ♦ Silliraan's Tour, from Smollet. 12* 138 PERIOD IV....1756....1775. a third bullet pierced his breast. He was now obfiged, though reluctantly, to be carried to the rear of the line. Gen. Monckton succeeded to the command, but was immedi- ately wounded, and convej-ed away. In this critical state of the action, the command devolved on Gen. Townshend. Gen. Montcalm, fighting in front of his battalion, received a mortal wound about the same time, and Gen. Jennezergus, his second in command, fell near his side. Wolfe died in the field, before the battle was ended ; but he lived long enough to know that the victory was his. — While leaning on the shoulder of a lieutenant, who kneeled to support him, he was seized with the agonies of death : at this moment was heard the distant sound, " They fly" — " they fly." The iiero raised his drooping head, and eagerly asked, " Who fly ?" Being told that it was the French — " Then," he replied, " 1 die happy," and expired. " This deatli," says professor Silliman, " has furnished a grand and pathetic subject for the painter, the poet, and the his- torian, and undoubtedly, considered as a specimen of mere mili- tary glory, it is one of the most sublime that the annals of war alTord." M«ntcalm was every way worthy of being the competitor of Wolfe. In talents — in military skill — in personal courage, he was not his inferiour. Nor was his death much less sublime. He lived to be carried to the city, where his last moments were employed in writing, with his own hand, a letter lO the English general, recommending the French prisoners to his care andhu manity. When informed that his wound was mortal, he replied, '• I shall not then live to see the suirender of Quebec." The following interesting particulars, relating to the dangers and sufferings of two officers of the English army, during the l)attle, we shall be excused for inserting, notwithstanding their length. " Captain Ochterlony and Ensign Peyton, belonged to the regiment of Brigadier-General Monckton. They were nearly of an age, which did not exceed thirty ; the first was a North- Briton, the other a native of Ireland. Both were agreeable in person, and were connected together by the ties of mutual friend- ship and esteem. On the day that preceded the battle, captain Ochterlony had fought a duel with a German officer, in which, though he wounded and disarmed his antagonist, yet he himself re- ceived a dangerous hurt under the right arm, in consequence of which his friends insisted on his remaining in camp during the action of next day ; but his spirit was too great to comply with this remonstrance. He declared it should never be said that a scratch, received in a private rencounter, liad prevented him from doing FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. ISQ Jiis duty, when his country required his service; and he took the field with a fusil in his hand, though he was hardly able to carry his arms. In leading up his men to the enemy's entrench- ment, he was shot through the lungs with a musket ball, an ac- cident which obliged him to part with his fusil, but he still con- tinued advancing, until, by loss of blood, he became too weak to proceed furthei-. About the same time, Mr. Peyton was lamed by a shot, which shattered the small bone of his left leg. The soldiers, in their retreat, earnestly begged, with tears in their eyes, that captain Ochterlony would allow them to carry him and ttie ensign off the field. But he was so bigotted to a severe point of honour, that he would not quit the ground, though he desired they would take care of his ensign. Mr. Peyton, with a generous disdain, rejected their good offices, declaring that he would not leave his captain in such a situation ; and in a little time, they remained sole survivors on that part of the field. " Captain Ochterlony sat down by his friend, and as they ex- pected nothing but immediate death, they took leave of each other ; yet they were not altogether abandoned by the hope of being protected as prisoners ; for the captain seeing a French soldier, with two Indians, approach, started up, and accosting them in the French language, which he spoke perfectly well, expressed his expectation that they would treat him and his com- panion as officers, prisoners, and gentlemen. The two Indians seemed to be entirely under the conduct of the Frenchman, who, coming up to Mr. Peyton, as he sat on the ground, snatched his laced hat from his head, and robbed the captain of his watch and money. This outrage was a signal to the Indians for mur- der and pillage. One of them, clubbing his firelock, struck at him behind, with a view to knock him down, but the blow miss- ing his head, took place upon his shoulder. At the same instant, the other Indian poured his shot into the breast of this unfortun- ate young gentleman, who cried out, " O Peyton ! the villain has shot me." Not yet satiated with cruelty, the barbarian sprung upon him, and stabbed him in the belly with his scalping knife. The captain having parted with his fusil, had no wea- pon for his defence, as none of the officers wore swords in the action. The three ruffians finding him still alive, endeavoured to strangle him with his own sash ; and he was now upon his knees, struggling against them whh surprising exertion. Mr. Peyton, at this juncture, having a double-barrelled musket in his hand, and seeing the distress of his friend, fired at one of the Indians, who dropped dead on the spot. The other, thinking the ensign would now be an easy prey, advanced towards him, and Mr. Peyton, having taken good aim, at the distance of four yards, discharged his piece the second time, but it seemed to 140 PERIOD 1V....1756....1775. take no effect. The savage fired in his turn, and wounded tlio ensign in the shoulder ; then rushing upon him, thrust his bayo ■ net through his body ; he repealed the blow, wliich Mr. Peyton attempting to parry, received another wound in his left hand ; nevertheless, he seized the Indian's musket with the same hand, pulled him forwards, and with his right, drawing a dagger which hung by his side, plunged it in the barbarian's side. A violent struggle ensued ; but at length Mr. Peyton was uppermost, and, with repeated strokes of his dagger, killed his antagonist out- light. Here he was seized with an unaccountable emotion cl Ci/riosity, to know whether or not his shot had taken effect on the body of the Indian ; he accordingly turned him up, and stripping off his blanket, perceived that tlie ball had penetrated quite through the cavity of the breast. Having thus obtained a dear bought victory, he started up on one leg, and saw captain Ochterlony standing at tbe distance of sixty yards, close by the enemy's breast-work, with the French soldier attending him. Mr. Peyton then called aloud, " Captain Ochterlony, I am glad to see you have at last got under protection. Eewareofthat vi'^in, who is more barbarous than the savages. God bless you, my dear Captain. I see a party of Indians coming this wa}', and expect to be murdered immediately." A number of these barbarians hud for some time been employed on the left, in scalping and pillaging the dying and the dead that were left upon the field of battle : and above thirty of them were in full march to destroy Mr. Peyton. This gentleman knew he had no mercy to expect ; for, should his life be spared for the pre- sent, they would have afterwards insisted upon sacrificing him to the manes of their brethren whom he had slain ; and in that case he v.'ould have been put to death by the most excruciating tortures. Full of this idea, he snatched up his musket, and, not» withstanding his broken leg, ran above forty yards without halt- ing ; and feeling himself now totally disabled, and incapable of proceeding one step further, he loaded his piece, and presented it to the two foremost Indians, who stood aloof waiting to be joined by their fellows : while the French, from their breast- works, kept up a continual fire of cannon and small arms upon this poor, solitary, maimed gentleman. In this uncomfortable situation he stood, when he discerned at a distance, a Highland officer, with a party of his men, skirting the plain towards the field of battle. He forthwith waved his hand in signal of dis- tress, and being perceived by the officer, he detached three ot his men to his assistance. These brave fellows hastened to him through the midst of a terrible fire, and one of them bore him off on his shoulders. The Highland officer was captain Mac- donaldj of Colonel Fray.ier's battalion ; who, understanding that FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. 141 a young gentleman, his kinsman, had dropped on the field of battle, had put himself at the head of this party, with which he penetrated to the middle of the field, drove a considerable num- ber of the French and Indians before him, and finding his rela- tion still unscalped, carried him off in triumph. Poor captain Ochterlony was conveyed to Quebec, where, in a few days he died of wounds. After the reduction of that place, the French surgeons who attended him, declared, that in all probability, he would have recovered of the two shots he had received in his breast, had he not been mortally wounded in the belly by the Indians scalping knife. "As this very remarkable scene was acted in sight of both armies. General Townshend, in the sequel, expostulated with the French officers upon the inhumanity of keepuig up such a severe fire against two wounded gentlemen, who were disabled, and destitute of all hope of escaping. They answered that the fire was not made by the regulars, but by the Canadians and savageSjWhom it was not in the power of discipline to restrain."* Section XXIV. The capture of Cluebec, which soon tbliowed, important as it was, did not imme- diately termmate the war. The French in Ca- nada had still a powerful army, and some naval force above the city. Section XXY. In the ensuing spring, 1760, Monsieur Levi approached Quebec from Mon- treal, assisted by six frigates, for the purpose of recovering it from the English. Gen. Murray, who commanded the English garrison, marched out to meet him, with only three thousand men, and, on the 28th of April, after a bloody battle, fought at Sillsery, three miles above the city, the English army was defeated, with the loss of one thousand men, the French having lost more than double that number. The English retreated to Quebec, to which tlie French now laid siege. About the middle of May, an English squadron arrived with rein- * SUIiinan's Tour, from Smollet 142 PERIOD IV....1756....1776. forcements, soon after which, the French fleet was taken and destroyed, and the siege was raised. Ji^ection XXVI. The attention of the English commander in chief, Gen. Amherst was now di rected to the reduction of Montreal, the last for- tress of consequence in the possession of the French. To eliect this he detached Col. Havi- land, with a well disciplined army to proceed to Lake George, Crown Point, and Lake Cham- plain ; Gen. Murray was ordered from Q,uebec, with such forces as could be spared from the gar- rison, while General Amherst himself proceeded with ten thousand men, by Lake Ontario, down the river bt. Lawrence. Generals Amherst and Murray arrived at Mon- treal the same day fc?ept. 6th, and were joined by Haviiand, on the day succeeding. While pre- paring to lay siege to the place, the commander of Montreal, M. de Vaudreuik perceiving that resistance would be metiectual, demanded a ca- pitulation. On the 8ih, Montreal, Detroit, Mi- chilimackinac, and all the other places within the government of Canada were surrendered to his Brittanick Majesty, Section XX\1L Thus ended a war which, from the first hostilities, had continued six years, and during which much distress had been expe- rienced and many thousand valuable lives hjst. Great and universal was the joy that spread through the colonies, at the successful termina- tion of a contest, so long and severe, and pub- lick thanksgivings were generally appointed to ascribe due honour to Him, who had preserved to the colonies their existence and liberties. Section XXVIIL While the troops were em- FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. I43 ployed in the conquest of Canada, the Colonies of Virginia and South Carolina, suffered inva- sion and outrage from the Cherokees, a powerful tribe of savages on the West. But in 1 761 , they were signally defeated by Col. Grant, and com- pelled to sue for peace. Intelligence being communicated to Gen. Amherst of the dan- ger of these colonies, he despatched Gen. Montgomery with one thousand two hundred men, for their protection and relief. Being joined by the forces of the pi'ovince of Carolina on his arrival, he immediately proceeded into the country of the Che- rokees, plundering and destroying their villages and magazines of corn. In revenge, the savages besieged Fort Loudon, on the confines of Virginia, which was obliged, by reason of famine, to capitulate. The capitulation was, however, bi*oken, and the troops, while on their march to Virginia, were assaulted — num- bers of them killed, and the rest taken captive. The next year, I76l, Gen. Montgomery being obliged to re- turn. Col. Grant was sent to continue the war. With an army of near two thousand six hundred men, he began his march to- wards the enemies' country. On the fourth day the army fell in with a body of savages, and after a strongly contested battle, put them to flight. Following up this victory, Col. Grant pro- ceeded to destroy their magazines, burn their corn fields, and consume their settJf'ments, until, having effectually routed them, he returned with »ms troops. Soon after this, the Cherokee chiefs came in, and a peace was concluded. Section XXIX. The conquest of Canada having been achieved in 1763, a definitive treaty, the preliminaries of which had been settled the year before, was signed at Paris, and soon after ratified by the kings of England and France ; by which all Nova Scotia, Canada, the Isle of Cape Breton, and ail other islands in the gult and river St. Lawrence, were ceded to the Bri- tish crown. 144 PERIOD IV....1756....1775. Kotes. Section XXX. J^aumVU Ot tf^t ^OlOsr Ut)9itfii» The change in respect to manners in the colonies, during this period, consisted chiefly in a gradual wearing away of national distinctions and peculiarities, and a tendency to a still great- er unity and assimilation of character. The ra- pid increase of wealth, and the frequency of in- tercourse with Europe, began to introduce among the colonies the tastes, and fashions, and luxu- ries of European countries. But the introduc- tion of them produced little enervation of cha- racter among the people of America. Such an effect was counteracted by the bloody, but suc- cessful war with the French and Indians, and the boundless prosperity which seemed to open to the country, and call forth its energies. In- stead, therefore, of a growing weakness in the colonies, we perceive a more vigorous spirit of commercial enterprise, pervading the country ; a consciousness of political importance becoming confirmed ; and a deep and ardent love of civil liberty breathing over the land. Section XXXI. WitiiQlOn* The only reli- gious sect introduced into America, during this period, was that of the Shakers, or Shaking Quakers, who arrived from England in 1774, and settled at Niskayuna, near Albany. Although the spirit of religious intolerance had disappeared from the colonies, and the puritanical severity of the north had become much softened, yet until the commencement of the French and Indian war, the religious character of the colonies had remained essentially the same. But during this war, infi- delity was extensively introduced into the army, by means of the foreign English officers and soldiers who were sent into the country. From the army, it spread itself into society, and oro- Emigration of Roger Williams, p. 37. Burning of the Pequot Village, p. 40. FBENCH AND INDIAN WAR. 145 iluced a considerable relaxation of morals, and a looser adher- ence to principles. Section XXXU. ^X^Xit atltl (STOItl:: ltl(tt^« During this p^ od, trade and com- merce made great advances ; the annual amount of imports from Great Britain, was about two and a half millions of pounds sterling, from 1756 to 1771 : from 1771 to 1773, it was three millions and a half annually, on an average. — The annual amount of exports of the colonies to Great Bri- tain and elsewhere, was about four million pounds sterling, at the close of this period. The articles of export, and the nature of the trade of the co- lonies, were essentially the same as stated in the notes to period third. In 1769, the number of ships employed by Great Britain and the colonies, in the trade with the colonies, was one thousand se- venty-eight, manned by twenty-eight thousand nine hundred and ten seamen. The whale and other fisheries in the colonies had become of great importance. In 1775, there were employed in the fishery generally, and in carrying the fish to market from New-England, one thousand four hundred and fifty vessels of all descriptions, of one hundred thousand tons burthen, and eleven thousand fish- ermen and seamen. Section XXXIII. iCgtlCttltUte^ During this period, a gradual progress was made in ag- riculture, but it does not need any specifick no- tice. Section XXXIV. ^rtfij aitJr JUatittfairs tUtr(!$« Great Britain still continued to oppose the progress of arts and manufactures in the co- lonies, and, therefore, there was but a moderate advance of these interests, during this period. S^rfiow XXXV. J|opttlat?'on* At the close of this period, the white and black population of the colonies did not vary greatly from three mil- lions. Section XXXVI. ^tlUCatiOn« In the year 13 146 ?EBIOD IV....l75e....lfr5. 1769, the college at Hanover, New-Hampshire, was founded, and called Dartmouth College^ in honour of the earl of Dartmouth, who was one of its principal benefactors. In 1 770, the University in Rhode-Island called Brown University, was established at Provi dence. It was incorporated in 1 764, and first lo* cated at Warren. At this place the first com- mencement was held, 1 769. XXXVII. The preceding short period of our history presents several interesting subjects of reflection. The American colo- nies became the theatre of a bloody conflict, attended by all the appalling features of savage war. Although feebly supported by England, and embarrassed by the want of political union, they surmounted every obstacle, and compelled the French, their enemies, to depart from their shores for ever. But no sooner was this conflict ended, than they began to feel, with added weight, the hand of British oppression. — Not humbled, however, by injustice, nor crushed by severities, they vigorously put forth their strength in commerce, trade, and ag- riculture. They spread innumerable sails upon the ocean ; they converted forests into meadows and wheat fields ; estab- lished seminaries of learning ; founded cities ; and built churches to God. Nay, more — we see that those very steps, which were taken by the mother country to cripple the American colonies, were so ordered as to add to their strength. By leaving them to bear the war of 1756 almost alone, she showed them that they could not expect defence from her ; she taught them the necessity of relying upon their own energies ; gave them an opportunity to learn the art of war, and to ascertain their own strength. The long line of British acts, designed to crush the colcnies, and to keep them in humble subjection, passed, as they were, in wilful ignorance of the feelings and power of America, awakened the spirit of the revolution, and laid the foundation of a great nation. What a lesson may tyranny gather from this ! And how thsmkful should we be, that a just Providence is above, who re- gards the affairs oi men — who turns aside the trampling heel of oppression, and causes the blood wrung out by tyranny to cry from the ground, and to call fonh the spirit of liberty .' UNITED STATES. DISTINGUISHED FOR THE WAR OF THE REVOLU- TION. Extending from the coirmten cement of hostilities by Great Britain against the American cO' lomes^ in the battle of Lexington, 1775, to the disbanding of the American Army at West Point, 1783. Section I. On the 19th of April, 1775, waa shed at Lexington, Massachusetts, the first blood in the war of the revolution — a war, which ter- minated in the separation of the American colo- nies from Great Britain, and in their change from this humble character and condition, to that of free and independent State*. Section 11. The causes, which led the colonies to take up arms against the mother country, de- serve a distinct recital in this portion of our his- tory, as they will clearly show the justice, wis- dom, and necessity of those acts of resistance, to which, at that trying period, resort was had. " The independence of America," it has been observed, " was found by those who sought it not." When the Fathers of this country left Great Britain, they had no intention of establish- ing a government independent of that of Eng- land. On the contrary, they came out as colo- nists, and expected still to acknowledge allegi- ance to the mother country. For many years, 148 PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. when they spoke, or wrote, or thought of Eng- land, it was under the fihai and affectionate idea of *' home.^^ " And even at the commencement of the controvei>y with Great Britam," if we credit those who lived at that time, •■' there ex- isted no desire^ nor intention of becoming inde- pendent." Testimony with respect to the fiHal disposition of the colo- nies towards the mother country abounds. " I profess,'"' said Pownal, who had been governour and commander in chief of Massachusetts Bay — governour of South Carolina, &c. &c. " I profess," said he, in 1765, " an affection foi the cnlonies, because, haying iiv-z-d among their people, in a private as well as puhlick character, 1 know them — 1 know that in theii privatb social relations, there is not a more friendly, and in their politic cal one, a more zealously loyal people m all his majesty's do- minions. They would sacrifice their dearest interest for the ho- nour of their mother country. 1 have a right to say this, be- cause experience has given me a practical knowledge and this impression '"' hv the name of home." To the same tffect is the testimony of Dr. tVanklin. " Scot- land," said he, in 1768, "has had its rebellions; Ireland has haii its n^bellions • Fnjjland its plots against the reigning family ; but America is tree iroiii this r'^proach ;" — " No people were ever known n->ore truly loyal : tne prolestr'"^ vir'-ossion in the house of Hanover wh> ' ' "-'''" For these ieelliA^-- J -H' ,,„.v/ii lur tiic moiner counti*v, the iulor^^oo df^serve the Vic"^'xt enco- mmm. Cr»iise«i Ayietorl wh)."'' might nave msti- fied a less degr^eof att' ..hment and vv- -r calcu- lated to produce it. These were the oppression and losses which they endured ; the shackles im- posed upon them ; the restraints upon their com- merce ; the parsimony with which aid was admi- nistered by the mother country ; the maleadmi- nistration — the peculation and arbitrary conduct of the royal governours — these things were suffi cient, and more than sufficient, to stifle every PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. 149 feeling of affection, and shake the last remains of their allegiance. Yet, through all this oppressive subordination — through the calamities of war — through the attempt to- wrest from them their charters, and their dearest rights — they could say, and did say, " England, with all thy faults, 1 love thee still." Nor is it probable that these friendly disposi- tions of the colonies would at this time have been withdrawn, had not Great Britain interrupted them by a grievous change of policy towards the inhabitants touching the subject of revenue and taxation. Before the peace of '63, this subject had been wisely let alone. The colonies had been per- mitted to tax themselves, without the interfer- ence of the parliament. Till this period, it had sufficed for the mother country so to control their commerce, as to monopolize its benefits to herself But from and after this period, the ancient system was set aside, and a different and oppressive policy adopted. The first act, die avowed purpose of which was a revenue from the colonies, passed the parliament, Sept. 29th, 1764, the preamble to which began thus : — " Whereas, it is just and necessary that a revenue be raised in America, for defraying the expenses of defending, protecting, and securing the same, we the commons, &c." The act then proceeds to lay a duty on " clayed sugar, indigo, coffee, (fcc. &c. being the produce of a colony not under the dominion of his majesty." This act the colonies could not approve They could not approve of it, because it recog- nized the existence of a right to tax them — a risht not founded in justice, and which since ^ 13* 150 PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. their existence, nearly one hundred and fifty years, until now, had seldom been named. But the colonies could submit to it, although unplea- sant and unjust, nor would this act alone have led to permanent disalfectiun, had it not been followed by other acts, still more unjust and oppressive. On the subject of the right of the British parliament to tax the colonies, it was asserted in the mother country " to be es- sential to the unity, and of course to the prosperity, of the em- pire, thai the British parliament should have a ^ ight of taxation oyei every part of the royal dominions." In the colonies it was contended, " that taxation and representation were in- separable, and that they could not be saie, if their property might be taken from them, without their consent."' This claim of the rignt of taxation on the one side, and the denial of it on the other, was the very hinge on which the revolution turned. In accordance with the policy to be observed towards America, the next year, 1765, the fa- mous staTiip act passed both houses of parlia- ment. This ordained that instruments of writ- ing, such as deeds, bonds, notes, &c. among the colonies, should be null and void, unless exe- cuted on stamped paper, for which a duty should be paid to the crown. When this bill was brought in, the ministers, and particularly Charles Townshend, exclaimed : '' These Americans, our own children, planted by our care, nourished by our indulgence, protected by our arms, until they are grown to a good degree of strength and opulence ; will they now turn their backs upon us, and grudge to contribute their mite to relieve us from the heavy load which overwhelms us ?'* Col. Barre caught the words, and, with a vehemence becom- ing a soldier, rose and said : " Planted by yoxir care ! No ! your oppression plantet them in America ; they tied from your tyranny into a then un- cultivated land, where they were exposed to almost all the hardships to which human nature is liable, and among others, to the savage cruelty of the enemy of the country, a people, the most subtle, and, I take upon me to say, the most truly terribla of any people that ever inhabited any part of God's earth ; and PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. 151 yet actuated by principles of true English liberty, they met all these hardships with pleasure, compared with those they suffer- ed in their own country, from the hands of those that should ha\« been their friends. " They nourished by your indulgence! They grew by your neglect; as soon as you began to care about them, that care was exercised in sending persons t j rule over them, in one dejjartment and another, who were, perhaps, the deputies of the deputies of some members of this house, sent to spy out their liberty, to misrepresent their actions, and to prey upon them : men, whose behaviour, on many occasions, has caused the blood of thf^se sons of liberty to recoil within them : men^ promoted to the highest seats of justice, some of whom, to my knowledge, were glad, by going to foreign countries, to escape the vengeance of the laws in their own. " They protected by your arms / They have nobly taken up arms in your defence, have exerted their valour amidst their constant and laborious industry, for the defence of a country whose frontiers, while drenched in blood, its interior parts have yielded for your enlargement the little savings of their frugality and the fruits of their toils. And believe me, remember, I this day told you so, that the same spirit which actuated that people at first, will continue with them still." The night after this act passed. Doctor Franklin, who was then in London, wrote to Charles Thompson, afterwards secre* tary of the Continental Congress, " The sun of liberty is set ^ the Aviericans must light the lamps of industry and economy?^ To which Mr. Thompson answered ; " Be assured we shall light torches of quite another sorV^ — thus predicting the con- vulsions which were about to follow. Section III. On the arrival of the news of the stamp act in America, a general indignation spread through the country, and resolutions were passed against the act, by most of the colonial assemblies. In these resolutions, Virginia led the way. On the meeting of the house of burgesses, Patrick Henry presented, among others, the following resolutions, which were substantially adopted. Resolved, That his majesty's liege people of this his ancient colony, have enjoyed the rights of being thus governed by their own assembly, in the article of taxes, and internal police, and that the same have never been forfeited, or yielded up, but have been constantly recognized by the king and people of Britain . 152 PERIOD V....1775....1785....REVOLUTION. Resolved, therefore, That the general assembly of this coIck ny, together with his majesty, or his substitutes, have, in their representative capacity, the only exclusive right and power to lay taxes and imposts upon the inhabitants of this colony ; and that every attempt to vest such power in any other person, or persons, whatsoever, than the general assembly albresaid, is il- legal, unconslilulional, and unjust, and hath a manifest tendency to destroy British as well as American liberty. Resolved, That his majesty's liege people, the inhabitants of this colony, are not bound to yield obedience to any law or ordinance whatever, designed to impose any taxation whatever upon them, other than the laws or ordinances of the general as- sembly aforesaid. Resolved^ Tliat any persott who shall, by speaking or writing, assert or maintain that any person, or persons, other than the genei al assembly of this colony, have any right or power to im- pose or lay any tax on the people here, shall be deemed an enemy to this, his majesty's colony. Copies of these resolutions were immediately forwarded to the otlier provinces, and served to raise still higher the genera, feeling of opposition to the conduct of the mother country. Section IV. In June, Massachusetts recom- mended a colonial congress to consult for the general safety. The recommendation was well received by most of the colonies, and in Octo- ber, twenty-eight members assembled in New- York, where they remonstrated against the stamp act, and petitioned its repeal. At the same time, also, they drew up a bill of rights, in which taxation and representation were de- clared to be inseparable. Section V. The stamp act came into opera- tion on the first of November. In Boston, and in Portsmouth, the day was ushered in by a fu- neral tolling of the bells. In the latter place, in the course of the day, a coffin, neatly orna- mented, and inscribed with the word Liberty, in large letters, was carried to the grave. Minute guns were fired during the movement of the procession to the place of interment ; where an PERIOD V^.1775....1783....REVOLUnON. 153 oration was offered in favour of the deceased. Similar expressions of wounded and indignant feeling occurred in various parts of the country. In some places, the stamp officers were oblig- ed to resign, or to secrete themselves, to escape the vengeance of the people. Stamps were not permitted to be landed, and business, in many places, was conducted without them. At the same time, associations were formed in all parts of the the country, by merchants, not to import goods until this odious act was repealed. Most cheerfully did the people, women as well as men, enter upon this self-denial. Luxuries, decorations, elegancies, were universally laid aside. The opposition to the stamp act in America was so spirited, so deep laid, so universal, that parliament had only the alternative, to compel her t(» submit, or to repeal it. After a long and angry debate on the question, the repeal was carried : — but accompanying the repealing act, was one called the declaratory act, more hostile to American rights than any which had preced- ed. The language of the net was, " that par- liament have, and of right ou^^ht to have, jyow^cr to hind the colonies m all canes whatsoever. ''"' On the mt'eiui^ ..; Parliament, Jan. 7th, 1765, his majesty in his spt^ch spoke of the above opposition of th** colonies to ihe stamp act, in pointed terms of reprehension. On the mo-" tion for an address to the king, Mr. Pitt, the independent and invariable friend of liberty and equal riphts, was the first to of- fer his sentiments on the state of aflfairs. " It is a long time, Mr. Speaker," said he, " since I have attended in Parliament : when the resolution was taken in this house to tax America, I was ill in bed. If 1 could have endured to have been carried in my bed, so great was the agitation of my mind for the conse- quences, I would have solicited some kind hand to have laid me down on this floor to have borne my testimony against it. \ i ir i^ |54 PERi6DV....1775....1783,...REVOLUTION. It is my opinion that this kingdom lias no right to lay a tax upon the colonies." Upon concluding his speech, a silence of some minutes suc- ceeded. No one appeared inclined to take the part of the late minister, or to rouse the lion, which lay basking in the eye ol the gr*:at Commoner who had just sat down. At length, Mr Grenville rose to reply. After declaring the tumult in America to border upon rebellion^ and insisting upon the constitutional right of Parliament to tax the colonies, he concluded as follows : " Ungrateful peojile of America/ The nation has run itself into an immense debt to give them protection ; bounties have been extended to them ; in their favour the act of navigation, that palladium of the British commerce, has been relaxed : and now thai they are called upon to c<)ntribute a small share to- wards the publicK expence, they renounce your authority, insult your officers, and break out, I might almost say, into open re- bellion." Mr. Grenville had scarcely taken his seat, when Mr. Pitt, rose to reply — but the rules of tht' house forbidding him to speak twice on the same motion, he was called to order, and in obedience to the c.dl, was resuming his seat, when the loud nnd repeated cry of " Go on," induced him once more to take the floor. In the course of his speech he said, " We are told Araerica is obstinate — America is in open rebellion. Sir, i re- Joire that America has resisted; three millions of people so dead to all the feelings of liberty, as voluntarily to submit to be slaves, v/ould have been fit instruments to make slaves of all the rest. I am no courtier of America. I maintain that Pa: lia- ment has a right to bind, to restrain America. Our legislative power over the Colonies is sovereign and supreme. " When," asks the honourable gentleman '' were the colonies emancipate ed .'" At what time, say 1 in answer, were they made slares f I speak from accurate knowledge when I say that the profits to Grt'at Britain from the trade of the colonies, through ah its branches, is two mil'ions per annum. This is the Jimd which carried you triumphantly through the war; this is th< price America pays you for her protection ; and shall a miserable financier come with a boast that he can fetch a pepper-corn into the exchequer, at the loss of millions to the nation ? I know the valour of youi troops — I know the skill of your officers — I know the force of this country ; but in such a cause your success would be hazardous. America, if she fell, would fall like the strong man : she would embrace the pillars of the State, and pull down the constitution with her. Is this youi boasted peace? not to sheathe the sword in the scabbard, but PERIOD y....l77S....l7S3 ..REVOLUTION. 155 CO sheathe it in the bowels of your countrymen ? The Aineri* cans have been wronged — they have been driven to madness by injustice ! Will you punish them for the madness you have occasioned ? No : let this country be the first to resume its pru- dence and temper ; I will pledge myself for the colonies, that on their part, animosity and resentment will cease. Upon the whole I will beg leave to tell the house in (ew words what is really my opinion. It is, that the stamp aci be reptaled abso- lutely, totally and imptediateli/." On the 22d of February, General Conway introduced a mo^ tion to repeal this act. The debate lasted until three o'clock in the 'morning, and never was there a debate which excited more warmth of interest, or more vehemence of opposition. The lobbies of the house were crowded with the nmnufacturers and traders of the kingdom, whose anxious countenances plainly showed that their fates hung upon the issue. A division at length being called for, two hundred and seventy-five rose in support of the motion, and one hundred and sixty-seven against it. On learning this vote, the transports of the people were un- governable. Impressed with the conviction that they owed their deliverance to Mr. Pitt, their gratitude knew no bounds : when he appeared at the door, in the language of Burke, " they jumped upon him, like children on a long absent father. They clung to him as captives about their redeemer. All England joined in his applause." In the house of Peers, the opposition to the motion was still more obstinate. Some of the Dukes, and the whole Bench of Bishops were for forcing the Ameri- cans to submit, with Jirp and sword. Opposition however was at length wearied out, and the motion to repeal was carried by a majority of thirty-four, a compromise having been made by introducing the above declaratory act. The satisfaction of the colonies on the repeal of the stamp act was sincere and universal. Ele- vated with the idea of having removed an odious and oppressive burden, and believing, notwith- standing the declaratory act of parliament, that the right of taxing the colonies was at length sur- rendered, better feelings were indulged ; com mercial intercourse was revived, and larger im porlations of goods were made than ever. Section VI. The colonies, however, mistook the spirit and determination of the ministry 156 PERIOD V....1775....1783....EEVOLUTION. Fof, in 1767, a bill passed the parliament, im- posing a duty to be collected in the colonies on glass, paper, painter's colours, and tea. This act, with several others, not less arbitra- ry and unjust, again spread alarm through the colonies, and revived the fire of opposition which had been smothered by the repeal of the stamp act. Again were associations formed to prevent the importation of British goods ; again were meetings called to resolve, petition, and remon- strate. Section VII. In Feb. 1 769, both houses of par liament went a step beyond all that had preced- ed, in an address to the king, requesting him to give orders to the governour of Massachusetts — the spirited conduct of which province was par- ticularly obnoxious to the ministry — to take no- tice of such as might be guilty of treason, that they might be sent to England and tried there. A measure more odious to the people of Ame- rica, or niore hostile to the British constitution, cou d not be named, than for a man to be torn from his country, to be tried by a jury of stran- gers. The house of burgesses of Virginia met soon after the official accounts of this address were received, and, in a few days, pass- ed several spirited resolutions, expressing " their exclusive right to tax their constituents, and denying the right of his majesty to remove an offender out of the country for trial." The next day, the royal governour of that colony sent for the house of burgess- es and addressed them laconically as follows : " Mr. Speaker, and gentlemen of the house of burgesses, I have heard of your resolves, and augur ill of their effects. You have made it my duty to dissolve you, and you are accordingly dissolved !" The assembly of North Carolina passed similar resolutions and were dissolved by their governour, in a similar manner. Section VIIl. While affairs were thus situated, an event occurred which produced great excite- ment in America, particularly in Massachusetts PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. 15~ This was an affray on the evening of the fifth of March 1770, between some of the citizens of Boston, and a number of his majesty's soldiers, who had been sent from Halifax, and were now stationed at the custom house. Several of the inhabitants were killed, and others severely wounded. The quarrel commenced on the 2d of March, at Gray's rope walk, between a soldier, and a man employed at the rope walk. The provocation was given by the citizen, and a scuffle ensued, in which the soldier was beaten. On the 5th of the month, the soldiers while under arms were pressed upon and insulted, and dared to fire. One of them, who had received a blow, fired at the aggressoi, and a single discharge from six others succeeded. Three of the citizens were killed, and five dangerously wounded. The town was instantly thrown into the greatest commotion, tlu; bells were rung, and the general cry was " to arms." In a short time several thousands of the citizens had assembled, and a dreadful scene of blood must have ensued, but for the promise of Governour Hulchmson, that the affair should be settled to their satisfaction in the morning. Captain Preston, who com- manded the soldiers, was committed with them to prison. Up- on their trial the captain and six soldiers were acquitted ; two were convicted of manslaughter. For several subsequent years the evening of the day on which this outrage was committed was commemorated by the citizens of Boston, and the event gave oc- casion to addresses the most warm and patriotick, which served to waken up, and increase the spirit of the revolution. Section IX. 1773. The recommendations of meetings and associations to suspend the impor- tation of tea, had been so strictly complied with, that but little had been brought into the country. The consequence was, that vast quantities, se- venteen millions of pounds, had accumulated upon the hands of the East India Company.— , For their relief, the parliament now authorized them to export this tea into any part of the world, free of duty. By this regulation, tea would come cheaper to the colonies than before it had been made a source of revenue — parliament havings 14 158 PERIOD V....1775....17S3....IIEVOLUTION. in 1 767, reduced the duty on it to three pence a pound. Confident of now finding a market for their tea in America, the East India Company freight- ed several ships with that article for the different colonies, and appointed agents to dispose of it. On the arrival of this tea, however, the determi- nation of the colonists was formed — they would not pay even three pence by way of duty. The consequence was, that cargoes of tea, sent to New-York and Philadelphia, were returned without being entered at the custom house ; and those sent to Charleston, S. C. were stored, but not offered for sale. In Massachusetts, a different fate awaited it. Upon its arrival, the inhabitants endeavoured to procure its return, but this being impracticable, the tea having been consigned to the relations and friends of the royal governour, Hutchinson, they resolved to destroy it. Accordingly, a num- ber of persons, dressed like Indians, repaired to the ships, and discharged three hundred and forty-two chests of tea into the water, without, however, doing any other damage. Section X. Intelligence of these proceedings was, on the 7th of March, 1774, communicated in a message from the throne to both houses of Parliament. The excitement was peculiarly strong. In the spirit of revenge against Massa- chusetts, and particularly against Boston, which was considered as the chief seat of rebellion, a bill was broughtforward, calledthe ^^ Boston port bill^^^ by which the port of Boston was precluded from the privilege of landing and discharging, or of loading and shipping goods, wares, and mer- diundise. PERIOD V....1775....17S3....REVOLUTION. 159 A second bill, which passed at this time, es- sentially altered the charter of the province^ making the appointment of the council, justices, judges, (fee. dependent upon the crown, or its agent. A third soon followed, authorizing and directing the governour to send any person in- dicted for murder, or any other capital offence, to another colony, or to Great Britain for trial. Section XL On the arrival of these acts, the town of Boston passed the following vote : " That it is the opinion of this town, that, if the other colonies come into a joint resolution to stop all importation from Great Britain and the West Indies, till the act for blocking up this harbour be repealed, the same will prove the salvation of N. America and her liberties." Copies of this vote were transmitted to each of the colonies. As an expression of their sympathy with the people of Boston in their distress, the house of burgesses in Virginia ordered that the day, on which the Boston port bill was to take effect, should be observed as a day of fasting and prayer Obfs. The words Whigs and Tories were, about this time, in- troduced as the distinguishing names of parties. By the former, was meant tliose who favoured the cause of Boston, and were zealous in supporting the colonies against the parliament : by the latter, was meant ihe favourers of Great Britain. Section XII. During these transactions in Massachusetts, measures had been taken to con- vene a Continental Congress. On the 4th of Sept. 1774, deputies from eleven colonies met at Philadelphia, and elected Peyton Randolph, the then late speaker of the Virginia Assembly, president, arid Charles Thompson, secretary. After considerable debate, it was agreed that each colony should have one equal vote. l40 PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. Having settled the manner of voting, the con gress proceeded to the discharge of the high trust committed to them. They agreed upon a de- claration of their rights, recommended the non- importation of British goods into the country, and the npn-exportation of American produce to Great Britain, so long as their grievances were unredressed — voted an address to his Majesty — and likewise one to the people of Great Britain, and another to the French inhabitants of Ca- nada. This congress, having finished their business in less than eight weeks, dissolved themselves, after recommending another congress to be . convened on the 10th of May ensuing, unless the redress of their grievances should be pre- viously obtained. Although the power of this congress was only advisory, their resolutions were approved, not only by the people, but also by the authorities, whether established, or provincial, and exerted a commanding influence in consummating that union among the colonies, which had been in- creasing with their grievances. The name by which the above congress is generally known is " the Continental Congress.^" It consisted of fifty-five mem- bers, one half of whom were lawyers. After the arrival of the delegates from North Carolina, twelve colonies were repre- sented. Section XIII. An assembly was ordered by Gov. Gage, of Massachusetts, to convene Oct. 5th ; but before that period arrived, judging their meeting inexpedient, he counteracted the writs of convocation, by a proclamation. The assembly however, to the number of ninety, met at Salem, where the governour not attend- ing, they adjourned to Concord. Here they PERIOD V....I775....1783....REVOLUTION. i(3i chose John Hancock president, and, after ad- journing to Cambridge, drew up a plan for the immediate defence of the province, by enhsting men, appointing general officers-, &c. Jn November, this provincial congress met again, and re- so ved to get in readiness tvv^elve tiiousand men to act in any emergency ; and that one fourth part of the militia should be enlisted as minute-men. At the same time, a request was for warded to Connecticut,, New-Hampshire, an«i Rhode-Island, jointly to increase this army to twenty thousand meii. Section XIV. Early the next year, Jan. 7th, 1775, Lord Chatham, Mr. Pitt, after a long re- tirement, resumed his seat in the hous« of Lords, and introduced a conciliatory bill, the object of which was, to settle the troubles in America. But the efforts of this venerab'e and peace-making man wholly failed, the bill being rejected by a majority of sixty-four to thirty- two, without even the compliment of lyirg on the table. The rejection of this bill was followed the next day by the introduction of a bill, which finally passed, to restrain th** trade of the New-England provinces, and to forbid their fisb'ng on the banks of Newfoundland. Soon after, restrictions we>*e im- posed upon the middle and southern colonies, with the «*xcep- tion of New- York, Delaware, and North Carolina. This bill, designed to promote disunion among the colonies, happily failed of its object. Thus we have given a succinct account of the system of measures adopted by the ministry of England toward the American colonies after the peace of '63 — measures most unfeeling nnd. unjust ; but which no petitions, however resp<^ct- ful, and no remonstrances, however loud, could change. Satisfied of this, justice permit- ted the people, and self-respect and self-pre- servation loudly summoned them, to resist by force. Section XV. The crisis, therefore, had now 1,62 PERIOD V....I775....1783....REVOLUTION. arrived, the signal of war was given, and the blood shed at Lexington opened the scene. Gen. Gage, the king's governour of Massa- chusetts, learning that a large quantity of mili- tary stores had been deposited by the provin- cials, at Concord, detached Lieut. Col. Smith, and Major Pitcairn, with eight hundred grena- diers, to destroy them. On their arrival at Lexington, on the morning of the 19th of April, 1775, seventy of the militia, who had hastily assembled upon an alarm, were under arms, on the parade. Eight of these were without pro- vocation killed, and several wounded. The greatest precaution was taken by Governour Gage, to prevent the inteUigence of this expedition from reaching the country. Officers were dispersed along the road to intercept expresses, who might be sent from Boston. But the precaution proved ineffectual. The alarm was given, and was rapidly spread by means of church bells, guns, and volleys. The slaughter of the militia at Lexington was extremeJy wan- ton. Major Pitcairn, on seeing them on the parade, rode up to them, and, with a loud voice, cried out, " disperse, disperse you rebels ; tlirow down your arms and disperse." The sturdy yeomanry not immediately obeying his orders, he approached nearer, discharged his pistol, and ordered his soldiers to fire. From Lexington, the detachment proceeded to Concord, and destroyed the stores. After killing several of the militia, who came out to oppose them, they retreated to Lexington with some loss, the Americans firing upon them from behind walls, hedges, and buildings. Fortunately for the British, here Lord Percy met them, with a reinforcement of nine hundred men, some marines, and two field-pieces. Still annoyed by the provincials, they continued their retreat to Bunker's Hill, in Charlestown, and the day fol- lowing crossed over to Boston. The British lost, in killed and wounded, during their absence, two hundred and seventy-three. The loss of the Americams amounted to eighty-eight killed, wounded, and missing. Section XVL Such was the affair at Lexing- ton, the first action that opened the war of the revolution. The issue of it filled the English PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. iGS officers with indignation : they could not endure that an undiscipUned multitude, that " ajlock of Yankees^'''' ae they contemptuously named the Americans, shoukl have forced them to turn their backs. On tiie contrary, the result of the day immeasurably increased the courage of the Americans. The tidings spread ; the voice of war rung through the land, and preparations were every where commenced to carry it for- ward. The provincial Congress of Massachusetts, being in session at this time, despatched a mi- nute account of the affair at Lexington, to Great Britain, with depositions to prove that the Bri- tish troops were the aggressors. In conclusion, they used this emphatic language : " Appealing to Heaven for the justice of our cause, we deter- mine to die, or he free.'''' The congress, at the same time, resolved that a levy should be made in the province of thirteen thousand six hundred men. This force being raised was soon after joined by troops from New-Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode- Island, and an army of thirty thousand men assembled in the environs of Boston. Section XVII. As the war had now begun, and was likely to proceed, it was deemed im- portant to secure the fortresses of Ticonderoga and Crown Point. Accordingly, a number of volunteers from Connecticut and Vermont, un- der command of Col. Ethan Allen, and Col. Benedict Arnold, marched against Ticonderoga, and, on the 10th of May, took it by surprise, the garrison being asleep. The fortress of Crown Point surrendered shortly after. On the arrival of Allen at Ticonderoga, he demanded the fort. " By what authority ?" asked the commander. " I de- 1(34 PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. mand it," said Allen, " in the name of the Great Jehovah, and of the Continental Congress." The sumnions was instantly obeyed, and the fort was, with its valuable stores, surrendered. Section XVIII. The taking of Ticonderoga and Crown Point was soon followed by the memorable Battle of Bunkerh Hill., as it is usually called, or of Breed's Hill, a high emi- nence in Charlestown, within cannon-shot of Boston, where the battle was actually fought, June 17th. The evening preceding, a detachment of one thousand Ame- ricans were ordered to make an intrenchment on Bunker's Hill ; but, by some mistake, they proceeded to Breed's Hill, and by the dawn of day, had thrown up a redoubt eight rods square, and four feet high. On discovering this redoubt in the morning, the British com- menced a severe cannonade upon it, from several ships and floating batteries, and from a fortification on Copp's Hill, in Boston, which was continued until afternoon. The Americans, however, never intermitted their work for a moment, and du- ring the forenoon, lost but a single man. Between twelve and one o'clock, three thousand British un- der command of Major Gen. Howe, and Brigadier Gen. Pigot, crossed Charles River, with an intention to dislodge the Ame- ricans. As they advanced, the British commenced firing at some dis- tance from the redoubt ; but the Americans reserved their fire, until the enemy were within twelve rods. They then opened, and the carnage was terrible. The British retreated in preci- pitate confusion. They were, however, rallied by their officers, being, in some instances, pushed on by their swords, and were again led to the attack. The Americans now suffered them to approach within six rods, when their fire mowed them down in heaps, and again they fled. Unfortunately for the Americans, their ammunition here failed ; and, on the third charge of the British, they were obliged to retire, after having obstinately re- sisted even longer than prudence admitted. The British lost in this engagement two hundred and twenty-six killed, among whom was Major Pitcairn, who first lighted the torch of war at Lexington, and eight hundred and twenty-eight wounded. The Americans bst one hundred and thirty-nine killed, and of wounded and missing there were three hundred and fourteen. Among the killed was the lamented Gen. Warren. PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. 165 o The horrours of this scene were greatly increased by the con- flagration of Charlestown, effected, during the heat of the battle, by the orders of Gen. Gage. By this wanton act of barbarity, two thousand people were deprived of their habitations, and property to the amount of one hundred and twenty thousand pounds sterling perished in the flames. " Wanton, however as the burning of Charlestown was, it wonderfully enhanced llie dreadful magnificence of the day. To the volleys of musketry and the roar of cannon ; to the shouts of the fight- ing and the groans of the dying ; to the dark and awful at- mosphere of smoke, enveloping the whole peninsula, and illu- mined in every quarter by the streams of fire from the various instruments of death ; the conflagration of six hundred buildings added a gloomy and amazing grandeur. In the midst of this waving lake of flame, the lofty steeple converted into a blazing pyramid, towered and trembled over the vast pyre, and finished the scene of desolation.''* To the Americans, the consequences of this battle were those of a derided victory. They learned that their enemies were not invulnerable. At the same time, they learned the importance of stricter discipline, and greater preparations. As the result of the battle spread, the national pulse beat still higher, and the arm of opposition was braced still more firmly. Section XIX. The second continental con- grass met at Pliiladelpliia, on the 10th of May. As military opposition to Great Britain was now resolved upon by the colonies, and had actually commenced, it became necessary to fix upon a proper person to conduct that opposition. The person unanimously selected by congress was George Washington, a member of their body, Trom Virginia. General Washington, ki his reply to the President of Con- gress, who announced to him his appointment, after consenting ro enter upon the momentous duty assigned him, added : " But lest some unlucky event should happen unfavourable to my re- putation, I beg it may be remembered, by every gentleman in the room, that I this day declare with the utmost sincerity, I do not think myself equal to the command I am honoured with. " As to pay, sir, I beg leave to assure the congress, that as * DwiKht'9 Travels. 166 PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. Tio pecuniary consideration could have tempted rae to accept this arduous employment, at the expense of my domestic ease and happiness, I do not wish to make any profit from it. 1 will keep an exact account of my expenses. Those I doubt not ihey will discharge, and tliat is all 1 desire.'"* A special commission was drawn up and presented to him, as commander in chief of the American forces ; on presenting it, congress unanimously adopted this resolution : " that they would maintain and assist him, and adhere to him with theii lives and fortunes in the cause of American liberty." Following the appointment of General Washington, was the appointment of four Major-Cenerals, Arteraas Ward, Charles Lee, Philip Schuyler, and Israel Putnam ; and eight Brigadier Generals, Seth Pomeroy, Richard Montgomery, David Wooster, William Heath, Joseph Spencer, John Thomas, John Sullivan, and Nathaniel Greene. Section XX. Gen. Washington, on his arrival at Cambridge, on the second of July, was re- ceived with joyful acclamations by the American army. He found them stretched from Roxbury to Cambridge, and thence to Mystic river, a dis- tance of twelve miles. The British forces oc- cupied Bunker and Breed's hill, and Boston Neck. The attention of the commander in chief was immediately di- rected to the strength and situation of the enemy, and to the in- troduction of system and union into the army, the want of which pervaded every department. This was a delicate and difficult attempt, but the wisdom and firmness of Washington removed every obstacle, and at length brought even independent freemen, in a good degree, to the controul of military discipline. Section XXI. While Washington was em- ployed in organizing his army, and preparing for future operations, an important expedition — ( * The whole sum which, in the course of the war, passed through his hands amounted only to fourteen thousand four hundred and seventy-nine pounds sterling. After Gen. Wasliington's elevation to the presidency, lie continued to send to the comptrollers of the treasury an annual account of his expenses, which, in some years, amounted to thirty-one thousand dollars. As the salary fixed by law for that office was no more than twenty-five thousand dollars, the excess he paid out of his private funds PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. lC7 was planned against Canada, the charge of which was assigned to Gens. Schuyler and Montgomery. On the 10th of September, one thousand Ame- rican troops landed at St. Johns, the first British post in Canada, one hundred and fifteen miles north of Ticonderoga, but found it advisable to retire to the Isle aux Noix, twelve miles south of St. Johns. Here the health of Gen. Schuyler obliged him to return to Ticonderoga, and the command devolved on Gen. Montgomery. This enterprising officer, in a few days, returned to the investment of St. Johns, and on the 3d of November, received the surrender of this import- ant post. On the surrender of St. Johns, five hundred regulars and one •lundred Canadians became prisoners to the provincials. There were also taken thirty-nine pieces of cannon, seven mortars, and five hundred stands of arms. Gen. Montgomery next proceeded against Montreal, which, without resistance, capitulated. From Montreal he rapidly proceeded towards Quebec. Before his arrival, however. Col. Arnold, who had been despatched by Gen. Washington with one thousand American troops from Cambridge, had reached Quebec by the w^ay of the Kenne- beck,ariver of Maine, — had ascended the heights of Abraham, where the brave Wolfe ascended be- fore him ; but had found it necessary to retire to a place twenty- miles above Quebec, where he was waiting for the arrival of Montgomery. Seldom was there an expedition attempted during the Ameri- can war, in which more hardship was endured, or more untiring perseverance manifested, than in this of Arnold's. In ascending the Kennebeck, his troops were constantly obliged to work against an impetuous current, and often to haul their batteaux up rapid currents and over dangerous falls. Nor was their march through the country, by an unexpl >red route of three hundred miles, less difficult or dangerous. 1 hey had swamps and woodSj 168 PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. mountains and precipices alternately to surpass. Added tu their other trials, their provisions failed, and, to support life, they were obliged to eat their dogs, cartouch boxes, clothes and shoes. While at the distance of one hundred miles from human habitations, they divided their whole store, about four pints ol flour to a man. At thirty miles distance, they had baked and eaten their last pitiful morsel. Yet the courage and fortitude of these men continued unshaken. They were suffering for their country's cause, were toiling for wives and children, were con- tending for the rights and blessings of freedom. After thirty one days of incessant toil through a hideous wilderness, they reached the habitations of men. Dec. 1st, Montgomery having effected a junc- tion with Arnold, commenced tlie siege of Que- bec. After continuing the siege nearly a month to little purpose, the bold plan was adopted of attempting the place by scaling the walls. Two attacks were made, at the same time, in different quarters of the town, by Montgomery and Ar- nold. The attempt, however, proved unsuccess- ful, and, to the great loss and grief of America, fatal to the brave Montgomery. He fell while attempting to force a barrier, and with him fell two distinguished officers, Capt. M'Pherson, his aid, and Capt Cheeseman. After this repulse, Arnold retired about three miles from Quebec, where he continued encamp- ed through a rigorous winter. On the return of spring, 1776, finding his forces inadequate to the reduction of Quebec, and not being reinforced, he retired. By the 18th of June, the Americans, having been compelled to relinquish one post after another, had wholly evacuated Canada. The garrison of Quebec consisted, at the time of the above at- tack, of about one thousand five hundred men ; the American forces were near eight hundred. The loss of the Americans in killed and wounded was about one hundred, and three hundred were taken prisoners. The death of General Montgomery was deeply lamented both in Europe and America. " The most powerful' speakers in tl*e PERIOD V....1773....1783....REVOLUTIO> lG9 British parliament displayed their eloquence in praising his vir- tues and lamenting his fall." Congress directed a monument to be erected to his memory, expressive of their sense of his high patriotism and heroick conduct. Section XXII. During this year, 1775, Virgi- nia, through the indiscretion of lord Dunmore, the royal governour, was involved in difficulties little short of those to w^hich the inhabitants of Massachusetts were subjected. From the ear- liest stages of the controversy with Great Bri- tain, the Virginians had been in the foremost rank of opposition, and, in common with other provinces, had taken measures for defence. These measures for defence, the royal govern- our regarded with an eye of suspicion, and at- tempted to thwart them by the removal of guns and ammunition, which had been stored by the people in a magazine. The conduct of the go vernour roused the inhabitants, and occasioned intemperate expressions of resentment. Appre- nending personal danger, lord Dunmore retired on board the Fovi^ey mtn of war, from which he issued his proclamations, instituting martial law, and proffering freedom to such slaves as would leave their masters, and repair to the royal stand- ard. Here, also, by degrees, he equipped and armed a number of vessels, and, upon being re- fused provisions by the provincials, from on shore,, he proceeded to reduce the town of Norfolk to ashes. The loss was estimated at three hundred thousand pounds sterling. Nearly six thousand persons were deprived of their habitations. In like manner, the royal governours of North and South Carolina thought it prudent to retire, and seek safety on board men of war. Royal government generally terminated this year throughout the country, the king's governours, tor the most part, abdicating their governments, and taking refuge on board the English shipping. 15 M. 170 PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. Section XXUl. Early in the spring of 1776, Gen. Washington contemplated the expulsion of the British arjny from Boston, by direct assault. In a council of war, it was deemed expedient, however, rather to take possession of, and fortify Dorchester Heights, which commanded the har hour and British shipping. The night of the 4th of March was selected for the attempt. Ac- cordingly, in the evening a covering party of eight hundred, followed by a working party of twelve hundred, with entrenching tools, took pos- session of the Heights, unobserved by the ene- my. Here they set themselves to work with so much activity, that by morning, they had con- structed fortifications which completely sheltered them. The surprise of the British cannot easily be conceived. The English admiral after ex- amining the works, declared that, if the Ameri- cans were not dislodged from their position, his vessels could no longer remain in safety in the harbour. It was determined, therefore, by the British, to evacuate Boston, which they now did, and on the 17th, the British troops, under command of lord William Howe, successor of Gen. Gage, sailed for Halifax. General Wash- ington, to the great joy of the inhabitants, army, and nation, immediately marched into the town. The rear guard of the British was scarcely out of the town, when Washington entered it on the other side, with colours displayed, drums beatinfj, and all the forms of victory and tri- umph. He was received l)y the inhabitants, with demonstra- tions of joy and gratitude. Six*een months had the people suf- fered the distresses of hunger* and the outrages of an insolent soldiery. *Provtsions had been so scarce In Boston, that a pound of fresh fish was t\rs!ve pence sterlins, a goose eight sliillings and four pence, a turkey PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. 17I ' The town presented a melancholy spectacle, at tlie time the irmy of Washington entered. One thousand five hundred loyal- ists, witti their families, had just departed on boaid the British flee.., tearing themselves from home and friends, for the love of the ro^^al cause. Churches were stripped of pews and benches for fuel, shops were opened and rifled of goods to c'othe the army, and houses had been pillaged by an unfeeling soldiery. Section XXIV. While affairs were proceed* ing thua in the north, an attempt was made, in June and July, to destroy the fort on Sullivan's Island, near Charleston, S. C. by Gen. Clinton and Sir Peter Parker. After an action of up- wards of ten hours, the British were obliged to retire, havipg their ships nearly torn to pieces, and with a loss of two hundred killed and wounded. The loss of the Americans was but ten killed, and twenty-two wounded. The fort was commanded by Col. Moidtrie, whose garrison consisted of but three hundred and seventy five regulars, and a k\v militia. On the fort was mounted twenty-six cannon of eighteen and nine pounders. The British force consisted of two fifty gun ships, and four frigates, each of twenty-eight guns, besides several smaller vessels, with three thousand troops on board. By this repulse of the British, the southern states ob- tained a respite from the calamities of war for two yeai's and a half. - Among the American troops who resisted the British, in their attack on fort Moultrie, was a sergeant Jasper, whose name has been given to one of the counties in Georgia, in commemoration of his gallant deeds, and who deserves an honourable notice in every history of his country. In the warmest part of the con- test, the flag stafl^ was severed by a cannon ball, and the flag fell to the bottom of the ditch, on the outside of the works. This accident was considered, by the anxious inhabitants in Charles- ton, as putting an end to the contest, by striking the American flag to the enemy. The moment Jasper made the discovery, that the flag had fallen, he jumped from one of the embrasures, twelve shillings and six pence, a duck eight shillings and two pence, hens two shillings and one penny per pound. A sheep cost thirty-five shillings sterling, apples thirty-three shillings and four pence per bushel. Fire wood forty-one shillings and eight pence per cord, and finalljr was not to be uro- cured at any phce. 172 PERIOD V....1775....1783.mJIEVOLUTION. and tooic up the flag, which he tied to a post, and replace] it on the parapet, where he supported it until another flag staff wjis procured. The subsequent activity and enterprise of this patriot induced Col. Moultrie to give him a sort of roving commission, to go and come at pleasure, confident that lie was always usefully em- ployed. He was privileged to select such men from the regi- • ment as he should choose, to accompany him in his enterprises. His parties consisted generally of five or six, and lie often re- turned with prisoners, before Moultrie was apprised of his ab-^ sence. Jasper was distinguished for his humane treatment when an enemy fell into his power. His ambition appears to have been limited to the characteristicks of bravery, humanity, and usefulness to the cause in which he was engaged. By his cunning and enterprise, he often succeeded in the capture ol those who were lying in ambush for him. He entered the Bri- tish lines, and remained seveial days in Savannah, in disguise, and, after informing himself of their strength and intentions, re- turned to the American camp with useful information to hia commanding officer. In one of these excursions, an instance of bravery and hu- manity is recorded, by the biographer of General Marion, which could not be credited if it was not well attested. While lie was examining tiie British camp at Ebenezer, all the sympa- thy of his heart was awakened by the distresses of a Mrs. Jones, whose husband, an Am*^rican by biitb, had taken the king's protection, and been confined in irons for doserting the royav cause, after he had taken the oath of allegiance. Her well founded belief was, that nothing short of the life of her husband would atone for the offence with which he was charged. An- ticipating the awful scene of a beloved husband expiring on the gibbet, had excited inexpressible emotions of grief and distrac- tion. Jasper secretly consulted with his companion, Serjeant Nevnon, whose feelings for the distressed female and her child were equally excited with his own, upon the practicability of releasing Jones from his impending fate. Though they were unable to suggest a plan of operation, they were determined to wat«".h for the most favourable opportunity, and make the effort. The departure of Jones and several others, all in irons, to Savannah, for trial, under a guard, consisting of a serjeant, cor- poral, and eight men, was ordered upon the succeeding n? .-trn- ing. Within two miles of Savannah, about thirty yards rom the main road, is a spring of fine water, surrounded by a Jeep and thick underwood, where travellers often halt to refresh themselves with a cool draught from this pure fountain. JaspT and his companion selected this s))ot as the most favourable U t PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. 173 their enterprise. They accordingly passed the guard, and con- cealed themselves near the spring. When the enemy came up, they halted, and two of the guard only remained with the prisoners, while the others leaned their guns against trees in a careless manner, and went to the spring. Jasper and Newton sprung from their place of concealment, seized two of the muskets, and shot the sentinels. The posses- sion of all the arms placed the enemy in their power, and com- pelled them to surrender. The irons were taken oflf from the prisoners, and arms put into their hands. The whole party ar- rived at Perrysburg, the next morning, and joined the American camp. There are but few instances upon record where personal exertions, even for self-preservation from certain prospects of death, would have induced a resort to an act so desperate of execution ; how much more laudable was this, where the spring to action was roused by the lamentations of a female unknown to the adventurers ! Subsequently to the gallant defence at Sullivan's Island, Col. Moultrie's regiment was presented Avith a stand of colours by Mrs. ElHot, which she had richly embroidered with her own hands ; and, as a reward of Jaspei''s particular merits, Govern- our Rutledge presented him with a very handsome sword. Du- ring the assault against Savannah, two officers had been killed and one wounded, endeavouring to plant these colours upon the enemy's parapet of the Springhill redoubt. Just before the re- treat was ordered, Jasper endeavoured to replace them upon the works, and while he was iu the act, received a mortal wound and fell into the ditch. When a retreat was ordered, he recol- lected the honourable condition upon which the donor presented the colours to his regiment, and among the last acts of his life, succeeded in bringing them off. Major Horry called to see him soon after the retreat, to « hom, it is said, he made the following communication. " I have got my furlough. That sword was presented to me by Governour Rutledge, for my services in the defence of fort Moultrie. Give it to my father, and tell him I have worn it with honour. If he should weep, tell him his son died in the hope of a better life. Tell Mrs. Elliot that I lost ray life, sup- porting the colours which she presented to our regiment. If you should ever see Jones, his wife and son, tell them that Jas- per is gone, but that the remembrance of the battle, which he fought for them, brought a secret joy to his heart when il was about to stop its motion forever." He expired a few min- utes after closing this sentence.* ♦ M'CaJl's Georgia, Vol. II. 15* 174 PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTIOK. Section XXV. During these transactions in the south, the continental congress was in ses- sion, intently observing the aspect of things, and deeply revolving the probable issue of the pre- sent important contest. The idea of independ- ence had now been broached among the people, and the way was, in a measure, prepared to bring the subject before the congress. Accordingly, on the 8th of June, Richard Henry Lee, one of the deputies from Virginia, rose and made a motion to declare America free and independent. Mr. Lee addressed the house on this motion, and concluded as follows : " Why then do we longer delay, why still deliber- ate ? Let this most happy day give birth to the American re- publick. Let her arise, not to devastate and conquer, but to re-establish the reign of peace and of the laws. The eyes of Europe are fixed upon us ; she demands of us a living example of freedom, that may contrast, by the felicity of the citizens, with the ever increasing tyranny which desolates her polluted shwes. She invites us to prepare an asylum, where the unhap- py may find solace, and the persecuted repose. She entreats us to cultivate a propitious soil, where that generous plant, which first sprang up and grew in England, but is now withered by (he poisonous blasts of Scottish tyranny, may revive and flourish, sheltering under its salubrious and interminable shade, all the unfortunate of the human race. This is the end presaged by so many omens, by our first victories, by the present ardour and union, by the flight of Howe,* and the pestilence which broke out amongst Dun- more's people,! by the very winds which baffled the enemy's fleets and transports, and that terrible tempest which ingulphed seven hundred vessels upon the coast of Newfoundland. If we are not this day wanting in our duty to our country, the names ♦ Alluding to the evacuation of Boston by the British, under Howe, page 170. t Lord Dunmore, the royal govewiour of Virginia, retired to the Fowey man of war, as noticed page 169, onboard of which, and the other vessels of Ms squadron, a pestilential malady broke out, which carried off great numbers of the crowd, both white and black, which had thronged the Tcssds. fERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. 175 of the American legislators will be placed, by posterity, at the side of those of Theseus, of Lycurgus, of Romulus, of Numa, of the three Williams of Nassau, and of all those whose memory has been, and will be for ever dear to virtuous men, and good citizens." The deputies of Pennsylvania and Maryland not being present, and congress being desirous, by some delay, to evince the maturity of their deliberations, adjourned the further considera- tion of the subject to the first of July. On the arrival of the day assigned, the sub- ject was resumed, and on the ^th of July, 1776, upon the report of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Philip Livingston, the thirteen confederate colonies dissolved their allegiance to the British crown, and declared themselves Free and Inde- pendent, under the name of the Thirteen Uni- ted States of America. After specifically enumerating the wrongs received, and de- claring these to be sufficient grounds for a separation, they sol- emnly and deliberately proceeded to the act of separation, in the words following : " We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in general congress assembled, appealing to the Su- preme Judge of the world, for the rectitude of our intentions, and by authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved ; and that as free and in- dependent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things, which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honour." The members who composed this congress, all of whom signed the declaration; were^ i m' PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTKW. John Hancock, President, from Massachiuettt. "Neto-Hampshire. Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton. Massachusetts. Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry. Rhode-Island. Stephen Hopkins, William Eller3^ Connecticut. Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott. New-York. William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris. New-Jersey. Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark. Pennsylvania. Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin. John Morton, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross. Delaware. Caesar Rodney, George Read. Maryland Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Virginia. George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jun. Thomas Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton. North Carolina. William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn. South Carolina. Edward Rutledge, Thomas Hayward, Jun. Thomas Lynch, Jun. Arthur Middleton. Georgia. Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton. George Clyraer, This declaration was received by the people with transports of joy. Public rejoicings took place in various parts of the Union. In New- York, the statue of George IH. was taken down, and the lead, of which it was composed, was converted into musket balls. In Boston, the garrison was drawn up in King's street, which from that moment, took the name of State- street, and thirteen salutes, by thirteen detachments, mto which the troops were formed, were fired ; the bells of the town were rung, in token of felicitation, and the evening concluded witli the tearing in pieces, and burning, the ensigns of royally — lions, sceptres, and crowns. I PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. 177 In Virginia, the exultation exceeded description. On learn- ing the measures of Congress, the Virginia convention immedi- ately decreed, that the name of the king should be suppressed in all the publick prayers. They ordained that the great seal of the commonwealth should represent Virtue as the tutelary genius of the province, robed in drapery of an Amazon, rest- ing one hand upon her lance, and holding with the other a sword, trarapHng upon tyranny, under the figure of a prostrate man, having near him a crown, fa'len from his head, and bear- ing in one hand a broken chain, and in the other a scourge. At the foot was charactered the word Virginia, and round the effigy of virtue was inscribed : — Sic semper tyrannis. The reverse represented a group of figures; in the middle stood Liberty, with her wand and cap ; on one side was Ceres, with a horn of plenty in the right hand, and a sheaf of wheat in the left ; upon tiie other appeared Eternity, with the globe and the phoenix. At the foot were found these woids: — Deus nobis hcec otia fe- cit. Section XXVI. Soon after the evacuation of Boston by the British troops, V^ashington, be- lieving that the possession of New- York would be with them a favourite object, determined to make it the head quarters of his army, and there- by prevent their occupation of it, if such a step had been contemplated. Accordingly, he soon removed to that city with the principal part of his troops. Section XXVll. On the 10th of June, Gen. William Howe, with the army which had evacu- ated Boston, arrived from Halifax, off Sandy Hook. Here he was soon after joined by his brother, Admiral Lord Howe, from England, with a reinforcement. Their combined forces amounted to twenty-four thousand. On the 2d of August, they landed near the Narrows, nine miles from the city. Section XXVHI. Previous to the commence- ment of hostilities. Admiral and Gen. Howe communicated to Washington, that they were commissioned to settle all difficulties, between 178 PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. Great Britain and the colonies. But, not ad dressing Washington by the title due to his rank, he thought proper to decline receiving their com- munication. It appeared, however, that the power of these commissioners extended little farther than, in the language of their instruc- tions, '' to grant pardons to such as deserve mercy." Section XXIX. The American army, in and near New-York, amounted to seventeen thou- sand two hundred and twenty-five men, a part of whom were encamped near Brooklyn, on Long-Island. On the 27th of August, this body of the Americans, under command of Brigadier Gen. Sullivan, were attacked by the British, un- der Sir Henry Clinton, Percy, and Cornwallis, and were defeated with the loss of upwards of a thousand men, while the loss of the British amounted to less than four hundred. Gen. Sul- livan, and Brigadier Generals Lord Sterling and Woodhull, fell into the hands of the British, as prisoners. In the heat of the engagement, Gen, Washington had crossed over to Brooklyn from New- York, and on seeing some of Ins '' best troops slaughtered, or taken, he uttered, it is said, an ex clamation of anguish. But deep as his anguish was, and much as he wished to succour his troops, prudence forbad the calling in of his forces from New- York, as they would, by no means have sufficed to render his army equal to that of the English. Section XXX. After the repulse at Brooklyn, perceiving the occupation of his position on Long- Island to be of no probable importance, Wash- ington withdrew his troops to New- York, and soon after evacuated the city, upon which, on the 12th of October, the British entered it. Seldom, if ever, was a retreat conducted with more ability j and prudence, or under more favourable auspices, than that of the American troops from Long-Island. The necessary pr^ PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLOT10N. I79 parations having been made, on the 29th of August, at eight in the evening, the troops began to move in the greatest silence. But they were not on board their vessels before eleven. A vio- lent northeast wind and the ebb tide, which rendered the cur- rent very rapid, prevented the passage. The time pressed, however. Fortunately, the wind suddenly veered to the north- west. They immediately made sail, and landed in New- York. Providence appeared to have watched over the Americans. About two o'clock in the morning, a thick fog, and at this sea- son of the year extraordinary, covered all Long-Island, whereas the air was perfectly clear on the side of New-York. Notwith- standing the entreaties of his officers, Washington remained the last upon the shore. It was not till the next morning, when the sun was already high, and the fog dispelled, that the English perceived the Americans had abandoned their camp, and were eheltered from pursuit. Washington with a part of his troops, retired to White Plains, where he entrenched himself with great care. Here, on the morning of the 28th of September, he was attacked by Gene- rals Clinton and Heister. The loss in the ac- tion on each side, was several hundred. — But neither party could claim any decided advan- tage. While Washington was retiring from New- York, Sir William Howe seized the opportunity to reduce Fort Washington, on the Hudson, then under the command of Col. Magaw. Nov. 16th, the English forces invested the fort, and after a severe contest, which continued nearly all day. Col Magaw, finding his ammunition mostly exhausted, surrendered the fort, and with it about two thousand seven hundred men as prisoners of war. The surrender of Fort Washington was followed short- ly after, by the surrender of Fort Lee, on the Jersey shore, the? garrison abandoning it on the approach of the enemy. Section XX XT. Washington, having crossed the North River, continued his retreat to New- f ark, Brunswicli;, Princeton, and Trenton ; and thence crossed to the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware ; Lord Corn wal lis being close in his I rear. This retreat through New-Jersey was at- 180 PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. tended by circumstances of deep depression. The Americans had just lost two thousand seven hundred men in Fort Washington ; rmmbers of the militia were daily claiming to be discharged, and some of the leading characters, both in New- Jersey and Pennsylvania, were changing sides, and making peace with the enemy. In this season of general despondency, congress recommend- ed to each of the States, the observance of a " day of solemn fasting and humiliation before God." At the same time they called upon the States to furnish militia to reinforce the continent- al army, now so enfeebled as scarcely to amount to three thou- sand men. Soon after, one thousand five hundred Pennsylva- nian militia joined the American standard. Section XXXII. Notwithstanding the general aspect of affairs, on the part of America, was thus forbidding, the continental congress, so far from betraying symptoms of despair, manifested more confidence than ever ; and, as if success must eventually crown their enterprises, calmly occupied themselves in drawing up various ar- ticles of confederation, and perpetual union be- tween the States. Such articles were obviously necessary, that the line of distinction between the powers of the respective States, and of congress, should be exactly defined. In this way, only, would col- lisions be avoided, and the peace and harmony of the union be preserved. Accordingly, such articles were now digested, and at the sitting of congress, Oct. 4th, 1776, were signed by all the members, and copies im- mediately sent to the respective assemblies of each State for approbation. The principal ar- ticles of confederation were the following " They al! and each obligate themselves to contribpte for the common defence, and for the maintenance of their liberties. " Each particular state preserved the exclusive right of regu PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION i8l latlng its internal government, and of framing laws in ail mat- ters, not included in the articles of confederation, and which would not be prejudicial to it. " No particular State was either to send, or to receive ambas- sadors, enter into negotiations, contract engagements, form al- liances, or make war, except in the case of sudden attack, with any king, prince or power, whatsoever, without the consent ol the United States. " No individual, holding any magistracy, office, or commis- sion, whatsoever, from the United States, or from any of them, was allowed to accept of any presents, or any office, or title ol any kind whatsoever, from any foreign king, prince, or pottn tate. *' No assembly was to confer titles of nobility. " No State was to make alliances or treaties of what kind 60- ever, with another, without the consent of all. " Each particular State had authority to maintain, in peace as well as war, the number of armed ships and of land troops, judged necessary, by the general assembly of all the States, and uo more. " There shall be a publick treasury for the service of the con- federation, to be replenished by the particular contributions of each State ; the same to be proportioned according to the num- ber of inhabitants, of every age, sex, or condition, with the ex- ception of Indians. " A general congress was to be convoked every year, on tht first Monday of November, to be coniposed of deputies from al^ the States ; it was invested with all the powers that belonged tc the sovereigns of other nations." These powers were exactly enumerated. " Every individual holding any office, and either wages, salary, or emolument whatsoever, was thereby excluded from congress. " There was to be a council of state composed of one deputy from each province, nominated annually by his colleagues, of the same State, and in case these should not agree, by ine gei»e- ral congress.'-' Each State was to have but one vote. '' During the session, as well as the recess of the general con- gress, the coxincil of state was to be charged with the manage- ment of the publick affaiis of the confederation, always restricl- ing itself, however, within the limits prescribed by the laws, an J particularly by the articles of the confederation itself." Section XX XI 11. December 25th, at night, Washington recrossed the Delaware into New- Jersev, and, pushing his way rapidly to Trentoik, 16 1 82 PERIOD T....1775....1783....BEVOLUTION. surprised and took prisoners, on the following day, about one thousand Hessians, then in the service of the British. Having secured these prisoners on the Pennsylvania side of the Dela- ware, he marched to Princeton, and attacked a party of British, who had taken refuge in the college. About sixty of the enemy were killed, and three hundred made prisoners. The successes at Trenton and Princeton re- vived the desponding friends of independence. During the month of December, a melancholy gloom had overspread the United States. These successes, however, seemed to brighten the pros- pect, and promise better things. Washington now retired to Morristown, where his army were nearly all inoculated with the small pox, that disease having appeared among the troops, and rendering such a measure necessary. The dis- ease proved mortal but in few instances, nor was there a day in which the soldiers could not, if called upon, have fought the enemy. Section XXXIV. On the opening of the cam- paign of 1777, the army of Washington, although congress had oftered to recruits bounties in land, and greater wages, amounted to little more than seven thousand men. Towards the latter end of May, Washington quitted his winter encamp- ment at Morristown, and, about the same time, the royal army moved from Brunswick, which they had occupied during the winter. Much shifting of the armies followed, but no definite plan of operation had apparently been settled by either. Previous to this, however, General Howe sent a detachment of two thousand men, under command of Gen. Tryon, Gen. Agnew, and Sir William Erskine, to destroy some stores and orovisions deposited at Danbury, in Connecticut, fleeting PERIOD V....1775....1783...JIEVOLUTION. 183 with no resistance they reached Danbury on the 26th of April, and destroyed one thousand eight hundred barrels of beef and pork, and eight hundred of flour, two thousand bushels of grain, clothing for a regiment, one hundred hogsheads of rum, and one thousand seven hundred and ninety tents. Besides the destruc* tion of these articles, the enemy wantonly burned eighteen hous- es with their furniture, murdered three unoflending inhabitants, and threw them into the flames. Generals Sullivan, Wooster, and Arnold happening to be in the neighbourhood, hastily collected about six hundred militia, with whom they marched in pursuit, m a heavy rain, as far as Bethel, about two miles from Danbury. On the morning of the 27th of April, the troops were divided, Gen. Wooster with about three hundred men, falling in the rear of the enemy, whil Arnold took post in front, at Ridgefield. Gen. Wooster proceeded to attack the enemy, in which en- gagement he was mortally wounded, and from which his troops were compelled to retire. At Ridgefield, Arnold warmiy re- ceived the enemy on their retreat, and although repulsed, return- ed to the attack the next day on their march to the Sound. Find- ing themselves continually annoyed by the resolute and courage- ous yeomanry of the country through which they passed, they hastened to embark on board their ships, in which they sailed for New-York. Their killed, wounded, and missing, amounted to about one hundred and seventv : the loss of the Americans was not admitted to exceed one hundred. Gen. Wooster, now in his seventieth year, lingered with his wounds until the 2d of May. Congress resolved that a monument should be erected to his memory. To Gen. Arnold they presented a horse, properly caparisoned, as a reward for his gallantry on the occasion. At length, the British General Howe, leaving New-Jersey, embarked at Sandy Hook, with sixteen thousand men, and sailed for the Chesa- peake. On the 14th of August, he landed his troops, at the head of Elk river, in Maryland. It being now obvious that his design was the occupation of Philadelphia, Washington imme diately put the American army in motion, to wards that place, to prevent, if possible, its fall ing into the hands of the enemy. The two armies met at Brandywine, Dela- ware, on the 11th of September, and after an 184 PERIOD V....1775....1783.. .BEVOLUTION. engagement, which continued nearly all day, the Americans were compelled to retire. The loss of the Americans in this action was estimated at three hundred killed, and six hundred wounded. Between three and four hundred, principally the wounded, were made prisoners. The loss of the British was stated at less than one hundred killed, and four hundred wounded. Not considering tlie battle of Brandywine as decisive, con gress, which was sitting in Philadelphia, recommended to the commander in chief to risk another engagement ; preparations for which were accordingly made. Sept. l6th, the two armies drew near to each other, and the advance guards began to skirmish, when they were separated by a heavy rain, which rendered the musketry and ammunition of the armies wholly unfit for action. Section XXXV. An easy access to Philadel- phia was now presented to the enemy, and on the 26th, Howe entered the place without mo- lestation. The principal part of the British army was stationed at Germantown, six miles from Philadelphia. Congress adjourned to Lancaster, and Waehingion t-ncamped at eigh- teen miles distance from Germantown. Section XXXVI. Immediately after the oc- cupation of Philadelphia, the attention of Gen. Howe was drawn to the reduction of some forts on the Delaware, which rendered the naviga- tion of that river unsafe to the British. — Ac- cordingly, a pari of the royal army was detach- ed for that purpose. Washington seized the opportunity to attack the remainder at German- town. This attack was made Oct. 4th, but, after a severe action, the Americans were repulsed with a loss of double that of the British. The loss of the Americans was two hundred killed, six hundred wounded, and four hundred prisoners ,* that of the British was about one hundred kill- ed, and five hundred wounded. PERIOD V....l773....178i....BEVOLUTION. 185 After this action, the British removed to Philadelphia, where they continued long inac- tive. Washington retreated to Skippack creek, and there encamped. Great was the chagrin of Washington, on account of the re- pulse at Germantown, which was much increased by the auspi- cious commencement of the battle, and the flattering piospect of a speedy and complete victory. The ultimate failure of the Americans was attributed to the inexperience of a part of the troops, and to embarrassments aiising from a fog which increas- ed the darkness of thf night. Congress, however, expressed their approbation of Washington's plan of attack, and highly applauded the courage and firmness of the troops. Section XXXVII. While such was the pro- gress of military operations in the middle States, important events were taking place in the north. It has already been noticed, that in May, 1775, Ticonderoga and Crown Point had been taken by surprise, by Colonels Allen and Ar- nold ; that in the ensuing fall. Gen. Montgom- ery had reduced the fort of St. John's, captured Montreal, and made an ineffectual, though des- perate assault upon Quebec. On the return of spring, the American army gradually retired up the St. Lawrence, and af ter a loss of one post and another, in June, 1 776, entirely evacuated Canada. In the spring of 1 777, it was settled in Eng land that an invasion of the States should beat- tempted from the north, and a communication formed between Canada and New- York. Could such a plan have been executed, it would obvi- ously have precluded intercourse between New* England and the more southern States. The execution of the plan was committed to Gen. Burgoyne, who left Canada with seven 16* 18G PERIOD V...l775,...1783....REVOLUTIOlf. thousand troops, besides a powerful train of ar- tillery, and several tribes of Indians.* Section XXXVIII. On the 1st of July, Bur- goyne landed and invested Ticonderoga. The American garrison here amounted to three thou- sand men, under command of Gen. St. Clair, an officer of high standing. Deeming this force inadequate to maintain the post, especially as Burgoyne had taken pos- session of Mount Defiance, which commanded Ticonderoga, and not having provisions to sus- tain the army for more tlian twenty days, St. Clair perceived no safety for the garrison but in a precipitate flight. Accordingly, on the night of the 5th, Ticonderoga was abandoned. By a circuitous march, St. Clair continued to retreat, first into Vermont, although closely pursued, and thence to Hudson river, where, after having lost one hundred and twenty pieces of artillery, with a great quantity of military stores, he joined Gen. Schuyler, commanding the main army of the north. After this junction, the whole army continued to retire to Saratoga and Stillwater, and at length took post on Van Shaick's Island, in the mouth of the Mohawk, on the 18th of Au- gust. After the taking of Ticonderoga, Gen. Bur- goyne, with the great body of his troops, pro- ceeded up the lake, and destroyed the American flotilla and a considerable quantity of baggage and stores, which had been deposited at Skeens- borough. Having halted at this place for nearly * The number of Indian warriours, employed by the British in the revo lutionary war, has been estimated at about twelve thousand. See Mass. Ilis. Col. vol. 10. p. 123, where the several tribes are specified, with the num- eer of warriours each tribe furnished. PERIOD V..„1775 ...1783....REVOLUTION. 187 three weeks, he proceeded to Fort Edward, on the Hudson, where he did not arrive until July 30th, his way having been obstructed by Schuy- ler's army, which felled a great number of trees across the road, and demolished the bridges, while on their retreat. Section XXXI A. While Gen. Burgoyne lay at Fort Edward, a detachment of his army of five hundred Engli.sh and one hundred Indians, under Col. Baum, who had been sent to seize a magazine of stores at Bennington, in Vermont, was totally defeated, and Col Baum slain, by a party of Vermont troops called Green Mountain Boys, and some New-Hampshire militia, under command of Gen. Stark. Baum, on his arrival near Bennington, learning that the Americans were strongly entrenched at that place, halted, and despatched a messenger to Gen. Burgoyne, for a reinforcement. Gen. Stark, now on his march with ^ body of New-Hamp- shire militia, to join Gen. Schuyler, receiving intelligence of Baum's approach, altered his movement, and collected his force at Bennington. Before the expected reinforcement could arrive, Gen. Stark, having added to his New-Hampshire corps a body of Vermont militia, determined to attack Baum in his entrenchments. Ac- cordingly, on the l6th of August, an attack was made, which re- sulted in the flight of Baum's detachment at the moment in which the reinforcement of troops, despatched by Gen. Burgoyne, cirriv- ed. With the assistance of these, the battle was now renewed, but ended in the discomfiture of the British forces, and with a loss, on their part, of about seven hundred in killed and wounded. The loss of the Americans was about one hundred. Section XL. The battle at Bennington great- ly revived the courage of the Americans, and as greatly disappointed the hopes of Gen. Burgoyne, and served materially to embarrass and retard his movemei'ts. The situation of Gen. Burgoyne, at this time, was seriously perplexing, being greatly i.a want of provisions, and the course of wisdom and pru- 188 PERIOD V...,1776....1783....REV0LUTI0N. dence being not a little difficult to determine To retreat was to abandon the object of his ex pedition ; to advance seemed replete with diffi culty and danger. This latter step, however, at length appeared the most judicious. Accordingly, on the 13th and 14th of Sep- tember, he passed the Hudson, and advanced upon Saratoga and Stillwater. On the 17th, his army came nearly in contact with that of the American, now commanded by Gen. Gates, who had succeeded Schuyler, August 21 ; some ^kir- mishing ensued, without bringing on a general battle. Two days after, the two armies met, and a most obstinate, though indecisive engagement ensued, in which the Americans lost, in killed and wounded, between three and four hundred, and the British about six hundred. On the 7th of October, the battle was renew- ed, by a movement of Gen. Burgoyne towards the left of the Americans, by which he hoped to eftect his retreat to the lakes. The battle was extremely severe ; and darkness only put an end to the effusion of blood. During the night which succeeded, an attempt was made by the royal army to retreat to Fort Edward. — While preparing to march, intelli- gence was received that this fort was already in possession of the Americans. No avenue to escape now appeared open. Worn down with constant toil and watching, and having ascer- tained that he had but three days' provisions, a council of war was called, which unanimously resolved to capitulate to Gen. Gates. Prelimi- naries were soon after settled, and the army, consisting of five thousand seven hundred effect- PERIOD V....1775....1783....EBVOLUTION. jgj ive men, surrendered prisoners of war on the 1 7th of October. Gen. Gates, immediately after the victory, de- spatched Col. Wilkinson, to carry the happy tidings to Congress. On being introduced into the hall of congress, he said, " The whole Bri- tish army has laid down arms at Saratoga : our sons, full of vigour and courage, expect your or- ders : it is for your wisdom to decide where th(3 country may still have need of their services." Among the romantick incidents of real life, few surpass tli« adventures of the Baroness de Reidesel and Lady Harriet Ack- land, two ladies who had followed the fortunes of their hus- bands, the Baron de Reidesel and Major Ackland, officers in the army of Gen. Burgoyne, the latter of whom was wounded in the battle of the 9th of October. On the 7th of October, says the Baroness de Reidesel, oui misfortunes began. I was at breakfast with my husband, and heard that something was intended. On the same day I ex- pected Generals Burgoyne, Phillips, and Fraser,to dine with us. [ saw a great movement among the troops ; my husband told me it was merely a reconnoissance, which gave me no concern, as it often happened. I walked out of the house, and met several Indians in their war dresses, with guns in their hands. When I asked where they were going, they cried out, War ! War ! meaning that they were going to battle. This filled me with apprehension; and I had scarcely got home, before ] heard the reports of cannon and musketry, which grew louder by degrees, till at last the noise became excessive. About four o'clock in the afternoon, instead of the guests whom I expected. Gen. Fraser was brought on a litter, mortally wounded. The table, which was already set, was removed, and a bed placed, in its stead, for the wounded gene- ral. I sat trembling in a corner; the noise grew louder, and the alarm increased ; the thought that my husband might be brought in wounded, in the same manner, was terrible to me, and distressed me exceedingly. General Fraser said to the surgeon, " Tell me if my toound is mortal, do not flatter me." The ball had passed through his body, and, unhappily for the general, he had eaten a very hearty breakfast, by which the stomach was distended, and the ball, as the surgeon said, had passed through it. I heard him often exclaim, with a sigh, " Oh fatal AMBI- igO PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. TioN ! Poor General Burgoyne ! Oh my poor wipe !'* He was asked if he had any request to make, to which he replied : " If General Burgoyne would permit it, he should like TO BE buried at 6 o'cLOCK IN THE EVENING, ON THE TOP OP A MOUNTAIN, IN A REDOUBT, WHICH HAD BEEN BUILT THERE." I did not know which way to turn ; all the other rooms were full of sick. Towards evening, I saw my husbf.nd coming; then I forgot all my sorrows, and thanked God that he was spared to me. He and his aid-de-camp ate, in great haste, with me, behind the house. We had been told, that we had the advantage of the enemy ; but the sorrowful faces I beheld told a different tale ; and, before my husband went away, he took me one side, and said every thing was going very bad ; that I must keep myself in readiness to leave the place, but not to mention it to any one. I made the pretence that I would move, the next morning, into my new house, and had every thing packed up ready. Lady H. Ackland had a tent, not far from our house, n which she slept, and the rest of the day she was in the camp. All of a sudden, a man came to teH her, that her husband wiis mortally wounded, and taken prisoner ; on hearing this, sh« oecame very miserable ; we comforted her, b}' telling her, that the wound was only slight, and, at the same time, advised her to go over to her husband, to do which she would certainly ob tain permission, and then she could attend him herself. She was a charming woman, and very fond of him. 1 spent much of the night in comforting her, and then went again to my chil- dren, whom I had put to bed. I could not go to sleep, as I had General Fraser, and all the other wounded gentlemen, in my room ; and I was sadly afraid my children would awake, and by their crying, disturb the dying man, in his last moments, who often addressed me, and apologized "for the trouble he gave me." About three o'clock in the morning, I was told that he could not hold out much longer ; I had desired to be informed of the near approach of this sad crisis, and 1 then wrapped up my children in their clothes, and went with them into the room below. — About eight o'clock in the morning, he died. After he was laid out, and his corpse wrapped up in a sheet, we came again into the room, and had this sorrowful sight before us, the whole day ; and, to add to the melancholy scene, almost every mo- ment, some officer of my acquaintance was brought in wound- ed. The cannonade commenced again ; a retreat was spoken of, but not the smallest motion was made towards it. About four o'clock in the afternoon, I saw the house, which had jusl been built for me, in flames, and the enemy was not far off. We PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. I9I knew that General Burgcyne would not refuse the last request sf General Fraser, though, by his acceding to it, an unneces- lary delay was occasioned, by which the inconvenience of the irmy was increased. At six o'clock, the corpse was brought out, and we saw all he generals attend it to the mountain ; the chaplain, Mr. Brude- lell, performed the funeral service, rendered unusually solemn ind awful, from its being accompanied by constant peals from he enemy's artillery. Many cannon balls flew close by me, )ut I had my eyes directed towards the mountain, where my lusband was standing, amidst the fire of the enemy, and, of :ourse, I could not think of my own danger. General Gates afterwards said, that if he had known it had leen a funeral, he would not have permitted it to be fired on. As soon as the funeral service was finished, and the grave of Jen. Fraser was closed, an order was issued that the army hould retreat. My calash was prepared, but I would not con- ent to go before the troops. Major Harnange, although suf- ering from his wounds, crept from his bed, as he did not wisii remain in the hospital, which was left with a flag of truce, Vhen Gen. Reidesel saw me in the midst of danger, he ordered [ly women and children to be brought into the calash, and in- imated to me to depart, without delay. I still prayed to re- gain ; but my husband, knowing my weak side, said, " well ben, your children must go, that, at least, they may be safe rom danger." I then agreed to enter the calash with them, nd we set off at eight o'clock. The retreat was ordered to be onducted with the greatest silence. Many fires were lighted, nd several tents left standing. We travelled continually du- ing the nifht. At six o'clock in the morning, we halted, which excited the urprise of all. General Burgoyne had the cannon ranged and repared for battle. This delay seemed to displease every ody ; for, if we could only have made another good march, we hould have been in safety. My husband, quite exhausted with itigue, came into my calash, and slept for three hours. Du- ing that time, Capt. Wilde brought me a bag full of bank otes, and Capt. Geisman his elegant watch, a ring, and a urse full of money, which they requested me to take care of, nd which I promised to 4o to the utmost of my power. We gain marched, but had scarcely proceeded an hour before we alted, as the enemy was in sight. It proved to be only a econnoitering party of two hundred men, who might easily ave been made prisoners, if Gen Burgoyne had given proper rdcrs on the occasion. About evening we arrived at Saratoga ; my dress was wei 192 PERIOD V....1775....1783,...REV0LUTI0N. through and through with rain, and, in that state, I had to re- main the whole night, having no place to change it ; I however got close to a large fire, and at last lay down on some straw. At this moment. General Phillips came up to me, and I asked him why we had not continued our retreat, as my husband had promised to cover it, and bring the army thrc«gh ? " Poor dear woman," said he, " I wonder how, drenched as you are, you have still the courage to persevere, and venture further in this kind of weather. 1 wish," continued he, " you was our commanding general. General Burgoyne is tired, and means to halt here to-night, and give us our supper." On the moniing of the 9th, at ten o'clock, General Burgoyne ordered the retreat to be continued, and caused the handsome houses and mills of General Schuyler to be burnt ; we marched however but a short distance, and then halted. The greatest misery at this time prevailed in the army, and more than thirty officers came to me, for whom tea and coffee were prepared, and with whom I sliared all my provisions, with which my calash was in general well supplied ; for I had a cook who was an excellent caterer, and who often, in the night, crossed smaJl rivers, and foraged on the inhabitants, bringing in with him sheep, small pigs, and poultry, for which he often forgot to pay, though he received good pay from me, as long as I had any, and he was, ultimately, handsomely rewarded. Our provisions now failed us, for want of proper conduct in the commissary's department, and I began to despair. About two o'clock in the afternoon, we again heard a firing of cannon and small arms ; instapt'y all was in alarm, and every thing in motion. My husband told me to go to a house not far off. I immediately seated myself in my calash, with my children, and drove off; but, scarcely had we reached it, before I discovered five or six armed men, on the other side of the Hudson. Instinctively 1 threw my children down in the calash, and concealed myself with them. At that moment the fellows fired, and wounded an already wounded English soldier, who was behind me. Poor fellow ! I pitied him exceedingly, but, at that moment, had no power or moans to relieve him. A terrible cannonade was commenced by the enemy, which was directed against the house in which I sought to obtain shelter for mj'self and children, under the mistaken idea that all the generals were in it. Alas ! it contained none but wounded and women ; we were at last obliged to resort to the cellar for re- fuge, and, in one corner of this, I remained the whole day, my children sleeping on the earth, with their heads in my lap ; and in the same situation I passed a sleepless night. Eleven cannon ba'ls passed through the house, and we could distmctly hear PERIOD V....1775....1783....11EVOLUTION. 19$ them roll away. One poor soldier, who was lying on a table, for the purpose of having his leg amputated, was struck by a shot, which carried away his other leg. His comrades had left him, and, when we went to his assistance, we found him in a corner of the room, into which he had crept, more dead than alive, scarcely breathing. My reflections on the danger to which my husband was exposed now agonized rae exceedingly, and the thoughts of my children, and the necessity of struggling for their preservation alone sustained rae. I now occupied myself through the day in attending to the wounded ; I made them tea and coffee, and often shared my dinner with them, for which they offered me a thousand expres- sions of gratitude. One day a Canadian officer came to our cellar, who had hardly the power of holding .himself upright, and we concluded he was dying for want of nourishment. I was happy in offering him my dinner, which strengthened him, and procured rae his friendship. I now undertook the care of Major Bloomfield, another aid-de-camp of Gen. Phillips, who had received a musket ball through both cheeks, which in its course, had knocked out several of his teeth, and cut his tongue. He could hold nothing in his mouth ; the matter which ran from his wound almost choked him, and he was not able to take any nourishment, except a little soup or something liquid. We had some.Khenish wine; and, in the hope that the acidity of it would cleanse the wound, I gave him a bottle of it ; he took a little now and then, and with such effect, that his cure soon followed ; and thus I added another to my stock of friends, and derived a satisfaction, which, in the midst of sufferings, served to tranquillize me, and diminish their acuteness. One day, General Phillips accompanied my husband, at the risk of their lives, on a visit to us, who, after having witnessed our situation, said to him, " I would not, for ten thousand guineas, come again to this place, my heart is almost broken." In this horrid situation we remained six days. A cessation of hostilities was now spoken of, and eventually took place ; a convention was afterwards agreed upon ; but one day a message was sent to ray husband, who had visited me, and was reposing in my bed, to attend a council of war, where it was proposed to break the convention, but, to my great joy, the majority were for adhering to it. On the l6th, however, my husband had to repair to his post, and I to my cellar. This day fresh beef was served out to the officers, who, until now, had only had salt provisions, which was very bad for their wounds. On the 17th of October, the convention was completed General Burgoyne and the other generals waited or Genera Gates, the American commander. The troops laid oown tiieir 17 194 f ERIOD V....J775....1783....REVOLUTION. anus, and gave themselves up prisoners of war, and now, tke good woman, who had supplied us with water, at the hazard of her life, received the reward of her services ; each of us threw a handful of money into lier apron, and she got altogether about twenty guineas. At such a moment as this, how susceptible is the heart of feelings of gratitude ! My husband sent a message to me, to come over to him with my children. I seated myself, once more, in my dear calash, and then rode through the American camp. As I passed on, I observed (and this was a great consolation to me) that no one eyed me with looks of resentment, but that they all greeted us, and even showed compassion in their countenances, at the sight of a woman with small children. I was, I confess, afraid to go over to the enemy, as it was quite a new situation to me. When J drew near the tents, a handsome man approached and met me, took my children from the calash, and hugged and kissed them, which affected me almost to tears. " You tremble," said he, addressing himself to me, " be not afraid." " No," I answered, " j^ou seem so kind and tender to my children, it in- spires me with courage.'' He now led me to the tent of Gen. Gates, where I found Generals Burgoyne and Phillips, who were on a friendly footing with the former. Burgoyne said to me, " Never mind, your sorrows have now an end." I an- swered him that I should be reprehensible to have any cares, as he had none, and I was pleased to see him on such a friendly footing with General Gates. All the generals remained to dine with General Gates. The same gentleman, who received me so kindly, now came and siiid to me, " You will be very much embarrassed to eat with all these gentlemen ; Co?ne witfi your children to my tent; there I will prepare for you afj'ttgal dinner, and give it with a free will." I said, " You are certainly a husband and A FATHER, you hove shown me so much kindness. I now found that he was General Schuyler. He treated me with excellent smoked tongue, beef steaks, potatoes, and good bread »nd butter. Never could I have wished to eat a better dinner. J was content. I saw all around me were so likewise ; and, what was better than all, my husband was out of danger. When we had dined, he told me his residence was at Albany, and that General Burgoyne intended to honour him as his guest, and invited myself and children to do likewise. I asked my husband how I should act ; he told me to accept the invitation. As it was two days' journey there, he advised me to go to a "'»lace, which was about three hours' ride distant. Gen. Schuy- ler nad the politeness to send with me a French officer, a very a^eeable man, who commanded the reconnoitering party of PERIOD V....l775....1783,...REVOLUTION. I95 which I have before spoken ; and when he had escorted n« to J Ae house, where I was to remain, he turned back again. In (he house I found a French surgeon, who had under his care a Brunswick officer, who was mortalJy wounded, and died some (lays afterwards. The Frencliman boasted much of the care he took of his pa- tient, and perhaps was skilful enough as a surgeon, but other- ,v'ise was a mere simpleton. He was rejoiced when he found I could speak his language, and he began to address many empty and impertinent speeches to me ; he said, among other things, ji lie could not believe that I was a general's wife, as he was cer- tain a woman of such rank would not follow her husband. He \ xV^ished me to remain with him, as he said it was better to be ! with the conquerers than the conquered. I was shocked at his impudence, bul dared not show the contempt I felt for him, be- cause it would deprive me of a place of safety. Towards eve- ning he bejrged me to take a part of his chamber. 1 told him I was determined to remain in the room with the wounded offi- cers ; wliereupon he attempted to pay me some stupid compli- ments. Af this moment the door opened, and my kushand with his aid-de-camp entered. I then said, " Here, Sir, is my hus- band ;" and at the same time ej^ed him with scorn, whereupon he retired abashed, nevertheless, he was so polite as to offer his chamber to us. Some days after this we arrived at Albany, where we so ofl!en wished ourselves, but we did not enter it as we expected we should, victors ! We were received hy the eood General Schuyler^ his wife, and daughterSf not us enemic but kind friends ; and they treated us with the most marked attentioa and politeness, as they did General Hurgoyne. who haa caused General Schuyler's beautifully finished house tc* be burnt. In fact, they behaved like persons of exalted minds, who deter- mined to bury all recollection of their own injuries, in the con- templation of our misfortunes. General Burgoyn*- was struck with General Schuyler's generosity, and said to him, " You show me great kindness, although I have done you much in- jury." " Thai loan the fate of war/' replied the brave man, " let ns say no more about it.'''* The fortunes of Lady Harriet Ackland were not less interest- ing than those of the Baroness de Reidesel, just recited. This lady, says General Burgoyne in his " State of the Expedition from Canada," had accompanied her husband to CanadA^ io Wilkinson's Memoirs, from the Memoirs of the Saronets de BekMfL ,9G PERIOD V....1775....1783.. REVOLUTION. the beginning of the year 177^' In the course of that cam- paign, she traversed a vast space of country, in different ex treniities of tlie season, and with difficulties, of which an Euro pean traveller cannot easily conceive. In the opening of the campaign, in 1777, she was restrained from offering herself to a share of the fatigue and hazard ex- pected before Ticonderoga, by the positive injunctions of Ijer husband. The day after the conquest of the place he was bad- ly wounded, and she crossed Lake Chaniplain to join him. As soon as he recovered, Lady Harriet proceeded to foIl<11, who accompanied her from Gen. Burgoyne's camp, when she sought her wounded husband on Hudson river. Section XLI. It would be difficult to describe the transports of joy which the news of the sur- render of Burgoyne excited among the Ameri- cans. They now began to look forward to the future with sanguine hopes, and eagerly expect- 1 PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOHJTION. jQp ed the acknowledgment of their country's inde- pendence by France and other European powers. The capitulation of Gen. Burgoyne, at Saratoga, was soon followed by an acknowledgment of the independence of America at the court of France,* and the conclusion of a formal treaty of alliance and commerce between the two countries — an event highly auspicious to the interests of Ame- rica. The treaty was signed Feb. 6th — " nei- ther of the contracting powers to make war or peoce, without the formal consent of the other." For more than a year, commissioners from congress, at the head ot whom was Dr. FrankHn, had resided at the court of France, urging the above important steps. But the success of the American struggle was yet too doubtful tor that country to embroil herself in a war with Great Britain. The capture ot the British army at Saratoga seemed to increase the probability that the American arms would finally triumph, and decided France to espouse her cause. Section XLII. Upon the conclusion of the campaign of 1777, the British army retired to winter quarters in Philadelphia, and the Ameri- can army at Valley Forge, on the Schuylkill, fif- teen miles from Philadelphia. Scarcely were the American troops established in their en- campment, which consisted of huts, before they were in danger of a famine. The adjacent country was nearly exhausted, and that which it might have span d, the inhabitants concealed in the woods. At this time, also, bills of credit had fallen to one tburtk or their nominal value, so that orie hundred dollars, in paper, would command no more than tventy-five dollars, in specie. In addition to these scenes of perplexity and suffering, the army was nearly destitute of comfortabl j clothing. Many, for want of shoes, walked barefoot on the frozen ground: ievf, if any, had blankets for the night. Great numbers sickened. Near three thousand at a time were inciipable of bearing arms. * Holland acknowledged the independence of the United States in 1782 ,■ Sweden in FebrusH-y, 1 783 ; Denmark in the same month ; Spain in Mar<^ ; Russia in July. 200 PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. While the defenders of the country were thus suffering and pe fishing, the royal army was enjoying all the conveniences which an opulent city afforded. Section XLlll. On the alliance of America with France, it was resolved in Great Britain immediately to evacuate Philadelphia, and to concentrate the royal force in the city of New- York. In pursuance of this resolution, the royal army, on the 18th of June, passed the Delaware into New- Jersey, and continued their retreat to New- York. General Washington, penetrating their design, had already sent forward a detachment to aid the New-Jersey militia, in im- peding the progress of the enemy. With the main body of his army, he now crossed the Delaware in pursuit. June 28th, the two armies were engaged at Monmouth, sixty-four miles from Philadelphia, and after a severe contest, in which the Americans, Upon the whole, obtained the advantage, v.'ere separated only by night. Gen. Washington and his army reposed on the field of battle, intending to renew the attack in the morning. But the British general, during the night, made good his retreat towards New-York. The sufferings of both armies during this engagement, from the heat of the day, were unparalleled in the history of the re- volutionary war. No less than fifty-nine British soldiers pe- rished from heat, and several of the Americans died through the same cause. The tongues of many of the soldiers were so swol- len, that it was impossible to retain them in the mouth. The Joss of the Americans was eight officers, and sixty-one privates killed, and about one hundred and sixty wounded ; that of the British, in killed, wounded, and missing, was three hundred and fifty-eight men, including officers. One hundred were taken prisoners, and one thousand deserted during the march. Section XLIV. On the 1st of July, Count D'Estaing arrived at Newport, R. I. from France, with twelve ships of the line and six frigates, to act in concert with the Americans in an attempt on Rhode-Island, which had been in possession of the British since December, 1776. Hearing of this expedition, Admiral Howe followed D'Es taing, and arrived in sight of Rhode-Island -the day after thk French lk'?t had entered the harbour of Newport. On the ap PERIOD v.. 1775....1783....REVOLUTION. 201 pearance of Howe, the French admiral, instead of co-operating with the Americans, sailed out to give him battle. A storra, however, arising, separated the fleets. D'Estaing entered Bos- ton to repair. Howe, after the storm, returned to Rhode-Island, and landed Sir Henry Clinton, with four thousand troops — but, fortunately, the Americans had raised the siege of Newport the day before, and left the island. — Sir Henry Clinton soon after sailed again for New- York. Section XLV. Hitherto the conquest of tho States had been attempted, by proceeding from north to south ; but that order, towards the close of this year, began to be inverted, and the south- ern States became the principal theatre on which the British conducted their offensive operations. Georsfia. being one of the weakest of the Southern States, was marked out as the first ob- ject of attack, in that quarter of the un'on. In November, Col. Campbell was despatched from New-York by Gov. Clinton, with a force of two thousand men, against Savannah, the capi- tal of that State. This expedition proved suc- cessful, and Savannah, and with it the State of Georgia itself, fell into the power of the Eng- lish. On the arrival of Campbell and his troops at Savannah, he was opposed by Gen. Howe, the American officer, to whom was intrusted the defence of Georgia. His force, consisting of only 600 continentals, and a few hundred militia, was inade- quate, however, to resist the enemy. After an engagement, in which the Americans killed upwards of one hundred, and took about four hundred and fifty prisoners, with several cannon, and 'urge quantities of military stores, the capital surrendered. In the succeeding year, 1779, Count D'Estaing, who, after repairing his fleet at Boston, had sailed for the West Indies, returned with a design to co-operate with the Americans against the common enemy. In Sept. he arrived upon the coast of Georgia so unexpectedly that the Experiment, a man of war of fifty guns, and three frigates, fell into his hands. As soon as his arrival was known. Gen. Lincoln marched with the army under bis Command) and some militia of South Carolina and Georgia, 202 PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTIOIr. to co-operate with him in the reduction of Savannah. Before Lincoln arrived, D'Estaing demanded the surrender of the town. This demand, General Prevost, the English commander, re. quested a day to consider, which was incautiously granted. Before the day expired, a reinforcement of eight hundred men joined the standard of Prevost from Beaufort, whereujjon he bid defiance t« D'Estaing. On the arrival of Lincoln, it was de- tei mined to lay siege to the place. Much time was spent in preparation, but in an assault under D^Estaing and Lincoln, the -Americans suflfered so severely, both as to their numbers, and in their works, that it was deemed expedient to abandon the project. Count D'Estaing re-embarked his troops, and left the continent. While the siege of Savannah was pending, one of the most extraordinary enterprises ever reLated in history, one, indeed, which nothing, but the respectability of ihe testimony, could have prevented our considering as marvellous, occurred. It wai;- an enterprise conceived and executed by Colonel John White of the Georgia line. A Captain P'rench, of Delancey's first battalion, was j)osted with one hundred men, British regu- lars, on the Ogecchee rivi-r, about twenty-five miles from Savan- nah. Tliere lay also at the same place five armed vessels, the largest mounting fourteen guns, and having on board altogether forty-one men. Cot. White, with Captain Etholw?, three sol diers, and his own servant, approached this post, on thp even- ing of the 30th of September, kindled a number of fires, ar- ranging them in the manner of a large camp, and summoned French to surrender, he and his comrades in the mean time riding about in various directions, and giving orders in a loud voice, as if performine the duties of the staff, to a large arrny. French, not doubting the reality of what he saw, and anxious to spare the efiusion of blood, which a contest with a force so superior would produce, surrendered the whole detachment, to- gether with the crews of the five vessels, amounting in all to one hundred and forty-one men, and one hundred and thirty stands of arms ! Col White had still, however^ a very difficult game to play ; it was necessary to keep up the delusion of Capt. French, until the prisoners should be secured ; and with this view, he pre- tended that the animosity of his troops was so ungovernable, that a little stratagem would be necessary to save the prisoners from their fury, and that he should therefore commit them to the care of three guides, with orders to conduct them to a place of safety. With many thanks for the colonel's humanity, French accepted the proposition, and marched off at a quick pace, under the direction of three guides, fearful, at ever)' step, PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. 203 fliat the rage of White's troops would burst upon them in de- fiance of his humane attempts to restrain them. White, as soon as they were out of sight, employed himself in collecting the militia of the neighbourhood, with whom he overtook his prison- ers, and they were conducted in safety for twenty-five miles, to ui American fort.* Section XLVI. The campaign of 1779 was listinguished for nothing splendid, or decisive, on the part either of America or England. The British seemed to have aimed at little more than to distress, plunder, and consume, it having been, early in the year, adopted as a prin- ciple upon which to proceed, " to render the co- lonies of as little avail as possible to their new connections." Actuated by these motives, an expedition was fitted out from New-York for Virginia, which, in a predatory incursion, took possession of large naval stores, magazines of provisions, and great quantities of tobacco. After enriching them- selves with various kinds of booty, and burning several places, they returned to Now-York. Soon after this expedition to Virginia, a simi- lar one, under the command of the infamous Gov. Tryon, was projected against the maritime parts of Connecticut. During this expedition, New-Haven was plundered ; East-Haven, Fair- field, Norwalk, and Green's Farms, were wan- tonly burnt. In an account of the devastations made by the English in this expedition, which was transmitted to Congress, it appeared that at Fairfield there were burnt two houses of publick worship, fil- teen dwelling houses, eleven barns, and several stores. At Nor- walk, two houses of publick worship, eighty dwelling houses, sixty-seven barns, twenty-two stores, seventeen shops, four mills and five vessels. In addition to this wanton destruction of pro- Allev's Revolutiou 204 PERIOD V....17?5....1783....REV0LUTI0N. perty, various were the acts of brutality, rapine, and cruelly, committed on aged persons, women, and prisoners. At New ■ Haven, an aged citizen, wlio laboured under a natural inability of speech, had his tongue cut out by one of the royal army. At Fairfield the deserted houses of the inhabitants were entered, desks, trunks, closets, and chests, were broken open and robbed of every thing valuable. Women were insulted, abuseu, and threatened, while their apparel was taken from them. Even an Infant was robbed of its clothes, while a bayonet was pointed at the breast of its mother. About this time General Putnam, who had been stationed with a respectable force at Reading, in Connecticut, then on a visit to his out-post, at Horse Neck, was attacked by Governour Tryon, with one thousand five hundred men. Putnam had only a picket of one hundred and fifty men, and two field pieces, without horses or drag-ropes. He however placed his cannon on the high gi-ound, near the meeting house, and continued to pour in upon the advancing foe, until the enemy's horse appeared upon a charge. The general now hastily ordered his men to retreat to a neighbouring swamp, inaccessible to horse, while he him- self put spurs to his steed, and plunged down the precipice at the church. This is so steep, as to have artificial stairs, composed of nearly one hundred stone steps, foi the accommodation of worshippers ascending to the sanctuary. On the arrival of the dragoons at the brow of the hill, they p lused, thinking it too dangerous to follow the steps of the adventurous hero. Before any could go iKiund the hill and descend, Putnam had escaped, uninjured by the many balls which were fired at him in his descent ; but one touched him, and that onlj- passed through his hat. He pro- ceeded to Stamford, where, having strengthened his picket with some militia, he boldly faced about and pursued Gov. Tryon on his return.* While the British were proceeding in these dest lating opera- tions. Gen. Washington was loudly called upon by the suffering inhabitants, for continental troops to resist them ; but his cir- cumstances permitted him to spare but few. Had he listened to their calls, and divided his army conformably to the wishes of the invaded citizens, he would have exposed his whole force to ruin. Choosing rather to '->ear the reproaches which were by some heaped upon him, than to ha/.ard the loss of every thing, he kept his army concentrated on both sides of the North River, at some distance from New York, to prevent, if possible, the ♦ Eamsay. Surrender of the Dutch, p. 44. Punishment of Witchcraft, p. 77. PERIOD V...1776....1783....IIEVOLUTION. 205 British from possessing themselves of West Point, sixty miles north of New- York, a post which they eagerly coveted, and the possession of which would have given them incalculable advan* tage over that part of the country. Section XLVII. The exertions of the Ameri- cans, during tliis campaign, were still more fee- ble than those of the enemy. Scarcely an ex- pedition was planned which merits any notice, and, with the exception of the reduction of Stoney Pomt, forty miles north of New-York, on the Hudson, scarcely any thing was accom- plished of importance. The reduction of this place July 15th, was one of the most bold enter- prises which occurred in the history of the war. At this time, Stoaey Point was in the condition of a real for- tress ; it was furnished with a select garrison of more than su hundred men, and had stores in abundance, and defensive pre- parations which were formidable. Fortified as it was, Gen. Washington ventured an attempt to f'duce it. The enterprise was committed to Gen. Wayne, who, with a strong detachment of active infantry, set out towards the plaice, at noon. His marcii of fourteen miles, over high moun- tains, through deep morasses, and difficult defiles, was accom- plished by eight o'clock in the evening. At the distance of a mile from the Point, Gfen. Wayne halted, and formed his men into two columns, putting himself at the head of the right. Both columns were directed to march in order 4nd silence, with unloaded muskets and fixed bayonets. AX midnight they arrived under the walls of the fort. " An unex- pected obstacle now presented itself: the deep morass, which covered the works, was at this time, overflowed by the tide. The English opened » tremendous fire of musketry and of can- non loaded with grape shot : but neither the inundated morass, nor a double palisade, nor the storm of fire that was poured upon them, could arrest the impetuosity of the Americans; they opened their way with the bayonet, prostrated whatever opposed them, scaled the fort, and the two columns met m the centre of the works. The English lost upwaias of six hundred men in killed and prisoners. The conquerors abstained from pillage, and from all disorder; a conduct the more worthy, as they had still present in mind, the ravages and butcheries, which their enemies had so recently committed in Virginia anfl 18 206 PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. Connecticut. Humanity impai'ted new effulgence to the victory which valour had obtained."* Section XLVIII. Another expedition, plan- ned and executed this year, entitled to some notice, was one under Gen. Sullivan, against the Six Nations, which, with the exception of the Oneidas, had been induced, by the English, to take up arms against America. At the head of between four and five thousand men, Gen. Sullivan marched into the country, up the Susquehannah, and attacked the Indians, in well constructed fortifications. The resist- ance of the savages was warlike. Being over powered, however, they were obliged to flee. Gen. Sullivan, according to his instructions, proceeded to lay waste their country. Forty villages were consumed, and one hundred and sixty thousand bushels of corn were destroyed. Section XLIX. It has already been stated, that the campaign of 1 779 was remarkable for the feeble exertions of the Americans. Among the causes which contributed to lessen their ac- tivity, the failure of the French fleet, m every scheme undertaken for their benefit, was no in- considerable one. America had expected mu«h from an alliance with France, and looked to the French fleet under D'Estaing, to hasten the downfall of British power in the country. But when they perceived nothing equal to their ex- pectation accomplished, they became despond- ent, and exertion was enfeebled. But another, and a still more powerful cause of these feeble exertions, on the part of the Americans, was the daily depreciation of their bills of credit. * Botta, PERIOD V....1775....3783....REVOLUTION. 207 As the contest between England and America originated in the subject of taxation, it was early perceived, by the continent- al congress, that the imposition of taxes, adequate to the exigen- cies of war, even if practicable, would be impolitick. The only expedient, therefore, in their power to adopt, was the emission of bills of credit, representing specie, under a publick engage- ment, ultimately to redeem those bills, by an exchange of gold or silver. Accordingly, in June, 1775, on the resolution to raise an array, congress issued bills of credit, to the amount of two mil- lions of dollars. This emission was followed, the next month, by the issue of another million. For their redemption, the con- federated colonies were pledged — each colony to provide means to pay its proportion, by the year 1779. in the early periods of the war, the enthusiasm of the people for liberty made them comparatively indifferent to property. The cause was popular, and the publick credit good. Bills of credit, therefore, by common consent, rapidly circulated, and calculations about private interest were, in a great measure, suspended. It was obvious, however, that there was a point, beyond which the credit of these bills would not extend. At the expi- ration of eighteen months from their first emission, when abHut twenty millions had been issued, they began to depreciate. At first, the diminution of their value was scarcely perceptible, but from that time it daily increased. Desirous of arresting the growing depreciation, congress at length resorted to loans and taxes. But loans were difficult to negociate, and taxes, in several of the States, could not be col- lected. Pressed with the necessities of an army, congress found themselves obliged to continue to issue bills, after they had begun to depreciate, and to pay that depreciation, by in- creasing the stmis emitted. By the year 1 780, the amount in circulation was the overwhelming sum of two hundred millions. The progress of this depreciation is worthy of notice. — To- wards the close of 1777, the depreciation was two or three for one; in '78, five or six for one; in '79, twenty-seven or twenty- eight for one ; in '80, fifty or sixty for one, in the first four or five months. From this date, the circulation of these oills was limited, but where they passed, they soon depreciated to one hundred and fifty for one, and finally, several hundreds for one. Several causes contributed to sink the value of the continental currency. The excess of its quantity at first begat a natural depreciation. This was increased by the enemy, who counter feited the bills, and spread theii forgeries through the States. Publick agents, who received a commission to the amount of 208 PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. their purchases, U\t it to be their interest to give a high price for all commodities. These causes, co-operating with the de- cline of pub'ick confidence, and the return of more selfish feel- ings, rapidly increased the depreciation, until bills of credit, or ^yhat has been commonly called, " continental currency," be- came of little or no value. The evils which resulted from this system were immense. Under it, it became extremely difficult to raise an army, and to provide necessaries for its subsistence. At the same time, it originated discontents among the officers and soldiers, since tdieir pay, in this depreciated currency, was inadequate to the support of iheir families at home. " Four months pay, of a pri- vate, would not procure his family a single bushel of wheat, and the pay of a colonel would not purchase oats for his horse." Under circumstances like these, it reflects the highest honour upon Wasliington, that his wisdom and prudence should have been able lo keep an army together. In addition to these evils, which fell so heavily upon the army, otheis, not less deplorable, fell upon the community. In order to prevent the gi-owing depreciation of their bills, con- gress directed that they should be a legal tender. But this, while it did not much retard the regular diminution of their value, was the source of immeasurable injustice and distress. The aged, who had retired to enjoy the fruits of their indus- try, found their substance but a scanty pirtance. The widow was compelled to take u shilling, where a pound was her due, and the orphan was obliged to discharge an executor on the payment of sixpence on the pound. In many instances, the earnings of a long life were, in a few years, reduced to a triffing sum. Had congress foreseen these evils, they would have guarded against them. But it was a day of poverty ami experiment. They designed no injustice. They had placed before them the freedom of the country from the yoke of British dominion, and if, in their zeal to effect it, they sometimes erred, the sufierings which resulted from their ignorance have been a thousand times Compensated, by the subsequent enjoyments of a free and inde- pendent people. Section L. Towards the close of the year 1779, Sir Henry Clinton, committing the Eng- lish garrison of New- York to Gen. Kniphausen, embarked with a force of between seven and eight thousand men» for the reduction of Charles- PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. 209 ton, South Carolina, which important object he accomplished on the 12th of May. 1780. Alter a tempestuous voj'age of some weeks, in which severa* transports were lost, the army arrived at Savauriah, whence they sailed on their destined purpose. On the 2d of April, 1780, Gen. Clinton opened his batteries against Charleston. Gen. Lincoln, at this time, commanded the American forces of the south. Urged by the inhabitants, on the approach tif the enemy, to continue in Charleston, and assist in rep* lling the attack, he consented to remain, and, with Gov. Rutledge, in- dustriously forwarded preparations for defence. Notwithstanding these preparations, the batteries of the ene- my soon obtamed a decided superiority over those of the town, and left but little reason to the besieged to hope that they should be able to defend the place. A council of war, held on the 2 1st, agreed that a retreat would probably be impracticable, and ad- vised that offers of capitulation should be made to Gen. Clinton, which might admit of the army's withdrawing, and afford secu- rity to the persons and property of the inhabitants. On the proposal of these terms, they were rejected. Hostili- ties were now renewed by the garrison, and returned with unu- sual ardour by the British. (5n the 11th of May, finding the longer defence of the place impracticable, a number of citizens addressed Gen. Lincoln, advising him to capitulate. Acquies- cing in the measure, painful as it was, Gen. Lincoln again pre- sented terms of capitulation, which being accepted, the Ameri- can army, amounting to 5000, together with the inhabitants of the place, and four hundred pieces of artillery, were surrendered to the British. The loss on both sides, during the siege, was neai ly equal. Of the royal troops, seventy-six were killed, and one hundred and eighty-nine wounded. Of the Americans, eighty-nine were kill- ed, and one hundred and forty wounded. By the articles of ca- pitulation, the garrison was to march out of town, and to deposit their arms in front of the works, but, as a mark of humiliation, which, eighteen months afterwards, was remembered and re- taliated on Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, the drums were not to beat a British march, nor the colours to be uncased. Section LI. Shortly after the surrender of Charleston, Sir Henry Clinton, leaving four thousand men for the southern service, under Lord Cornwallis, returned to New- York. Bri- tish garrisons were now posted in different parts of the State of South Carolina, to awe the in- 18* 210 PERIOD V....i775....l7S3....UEVOLi;TiON^ habitants, and to secure their submission to the British government. The spirit of freedom, however, still remained with the people, nor was it easy to subdue that fspirit, how much soever it might be temporarily repressed, by royal and oppressive menace. Notwithstanding the efforts of his majesty^e servants to preserve quietness, the month of July did not pass by in peace. General Sumpter, a man ardently attached to the cause of liberty, in several engagements in South Carolina, with the English and their partizans, gained great advantages over them, and in one instance, re- duced a regiment — the prince of Wales' — from two hundred and seventy-eight to nine. While Sumpter was thus keeping up the spi- rits of the people by a succession of gallant ex- ploits, a respectable force was advancing through Clie middle States, for the reUef of their south- ern brethren. We shall interrupt the thread of our history to relate the per- sonal adventures of Major General Wadsworth, in the district of Maine, during the spring of this year, 1780. He had been sent by the legislature of Massachusetts, to command in that nart of the country. Having attended to the objects of his mis- sion during the summer of '79, and the principal part of the suc- ceeding winter, he dismissed his troops towards the end of Feb- ruary, and began to prepare for his return to Boston. le had been accompanied during this time by Mrs. Wadsworth, and a friend of hers. Miss Fenno, of that place. His preparations, however, were discovered by a disaffected inhabitant in the neighbourhood, who gave intelligence to the commander of the Britisn fort at Bagaduce, and assured him that the general might easily be made a prisoner. No time ras lost. Tw enty-five soldiers, with the proper officers, were soon embarked on board a vessel, in which they proceeded to an in- let, four miles from the general's quarters. Here they landed under cover of night, and lying concealed till near midnight, £hey proceeded on their destined purpose. The nature of the ground was such as to conceal them, until tli»'y had arrived at the house. The sentinel, being surnrised. PERIOD V...1775....1783....REVOLUTION. 211 spiling into the kitchen door, and was followed by a volley from tlie assailants, and by some of the assailants themselves. Ano- ther party blew in the windows of the General's bed-room, whilst a third party, forcing the windows of Miss Fenno, rushed into her apartment. The general's room being barred, ht determined to mal-e what resistance he was able. Accordingly, as the assailants ap- proached his apartment, he repeatedly discharged his pistols, a blunderbuss, and fusee. At length a ball from the kitchen broke bis arm, and terminated the contest. The party, apprehensive of danger, now retired in haste, t£ik- ing with them the wounded general, but leaving his wife and Miss Fenno, to emotions the most intense. After proceeding with some difficulty near a mile. General Wadsworth was put on a horse, behind a mounted soldier, and being warned that silence alone would ensure his safety, the party at length reach- ed the vessel, which immediately sailed for the fort. Near the close of the day the party arrived with their charge. General Wadsworth landed amidst the shouts of a multitude, which had assembled to see the man, wht) had justly excited their admiration, by his enterprises in that quarter, and, under a guard, was conducted to the officers' guard room. Here his wounds were dressed ; a room in the officers' barracks was as- signed him, and through the civility of General Campbell, the commandant of the fort, who often visited him, his situation was rendered as comfortable as could be expected. General Wadsworth, however, was a prisoner and atone. Nothing could supply the place of freedom, to which a spirit like his constantly aspired, or of domestick happiness, which, though a soldier of the most ardent stamp, he well knew how to appreciate. Added to this, his wound, during the first two weeks, had become so inflamed as to confine him entirely to his room. At the expiration of this time, he had the happiness to hear from his wife by means of an officer, bearing a flag of truce, who at his request had been despatched by General Campbell with a letter to her, and another to the governour of Massachu- setts. The intelligence he received from Mrs. Wadsworth, of her safety, and especially of that of his little son, who he supposed had been killed the night he was taken prisoner — was peculiar- ly gratifying. So far from having been injured, his son had slept amidst all the horrors of the scene, and only knew of the transactions of the dreadful night, by the devastations he saw around him in the morning. At the end of five weeks, when his wounds were nearly healed, ♦he general requested the customary privilege of a parole. Cil* 212 PERIOD V....1775....17a3....REVOLUTION. cutnstances, however, existed which rendered it necessary to deny him, and he acquiesced. About this time Mrs. W^adsworth and Miss Fenno, under protection of a passport from General Campbell, visited him. The visit lasted ten days, to their mu- tual satisfaction. In the mean time, orders respecting him had arrived from the commanding general at New- York. Of the tenor of these or- ders. General Wadsworth was ignorant, but their unpropitious nature was indicated by the change of conduct and counte nance in some of the officers. Miss Fenno had accidentally learned their import, but she carefully concealed her knowledge, until the moment of her departure, when, to prevent suspicion, she barely said, " General Wadsworth, take care of yourself." From the servants, not long after, he learned that instead of be- ing exchanged, he was to be sent to England. In the course of some days. Major Benjamin Burton, a bri.ve officer, was conveyed as a prisoner to Bagaduce, and lodged in the same room with General Wadsworth. He confirmed the report of the servants respecting the transportation of the gene- ral to England, and learned, not long after, that he himself was destined to a similar fate. The monitory caution of Miss Fenno was now explained, and the general plainly saw the importance of attending to it. These officers were not long in deciding that they would not cross the Atlantick ; and though scarcely a rav qf hope presented itself to encourage them, they nevertheless re- solved to attempt to escape. Bagaduce, on which the fort stands, is a peninsula of mode- rate extent, washed by considerable waters on every side, ex- cept the sandy beach which connects it with the main land on the west. The fort stands on the middle of the peninsula. The prisoners were confined in a grated room in the officers' bar- racks. The walls of the fort, exclusively of the depth of the ditch surrounding it, were twenty feet high, with frasing on the top, and chevaux-de-frise below. Sentinels were stationed in every place in and about the fortress, where their presence could be supposed to be necessary. Escape, therefore, seemed al- most impracticable. After several plans proposed by the prisoners for their escape, tliey settled at length upon the following. As the room in which they were confined was ceiled with boards, they deter- mined to cut off one of these so as to admit their entrance. After passing through, they proposed to creep along one of the joists to which these boards were nailed, and thus to pass over the room adjoining it, which bv=?longed to the officers, until they should come to the middle entry, and then by a blanket, which was to be taken with them, to let themselves down in this entry. rEEIODT..«l775..a783....KEVOLUTION. 214 In case of being observed, they agreed upon several stratagems to be employed, in order that their attempt might be crowned with success. In agreement with this plan, after the sentinel had taken the required precaution in regard to the prisoners, and seen them ih beJ, General Wadsworth arose, and attempted to make the necessary incision into the board with his knife. But he found the attempt useless, and hazardous, since it could be done nei- ther with the necessary expedition nor without noise. This part of the design was therefore abandoned. He, however, soon found means, through the agency of a soldier, who was his barber, to procure a gimblet without exciting a suspicion as to the purpose for which he intended it. On the succeeding night, they made the attempt with their gimblet, but this also occasioned too much noise. They resolved next to make the experiment in the day time ; cind although two sentinels in walking the entry every moment or two passed by their door, which had a glass window in it, and although they were exposed every hour to the intrusion of their servants, or of the officers of the fort, they succeeded in perforating the ceiUng from time to time. The stratagem was simply this. As ihe sentinels were in the habit of pacing the entry backwards and forwards, the prisoners would commence the same tour in their own room, being careful to keep time with them, and both lo pass at the same instant by the glass door ; but as the senti- nels had to go twice the length the prisoners had, this afforded an opportunity for one of the latter to be engaged with the gim- blet in the mean time, and then to join his companion as the sentinels came back. In this manner a sufficient number of holes were bored in the course of three weeks. The small spaces between the holes were cut with a pen-knife, except one at each corner, in order to hold the piece in its proper place, till they were ready finally to remove it. The wounds in the mean time were covered over with a paste made of chewed bread, resembling the colour of the Doard, and the dust was carefully swept from the floor. K.U this was done without suspicion from any quarter. Their conveyance to New-York, or Halifax, and thence to Enghnd, was understood to be by a privateer, which was then on a V ruise, but was soon expected to return. Their attention of course was arrested by every thing which they heard relative to this vessel, and they made every unsuspicious inquiry in their power, concerning the situation of the fort, the posting of the sentinels, and similar subjects. The information thus ob- tained, eoablsd General Wadsworth^ who had previously some 214 PERIOD V....1775....1783..„REV0LUTI0N. knowledge of the place, to form a correct view of the VfhOtid ground. During this time they made what httle preparations they were able, as to provisions, and other things, that related to their intended escape. At the end of three weeks they were all ready. The privateer was daily expected to return, wh'ch would disconcert all their purposes, and they wished nothing more than such an opportunity as a dark and rainy night would aftbrd, in order to their deliverance. During a whole week no such opportunity offered, and, together with this fact, some cir- cumstances, tending to excite a belief that their design was sus- pected, occurred, and rendered their anxiety extreme. At length the favourable occasion was presented. A storm on the 18th of June brought on an unusual degree of darkness and rain. At about eleven o'clock the prisoners retired appa- rently to rest, while the sentinel was looking through the glass door. No soo'ner, however, were their lights extinguished, than iliey arose; their first object was to cut the comers of the board, through which they were to make their '^scape. An liour was spent in accomplishing this purpose, and as it was attended with considerable noise, it was not done without dan- ger. Burton first passed through the aperture. His size rendered it a difhcult attempt. The general, although smaller, found even greater difficulty from the weakness of his arm. But the ur- gency of the case induced him to put forth every effort. By means of a chair, on which he stood, and a blanket fastened with a skewer put through the hole, he raised himself through. The noise made by these attempts, and even the cackling of the fowls that roosted above the rooms were unheeded, being drown- ed by the torrents of rain pouring incessantly on the roof of the building. By agreement, when Burton had reached the middle entry, he was to wait for the general ; the latter, however, when he had gained the place was unable to find him, but judging from appearances that he had escaped through the doer, he followed on. Passing partly round the building in order to gain the western side, he felt his way directly under the eaves, lest he should strike against some person, an event to which he was exposed in consequence of the extreme darkness. Fiom this point he made his way towards the neighbouring wall of the fort, but was unable to climb the bank until he bad found out an oblique path. Just as he had gained the place on the north bastion, where Burton and himself had agreed to cross the wall, the guard house dooFj on the opposite side of the fort, was thrown open, PERIQD T....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. gjj and the words "Rdief turn out" were dictinctly sounded. At ths instant he heard a scrambHng in a contrary dkeition wn.ch he knew must be made by his companion. Th.^wa^ a cntjcal moment. The general was in clanger of being tr^d on by the guard, as they came around on the top of the wall and he barely prevented this catastrophe, bv getting himTelTand I^ wet Wanket upon the fraising, wllich'wasfhe ou^wa'd™;;? After the guard had passed on, by means of his blanket fastened round a p.ckct of the fraising, ho let himself down as near he ground as the length of the blanket would aXk and tl.en let go his hold, and fell without injury. iS mad,, several movements with great silence, in order to clea? bmseh from the works connected with the fort, he atUgth t\T ^™ff/ .^^«^^"f "g ^he declivity of the hill, into the S field 411 th,s was done, not without extreme difficuly, ow^ng to the lameness of his arm. iNO indications appeared that hf was as yet discovered. ^^ ^ '^^ As the rain and darkness continued, he groped his way to an old pard house on the shore of the back cove. At this^build- >ng he and his companion had agreed to meet, should thev have been previously separated. Burton, however, after a Ion? •search was not to be found. Accordingly the general prenared to cross the cove and happily succeed^ as tfe tS S's' thai and he had proceeded a mile and a half from the fort fits course-lay up a sloping acclivity, which at the time happened to be overspread with trees, a circumstance that greatly impeded his progress. He proceeded a mile over the ground, tHl he he .o h- TT' "^^^' ''^ '■^""^ ^ ^««d, which, however, he soon lelt for the woods, in order to make his way to the river. Here the day dawned, and he heard the reveille^ beat at the fort At sun-nse he reached the eastern shore of the Penob- sc . r^ ^""^ r *""^' ^""^ ^'•y ^''' <=lothes. While in nl h-' T-' '"'"'r' '"' J">^ *" "^'"''y ^^' f"-"d Burton aj^ proaching h,m,in the very track which he himself had taken.^ Ihe majors after having passed through the hole in the ceil- Sr.Th ;f '? ™''' ''^ "">^ '"*" *^^ '--d -^^^^ -d ^r. ^lu(iuig that his friena wouxa ue uname to pass through the hole, 216 PERIOD V....1775. .l783~..ttEVOLUTION. for want of assistance in the room, thought it best to complete his escape alone. He met with little difficulty till the door of the guard room was suddenly opened, and supposing that a dis- covery had taken place, he immediately leaped from the wall ; fortunately receiving no injury, though his life was singularly exposed by the leap, he easily escaped into the open ground. Mistaking the ground he should have taken. Burton suddenly found himself near a sentinel, who was one of a picket guard, stationed not far from the isthmus. As however he was not perceived, he found means silently to withdraw from his unwel- come neighbour, and entering the water on the side of the isthmus next the river, he passed over to the opposite side above the picket. This undertaking was hazardous in the extreme, and cost him an hour's excessive toil. Chilled and exhausted he then took his way through the forest, which the general had taken before, and by this means rejoined him. The two friends entered the canoe, and as they were in the expectation of being pursued by the enemy, they proposed to cross the river obliquely. While executing this project, a barge belonging to the British came in sight at some distance. Cir- cumstances, however, favoured the concealment of the officers, and by hard rowing they landed out of reach of their pursuers. For greater safety they abandoned the shore, and directed their course through the forests towards the head of St. George's river. A compass which Burton had fortunately retained was their guide. Though greatly incommoded by showers, heat, and the obstructions of a forest, they travelled twenty-five miles by sun-set. They made less progress however the next day ; and on the third day. General Wadsworth, from soreness, lameness, and fa- tigue, proposed to stop where he was, until his friend, by pro- ceeding onward to the nearest settlement, could bring him re- lief. To this plan, however, Burton strenuously objected. They then both proposed to refresh themselves with a little . sleep. This they did in the heat of the day, and found the ef- fect so beneficial, that they were invigorated to pursue their journey, which they finished at six o'clock, P. M., by reaching the settlements towards which they had directed their course. The inhabitants flocked around them with the strongest expres- sions of joy, and having formed themselves into a guard for their protection, conducted these officers to. an inn, not far from the place where the general was taken prisoner. Parties of the enemy were lurking round in order to way-lay them, and they were saved from falling again into thpir hands oply by the de- fence which was so generously afforded them. Burton soon reached his farailj'. General Wadsworth set out for Portland Burning of Schenectady, p. 81. Torture o/Captives taken in King William's War. p. 89 i»ERIOD V....1775....I783....REVOLUTION. ZiJ where he expected to find Mrs. Wads worth. But she and Miss Fenno had sailed lor Boston, before his arrival. He immediately proceeded to join them at that place. On, his arrival, he found that they had suffered much from the want of money and friends, besides being nearly shipwrecked on their way. The past however was forgotten in the felicities of the present and in gratitude to a kind Providence, through which they had escaped perils both by sea and land.* Section LII. The southern army, now placed under the command of Gates, the hero of Sara- toga — General Lincoln having been superseded, amounted to four thousand ; but of these scarcely one thousand were regular troops, the rest con- sisting of militia, from North Carolina, Maryland, and Virginia. As this army approached South Carolma, Lord Rawdon, who commanded on the frontier, under Lord Cornwallis concentrated the royal forces, two thousand in number, at Camden, one hun- dred and twenty miles northwest from Charles- ton. Here Cornwallis, on learning the move- ments of the Americans, joined him. On the morning of the 16th of August, the two armies met, and a severe and general actitm en- sued, in which, thrctugh the unpardonable failure of the militia, the British gained a decided ad- vantage. At the first onset, a large body of the Virginia militia, under a charge of the British infantry with fixed bayonets, threw down tlieir arms, and fled. A considerable part of the North ('aro- lina militia followed their unworthy example. But the conii- nentai troops evincnl the most unyielding firmness, and pressed foi ward with unusual ardour. Never did men acquit them' selves more honourably. They submitted only when forsakcgu by their brethren in arms, and when overpowered br numbers. In this battle, the brave Baion de Kalb, second m command, at the head of the Marylanders, fell, cov*^red wfth wounds, which he survived only a few days. De Kalb was a German Dwight's Travels. 19 5118 PERIOD V....1775....1783....IIEVOLUTION. by birth, and had formerly served in the armies of the French. In consideration of his distinguished merit, as an officer and soldier, congress resolved that a monument should be erected to his memory at Annapolis. The battle of Camden was exceedingly bloody. The field of battle, the road and swamps, for somp distance, were covered with wounded and slain. The number of Americans killed, although not certain, probably amounted to between six and seven hundred, and the wounded and prisoners to one thou- sand three hundred or one thousand four hundred. The British stated their loss to be only three hundred and twenty four, in killed and wounded ; but it was probably much greater. Section LITI. " The disaster of the army, un- (ler Gen. Gates, overspread, at first, the face of Amencan affairs with a dismal gU)om ; but the da}' of prosperity to the United States besran, as will api ear in the sequel, from that moment to dawn. *' Their prospects brightened, while those of their enemies were obscured by disgrace, broken by defeat, and, at last, covered with ruin. Elat- ed WMth their victoHes, the con(|uerors grew more insolent and rapacious, while the real friends of independence bec;ime resolute and determined." Section LIV. While tiie campaign of 1 780 was thus filled up with important events in the southern department, it passed away, in the northern States, in successive disappointments, and reiterated distresses. In ,lune, a body of five thousand of the enemy, under Gen. Kniphausen, entered New-Jersey, and, in acfaition to plundering the country, wan- tonly burnt several villages. ■on the arrival of this body at Connecticut Farms, a small settlemnnt containing; about a dozen houses and a church, they Inirnt the whol.^. At this place there resided a presbyteriun mi- iiisier by the name of Caldwf^ll, whi» had taken a co'tispicuoiis part in the cause of freedom, and who had, of C(Mirse, incurred ih*" deep displeasure ot Uen. Kniphausen. Supposing, how- eTer,ihat the gmieral's resentment would be confined to him, a PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOUJTION. 219 and that his family would be safe on the approach of the entray, * he hastily withdi>'\v, leaving his wife and children to their mer- cy Col. Drayton had previously withdrawn the railitia from the place, thai there might be no pretext for enormities ; but the British soldiers in the American war, did not wait for pretexts to be cruel. Mrs. Caldwell was shot in the midst of her chil- dren, by a villain, who walked up to the window of the tooni in which sue was sitting, and took deliberate aim with his mus- ket. This atrocious act was attempted to be excused as an aC' cirlentf as a ranrhm siiot ; but the attempt at palliation served only to increase the crime. Besides l\w.^e predatory incursions?, by which tlie inhabitants suffered aiarm, distress, and de- struction uf property, they suffered greatly, also, from the constantly diminishing value of their paper currency, and from unfavourable crops. The situation of Gen. Washington, often during the war em- barrassing, had been distressing through the winter, in his en- campment at Morristown. The cold \vas more intense than it had ever been known to be before in this climate, within the memory of the oldest inhabitant. The winter, li^this diy, hears the distinctive epithet of the hard whiter. The army suffered extremely, and often had Washington the prospect before him of being obliged to break up his encampment, and disband his soldiers. The return of spring brought little alleviation to heir distress. Great disorder pervaded the departments i»r supplyinff the army. Abuses crept in, frauds were practised, and notwithstanding the poverty of the country, economy, on the part of the coinniissa- fies, was exiled. In May, a committee from congress visited the army, and re- ported to that body, an account of the distresses and disorders conspicuously prevalent. In particular, they stated, " that the army was unpaid foi live months — that it seldom had more than six days' provisions in advance, and was, on several occasions, for sundry successive days, without meat — that the medical de- partment had neither sugar, coffee, tea, chocolate, wine, nor spi- rituous liquors of asiy kind ; and that every department of the armv was without money, and had not even the shadow of cre- dit left." Sfxtion LV. But under all this tide of evils, there appeared no disposition, in public bodies, to purchase their relief by concession. They 220 PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. beemed, on the contrary, to rise in the midst of their distresses, and to gain firmness and strength by the pressure of calamity. Section LVl. Fortunately for the Americans, as it seemed, M. de Ternay arrived at Rhode- Island, July 10th, from France, with a sfjuadron of seven sail of the line, five frigates, and five smaller armed vessels, with several transports, and six thousand men, all under conimand of Lieutenant General Count de Rochaniheau. Great was the joy excited by this event, and high raised expectations were indulged from the as sistance of so powerful a force again.vt the ene- my. But the British fleet, in our waters, was still superior, and that of the French, and the French army, were for a considerable time, in- capacitated from co-operating with the Ameri- cans, by being blocked up at Rhode-Island. The arrival of tiie French deet, at Newport, was ji^reeted by the ritizerij with every deniosistrat'on of joy. Thf> town was illuminated, and congratulatory addresses were exchanged. As a symbol of friendship and aifection for the allies, Gen. Wash- ington n'commended to the American officers, to wear black and white cockades, the ground to be of the first colour, and the re- lief of the second. Section LVII. The fortress of West-Point, on the Hudson, sixty miles north of Nevv-York, and its importance to the Americans, has already been noticed. Of this fortress. Gen. Arnold had solicited and obtained the command. Soon af- ter assuming the command, Arnold entered in- to negotiations with Sir Henry Clinton, to make such a disposition of the forces in the fortress, as that the latter might easily take possession of it by surprise. Fortunately for America, this base plot was seasonably discovered to prevent the ruinous consequences that must have follow- ed. Arnold, however* escaped to the enemy PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. 221 loaded with infamy and disgrace. Andre, the agent of the British, in this negotiation, was tak- en, and justly expiated his crime on the gal- lows, as a spy. Major Andre, at this time adjutant-gtnerai of the British aimy, was an officer extremely youujy; — but liigh-minded, brave, and accomplished. He was Iranspwrted in a vessel called the Vulture, up the North river, as near to West I'oint as was prac- ticable, without exciting suspicion. On the 21st of September, at night, a boat was sent from the shore, to bring him. Or. its return, Arnold met him at the beach, without the posts of either army. Their business was not finished, till too near the dawn of day for Andre to return to the Vulture. He, therefore, kiy concealed widiin the American lines. During the day, the Vul- ture found it necessary to change her position, and Andre, not being able now to get on board, was compelled to attempt his return to New-York by land. Having changed his military dress for a plain coat, and re- ceived a passport from Arnold, under the assumed name of John Anderson, he passed the guards and outposts, without suspicion. On his arrival at Tarrytown, a village thirty miles north of New-York, in the vicinity of the first British posts, he was met by three militia soldiers — John Paulding, David Wil- liams, and Isaac Yan Wert. He showed them his passport, and they suffered him to continue his route. Immediately after this, one of these three men, thinking that he perceived something sincT'ilar in the person of the traveller, called him back. Andre asked them where they were from ? " From down below," they replied, intending to sa\'. from New- York. Too trank to sus- pect a snare, Andre immediately answered, " And so am I." l^pon this, they arrested him, when he declared himself to be a British officer, and offered them his WHtch, and all the gold he had with him, to be released. These soldiers were poor and obscure, but they w^^re not to be bribed. Resolutely refusing his offers, they conducted him to Lieutenant Col. Jameson, their Commanding officer. Jameson injudiciously permitted Andre, still calling himself Anderson, to write to Arnold, who immediately escaped on board the Vulture, and took refuge in New-Yt.c\ ;;-"du ^.f^f ^^^^H silver medal, on one ai. annuity of two hundred ^""^[^.^^"^g.^iption--" fidelity,"- t^ tr^::, ^i:^So::;::;tt;o:^"^.nc. a^or^^n^^ n^elancholy fate Andre -/P^''^^^ reXd the commission ^here, as the price ot h;^^^-; ^^ ^^^^^^^ fr- t^?'^£lfstTott;ttrand.^^^^ of Arnold's fall from PERIOD V....l773....l783....REyOLUTION. 22S virtue ; bis vanity and extravagance liad led him into expenses which it was neither in the powei nor will of congress to sup- port. He had involved himself in debt, from which he saw no hope of extricating himself; and his honour, therefore, was bar- tered for British gold. Section LVIII. Gen. Washington, having learned whither Arnold had fled, deemed it pos- sible still to take him, and to bring him to the jnst reward of his treachery. To accomplish an object so desirable, and, at the same time, ia so doing, to save Andre, Washington devised a plan, which, although it ultimately failed, evinc- ed the capacity of his mind, and his unwearied ardour for his country's good. Having matured the plan, Washington sent to Major Lee to repair to head quarters, at Tappan, on the Hudson. " I have sent for you," said Gen. Washington, "■ in the expectation that you have some one in your corps, who is willing to undertake a dflicate and hazardous pn>ject. Whoevei conies forward will confer great obligations upon me personally, and, in behalf of the United States, I will rt;ward him amply. No time is to be lost ; he must proceed, if possible, to-night. I intend to seize Arnold, and save Andre." Major Lee named a sergeant-major of his corps, by the name of Champe — a native of Virginia, a man full of bone and mus- cle — with a countenance grave, thoughtful, and taciturn — of tried courage, and inflexible perseverance. Champe was sent for by IVIajor Lee, and the plan proposed. This was for him to desert — to escape to IN ew- York — to ap-» pear friendly to the enemy — to watch Arnold, and, upon some fit opportunity, with the assistance of some one whom Champe could trust, to seize him, and conduct him to a place on the river, appointed, where boats should be in readiness to bear them away. Champe listened to the plan attentively — but, with the spirit of a man of honour and integrity, replied — " that it was not danger nor difficulty, that deterred him from immediately ac- cepting the proposal, but the ignominy of desertion^ and the hypocrisy of enlisting with the enemy P^ To these objections, Lee replied, that although he would ap- pear to desert, yet as he obeyed the call of his commander in chief, his departure could not be considered as criminal, and ihatj if he sufiered in reputation, for a time, the matter would 224 ^ PERIOD V....1775....1783....REA'OLUTION. one day be explained to his credit. As to the second objection, it was urged, that to bring such a man as Arnold to justice — loaded with guih as he was — and to save Andre — so young — so accomphshed — so beloved — to achieve so much good in the cause of his country — was more than sufficient to balance a wrong, existing only in appearance. The objections of Charape wt're at length surmounted, anj he accepted the service. It was now eleven o'clock at night. With his instructions in his pocket, the sergeant rpturn«^d to camp, and, taking his cloak, valice, and orderly book, drew his horse from the picket and mounted, putting himsell upon for tune. Scarcely had half an hour elapsed, before ( ^apt. Carnes, the offi- cer of the day, waited upon l,ee, wlio was vainly attempting tc rest, and informed him, that one of the patrol iiad fallen in with a dragoon, who, being chillenijed, put spurs to his horse and es- caped. Lee, huping toconceul the liight of ('hampe, or at least to delay pursuit, complained of fatigue, and told the captain that the patrol had proliably mistaken a coiuitryman for a dra- goon. Carnes, however, was not thus to lie quieted; and he withdrew to assemble his corps. On examination, it was found that Champe was absent. The cajuain now returned, and ac- quainted Lee with the discovery, ad(!ing thnt he had detached a party to pursue the deserter, and begged the major's written or- ders. After making as much dt'la}^ as prncticable, without exciting suspicion, Lee delivers his orders — in which he directed the paity - to take Champe if possible. " Bring him alive," said he, " that he may suffer in the presence of the army ; but kill him if he resists, or if he escapes after being taken." A shower of rain loll soon after ('hampe's departure, which enabled the pursuing dragoons to take the tt ail of his horse, his *^ shoes, in common with those of the horses of thf!. army, being made in a peculiar form, and each having a private mark, which was to be seen in the path. JMiddleton, the leader of the pursuing party, left the camp a few minutes past twelve, so that Champe had the start of but little molde than an hour — a period by far shorter than had been contemplated. During the night, the dragoons were often de- layed in the necessary halts to examine the road ; but, on the coming of morning, the impression of the horse's shoes was so apparent, that they pressed on with rapidity. Some miles above Bergen, a village three miles north of New-York, on the oppo site side of the Hudson, on asci-nding a hill, Champe was des- cried, not more than half a mile distant. Fortunately, Champe PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. 225 descried his pursuers at the same momenl, and, conjecturing their object, put spurs to his horse, with the liope of escape. By taking a different road, Chauipe was, for a time, lost sight oi — but, on approaching the r ver, he was again descried. Aware of his danger, he now lashed his vaUce, containing his clothes and orderly book, to his slioulders, and prepared him- self to plunge into the river, if necessary. Swift was his flight, and swift rhe pursuit. Middleton and his party were within a few liiuidred yards, when ('hampe threw himself from his horse and plunged into the river, calling aloud upon some British gal- leys, at no great distance, for help. A boat was instently de- spatched to the sergeant's assistance, and a fire commenced upon the pursuers. Champe was takei! on board, and soon after car- ried to New- York, witli a letter from the captain of the galley, stating the past scene, all of which he had witnessed. The pursuers having recovered the sergeant's horse and cloak, returned to camp, where th^y arrived about three o'clock the next day. On their appearance with the well known horse, the soldiers made the air resitund with the acclamations that the scoumlrt'l was killed. The agony of Lee, for a moment, was past description, lest the faithful, honourable, intrepid Champa had fallen. But the truth soon relieved his fears, and he repair- ed to Washington to impart to him the success, thus, far of his plan. Soon after the arrival of Champe in New-York, he was sent to Sir Henry Clinton, who treated him kindly, but detained him more than an hour in asking him questions, to answer some of which, without exciting suspicion, required all the art the ser- geant was master of. He succeeded, however, and Sir Henry gave him a couple of guineas, and recommended him to Arnold, who was wishing to procure American recnit*;. Arnold re- ceived him kindly, and proposed to him i- jo n his legion ; Champe, however, expressed his wish to reti p trom war; but assured the general, that if he should change his inpurned, v^lth disdain, the ofier of the enemy. They also sei7,ed the agents of the British, and nobly delivered them up to Gen. Wayne to be treated as spies. Section LX. Tn the" midst of these troubles, arising from discontents of the troops, news ar- ♦ Lee's Memoirs. PERIOD V....1775....1783.,..REVaLUTION. 225 rived of great depredations inVirginia, by Arnold, who had left New- York for the south, with one thousand six hundred men, and a number of arm- ed vessels. Extensive outrages were committed by these troops in that part of the country. Large quantities of tobacco, salt- rum, &-c. were destroyed. In this manner did Arnold show tnc change of spirit, which had taken place in his breast, and his fidelity to his new engasfements. Upon receiving news of these depredations, at the request of Gen. Washington, a French squadron, from Rhode-Island, was sent to cut off Arnold's retreat. Ten of his vessels were de- stroyed, and a forty-four gun ship was captured. Shortly after this, an engagement took place otf the Capes of Virginia, between the French and English squadrons, which terminated so ih*- to the advantage of the English, that Arnold was saved from imminent danger of falling into the hands of his» exasperated countrymen. Stction LXI. After the unfortunate battle at Camden, August I6th, 1780, congress thought proper to remove Gen. Gates, and to appoint Gen. Greene in his place. In December, 1780, Greene assumed the command. The army at this time was reduced to two thousand men, more than half of whom were militia, and all were miserably fed and clothed. With this force. Gen. Greene took the field, against a superiour regular force, flushed with successive victories through a whole campaign. Soon after taking the command, he divided his force, and, with one part, sent Gen. Morgan to the western extremity of South Carolina. At this time. Lord Cornwallis was nearly pre- pared to invade North Carolina, t/nwiliiug to 20 230 PERIOD V....1775....1783....REVOLUTION. leave such an enemy as Morgan in his rear, he despatched Col. Tarleton to engage Gen. Mor- gan, and " to pusli him to the utmost." Section LXll. January 17tli, 1781, these two detachments met, wlien was fought the spirited l)attle of tlie Cowpeus, in which the American arms signally triumphed. In this memorable battle, the British lost upwards of one hiin.' ilred killed, among whom were ten commissioned officers, and two hundred wounded. More than live huuiired prisoners fell into the hands of the Americans, besides two pieces of artillery, twelve standards, eight hundred muskets, thirty-five baggage waggons, one hundred dragoon horses; the loss of the Ameri- cans was no more than twelve killed and sixty wounded. The victory of the Cowpens must be reckoned as one of the most brilliant achieved during the revolutionary war. The force of Morgan hardly amounted to five hundred, while that of his adversary exceeded one thousand. Morgan's brigade were principally militia, while Tarleton commanded the tiower of the British army. Section LXIII. Upon receiving the intelli- gence of Tarleton's defeat, Cornwallis aban- dc^ned the invasion of North Carolina for the present, and marched in pursuit of (jen. Morgan. Greene, suspecting his intentions, hastened with his army to join Morgan. This junction was at length effected, at Guilford Court-House, after a fatiguing march, in wliich Cornwallis nearly overto»)k iiim, and was prevented only by the obstruction of a river. After his junction with Morgan, Gen. Greene, with his troops and baggage, crossed the river Dan, and entered Virginia, agam narrowly es- caping the British, who were in close pursuit. Section LXIV. 8ati^^fied with having driven Greene from North Carolina, Cmber 25th. Gen. Washinijton and Count de Rochambeau preceded the troops ten days, and, to their great joy, found that the Count de Grasse had entered tlie Capes on tlie 30th of the preceding month, with twenty-eight sail, and three thou- sand troops. On the arrival of these two generals at Wil- liamsburg, a vessel was in readiness to convey them on board the Ville de Paris, the flag-ship of the Count de Grasse, where a council was held to determine on future operations. Section LXXIV. These lieing settled, the combined armies, amounting to twelve thousand PERIOD V....l775....1783....nEVOLUTION. 237 men, moved upon Yorklown and Gloucester, September 30th, and the Count de Graisse, with his fleet, proceeded up to the mouth of York river, to prevent CornvvalHs either from retreat- ing, or receiving assistance. Yorklown is a small village on the south side of York river, whose southern banks are high, and in whose waters a ship of the line may ride in sal'ety. Gloucester Point is a piece of land on t!ie opposite shore, projecting far into the river. Both these posts were occupied by Cornwallis — the main body of the army being at York, under the immediate command of his lordship, and a detachment of six hundred at Gloucester point, under Lieut. Col. Tarleton. On the 6th of October, Washington's heavy ordnance, Slc. arrived, and the siege was com- menced in form. SeUlom, if ever, during the revolutionary struggle, did the American com- mnnder in chief, or his troops, appear before the enemy with more cool determination, or pursue him with more persevering ardour, than at the^ siege of Yorktown. With the fall of Cornwal-' lis, it was perceived that the hopes of Great Bri- tain, successfully to maintain the contest, must nearly expire ; with this in prospect, there was no wavering of purpose, and no intermission of toil. On tlie 1 9th of October, the memorable victo- ry over CornwaUis was achieved, and his whole army was surrendei-^^d, amounting to more than seven thousand prisoners of war, together with a park of artillery of one hvmdred and sixty piec- es, the greater part of which were brass* Articles of capitulation being mutually signed and ratified, Gen. Lincoln was appointed, by the commander in chief, to re- ceive the submission of the royal army, in the same manner, iu which, eighteen months before, CornwaUis had received that of the Americans at Charleston. The spectacle is represented as having been impressive and affecting. The road through which the captive army marched 238 PEIIIOD V....1775....17^3. .REVOLUTION was lined with spectators, French and Ampj-ican. On one aide, the commander in cliief, suno .nded with his suite, and the Ame rican stafl', took his station ; on the other side, opposite to bini, .was the Count de Ruchunibeau, in the hke manner attended. The captive army approached, moving sU>wIy in column, with grace and precision. Universal silence vvas obs»?rved amidst the vast concourse, and the utmost decency prevailed ; exhih't mg an awful sense of the vicissitudes of human life, mingled with commisseration for the unhappy Every eye was now turneci, searching for the British com- mander in chief, anxious to look at the man, heretofore so much the object of their dread. All were disappointed. Cornwallis, unable to bear up against the humiliation of marching at the head of his garrison, constituted Gen. O'Hara .iis representa- tive, on the occasion. The post of Gloucester, falling with that of York, was deliv- ered up the same day, by Lieut. Col. Tarleton. At the term i option of the siege, the besieging army amounted to sixteen thousand. The British force was put down at seveu thousand one hundred and seven, of which only four thousand and seven rank and file are stated to have been fit for duty. Section LXXV. Five days after the surrender of Cornwallis, Sir Henry Clinton made his ap- pearance off the Capes of Virafiiiia with a rein- forcement of seven thousand men; but, receiv- ing intelligence of his lordship's fate, he re- turned to New York. Cornwallis, in his despatches to Sir Henry, more than hinted that his fall had been produced by a too firm rehance on pro- mises, that no pains were taken to fulfil. Clinton had promis ed Cornwallis that this auxiliary force should leave New-York on the 5th of t)ctobei, but for reasons never explained, it did not sail unti' the 19th, the very day that decided the fate of the army. Section LXXVI. Nothing could exceed the joy of the American people, at this great and important victory, over Lord Cornwallis. E^x- ultation broke forth from one extremity of the country to the other. The remembrance of the past gave place in all minds to the most brilliant hopes. It was confidently anticipated, that the affair of Yorktown would rapidly hasten the ac PERIOD V....177»....1783.,..REVOHJTION. 239 Itnowledgment of American Independence — an event, for whicli the people had been toiling and bleeding through so many campaigns. In all parts of the United States, solemn festivals and rejoic- ngs celebrated the triumph of American fortune. The names of Washington, Rochambeau, De Grasse, and La Fayette, re- sounded every where. To the unanimous acclaim of the peo- v'e, congress joined the authority of its resolves. It addressed thanks to the generals, officers, and soldiers — presented British colours — ordered the erection of a marble column — and went in procession to church, to render publick thanksgiving to God for the recent victory. The 30th of December was appointed as a day of national thanksgiving. Section LXXVIT. While the combined ar- mies were advancing to the siege of Yorktown, an excursion was made from New- York, by Gen. Arnold, against New- London, in his uative state. The object of this expedition seems to have been, to draw away a part of the American forces; Sir Henry Clinton knowing but too well, that if they were left at liberty to push the siege of Yorktown, the blockaded army must inevitably surrender. This expedition was signalized by the great- est atrocities. Fort Trumbull, on the west, and Fort Griswold, on the east side of the river Thames, below New-London, were taken, and the greater part of that town was burnt. At Fort Trumbull, little or no resistance was nm'Je; but Fort Griswold was defended for a time, with great bravery and reso- lution. After the fort was carried, a Biitisli officer eiiterintr, in- quired who cominand'^d. Col. Ledy^ird answered, " I did, but you do now" — ;it the same time prtsenting his sword. The officer immediately plunged the sword into his bosom. A gene- ral p.iassKcre now took place, as well of those who surrendered as of those who resisted, which continued until iiearly all the garri- son were either killed or wounded. Sixty dwelling houses, and eighty-four scores in New-London, were reduced to ashes. Section LXXVllL Th'e M\ of Cornwallis may be considered as substantially closing the 240 PERIOD V....1775....1783....RE70LUTION. war. A few posts of importance were still held by the British — New-York, Charleston, an Sa- vannah — but all other parts of the country, which they had possessed, were recovered into the power of congress. A few skirmishes alone indicated the continuance of war. A part of the French army, soon after the cap tare of Cornwallis, re-embarked, and Count de Grasse sailed for the West Indies. Count Ro- chambeau cantoned his army for the winter, 1 782, in Virginia, and the main body of the Americans returned, by the way of the (Chesa- peake, to their former position on the Hudson. Section LXXIX. From the 12th of December, 1781, to the 4th of March, 1782, motion after motion was made in the British Parliament for putting an end to the war in America. On this latter day, the commons resolved " that the house would consider as enemies to his majesty and to the country, all those who should advise, or attempt the further prosecution of offensive war, on the continent of North America." Section LXXX. On the same day, the com- mand of his majesty's forces in America was taken from Sir Henry Clinton, and given to Sir Guy (yarleton, who was instructed to promote the wishes of Great Britain, for an accommoda- tion with the United States. In accordance with these instructions, Sir Guy Carleton endeavoured to open a corres- pondence with congress, and with this view sent to Gen. Wa.shin«fon to solicit a passport for his secretary. But this wns refused, since con- gress would enter into no nsafociations but in concert with his most Christian Majesty. Section LXXXI. Tlie French court, on re- PERIOD V....1779....17S3...JIEVOLUTION. 241 ceiving intelligence of the surrender of Corn" wallis, pressed upon congress the appointment of commissioners for negotiating peace with Great Britain. Accordingly, John Adams, Ben- jamin Franklin, John Jay, and Henry Laurens, were appointed. These commissioners met Mr. Fitzherbet and Mr. Oswald, on the part of Great Britain, at Paris, and provisional articles of peace between the two countries were signed, November 30th, 1782. The definitive treaty was signed on the 30th of September, 1783. Although the definitive treaty was not signed until September, there had been no act of hos- tihty between the two armies, and a state of peace had actually existed from the commence- ment of the year 1 783. A formal proclamation of the cessation of hostilities was made through the army on the 19th of April, — Savannah was evacuated in July, New- York, in November, and Charleston, in the following month. Section LXXXII. The third of November was fixed upon by congress, for disbanding the army of the United States. On the day previous^ Washington issued his farewell orders, and birl an affectionate adieu to the soldiers, who h3, and most of the rich, in the eastern and rAiidle Starts. 21* 240 PERIOD V ..1775-...IT83...JIEVOLUTION* Section LXXXVIU. ^XU^it atltT (STOItt^' VatXtt* During the war of the revolution, the commerce of the United States was inter- rupted, not only with Great Britain, but, in q great measure, with the rest of the world. The greater part of the shipping, belonging to the country, was destroyed by the enemy, or perished by a natural process of decay. Our coasts were so lined with British cruisers, as to render navigation too hazardous to be pursued to any considerable ex* tent. -Some privateers, however, were fitted out, which suo ceeded in capturing several valuable prizes, on board of which *rere arms, and other munitions of war. During the last three Vears of the war, an illicit trade to Spanish America was car ried on, but it was extremely limited. Section LXXXIX. ^0rfCttltttre» Agri- culture was greatly interrupted during this period, by the withdrawing of labourers to the camp — by the want of encouragement, fur- nished by exportation, and by the distractions which disturbed all the occupations of society. The army often suffered for the means of subsistence, and the cjfficers were sometimes forced to compel the inhabitants to fur- nish the soldiers food, in sufficient quantities to prevent their" soffering. Section xc. ^xtu anH JUaiittfactutrs* The trade with England, during this period, being interrupted by the war, the people of the United States were compelled to manufacture for themselves. Encouragement was given to all necessary manufactures, and the zeal, inge- nuity, and industry of the people, furnished the country with articles of prime necessity, and, in a. measure, supplied the place of a foreign market.. Such was the progress in arts and manufactures, during the period, that, after the return of peace, when an uninterrupted intercourse with England was again opened, some articles, which before PERIOD V....1775....17SS....REVOLUTION. 247 were impovted altogether, were found so well anc so abundantly manufactured at home, that their importation was stopped. Section XCl. }JO|)Ulatlon. The increase of the people of the United States, during this period, was small. Few, if any, emigrants ar- rived in the country. Many of the inhabitants were slain in battle, and thousands of that class called toriesy left the land, who never returned* Perhaps we may fairly estimate the inhabitants of the country, about the close of this period^ 1784, at three millions two hundred and fifty thousand. Section XCII. ^^ttCatfOH^ The interests of education suffered in common with other kindred interests, during the war. In several colleges, the course of instruction was. for a season, suspended ; the hall was exchanged by the students for the camp, and the gown for the sword and epaulette. a- Towards the conclusion of the war, two colleges were fouiid> ed — one in Maryland, in 1782, by the name of Washington college; the other, in 1783, in Pennsylvania, w^hich received the name of Dickinson college. The writer, whom we have quoted above, estimates the whole number of colleges ani academies in the United States, at the close of this period, at 4hirty-siK. Utiltttionu. XCIII. The American Revolution is doubtless the most Ui-^ teresting event in the pages of modern history. Changes equally great, and convulsions equally violent, have often taken, place ; and the history of man tells us of many instances, iu which oppression, urged beyond endurance, has called firth the spirit of successful and triumphant resistance. But, in the event before us, we see feeble colonies, without an army — with'* out a navy — without an established government- -without a revenue — without munitions of war — without fortifications b^^Sijf step ling forth to meet the veteran armies of » pruad^ 248 TERIOD V....iy75....l783....IlEVOLUTlON. powerful, and vindictive enemy. We see these colonies ami Js) want, poverty, and misfortune — supported by the pervading spirit of liberty, and guided by the good hand of Heaven — foi nearly eight years sustaining the weight of a cruel conflict, upon their own soil. We see them at length victorious ; their ene- mies sullenly retire from their shores, and these humble colonies stand forth enrolled on the page of history — a free, sovereign, and independent nation. Nor is this all. We see a wise gov- ernment springing up from the blood that was spilt, and, down to our own time, shedding the choicest political blessings upon several millions of people ! What nation can dwell with more just satisfaction upon its annals, than ours ? Almost all others trace their foundation to some ambitious and bloody conquerer, who sought only, by en- slaving others, to aggrandize himself. Our independence was won by the people^ who fought for the natural rights of man. Other nations have left their annals stained with the crimes of their people and princes ; ours shines with the glowing traces ef patriotism, constancy, and courage, amidst every rank of life, and every grade of office. Whenever we advert to this portion of our history, and re- view it, as we well may with patriotick interest, let us not forget the gi-atitude we owe, as well to those who " fought, and bled, and died" for us, as that benignant Providence, who stayed the proud waves of British tyranny. Let us also gather political wisdom from the American revo- lution. It has taught the world, emphatically, that oppression tends to weaken and destroy the power of the oppressor ; that a people united in the cause of liberty are invincible by those who would enslave them ; and that Heaven will ever frown upon the cause of injustice, and ultimately grant success to those who oppose it. UNITED STATES* DISTINGUISHED FOR THE FORMATION AND ESTAB- LISHMENT OF THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION, Extending from the disbanding of the armtj, 178S, to the inauguration of George Wash- ington, as president of the United States, under the Federal Constitution, 1789. Section I. During the revolutionary war, the American people looked forward to a state of peace, independence, nnd self-government, as almost necessarily ensuring every possible bless- ing. A short time was sufficient, however, to demonstrate that soniething. not yet possessed was necessary to realize the private and publick prosperity that had been anticipated. After a short struj,gle so to administer the existing sys- tem of government, as to make it competent to the great objects for which it was instituted, it became apparent that some other system must he substituted, or a general wreck of all that had been gained would ensue. Section II. At the close of the war, the debts* 0? the Union were computed to amount to some- what more than forty millions of dollars. By * These debts were of two kinds, foreign and domestick. The foreign debt amounted to near eight millions of dollars, and was due to indivi- duals in France — ^to the crown of France — to lenders in Holland and Spain. The domestick debt amounted to some more than thirty-four millions of dollars, and was due to persons who held loan office certifi- cates — to the officers and soldiers of the revolutionary army, &c. Att. 250 PBRIOD VI...1783.M.1789....ESTABLISHMENT OF the articles of confederation and union between the States, congress had the power to declare war, and borrow money, or issue bills of credit to carry it on ; but it had not the ability to dis- charge debts, incurred by the war. AH thai congress could do, was to recommend to the individual States to raise money for that pur- pose. Soon after the war, the attention of congress was drawn to this subject ; the payment of the national debt being a matter of justice to cre- ditors, as well as of vital importance to the pre- servation of the Union. It was proposed, therefore, by congress, to the States, that they should grant to thai body the power of laying a duty of five percent, on all foreign goods, which should be imported, and that the revenue arising thence should be applied to the dimi- nution of the publick debt, until it was extin- guished. To this proposal, most of the States assented, and passed in act, granting the prwer. Bui Rhode-Island, apprehensive that such a grant would lessen the advantages of her trade, de- clined passing an act for that purpose. Subse- quently, New-York joined in the opposition, and rendered all prospect of raising a revenue, in this way, hopeless. The consequence was, that even the interest of the publick debt remained unpaid. Certifi- cates of public debt lost their credit, and many of the officers and soldiers of the late army, who were poor, were compelled to sell these certifi- cates at excessive reductions. Section III. While the friends of the na- tional government were making unavailing ef- THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION. 251 foJ'ts to fix upon a permanent revenue, which might enable it to preserve the national faith) other causes, besides the loss of confidence in the confederation, concurred to hasten a radi- cal change in the political system of the United States. Among these causes, the principal was the evil resulting from the restrictions of Great Bri- tain, laid on the trade of the United States with the West Indies ; the ports of those islands being shut against the vessels of the United States, and enormous duties imposed on our most valuable exports. Had congress possessed the power, a remedy might have been found, in passing similar acts against Great Britain ; but this power had not been delegated by the States to the congress. That thirteen independent sovereignties, always jealous of one another, would separately concur in any proper measures to compel Great Britain to relax, was not to be expected. The im- portance of an enlargement of the powers of congress was thus rendered still more obvious. Section IV. During this enfeebled and disor- ganized state of the general government, at- tempts were made, in some of the states, to maintain their credit, and to satisfy their credi- tors. The attempt of Massachusetts to affect this, by means of a heavy tax, produced an open insurrection among the people. In some parts of the State, the people convened in tumultuous assemblies — obstructed the sitting of courts, and, finally, took arms in opposition to the laws of the State. The prudent measures of Gov. Bow- doin and his council, seconded by an armed force» under Gen. Linco'n, in the winter of 1 786, gra- 252 PERIOD VI....1783....1789.,..ESTABLISHMENT dually subdued the spirit of opposition, and re stored the authority of the laws. This rising of the people of Massachusetts is usually styled S/mys' insurrection, from one Daniel Shays, a captain in the revolutionary army, who headed the insurgents. In Augiis^, 1786, fifteen hundred insurgents assembled at Northamj ton, took possession of the court-house, and prevented the session of the court. Similar outrages occurred at Worcester, Conconlj Taunton, and Springfield. In New-Hampshire, also a body uf inen arose in September, and surrounding the general assembly, sitting at Exeter, held them prisoners for several hours. In this state of civil commotion, a body of troops, to the num^ ber of four thousand, was ordered out by Massachusetts, to sup"« port the judicial courts, and suppress the insurrection. TJii& force was put under the command of General Lincoln. Ano™ ther body nl trooj'S w;en a citizen at the adoption of the constitution, or must be a natiw of the Unifd States; he must have attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the Ifeited States. The president and vice-president are chosen oy electors designated in such a manner as the legislature ot each State shall direct. The number of electors, in each State is equal to the whole number of senators and represents* tives. • Of the powers of the President. " The president ot the United States is commander in chief of the army and navy, and of the militia when in actual service. He grants reprieves and pardons ; nominates, and, with the consent of the senate, ap- points ambassadors, judges, and Dther officers ; and, with the advice and consent of the senate, forms treaties, provided two thirds of the senate cigree. He fills vacancies in offices which happen during the recess of the senate. He convenes the con- gress on extraordinary occasions, receives foreign ministers, gives information to congress of th* state of publick attairs, and in general, takes care that the laws be faithfully executed. Of the Judiciary. " The Judiciary of the Un'ted States consists of one supreme court, and such inferiour c< urts as the congress shall ordain. The judges ar- to hold their otfices du- ring good behaviour, and their salaries cannot be diminished during their continuance in office. The judicial power of tiiese courts extends to all cases in law and equity, arising under the constitution, or laws of the United States, and under treaties ; to cases of publick ministers and consuls ; to all rases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction ; to controversies betw^-en the States. and in which the United Slates are a party ; between citizens of different States ; between a State and a citizen of another State, and between citizens of the same State, claiming under grants jf different States ; and to causes between one of the States or an American citizen, and a foreign State or citizen Of Rights and Immunities. " In all criminal trials, except impeachment, the trial by jury is guaranteed to the accused. Treason is restricted to the simple acts of levying war against the United States, and adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort ; and no person can be convicted, but bj two witnesses to the same act. or by confession in open court. A conviction of treason is not followed by a corruption of blood, to disinherit the heirs of the criminal, nor by a forfeiture of estate, except during the life of the offender. The citizens of .eich State are entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several States. Congress may admit new States into the 236 PERIOD V....1783....1789„. ESTABLISHMENT OF umoDy and the national compact guarantees, to each State, are> publican form of government, together with protection from fo« reign invasion and domestick violence." Section VII. By a resolution of the conven- tion, it was recommended that assemblies should be called, in the different States, to discuss the merits of the constitution, and either accept or reject i| ; and, that as soon as nine States should have ratified it, it fc^houla be carried into operation by congress. To decide ihe interesting question, respecting the adoption or rejection of the new constitution, the best talents of the several States were as- sembled in their respective conventions. The fate of the constitution could, for a time, be scarcely conjectured, so equally were the parties balanced. But, at length, the conventions of eleven States* assented to, and ratified the con- stitution. Section VIII. From the moment it was settled that this new arrangement, in their political sys- tem, was to take place, the attention of all class- es of people, as well anti-federalists as federal- ists, (for, by these names, the parties for and , against the new constitution were called,) was directed to General Washington, as the first president of the United States. Accordingly, on the opening of the votes, for President, at New- York, March 3d, 1 789, by delegates from eleven States, it was found that he was unanimously elected to that office, and that John Adams was elected vice-president. * North CaroUna and Rhode Isiand refused their assent at this time, bat %ltenrard9 acceded to it : the former, Noyember, 1789; the latter may, 1790. THB FEDERAL CONSTITUTION. 25" Section IX ^^nXitVU. The war of the revolution, as was observed in our notes on the last period, seriously affected the morals and manners of the people of the United States. The peace of 1 783, however, tended, in a mea- sure to restore things to their former state. Those sober habits, for which the country was previously distinguished, began to return ; busi- ness assumed a more regular and equitable cha- racter ; the tumultuous passions, roused by the war, subsided ; and men of wisdom and worth began to acquire their proper influence. The change wrought in the manners of the people, during the revolution, began, in this pe- riod, to appear. National peculiarities wore away still more ; local prejudices were further corrected, and a greater assimilation of the yet discordant materials, of which the population of the United States was composed, took place. Section X. S^flfslOM* Methodism was introduced into the United States, during this period, under the direction of John Wesley, in England. This denomination increased rapidly in the Middle States, and, in 1789, they amount- ed to about fifty thousand. During this period, also, the infidelity, which we have notic-. ed, seems to have lost ground. Publick worship was more punc- tually attended, than during the war, and the cause of religion began again to flourish. Section XL S^ra^e anH . station, he received, in almost every place throuph which he passed, the highest expressions of affec- tion and respect, that a grateful people could pay. Soon after his arrival in New- York, a day was assigned for his taking the oath of office. (Jn the morning of that day, publick prayers were offered in all the churches. At noon, a procession was formed, which escorted Washington, dressed on the occa- sion wholly in American manufactures, to Federal Hall. Here the oath prescribed by the constitution was administered to him, by the chancellour of the State of New-York. The ceremonies of the inauguration being concluded, W^ash- ington entered the senate chamber, and delivered his first speech. In this, after expressing the reluctance with which he obeyed the call of his countrymen, from repose and retirement, so ardently coveted, after a series of military toils, and the diffidence with which he entered upon an office, so full of responsibility, he pro- ceeded thus : " It will be peculiarly improper to omit, in this ^rst official 262 PERIOD VII....1789....1797. act, my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being, who rules over the universe ; who presides in the councils of nations," &c. Thus did Washington, in the commencement of his ad- ministration, publickly appear on the side of religion ; nor was he ashamed to acknowledge, before the nation, his sense of dfr- pendence upon God, for wisdom and direction. Section II. Business of importance, in rela tion to the organization and support of the new government, now pressed upon the attention of the president, and of congress. A revenue was to be provided ; the departments of government were to be arranged and filled ; a judiciary was to be estabiished, and its officers appointed and provision was to be made for the support of publick credit. After a long discussion, congress agreed tc raise a revenue for the support of government by impost and tonnage duties. Having next fixed upon, and arranged the several depart- ments of the government, the president, whose duty it was, proceeded to nominate the proper persons to fill them. In performing this ser- vice, he appears to have been actuated, simply, by a regard to the best good of the country. Mr. Jefierson was selected for the department of State ; Col. Hamilton was appointed secre- tary of the treasury ; Gen. Knox secretary of war, and Edmund Randolph attorney general. At the head of the judiciary was placed John Jay, and with him were appointed John Rut- ledge, James Wilson, William Gushing, Robert Harrison, and John Blair. During this session of congress, several new articles were proposed to be added to the con- stitution, by way of amendment, and to be sub mitted to the several States for their appro bation. WASHINGTON'S ADMINISTRATION. 263 After a long and animated discussion of the subject, twelve new articles were agreed upon, which, when submitted to the respective State legislatures, were approved by three-fourths of them, and were thus added to the constitution. Congress adjourned on the 29th of Septem- ber. It was among their concluding acts, to direct the secretary of the treasury to prepare a plan for adequately providing for the support of the public credit, and to report the same at their next meeting. Section III. During the recess of congress, Washington made a tour into New-England. Passing through Connecticut and Massachu- setts, and into New-Hampshire, as far as Ports- mouth, he returned by a different route to New- York. With this excursion, the president had much reason to be gra- tified. To observe the progress of society, the improvements in agriculture, commerce, and manufactures, and the temper, circumstances, and dispositions of the people — while it could not fail to please an intelligent and benevolent mind, was, in all respects, worthy of the chief magistrate of the nation. He was every where received with expressions of the purest affection, and could not fail to rejoice in the virtue, religion, happiness, and prosperity of the people, at the head of whose government ne was placed. Section IV. The second session of the first congress commenced, January 8th, 1790. In obedience to the resolution of the former con- gress, the secretary of the treasury, Mr. Hamil- ton, made his report on the subject of main- taining the public credit. In this report, he strongly recommended to eongress, as the only mode, in his opinion, in which the public credit would be supported : 1. That provision be made for the full dlsh 264 PERIOD VII.-.iy89....l797. charge of the foreign debt, according to the precise terms of the contract. 2. That provision be made for the payment of the domestick debt, in a similar manner. 3 That the debts of the several States, created for the purpose of carrying on the war, be assumed by the general government. The proposal for making adequate provision for the foreign debt was met, cordially and una- nimously; but, respecting the full discharge of the domestic debt, and the assumption of the State debts, much division prevailed in con- gress. After a spirited and protracted debate on these subjects, the recommendation of the secretary prevailed, and bills conformable thereto passed, by a small majority. The division of sentiment among the members of congiess, in relation to the full, or only a partial payment of the domestick debt, arose from this. A considerable proportion of the origin- al holders of publick securities had found it necessary to sell them, at a reduced price — even as low as tv/o or three shillings on the pound. These securities had been purchased by specu- lators, with the expectation of ultimately receiving the full amount. Under these circumstances, it was contended by some, that congress would perform their duty, should they pay to all holders of publick securities only the reduced market price. Others advocated a discrimination between the present holders of securities, and those to whom the debt v/as originally due, &c. &c. In his report, Mr. Hamilton ably examined these several points, and strongly maintained the justice of paying to all holders of securities, without discrimination, the full value ot what appeared on the face of their certificates. This he con- tended, justice demanded, and for this, the publick faith was pledged. By the opposers of the bill, which i elated to the assumption (tf the State debts, the constitutional authority of the federsO government for this purpose was questioned ; and the policy and justice of the measure controverted. To cancel the several debts which congress ilius undertook to discharge, the proceeds ol WASHINGTON'S ADMINISTRATION. 260 publick lands, lying in the western territory, were directed to be applied, together with the surplus revenue, and a loan of two millions of dollars, which the president was authorized to borrow, at an interest of five per cent. This measure laid the foundation of publick credit upon such a basis, that government paper soon rose from two shillings and six pence to twenty shillings on the pound, and, indt , for a short time, was above par. Individuals, who had purchased certificates of public debt low, realized immense fortunes. A general spring was given to the affairs of the nation. A spirit of enterprise, of agriculture, and commerce, universally prevailed, and the foundation was thus laid for that unrivalled prosperity which the United States, in subsequent years, enjoyed. Section V. During this session of congress, a bill was passed, fixing the seat of government for ten years at Phifedelphia, and, from and after that time, permanently at Washington, on the Potomac. Section VI. On the 4th of March, 1791, Ver- mont, by consent of congress, became one of the United States. The tract of country, wliich is now known by the name of Vermont, was settled at a much later period, than any other of the eastern states. The governments of New-York and Massa- chusetts made large grants of territory in the direction of Ver- mont ; but it was not until 172^, that any actual possession was taken of land, withtn the present boundaries o' 'ie State. In that year, Fort Durance was built, by the officers of Massachu setts, on Connecticut river. On the other side of the state, thp French advanced up lake Champlain, and, in 1731, built Crown Point, and began a settlement on the eastern shore ot the lake. Vermont being siipposed to fall within the limits of New Hampshire, that government made large grants of land to sett- lers, even west of Connecticut river. New- York, however, con- 23 3^ TERIOD VII»m1T89....1797. caved herself to have a better right to the territory, in conse- quence of the grant of Charles II. to his brother the duke of York. These states being thus at issue, the case was submitted to the English crown, which decided in favour of New- York, and confirmed its jurisdiction, as far as Connecticut river. In this decision New Hampshire acquiesced ; but New-York per- sisting in its claims to land east of the river, actions of eject- ment were instituted in the courts at Albany, which resulted in favour of the New-York title. The settlers, however, deter- mined to resist the officers of justice, and under Ethan Allen, associated together to oppose the New-York militia, which were called out to enforce the laws. On the commencement of the revolution, the people of Ver- mont were placed in an embarrassing situation. They had no» even a form of government. The jurisdiction of New- York being disclaimed, and allegiance to the British crown refused, every thing was effected by voluntary agreement. In January, 1777, a convention met and proclaimed that the district before known by the name of the New Hampshire grants, was of right a free and independent jurisdiction, and should be henceforth called New Connecticut, alias Vermont. The convention pro- ceeded to make known their proceedings to congress, and peti- tioned to be admitted into the confederacy. To this, New- York objected, and for a time, prevailed. Other difficulties arose with New Hampshire and Massachusetts, each of which laid claim to land within the present boundaries of the state. At the peace of 1783, Vermont found herself a sovereign and inde- pendent state de facto, united with no confederation and there- fore unembarrassed by the debts that weighed down the other states. New- York still claimed jurisdiction over the state, but was unable to enforce it, and the state government was admin- istered as regularly as in any of the other states. After the formation of the federal constitution, Vermont again requested admission into the Union. The opposition of New- York was still strong, but in 1789 was finally withdrawn, upon the con- sent of Vermont to pay her the sum of thirty thousand dollars. Thus terminated a controversy which had been carried on with animosity, and with injury to both parties, for twenty-six years. A convention vvas immediately called, by which it was resolved to join the federal union. Upon application to congress, their consent was readily given, and on the 4th of March, 1791, Ver- mont was added to the United States. Section VII. At the time that congress as- sumed the State debts, during their second ses- sion, the secretary of the treasury had recom- WASHINGTON'S ADMINISTRATION. 267 mended a tax on domestick spirits, to enable them to pay the interest. The discussion of the bill having been postponed to the third session, was early in that session taken up. The tax, contemplated by the bill, was opposed with great vehemence, by a majority of southern and western members, on the ground that it was un- necessary and unequal, and would be particu- larly burdensome upon those parts of the Union, which could not, without very great expense, procure foreign ardent spirits. Instead of this tax, these members proposed an increased duty on imported articles generally, a particular duty on molasses, a direct tax, or a tax on salaries, &c. &c. After giving rise to an angry and protracted debate, the bill passed, by a majority of thirty-five to twenty-one. Section VIII. The secretary next appeared with a recommendation for a national bank. A bill, conforming to his plan, being sent down from the senate, was permitted to progress, un- molested, in the house of representatives, to the third reading. On the final reading, an unex- pected opposition appeared against it, on the ground that banking systems were useless, that the proposed bill was defective, but, especially, tliat congress was not vested, by the constitu- tion, with the competent power to establish a national bank. These several objections were met by the supporters of the bill, with much strength ol argument. After a debate of great length, sup- ported with the ardour excited by the import- ance of the subject, the bill was carried in the affirmative, by a majority of nineteen voices. 268 ERIOD V....1789....1797. A bill which had been agitated w hh so much warmth, in the house of reprt^sentatives, the executive was now called upon to examine with reference to its sanction or i ejection. The pre- sident required the opinions of the cabinet in writing. The se- cretary of state, Mr. Jefferson, and the attorney general, Mr. Randolph, considered the bill as decidedly unconstitutional. The secretary of the treasury, Mr. Hamilton, with equal deci sion, mauitained the opposite opinion. A deliberate investiga tion of the subject satisfied the president, both of the constitu tit)nality and utility of the bill, upon which he gave it his signa tare. Th'* bill which had now passed, with those relating to the fi nances of the country, the assumption of the state debts, the funding of the national debt, &c. north-western frontier iif the States. Pat-ifick arrangements had been at- tempted by the president with the hostile tribes, without effect. On the failure of these, an of- fensive expedition was planned against the tribes, northwest of the Ohio. The command of the troops, consisiiug of three hundred regulars, and about on(^ thousand two hundred Pennsylvania and Kentucky mi- litia, was given to Gen. Harmar, a veteran officer of the revolution. His instructions re- quired him, if possible, lo bring the Indians to an engagement ; but, in any event, to destroy their settlements, on the waters of the Scioto, a river falling into the Ohio, and the Wabash, in the Indiana territory. In this expedition, Harmar succeeded in destroying some villages, and a quantity of grain, belonging to the In dians ; but in an engagement with them, near WASHINGTON'S ADMINISTRATION. 2^9 Chilicothe, he was routed with considerable loss. Upon the failure of Gen. Harmar, Major-Ge- neral Arthur St. Clair was appointed to succeed him. Under the authority of an act of congress, the president caused a body of levies to be rais- ed for six months, for the Indian service. Section X. Having arranged the northwest- ern expedition, directing St. Clair to destroy the Indian villages, on the Miami, and to drive the savages from the Ohio, the president com- menced a tour through the southern States, simi- lar to that which he had made through the northern and central parts of the union, in 1789. The same ex[)ressions of respect and atfection awaited him, ir every stage of his tour, which had been so zealously accorded tc him in tlie north. Here, also, he enjoyed the high satisfaction of witnessing the most happy effects, resulting from the admi- nistration of that government over which he presided. Section XI. On the 24th of October, 1791, the second congress commenced its first session. Among the subjects that early engaged their attention, was a bill " for apportioning represen- tatives among the people of the several States, according to the first census." After much dis- cussion, concerning the ratio that should be adopted, between representation and population, congress finally fixed it at one representative to each State, for every thirty-three thousand in- habitants. The first bill fixed the ratio at one representative for evei-y thirty thousand inhabitants ; but to this bill the senate would not agree. A second bill was introduced, providing one repre- sentative for every thirty thousand, and dividing eight repre- sentatives among those States which had the greatest fractions. This bill the president returned to the house, whence it ori^nat- ed, as unconstitutional, as by it, eight States would send more representatives than their population allowed. Section XTI. In December, intelligence was 23* 270 PERIOD VI1....1789....1797. received by the president, that the army under Gen. St. Clair, in battle with the Indians, near the Miami, in Ohio, had been totally defeated on the 4th of the preceding month. The array of St. Clair amounted to near one thousand hve hundred men. The Indian force consisted of nearly the same number. Of the loss of the Indians, no estimate could be form- ed ; but the loss of the Americans was unusually severe ; thirty- eight commissioned officers were killed in the field, and five hundred and ninety-three non-commissioned officers and privates were slain and missing. Between two and three hundred offi- cers and privates were wounded, many of whom afterwards died. This result of the expedition was as unexpected, as un- fortunate ; but no want either of ability, zeal or intrepidity, was ascribed, by a committee of congress, appointed to examine the causes of its failure, to the commander of the expedition. Section XIII. Upon the news of St. Clair's defeat, a bill was introduced into congress for raising three additional regiments of infantry, and a squadron of cavalry, to serve for three years, if not sooner discharged. This bill, al- though finally carried, met with an opposition more warm and pointed, from the opposers of the administration, than any which had before been agitated in the house. By those who opposed the bill, it was urged that the war with the Indians was unjust ; that militia would answer as well, and even belter than regular troops, and would be less expensive to support ; that adequate funds could not be provided ; and more than all, that this addition of one regiment to the army after ano- ther gave fearful intimation of monarchical designs, on the part of those who administered the government. On the other hand, the advocates of the bill contended, that the war was a war of self defence ; that between the years 1783 and 1790, not less than one thousand five hundred inhabitants of Kentuck}-, or emigrants to that country, and probably double that number, had been massacred by the Indians ; and that re- peated efforts had been made by the government to obtain a peace, notwithstanding which, the butcheries of the savages still continued in their most appalling forms. Section XIV. On the 8th of May, 1792, con- gress adjourned to the first Monday in Novem WASHINGTON'S ADMINISTRATION. 271 ber. The asperity which, on more than one occasion, had discovered itself in the course of debate, was a certain index of the growing ex- asperation of parties. With their adjournment, the conflicting feelings of members in a measure subsided; the opposition, however, to the admi- nistration, had become fixed. It was carried into retirement — was infused by members into their constituents, and a party was thus formed throughout the nation, hostile to the plans of government adopted by Washington, and his friends in the cabinet. Section XV. On the first of June, 1792, Ken- tucky, by act of congress, was admitted into the Union as a State. The country, now called Kentucky, was well known to the Indian traders, many years before its settlement. By whom it was first explored, is a matter of uncertainty, and has given rise to controversy. In 1752, a map was published by Lewis Evans, of the country on thf Ohio and Kentucky rivers; and it seems that one James ]Mac!ir"de, with others, visited this re- gion in 1754. No further attempt was made to explore the country until 1767, when John Finley of North Carolina, tra- velled over the ground on the Kentucky river, called by the In- dians, " the dark and bloody ground." On returning to Caro- lina, Finley communicated his discoveries to Col. Daniel Boone, who in 1769, with some others, undertook to explore the coun- try. After a long and fatiguing march, they discovered the beautiful valley of Kentucky. Col. Boone continued an inhabit ant of this wilderness until 1771, when he returned to his fa- mily for the purpose of removing them, and forming a settlement in the new country. In 1773, having made the necessary pre- parations, he set out again with five families and forty men, from Powell's Valley, and after various impediments, reached the Kentucky river, in March 1775, where he commenced a settle- ment. In the years, 1778, 1779, and 1780, a considerable number of persons emigrated to Kentucky ; yet, in this latter year, after an unusually severe winter, the inhabitants were so distressed that they came the determination of abandoning the country for ever. They were fortunately diverted from this step, by the ar- rival of emigrants. During the revolutionary war they suffered 272 PERIOD VII....1789....I797. severely from the Indians, incited by the British government. Ill 1778, Gen. Clarke overcame the Indians, and laid waste their villages. From this time the inhabitants began to feel more secure, and the settlements were ex uded. In 1779, the legislature of Virginia, within whose limits 'his region lay, erect- ed it into a county. In 1782, a supreme ourt, with an attor- ney-general, was established within the district. In the years 1783, 1784, and 1785, the district was laid out into counties, •and a great part of the country' surveyed and patented. In 1785, an attempt was made to form an independent State ; but a ma- jority of the inhabitants being opposed to the measure, it was delayed until December, 1790, when it became a separate state. In 1792, as stated above, it was admitted into the Union. The growth of Kentucky has been rapid, and she has obtained a respectable rank and influence among her sister States. Section XVI. During the recess of congress, preparations were hastened by the president, tor a vigorous prosecution of the war with the Indians ; but such small inducements were pre- sented to engage in the service, that a sufficient number of recruits could not be raised to autho- rize an expedition against them the present year. As the clamour against the war, by the opposers of the adminibtmtion, was still loud, the presidejitdeerned it advisable, while prepa- rations for hostilities were advancing, to make another effort at negotiation, with the un- friendly Indians. The charge of this business was committed to Col. Harden and Maj. Free- man, two brave officers, and valuable men, who were murdeied by the savages. Section XVII. On the opening of the next congress, in November, a motion was made to reduce the military establishment, but it did not prevail. The debate on this subject was pecu- liarly earnest, and the danger of standing ar- mies was powerfully urged. This motion, de signed as a reflection upon the executive, was followed by several resolutions, introduced by WASHINGTON'S ADMINISTRATION. 27$ Mr. Giles, tending to criminate the secretary of the treasury, Mr. Hamilton, of misconduct, in re- lation to certain loans, negotiated under \\\s di* reciion. In three distinct reports, sent to the house, the secretary oliered every required explanation, and ably defended himself against the attacks of tlie opposition. Mr. Giles, and some others, however, were not satistied : other resolutions were, therefore, ottered, which, although re- jected, were designeu to fix upon the secretary the reputation of an ambitious man, aiming at the acquisition of dangerous power. During thesc- discussions, vehement attacks were made upon the secreta'^, in the publick prints. Hints also were suggested agaidist tne president himself; and although he was not openly atcuNed of being the head of the lederal party, of favouring their cairse, or designing to subvert the liberties of his country, yet it was apparent that such suspicions were entertained of him. On the 3d of March. 1793, a constitutional prriod was put to the existence of this congress. Tlie members separated with obvious symptoms of irritation ; and it was not to be doubted that their eftbrts wouhl be exerted to communicate to their ctmstituents the feelings which agitated their bosoms. Section XV III. The time had now arrived, 1 ^93, when the electors of the fc^tates were again called upon to choose a chief magistrate of the Union. Washington had determined to with- hold himself from being again elected to the presidency, and to retire from the cares of poli- tical life. Various considerations, however, prevented the declaration of his wishes, and he was again unanimously elected to the chair of State. Mr. Adams was re-elected vice-pre- sident; 274 PERIOD VII....1789....1797. Section XIX. Through the unceasing endea vours of the president to terminate the Indian war, a treaty had been negotiated with the In- dians, on the Wabash ; and through the inter- vention of the Six Nations, those of the Miamis had consented to a conference during the ensuing spring. Offensive operations were, therefore, suspended, although the recruiting service was industriously urged, and assiduous attention was paid to the discipline and prepa ration of the troops. section XX. The Indian war, though of real importance, was becoming an object of second- ary consideration. The revolution in France was now progressing, and began so to affect our relation with that country, as to require an ex- ertion of all the wisdom and firmness of the go- vernment. Early in April, also, information was received of the declaration of war by France, against England and Holland. This event excited the deepest interest in the United States. A large majority of the people, grateful for the aid that France had given us in our revolution, and devoted to the cause of li- berty, were united in fervent wishes for the suc- cess of the French republick.* At the same ♦The revolution in France commenced about the year 1789. It seems to have been hastened, or brought on, by the new ideas of freedom, which had been imbibed by the French army in the United States, and thence disseminated among the people of France, for a long time ©ppressed and degraded by a despotick government. Unfortunately, the revolution fell into the hands of selfish and unprincipled men, who, in 1793, executed their king, Louis XVI. and, soon after, his family, and murdered or impri- Eoned those who were suspected of hostility to their views, and involved France in a scene of guilt and bloodshed, which cannot be contemplated without horrour. In the first stages of this revolution, the friends of li« berty throughout the world were full of hopes for a melioration of the po» liticai condition of France ; but these hopes were soon blasted by the san- (Hinary steps adopted by the revolutionista. Had they been men govera WASHINGTON'S ADMINISTRATION. 275 time, the prejudices against Great Britain, which had taken deep root during the revolution, now sprung forth afresh, and the voice of many was Heard, urging the propriety of the United States making a common cause with France against Great Britain. A pressing occurrence had called Washing- ton to Mount Vernon, when intelligence arrived of the rupture between France and England. Hastening his return to Philadelphia, he sum- moned the attention of his cabinet to several •questions respecting the course of conduct, pro- per for the United States to observe in relation to the belligerents. Although sensible of the prejudices existing in the country against Great Britain, and of the friendly disposition which prevailed towards France, it was the unanimous opinion of the cabinet, that a strict neutrality should be ob- served by the United States towards the con- tending powers. The council was also unani- mous that a minister from the French Repub- lick should be received, should one be sent. In accordance with the advice of his cabinet, the president issued his proclamation of neu- trality, on the 22d of April, 1 793. This pro- olamation, being without legislative sanction, soon became the subject of loud invective. The opposition party, through the press, pronounced it " a royal edict," an assumption of power on the part of the president, and a proof of his mo- narchical disposition. They denounced the con- ed by reason and religion, instead of unbridled ambition ; actuated bj a philanthropick regard to the good of the people, instead of a selfish thirst of power : France to tliis day might have enjoyed the blessings of a free government C76 PERIOD VII,...1789....1797. duct of the executive as dishonourable, and an act of neutrality, as high ingratitude towards France, the firm and magnanimous ally of the United States, which had assisted in achieving the liberties of the country. Section XXI. In this state of things, the Re- publick of France recalled the minister of the crown, and appointed Mr. Genet to succeed him. His mission had for its object the enlist- ing of America in the cause of France, against Great Britain. Flattered by the manner in which he was received by the people, as well as by their professions of attachment to his coun- try, Mr. Genet early anticipated the accomplish- ment of his object. — Presuming too much upon this attachment, he was led into a series of acts infringing the neutrality proclaimed by the pre- sident. He also attempted to rouse the people against the government, because it did not se- cond all his views. At length, on the advice oi his cabinet, the president solicited of the Prench Republick the recall of Mr. Genet, and the appointment of some one to succeed him. Monsieur Fauchet was appointed, and was in- structed to assure the American government, that France totally disapproved of the conduct of his predecessor. Mr. Genet, on his arrival in the country, landed at Charles- ton S. C. He was received by the governour of that State, and by the citizens, with a flow of enthusiastick feeling, equalled on.y by that which had been evinced towards his nation at the con- quest of Yorktown. Soon after landing at Charleston, he began to authorize the fitting and arming of vessels, in that port, enlisting men, and giving commissions to cruise and commit hostilities against na- lions, with which the United States were at peace. Vessels cap ■ lured by these cruisers were brought into port, and the consuls of France, under the authority of Genet, not yet recognized as '\ minister by the American government, assumed the power t'l ^■. Mr. Dtmstan saving his family, p. 90. French and Indian War. p. 116. WASHINGTON'S ADMINISTRATION. 277« holding courts of admiralty on them, of trying and condemning them, and of authorizing their sale. Upon a complaint of the Bri- tish minister, Mr. Hammond, the American cabinet unanimously condemned those proceedings, and agreed that the dBcacy of the laws should be tried against those citizens, who had been con- cerned in them. Prosecutions were accordingly ordered and ac- tually commenced. The decisions and conduct of the cabinet gave great umbrage to Genet, who had now been accredited as the minister ol France. In his communications to the secretary of state, his dissatisfaction was expressed in strong ternis, and the executive charged with holding opinions, and adopting a course diametri- cally opposed to the views and wishes of the American joeople. In language highly offensive and reprehensible, he demanded that those persons under arrest, by order of the government ol the United States, should be released, " on the ground that they were acting under the authority of France, and defending the glorious cause of liberty in ct.mraon with her children.'- And at length, he incautiously avowed the purpose, shoidd his de- mands nol»be complied with, of appealing; from the president to the people. The language and conduct of Genet made a deep impression on the officers of the administration ; but happily, they preserv- ed, in all their communications with that gentleman, a becoming dignity, and continued to express a^high respe^fhd affection for his nation, and an earnest desn-e to promote ^interests. On the meeting of congress, December, 1793, the proclama- tion of neutrality was approved by them, as well as the conduct of the government towards Mr. Genet. Finding on most questicms, arising between the French minish ter and l^e. government of the I ■ nited States, a wide and an in- creasing difference of views, and perceiving no beneficial effects resulting from his continuance in that character, the cabinet unanimously advised his recall. Section XXII. 1 794. On the last day of De- cember, 1793, Mr. Jefferson, the secretary of state, resigned his office, and was succeeded by Edmund Randolph, the then attorney-gene- ral. This latter office was filled by William Bradford, a gentleman of considerable emi- nence in Pennsylvania. Sectwn XXIII. During the session of con- gress this year, a resolution passed to provide a 24 278 PERIOD Vn....l789....1797. naval force adequate to the protection of the commerce of the United States, against the Al- gerine corsairs. The force proposed was to consist of six frigates, four of forty-four, and two of thirty-six guns. This measure was founded upon the communications of the presidenlljirom which it appeared that the prospect of being able to negotiate a treaty of peace with the dey of Algiers was doubtful ; that eleven American merchant vessels, and upwards of one hundred citizens had been captured by them ; and that further preparations were making for a renewed attack upon un- protected vessels, belonging to the United Slates. SectionXiilW. During this session of congress, a law passed, prohibiting the carrying on of the slave trade from the American ports. England had been actively engaged in the Auve trade nearly fifty years, when the first settlement was effected in Virginia. Slavery was early introduced into the American colonies. The first slaves, about twenty in number, were brought to Virginia, in 1619, by a Dutch ship. The importation of them gradually increased, and although principally bought by the southern planters, slaves were soon found, in great numbers, in all the colonies. In lll^L they amounted to six hundred thousand. In 1790, to six huflffed and ninety-seven thousand six hundred and ninety-six. A disgust towards this inhuman traffick appeared very early in the colonies ; but it was countenanced and patronized by the English government, and thus introduced into, and fiastened upon the country, without the power, on the part of the colonies, to arrest it. In Massachusetts, in 1645, a law was made, " prohibiting the buying and selling of slaves, except those taken in lawful war, or reduced to servitude by their crimes." In 1703, the same colony imposed a heavy duty on every negro imported, and in a subsequent law on the subject, they called the practice, " the unnatural and unaccountable custom of enslaving man- kind." In Virginia, as early as 1699, attempts were made to repress the importation of slaves, by heavy duties. These, and Other acts, show that the North American provinces would, if left to themselves, have put an end to the importation of slaves before the era of their independence. In 1778, Virginia abolished the traflSck by law ; Connecticut, Rhode-Island, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts prohibited it before the year 1789. The continental congress passed a reso- WASHINGTON'S ADMINISTRATION. 279 ludon against the purchase of slaves, imported t'roih- Africa, and exhoiK^d the coloni»>s to abandon the trade altogether. The third congress of the United States, as stated above, prohibited the trade, by law. Thus we see, in the United States, a very earlv and settled aversion to the slave trade manifesting itself, and before European nations had consenjted to relinquish it, several of the States had utterly prolnbited it. Section XXV. At this session, also, several measures were adopted in anticipation of a war with Great Britain, growing out of her commer- cial restriction, wuich bore heavy, and operated most unjustly upon the U. States. Bills were passed for laying an embargo for thirty days — for erecting fortifications — for organizing the militia, and increasing the standing army. As an adjustment of differences, however, seemed desirable, Mr. Jay was appointed envoy extraor- dinary to the court of St. James, and succeeded in negotiating a treaty with Great Britain the following year. Among the offensive acts of the government of Great Britam, was an order of June, 1793, prohibiting the exportation of corn to France, and authorizing the capture of neutral vessels car- rying it thither. Under this order, many American vessels wer*' captured, and carried into England. In ^overnbe^ fol- lowing, additional instructions were given by the British cabmet, to ships of war, a«d privateers, to bring into port, for trial, all ships laden with goods from France, or her colonies, and such as were carrying provisions, or oth. ' supplies, to either. To these causes of comp!ai*it, Great Britaui had added ani)ther, viz. neglecting to delivei up the western posts accord ing to treaty. While measures were taking, in anticipation of war, the pre^ sident received advices from England, that the order of Novem- ber had bepn considerably modified ; that most of the merchant vessels, which had been carried into port for trial, would be re- leased : and that a dispositien for peace with the United States existed in the British cabinet. These advices opened to the president a prospect of restoring a good understanding between the two nations, and induced him immediately to nominate an envoy to settle existing diffeiences^ 280 PERIOD V....1789....1797. and to negotiate commt^rciai rraiigements. The nomination of Mr. Jay was approved, i:i the .senate, by a majority <»t' ten. To those <>ppc)sed to the adminisiration, no Mep could have been more unexpected, or disagrnable, than this decisive mea- sure of the president. Prejudices against Great britain had risen to their height, and hostilities against her were loudly de- manded, as both just and necessary. It was not singular, th re- fore, that for this act, the president should receive the severest censures of tiie opposition party, nor that all who favoured his efforts for peace should be included in the general denunciation. Section XXVI. The suspension of hostilities against the Indians in the northwest, in conse- quence of their consenting to a conference in the spring of 1794, has already been noticed This effort to conclude a treaty with them fail- ing. Gen. Wnyne, who had succeeded Gen. St, Clair, engaged the Indians, August 20th, 1794, on the banks ef the Miami, and gained a com- plete victory over them. The American troops engaged in this battle did not exceed nine hundred ; the Indians amounted to two thousand. In this decisive engagement, Gen Wayne lost one hundred and seven in killed and wounded, inciuiing officers. After the battle lie proceeded to lay waste the whole Indian country. By nie-ins of this victory over tl»e Mian i is. a general war with the Six Na- tions, and all the tiibes nortl.west of the Oi.io, was prevent:*d. Section XXVII. This year, 1794, was dis- tinguished by an insurrection in Pennsylvania, growing out of laws enacted by congress, in 1791, laying duties on spirits distilled within the United States, and upon stills. In August, the president issued his proclamation, commanding the insurgents to disperse. This not having the desired effect, a respectable body of militia was ordered out, under Gov. Lee, of Mary land, on whose approach the insurgents laid down their arms, solicited the clemency of the govern- ment, and promised future submission to the laws. . From the time that duties were laid upon spirits distilled with WASHINGTON'S ADMINISTRATION. 281 in the United States, &c. combinations were formed, in the four western counties of Pennsylvania, to prevent their collection Numerous meetings were held at different times and places, at which resolutions were passed, and, in several instances, violences were committed upon the officers of the revenue. Eighteen of the insurgents were taken, and tried for treason, but not con- victed. Section XXVIII. 1795. January 1st, Col. Hamilton resigned the office of secretary of the treasury, and was succeeded by Oliver Wolcott, of Connecticut. Nearly at the same time, Ti- mothy Pickering succeeded Gen. Knox, in the department of war. 'section XXIX. In June, Mr. Jay, having succeeded in negotiating a treaty with Great Britain, the senate was convened to consider its merits. After an elaborate discussion of it, that body advised to its ratification by a majority of twenty to ten. Notwithstanding the great op- position to it that prevailed among the enemies of Great Britain, the president gave it his sig- nature. (Contrary to the predictions of many in the country, the treaty settled existing difficul- ties between the two nations, prevented a war, which previously seemed fast approaching, and proved of great advantage to the United States. The treaty, when published, found one party prepared for its condemnation, while the other was not ready for its defence. Time was necessary for a judicious and careful consideration of its merits. In the populous cities, meetings were immediately called, and resolutions and addresses forwarded to the president, requesting him to withhold his assent. Upon the president, however, these had no other effect, than to induce him to weigh still more care- fully the merits of the treaty. When, at length, he was satisfied of its utility, he signed it, although he thereby incurred the cen- sures of a numerous portion of the citizens. Section XXX. In the course of the following autumn, treaties were concluded with the dey of Algiers, and with the Miamia in the west. 24* 382 PERIOD VII....1789....1797. By the former treaty, American citizens, w cap - tivity in Algiers, were liberated, and by tlie lat- ter, the western frontiers of the United States were secured from savage invasion. A treaty with Spain soon after followed, by which the claims of the United States, on the important points of boundary, and the navigation of the Mississippi, were fully conceded. Section XXXI. On the 1st of June, 1796, Tennessee was admitted, by act of congress, into the Union as a State. Tennessee derives its name from its principal river. Tliis name, in the language of the Indians, signifies a curved spoon, the curvature, to their imaginations, resembling that of the river Tennessee. The territory of Tennessee was granted in 1664, by Charles II. to the earl of Clarendon, and others, being included in the limits of the Carolinas. About the beginning of the next cen- tury, Carolina was divided into two provinces, and Tennessee fell to the lot of the northern province. Near the year 1754, fifty families were settled on the Cumberland river, where Nash- ville now stands ; but they were dislodged by the savages soon after. In 1765, a number of emigrants settled themselves be- yond the present limits of North Carolina, and were the first of the colonists of Tennessee. By the year 1773, the inhabitants had considerably increased. When the constitution of North Carolina was formed, in 1776, that district sent deputies to ihe meeting. In the year 1780, a small colonj' of about forty fami- lies, under the direction of James Robertson, crossed the moun- tains, and sett'.pd on f'.ie Cumberland river, where they founded Nashville. In 1785, the inhabitants of Tennessee, feeling the inconveniencies of a government so remote as that in the capital of North Carolina, endeavoured to form an independent one, to which they intended to give the name of the " State of Frank- lin ;" but differing among themselves, the scheme for the time was abandoned. In 1789, the legislature of North Carolina passed an act, ceding the territory, on certain conditions, to the United States. Congress, in the following year, accepted the cession, and by another act, passed on the 26th of May, 1790, provided for its government under the title of " The territory of the United States, south of the Ohio." In 1796, Congress passed an act enaoilng the people to form a state constitution, WASHINGTON'S ADMINISTRATION. 28f which having been adopted and approved, Tennessee was ac- knowledged as a sovH! Pign state in the union. Section XXXIl. On the meeting of congress in 1796, resolutions were passed to carry into effect the treaties negotiated the preceding year. On the subject of the treaty with Great Britain, the liveliest sensibility still prevailed. After a spirited and protracted debate of seven weeks, on the subject of making the necessary arrange- ments for this treaty, resolutions to that effect passed the house by a majority of only three. Section XXXIII. As the time for a new election of the chief magistrate of the Union approached, Gen. Washington signified his in- tention to retire from publick life. Wishing to terminate his political course with an act suit- able to his own character, and permanently useful to his countrymen, he published a vale- dictory address to the people of the United States, fraught with maxims of the highest po- litical importance, and with sentiments of the warmest affection for his country. In February, 1 797, the votes for his successor were opened, and counted in the presence of both houses of congress. The highest number appearing in favour of Mr. Adams, he was de- clared to be elected president of the United States, for the four years ensuing, commencing on the 4th of March. Mr. Jefferson succeeded Mr. Adams in the vice-presidency. Section XXXIV. Jliaiflteti^* We can re- mark, during this period, no very distinct 284 PERIOD VII....1789....1797 change in the manners of the people of the United States, except that the introduction oi French philosophy seems to hava affected, in some degree, the sober habits and strict mora- lity of the people, which, although relaxed by the war, had now begun to resume their in fluence. Section XXXV. MtU^VnX^ At the close of the preceding period, we observed that reli- gion had revived, in a degree, from the injuries it suffered during the revolutionary war; and we might have expected, that under the auspi- ces of a wise and settled government, conducted by a practical christian, like Washington, it would have acquired a still more commanding influence. Such, however, was not the fact. As the people of the United States heartily espoused the cause of the revolution in France, and sympathized with that people, in their strug- gle for freedom, it was but too natural, that the sentiments of the revolutionists, on other than political subjects, should be imbibed. As the French revolutionists were almost universally deists, or atheists, these sentiments were exten- sively spread over the United States. For a time, the boldness of the enterprises. th 292 PERIOD VIII....l797....i801. 1800, soon after which, the provisional army in America was, by order of congress, disbaiide(i> Section VI. On the 14th of December, 1799, Gen. Washington expired at his seat, at Mount Vernon, in Virginia, leaving a nation to mourn his loss, and to embalm his memory with their tears. ITie disease, of which Gen. Washington died, was an inflam matory affection of the windpipe, occasioned by an exposure to a light rain, while attending, the day before, to some improve* ments on his estate. The disease at its commencement was violent, and medical skill was applied in vain. Respiration became more and more contracted and imperfect, until half past eleven o'clock on Sa- turday night, when retaining the full poss.-ssion of his intellect, he expired without a groan. Believing at the commencement of his complaint, that its con« elusion would be mortal, he ecoiiomiz.ed his time in arran^ring, with the utmost serenity, those few concerns which required hig attention. To his physician, he expressed his conviction that he was dying ; " but/' said he, " T am not afraid to die." On Wednesday, the l8th of December, his body was deposit ed in the family vault, attended with miUtary honours, and suit- able religious services. On the arrival of the news of his death at Philadelphia, Mon- day, congress immediately adjourned. On the day succeeding, resolutions were adopted expressive ofthe grief of the members, and a committee was appointc-d to devise a mode by which the national feelings should be expressed. On the melancholy occasion, the senate addressed to the pre- sident, a letter, in which the} say ; " Permit us, sir, to laingle ouf tears with yours. On tins occasion il is manly to weep. To lose such a man, at such a crisis, is no conuuon calamity to the world. Our country mourns a father. The Almighty dis- sposer of events has taken from us our greatest benefactoj* and ornament. It becomes us to submit with reverence to Him who maketh darkness his pavilion. *' With pairiotick pride we review the life of Washington, and compare him with those of other coimtries who have been pre- eminent in favour. Ancient and modern names are diminished before him. Greatness and {juilt have too often been allied ; but his fame is whiter than it is brilliant. The destroyers of nations stood abashed at the majesty oUiis virtues. Tt repror ADAMS* ADMINISTRATION. 2^1 ed the intemperance of their ambition, and darkened the spkn* dour of victory. " The scene is closed ; and we are no longer anxious lest misfortune should sully his glory. He has travelled on to the end of his journey, and carried with him an increasing weight of honour. He has deposited it safely where misfortune cannot larnish it ; where malice cannot blast it. Favoured of heaven, he departed without exhibiting the weakness o^ imanity ; mag- nanimous in death, the darkness of the graw ould not obscure his brightness." The committee, appointed to devise s^me mod*^^ by which to ex- press the national feelings, recommen<' that a marble monument be erected by the United States, at tt.,^.*, ty of Washington, to com- memorate the great events of Washington's military and politi- cal life ; that a funeral oration be delivered by a member of congress ; that the president be requested to write a letter of condolence to Mrs. Washington ; and that it be recommended to the citizens of the United States, to wear crape on the left arm for thirty' days. These resolutions passed both houses unanimously. The whole nation appeared in mourning. The funeral procession at the city of Washington was grand and solemn, and the elo- quent oration, delivered on the occasion by Gen. Henry Lee, was heard with profound attention, and with deep interest. Throughout the United States, similar marks of affliction were exhibited. Funeral orations were delivered, and the best talents devoted to an expression of grief, at the loss of *' the man, first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his fel- low-citizens." Section VII. In 1800, agreeably to a resolu- tion passed in congress in 1790, the seat of go- vernment was transferred from Philadelphia to the city of Washington, in the District of Co- lumbia. The District of Columbia is a territory of ten miles square. It K about three hundred miles from the sea, at the head of tide water on the Potomac, which runs through it diagonally, near the centre. It was ceded, in 1790, to the United States, by I\Iaryland and Virginia, and it is under the immediate govern- ment of congress. Section VIIT. On the 4th of March, 1801, Mr. Adams' term of office as president would expire. Before the arrival of the time for a 25* 294 PERIOD VIII....1791....1801. new election, it had been pretty certainly pre- dicted that he could not be re-elected. Hia administration, through the whole course of it, had been the subject of much popular clamour, especially by the democratick party. But the measures which most excited the opposition of that party, and which were most successfully employed to destroy the popularity of Mr Adams' administration, and to place the go- vernment in other hands, were several laws passed during his presidency, among which were the " Alien^^ and " Sedition''^ laws. By the " alien laio" the president was authorized to ordei any alien, whom " he should judge dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States, &c. to depart out of the territory, within such time" as he should judge proper, upon penalty oi being " imprisoned for a term not exceeding three years," &c. The design of the " sedition law''' so called, was to punish the abuse of speech, and of the press. It imposed a heavy pe- cuniary fine, and imprisonment for a term of years, upon such as should combine or conspire together to oppose any measure of government ; upon such as should write, print, utter, publish, &c. '' any false, scandalous, and malicious writing against the government of the United States, or either house of the congress of the United States, or the president, &c." These acts, together with others for raising a standing army, and imposing a direct tax and internal duties, with other causes, so increased the opposition to Mr. Adams' administration, as to prevent his re-election, and greatly to weaken the strength of that party to whom he owed his elevation to the presidency. Section IX. The strife of parties, during the term of electioneering, was spirited. On can- vassing the votes of the electors for president, it was found that Mr. Jefferson, and Mr. Burr jiad each seventy-three votes, Mr. Adams sixty- five, and C. C. Pinckney sixty four. As the constitution provided that the person having the ADAMS' ADMINISTRATION. 205 greatest number of votes should be president, and Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Burr having an equal number, it became the duty of the house of re- presentatives, voting by States, to decide be- tween these two Gentlemen. The ballot was taken for several days in suc- cession, February, 1801, before a choice was made. The federalists generally supported Mr. Burr ; the democratick party Mr. Jefterson. At length, after much political heat and party ani- mosity, the choice fell upon the latter, who was declared to be elected president of the United States for four years, commencing March 4th, 1801. Mr. Burr was elected vice-president. Section X. ^UXiXittU* The manners of the people of the United States underwent no marked change during this period. Section XI. l^$it0iOU* Although infideli- ty does not seem to have made much progress in the United States, during this period, it was evident that it had taken deep root in many minds. Infidels, however, were less confident, and less ready to avow their sentiments. They stood abashed before the world, at the fearful cind blood-chilling horrours which their principles had poured out upon France. Their doctrines were, at the same time, powerfully refuted by the ablest men both in Eng- land and America. At length, they ceased to make proselytes, spoke favourably of the Christian religion, generally admitted that it was absolutely necessary to good government ; and er- rour, with regard to religion, assumed a new form. Towards the close of this period, a revival of religion com- menced in New-England, and seems to have been the beginning of that series of revivals which have since overspread the United States. Some sects which had before regarded " revivals of re- too KBIOD yiIL...l797....l801. li^on** with suspicion or aversion, became convinced of thcl utility and began to promote them. Section XII. Eta^Te atiU Commerce* Trade and commerce were still prosperous, and the remarks made in respect to them, under pe- riod VII. apply to them during this period. The exports, in 1801, were ninety-three raHlions, twenty thou- sand five hundred and seventy-three dollars, the imports, one bundled and eleven millions, three hundred and sixty-three thou- sand hve hundred and eleven dollars. Section XIII. ^0T (tttUUjCC* Agriculture still continued to flourish. Section XIV. ^rts auti Munututtuvt^. The g(^neral remarks on the preceding period, relative to this subject, apply, without material alteration to this period. Section XV. ]|0|IUiatfon* The number of inhabitants, at the close of this period, was not far from five millions, five hundred thou- sand. Section XVI. iStTttCatiOW* We have no- thing particular to observe in relation to educa- tion. Publick and private schools, however, were multiplied as the people increased, and as new settlements were made. In 1798, a college was founded at Lexington, Kentucky, call ed the Transylvania University. Middlebury college, in Ver- mont, was founded in 1 800. At the commencement of the 1 Stb century, there was, in New-England but one college completely founded, but now there were six ; in the colonies south of Con- necticut, there was only one, but now there were fifteen or six teen. UNITED STATES. riSTINGUISHED FOR JEFFERSON 's ADMINISTRATION Extefiding from the inauguration of President Jefferson^ 1801, fo the inauguratio7i of James Madison as president of the United States j in 1809. Section I. On the 4th of March, 1801, Mr. Jetfereon agreeably to the constitution, was regu- larly inducted into the office of president of the United States. At the time of his inauguration, Mr. Jefferson delivered an address, expressive of his jjolitical opinions, and tiie principles by which he designed to shape his administration. These were " Equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever state or per- suasion, religious, or political : peace, commerce, and honest friendship, with all nations, entangling alliances with none : — . the support of the State governments in all their rights, as the most competent administrations for our domestick concerns, and the surest bulwarks against anti-republican tendencies : — the preservation ol' the general government in its whole constitu- tional vigour, as the sheet anchor of our peace at home, and safety abroad : — a jealous care of the right of election by the people, a mild and safe corrective of abuses which are lopped by the sword of revolution where peaceable remedies are unpro- vided : — absolute acquiescence in the decisions of the majority, the vital principle of republicks, from which is no appeal but to force, the vital principle and immediate parent of depotisras : — a well disciplined militia, our best reliance in peace, and for the first moments of war, till regulars may relieve them : — the supre- macy of the civil over the military authority : — economy in the publick expense, that labour may be lightly builhened : — the honest payment of our debts, and sacred preservation of the publick faith : — encouragement of agriculture and of commerce as its hand-maid : — the diffusion of information and arraignment 293 PERIOD IX....1801....1800. of all abuses at the oar of publick reason : — freedom of religion^ — freedom of the press: — and freedora of person, under the pro^ lection of the Habeas Corpus , — and trial by juries impartially selected." — " These principles." added Mr. Jefferson, " should be the creed of our political faith ; and should we wander from them in moments of errour or of alarm, let us hasten to retrace our steps, and to regain ''le road which alone leads to peace, li- ■ berty, and safety." Section II. The commencement of Mr. Jef- ferson's administrat;on was marked by a re- moval, from responsible and lucrative oilices, ot a great portio^i of those vt^hose political opinions were opposeri to his own, on the ground that most of the offices at the disposal of the govern- ment, had been exclusively bestowed on the ad herents of the opiJosite party. In a reply to a rerai>nstrance of merchants of New-Haven, against the removal from office of a federal collector of that port, and the appointment of a gentleman of opposite politicks, the president formally assigned this as the reason of the course he adopted. " It would have been to me," said he in that reply, " a cir cumstance of great relief, had I found a moderate participation of office in the hands of the majority, (the democratick party.) I would gladly have left to time and accident to raise them to their just shai'e. But their total exclusion calls for prompter correctives. I thall correct the procedure ; but that done, re- turn with joy to that state of things, when the only question concerning a candidate shall be. Is he honest ? Is he capable ? Is he faithful to the constitution ?" Section III. Congress met on the 8th of De- cember. In his speech at the opening of the session, the president recommended the aboli- tion of the internal taxes — the repeal of the act passed towards, the close of Mr. Adams' admi- nistration, reorganizing the United States courts, and erecting sixteen new judges — and an enlargement of the rights of naturalization. The debates on these several topicks in both houses of congress were extended to great length) and displayed much eloquence, argu- JEFFERSON'S ADMINISTRATION. 299 ment, and warmth. The recommendation of the president, notwithstanding the opposition, prevailed, and bills in accordance therewith were passed. The internal taxes, from the time of their establishment, had been extremely unpopular, with the party, which had elevated Mr. Jefferson to the presidency. It was a favourite measure, therefore, of his, to procure their abolition The national judicial establishment origmally consisted of a supreme court, with six judges, who twice a year made a tour of the United States in three circuits. Under this arrangement, great inconveniences were experienced by the court, the bar, and the suit'-trs. The new arrangement in the judicieil system, and the increase of judges at the close of Mr. Adams' term, had excited, in a large portion of the citizens, the hope of a more prompt and impartial administration of justice. To that portion of the community the repealing act was a painful disap- pointment. Section IV. In 1802, Ohio was admitted by act of congress, as an independent state into the Union. The state of Ohio derived its name from the river Ohio, which sweeps the southeeistern border of the state. Until 1787, it was inhabited only by Indians, a ievf Mora- vians, and trespassers on lands belonging to the publick. By virtue of her charter, the territory was claimed by Virginia, and neld by her, although the original charter of Connecticut, ei- Cending west to the Pacific Ocean, included a great part of it. In 1781, the legislature of Virginia ceded to the United States all her rights to the territory northwest of the river Ohio, excepting some few military tracts. In 1788, the first settlement was begun at Marietta, u^ider General Rufus Put- nam, from New-England. It had been, the year before, erect- ed into one district, including the present territories of Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana. Until 1795, the settlement of Ohio was retarded by constant wars with the Indians. But at that time, a general peace with the different tribes, being effected by General Wayne, under Washington, the population of the territory rapidly increased by emigrations from Europe, and still more from INew-England. Section V. The year 1804 was distinguish- ed for an event, which filled a considerable por- tion of the American people with great grief. SOO PERIOD IX....1S01... 1809. This was the death of Gen. Hamilton, who fell in a duel with Col. Burr, the vice-president of the United States. Section VI. Mr . Jefferson's first term of of- fice ending this year, a new election took place, at which he was re-chosen president, and on the 4th of March again took the oath of office. George Clinton of New- York, was elected vice- president. Section VII. During the year which com- menced the second of Mr. Jefferson's presidency, a war, which had been continued for several years between the United States and Tripoli, was concluded, and a treaty of peace negotiated by Col. Lear, between the two countries, by which the Tripolitan and American prisoners were exchanged, and the sum of sixty thousand dollars given to the pacha. The history of this war deserves a place in these pages. The commerce of the United States had been long annoyed by the Tripolitan cruisers — many merchantmen had been taken, and their crews imprisoned and cruelly treated. As early as 1803, a squadron under Com. PrebJe had been sent to the Mediterranean, to protect the American commerce, and to bring the corsairs to submission. During the same year, Capt. Bainbridge, in the Philadelphia, joined Com. Preble, and in chasing a cruiser into the harbour of Tripoli, grounded his vessel, and he and his crew were taken prisoners. Shortly after the surrender of the Philadelphia, the Tripoli- tans got her afloat, and warped her into the outward harbour In this situation, Lieutenant, afterwards Commodore, Decatur, conceived the bold plan of attempting to set her on fire. He had the day before captured a small xebec, laden with fruit and oil, which was bound to Tripoli ; and having on board the Enterprize, which he commanded, an old pilot, who understood the Tripolitan language, he suggested his plan to Commodore Preble, who approved of it. He would accept of only twenty men, although a much greater number volunteered, and but one officer, Mr. ^lorris, a midshipman. With these men, concealed in the bottom of the xebec, on the approach of night, he sailed for the Philadelphia, taking with him the old pilot. On ap- JEFFERSON'S ADMINISTRATION. SQi - proaclilng the frigate, the xebec was hailed, when the pilot an- ' swered that he had lost his cable and anchor, and begged per- mission to make fast to the frigate, until the morning. This, the crew refused, but said he might make fast to their stem haw- ser, until they sent a boat to the admiral for leave. As the boat put off for the shore, Lieutenant Decatur, with hi« 6rave companions, leaped on board the frigate, and in a feir minutes swept the deck of every Tripolitan. Of fifty, not one reached the shore. The frigate was now set on fire, and while the flames rose, to spread consternation among the Tripolitans, they served to lighten the way for the heroick Decatur and his band to go back in safety to the American squadron. Of the party, not one was killed, and but one wounded. This was ■ seaman who saved the life of his commander. In the first des- perate struggle on board the Philadelphia, Decatur was disarm- ed, and fell. A sabre was already lifted to strike the fatal blow, when this seaman, observing the perilous situation of his officer, reached forward, and received the blow of the sabre on his arm. In consequence of the burning of the Philadelphia, the suffer- ings of Commodore Bainbridge and his crew, as well as those of other Americans in captivity at Tripoli, were greatly increased. The accounts of their sufferings, transmitted to the United States, excited the sympathy of all classes, and a general cry for exertions to effect their deliverance was hccwd from all parts of the union. It happened that some time before this, the then reigning bashaw of Tripoli, Jussuf, third son of the late bashaw, had murdered his father and eldest brother, and proposed to murder the second, in order to possess himself of the throne. But the latter, Hamet Caramelli, made his escape, and Jussuf, without further opposition, usurped the government. Hamet took refuge in Egypt, where he was kindly treated by the beys. Here he was, on the arrival of an accredited agent of the United States, General Eaton, who revived his almost ex- piring hopes of regaining his rightful kingdom. General Eaton had been consul for the United States up the Mediterranean, and was returning home when he heard of the situation of Hamet. Conceiving a plan of Hberating the Ame- ricans irs captivity at Tripoli, by means of the assistance of Hamet, and, at the same time, of restoring this exue lO njs throne, he advised with Hamet, who readily listened to the pro- ject, and gave his co-operation. A convention was accordingly entered into between General Eaton on the part of the United States, and Hamet, by whic/i the latter stipulated much in favour of the Americans, and was promised to be restored to his throne. 26 302 PERIOD IX. .1801....1809. With a small force, consisting of seamen from the Aaieiicao squadron, the followers of Hamet, and some Egyptian troops, Gen. Edton and Hamet, with incredible toil and suffering, pass- ed the desert of Barca, and took possession of Dernc, the capital of a large province belonging to the kingdom of Tripoli. Tlie forces of Eaton were now so much increased, and the cause of Hamet had become so popular, that the prospect was flattering of his being able to reduce the city of Tripoli, and of effecting the liberation of tlie captives without ransom. The successes of Eaton struck the usurper JussufwitJiterrour. Trembling for his fate in this juncture, he proposed to Mr. Lear, the consul-general of America, then in the Mediterranean, to enter into negotiation. Mr. Lear, who was authorized to en- ter into negotiation, accepted the proposal, although he knpw o/ the success of Eaton and Hamet, and a treaty ensued. Eaton und'^tlamet were consequently arrested in the prosecution of their purpose, and the unfortunate exile failed of his promised restoration to the throne. In 1 805, Hamet visited the Unhed States with the expectation of obtaining some remuneration for his services, from America, and for her failure in fulfilling her stipulations to hmi by Gen. Eaton. A proposition to this effect was brought before con< gress, but after much discussion was rejected. Section VIII. During this year, 1805, Michi- gan became a distinct territorial government of. the United States. The Michigan territory, when first discovered by the whites, was inhabited by the Hurom, a tribe of Indians, many of whom were converted to Christianity by the Jesuit Missionaries in 1648. About the year l670, the Hurons were defeated and disoersed by the Six Nations, about which time, the French took possession of the territory, and buik a fort at Detroit, and ano- ther at Michillimackinac. Little, however, was dore by the French to settle the country. , a ^ *i . v..r.nU At the peace of 1763, the territory was ceded by the French to Great Britain, and by the latter to the United States in 1^83. Until 1787, it remained in the same state of nature, without go- vernment, or any considerable settlements; but at this time, the several states who had claims upon it, ceded them to the United States, and a territorial government was instituted over all the territory, northwest of the Ohio. , Thi«r territory reiWkined under one government until 180L, when the present state of Ohio was detached, and made a dis- Unct government. This was followed, in 1801, by a further separation of Indiana and Illinois ; and, in 1 805, Michigan was JEFFERSON'S ADMINISTRATION. 303 also detached, and was erected into a distinct territorial govern- ment. Gen. Hull was appointed by Mr. Jefferson the first go- veinour. i^ection IX. In the autumn of 1806, a project was detected, at the head of which was Col. Burr, for revolutionizing the territory west of the Alle- ghanies, and of establishing an indepemlent empire there, of which New-Orleans was to be tlie capital, and himself the chief. Towards the accomplishment of this scheme, which it af- terward-s appeared had been some time in con- templation, the skilful cunning and intrigue of Col. Burr were directed. Happily, however, government, being apprised of his designs, ar- rested him while as yet he had few adherents, and before his standard was raised. He was l)rought to trial at Richmond on a charge of treason committed within the district of Vir- ginia ; but no overt act being proved against him in that State, lie was released. In addition to this project, Col. Burr had formed another, which, in case of failure in the first, might be carried on inde- pendently of it : — this was an attack ">n Mexico, and the esta- blishment of an empire there. " A third object was provided, merely ostensible, to wit, the settlement of the pretended pur- chase of a tract of country on the Washita, claimed by a Baron Bastrop. This was to serve as a pretext for all his prepara- tions, an allurement for such followers as really wished to ac- quire settlements in thctt country, and a cover under which to retreat in the event of a final discomfiture of both b»'anches of his real aesigns." " He fodnd at once that the attachment of the western country to the present union was not to be shaken ; that its dissolution could not be effected with the consent of the inhabitants ; and that Ills resources were inadequate, as yet, to effect it by force. He determined, therefore, to seize New-Orleans, plunder the bank there, possess himself of the military and naval stores, and pro- ceed on his expedition to Mexico." ** He collected, therefore, from all quarters, where himself ox his agents possessed influence, all the ardent, restless, desperate, disaffected persons who were f« t an enterprise analagcus to their 304 PERIOD IX....1801....1S09. chaiar.ters. He also seduced good, well-meaning citizens, some by assurances that he possessed the confidence of the government, and was acting under its secret patronage ; and others by ofTers of land in Bastrop*s claim in the Washita.*'* Section X. 1806. To understand the sub- sequent political history of the United States, and those measures of government which were taken in relation to foreign powers, it is neces- sary to glance at the state of the European na- tions, at this period — particularly that of Eng- land and France. These two countries wero now at war with each other, and in their con- troversies had involved most of the continental powers. Towards tlie belligerents, America was endeavouring to maintain a neutrality, and peaceably to continue a commerce with them. It was hardly to be expected, however, that Jealousies would not arise between the contend- incf powers in relation to the conduct of America, and that events would not occur, calculated to injure her comiaorce, and disturb her peace. In addition to these circumstances, a contro- versy had lonj; existed, and continued to exist, between the iJnited States and Great Britain, in respect to the right of searching neutral ships, and impressing seamen. Great Britain claimed it as among her prerogatives to take her native born subjects, wherever found, for her navy, and of pearching American vessels for that purpose. As yet no adjustment of this controversy had been cftected. Notwithstanding the remon- strances of the American government, the offi- cers of the British navy not unfrequently seized native born British subjects, who had voluntarily enlisted on board our vessels. They also im * President's Message to Congress, July 21, 1807. JEFFERSON'S ADMINISTRATION. 305 pressed into the British service some thousands of American seamen. Section XI. May 16th, 1806, the British go- vernment issued an order in council, declaring the ports and rivers from the Elbe, a river in Germany, to Brest, a town of France, to be in a state of blockade. By this order, American vessels, trading to these and intervening ports, were liable to seizure and condemnation. Section XII. In the ensuing November, 1806, Bonaparte issued his celebrated decree at Ber- lin, called the " Berlin decree,^^ by which all the British Islands were declared to be in a state of blockade, and all intercourse with them was prohibited. This decree violated the treaty between the United States and France, and the law of nations. - The following are the principal articles of that decree, which related to the obstruction of American commerce : 1. The British Islands are in a state of blockade. 2. All commerce and correspondence with them is prohibit- ed. 3. No vessel coming directly from England, or her colonies, or having been there since the publication of this decree, shall be admitted into any port. Section XIII. This decree of Bonaparte at Berlin, was in part retaliated by the British government in an order of council, issued Janu- ary 7th, 1807, by vvhich all coasting trade w th France was prohibited. " Whereas the French government has issued certain orders, which purport to prohibit the commerce of ail neutral nations with his majesty's dominions," &c. — " his majesty is pleased to order that no vessel shall be permitted to trade from one port to another, both which ports shall belong to, or be in possession of, France or her allies, or shall be so far under their contfoul as that British vessels may not freely trade thereat," &c. on pain of capture and condemnation. Section XIV. While measures were thus tak- ing by France and England, whose tendency 26* SOG PERIOD IX....1S01....1809. was to injuic American commerce, and to in volve her in a controversy with both, an event occurred which filled the American people with indignation, and called for immediate executive notice. This was an attack upon the American frigate Chesapeake, Commodore Barron, oft'the capes of Virginia, by the British frigate Leop- pard of fifty guns. The attack was occasioned by the refusal of Commodore Barron to surren- der several seamen, who had deserted from the British armed ship Melampus, a short time pre- vious, and had voluntarily enlisted on board the Chesapeake. After crippling the American fri- gate, which made no resistance, the commander of the Leopard took from her the seamen in question, two of whom had been proved to be American citizens. The persons who deserted from the Melampus, then lying in Hampton roads, were William Ware, Daniel Martin, John Stra- chan, John Little, and Ambrose Watts. Within a month from their escape from the Melampus, the first three of these desert- ers offered themselves for enlistment, and were received on board the Chesapeake, then at Norfolk, Virginia, preparing for sea. The British consul at Norfolk, being apprized of this circum- stance, wrote a letter to the American naval officer requesting these men to be returned. With this request the officer refusing to comply, the British agent lost no time in endeavouring to procure an order from government for their surrender. In con- sequence of this application, the secretary of the navy ordered an examination into the characters and claims of the men in question. The required examination resulted in proof that Ware, Martin, and Strachan, were natives of America. The cwo former had protections, or notarial certificates of their being American citizens. Strachan had no vrotection, but etsserted that he lost it previously to his escape. Such being the circum- stances of the men, the government refused to surrender them. On the 22d of June, the Chesapeake weighed anchor and proceeded to sea. She passed the British ships Bellona and Melampus, lying in Lynnhaven bay, whose appearance was ft-icndly. There were two other ships that lay off Cape Henry, JEFFERSON'S ADMINISTRATION. 307 one of which, the Leopard, Captain Humphreys, weighed an- chor, and in a kw hours came along side the Chesapeake. A British officer immediately came on board, and demanded the deserters. To this, Capt. Barron replied, that he did not know of any being there, and that his duty forbade him to al- low of any muster of his crew, except by their own officers. During this interview, Barron noticed some proceedings of a hostile nature on board the adverse ship, but he could not be persuaded that any thing but menace was intended by them. After the British officer departed, he gave orders to clear his gun deck, and after some time, he directed his men to their quarters, secretly, and without beat of drum : still, however, without any serious apprehensions of an attack. Before these orders could be executed, the Leopard com- menced a heavy fire. This fire unfortunately was very destruc- tive. In about thirty minutes, the hull, rigging, and spars of the Chesapeake were greatly damaged, three men were killed and sixteen wounded ; among the latter was the captain him- self. Such was the previous disorder, that during this time, the utmost exertions were insufficient to prepare the ship for action, and the captain thought proper to strike his colours. The British captain refused to accept the surrender of the Chesapeake, but took from her crew. Ware, Martin, and Stra- chan, the three men formerly demanded as deserters, and a fourth, John Wilson, claimed as a runaway from a merchant ship. Section XV. Such was the agitation of the publick mind, in consequence of this outrage committed on the Chesapeake, that the presi- dent conceived himself required to notice the transaction, and by some decisive publick act, to show how deeply America conceived herself to be wounded. Accordingly, on the 2d of July, the president issued his proclamation, ordering all British armed vessels to leave the waters of the United States, and forbidding them to enter, until satisfaction for the attack on the Chesa- peake should be made by the British govern- ment. Mr. Munroe was at this time the minister of the United States, at the court of St. James. Early in September, he received the instructions SOS PERIOD IX....1801....1809. of the American government, pertaining to the attack on the Chesapeake, and was required to demand reparation for .that attack, and, as an essential part of that reparation, security against future impressments from American ships. The British minister, Mr. Canning, however, protested against conjoining the geiie- ral question concerning the impressment of persons from neutral merchant ships, with the particular affray between the Leopard and the Chesapeake. As Mr. Monroe was not authorized to treat these subjects separately, further negotiation between these two ministers was suspended, and Mr. Rose was appointed, by the British government, as a special minister to the United States, empowered to treat concerning the par- ticular injury complained of, but n(»t to discuss the general question of impressing persons from merchant ships. Section XVI. While such measures were taking in England, in relation to the affair of the Chesapeake, congress, which had been sum- moned before the regular time, by proclamation of the president, met on the 27th of October. In his messasje to confrress at this time, the president entered fully into the state of our relations with Great Britain — informed them of a treaty which had been negotiated with the British go- vernment, by Messrs. Monroe and Pinckney — but whiih he had rejected, princijially because it made no sufficient provision on the subject of impressments — stated the affair of the attack on the Chesapeake — his proclamation to British armed vessels to quit the waters of the United States — his instructions to the American minister at London, in relation to reparation expected from the Brkish government, and his expectation of speedily hear- ing from England the result ofthe measures which had been taken. Section XVTT. On the 11th of November, were issued at London, the celebrated British Orders in Council, retaliatory upon the French JEFFERSON'S ADMINISTRATION. SOQ government for the Berlin decree of November, 1806. By these orders in council, France and her allies ; all nations at war with Great Britain , and all places from which the British flag is ex- cluaeu, we***^ declared to be under the same re- strictions in point ot trade and navigation, as if the same were in a state of blockade. Section XVIII. Before the arrival of Mr. Rose, congress was sedulously employed in con- sidering the state of the nation, and in making provision for putting the country in a posture of defence. Acts passed, appropriating one mil- Hon of dollars to be employed by the presi- dent in equipping one hundred thousand of the national militia ; eight hundred and fifty-two thousand five hundred dollars, for building one hundred and eighty-eight gun-boats; one mil- lion of dollars, for building, repairing, and com- pleting fortifications, and for raising six thou- sand six huiidred men, infantry, riflemen, artil- lery, and dragoons, as an addition to the stand- ing army. On the 22d of December, an act passed, laying an embargo on all vessels within the jurisdiction of the United States. Section XIX. On the 17th of December, Bo- naparte, by way of retaliating the British orders in council, issued a decree, called " the Milan decces^'' declaring every vessel denationalized which shall have submitted to a search by a Bri tish ship; and every vessel a good prize, which shall sail to or from Great Britain, or any of its colonies, or countries, occupied by British troops. Section XX. Mr. Rose arrived in America on the 25th of December. The American minis- ter was soon after informed, that he, Mr. Rose, 310 PERIOD IX....1801....180&. was expressly forbidden by his government to make any proposal, touching the great subject of complaint, so long as the president's procla- mation of July 2d, excluding British armed ves- sels from the waters of the United States, should DO m force. For a time, the president refused to annul this proclamation till the atonement was not only solemnly offered, but formally accepted ; but in order to elude this difficulty, he finally agreed to revoke his proclamation, on the day of the date of the act, or treaty, by which reparation should be made for the recent violence. This conces- sion, however, was built on two conditions ; iirst, the terms of reparation which the minister was charged to offer, must be previously made known; and, secondly, they must be such as by the president should be accounted satisfactory. But as the British minister declined to offer, or even to mention, tiie redress of which he was the bearer, till the American proclamation was recalled, and the president deeming its recall inexpedient, the controversy, for the present, closed. The controversy respecting the Chesapeake was finally ad- justed in November, 1811, at which time the British ministei communicated to the secretary of state, that the attack on tha Chesapeake was unauthorized by his majesty's »rovernraent— that the officer at that time in command on the American coast had been recalled — that the men taken from the Chesapeake should be restored — and that suitable pecuniary provision should be made for those who suffered in the attack, and for the fami- lies of the seamen that fell. To these propositions the presi« dent acceded. Section XXI. The difficulties with Franco and England, regarding commerce, still conti- nuing, and the existing embargo having failed to coerce these powers as was anticipated, into an JEFFERSON'S ADMINISTRATION. 31 i acknowledgment of our rights — a more com- plete stop to our intercourse with them was deemed advisable by congress. Accordingly, on the 1st of March, congress interdicted, by law, all trade and intercourse with France and Eng- land. Section XXII. Mr. Jefferson's second term of office expired on the 3d of March. Having previously declined a re-election, James Madi- son was chosen president, and George Clinton vice-president. Section XXIII. ^umXtXU* The bitter- ness of party spirit which had now raged in the United States for some years, began to have a visible effect upon society. It interrupted, to na small extent, the general harmony, and even re- strained the intercourse of friends and neigh- bourhoods. The strife for power, also introdu- ced a disposition to intrigue ; political cunning became fashionable, and political duplicity lost much of its deformity. These things necessa- rily affected the state of manners. They with- drew the finger of derision, which used to point at meanness of all kinds, and blunted that love of honour, and manliness of conduct, which ex- isted before. Cunning began to take the place of wisdom; professions answered instead of deeds; and duplicity stalked forth with the boldness of integrity. Section XXIV. 3irU0iOtf« Powerful revi- mls of religion pervaded the country during this period, and tended strongly to prevent open in- 312 PERIOD IX....180I....1809. fidelity, and to check the tide of pollution which was invisibly spread over the land. Sectioji XXV. STtra^e an5 ©ommttce. Trade and commerce made great advances about the year 1803. The European powers being involved in war, and the United States re- maining neutral, our vessels carried to Europe, not only the produce of our own country, but also the produce of other countries. This is usually called the carrying trade, and was very profitable to the country. In 1805, G, and 7, our average annual exports amounted to one hundred and two millions, five hundred and sixty-seven thousand, four hundred and fifty-four dollars, of which forty-four millions, eight hundred and sixty-three thousand, five hundred and seventeen dollars, were for domestick produce, and fiftj'- seven millions, seven hundred and one thousand, nine hundred and thirty-seven dollars, for foreign produce. The annual average of imports during these three years, amounted to about one hundred and forty millions of dollars ; a large proportion of the articles, forming this amount, were re-exported to the West Indies, South America, and elsewhere. After the year 1807, the commercial restrictions laid by France and England, began to curtail our trade, and the em- bargo, imposed at the close of the same year, by our own govern- ment, interrupted it still more esentially. Section XXYl. ^0liCttUUtt* Agriculture, during a part of this period, received great en- couragement from our foreign trade. Europe being involved in contentions, the people had little leisure there to cultivate the soil ; they were therefore supplied from other countries, and the United States furnished them with a great amount, and were thence deriving great profits, when the commercial restrictions inter- rupted the trade. The first merino sheep were introduced into the country, in 1802, by Robert R. Livingston, and the same year, a greater number, one hundred, by Gen. Humphreys, then late minister JEFFERSON'S ADMINISTRATION. 3 : 3 to Spain. Great attention was paid to the breeding of then •, «ind they are now numerous in the United States. Section XXVll. ^tt^ Utltf ^atlUUi^ tUVt^* Arts and manufactures still progressed. Section XXVIII. 3^a|lttUtiOn. The popu- lation of the United States, at the close of Mr. Jefferson's administration, was about seven mil- lions. SectionXXlX. fStHntntion* The enlightened views respecting the importance of general in- formation, entertained before, continued to pre- vail. New literary and scientifick publications were commenced; more enlightened methods of instruction were adopted ; academies were multiplied ; colleges founded ; and theological seminaries liberally endowed. A theological seminary was founded at Andover, Massachu- setts, in 1808. The amount, which has been contributed for its permanent use, and which was given by six families, is more than three hundred thousand dollars. This sura includes the permanent fund, library, and publick buildings. In 1 822, the officers were four professors, and the number of students, one hundred and thirty-two. The library contains about five tho«i» sand volumes. A majority of the students are supported -pi whole, or in part, by charity. 27 UNITED STATES. DISTINGUISHED FOR MADISOn's ADMINISTRATION, AND THE LATE WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN, Extending from the inauguration of President Mndiaon^ 1809, to the inauguration of JaTnes Monroe J as president of the United States, 1817. Section I. On tlie 4th of March, 1809, Mr. Madison wan inducted into the office of president of the United States, according to the form pro- scribed by tlie constitution. The situation of the United States, on the accession of Mr. Madison to the presidency, was in several respects gloomy and critical. The two great powers of Europe, France and England, were still at war, and were continuing to array against each other the most violent commercial edicts, both in contravention of the laws of nations, and of their solemn treaties ; and calculated to injure and destroy the com- merce of nations desirous of preserving a neu- trality. America was also further suffering un- der the restrictions of commerce, imposed by her own government. Every effort to secure the due observance of her rights, by the con- tending powers, had hitherto failed, and the sad alternative was presenting itself to the American people, either to suffer the evils growing out of foreign and doraestick restrictions, or to take up MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION. S15 aims, and risk the consequence of a war with the belligerents. Section II. Previously to the adjournment of the last congress, under Mr. Jeiibraon, an act passed, as already noticed, 1st of March, re- pealing the then existing embargo, and inter- dicting conmiercial intercourse with France and Great Britain. Should either of these powers, lowever, revoke their edicts, the president was luthorized to renew the intercoursCo April 18th. the British minister, Mr. Erskine, informed the secretary of state, Mr. Smith, that his majesty's government, considering the non- intercourse act, passed March l>>t, ms having produced an equality in the relatic^ns of the two belligerent powers with respect to tiie United States, would be willing to rescind the orders in council of .January and November, !H()7, so far as it respected the United States, provided the president would issue a proclamation for the renewal of intercourse witli Great Britain. This proposal was readily accepted. The British minister, inconsequence of this acceptance, stat- ed himself authorized to declare t'.iat the above orders in council would be withdrawn as it re- spected the United States, on th«' succeeding 10th o/ me. A proclamation by the president soon aft ;r followed, renewing the intercourse with Great Britain, from and after that time. This event produced the highest satisfaction throughout the country ; but was speedily fol- lowed by a disappointment as great. The British government denied the authority of Mr. Erskine, to enter into any such stipulations, and refused its ratification. On learnini^ this refusal, the president issued his proclamation, August 316 PERIOJa X. »1809->I817. lOtli, renewing the non-intercourse with Great Britain. Section III. Early in September, Mr. Jackson arrived at Washington, as successor of Mr Erskine. A correspondence was soon com- menced between tJiis minister and the secretai7 of state, which, after continuing several weeks^ without adjusting any diftercnces between the t^vo countries, was suddenly closed, by the pre- sident, on account of an alleged insult on the part of Mr. Jackson. In the course of correspondence with the secretary, Mr. Jackson liad repeatedly asserted that the American executive could not but know from tlie powers exhibited hy Mr. ErsKine, tliat in the above stipulations he had transcended those powers, and was therefore acting without the authority of his govern ment. This was deemed l)y the executive ecjuivalent to a de claration, that the American government did know that M» Erskine was exceeding his powers. The Uritiah minister d»- nied the legitimacy t)f such an inference — but the executive, re garding his language as reflecting ujxm the honour and integrity of the American government, closed the correspondence — soon after which, Mr. Jackson was recalled, but without the censure of his government. Section IV. 1810. On the 23d of March, Bo- naparte issued a decree, usually called tiie "Rambouillet decree," designed to retaliate the act of congress, passed March 1st, 1809, which forbade French vessels entering the pnrts of the United States. By the above decree, dl Ame- rican vessels and cargoes, arriving in aiiy of the ports of France, or of countries occupied by French troops, were ordered to be seized and condemned. Section Y. On the 1st of May, congress passed an act, excluding; British and French armed vessels from the waters of the United States ; but, at the same time, providing, that in irase either of the above nations should modify MADISON»S ADMINISTRATION. SI7 its edicts before the third of March, 1811, so that they should cease to violate neutral com- merce, of which fact the president was to give notice by proclamation, and the other nation should not, within three months after, pursue a similar step, commercial intercourse with the former might be renewed, but not with the latter. Section VI. In consequence of this act of the American government, the French minister, the Duke of Cadore, at Paris, informed the Ameri- can minister, Mr. Armstrong, then in France, that the Berlin and Milan decrees were revoked, and that, from and after the 1st of November, they would cease to have effect. But, at the same time, it was subjoined, that it was " un- derstood, that, in consequence of this declara- tion, the English shall revoke their orders in council, &c." About the same time it was an- nounced that the Rambouillet decree had also been rescinded. Although the condition subjoined to the Duke of Cadore's declaration rendered it doubt- ful whether the Berlin and Milan decrees would in fact cease to take effect after the 1st of No- vember, the president issued his proclamation on the 2d of that month, declaring that those decrees were revoked, and that intercourse be- tween the United States and France might be renewed. Section VII. While the affairs of America, in relation to the belligerents, were in this posture, an unhappy engagement took place. May 1811, between the American frigate President, com- manded by Capt. Rogers, and a British sloop of war, the I^ittle Belt, commanded by Capt. 27* 518 PERIOD X....1809....1S17. Bingham The attack was commenced by the latter vessel, without provocation, and, in the rencontre, suffered greatly in her men and rig- ging- A court of inquiry was ordered on the conduct of Captain Rogers, which decided that it had been satisfactorily proved to the court, that Ca>pt. Rogers hailed the Little Belt first — that his hail was not satisfactorily answered — that the Little Belt fired the first gun — and that it was without previous provoca- tion or justifiable cause, &c. &c. Section VIII. Congress was assembled by proclamation on the 5th of November. In his message at the opening of the session, the pre- sident indicated the expectation of hostilities with Great Britain at no distant period, since her orders in council, instead of being with- drawn, were, when least to have been expected, put into more rigorous execution. " I must now add," continues the president in his message, ■' that the period has arrived which claims from the legislative guardians of the national rights, a system of more ample pro- vision for maintaining them.''- — " With" such full " evidence of the hostile inflexibility" of Great Britain, " in trampling on rights which no independent nation can relinquish, congress will feel the duty of putting the United States into an armour and an attitude demanded by the crisis, and corresponding with (he national spirit and expectations." On the 29th, the committee on foreign rela- tions presented their report, in which, adopting the language of the president's message, they strongly recommended, " That the United States be immediately put into an armour and attitude demanded by the crisis, and corres- ponding with the national spirit and expecta- tions." Bills agreeable to this recommenda- tion passed congress preparatory to a state of hostilities, among which was one for raising twenty-five thousand men. Section IX. In December, the president com- MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION. 31<> nunicated to congress an official account of the battle of " Tippacanoe^'' — near a branch of the Wabash — fought November 7th, between an army under Gen. Harrison, governor of the In- diana territory, and a large body of Indians, in which the latter were defeated The attack was commenced by the Indians about four o'clock in the morning, while the army of Harrison were in a measure imprepared. But notwithstanding this disadvantage, after a hard fought action, the Indians were repulsed with a loss of nearly seventy killed, and upwards of a hundred wounded. The loss of the Americans was severe, being, according to offi cial return, one hundred and eighty-eight in killed and wounded, Section X. During the following year, 1812," Louisiana was admitted into the union as a so- vereign state. Until the year 1811, Louisiana comprehended that vast tract of country which was ceded to the United States by France, in 1803. At that time, hr)wever, the Territory of Orleans, which was then a distinct territorial government, assumed the name of Louisiana, and was admitted the following year as a state into the Union; since which time, the remaining portion of original Louisiana has received distinct denominations. Louisiana was first discovered in 1541. by Ferdinand de Soto. In 1683, Monsieur de la Salle, an enterprising Frenchman, sailed up the Mississippi a considerable distance, and named the country Louisiana, in honour of Louis XIV. A French settlement was begun in 1699, by M. d'Ibberville, in Lower Louisiana, near the mouth of the river Perdido. The progress of the colony was slow. In 1712, although twenty-five hundred emigrants had arrived, only four hundred whites and twenty ne- groes were alive. About this time, the French government made a grant of the country to M. de Crozat for a term of ten years ; but after five years he relinquished his patent to the Mississippi company In the same year, 1717, the city of Orleans was founded. By the treaty of 1763, all Louisiana east of the Mississip- pi, was ceded to England, together with Mobile, and all the possessions of France in that quarter. About the same time, the possessions of France west of the Mississippi were secretly ceded to Spain. After the cession to Great Britain, that part of the territory which lay west of the Mississippi received the name of West Florida. On the breaking out of the revolution" i20 PERIOD X....1809....1817. *ary war, Spain, after considerable hesitation, took part with t!j« United States, incited, probably, by the hope of regaining her possessions east of the Mississippi. In 1779, Galvoy, the go- vernour of Louisiana, took possession of Baton Rouge ; and the otiier settlements of the English in Florida surrendered succes« sively. By the treaty of 1783, the JMississippi was made the western boundary of the United States from its source to the 31st degree of latitude, and following this line to the St. Mary's. By a treaty of the same date, the Floiidas were ceded to Spain without any specifick boundaries. This omission led to a con- troversy between the United States and Spain, which nearly terminated in hostilities. By a treaty with Spain, however, in 1795, boundary lines were amicably settled, and New-Orleans was granted to American citizens as a place of deposit for their effects for three years and longer, mdess some other place ol equal importance should be assigned. No other place being as- signed within that time, New-Orleans continued to be used as before. In 1800, a secret treaty was signed at Paris, by the plenipo- tentiaries of France and Spain, by which Louisiana was guaran- teed to France, and, in 1801, the cession was actually made. At the same time, the Spanish intendant of Louisiana was in- structed to make arrangements to deliver the country to the French commissioners, in violation of the treaty of Spain with the United States, the intendant, by his proclamation of Octo- ber, 1802, forbade American citizens any longer to deposit merchandize in the port of New-Orleans. Upon receiving in- telligence of this prohibition, great sensibility prevailed in con- gress, and a proposition was made to occupy the place by force ; but after an animated discussion the project was relinquished, and negotiations with France were commenced by Mr. Jeffer- son, for the purchase of the whole country of Louisiana, which ended in an agreement to that effect, signed at Paris, April 30th, ] 803, by which the United States were to pay to France fifteen millions of dollars. Early in December, 1803, the commission- ers of Spain delivered possession to France ; and on the 20th of the same month, the authorities of France duly transferred the country to the United States. Congress had provided for this event, and under their act, William C. C. Claiborne was appointed governour. By an act of March, 1 804, that part of the ceded country which lay south of the parallel of thirty-three degrees was separated from the rest, and called the Territory of Orleans. In l&l 1, this district was erected into a state, an J in 1812, was admitted into the Union by the name of Louis- iana. MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION. 321 Section XI. On the 3d of April, Iffl^, con- gress passed an act laying an embargo for ninety days on all vessels within the jurisdiction of the United States, agreeably to a recommen- dation of the president. This measure, it was understood, was preparatory to a war with Great Britain, which the executive would soon urge upon congress to declare. Section XII. On the 4th of June, 1812, a bill declaring war against Great Britain, passed the house of representatives, by a majority of seven- ty-nine to forty-nine. After a discussion of this bill in the senate till the 17th, it passed that body also, by a majority of nineteen to thirteen, and the succeeding day, 18th,* received the sig- nature of the president. The principal grounds of war was set forth in a message of the president to congress, June 1 st, and was further explained by the committee on foreign relations in their report on the subject * The following are the orders in council, French decrees, and the con- gequent acts of the American government, with their respective dates, pr*- gentf'd in one view. 1806, ''^'ay 16th, British blockade from the Elbe to Brest. " N6v. 21st, Berlin decree. 1807, Jan. 6th, British order in council prohibiting the coasting trade. " Nov. 11th, The celebrated British orders in council " Pec. 17th, Milan decree. " Dec. 22d, American embargo. 1809, March 1st, Non-intercourse with Great Britain and France, esU- blished by congress. " April 10th, Mr. Erskine's negotiation, which opened the trade with England. " June 19th, Non intercourse with Great Britain. 1810, March 18th, Rambouillet decree. " May 1st, Act of congress conditionally opening the trade with England and France. " Nov. 2d, President's proclamation declaring the French deereeste be rescinded. 1812, April 4th, Araeriran embargo. " June 18th, Declaration of war by the United States a^oinat Great Britaio. S22 PERIOD X....1809....i817. of the message, were summarily — The impress- ment of American seamen by the British; the blockade of her enemies' ports, supported by no adequate force, in consequence of which, the American commerce had been plundered in every sea, and the great staples of the country cut oiF from their legitimate markets, and the British orders in council. On these grounds, the president urged the declaration of war. In unison with the recommendation of the president, the com* mittee on ibreign relations concluded their report as follows : " Your committee, believing tiiat the freeborn sons of America are worthy to enjoy the liberty which their fathers purchased al ihe price of much blood and treasure, and seeing by the mea- sures adopted by Great Britain, a course commenced and per- sisted in, which might lead to a loss of national character and independence, feel no hesitation in advising resistance by force, in whicJi the Americans of the present day will prove to the enemy, and the world, that we have not only inherited that li- berty which our fathers gave us, but also the will and power to maintain it. Relying on the patriotism of the nation, and con« fidently trusting that the Lord of Hosts will go with us to battl*" in a righteous cause, and crown our efforts with success— your committee recommend an immediate appeal to arms.'' Against this declaration of war, the minority in the house of representatives, among which were found the principal part of the delegation from New-England, in an address to their consti- tuents, solemnly protested, on the ground that thf wrongs ot which the United States complained, ahliough in some respects grievous, were not of a nature, in the present state of the world, to justify war, or such as war would be likely to remedy. On (he subject of impressment, they urged that the question between the two countries had once been honourably and satisfactorily settled, in the treaty negotiated with the British court by Messrs, Monroe and Pinckney, and although that treaty had not been ratified by Mr. Jefferson, the arrangements might probably again be made. In relation to the second cause of war — the blockada of her enemies' ports without an adequate force — the minority replied that this was not designed to injure the commerce of the United States, but was retaliatory upon France, which had taken the lead in aggressions up-m neutral rights. In addition, it waj said, that, as the repeal of the French decrees had been o/ficial* ly announced, it was to be expected that a revocation of the or* ders in council would soon follow. MADISON'S ADMINSITRATIO!^. 333 In conclusion of the protest, the minority spoke as follows : " The undersigned cannot refrain from asking what are the United States to gain by this war ? Will the gratification of some privateersmen compensate the nation for that sweep of our legitimate commerce by the extended marine of our enemy, whir h this desperate act invites ? Will Canada compensate the middle States for New- York ; or the western States Ajr New- Orleans ? Let us not be deceived. A war of invasion may in- vite a retort of invasion. When we visit the peaceable, and to us innocent colonies of Great Britain with the horrours of war, can we be assured that our own coast will not be visited with like horrours. " At a cnsis of the world, sucA as the present, and under im- pressions such as tln'se, the undersigned could not consider the war into which the United States have in secret been precipi- ated, as necessary, or required by any moral duty, or any poli- tical expediency." As a difference of views respecting the war, which had now been declared, prevailed in congress, so the country generally was divided into two opposite parties respecting it. The friends of the administration universally commending, and its opposers us extensively censuring and condemning the measure. By the former, the war was strenuously urged to be unavoidable and just; by the latter, with equal decision, it was pronounced to be impolitick, unnecessary, and unjust. Section XIII. The military establishments of the United States, upon the declaration of war, were extremely defective. Acts of congress permitted the enlistment of twenty-five thousand men, but few enlisted. The president was au- thorized to raise fifty thousand volunteers, and to call out one hundred thousand militia, for the purpose of defending the sea-coast and the fron- tiers. But the want of proper officers was now felt, as the ablest revolutionary heroes had paid the debt of nature. Such was the situation of at the commencement of hostilities. Section XIV. August 16th, Gen. Hull, go- vernour of Michigan, who had been sent at the head of about two thousand five hundred men to Detroit, with a view of putting an end to In- things ]^ PBRIOD X....1S09.^1S17. dion hosuilitios in that country, surrendered Ids virmy to Cien. Brock, without a battle, and wiUi it the fort at Detroit. Tin* sonsations produced by tliis oroiinoiico throu}o entirely unprt^pared was the publicU mind lor this extraordinary event, that no one could believe it 10 have taken place until counnunicateii froni an orticial source, i In his oiiicial despatch, Hull took great pjiins to frtv his con- duct from censure. Auioiiji the reasons for his surreHikr, and-, those which iletermined hini to that coui-se, he assigned the want of provision to sustain the siesje, the expected reinforeements o» the enemy, and the savape ferocity of tlk? Indians, should he ul timately be obliged to capitulate. The government, however, not being satisfied with his excuses ordered a court martial, bcfoi-e which he was charged with trea ' son, cowardice, and unollicerlike conduct. On the first charge the court declined giving an opinion : iin tlie two last he was- sentenced to death ; but was recommended to mercy in conse- quence of his revolutionary services, and his advanced agr.^ The senti'nce wn\s rtnnitted by the president ; but his name was; ordered to be struck fi-om the rolls of the ainiy. [ Section XV. About the middle of August,, tliat scrirs of splendid naval achievements, for which this war was distinjruished, was com- menced by Capt. Isaac Hull, of the United; States' frigate Constitution, who captured tlie. British frigate Guerriere, commanded by Capt., Dacres. The American frigate was superiour in force only by a few guns, but the ditVen-nce bort^ no comparison to the disparity ot the conflict. The loss of the Constitution was seven killed, and seven wounded, while that on board the Guerriere was .' fifteen killed, and sixty-three woimded, among tlie latter was • Capt. Dacres. The Constitution sustained so little injury that ^ she w^as ready for aetion the succe»Hling day. But the British I'rigate was so nmch damaged that she was set on fire and burnt. \ Section XVI. Upon tlie dechiration of war, the attention of the American general was turned towards the invasion of Canada, for which eight » or t'jn tliousand men, and considerable military stores were collected at dillerent points along MAD1S0N''3 ADMINISTRATION. 32^ the Canada line. Bkilful officers of the navy were also despatched for the purpose of arming vessels on Lake Erie, Ontario, and Champlain, if possible to gain the ascendency there, and to aid the operations of the American forces. The American troops were distributed into three divisions — One under Gen. Harrison, called the North WcHtern army ; a second un- der Gen. Stephen Van Rensellaer, at Lewis- town, called the army of the Centre ; and a third under the commander in chief, Gen. Dear- born, in the neighbourhood of Plattsburg and Greenbush, called the army of the North, Section XVII. Early on the morning of the 13th of October, 1812, a detachment of about one thousand men, from the army of the Centre, crossed the river Niagara, and attacked the British on Queenstown heights. This detach- ment, under the command of Col. v^olomon Van Rensellaer, succeeded in dislodging the ene- my — but not being reinforced by the militia from the American side, as was expected, they were ultimately repulsed, and were obliged to surrender. The British Gen. Brock was killed during the engagement. The forces designated to storm the heights, were divided into two columns : one of three hundred militia, under Col. Van Rensellaer, the other of three hundred regulars, under Col. Christie. These were to be followed by Col. Fenwick's artille- ry, and then the other troops in order. Much embarrassment w?»s experienced by the boats from the eddies, as well as by the shot of the enemy, in crossing (he river. Col. Van Rensellaer led the van, and landed first with one hun- dred men. Scarcely had he leaped from the boat, wtien he re- ceived four severe wounds. Being, however, able to stand, he ordered his officers to move with rapidity and storm the fori This service was gallantly f>erformed, and the enemy were dri- ftn down the hill in every direction. Both parties were now reinforced — the Americans by rt^lari 28 326 PERIOD X....1809....1817. and militia — the British by the forty*ninth regiment, consisting of six hundred regulars, under Gen. Brock. Upon this, the con- flict was renewed, in which Gen. Brock, and his aid, Captain M'Donald, fell almost in the same moment. After a desperate engagement, tiie enemy were repulsed, and the victory was thought complete. Gen. Van Rensellaer now crossed over, for the purpose of fortifying the heights, preparatory to another attack, should the repulsed enemy be reinforced. This duty he assigned to Lieut. Totten, an able engineer. But the fortune of the day was not yet decided. At three o'clock in the afternoon, the enemy, being reinforced by several hundred Chippewa Indians, rallied, and again advanced, but were a third time repulsed. At this moment. Gen. Van Ren- sellaer, perceiving the militia on the opposite side embarking but slowly, hastily recrossed the river, to accelerate their move- ments. But what was his chagrin, on reaching the American side, to hear more than twelve hundred of the militia positiyely refuse to embark. The sight of the engagement had cooled that ardour which, previously to the attack, the commander in chief could scarcely restrain. While their countrymen were nobly struggling for victory, they could remain idle spectators of the scene. AH that a brave, resolute, and benevolent com- mander could do. Gen. Van Rensellaer did — he urged, entreat- ed, commanded, but it was all in vain. Eight hundred British soldiers, from Fort George, now hove in sight, and pressed on to renew the attack. The Americans, for a time, continued to struggle against this force, but were finally obliged to surrender themselves prisoners of war. The number of American troops killed amounted to about sixty, and about one hundred were wounded. Those that sur- rendered themselves prisoners of war, including the wounded, were about seven hundred. The loss of the British is unknown, but it must have been severe. Although the issue of this battle was unfortunate, seldom has American valour shone more conspicuously, or a victory beer relinquished with more reluctance. Had but a small part of th« " idle men" passed over at the critical moment, when urged bj their brave commander, revolutionary history can tell of few nobler achievements than this would have been. Section XVIII. On the 17th of October, an- other naval victory was achieved over an enemy decidedly superiour in force, and under circum- stances the most favourable to him. This was MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION. 32? the capture of the brig Frolick, of twenty-two guns, by the sloop of war Wasp. Captain Jones had returned from France two weeks after the declarat/on of war, and on the 13th of October, again put to sea- On the l7th, he fell in with six merchant ships, under convoy of a brig, and two ships, armed with sixteen guns each. T tie brig, which proved to be the FroHck, Capt. vVhinyates, di )p- ped behind, while the others made sail. At half past eleven, the action began by the enemy's cannon anJ musketry. In five minutes, the raain-top-mast was shot away, and falling down, with the raain-top-sail yard across the larboard fore and fore- top-sail, rendered her head yards unmanageable, during the rest of the action. In two minutes more, her gaff, and niizen top-gallant-raast were shot away. The sea being ex* ceedingly rough, the muzzles of the Wasp's guns were some- times under water. The English fired as their vessel rose, so that their shot was either thrown away, or touched only the rigging of the Ameri- cans ; the AVasp, on the contrary, fired as she sunk, anr* every time struck the hull of her antagonist. The fire of the Frolick was soon slackened, and Captain Jones d'^termined to board her. As the crew leaped on board the enemy's vessel, tli«?ir surprise can scarcely be imagined, as they foiuid no person on deck, except three officers and the seaman at the wheel. The deck was slippery with blood, and presented a scene of havock and ruin. The officers now threw down their swords in sub- mission, and Lieut. Biddle, of the Wasp, leaped ilito the rig»- ging, to haul down the colours, which were still flyisg. Thus, in forty-three minutes, ended one of tlie most bloody confiicts recorded in naval history. The loss, on boai d the Frolick, was thirty killed, and fifty wounded ; on board the Wasp, five were killed, and five slightly wounded. The Wasp and Frolick wei-e both captured the same day, by a British seventy-fonr, the Poicliers, Capt. Beresford. Section XIX. The above splendid achieve- ment of Capt. Jones was followed on the :25th of October by another not much less splendid and decisive, by Commodore Decatur, of the fri- gate United States of forty-four guns, who cap- tured the Macedonian off the Western Isles, a frigate of the largest class, mounting forty-nine guns, and manned with three hundred men. In this action, which continued an hour and a half, the Mace* 328 PERIOD X....1809....1S17. (Ionian lost ihirly-six killed, and sixty-eigUt wounded : on board the United States, seven only were killed, and five wounded. The British Irigate lost her main-mast, main-top-niast, and main-yard, and Vi^as injured in her hull. The United States suflered so little, that a return to port was imnecessary. An act of generosity and benevolence on the part of ouv brave tars, of this victorious frigate, deserves to be honourably recorded. The carpenter, who was unfortunately killed in tht conflict with the Macedonian, had left three small children tt the care of a worthless mother. When the circumstance be came known to the brave seamen, they instantly made a contri bution amongst themselves, to the amount of eight hundred doi lars, and placed it in safe hands, to be appropriated to the edu cation and maintenance of the unhappy orphans. Section XX. December 29th a second naval victory was achieved by the Constitution, then commanded by Com. Bainbridge, over the Java, a British frigate of thirty-eight guns, but carrying forty-nine, with four hundred men, commanded by Capt. Lambert, who was mor- tally wounded. This action was fought olTSt. SaJvador, and continued nearly two hours, when the Java struck, having lost sixty killed and one hundred and twenty wounded. The Constitution had uin€ men killed, and twenty-five wounded. On the 1st of January, the commander, finding his prize incapable of being brought in, was obliged to burn her. Section XXI. Thus ended the year 1812. With the exception of the naval victories alrea- dy mentioned, and some others of the samo kind, equallv honourable to America, nothing important was achieved. Neither of the armies destined for the invasion of Canada had obtain- ed any decisive advantage, or were in posses- sion of any post in that territory. Further pre- parations, however, were making for its con- quest. Naval armaments were collecting on the lakes ^ and the soldiers, in their winter quar- ters, were looking forward to " battles fought and victories won." MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION. 829 Seciion XXII. 1813. January 22d, a bloody action was fouglit at the river Raisin, between a detachment from the north-western army, ex- ceeding seven hundred and fifty men, under Gen. Winchester, and a combined force of Bri- tish and Indians, amounting to one thousand five hundred men, under Gen. Proctor. Many of the Americans were killed and wounded. Among the latter was Gen. Winchester. The remainder, on surrendering themselves prison- ers of war, were nearly all inhumanly massa- cred by the Indians, contrary to the express sti- pulations of Gen. Proctor. The station of General Harrison, the commander of tb" north- western army, was at this time at Franklinton. General Win- chester was stationed at Fort Defiance, half way between Fort Wayne, on the Miami, and Lake Erie, with eight hundred troops, chiefly young men, of the first respectability, from Ken- tucky. Leaining that a body of British and Indians was about to concentrate at Frenchtown, on the river Raisin, he sent a de- tachment to protect that place. Before the arrival of the de- tachment, Frenchtown wat- occupied by a party of the enemy, but they were dislodged after a severe engagement, in which the Americans had twelve killed, and fifty-five wounded. On the 20th, General Winchester joined the detachment at Frenchtown, with the remainder of his troops, and, on the 22d, the battle of Raisin was fought. After a desperate conflict, in which many on both sides were killed, the Americans surren- dered, with the express stipulation of being protected from the Indians. Contrary, however, to these stipulations, the savages were permitted to indulge their full thirst for blood. The tomahawk was mercilessly buried in many a bosom, and the scalping knife wantonly tore the crown from many a head. Even the last sad rites of sepulture were forbidden, by their murderers, and the remains of these brave youth of Kentucky lay on the ground, beat by the storms of Heaven, and exposed to the beasts of the forest, until the ensuing autumn, when their friends and relations ventured to gather up their bleaching bonesj and consigned them to the tomb. Section XXIII. During the winter, an en- gagement took place between the Hornet, Cop- dSO PERIOD X....1809....1817. tain James Lawrence, and the British sloop of war Peacock, Captain William Peake, off South America. This action lasted but fifteen minutes, when the Peacock struck. On her surrendering, a signal of distress was discovered, on board the Peacock. She iiad been so much damaged, that, al- ready, she had six feet of water in her hold, and was sinking fast Boats were immediately despatched for the wounded, andeverj measure taken^ which was practicable, to keep her afloat until the crew could be removed. Her guns were thrown overboardj, the shot hcies were plugged, and a part of the Hornet's crew^ at the imminent hazard of their lives, laboured incessantly to rescue the vanquished. The utmost efforts of these generous men were, however, vain ; the conquered vessel sunk in the niidst of them, carrying down nine of her own crew and three of the A.mericans. With a generosity becoming them, the crew of the Hornei divided their clothing with the prisoners, who wer€i left destitute by the sinking ship. In the action the Hornet re- ceived but a slight injury. The killed and wounded, on board the Peacockj were supposed to exceed fifty. Section XXIV. On the 4th of March, 1813, Mr. Madison entered upon his second term of office, as president of the United States; having been re-elected by a considerable majority, though De Witt Clinton, of New- York, was sup- ported by the federal electors. George Clinton was elected vice president : he died, however, soon after, and Elbridge Gerry succeeded him. Section XXV. It having been communicated to the American government, that the emperour of Russia was desirous of seeing an end put to the hostilities between Great Britain and Ame- rica, and had offered to mediate between the two countries, Messrs. Albert Gallatin, James A. Bayard, and John Quincy Adams, were, early in the spring, 1813, appointed commis- sioners to Russia, to meet such commissioners aa should be sent by the British court, and were empowered to negotiate a treaty of peace and commerce with Great Britain MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION. 331 Section XXVf . During ihe winter, which had now passc ly a year, in the course of which he had captured several Bri- tish armed whale ships. Some of these were equipped as Ame- rican cruisers and store ships ; and the Atlantick, now called the Essex Junior, of twenty gims and sixty men, was assigned to Lieut. Downes. T'rie prizes which were to be laid up, were convoyed by this officer to Valparaiso. On his return, he brought intelligence to Commodore Porter that a Briti^sh sc^uad- ron, consisting ot one frigate, and two stoops of Aar, and a store ship of twenty guns, had sailed in quest of the Essex. The commodore took measures, immediately, to repair his vessel, which, having accomplished, on the lidth of December, 1813, he sailed for Valparaiso, in company wiiii the Essex Junior. " It was not h^ng after the ariival of Commodore Porter at Valparaiso, when Commodore Hillyar appeared there in the Phoebe frigate, accompanied by the (."herub sloO|> of war.— > These vessels had been equipped for the purpose «»f meeting the Essex ^ with picked crews, in prim.e order, and hoisted flags bearing the motto, " God and our country, British jailors' best rights; traitors offend them.'''' This was in alUision to Porter's celebrated motto, " Free trade and sailors' rights ;" he now hoisted at his mizzen, " God, our country, and liberty : tyrants oflend them." On entering the harbour, the British commodore fell foul of the Essex, in such a situation as to be placed co^ft- pletcly in the power of the latter ; the forbearance of Commo- dore Porter was acknowledged by the English commander, and fee passed his word and honour to observe the same roaacd to the neutrality of the port. " The British vessels soon after stood out, and cruised off the port about six weeks, rigorously blockading the Essex. Their united fcrce amounted to eighty-one giuis and about five hun- dred men, about double that of the Essex ; but the circumstance of this force being divided in two ships, rendf'red the disparity still greater ; and was by lio means counterbalanced by the Es- sex Junior. Commodore Porter being prevented by this great disparity of force, from engaging, made repeated attempts to draw the Phoebe into action singly, either by rnanopuvring or sending formal challenges ; but Commodore Flillyar carefully avoided the coming to action alone. The American command- er, hearing that an additional British force was on its way, and having discovered that his vessel could outsail those of the Bri- tish, determined to sail out, and, while the enemy was in chase, enable the Essex Junior to escape to a place of rendezvous pre* viousiy appointed. *' On the twenty-eighth of March, the wind coming on to blow fresh from the southwards the Essex parted her starboard 540 PERIOD X....1S09....1817. cable, and dragged her larboard anchor to sea. Not a momert •was lost in getting sail on the ship, as it was determined to seise this moment to escape. In endeavouring to pass to the windward of the enemy, a squall struck the' American vessel, just as she was doubling the point, which carried away her niaan-top-raast ; both ships immediately gave chase, and being unable to escape in his crippled state, the commodore endea- voured to put back into the harbour ; but finding this impractica- ble, he ran into a small bay, and anchored within pistol shot of the shore : where, from a supposhion that the enemy would continue to respect the neutrality of the port, he thought himself secure. He soon found, however, by the manner in which they approached, that he was mistaken. With all possible despatch, t.herefore, he prepared his ship for action, and endeavoured to get a spring on his cable, wliich he could not accomplish oefore the enemy commenced the attack, at fifty-four minutes past three. At first th? Phoebe placed herself on his stern, and the Che- rub on his larboard bow ; but tiie lalier soon finding herself ex- posed to a hot fire, changed her position, and with her consort, kept up a raking fire under his stern. The American, being unable to bring his broadside to bear on the enemy, his spring ';ables having been three times shot away, was obliged, there- fore, to rely for defence against this tremendous attack, on three long twelve pounders, which he ran out of the slwn ports; which were worked with such bi'avery and skill, as in half an hour to do so much injury to the enemy, as to compel them to hauf 06* and repo=- It was evident that Commodore Hiilyar meant to risk nothing from the daring courage of tiie Americans; all his mannEtivres were deliberate and wary ; his antagonist was in his power, and his only concern was to succeed with as little loss to himself as possible. The situation of the Essex was most vexatioi's to our brave countrymen; many of them were aheady killed and wounded, and from the crippled state of their ship, they were unable to bring her guns to bear upon the eneray. — Her gallant cre\f were not disheartened ; aroused to desperation, they ex- pressed their defiance to the enemy, and their determination to hnld out to the last. The enemy having repaired, now placed himself, with botli ships on the starboard quarter of the Essex, where none of her guns could be brought to bear ; the commodore saw no hope but in getting under way ; the flying-jib was the only sail he could set ; this he caused to be hoisted, cut his cable, and ran down on both ships, whh the intention of laying the Phoebe on board. For a short t>«"e he was enabled to close with the ene KIADISON'S ADMINISTRATION. $41 my, and the firing was tremendous ; the decks of the £ss«x were strewed with dead, and her cockpit filled with the wound" ed ; she had been several times on fire, and was, in fact, a per- fect wreck. At this moment, a feeble hope arose, that she might still be saved, in* consequence of the Cherub being compelled to haul off on account of her crippled state ; she, however, kept up her fire at a distance, with her long guns. The Essex was unable, however, to take advantage of the circumstance, as the Phoebe edged off, and also kept up, at a distance, a destructive fire ; the forraer being totally bereft of her sails, could not bring ber to close quarters. Commodore Porter finding the greater part of his crew dis- abled, at last gave up all hope, and attempted to run his vessel on shore, the wind at that moment favouring his design ; but it suddenly changed, drove her close upon the Phcebe, exposing her to a raking fire. The ship was totally unmanageable, but as she drifted with her head to the enemy, Commodore Porter again seized a faint hope of being able to board. At this mo- ment Lieutenant Downes came on board, to receive orders, ex pecting that his commander would soon be a prisoner. His ser- vices could be of no avail in the present deplorable state of the Essex, and finding from the enemy's putting up his helm, that the last attempt at boarding would not succeed, Downes was directed to repair to his ship, to be prepared for defending and destroying her, in case of attack. The slaughter on board the Essex now became horrible, the pueray continuing to rake her while she was unable to bring a single gun to bear. Still her commander refused to yield while a ray of hope appeared. Every expedient, that a fertile and inventive genius could suggest, was resorted to, in the forlorn hope, that he might be able, by some lucky chance, to escape from the grasp of the foe. A hawser was bent to the sheet an- chor, and the anchor cat from the bows, to bring the ship's head around. This succeeded ; the broadside of the Essex was again brought to bear ; and as the enemy was much crippled, and un- able to hold his own, the commodore thought she might drift out of gunshot, before he discovered that the Essex had anchored; but alas ! this last expedient failed ; the hawser parted, and with it went the last linsjerijjg hope of the Essex. At this moment her situation was awful beyond description. She was on fire both before and aft, the flames were bursting up lier hatchway, a quantity of powder exploded below, and word was given that the fire was near her magazine. Thus surround- by horrours, without any chance of saving his ship, he turned his attention to the saving as many of his gallant companions as be could ; the distance to the shore not exceeding three quarter* 29* 342 PERIOD X....1809....181J. of a mile, he hoped that many of them would save themselves before the ship blew up. His boats being cut up, they could only hope to escape by swimming ; by some this was effected, buithe greater part of his generous crew resolved to stay by the ship, and shcire the fate of their commander. They noy laboured to extinguish the flames, and succeeded ; after this, they again repaired to their gims, but their strength had become so much exhausted, that this effort was in vzdn. Comniodore Porter summoned a consultation of the officers of ihe divisions, when to his astonishment only one acting lieute- nant, Stephen Decatur M'lNight, appeared. The accounts from every part of the ship were deplorable indeed ; she -vas in im- minent danger of sinking, and so crowded with the wounded, that even her birthdeck could hold no more, and several were killed under the surgeon's hands. In the mean time the enemy, at a secure distance, continued his fire ; the water having be- come smooth, he struck the hull of the Essex at every shot. At last, despairing of saving his ship, the commodore was compell- od, at twenty minutes past six, to give the painful orders to strike (he colours. The enemy, probably not seeing that this had ta- ken place, continued to fire for ten minutes after, and Porter was about to give orders that the colours should again be hoisted, under a belief that the enemy intended to give no quarters, when the firing ceased. The loss on board the Essex was fifty-eight killed, thirty-nine wounded severely, twenty-seven slightly, and ihirty one missing. The loss on board the British vessels was five killed and ten wounded ; but they were both much cut up in their hulls and rigging ; the Phoebe could scarcely be kept afloat until ^he anchored in the port of Valparaiso next morn- ing. Commodore Porter was paroled, and permitted to return to tlie United States ni the Essex Junior, which was converted in- to a cartel for the purpose. On arriving off the port of New- York, the vessel was detained by the Saturn razee, and to the disgrace of the British navjr, already dishonoured by the base attack upon this gallant officer, lie was compelled to give up his pai'ole, and declare himself a prisoner of war, and, as such, he informed the British officer that he would attempt his escape. In consequence of this threat, the Essex Junior was ordered to vemaW under the lee of the Saturn ; but the next morning Com- modoit. Porter put off in bis boat, though thirty miles from shore, Hnd notwithstanding the pursuit by those of the Saturn, arrivec* safely in New- York."* Brackenridse. MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION. S4'3 Section XXXVIJ. Towards the close of April, after an action of forty-two minutes, the British brig Epervier surrendered to the Peacock. Fort Erie was taken from the Britis>h, early in July, and during the same month, sanguinary battles were fought at Chippewa and Bridi!;ewater. In the battle of Bridgewater, or Niagara, Generals Brown and Scoti commanded the Americans ; Generals DrummorKi and Riall the British. The battle lasted from four o'clock, P. M. till midnight. The British loss was nine hundred in kil'.ed, wounded, and prisoners ; the loss of the Americans did not ex- ceed one hundred. The former were obliged to retire. Section XXXVIII. While these events were transpiring in the north, the publick attention was irresistibly diawn to the movements of the enemy on the sea-board. About the middle of August, between fifty and sixty sail of the Bri- tish arrived in the '> hesapeake, with troops des- tined for the attack of Washington, the capital of the United States. On the 23d of Ausfust, six thousand British troops, commanded by Gen. Ross, forced their way to that place, burnt the capitol, president's house, and executive of- fices. Having thus accomplished an object highly disgraceful to the British arms, and wan- tonly burned publick buildings, the ornament and pride of the nation, the destruction of which could not hasten the termination of the war — on the 25th they retired, and, by rapid marches, regained their shipping, having lost, during the expedition, nearly one thousand men. The troops, under Gen. Ross, were landed at Benedict, on die Pawtuxet, forty-seven miles from Washington. On the 21st, they moved toward Nottingham, and, the following day, reached Marlborough. A British flotilla, commanded by Cock- burn, consisting of launches and barges, ascended the river at the same time, keeping on the right flank of the army. The day following, on approaching the American flotilla of Com. Barney, which had taken refuge high up the river, twelve miles 344 PERIOD X....1809....1817. from Washington, some sailers left on board the flotilla for the purpose, should it be necessary, set fire to it, and fled. On Ae arrival of the British army at Bladensburg, six mile& from Washington, Gen. Winder, commander of the American forces, chiefly militia collected fur the occasion, ordered them to «ngage the enemy. The principal part of the militia, however, fled, at the opening of the contest. Commodore Barney, with a few eighteen pounders, and about four hundred men, made a gallant resistance ; but being overpowered by numbers, and himself wounded, he and a part of his brave band were tompell ed to surrender themselves prisoners of war. From Bladensburg, Gt-n. Ross urged bis march to Washing- ton, where he arrived tit about 8 o'clock in the evening. Having stationed his main body at the distance of a mile and a hall from the capitol, he entered the city, at the head of about seven hundred men, soon after which, he issued his orders for the con- flagration of the publick buildings. With the capitol were coi>- snmed its valuable libraries, and all the fiKnhure, and articles of taste and value in that and in the other buildings. The great bridge across the Potomack was burnt, together with an elegant hotel, and other private buildings. Section XXXIX. The capture of Washing- ton was followed, September 12th, by an attack on Baltimore, in which the American forces, militia, and inhabitants of Baltimore, made a gallant defence. Being, however, overpowered by a superiour force, they were compelled to retreat; but they fought so valiantly, that the attempt to gain possession of the city was aban- doned by the enemy, who, during the night of Tuesday, 13th, retired to their shipping, having lost among their killed, Gen, Ross, the comman- der in chief of the British troops. The British armj', after the capture of Washington, having re-embarked on board the fle.n in the Pawtuxent, Admiral Coch rane moved down that river, and proceeded up liie Chesapeake On the morning of the llth of September, he appeared at the mouth of the Patapsco, fourteen miles from Baltimore, with a fleet of ships of war and transports, amounting to fifty sail. On the next day, 12th, land forces, to the number of six thou- sand, were landed at North Point, and, under the command of Gen. lloss, commenced their march towards the city. In anti- cipation of the landing of the troojjsj Gen. Strieker was despatch MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION. 345 e niont, met at Hartford. After a session of near three weeks, they published a report, in which, after dwelling upon the publick grievances felt by the New England States particularly, and by the country at large, in no small degree, they proceeded to suggest several alterations of the federal constitution, with a view to their adop- tion by the respective states of the Union. These alterations consisted of seven articles— ^r«/, that re- presentatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned to the num- ber of free persons ; — secondly, that no new State shall be ad- mitted into the union without the concurrence of two thirds of both houses ; — thirdly, that congress shall not have power to lay an embargo for more than sixty days i— fourthly, that con- gress shall not interdict commercial intercourse, without the coI^ currence of two thirds of both houses ;— fifthly, that war shall not be declared without the concurrence of a similar majority ;— sixthly, that no person who shall be hereafter naturalized, shall be eligible as a member of the senate ricans. At length, they came within reach of the mnsketr}' and rilles. The extended American line now unitedly presenter! one sheet uf fire, and poured in upon tiie British columns, an unceasing tide of death. Hundreds fell at every discharge, and by colun)ns were swept away. Being unable to stand the shock, tlie British became disorder- ed and fled. In an atteni])t to rally tiiem, Gen. Packenham was killed. Generals Gibl)s and Kean succeeded in pushing for- ward their columns a seeuiid time, but the second approach was still more fatal than the first. TJie nres again rolled from the American batteries, and f'om thousands of muskets. The ad- vancing columns again broke and fled ; a few platoons only reached the edge of the ditch, there to meet a more certain de- struction. In a tliird but unavailing attempt to lead up their troops, Generals (libbs and Kean were severely wounded, the former nmitally. The field of battle now exhibited a scene of extended carnage. Seven hundred brave soldiers were sleeping in death, and one thousand four hundred were wounded. Five hundred were made prisoners — making a loss to the British, on this memorable day, of near three thousand men. Tiie Americans lost m the en- gagement only seveji killed, and six wounded. The enemy now sullenly retired, and on the night of the 1 Sth, evacuated their camp, and, with great sccresy, embarked on board their shipping. Section XLIV. The news of the victory at New-Orleans spread with haste through the United States, and soon after was followed by the still more welcome tidings of a treaty of peace, which was signed at Ghent, on the 24th of MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION. S55 December, 1814. On the 1 7th of February, this treaty was ratified by the president and senate. Upon the subjects lor which the war had been protessedly declared, the treaty, thus concluded, was silent. It provided only for the suspension of hostilities — the exchange of prisoners — the restoration of territories and possessions obtained by the contending powers, during the war — the adjustment of unsettled boundaries — and for a combined effort to effect the entire abo- lition of traffick in slaves. But whatever diversity of opinion had prevailed about the justice or policy of the war — or now prevailed about the merits of the treaty — all parties welcomed the return of peace. The soldier gladly exchanged the toils of the camp for the rest of his home ; the mariner once more spread his canvass to the wind, and, fearless of molestation, joyfully stretched his way on the ocean ; and the yeomanry of the land, unaccustomed to tlwe din of arms, gladly returned to their wonted care of the field, and the flock. Section XLV. The treaty with England was followed, on the 30th of June. 1815, by a treaty with the dey of Algiers, concluded at Algiers at that time, by William Shaler, and Com. Stephen Decatur, agents for the United States. The war which thus ended by treaty was commenced by the dey himself, as early as the year 1812. At that time the Ame- rican consul, Mr. Lear, was suddenly ordered to depart from Algiers, on account of the arrival of a cargo of naval and mili- tary stores, for the regency of Algiers, in fulfdment of treaty stipulations, which the dey alleged were not such in quantity or quality as he expected. At the same time, depredations were commenced upon our commerce. Several American vessels were captured and condemned, and their crews subjected to slavery. Upon a representation of the case, by the president, to con gress, that body formally declared war against the dey in March. Soon after an American squadron sailed for the Me- diterranean, captured an Algerine brig, and a forty-four gui frigate, and at length appeared before Algiers. The respectabiHty of the American force, added to the two important victories already achieved, had prepared the way for the American commissioners to dictate a treaty upon such a basis as they pleased. Accordingly, he model of a treaty was sent to the dey, who signed it. By this treaty, the United States were exemoted from paying tribute in future — captured pronerty 334 PERIOD X....1S00....181-. was lo be restored by the dey — prisoners to be deliveried up without ransom, &c. &c. Section XLVI. By tlie ninth article of the treaty between the United States and Great Bntain, it was stipulated by the former, that measures should be immediately taken to esta- blish a peace with the several tribes of Indians, which had been engaged in hostilities against the United States. Such measures were accord- ingly taken, and. in his message, December, 1815, the president communicated to congress, that a renewal of treaties had readily been ac- ceded to by several tribes, and that other more distant tribes would probably follow their exam- ple, upon proper explanations. Section XLVII. The treaty with Great Bri- tain, which ended the war, left the subject of commercial intercourse between the two nations to future negotiation. In the summer following the close of the war, plenipotentiaries, respect- ively appointed by the two countries for that purpose, met at London, and on the third of July< signed " a convention, by which to regu- late the commerce between the territories of the United States, and of his Britanick majesty." This convention provided for a reciprocal libeny of com- merce between the two countries — for an equalization of duties on importations and exportations from either country to the other — and for the admission of American vessels to the princi- pal settlements of the British dominions in the East Indies, viz. Madras, Calcutta, Bombay, &c. Of this convention the presi dent spoke in terms of approbation, in his message to congress ; bnt by a large portion of the community it was received with coldness, from an apprehension that it would operate unfavour •ably to America, and would seriously abridge her commerce* ^The convention was to be binding only for four years. Section XLVIII. By the second article of the treaty with Great Britain, it was agreed, that all ▼csfsels, taken by either power, within twelve MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION. 35^ (lays from the exchange of ratifications, between iwenty-three degrees and fifty degrees of north latitude, siiould be coasidered lawful prizes. A longer period was stipulated for more distant latitudes. Within the time limited by this arti- cle, several actions tuok place, and several ves- sels of various descriptions were captured by each of the belligerents. The frigate President was taken January loth, 1815, by a British squadron ; the British ships Cyane, Levant, and Penguin, were captured by the Americans. In consequence ot the continutd blockade of Commodore De- catur's squadron at New-London, that officer was transferred to the President, then at New-Vork. Soon after taking comniand of her, a cruise was contemplated by the commodore, in con- junction with the Peacock, Hornet, and Tom Bowline. Think- ing it more safe to venture out singly, the commodore appoint- ed a place of rendezvous for the vessels, and set sail in the Pre- sident. Through the carelessness of the pilot, his vessel, in j)assing out, struck upon the bar, where she lay for two hours tossing about, by which her ballast was deranged, and her trim for sailing lost. Trusting £0 the excellence of his vessel, how- ever, and not being able to return to port, the commodore put out to sea. , At daylight, he fell in with a British squadron, consisting of the Endymion, Tenedos, and Pomone fiigates, with the Majes- tick razee. In spite of every exertion, they gained upon him ; at length the Endymion came within reach, and opened her fire. Commodore Decatur determined to engage her before the other vessels should come up. This he now did, and in a short time completely silenced her. By this time, the rest of the squadron had arrived ; being unwilling to sacrifice his men in a useless contest, on receiving the fire of the nearest frigate, he surrender- ed. Commodore Decatur was taken on board the Endymion, and although she was only a wreck, he was required to surren- der his sword to the officer of that vessel. To this the spirit of Decatur could not submit, and he indignantly refused to relin- quish it to any one, but to the commander of the squadron. The Cyane, a frigate of thirty-four guns, and the Levant, a sloop of eighteen thirty pound carronades, were taken by the Constitution about the same time. The Peacock, Hornet, and Tom Bowline, left New- York a few days after the sailing of the President, withoat having heard S5G PERIOD X....1809....1817. of her capture. On the 23d of January, the Hornet parted company, and directed her course towards Tristan d'Acuna, the place of rendezvous. On the 23d of March, she descried the British brig Penguin, of eighteen guns and a twelve pound carronade, to the southward and eastwaid of the island. Cap- tain Biddle hove to while the Penguin bore down. At forty minutes past one, the British brig opened her fire. After fif- teen minutes the Penguin gradiinlly nearcd the Hornet with an intention to board, the captain having given orders for that pur- pose. At this time, he was killed by a grape shot. Her lieu- tenant then bore her up, and running her bowsprit between the main and mizzen rigging of the Hornet, gave orders to board. His men, however, perceiving the crew of the Hornet ready to receive them, refused to follow him. At this moment the heavy swells of the sea lifted the Hornet ahead. The commander of the Penguin called out that he had surrendered, and Captain Biddle ordered his men to cease firing. Immediately after this, an officer of the Hornet called to Cap- tain Biddle, that a man in the enemy's shrouds was taking aim at him. Before he could change his position, a musket ball struck him in the neck, and wounded him severely. Two ma- rines immediately levelled their pieces, and killed the wretch before he had brought his gun from his shoulder. The crew of the Hornet, indignant at this outrage, demanded to give the enemy a fresh broadside, and the vessel had nearly wore round for the purpose, before Captain Biddle could restrain the justly exasperated crew, ^he loss of the Penguin was fourteen in killed, and twenty-eight wounded. The Hornet had one killed and eleven wounded. The former vessel was so seriously in- jured, that Captain Biddle sunk her. Section XLIX. The attention of congress, during their session in the year 1815 — 1816, was called to a bill, which had for its object the incorporation of a National Bank. In the dis- cussion which followed, much diversity of opi- nion was found to prevail, not only as to the constitutional power of congress to establish such an institution, but also as to the principles upon which it should be modelled. After weeks of animated debate, a bill incorporating the " Bank of the United States,^^ with a capi- tal of thirty-five millions of dollars, passed, and MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION. s^Y on Weducsday, April lOtli, received the signa- ture of the president. or the stock of the bank, seven millions were t'l be subscribed by the United States, the remaining twenty-eight by individuals. The affairs of the corporation were to be managed by twenty- live directors, tiveof whom were to be chosen by the president, with the advice and consent of the senate ; the remainder to be elected by the stockholders, at the banking house in Philadel- j)hia. The charter of the bank is to continue in force until the 3d of March, 1836. L. The summer of 1816 passed away with- out being marked by any events of peculiar mo« ment. The country appeared to be gradually recovering from the embarrassments' induced by the war, and that asperity of feeling, which had agitated the different political parties in the United States, was visibly wearing away. Con- gress met in December, (n the conclusion of his message at the opening of the session, Mr. Madison, anticipating the speedy arrival of the day, when he should retire from the fjresidency, took occasion to express his attachment for his country, and his wishes for her future peace and prosperity : " I can indulge the prourl reflection," said he, " that the American people have reached in safety and success, their for- tieth year, as an independent nation ; that for nearly an entire generation, they have had experience of their pres(?nt constitu- tion, the offspring of their undisturbed deliberations and of their free choice ; that they have found it to bear the trials of adverse as well as prosperfHis circumstances, to contain in its conihina-^ tion of the federate and elective principles, a reconcilement of publick strength with individual liberty, of national power, for the defence of national rights, with a security against wars of injustice, of ambition, or of vain glory, in the fundamental pro- vision which subjects all questions of war to the will of the na- tion itself, which is to pay its costs, and feel its calamities. Nor is it less a peculiar felicity of this constitution, so dear to us all, that it IS lound to be capable, without losing its vital energies, of expanding itself over a spacious territory, with the increase 358 PERIOD X....1809....1817. and expansion of the coramunitv, for whose benefit It was esta Wished." Section LI. In December 1816, Indiana be came an independent state, and was received into the union. Detached places in Indiana were settled by the French, up- wards of a century ago. The exact period, at which the first settlement was made, is uncertain. In 1763, the territory was ceded by France to England. By the treaty of Greenville in 1795, the United States obtained oi the Indians several small grants of land within this territory ; and, in subsequent years, still more extensive tracts. During the war with England, which broke out in 1812, Indiana wa? the scene of many Indian depredations, and of many unusually severe battles, between the hostile tribes, and the troops of the United States. Until 1801, Indiana formed a part of the great north-western territory, but, at that date, it was erected into a territorial government, with the usual powers and privileges. In December 1815, the inhabitants amounting to sixty thousand, the legislature petitioned congress for admission into the union, and the privilege of forming a state constitution. A bill for this purpose passed congress, in April 181 6; a convention of dele- gates met in conformity to it, by which a constitution was adopt- ed, and Indiana became an independent state, and a member of the union in December following. Section 1A\. 1817. On Wednesday, Febru- ary 12tli, the votes for Mr. Madison's successor were counted in the presence of both houses of congress, when it appeared that James Monroe was elected president, and Daniel D. Tompkins vice-president of the United States, for the four years from and after the 4th of the ensuing March. Notes* Section LTII. ^^inntXU* The only no- ticeable change of manners, which seems to have taken place during this period, arose from the spirit of pecuniary speculation, which per- MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION. S59 vaded the country during the war. Money was borrowed with facility, and fortunes were often made in a day. Extravagance and profligacy were, to some extent, tlie consequence. The return of peace, and the extensive misfortunes which fell upon every part of the community, counteracted these vices, and restored more so- ber and industrious habits. Section LIV. 3£^eUgtCH* During this peri: ed, extensive revivals of religion prevailed, and liberal and expanded plans were devised and commenced for the promotion of Christianity. Several theological institutions were founded, missionary and bible societies were established, and a great call for ministers of the gospel was heard. Section LV. KtiCtit iiXCU (^nXUmtttt. •During this period, trade and commerce were crippled by foreign restrictions, our ov*^n acts of non-intercourse, and, at length, by the war with England. During this war our carrying trade was destroyed, nor was it restored by the peace of 1815. On the return of peace, immense importations were made from England, the country being des- titute of English merchandise. The market was soon glutted, prices fell, and extensive bank- ruptcies were the consequence. Section LVl. g||;|titUlttUT* Agriculture, during this period, cannot be said to have made great advances. An excessive disposition in the people, for trade and specula- tion, drew off" the attention of the more intelligent and active part of the community, and directed much of the capital of the coun- try to other objecis. Upon the return of peace, however, when mercantile distresses overspread the land, agriculture was again resorted to, as one of the surest means of obtaining a livelihood. Men of capital, too, turned their attention to farming; agriciU- g^O PERIOD X....1SD9....181 7. ^ , tnral societies were established, in all parts of tne country : morf rnlightened methods of culture were introduced, and agriculture became not only one of the most profitable, but one of the most i popular objects of pursuit. Section LVII. ^ttfil afuli i^attttfat= tttirCS. During the war which occurred in this period, the intercourse with England and other places, being stopped, the colintry was soon des- titute of those articles which liad been supplied by English rnanutwctories. Accordingly, the people began to inanufacture for themselves. Extensive manufacturing establishments werejj started for abnost every sort of merchandise. — 1| Such was their success at the outset, that an im- mense capita! was soon invested in them, and the country began to be supplied with almost every species of manufacture from our own es- tablishments. After the peace, the country be- ing inundated with British goods, these esta- blishments suffered the severest embarrass- ments, and many of them were entirely broken down. A considerable portion of them, how- ever, were maintained, and continued to flou rish. Section LVIII. ]|0|IUlaitlCtf« At the expi- ration of Mr. Madison's term of office, in 1817, the number of inhabitants in the United States was about nine millions, five hundred thousand. Section LIX. SUtlCatlOtl* The pecuniary embarrassments experienced throughout the country, during the latter part of this period, sensibly affected some institutions devoted to science and benevolence, especially those which depend, in part, upon the yearly contritiutions of the patrons of learning and religion, for the means of suppoit. In several of the higher se- minaries, the number of students was, for a MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION 361 time, diminislied. Nevertheless, parochial schools, academies, and colleges, 11^)011 the whole, continued to increase, and to qualify many for the common and higher professions of life. A theological institution was established at Princeton, New- Jersey, in 1 812, by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. In 1821, the theolog'cal sennnary ol" the Associate Reformed Church, in New-York, was united to thai of Prince- ton, and its library, consisting of four thousand volumes, wiiich cost seventeen thousand dollars, was transtened to the latter place. This seminary has three prolessors, and in 1821, had seventy-three students. During the same year, Hamilton College was incorporated at Clinton, New-York ; it has been liberally patronised by the legislature, and by individuals. 31 UNITED STATES. mvioXf Xii. DISTINGUISHED FOR MONROE'S ADMINISTRATION, Extending frojn the inauguration of President Monroe, 18 1 7, to the close of the year 1822. Section I. On the 4th of iMarch, 1817, Mr. Monroe took the oath prescribed by the consti- tution, and entered upon the duties of president of the United States. The condition of the country, on the accession of Mr. Mon- f 06 to the presidency, was in several respects more prosperous and happy, than on the accession of his predecessor. Not only liad war ceased, and the political asperity, excited by it, given place to better feelings, but efforts were made in every section of the union, to revive those plans of business, which the war had nearly annihilated. — The country had suffered too much, however, to regain, immediately, its former prosperity. Com- merce was far from being flourishing ; a consideralile part of the legitimate trade was in the hands of foreigners ; many ships were lying unemployed, and the ship building in many ports had nearly ceased. The manufacturing establisliments, which had not been entirely broken down, were sustaining a precarious existence. Foreign merchandise was inundating the country ; and the specie, borrowed in Europe for the national bank, at an excessive premium, as well as that which was previously in the country, was rapidly leaving it to pay the balance of trade against us.* In his inaugural address, however, the president ♦ The Bank of the United States commenced the importation of specie ja 18iy, and introduced into the country seven millions, three hundred and eleven thousand, seven hundred and fifty dollars, at an expense of more than ha5f u million of doilars. As fast as this specie arrived it was r«.8hipped tu Europe, to pay the balance of trade against the United &tAtc», or sent tc India or China to purchase merchandise. With this MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION. S6S spoke in animating terms of the happy sta...; of the country, and of its prospects of regaining, at no distant periou, that measure of prosperity, which in former years it liad e/ijoyed. Section II. In the summer and autumn, fol- lowing his inauguration, the president made a tour through the northern and eastern states of the union. The objects of this tour were connected with the national in- ;erests. Congress had appropriated large sums of money for ^he fortification of the sea coast, and inland frontiers, for the es- tablishment of naval docks, and for increasing th'> navy. The superintendence of these works belonged to the president. So- licitous to discharge his duty in reference to them with judgment, fidelity, and econoniy, he was induced to visit the most import* ant points along the sea coast, and in the interior, from a con- viction of being bettei able to direct in reference to them, with the knowledge derived from personal observation, *han by means oi' information communicated to him by others. He left Wash- ington on the Isi of June, accompanied by Gpn. Joseph C. Swift, chief engineer of the United States, and his private secre- tary, Mr. Mason. Passing through Baltimore, Philadelphia, New- York, New-Haven, Hartfora, New-London, and Provi- den-ce, he arrived in Boston, in which place and its vicinity, he spent several days. On leaving Boston, be continued eastward to Portland, through Salen), Newburypoi t, and Portsmouth ; and thence directed his course westward to Plattsburg, in the state of JSew York. In his route thither, he passed through Dover, Concord, and Hano- ver, in New-Hampshire, and through Windsor, and Burlington, in Vermont. The important post of Plattsburg occupies, his close attention for severa4 days. From this latter place he con^ tinned westward, to Ogdensburg, Sackett's Harbour, and De- troit. Having now effected the leading objects of his tour, he commenced his return to the seat of government through the in- terior of Ohio. At the close of the day, Sept. 17th, he entered W^ashington, after having been absent more than three months, specie went a large portion of that which was in the country at tho close of the war. The exportation of specie from the United St-^tes to ChinOi alons, in tfiree years, amounted to abore seventeen millions of dollare. Viz :— 1816-17 ^4,572,000 17-18 5,300,009 18-19 7,414.000 ^17,280,000 r. 3C4 TERIOD XI....1817....1822. « and having travelled three thousand miles. In tlic course of his tour, the president examined the various fortifications on the sea board, and in the interior, visited publick buildings and instilu* tions, devoted to the purposes of literature, the arts, and general benevolence. — Although undesirous of attracting publick atten- tion on a tour, whose object was the good of his country, he was met by a respectable deputation from the various places, through which it was understood he would pass, and in i'vely and patri* otick addresses was welcomed to their hospitality. Section IH. Conffress met on the 1st of Do- ember. In his message at the opening of the >ession, the president staled that the national credit was attaining a high elevation; that pre- parations for the defence of the country were progressing, under a well digested system; lliat arrangements had been made with Great Britain to reduce the naval force of the two countries on the western lakes, and that it was agreed that each country should keep possession of the isl- ands which belonged to it before the war ; and that the foreign relations of the country conti- nued to be pacifick. Tlie message concluded with recommending the surviving officers and soldiers of the revolutionary army to the special notice of congress, and the repeal of the inter- nal duties, on the ground that the state of tho treasury rendered their longer continuan-ce un- necessary. Section IV. On the 11th, the state of Missis- sippi was acknowledged by congress as sove- reign and independent, and was admitted to the union. The first European, who visited the present state of Missis- sippi, appears to have been Ferdinand de Soio, a native of Ba- dajoz, in Spain, who landed on the coast of Florida on the 2r>th of May, J 539. He spent tliree years in the country searching for gold, but at length died, and was buried on the banks of the ISlississippi, May, 1542. In 1683, iM. de Salle descended the Mississippi and gave the name of Louisiana to the country. In consequence of this, the MONROE'S ADMINISTRATION. S65 French ciaimed to have jurisdiction over it. In 17 16, they formed a settlement at the Natchez, and built a fort, which they nam* ed Rosalie. Other settlements were effected in subsequent years. The French settlements were, however, seriously disturbed by the Indians, particularly by the Natchez, once the mos* powei« ful of all the southern tribes. The French retained an acknowledged title to the country, on the east side of the Mississippi, until the treaty of 1763, when they ceded their possessions, east of that river, to the English. By the treaty of 1783, Great Britain relinquished the Floridas to Spain, without specifick boundaries; and at the same time, ceded to the United States all the country north of the thirty-first degree of latitude. The Spaniards retained pos- session of the Natchez and the ports north of the thirty-first de- gree, until 179s, when they finally abandoned them to the Unit^ ed States. In the year 1800, the territory between the Mississippi and the western boundary of Georgia was erected into a distinct territorial government. By treaty in 1801, at fort Adams, the Choctaw Indians relinquished to the United States a large body of land, and other cessions have since been made. On the 1st of March, 18l7j congress authorised the people of the western part of Mississippi territory to form a constitution and state go- vernment. A convention met in July, 1817, by which a consti« lution was formed, and in December following, Mississippi was admitted into the union as a separate state Section V. In the course of the same month, an expedition which had been set on foot by a number of adventurers, from different countries, against East and West Florida, was terminated by the troops of the United States. These ad- venturers claimed to be acting under the autho- rity of some of the South American colonies, and had formed an establishment at Amelia Island, a Spanish province, then the subject of negotia- tion between the United States and Spain. — Their avowed object being an invasion of the Floridas, and of course an invasion of a part of the United States, the American government deemed itself authorized, without designing any hostility to Spain, to take possession of Amelia Island, their head quarters. SGO PERIOD XI....1817....1822. A similar establishment had previously been formed at GaK vezton, a small island on the coast of the Texas, claimed by the United States. From both of these jilaces privateers were fitted out, which greatly annoyed our regular commerce. Prizes were sent in, and by a pretended court of admiralty, condemned and sold. Slaves, in great numbers, were shipjied through these Islands to the United States, and through the same channel ex- tensive clandestine importations of goods were made. Justly apprehending the results of these establishments, if suffered to proceed unmolested, the executive took early measures to sup- press them. Accordingly, a naval force, with the necessary «roops, was despatched under command of Captains Henly and Bankhead, to whom Amelia Island was surrendered, on the 24th of December, without the effusion of blood. The sup- pression of Galvezton followed soon after. Section VI. Several bills of importance pass- ed congress, during their session, in the winter of 1817, 1818; a bill allowing to the members of the senate, and house of representatives, the sum of eight dollars per day, during their attend- ance ; a second, in compliance with the recom- mendation of the president, abolishing the in- ternal duties; and a third, providing, upon the same recommendation, for the indigent officers and soldiers of the revolutionary army. The compensation bill, as it was called, excited much sensa- tion throughout the nation, on the ground that the sum was un- necessarily enhanced, and gave occasion to long and animated debates on the floor of the house of representatives. By a por- tion of the representatives, strenuous efforts were made to fix the per diem allowance at six dollars, while others attempted to rabe it to nine or ten. After a protracted discussion of the subject, it was fixed at eight dollars. Against the repeal of the internal duties, few objections were i»rged. The recommendation of the president to repeal them was anticipated, and on taking the vote in the house of repre- sentatives, one hundred and sixty were found in favour of the bill, and but five voices against it. In calling the attention of congress to the happy situation of the United States, the president, in his message, adverted with much sensibility, to the surviving officers and soldiers of the revolutionary army, who, by their services had laid the founda- tion of American glory. Most of those who survived the MONROE'S ADMINISTRATION. 367 achievement of our independence, said he, have paid the debt of nature. Among the survivors there are some, who are reduced to indigence, and even to real distress. These men have a claim on the gratitude of their country, and it will do honour to their country to provide for them. The lapse of a few more years, and the opportunity will be lost forever, as they will all have gone to the grave. In compliance with this recommendation, a bill was introduced into congress, which, after some amend- ments, passed, granting to indigent officers of the revolutionary army the sum of twenty dollars, per month, during life, and of ejght dollars, per month, during life, to indigent non-commis- sioned officers and privates. Section VII. In April 1818, Illinois adopted a state constitution, and in December following, was admitted as a member of the union. Illinois derives its name from its principal river, which, in the language of the Indians, signifies the river of men. The first settlements, like those of Indiana, were made by the French, and were the consequence of the adventurous enterpri- ses of M. de la Salle, in search of the Mississippi. — The firs ; settlements were the villages of Kaskaskia and Cahokia. In the beginning of the eighteenth century, the settlements of Illi- nois were represented to have been in a flourishing condition. But subsequently they in a great measure declined. From the beginning to the middle of the eighteenth century, little was heard of the settlements of the French, on the banks of the Illinois. About 1749, the French began to fortify the Wabash and Illinois, in order to resist the British. In 1762, all the country to the east of the Mississippi was ceded to the latter power, and consequently Illinois passed under the British do- minion. At the peace of 1783, Great Britain renounced its claims of sovereignty over this country, as well as over the United States. Virginia, however, and some other states, claimed the whole country, north and west of the Ohio ; but at the instance of congress, a cession of these claims was made to the general government. Illinois remained a part of Indiana until 1 809, when a distinct territorial government was establish- ed for it. In 1818, the people formed a constitution, and it is now one of the United States. Section VII. Early after the conclusion of this session of congress, the president, in pursu- ance of his determination to visit such parts of the United States as were most exposed to the naval and military forces of an enemy, prepared 368 PERIOD XI....1817....1822. to survey the Chesapeake bay, and the country lying on its extensive shores. In the month of May, Ji^ left Washington, accompanied by the secretary of war, and the secretary of the navy, with other gentlemen of distinction. On his arrival at Annapolis, the pre- sident and his suite minutely examined the waters contiguous, in reference to their fitness for a naval depot. Embarking at this place on board a vessel, he further examined the coast, and thence proceeded to Norfolk. Having at length accomplished the principal object of his tour, in the examination of the Che sapeake bay, he returned to Washington, June 17th, through the interior of Virginia. The respectful, and affectionate de iiionstrations of attachment, paid to him during his northern tour, were renewed in this. Section IX. On the 27th of May, 1818, atrea- ty, conchided with Sweden, at Stockholm, on the 4th of September, 1816, by Mr. Russel, minis- ter plenipotentiary to that court, was ratified by the president and senate, on the part of the United States. The same was ratified by the king of Sweden on the 24th of the following .July. This treaty provided for maintaining peace and friendship between the two countries — reciprocal liberty of commerce — equalization of duties, &c. &c. The treaty was to continue in force for eight years from the exchange of ratifications. Section X. During the year 1818, a war was carried on between the Seminole Indians, and the United States, which terminated in the com plete discomfiture of the former. The history of this war is rendered the more interesting by the conspicuous part which the hero of New-Orleans bore in it, and the decisive, though novel measures which he adopted in prosecuting it. The Indians, denominated Seminole Indians, inhabited a tract of country, partly within the limits of the United States, but a greater part of which lies within the boundaries of the Floridas, They originally consisted of fugitives from the northern tribes, resident within the limits of the United States. After the treaty of 1814 with the Creek Indians, a considerable addition was made to these fugitives from the Creeks, numbers of whom, be- ing dissatisfied with the provisions of that treaty, withdrew te MONROE'S ADMINISTRATION. 3Q) the Seminoles, carrying with them feelings of hostility against ihe United Stales. These feelings seem to have been much strengthened by foreign emissaries, who had taken up their re- sidence among them for the purposes of trade, among whom, as the most conspicuous, were two Englislunei:, Alexander Ar buthnot and Robert C. Ambrister. Many outrages were per- petrated from time to time, by the Indians, upon the border in- liabitants, and several murders, under aggravated circumstances, were committed. Moreover, with a demand by General Gaines, the United States' officer, in that quarter, to deliver up the of- Tejideis, the Indians refused to ctmiply, alleging that the first and greatest aggressions had proceeded from the whites. In consequence of tliis refusal. Gen. Gaines was instructed, by the secretary of war, to remove, at his discretion, such Indians as were still on the lands ceded to the United States by the Creeks in 18J4. Pursuant to this discretionary authority, Gen. Gaines detached a party of near three imndred men, under command of Major Twiggs, to take an Indian village called Fowl Town, about four- teen mu^-s from fort Scott, and near the Florida line. In execut- ing this order, one man and one woman were killed, and two women made prisoners. A few days after, as a second detach- ment were on a visit to the Town, to obtain property, they were fired upon, and a skirmish ensued, in which several on both sides were killed and wounded. Shortly after this event, Lieir- tenant Scott, with a detachment of forty men, seven women, and some children, ascending the Appalachicola, with supplies for the garrison at F'ort Scott, were attacked, and the whole party killed, excepting six men, who made their escape, and a woman win was taken prisoner. From this time, the war became serious. The Indians, ia considerable numbers, were <;mbodied, and an open attack was made on Fort Scott, to which Genei al Gaines with about six hun- dred regular soldiers was for a time confined. Information of t1iis state of things being communicated to the department of war, General Jackson was ordered, Dec. 2G, to take the field, and directed, if he should deem the force with General Gaines, amounting to one thousand and eight hundred men, insufficient to cope with the enemy, " to call on the executives of the adja- cent states for such an additional militia force as he might deem requisite." On the receipt of this order. General Jackson pre- pared to comply ; but instead of calling upon the executivrs of the neighbouring states, especially upon the governour of Ten- nessee, who lived near his residence, he addressed a circular to 370 PERIOD XI....1817 ...1S22. the patriots of West Tennessee, inviting one tnousand of them to join his standard.* At the same time he wrote to the governour of Tennessee iWMinn, informing him of the appeal he had made to the men whom he had led to victory on the plains of Talledega, £muck' fau, and Tohopeko, and added, '' should the appeal prove ineffi cacious, I will embrace the earliest opportunity of making die requisition on you for a like number of drafted militia." The call of General Jackson was promptly obeyed, and the thousand volunteers, officered by the general,! or by the volunteers them< selves, were ordered to Fort Scott. Before taking up his march, he wrote, Jan. 12th, to the seci-e- tary of war, apprising him o) the appeal he had made to the Ten- nesseeans, assigning as his reason for such a step, ihat he deemed the force with general Gaines, one thousand eight hundred, in- sufficient, and " that the givater portion of this number were drafted militia from Georgia, who might apply for their dischartre at the expiration of three months from the time they were mus- tered," about the time he should probably reach Fort Scott. To this communication the secretary replied — " I have the honour to acquaint you of the entire approbation of the president, of all the measures wliich j'ou have adopted to terminate the rupture with the Indians." With these troops, and a number of friendly Creeks, under Gen M'lntosh, raised by General Gaines, Jackson entered upon the Seminole war. As a considerable number of ther-^ Indians dwelt in Florida, it became necessary to pursue the enemy thither. Anticipating the necessity of this measure, tlie secretary of war issued an or- der to General Gaines, while he w;!s in command, to pursue them into Florida if necessary, " and to attack them within its limits, ♦ The apology offered by General Jackson for not calling upon the 50- vernour of Tennessee was, that at the time the order was issued, for him to take the field, the governour was either at Knoxville, or in the Chero>. kee nation; and that to have waited the result of the usual process ol drafting, would have produced the two evils of much loss of valuable time, and the raising of a force reluctant in disposition, and inefficient in cha« racter and equipment. t It has been denied tliat General Jackson appointed the officers of the volunteer corps. " It is true," however, sa) s his defence, (see Niles' Reg- ister Vol. 16, p. 52.) " that he appealed to the officers who had gallantly fought with him in the wilderness of the Creek nation and on the plains of New Orleans, and again roused them to the defence of their frontiers. But their appointments to command were, in all cases, made by the choice of the men whom they (the officers to whom General Jackson had appeal- •dj brought into the field." iMONROE'S ADJMINISTRATION. sfl unless they should sheher themselves under a Spanish fort. In (his last event you will immediately notify this depaitment." Deeming it necesstary for the s^ubjugation of the Seminoles, to enter Florida, General Jackson marched upon St. Marks, a feeble Spanish garrison, in which some Indians liad taken refuge. 0/ this garrison, General Jackson quietly took possession, and oc- cupied it as an American post.* At St. Marks was found Alex- ander Arbulhnot, who was taken prisoner, and put in confine- ment. At the same time were taken two Indian chiefs, one of whom pretended to possess the spirit of prophecy ; they were hung without trial.t St. ^larks being garrisoned by American troops, the army marched to Suwaney river, on which they found a large Indian village, which was consumed, after which the army returned to St. Marks, bringing with them Robert C. Am- brister, who had been taken prisoner on their march to Suwaney. During the halt of the army for a few days at St. Marks, a gene- ral court martial was called, upon whose result, General Jack- son issued the following general order. " At a special court martial, commenced on the 26ti) instant at St. Marks, and con- tinued until the night of the 28th, of which brevet Major-Gene- yral E. P. Gaines was president, was tried A. Arbuthnot, on the ibllowing charges and specifications, viz : Charge 1st, Exciting and stirring up the Creek Indians to war against the United States and iier citizens, he, A. Arbuth- not, being a subject of Great Britain, with whom the United States are at peace. Charge 2d, Acting as a spy ; aiding, abetting, and comfort- ing the enemy, and supplying them with the means of war. Charge 3d, Exciting the Indians to murder and destroy Wil- liam Hambly and Edmund Doyle, confiscate their property, ♦ This disobedience of the orders which had been given to General Gaines, not to attack a Spanish fort, but to notiiy tlie secretary of war, Bhould any Indians take shelter under one, was defended by General Jack- son, on tlie ground, that orders issued to one olEcer couid not be construed as orders lo his successor without a special reference to the first .■ — that his orders were general and discretiotiary : — and that the circumstances contem- plated by the orders to General Gaines never existed. The Indians not being found under the guns of a Spanish fort, but shellered within its walls. t In the defence of General Jackson, already aluded to, it is stated that Francis, the prophet, had long been a dire and dangerous foe to the Uni- ted States, that he had a brigadier's commission firom Great Britain, and by his superstitious influence instigated his brethren to deeds of rapine and massacre. The other chief had headed the party, who, in cold blood, murdered Scott and liis unhappy comparJons, wMle ascending the Appa- lachicola. These considerations tlie General deemed sufficient to juatifj the summary course, adopted in r^epect to them. Sy2 PERIOD XI....1817....182a. and causing their arrest, with a view to tJjcir condemnation tu death, and the seizure of their property, they being citi/ens ol Spiiin, on account of their active and zealous exertions to main* taid peace between Spain, the United States, and the Indians. To which charges the prisoner pleaded not guilty. The court, after mature deliberation on the evidence adduced, find the prisoner, A. Arbuthnot, guilty of the first charge, and guilly of the second charge, leaving out the words "acting as a spy ;" and afte^ mature refl>xtiori, sentence him, A. Arbuthnot, to be susjx'.ndcd by the neck, until he is {lead. Was also tried, Robert C. Anibrister, on the following charges, vi/,. Charge 1st, Aiding, abetting, and coniforting the enemy, and supplying them with the means of war, he being a subject of Great Britain, who are at peace with the United States, and late an oHicer in the British colonial marines. Charge 2d, Leading and commanding the lower Creek In- dians in carrying on a war against the United States. To which charges the prisoner pleaded as follows : to the first charge not guilty, to the second charge guilty, and justifica- tion," " The court, on examination of evidence, and on mature de- liberation, find the prisoner, Robert C. Ambrister, guilty of the first and second charges, and do therefore sentence him to suffer death by being shot. The members requesting a reconsidera- tion of the vote on this sentence, and it being had, they sentence the prisoner to receive fifty stripes on his bare back, and be con- fined wilh a ball and chain, to hard labour for twelve calendar months. The commanding general approves thf. finding and sentence of the court, in the case of A. Arbuthnot, and approves the finding and ^rs< sentence of the court, in the case of Robert C. Ambrister, and disapproves the reconsideration of the sen- tence of ih , honourable court in this case. " It ajipears from the evidence and pleading of the prisoner, that he did lead and command within the territory of Spain, (being a subject of Great Britain,) the Indians in war against the United States, those nations being at peace. It is an established principle of the laws of nations, that any individual of a nation, making wiir against the citizens of any other nation, they being at peace, forfeits his allegiance, and becomes an outlaw and pi- rate. This is t\ie case of Robert C. Ambrister, clearly shown by the evidence adduced. *' The commanding general orders that brevet Major A. C. D. Fanning, of the corps of artillery, will have between the hours of eight and nine o'clock, A. M. A. Arbuthnot suspended bjr MONROE'S ADMINISTRATION. S^S Uit fleck with a rope, until he is dead, and Roberi C. Ambrister to be shot to death, agreeably to the sentence ol" the court." From St. Marks, General Jackson addressed communicatians to the secretary ol" war, informing him that the Indian forces iiad been divided and scattered, and that his presence in that country could be no longer necessary ; and that he should soon leave St. Marks for Fort Gadsden, where, after making all ne- cessary arrangements to scour the country, he should retire. In- formation, however, was given him, some days after, that the governour of Pensacola was favouring the Indians. On learn- ing this, General Jackson, with his forces, took up his ma.ch for the capital of that province, before which, after a march of twenty days, he appeared. This place was taken with scarce the show of resistance. — The governour had escaped to Baran- cas, a fort six miles distant, to which place the army soon marched. The fortress was invested on the 25th of May, and a demand being made for its surrender, and refused, an attack upon it was made, both by sea and land, and, after a bombard- ment and cannonading of the place, for two days, the garrison surrendered, as prisoners of war, and the officers of the govern- ment, civil and military, were transported, agreeably to the terms of capitulation, to Havana. A new government was established for the province, the powers of which were vested partly in military officers, and partly in citizens of the province. General Jackson now announced to the secretary that the Semi- nole war was closed, and returned to his residence at Nashville. Some tune after, the American executive, deeming the longer possession of the Spanish forts unnecessary to the peace of the country, and inconsistent with good faith to Spain, directed them lo be restored, and accompanied the restoration with the reasons which had led to their occupation. The measures adopted by General Jackson in the prosecu- tion of this war — particularly his appeal to the people of Wesl Tennessee — his conduct in relation to the trial and execution of Arbuthnot and Ambrister — and his occupation of St. Marks and Pensacola — excited strong sensations in the bosoms of a considerable portion of the American people. During the ses- sion of congress in the winter of 1818 — 18 19. these subjects were extensively and eloquently debated. By the military commit- tee of the house, a report was presented censuring the conduct of General Jackson ; but, after an elaborate examination of the case, the house, by a majority of one hundred and eight, to sixty-two, refused its concuiTence. Towards the close of the session a report unfavourable to General Jackson, vtras also brought forward in the senate, but no vote of censure or result) tiQD was attached, and no discussion of its merits was hsdi 32 874 PERIOD xr....lS17....1822. Section XI. On the 28th of January, 1819, a convention between Great Britain and the Unit- ed States, concluded at London, October 20th, 1813, and ratified by the Prince Regent on the 2d of November following, was ratified by tlie president of the United States. By the first article of this convention, the citizens of the Unit- ed States have liberty, in common with the subjects of Great Britain, to take fish on the southern, western, and northern coast of Newfoundland, &c. The second article establishes the north- ern boundaries ol tlie United States from the Lake of tl)e Woods, to the Stoney Mountains. By the fourth article, the coraraer cial convention between the two countries, concluded at Lon don, in 1815, is extended for the term of ten years longer, &c &c. Section Xil. On the 22d of February, follow ing, a treaty was concluded at Washington, by John Q,uin(?j/ Adams, and Luis de Onis, by which East and West Florida, with all the Isl- ands adjacent, &c. were ceded by Spain to the United »Stnte;i. By this treaty the v/estern boundary between the United States and Spain was settled. A sum not exceeding five mil- lions of dollars is to bo paid by the United States out of the pro- ceeds of sales of lands in Florida, or in stock, or money, to citi- zens of the United States, on account of Spanish spoliations and injuries. To liquidate tlie claims, a board was to be constitcted by the gcvernment of the United States, of American citizens, to consisrt of three commissioners, who should report within tUree years. Such were the essential provisions of the above treaty, which was ratified by the president and senate on the 24th. UndT a full confidence that it would, within six months, the time stipu- lated, be ratified by his Catholick Majesty. His majesty, how- ever, declined the ratification, on the ground that the American government had attempted to alter one of the principal articles of the treaty by a declaration, which the minister of the United States had been ordered to present, on the exchange of ratifica- tions ; and also o!i the ground that the government of the United States had recently tolerated o" protected an expedition from (he United States against the province of Texas. In a message to congress, the president satisfactorily explained iTtejje subjects, and suomitted to their consideration whrther b MONROE'S ADMINISTRATION. 375 "vould not be proper for the United States to carry the treaty into effect on her part, in the same manner as if it had been ra- tified by Spain, claiming on their part all its advantage, and yielding to Spain those secured by her. A bill, authorizing the president to tak*^ possession of Florida, was introduced into the liouse, but the subject was postponed to the consideration of the next congress. In October, 1 820, the liing of Spain gave the treaty his signature. On the I9th of February following, 1821, the president, with the advice of the senate, finally ratifi* ed the treaty. Formal possession of the territory was given to Ganeral .Jackson, as the commissioner of the United States, in the month of July following. Sectio7i XlTI. On the 2d of March, 1819, the government of the Arkansas Territory was organized by act ofcong»"3ss. The earliest settlement, within the limits of the territory of Arkansas, was made by the Chevalier de Tunte,in lo85, at the Indian village of Arkansas, situated on the river of ihat name. Emigrants from Canada afterwards arrived, but the progress of settlement was slow. Upon the cession of Louisiana to the Unit- ed States, the ceded territory was diviilod into two parts, the territorij of Orleans, lying south of latitude thirty degrees and the diiih'ict of Louisiana, comprehtndiiig all the tract of coun- try between the Mississippi and the Facifick Ocean. In March, 1805, the latter country was denominated the Territory of Lou- isiana. In 1812, this teiritory was constituted a territorial go- vernment, by the name of the Territory of Missouri. In March, 1819, the inhabitants of the northern parts were formed into a distinct district, by the name of Missouri, and soon after the southern was formed into a territorial government by the name of Arkansas. In December, 1819, an election for a delegate to congress was held for the first time. Section XIV. During the following summer, 1819, the president visited the southern section of the country, having in view the same great national interests, which had prompted him in his previous tour to the north. In this tour the president visited Charleston, Savannah, and Augusta; from this latter place he proceeded to Nashville, ihrouj^*^ die Cherokee nation, and thence to Louisville and Lex- ington, Kentucky, whence he returned to the seat of government, <>drly in August. Section XV. On the 14th of December fol- 376 PEKIOD \L...1S17....1822. lowing, a resolution passed congress admitting Alabama into the union, on an equal footing with the original states. Alabama, though recently settled, appears to have been visit- ed by Ferdinand de Soto, in 1539. Some scattered settlements were made within the present state of Mississinni before the American revolution, but Alabama continued fne hunt'ng ground of savages, until a much later period. After the peace of 1783, Georgia laid claim to this territory, and exercised jurisdiction over it, until the beginning of the pre- sent century. In 1795, an act passed the legislature of Georgia, by which twenty-five millions of acres, of its ivestern territory, were sold to companies for five hundred thousand dollars, and the piurchase money was paid into their treasury. The purchas* ers of thes^ lands soon afte'^ «old thpir at advanced prices. The sale of the territory excited a warm opposition in Georgia, and at a subsequent meeting of the legislature, the transaction was im- peached, on the ground of bribery, corruption, and unconstitu- tionality. The records respecting the sale were ordered to be bwnt, and he five hundred thousand dollars to be refunded to the purchasers. Those v/ho had acquired titles of the original purchasers instituted suits in the federal courts. In 1802, however, Georgia ceded to the United States all her western teiritory, for one mir/ion,tW() hundred antl fifty thousand dollars. On this event, the purchasers of the Yazoo land peti- tioned congress for redress and compensation. After consi(^er- abie opposition, an aci passed for reimbursing them with funded stock, called the Mississippi stock. In 1800, the territory which now ftirms the states of Mississippi and Alabama, was erected n»to a lerritorial government. In 18 i 7, Mississippi territory was divided and the western portion of it was authorized to form a state constitution. The eastern portion w ^s then formed into a territoral government and received the nKaie of Alabama. In July, 1 8 1 9, a convention of delegates met at HI untsville, and adopt- ed a state constitution, which being approved by congress in De- cember following, the state was declar-^.d to be henceforth one oJ the United States. Section XVI. In the ensuing year, March 3d 1820, Maine became an independant state, and a member of the federal union. The separation of the District of Maine from Massachusetts, and its erection into an independent state, had br^en frequently attempted without success. In October, 1785, " convention met at Portland, for the purpose of considering th's subject. In the MONROE'S ADMINISTRATION. flTf succeeding year, the question was submitted to the people of Maine, to be decided in town raoetings, when it was found that a majority of freemen were against the measure. The subject was renewed in 1802, when a majority appeared averse to a separation. In 1819, an act passed the general court of Mas* sachusetts, for ascertaining the wishes of the people ; in confoim- ity to which, a vote was taken in all the towns. A large ma- jority were found in favour of a separation. A convention was called, and a constitution adopted, which being approved, Mas- sachusetts and Maine amicably separated, the latter taking her proper rank, as one of the United States. Section XVII. On the 3d of March, 1821, the 16th congress closed its second session. Few subjects of importance were discussed, and but little done for the advancement of publick inter- est, or the promotion of private prosperity. Acts were patsed to admit Missouri into 'the uni- on conditionally ; to reduce the military peace establishment to four regiments of artillery, and, seven regiments of infantry, with their proper officers ; and to carry into further execution the provisions of treaties with Spain and Great Bri- tain. Section XVIII. On the 5th, Mr. Monroe, who had been re-elected to the presidency, took the usual oath of office. The re-election of Monroe was nearly unanimous. Mr. Tompkins was again elected vice-president. Section XIX. August 10th, 1821, the presi- dent, by his proclamation, declared Missouri to be an independent state, and that it was admit- ted int#the federal union. The first permanent settlements, in Missouri, appear to have been made at St. Genevieve and New-Bourbon, which wer« founded soon after the peace of lfi63. In the succeeding year, St. Louis, the capital of the state, was commenced. In 1 762, Louisiana, and Missouri of course, were secretly ceded by France. to Spain ; but the latter did not attempt to take possession ol the country until some years after. Missouri remained in possession of Spain, through the war rf 32* d78 PERIOD Xl....iei7....1882. tbe revolution, until the cession of Louisiana to France, in 1801, by which latter power it was ceded to the United States in 1803. Upon the cession of Louisiana to the United States, the dis« trict, which now forms the state of Louisiana, was separated from the territory, and made a distinct government, by the name of the territory of Orleans. In 1811, the territory of Orleans became a state, by the name of Louisiana. The remaining part of the original province of Louisiana, extending to the Pa- cihck, was erected into a territorial government, and called Mis- souri. In 1818-19, application was made to congress by the people of this territory, to form a state constitution. A bill was accordingly introduced, for the purpose, a provision of which forbade slavery or involuntary servitude. The bill with this provision passed the house of representatives, but was rejected in the senate, and, in consequence of this disagreement, the mea- sure, for the time, failed. In the session of 1819-20, the bill was revived ; and, after long and animated debates, a compro- mise was effected, by which slavery was to be^olerated in Mis- souri, and forbidden in all that part of Louisiana, as ceded by France, lying north of 36^ 30' north latitude, except so much as was included within the limits of the state. In the mean time the people of Missouri had formed a state constitution. When this constitution was presented to congress, in 1820-21, a pro- vision in it, which required the legislature to pass laws " to pre- vent free negroes and muUattoes from coming to, and settling in the state," was strenuously opposed, on the ground that it violat- ed the rights of such pei-sons of that description, as were citizens of any of the United States. The contest occupied a great part of the session, and it was finally determined, by a small majority, that Missouri should be admitted, upon the fundamental condi- tion, that the contested clause should not be construed to autho- rize the passage of any laws, excluding citizens of other states (rom enjoying the privileges to which they are entitled, by the constitution of the United States. It was also provided, that if the legislature of Missouri should, by a solemn publick act, pre- viously to the 4th Monday of November, 1821, declare the as- Jient of the state to this fundamental condition, tM president should issue his proclamation, declaring the admissimi complete. On the 24th of June, 1821, the legislature of Missouri assented to the fundamental condition ; and, on the 10th of August fol- lowing, the president's proclamation was issued, declaring the (Mlmission complete.* 1.' ♦ American Atlas — ^Philadelphia. MONROE'S ADMINISTRATION. Sfff) Section XX. The first session of the seven- teenth congress commenced on the 3d of De-' cember. The affairs of the nation were generally prosperous, and there seemed to be no obstacle in the way of wise and prudent measures. A spirit of jealously, however, obtruded itself upon their deliberations, by which some beneficial measures were defeated, and the business of the session was unnecessarily delayed and neglected. Several acts of importance, however, were pass-^ ed, concerning navigation and commerce ;— . relieving still further the indigent veterans of the revolution ; — and fixing the ratio, between popu- lation and representation, at one representative for every forty thousand inhabitants. The constitution has not limited the number, but has only provided that no more than one shall be sent for thirty thousand inhabitants. Publick opinion seems generally to have decided that a numerous representation is an evil, by which not only the business of the nation is neglected, in the conflicts of individual opinions, but the people are subjected to an unnecessary ex- pense. The congress that signed the Declaration of Indepen' dence consisted but of fifty-six members ; and no diliberativ^ assembly excelled them, in industry and publick virtue. The congress that formed the confederation consisted of forty-eight ; that which formed the constitution consisted erf only thirty-nine, and the first congress under that constitution, of bufsixty-five. After the first census, the appointment being one for every thirty-three thousand inhabitants, the house con- sisted of one hundred and five representatives. The same ap-c portionment being continued under the second census, there were one hundred and forty-one representatives. — The appor- tionment, under the third census, allowed one for thirty-five thousand ; and the house consisted of one hundred and eighty- seven members. The ratio fixed upon, by the present congress, is one for forty thousand ; and the number of representatives is two hundred and twelve. ' Section XXI. During the above session of congress, March 31, 1822, si territorial govern- ment was established for Florida. The name of Florida was formerly given to an immense re- 380 PERIOD XI....1S17....1822. gion of country, discovered by Cabot, in 1497. The first visit- ant to the actual territory of Florida was Ponce de Leon, who landed on Easter day, 1512. Navigators, iVom several coun- tries, visited it, and various European sovereigns attempted to appropriate the country to tiiemselves. Spain, however, held possession of it until 17(>3j when it was ceded to Great Britain. In May, 1781, Don Galvez captured Pensacola, and, soon aUerwiinls. completed the conquest of the whole of West Floiida, which remained in possession of Spain, luitil 1783, when Great Britain relinquished butli provinces of Florida to Spain. By the treaty of France, in 1803, which ceded Louisiana to 'he Unite«l States, it was declared to be ceded, witii the same e.vtent tliiil it had in the haiuis of Spain, when ceded to France. By virtue of this declaration, the United States claimed the country west of the Perdido river, and. in 1811, took possession of it, except the town and lort of Mobile, which were surrender- ed the followiiio year. In I Si 4, a British expedition having been fitted out against the United States, tVom Pensacola, Gene- ral Jackson took jiossession of the town ; but, having no au- thority to hold it, returned to Mobile. The Seminole Indians, with whom the ITnited States were at war, residing partly within the limits of Florida, and making their incursions thence with- out restraint from the Spaniards, it became necessary to cross "^ ' the territorial line, to chastise them. Subsequently, General Jackson took possession of Fort St. INIarks and Pensacola, which the American troojis held till November, 1818, when they were restored to Spain. In IS 19, a transfer of the whole province was made, by treaty, to the United States, and, after many vexations delnys. the treaty was ratified, by Spain, in October 1820, and, finxlly, by the United States, in the month of February, 1821. Possession was delivered to General Jack- son, as commissioner of the United States, in Jul}', 1821. Section XXII. Tlie second session of the seventeenth congress commenced at Washing- ton, on the "^d of Decenil)er. In his message, at the opening of the session, the president in- formed congress that, in June, a convention of navigation and commerce, resting essentially on a basis of reciprocal and equal advantage to the two countries, had been concluded between France and the United States ; — that the prohi- bition, which had been imposed on the commerce^ »1V MONROE'S ADMLMSTIiATION. 38i between the United States and the British colo- nies, in the West Indies and on this continent, had been removed, and that tiie ports of those colonies had been opened to the vessels of me United States, by an act of the British parlia- ment. In a second message, a few days subsequent- ly, the president introduced to the notice of con- gress the interesting subject of the " multiplied outrages and depredations, recently committed on our seamen and commerce, by Pirates, in the West Indies and Gulf of Mexico," and recom- mended the immediate organization of an effi- cient force to suppress th(,'m. A bill was ac- cordingly introduced, authorizing the president to provide such a force, and to despatch it im- mediately to the protection of our persecuted seamen. The president had mentioned the subject of piracy, in his first message ; but he was prompted early after to make it the subject of a special comirrunication, in consequence of intelli- gence that captain Allen, of the Alligator, a brave and merito- rious officer, had fallen in the neighbourhood of Matanzas, by the hands of these ruthless barbarians, while attempting, in dis- charge of his duty, to rescue an unprotected merchant ship, which Iiad fallen into their power, Inunediat«'ly after the passage of llie above bill. Commodore Porter was appointfd to this service, an i, sooii sifter, hoisting his broad pendant on board the Pea- cock, stretched his way, with a respectable force, to rha«tise these miscreants, that regard no law, and that feel no mercy. Section XXIII. The second session of the seventeenth Congress closed on the 3d of March, 1823. Little business of national importance had been transacted. Section XXIV. On the 1st of December fol- lowing, being the day established by the consti- tution, the eighteenth Congress commenced its first session. In his message, at the opening of the session, the President spoke in animated 382 PERIOD XI....1817....1822. terms of the prosperous condition of the country, and of the amicable state of our relations with- foreign countries. The message represented the public finances to be evetx more prosperous than had been anticipated ; that the state of the army, in its organization and discipline, had been grad~ ually improving for several years, and had attained a high degree of perfection ; that the proposed fortifications of the country were rapidly progressing to a state of completion, and that the military academy at West Point had already at- tained a high degree of perfection, both in its discipline and instruction. In relation to the efforts of the executive to stop the depredations of pirates on the national commerce, the President stated, that, in the West Indies, and the Gulf of Mexico, the naval force had been augmented, according to the provisions of Congrass. " This armament," said he, " has been eminently successful in the accomplishment of its object. The piracies, by which our commerce in the neigh- bourhood of the island of Cuba had been afflicted, have been repressed, and the confidence of the merchants in a great measure restored." In the present struggle of the Greeks for liberty, the Americans have felt a lively interest. In allusion to this interesting subject, the message contained the following lan- guage — language to which every American would cordially subscribe : — " A strong hope has been long entertained, found- ed on the heroic struggle of the Greeks, that they would succeed in their contest, and resume their equal station among the nations of the earth. It iis* believed that the whole civilized world takes a deep interest in their welfare. Al- though no power has declared in their favour, yet none, according to our information, has taken part against them. Their cause and their name have protected them from dan- gers, which might, ere this, have overwhelmed any other people. The ordinary calculations of interest, and of acqui- sition, with a view to aggrandizement, which mingle so much in the transactions of nations, seem to have had no effect in regard to them. From the facts which have come to our knowledge, there is good cause to believe that their enemy has lost, forever, all dominion over them — that Greece will again become an independent nation. That she may obtain that rank, is the object of our most ardent wishes." At the previous session of Congress, the President had ilONROES AD^IINISTRATION. 38 states In Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolirui, Geor gia, Tennessee, and Kentucky, the blacks, for the last thirty years, have increased much faster than the whites. In North Carolina and Tennessee, they have increased more than as fast again, and in South Carolina, during the last ton years, they have increased three times as fast. In the northern states, on the contrary, the black population is almost stationary, and in Maine, New-Hampshire, and Rhode-Island, it is diminishing. 3. That in all our great cities the females are more numerous than the males, while in the whole United States the reverse is true. The average of all the cities gives neaily one hundred and nine fe- males to one hundred males, whereas, in the whole United States, the average of females is but ninety-seven to one hundred 'Section XXXVIII. ^^JUCAtfOU^ The education of youth, which is So essential to the well being of society, and intimately connected with the political prosperity of a republican govern- ment, has received, as has been noticed in the progress of this work, considerable atten- tion in the United States, in every period since their settlement. The present state of our pri- mary and higher schools, of our colleges, univer- sities, and other establishments of education, is more flourishing than at any former period ; their number is annually increasing, and a more liberal spirit, in respect to their endowment, is pre- vailing. In all the New-England States, excepting Rhode-Island, com- mon schools are supported by law. In this latter state, how- * S. E. Morse, who has recently published a valuable Geography, (W which the author is indebted for many important facta in these notes. 408 PERIOD XI....iei7....1825. ever, academies are established in all the principal towns, and private schools are extensively maintained, during the winter months. In the new state of Maine, a sum, exceeding one hun- dred thousand dollars, is raised by tax, and appropriated to the support of a school master for every two hundred inhabitants. The number of school houses is estimated at fifteen hundred. In Connecticut the common schools are supported by a fund, arising from the sale of lands in Ohio, which formerly belonged to the state. This fund amounted in May 1821, to one million and seven hnndred thousand dollars, the yearly income of which, together with twelve thousand dollars of the pubhck taxes, is annually devoted to the maintenance of common schi ol masters, in every town in the state. The amount paid to the ijwns from this fund, In 1818, was more than seventy thousand dollars, a greater sum by twenty-two thousand dollars than the whole state tax amounted to in the year preceding. A common school fund exists, also, in the state of New- York, In 1822, it consisted of more than one million one hundred liiousand dollars, and twenty-five thousand acres of land. The sum, which this fund annually yields, is nearly eighty thousand dollars, and it assists to give instruction to nine tenths of the cliildren of that populous state, between the ages of five and fif- teen years. Besides the common schools and colleges, there are nearly fifty incorporated academies. There is also a literary fund of nearly one hundred thousand dollars, the interest of which is annually distributed to the several colleges and acade^ mies of the state. In Virginia, a literary fund has recently been created by the legislature, consisting of monies received from the United States, for military services during the late war. It amounted, in De- cembei, 1818, to about one million and one hundred thousand dollars, to which is yet to be added a balance, due from the United States. The interest of this sum, with the addition of fines, forfeitures, &c. which have also been appropriated to the same object, will, in the opinion of the Directors, yield an an- nual income of nearly ninety thousand dollars. Ot this sum forty-five thousand dollars annually have been appropriated to the support of primary schools, and fifteen thousand dollars to the endowment of a university. Until within a few years, the subject of education has receiv- ed but little attention in North Carolina. Much zeal, however, has recently been displayed in the establishment of academies and schools. Previously to 1 804, there were but two academies in the state ; there are now fifty, and the number is still increas- ing. In South Carolina, academies are numerous 5 the legislature MONROE'S ADMINISTRATION. 409 annually appropriates thirty thousand dollars for the support of free schools. In 1817, the slate of Georgia gave one hundred thousand dollars for the same object. In the states of Alabama, Ohio, and Illinois, provision has been made, by the United States, for the education of youth, one section, or a thirty-sixth part of every township, being granted by the act of congress that admitted these states to the union, for the support of com- mon schools, and in addition one, and in some states, t\^ o town- ships for the support of a college. Till recently, education has been much neglected in Louisiana, and many of the inhabitaiits are unable either to read or wiite. Lately, the attention of 'he governme it has been directed to this subject, and schools and higher seminaries of learning are establishing in various purts of the state. Several universities and colleges have been added to the lite- rary institutions in the United States, within this period. Of universities, two have recently commenced operations in the state of Ohio, one at Athens, on the Hockhocking, by the name of the Ohio University ; the other at Oxford, near the south west corner of the state, by the name of the Miami University. The former of these has two townships of land, or forty-six thousand acres, and an annual income of two thousand three hundred dollars ; the latter has one township which yields about two thousand dollars. Besides these, there is a flourishing college at Cincinnati, which was incorporated in 1819, and which has funds amount* ing to thirty thousand dollars. A medical college is connected with it. Worthington college was incorporated during the same year. In 1818, Transylvania university, in Lexington, Ken« tucky, was re-organized and placed' upon a more liberal foun- dation. The number of students now exceeds three hundred. A college was established, in 1819 at Danville, about thirty miles southwest from Lexington. A university has recently been commenced at Charlottesville, in Albemarle county, Virginia. The plan contemplates ten profes- sorships ; and the buildings, consisting of ten pavillions for the professors, five hotels for dieting the students, with one hundred and four dormitories sufficient for two hundred and eight students, are already finished, in an elegant style of architecture. A college has recently gone into operation in the District of Co- lumbia. It is situated three miles from the capital. A Baptist Theological seminary is to be connected with the institution. Besides these institutions, there are several others, viz. a Charity school at Bangor, Maine, whose object is to prepare young men for the ministry, in a shorter time than is usual at other semina- ries ; a Baptist literary and theological seminary at Waterville,on 410 PERIOD XI....1817....1825. the Kennebeck ; and one at New-York, belon^ngtothe Protestant Episcopal Church. A Theological institution has also been es- tablished at Auburn, New-York, by the Presbyterians. Seve- ral others are in contemplation in the country. The foregoing facts, in relation to the state of our common and higher institutions of learning, no American, in whose bo- som glows the spirit of the patriot, will regard with indifference. Like the light of heaven, science cheers, beautifies, and adorns. T its influence are we indebted for much of the civil and reli- gious freedom which we enjoy, and intimately connected with its progress are the future honour and happiness of our country. An intelligent people will select intelligent rulers, and intelli- gent rulers will manage safely the government confided to their trust. " There is scarcely one instance brought" says Bacon, " of a disastrous government, where learned men have been seated at the helm." The general diffusion of knowledge tends also to make peace- able citizens. " It causes men," in the language of a periodical work of our own country, " to have just views of the nature, value, and relations of things, the purposes of life, the tendency of ac- tions, to be guided by purer motives, to form nobler resolutions, and to press forward to more desirable attainments. Know- ledge smooths down the roughness and tames the native ferocity of man." Our ancestors knew these things; they were aware of the importance of knowledge among the people to the strength of the social and political fabrick, which they were commencing ; they, therefore, when they laid the foundations of their dwellings, almost si nultaneously laid the foundations of our common and higher sei inaries of learning. A steady, though too slow an advance has been making in relation to science, through the whole period of our history. The importance of it is more generally admitted, and greater favour is shown towards those institutions which are devoted to its cultivation. Far distant be the day, when the prevalence of ignorance shall expose us to anarchy, and leave us to become the victims to some ambitious, turbulent, faithless spirit, who may rise to wield the sword of despotism. On the con- trary, may knowledge continue to increase, and with it that love of justice, virtue, and religion, which, under thu' blessing of heaven, will make our beloved country perpetually the seat of peace and freedom. MONROE'S ADMINISTRATION. 411 XXXIX. Upon concluding this history of our country, we can scarcely refrain from asking, who of our ancestors anticipated results from their toils, so stupendous as those which we behold ? Who of them predicted, while they were laying up the pines of the forest for a shelter, that they were commencing an empire, which, within two centuries, would extend thousands of miles, and embrace, within its bosom, ten millions of the human race? Who then thought of cities, with their busy populatio;*, a thou sand miles from the waters of the Atlantick P — or ot fleets, on inland seas, proceeding to, and returning from distant voyages ? or of navies pouring forth their thunder and their flame ? Sucb results entered not into sober calculation, and were beyond <^ven the dreams of fancy. Yet two centuries have brought them to Dass. The branch which our fathers planted, under the lostering care of heaven, rose, extended, invigorated. It acquired stabilt" ty by oppression, and gathered importance from the eflbrts which were made to crush it. In the progress of our history} we have seen the American [jeople, while sustaining only the character of colonists, and struggling with the discouragementl and difficulties of new settlements, maintaining at their own ex- pense, and bringing to prosperous conclusion, wars, which a seU fish and jealous mother country, by her pride and imprudence, had occasioned. We have seen these colonies, amidst all the oppres- sions which they experienced, through exactions, and calumnies, loss of charters, and one abridgment of liberty after another, still maintaining their loyalty — still indulging the feelings, and adopting the language of affection, until justice and patriotism and religion bid them rise to assert those rights, which the God of nature designed for all his rational offspring. Through a long and tryine war, in which inexperience had to contend with discipline, and poverty with wealth, we see them pledging their fortunes, liberties, and lives to one another, and, to the astonishment of the world, accomplishing their emancipa tion. And when emancipated, and transformed into an inde- pendent nation, we see them calmly betaking themselves to the organization of a government, under a constitution as wise as it was singular, and whose excellency and coinpetency the expe- rience of more than thirty years has confirmed. — Simultaneous- ly with these events, what extensive conquests have been mada on the wilderness ! Deserts have put on beauty and fruitfulnessu 412 PERIOD XI ..1817....1825. and a way been constantly extending towards the waters of the Pacifick, for the advance of civilization and religion. Had we the spirit of prophecy, in respect to the future condi- tion of America, this would not be the place to indulge it. No nation, however, ever possessed, in a higher degree, the means of national prosperity. Our territory is ample — our soil fertile — our climate propitious — our citizens enterprising, brave, and per- severing. A sea coast of three thousand miles — inland seas, numerous canals, facilitate foreign and domestick trade. Being free and independent of otlicr nations, we can frame our laws, and fashion our institutions, as experience and an enlightened policy shall dictate. Our universities and colleges are yearly qualifying numbers for the higher professions of life, while our academies and schools are difiusing intelligence, to an unpstraU leled extent, among our virtuous yeomanry. The Bible and the institutions of Christianity are with us, and are presenting to uS all the blessings which religion can impart. Thus circumstanc- ed, what should prevent our country from advancing to that emi- nence of national happiness, beyond which national happiness cannot extend? — "Manufactures may here rise — busy com- merce, inland and foreign, distribute our surplus produce, aug- ment our capifnl, give energy to industry, improvement to roads, patronage to arts and sciences, vigour to schools, and universali- ty to the institutions of religi(?e their power to the people's choice, and are responsible to them for the use they make of it. Some- thing approacliing to this, in a distant degree, may be found in the British constitution; but it may be safely said, that the American government is the first which has ever been fairly bottomed on the broad principle of the sovereignty of the people. In the earlier constitutions of several of the states, the right of suffrage was confined to persons possessing freeholds, or some small property ; but experience seems to have decided in favour of a broader principle. In the new states, the right of suffrage may be described as universal, being extended to all who pay taxes, (slaves excepted ;) and in the amended constitu- tions of most of the old states, the same rule has been adopted. The mode of voting at elections is generally by ballot. The federal government of the United States consists of a president, a senate, and a house of representatives. The presi- dent is chosen for four years, by delegates elected for this pur- pose by the people, and equal in number, for each state, to the members it sends to congress. The vice-president is elected in the same manner, and for the same period ; but both are gen- erally elected for four years more, and so serve eight years. The president is commander-in-chief of the army and navy, and of the militia when in active service. He grants reprieves and pardons for offences against the Unite.d States, except in cases of impeachment. With the advice and concurrence of tlie senate, he makes treaties, nominates ambassadors, consuls and judges ; and he appoints several other officers by his own au- thority. He must be a native born citizen, not under thirty-five years of age, and he receives a salary of 25,000 dollars per annum. The senate consists of forty-eight members, namely, two for each state, who are chosen, not by the people, but by the legis- latures of the several states, and hold their offices for six years, one third of the members being removed every two years. A •eliator must be thirty years of age, an inhabitant of the state 1* ♦» 6 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW for which he is chosen, and he must have been a citizen of the United States for nine years. The house of representatives consists of 212 members, (1824,) who are chosen for two years, by the persons who elect the corresponding branches of the state legislatures, that is, with some few exceptions, by the mass of the adult population. The representatives are distributed among the states, in the propor- tion of one for every 40,000 inhabitants, excluding the Indians, and two-fifths of the people of colour. Even free persons of colour, however, have no vote, except in one or two states. A representative must be twenty-five years of age, an inhabitant of the state for which he is chosen, and he must have been a citizen of the United States for seven years. Senators and representatives receive an allowance of eight dollars per day for the time they attend the session of congress, and eight dol- lars of travelling charges, for every twenty miles they have to travel in going and returning. Members of congress take an oath to support the constitution, but no religious test is re- quired from them or any person holding office under the federal government. Senators and representatives vacate their places if they accept of an office under government, and are not re- eligible while they hold it. COURTS AND LAWS. The federal judiciary consists of a supreme court, which sits at Washington, and a district court in each state, in which one judge sits. In the supreme court there is a chief judge and six associate judges, who hold their office during good be- haviour. This court has original jurisdiction in all cases af- fecting ambassadors and consuls, and those in which a state is a party. It has appellate jurisdiction in all cases arising under the federal constitution, in all admiralty cases, in controversies between two states, or two citizens of different states, and be- tween a state or citizens thereof, and foreign states or subjects. The supreme court, deriving its authority from the constitu- tion, exercises a power not enjoyed by the inferior courts. It has refused to give effect to, and by that means has virtually annulled several acts of the state legislatures, and even of con- gress itself, on the ground that these acts, by " impairing the obligation of contracts," violated a rule made binding by the constitution on legislative bodies. The federal judges are ap- pointed by the executive, with the approbation of the senate. Tn this and the other federal courts, jurors and witnesses are allowed one dollar twenty-five cents per day, and five cents per mile of travelling charges. The basis of the system of law in the United States is the common law of England, modified by ACts of the general and state governments, which constitute the toritten law ; and the works not only of Coke and Blackstone, but of the most recent English writers, and even the latest Term Reports, are familiarly cited in the courts. The circuit courts do tlie most important part of the business OF THE UNITED STATES. 7 in the national courts, their jurisdiction comprehending all civil cases exceeding 500 dollars in value, as vi^ell as criminal cases. They sit twice in a year in each state, and are composed of a district judge and one of the judges of the supreme court. But either of the two judges may sit alone, if the other be absent. RELIGION. It was reserved for the lawgivers of the United States to make the bold experiment of dispensing with a state religion. In New Hampshire the legislature is empowered to authorize, and in Massachusetts the legislature is enjoined to require the several towns and parishes to make adequate provision, at their own expense, for the support of Protestant ministers. But in all the other twenty-two states, the support of religion is left en- tirely to the voluntary zeal of its professors. The result has shown that Christianity has a firm hold in the nature of man, and is rather injured than served by those costly establishments, which so often sxtinguish or abridge free inquii-y or liberty of conscience, engender fierce animosities among rival sects, per- petuate the errors and dogmas of unenlightened times, and de- grade religion into an empire of civil tyranny, or the ally of ignorance or imposture. In the large towns and populous places of New England, New York and Pennsylvania, religious in- struction is more faithfully and abundantly dispensed, and reli- gious ordinances are more strictly and universally observed, than in any other country in the world. To this advantage we may add that of the peace and harmony that reigns among the different religious communities, and the entire absence of those jealousies, bickerings and heart burnings, which the exaltation of a single sect so invariably creates. In the new-settled dis- tricts, where a small population is spread over a wide surface, the means of religious instruction are often deficient, and must be so, even were the wealth of an establishment expended in p»roviding for them. The most numerous sects are the Congregationalists, or In- dependents, Baptists and Methodists. The Congregationalists abound chiefly in New England, and have about 1200 congre- gations. The Baptists, who are most lianierous in the Middle, Southern and Western States, had 2727 churches in 1817, and have now about .3000 ; but as their congregations in New Eng- land are estimated by Dr. Morse only at 250 persons each, while those of the Congregationalists average about 1000, the latter are probably more numerous upon the whole. The Methodists, who abound most in the Southern and Western States, have about 2000 congregations, and display a very active proselyting spirit. The Presbyterians, whose principal strength lies in the Middle States, have about 900 congregations, which are classed into presbyteries and synods. The Associate Reformed or American Burghers, have about 100 churches, and the Asso- ■ ciate Synod, or Anti-burghers, about 50 ; but there is a ten- S GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW dency in both these sects to coalesce with the Presbyterians. The Dutch Reformed Church, confined to New York and New Jersey, has about 200 churches. The Episcopalians had 600 churches, and 346 clergymen, in 1822, chiefly in the Middle and Southern States. They are governed by a convention consist- ing of two houses. The Catholics, who are not nimierous any where but in Maryland, are estimated by Dr. Morse to amount to 75,000. The Quakers have about 190 congregations, chiefly in the Middle States. The Moravians, Universalists, Hunno- nists, Cameronians, and other sects, have each a few churches ; and the Jews have synagogues at New York, Newport, Phila- delphia, Charleston and Savannah. The whole number of churches, or religious societies, in the United States, is probably not under 900, or one for each 11,000 inhabitants. The duties of a clergyman in the United States are labo- rious, and in a part the pay arises from pew rents and voluntary contributions, sometimes from small glebes, fixed funds, or land. It is seldom so large as to prove a temptation to the worldly- minded ; but it is generally sufficient to support the clergymen respectably. For slender emoluments, the Americans secure the services of a body of moral, faithful, diligent and well-edu- cated clergymen. DIVISIONS. The American Federation embraces at present (1827) tivenly- four distinct states, each ruled by its own government; three territories, in which civil governments are established without constitutions ; and three other territories, yet unoccupied by a civilized population. If we attend to the distinctions which exist in these various states and territories, founded on their physical circumstances, or the pursuits and character of the people, we may class them into four grand groups: First, New England, embracing the six states east of the Hudson. Second, the Middle States, in- cluding New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, in which the agricultural character is united with, and qualified by the commercial. Thirdly, the Southern States, including Virginia and all the maritime country to the Missis- sippi, where the amount of commerce is comparatively small, where slaves are numerous, and the husbandmen are generally planters. Fourth, the Western States, in the basin of the Ohio, enjoying the best soil and climate in the United States, where there are few slaves, and where the character of the people is almost purely agricultural. A parallelogram, 60 miles in breadth, extending westerly from the Delaware to the Susquehannah, 70 mUes, is by far the most densely peopled portion of the United States, and is equally prominent for its wealth, its agriculture, manufactures, and do- mestic commerce. OF THE UNITED STATES. POPULATION. The population of the United States, in 1790, was 3,929,326 ,• in 1800, 5,305,666 ; in 1810, 7,239,903 ; and in 1820, 9,625,734 ; of whom 1,531,436 were slaves, and 233,398 free blacks. The population increases very regularly at the rate of about 3 per cent, per annum, doubling in less than 25 years. The inhabi- tants consist of whites, negroes and Indians. The negroes are generally slaves, and are principally confined to the states south of Pennsylvania and the River Ohio. All the whites are of Eu- ropean origin ; principally English. The New Englanders, Vir- ginians and Carolinians are almost purely English. Next to tlie English are the Germans, who are very numerous in the Middle States, particularly Pennsylvania. Next to the Germans are the Dutch, who are most numerous in New York. The French constitute nearly half of the population of Louisiana. Tlie Irish and Scotch are found in the Middle States, in the back parts of Virginia, and in all the principal cities in the Union. Very little is known about the Indians west of the Mississippi. The four principal tribes on the east of the Mis- sissippi are the Creeks, Choctaws, Cherokees and Chickasaws. Tliese tribes live within the chartered limits of Georgia, Ala- bama, Mississippi and Tennessee. LANGUAGES. The English language is almost universally spoken. All records are kept in it throughout the country, and all public business transacted. The German, Dutch, Swedish, Irish, Welsh and French are spoken more or less, and in all of them public worship is in some place or other regularly performed. The German is spoken very extensively in Pennsylvania, and in parts of New York. Dutch is spoken by numbers in New York and New Jersey, and by a few in Pennsylvania. Swedish is spoken by a few in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. The Irish, in and near Philadelphia, and the interior of Penn- sylvania, in considerable numbers, retain their native language. A few Welsh settlements are scattered over the Middle States. French and Spanish, the former more generally, are taught in IJie large towns, and spoken, as their vernacular dialect by many occasional residents, and by a few of the settled inhabi- tants. The English of the Middle States, owing to the influx of for- eigners, is generally less pure than that of the Northern or Southern States. The pronunciation of English gentlemen, where it has not been corrupted by the stage, differs imper- ceptibly from the pronunciation of New England. LITERATURE. The growth of a native literature in the United States has been impeded by several causes. First, the number of well- educated persons, living in idleness, who cultivate taste, and en- 10 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW courage its cultivation in others, is comparatively small. Sec- ondly, the universal addiction to gainful pursuits, and the striking success which repays them, dishearten persons from engaging in occupations that do not afford emolument. But, thirdly, by far the greater impediment is the existence of the more advanced literature of England, in the very language of the country. Though the political connexion has ceased, the United States, in what regards literature, may, perhaps, be con- sidered nearly as much a province of Britain as Yorkshire or Ireland. So long as British writers furnish the standard by which transatlantic works are tried, native American writers will not receive justice ; and while American publishers can im- port and reprint, without risk or expense, works already stamp- ed with the approbation of British critics, and the British pub- lic, they will feel the less inclined to engage in the doubtful and hazardous speculation of publishing the original products of American genius. Besides, the appetite for knowledge, and tlie sort of amusement which reading affords, like the desire for clothes and luxuries, requires a certain, and only a certain supply ; and in the one case, as in the otlier, when the article can be cheaply imported, the native' manufacture is discouraged. America, however, is rapidly acquiring a literature of her own ; and the productions of her press already begin to attract atten- tion in Europe. In one department of literature, of an humble, indeed, but most useful description, the United States stand unrivalled. We al- lude to their periodical and newspaper press. There were but seven papers published in the United States in 1750 ; but in 1810, there were 359, including 25 published daily, which cir- culated 22,200,000 copies in the year. In 1823 they had in- creased to the astonishing number of 598, and the number of copies circulated in the year by these journals probably exceeds thirty millions. In the British Isles, in 1821, with twenty mil- lions of people, the number of newspapers was estimated to be 284, and the copies printed annually, 23,600,000. The whole of continental Europe, containing 160 millions of inhabitants, where the press is chained down by royal and priestly jealousy, certainly does not support half the number of journals which exist in the United States alone. They are superficial observers, who attach a small importance to this humble branch of litera- ture. Though, perhaps, none of the American papers equal the best of those published in London, the periodical press of the United States, taken altogether, is the most powerful engine for diffusing mercantile, political and general information, for stimulating activity, and acting on the minds and morals of the people, which has ever existed in any country. No duty is paid, either on the papers themselves, or on the advertisements they publish, and they are circulated with immense rapidity, and at a trifling expense for transportation, to every portion of th« Union. or THE UNITED STATES. 1% COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. There are about thirty colleges or universities in the United States, of which Harvard and Yale are' the most celebrated ; but most of these are less perfect than the kindred establish- ments in Europe ; and classical and scientific education is ge- nerally in a much lower state. Harvard University, in Massa- chusetts, has fifteen literary, and six medical professors, and generally from 300 to 400 students. The three terms amount to nine months in a year, and the vacations to three ; the aca- demical course is completed in four years. Among the theolo- gians of this university, Socinianism is almost universally preva- lent. — Yale College, in Connecticut, is less richly endowed than Harvard, but enjoys an equal reputation. The faculty consists of a president, nine professors, four medical examiners, and six tutors. The students, except those whose parents live in the town, board within the college. At this seminary the advan- tages of the English and Scottish systems are, to a considerable extent, combined. The scope for original discussion and ele- gance of illustration, which lecturing affords, is connected with the more laborious and effective discipline of tutors and exami- nations : the students are not considered as passive recipi- ents of knowledge, but are stimulated to the active exercise of their own powers. All the classes are subjected to a rigorous examination twice a year; and these examinations, with the numerous exercises prescribed, and the severe discipline en- forced, drive away the laggard and disorderly members, and ensure a respectable proficiency in those who receive degrees at the end of the fourth year. This college had 412 students in 1820. Most of the other universities and colleges are or- ganized on the same principles. RELIGIOUS AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES. The principal religious and benevolent societies are, the American Bible Society, whose sole object is to publish and cir- culate the Bible without note or comment ; — the American Colo- nization Society, whose object is to colonize the free people of colour of the United States ; (a colony has already been plant- ed on the west coast of Africa, south of Sierra Leone ;) — the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, whose object is to convert the heathen to Christianity, and who have missionary stations and missionaries, at Bombay and Cey- lon, in India ; in Palestine ; at the Sandwich Islands ; and among the Cherokee and Choctaw Indians in the United States ; — the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions, who have missionaries in the Birman empire, and among the American Indians ; — the American Tract Society, whose object is to distribute religious tracts in the United States and foreign countries ; — the Ameri- can Sabbath- School Union, designed to assist in the establish* nient of Sabbath schools on the most approved plan. There aie 12 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW education soeitties among the Congregationalists, Presbyterians ajid Baptists, designed to assist indigent young men in prepar- ing for the Christian ministry. The American Bible Society and the American Tract Society have their seat in New York, the American and Baptist Boards of Foreign Missions in Bos- ton, the Colonization Society in Washington, the Sunday School Union in Philadelphia. In 1816 an Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb was established at Hartford, Connecticut, under the pa- tronage of the United States government, and is a very useful and flourishing institution. CANALS EXECUTED AND PROJECTED. The principal canals in the United States are, 1. the Middle- sex Canal, which connects Merrimac River with Boston har- bour ; — 2. the Champlain Canal, which connects Lake Cham- plain with the Hudson ;— 3. the Erie Canal, connecting Lake Erie with the Hudson ; — 4. the canal which connects Chesa- peake Bay with Albemarle Sound ; — 5. the Santee Canal, which coimects Santee River with Charleston harbour. The first of these canals brings the trade of the interior of New Hampshire to Boston. The second wiU bring that of the coun- try on Lake Champlain to the city of New York. The third will bring that of a large section of the western country to the same city. The fourth brings that of the north-eastern part of North Carolina to Norfolk. The fifth brings the trade of the western part of North Carolina to the city of Charleston. The most important canals now in progress, but not yet exe- cuted, are, 1. the Farmington Canal, which is to connect the Connecticut River at Northampton with New Haven harbour in Connecticut; — 2. the Hudson and Delaware Canal, which com- mences near Kingston, on the Hudson, and is to proceed in a south-easterly direction to the Delaware ; — 3. Union Canal, which unites the Schuylkill, at Reading, with the Susquehan- nah, below Harrisburgh ; — 4. Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, across the isthmus which separates the Chesapeake and Dela- ware Bays ; — 5. Louisriille and Portland Canal, around the Falls of the Ohio at Louisville ; — 6. Ohio and Erie Canal, from the Ohio, at the mouth of the Scioto, to Cleaveland on Lake Erie ; — 7. Miami Canal, from Dayton on the Miami River to Cin- cinnati. The principal canals seriously contemplated, but not yet commenced, are, 1. a canal from the Raritan River to the Del- aware, through which sloops may pass from New York to Phil- adelphia ; — 2. a canal around the Falls of Niagara, through which sloops may pass Lake Erie to Lake Ontario; — 3. the Florida canal, across the northern part of FloridsL, from the At- lantic to the Gulf of Me.xico, by which sloops wiU avoid the long and dangerous navigation around the peninsula ; — 4. a canal for boats from the tide waters of the Chesapeake to Lake Erie ; — 5. a canal from Lake Michigan to Illinois River. OP THE UNITED STATES. IS KAIL ROADS EXECUTED AND PROJECTED. LiLllc is yet known of rail roads in America ; but the enter- prising Bpirit of the people has led them to engage in the pro- ject of thus uniting distant portions of their country. A company has been chartered to construct a rail road from Baltimore to the Ohio, a distance of two hundred and fifty miles, and surmounting an elevation of three thousand feet. There is also a rail road projected from Boston across the rountry to Albany, thus uniting those important cities, and giv- ing a more ready communication between the metropolis of iNew England and the greatest commercial city on this side the Atlantic. NATIONAL ROADS. Probably no people ever made so many improvements in roads, bridges and canals, over such an extent of country, in the eain*; ^)me, as the United States. Two centuries ago, the whole trar t was a wilderness, covered over with forests, and traversed only by the footpaths of the Indians. Now, there are roads con.striu.tCil in every direction, to connect the villages, towns and cities, wJiich have sprung up in rapid succession. In 1790 the extent of post roads was only 1875 miles ; in 1818 it was 51,600. The nuiribc <;f post offices exceeds 4000, and the mail is transported 20,000 miles daily. To describe all our roads would require an enu- meration of all the principal settlements in the country. A large number are public roads, constructed and supported by the towns through which they pass ; but the great roads ar-i generally turnpikes, constructed by the state or incorporate bodies, and supported by tolls. The most important post road of the United States is that which traverses the states on the Atlantic, a distance of 180( miles, passing through all the prificipal towns, from Robbius- rown in Maine to Florida. The principal roads from the Atlan- tic to the Western States, are the great western turnpike of New York, from Albany to Buffalo and Erie ; the road from Philadelphia, through Lancaster, to Pittsburgh ; and the Cum- berland road, from Washington city to Wheeling, on the Ohio River. The latter was constructed at the expense of the gene- ral government, and is probably the best road over the moun- tains. Other roads, of less importance, cross the Alleghany Ridge in Virginia and North Carolina ; and the state of South Carolina has recently opened a road across the mountains to Tennessee. A military road has been opened by General Jack- son, at the expense of the United States, from Nashville in Tennessee to Madisonville on Lake Pontchartrain, opposite to New Orleans. It may be travelled by wagons. A branch leads from this road to Natchez, through the wilderness inhabit- ed by the Choctaw Indians. 2 14 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW SOCIETY, MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. Society, manners and customs differ so much in different part!? of the United States, that no general description would be ap- plicable to the whole. Indeed, one might almost as well attempt to include in any general description the various countries of Europe as the United States of America; for although a uniform system of government produces many prominent features of a common character in all the members of this great confedera- tion, yet the wide range of climate embraced by its limits, the great variety of habits, objects and feelings, and especially of political and religious sentiments, which prevailed among the first settlers of these several states, the diversified pursuits and occupations of the present inhabitants, the admission and pro- scription of slavery, and a thousand other circumstances, have contributed to establish the most marked distinctions, and often to present the most striking contrasts, between the several sec- •tions of the Union. The government is of the several states and of the Union are elective and popular. Every officer and ma- gistrate is appointed, directly or indirectly, by the people. They pass every law, propose every measure, form every treaty, and dispose of all public property, by themselves or by those whom they elect to office. The effect of this state of things on public men has been, on the one hand, to check the pride of place and the insolence of office ; and, on the other, to persuade many of them to calumny, flattery, intrigue and falsehood. Its effect on the community at large has been to inspire, on the one hand, a high sense of personal independence, and a jealous care of national freedom ; and, on the other, to impair the necessary distinctions in society, and put all men on a level ; to give im- portance to mere numbers, and take it away from intelligence and worth ; to show us, in a word, that there is no perfection under the sun. In the Eastern States, property is more equally distributed than in any other country. Religion, here, also, except in Rhode Island, is, and always has been, supported by law. At present, not far from 2000 clergymen, generally well informed and orthodox, and all chosen by the people themselves, are weekly and daily employed in enlightening and informing their congregations. Schools are established within every little dis- tance, and a grown person, a native of these states, can scarcely be found, who has not some acquaintance with reading, writing and arithmetic. The inhabitants universally live in villages or towns of a moderate size, and have no overgrown capital, in which to learn profligacy of manners. The great body of them are farmers. These circumstances have given these states very much the manners and morals of Scotland. In the Middle States, religion is not supported by law, and there are fewer clergymen in proportion to the population.. Schools are not as numerous, or as well directed, and a consid- erabxe number of the inhabitants are unable to read or write. ••^'\ OF THE UNITED STATES. 15 Property is less equally distributed ; and the people are more divided, as in Europe, into rich and poor. Extensive tracts have been lately settled, and still experience all the disadvantages attendant on new settlements. The original settlers came over at different times, and for different purposes ; belonged to dif- ferent nations, and spoke many different languages. They were not generally enlightened ; had no oneness of interests or views ; pursued no system of institutions ; and formed no settled habits. The English, Germans, Dutch, French and Irish, still retain, in a degree, their national languages, prejudices, virtues and vices. They have settled generally by themselves, have little intercourse with each other, and little inclination or opportunity to form a common character. There are two large cities in these states, and the smaller towns are too prone to ape city manners and city life. The slaves are not sufficiently numerous to have any material influence on the character of the people. The body of the inhabitants live on scattered farms, and culti- vate their own lands. The elections are very corrupt ; indi- viduals acquire undue influence. Individuals and families are found, however, scattered in great numbers, over all this divis- ion, distinguished for their intelligence, their piety, their re- finement, and their worth — men who would be among the best citizens of any country. The state of New York, in consequence of the numerous emigrations from the Eastern States, is be- coming more and more assimilated to them in her institutions and manners. In the Southern States, also, religion is not supported by law, and large portions of the inhabitants enjoy no regular stated preaching. They live chiefly on plantations, and have generally been provided with schools. Considerable numbers of the white inhabitants cannot read. Labour is generally done, on the coast, by slaves and by the poor. The division of the inhab- itants into rich and poor is as in many countries of Europe. Slavery has tended to corrupt the public morals, and has pro- duced other bad effects. The slaves, with few exceptions, are treated with humanity and kindness. Duelling is here common. Horse-racing and cock-fighting, particularly the former, are favourite amusements. Many of the inhabitants, however, far from possessing this character, or practising these vices, hold them in abhorrence. The ladies, also, ahnost universally de- serve the esteem of all those who know how to value delicacy and amiable manners. ARTS. The state of the arts corresponds to that of the literature of the United States. In the mechanic arts, and in painting, en- graving, and architecture, among the fine arts, there is as much native genius in the United States as in any part of the world ; and this genius, for the last few years, has been cultivated to a very considerable extent, and in some instances has rivalled the most splendid exhibition of it in the old world. 16 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW ARMY. A standing army is necessarily an object of jealousy in a re- publican state ; and as the United States have no formidable enemy in their vicinity, and are at the same time extremely studious of economy in all branches of their government, their military force has always been kept on a very low scale. By au act of congress of 3d March, 1815, the strength of the regular army was fixed at 9980 men, viz. eight battalions of artillery, 3200 men ; one regiment light artillery, (5osing the growth of the manufactures to have kept pace with jjhat of the population, the amount, in 1823, would be about ||{40,000,000 dollars. COMMERCE. The commerce of the United States is second in extent only p that of Britain, and much greater than that of any state with 24 GEOGKAPIIICAL VIEW an equal population. The principal articles of domestic growth or manufacture exported, are cotton, tobacco, wheat and flour, lumber and naval stores, ashes, fish, beef, rice, and flax seed. The imports consist chiefly of woollens, cottons, linens, silks, iron ware, coffee, sugar, spirits, wines. The states that have the greatest quantity of shipping are New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. A considerable proportion of the tonnage belonging to the Northern States is employed in carrying away the produce of tJie Southern, wliich have comparatively a small number of ships and mariners, though the cotton and tobacco, raised in these ptates, furnish fully one half of the exports of the Union. The vu,it number of navigable rivers in the United States afford ex- traordinary facilities for communications by water; and hence their internal commerce, compared with that of other nations, is stUl greater than their foreign trade. The admirable inven- tion of steamboats has had a most beneficial effect, in North America, in quickening and improving river navigation. The trade with the Indians of the United States was carried on by licenses, given to persons of good character, from 1775 to 1809, when a new law was passed, substituting fine, imprison- ment, forfeiture and bonds, without making a good character or citizenship requisite. Without superseding the plan of licenses, a system of trade by public factors commenced in 1796. The president was autUori: ed to establish trading houses, and to appoint an agent to each house, to carry on, as the act states, "a liberal trade with the Indians." The act appropriated 150,000 dollars as the capital of this trade, and the additional sum of 8,000 dollars annually for the payment of agents and clerks ; and directed the trade to be carried on so as not to di- minish the capital. It was limited to two years ; but was by a subsequent act continued in force till 1806. A superintendent of Indians was then appointed, and the capital increased to 260,000 dollars, and 13,000. dollars were appropriated for the payment of superintendent, agents and clerks. This act was limited to three years, but afterwards was continued in force till 1811. The capital was then increased to 300,000 dollars, with an annual appropriation of 19,250 dollars for the payment of superintendent, agents and clerks. It appears to have been the aim of tne government to conduct Indian trade with pru- dence and humanity. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Face of the Country. — The United States, considered as a country, may with more propriety be characterized as uneven^ than as level or hilly. In so extensive a tract, however, no general language csih adequately describe the real state of facts. This can only be learned from a more minute description. New England is generally hilly; Vermont is mountainous; Maine and the eastern coast of New Hampshire and Massachusetts are «nly uneven. The Middle States are principally uneven, excepi OP THE UNITED STATES. 25 a broad tract, running from north-weat to south-east through the centre of this division, which is mountainous. In the Southern States, a broad belt of land, of lOO to 250 miles wide, extending the whole length of the coast, is a uniform dead level. Back of this the land becomes uneven and hilly, and finally rises into the Alleghany Mountains, which separate the waters of the At- lantic from those of the Ohio and Mississippi. Part of Kentucky and Tennessee is mountainous ; while Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi are level. The territory west of the Mississippi, in- cluded in the boundaries of the United States, corresponds in its prominent features to that on the east. It is divided from south to north by the chain of the Rocky Mountains, which divide the waters that fall east, into the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi, from those that flow west, into the Pacific Ocean. SOIL AND AGRICULTURE. It has been estimated, that thirteen-sixteenths of the country east of the Mississippi (excluding Florida) are covered with a strong, fertile soil, fitted, with a moderate degree of cultivation,, abundantly to repay the labour of the husbandman. Of the re- maining three sixteenths, about 57,000,000 acres are covered with water ; about 40,000,000 acres consist of a mountainous country, almost universally forested, and which, from the nature of its surface, rather than its soil, is unfit for cultivation ; and about 29,000,000 acres are either sandy, or covered with so poor a soil as to offer slight encouragement, except to the most elaborate agriculture, when the general value of land shall be greatly advanced. Of 520,000,000 acres, capable of advanta- geous cultivation, only 40,950,000 were estimated to be under actual improvement in 1811. This is about 5% acres for each individual of the contemporaneous population. Taking the present population at ten millions, and allowing the same quan- tity for each person, the land under actual improvement must now be nearly 60,000,000 of acres, which is about one-twelfth part of the whole surface east of the Mississippi, including Florida. According to returns made in 1798, the lands valued, and upon which tax was paid, in sixteen states, was 163,000,000 out of 308,000,000 acres, or little more than one half, and the es- timated value was 479,000,000 dollars. The population then be- ing about five millions, the appropriated land amounted to about thirty acres for each individual inhabitant. The average value was about three dollars per acre, but, in some of the old and thickly-settled states, it was as high as fifteen dollars per acre. The value of the houses was about 140,000,000 of dollars, or two-sevenths of that of the lands. When returns were made a second time, in 1814, the value of houses and lands jointly was found to be 1,630,000,000 of dollars. If, therefore, the value of every species of property grew as rapidly as that of houses and lands, each 100 dollars must have increased to 253, in an inter- val of fifteen years. This implies an annual augmentation of uix and one fourth per cent., at which rate the capital of the 3 26 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW country must double in eleven or twelve years ; in other words, the capital is increasing with twice the velocity of the population. In a country having so many varieties of soil and climate as the United States, there is necessarily a considerable diversity in the agricultural productions. Maize, or Indian corn, is cul- tivated in all parts of the country, but succeeds best in the Middle States. It is a most useful vegetable, fitted to a greater variety of situations than wheat, and yielding generally double the produce. Wheat is also raised in all parts of the country, but thrives best in the Middle and Western States. The culti- vation of tobacco begins in Maryland, about the thirty-ninth or fortieth parallel, and continues through all the Southern, and partially through the Wesern States. It forms the staple of Maryland and Virginia. Cotton grows as far north as 39°, but its cultivation is not profitable beyond 37°. This useful plant was first raised for exportation only in 1791. It is now produced in immense quantities from the River Roanoke to the Missis- sippi, and forms the leading article of export from the United States. The best grows in dry situations in Carolina and Geor- gia, upon the sea coast. The rice crops, which require great lieat, and a soil susceptible of irrigation, commence about the same parallel, and have nearly the same geographical range. The sugar cane grows in low and warm situations, as high as the latitude of 33°, but the climate favourable for its cultivation does no extend beyond 31d°. It is now cultivated to a great extent in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. It is stated, that, in Louisiana alone, 20,000,000 of pounds of sugar were raised in 1817, when the whole quantity consumed in the republic was estimated at 70,000,000 of pounds. Oats, rye and barley are raised in all the Northern and Middle States. Hemp and flax are raised in the Western States. The vine thrives as far north as Pennsylvania, but home wines are only made yet to a very limited extent. Natural meadows are more numerous in New England and in New York than in parts farther south. BAYS. The Chesapeake is a very spacious bay, 200 miles in length, from Havre de Grace to the southern extremity, and from 7 to 18 miles in breadth ; and covering 2660 square miles, or 1,700,000 acres. It is generally as much as nine fathoms deep, and affords many commodious harbours, and a safe and easy navigation. The mouths of the James, York and Potomac Rivers are merely arms of the Chesapeake. This is true of the latter river, for at least fifty miles from its mouth. This bay receives the waters of the Susquehannah, Potomac, Rappahannock, York and James Rivers, besides numberless small streams, both from the eastern and western shores. It opens from the west into the Atlantic by a mouth twelve miles wide, between Cape Charles and Cape Henry. Delaware Bay separates New Jersey from Delaware. It is sixty-five miles long, from Fisher's Point to Cape Henlopen ; and, OF THE UNITED STATES. 27 in the broadest part, thirty miles wide ; containing about 985 square miles, or 630,000 acres. It receives the waters of no large rivers except the Delaware. It opens from the north-west into the Atlantic, between Cape May and Cape Henlopen. Massachusetts Bay is a part of the ocean putting up between Cape Ann and Cape Cod. Its length is about sixty miles, and the distance between the two capes is forty-five. Narragansett Bay, in Rhode Island, is thirty-five miles long. The first twenty of it is a regular parallelogram, thirteen miles wide. It covers an area of about 290 square miles, or 185,000 acres. It communicates with the ocean between Point Judith on the west and Point Seaconet on the east. SOUNDS. Long Island Sound, between Connecticut and New York on the north, and Long Island on the south, is 140 miles long, and from 3 to 25 broad. It has two communications with the ocean. The eastern is broad and unobstructed. At the west, and by a narrow strait one mile wide, opposite to New York, it communi- cates with York Bay, and through that with the ocean at Sandy Hook. The celebrated strait called Hell Gate is near the west end of the sound,' about 8 miles east of New York, and is re- markable for its -whirlpools, which make a tremendous roaring at certain times of the tide. These whirlpools are occasioned by the narrowness and crookedness of the pass, and by a bed of rocks which extend across it. A skilful pilot may, with perfect safety, conduct a ship of any burthen through this strait with the tide, or at still water with a fair wind. The sound aflfords a very safe and convenient inland navigation. Pamlico Sound lies between the eastern shore of North Caro- lina and a chain of sand islands, which stretch along the shore of that state, through half its extent. The southern part of this body of water is commonly designated by this name ; but there is evidently nothing which intervenes to separate it from tlie northern part. Taken in its whole' extent, from the northern extremity, in Princess Ann county in Virginia, to Cape Look- out, it is not less than 200 miles long. Its breadth varies from 3 to 20 miles. The chain of islands, which separate it from the main ocean, is scarcely a mile wide, and is generally covered with small trees and bushes. There are five of these islands and a peninsula, separated from each other by five inlets, Cur- rituc, Roanoke, Gant, Ocrecoc and Cedar ; but Ocrecoc is the only one that will admit vessels of burthen. There is here four- teen feet water at low tide. Six miles within this inlet there is a hard sand shoal, called the Swash, lying across the channel, on which there is only nine feet water at low tide. Ships draw- ing ten feet water find between the inlet and sound, good an- chorage. Pamlico Sound receives the waters of Chowaiv Ro- anoke, Pamlico, and Neus Rivers. Albemarle Sound puts up from Pamlico into North Carolina a distance of sixty miles. It is from eight to twelve miles broad, 2B GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW a^ is really a bay, having but one communication with the •cean. It is the estuary of the Roanoke and Chowan. CAPES. The nlost noted capes in the United States are Cape Ann, Cape Cod, Cape Malabar, Montauk Point, Sandy Hook, Cape May, Cape Henlopen, Cape Charles, Cape Henry, Cape Hatte- ras. Cape Lookout and Cape Fear. RIVERS. The Mississippi is the most celebrated river of the United States ; but it is now found that the Missouri is the principal branch, and has the best claim to the magnificent title of " Father of waters," conferred on the smaller branch by the Indians. Mississippi proper has its source in Turtle Lake, near the 48th degree of north latitude. At the picturesque Falls of St. An- thony, it descends from the plateau, where it has its origin, to a vast plain, which accompanies it to the sea. After a course of 280 leagues, its limpid waters mingle themselves with the turbid stream of the Missouri. At the point of confluence, each of these rivers is about half a mile broad. At the distance of about IGO miles below the mouth of the Missouri, it is joined by the Ohio, after the latter has received the tributary waters of the Wabash, the Cumberland and the Tennessee Rivers. Lower down, the Mississippi has its volume considerably increased by the Arkan- sas and Red River, and falls into the Gulf of Mexico, after a course of 2500 miles. The river, in the last half of its course, presents some peculiar phenomena. Besides its principal and permanent mouth, it has several lateral outlets, called bayous, which carry oflT part of its waters. In Louisiana the surface of the stream is more elevated than the adjoining lands. Its im- mense volume of waters is confined and supported by dikes and levees, composed of soft earth, and rising a few feet above the usual height of the inundations. These banks of the river, which decline gradually into the swampy plains behind, are from a quarter to a half a mile in breadth, and form the richest and best soil in the country. The three principal outlets, or bayous, call- ed the Atchafalaya, the La Fourche, and the Iberville, embrace an extensive delta, composed of soft, swampy earth, rising very little above tide water. The actual embouchure of the river parts into three branches, each of which has a bar at its entrance, the deepest affording only seventeen feet water. Within the bar, the depth of the water, for two or three hundred miles, is from 50 to 150 feet. The average breadth of the Mississippi, below the junction with the Missouri, is about 1000 yards, or two thirds of a mile. The Mississippi and its branches traverse countries thickly wooded, and hence vast numbers of trees, either uprooted by the winds, or falling from the effects of age, are borne down by its waters, united by lianas, and cemented by soft, adhesive mud. These spoils of the forest become floating islands, upon which OF THE UNITED STATES. 29 young trees take root. There the pistia and the munphar display their yellow flowers, and the serpents, the birds, and the cayman alligator, come and repose on those flowery rafts, which are sometimes carried to the sea, and engulfed in its waters. Sometimes a large tree attaches itself to a sand bank firmly, and, stretching out its branches like so many hooks, entangles all the floating objects that approach it. A single tree is often sufllcient to arrest thousands in their course : the mass accumulates from year to year ; and thus are gradually created new isles, new capes and peninsulas, which change the course of the stream, and force it to seek out new channels. The tides are not felt in the Mississippi, in consequence of the numerous sinuosities. The winds are variable ; and though the prevailing wind is from the south, and favours vessels sail- ing against the stream, still the navigation upwards is slow and difficult, especially during the floods, when the current has a velocity of three or four mUes an hour. These floods occur in May, June, and July. The additional waters form an inclined plane, the rising being fifty feet in Tennessee, twenty-five feet near the mouth of Red River, and twelve feet at New Orleans. The invention of steamboats has perhaps nowhere been so beneficial as in the navigation of this river. The voyage up- wards from New Orleans to the Falls of Ohio, which often oc- cupied sailing vessels three months, may now be accomplished in fifteen or eighteen days. We shall mention very briefly the other considerable rivers of the United States. The Bay of Mobile receives the waters of the Alabama, which has two large branches, the Alabama and the Tombigbee. Farther east is the Apalachicola. The only large river in Florida is the St. John, which rises in a marsh, and, flowing northward, parallel to the coast, falls into the At- lantic. The Alatamaha, Savannah, Santee, and Pedee are the most considerable rivers in Georgia and South Carolina. Theyv are all navigable to a considerable distance, but have their mouths, less or more obstructed by sand bars. The entrance into Cape Fear River, the Neuse and Roanoke, is still more dif- ficult, in consequence of the line of sand banks which cover the whole coast of North Carolina. To tlie north of Cape Henry, extends the magnificent Bay of Chesapeake, which receives, as lias been mentioned, James River, the Potomac and the Susque- hannah. The Delaware falls into a bay of the same name. The Bay of New York receives the Hudson, a large river, in which the tide ascends 160 miles, and which is the scene of a most ex- I tensive and active inland commerce. The most considerable II ■ rivers east of the Hudson are the Connecticut, the Merrimac, the I Kennebec, and the Penobscot. The small River St. Croix sepa- ls rates the territories of the United States from New Brunswick. I LAKES. j To the largest of the chain of lakes between Canada and th* I United States, the earliest travellers have given the name of I 3* 30 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW Lake Superior. It is more than five hundred leagues in cir- cumference ; its clear waters, fed by forty rivers, are contained within immense strata of rocks, and the surges nearly equal those of the Atlantic. Lake Huron, which is connected with the other by the Straits of St. Mary, has a periphery of 300 leagues, and receives the waters of Lake Superior through a Series of rapid descents. The outline of Lake Michigan is sup- posed to be about 200 leagues : it communicates with the former by a long strait, which serves for an outlet for its waters ; and the country around its banks belongs exclusively to the United States. Lake Huron discharges itself into the rapid River of St. Clair, which, by the accession of other streams, is changed into a small lake of the same name. A less violent channel, properly called the Detroit, unites this basin with Lake Erie, which is more than ninety leagues in length, and about twenty or thirty broad. On account, however, of its shallow waters, and the un- equal elevation of its banks, it is subject to storms, which render navigation dangerous. This lake communicates with the River Niagara, and with those celebrated cataracts, of which so much has been written, although no description can convey an ade- quate idea of their awful sublimity. The River Niagara de- scends by this splendid porch into Lake Ontario, which is ap- parently calm, although its waters are subject to phenomena re- sembling those of the tides. This lake is nearly one hundred and seventy miles long, and sixty broad at the widest part. It empties itself, through the romantic Lake of a Thousand Isles, ijito the St. Lawrence. MOUNTAINS. Two great chains of mountains traverse the territory of the United States, in a direction approaching to south and north ; <3ie Alleghany Mountains on the east side, and the Rocky Moun- tains on the west. They divide the country into an eastern, western and middle region, the latter comprising the great basin or valley of the Mississippi. The AUeghanies are less a chain of mountains than a long plateau, crested with several low chains of hills, separated from each other by wide and elevated valleys. East of the Hudson, Uie AUeghanies consist chiefly of granitic hills, with rounded summits, often covered to a great height with bogs and turf, and distributed in irregular groups, without any marked direction. Some peaks of the Green Mountains in Vermont, and the White Mountains in New Hampshire, rise to the height of 5000 or 6000 feet above the level of the sea. After we pass the Hudson, the structure of the AUeghanies appears to change. In Pennsyl- vania and Virginia, they assume the form of long parallel ridges, varying in height from 2500 to 4000 feet, and occupying «L breadth of a hundred miles. In Tennessee, where they ter- minate, they again lose the form of continuous chains, and break into groups of isolated mountains, touching at their base, soma of which attain «tn elevation of 5000 or 60^ feet. or THE UNITED STATES. 31 The Rocky Mountains are upon a much grander scale than the AUeghanies. Their base is three hundred miles in breadth ; and their loftiest summits, which are covered with eternal snow, rise to the height of 12,000 feet. They are placed at the dis- tance of 500 or 600 miles from the Pacific Ocean ; but between them and the coast there is another range of mountains, called the Ozarks, six or seven hundred miles in length, about one liundred broad, and having an elevation varying from 1000 to 2000 feet above the sea. This range of low mountains, which is penetrated by two branches of the Mississippi, the Arkansas and the Red River, was nearly altogether unknown till within these few years, and has not been delineated, so far as we know, in any maps hitherto published in this country. FORESTS. Hardly a spot could have been found in the United States, which was not covered with forest trees, when they were first settled. And those parts of the country, which are not yet cleared and cultivated, which are probably three fourths of the whole, still retain their natural covering. Forests far more extensive than any of the celebrated forests of Europe are found in every part of the country. None of them, however, have re- ceived a name. BOTANY. Atuch less is known of the natural history of the United States, than that of most European countries, and that might fairly be demanded of our countrymen. The productions of the tSouthern States and of Canada have not been well described by any one author, in a work professedly for that purpose ; but are mostly intermixed with the productions of other parts of the world, in the large works of European botanists. This renders it difficult to select them, and to give an accurate connected account of them. To remedy this inconvenience, and to rescue this coun- try from the reproach of not having any authentic and scientific account of its natural history. Dr. Cutter, who has already ex- amined nearly all the vegetables of New England, has for some time contemplated the publication of a botanical work of consid- erable magnitude, confined principally to the productions of the New England States. Dr. Barton, of Philadelphia, has been collecting materials for a work of a similar nature, to compre- hend the Middle and Southern States. When finished, both together will form a complete natural history of the American States. ZOOLOGY. America contains at least one half, and the United States about one fourth, of the quadrupeds of the known world. Some of them are common to both continents ; others are peculiar to the western. Comparing individuals of the same species, in the two continents, some are perfectly similar ; between others 32 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW ' there is some difference in size, colour, or other circumstances ; in a few instances, the animals of the eastern continent are larger than the American ; in most, the reverse is the case. The bison, American ox, or buffalo, though it has a promi- nence on its back, is a distinct species from the zebu of India and Africa, or the slightly-humped anerochs of northern Eu- rope. The American ox has always the neck, the shoulders, and under part of the body covered with long, rough hair ; it has a long beard under the chin ; and the tail does not reach to the houghs. It differs also from the small musk ox of the ex- treme northern parts of the American continent, which has a resemblance, in the singular form of its horns, to the buffalo of the Cape. The moose-deej;, which is found from the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, is now rare in the inhabited parts of the United States. It is a gigantic animal, sometimes twelve feet long. The elk, the red-deer, and the caribou, which is probably the reindeer, are also found. There are two species of bear ; the one short-legged, living chiefly on vegetables ; the other, called the ranging bear, which destroys calves, sheep, pigs, and sometimes children. The wolf is also found in most of the states, and is very destructive to cattle. The catamount, of the size of a large dog, and the spotted tiger, five or six feet long, both voracious animals, are rare. The cougar, or American tiger, is more common. There is a very great variety of other animals, that people the vast tracts of wilderness, and inhabit the woods of almost every part of the United States, affording the pleasures of chase to the active and daring hunter, and game to the less hardy sportsman. Very many of the valuable animals that are found afford furs, which are made, on the frontiers, an article of important and lucrative trade. MINERALOGY. No mines of gold or silver, of any importance, have been dis- covered in the United States ; but the useful metals are in gen- eral abundantly distributed. Some of the ores of iron arp found in almost every state ; and mines of this metal are worked in New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, Connecti- rnt, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina. The number of furnaces, forges, and bloomeries, in 1810, was .530, and the value of the iron manufactured annually was esti- mated at twelve or fifteen millions of dollars. The stores of this metal, which nature seems to have provided for this great country, have been explored, and the amount of manufactures has increased in proportion to the increase of the population, and the growing necessities of the nation. The United States are supplied with copper chiefly from Mexico, and other foreign countries, but ores of this metal exist in most of the states, and in the North-west Territory are said to be in great abundance, in situations of easy access. Lead is chiefly procured from Mis- aouri, where forty-five mines are worked, and yield three mUliooa OF THE UNITED STATES. 3S of pounda annually. Of coal, there is a large field, twenty miles long by ten broad, twelve miles from Richmond, which has been long worked. This useful mineral is also found at various places in New England, New York and Pennsylvania. But the most abundant supply is on the west side of the AUeghanies, where a coal formation, one of the largest in the world, extends, with some interruption, from the western foot of the mountains across the Mississippi. Salt is chiefly obtained from the sea, or imported in the Eastern States ; but brine springs abound over the valley of the Mississippi, from the AUeghanies to the Rocky Mountains, and, in some situations, on the western side of the valley, plains occur, of many miles in circuit, which are periodi- cally covered with a thick crust of salt. In the county of Barn- stable, Massachusetts, the vats in which salt is manufactured, are said to cover fifteen millions of square feet, and to be worth $1,300,000. The salt manufactured in them amounts to about 450,000 bushels. That made at Salina, in New York, in 1826, was 816,000 bushels. Gold is widely, spread on the surface of the ground in parts of North Carolina and Virginia. Perhaps the largest piece of native gold ever found was picked up in North Carolina. MINERAL WATERS. The most celebrated mineral waters are those of Saratoga and Ballston, New York ; these will be described in their proper places, under the view of the state of New York. The salt springs, which abound in New York and the Western States, have already been alluded to. The economy of nature seems to be happily exhibited in the disposition of these natural sources of the conveniences and necessities of life, and it is found, that, as population multiplies in the degree to increase the frequency and malignity of disease, the bosom of nature yields up some restorative of health ; and as men travel back, to occupy the in- terior, remote from the common source of conveniences, there are new discoveries of the provisions with which the earth is every where furnished for the sustenance and happiness of ex- istence. NATURAL CURIOSITIES. Probably no other country presents so interesting an object to the eye of curiosity, as the Falls of Niagara. The western fall is the greatest, and the river in this place is more than 600 yards wide, and the perpendicular height of the descent is upwards of 142 feet. The eastern or American cataract is 350 yards in breadth, and 163 feet high. It is separated from the western by Goat's Island, which lies about half a mile from the precipice, and has a sand bank, by means of which, in seasons of low water, the island may be approached from the eastern shore. It is now accessible by a bridge thrown over, a little above the American fall. Goat's Island contains about 8 acres of good land. The great cataract is continually obscured by vapour, 34 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW which may be distinguished at a very considerable distance^ and its foaming billows appear to float in the heavens. As the density of the mist varies, the adjacent forests and rocks are oc- casionally perceived, and they add to the splendour of the scene. The eflFect produced by the cold of vi^inter on these sheets of water, thus rapidly agitated, is at once singular and magnificent. Icicles of great thickness and length are formed along the banks from the springs wrhich flow over them. The source, simpreg- nated with sulphur, are congealed into transparent blue columns. Coves are formed by the spray, particularly on the American side, which have large fissures, disclosing the interior composed of clusters of icicles, similar to the pipes of an organ. Some parts of the falls are consolidated into fluted columns, and the streams above are seen partially frozen. The Table Rock is a part of the Canada bank, which is on the margin of the great sheet of falling water. It furnishes al- together the most interesting view of the falls. The eye, look- ing up the river, beholds it tumbling with strange magnificence, over the ledges of rocks above. The quantity of water contin- ually on the top of the rock, and constantly falling over it, is calculated to be 128,563,200 pounds. VERMONT. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent— Yermont lies between lat. 42° 44' and 45° N. and between Ion. 71° 33' and 73° 26', W. The whole north end is on the parallel 45°. Its mean length is 157^ miles, its average breadth is 65, and it contains 10,200 square miles of surface. Boundaries. — N. by Lower Canada ; E. by Connecticut River, which divides it from New Hampshire ; S. by Massachusetts ; W. by New York. Divisions. — Vermont is divided into 13 counties, — Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham, Wind- sor ; and 238 towns. JVanie. — Vermont is merely verd mont, the French for Green Mountain. It is said that Ethan Allen conferred the name on the mountains, and it was thence transferred to the territory. Religion. — In 1818, there were 75 Congregational ministers, and many vacant churches, and about 120 Baptist congrega- tions. Of the towns in Vermont, 114 were granted by New Hampshire, in each of which one right of land, containing usu- ally 330 acres, was reserved for the first settled minister ; one right as a glebe for the Church of England ; one to the Society for propagating the Gospel ; and one for the support of a school. In the other towns, granted by Vermont, there was one right re- served for a university ; one for a town school ; one for a county grammar school ; and one for the support of the gospel. or VERMONT. 35 The Congregational ministers meet annually in convention, in September ; and, with such other persons as choose to pay one dollar a year, constitute the Vermont Missionary Society, a useful and active body in propagating the gospel. Government. — Vermont was attached to New York till 1791, when it was created an independent member of the Federal Union. Its legislature consists of a house of representatives only, which, with the governor, is elected annually, by all resi- dent males of full age. There is no senate, but there is a coun- cil of censors, elected once in seven years, whose business is to inquire whether the legislature and executive have done their duty, and whether the constitution has remained inviolate. The statutes of Vermont, and the common law of England, (so far as it is applicable,) make up the laws of Vermont. Population. — The number of inhabitants was, in 1790, 85,539 ; in 1820, 235,800. Militia. — In 1813, the whole number of militia in this state was 20,273. By the constitution, the governor is captain-gene- ral of all the forces of the state, and the lieutenant-governor, lieutenant-general. Subordinate to these, is one major-general to each division, and one brigadier-general to each brigade, chosen by the legislature. The bravery of the Green Mountain Boys is proverbial. Revemie. — The revenue of this state arises from rates and taxes granted from time to time by the legislature, and assessed in proportion to the polls and rateable estate. The law deter- mines what is taxable estate, and fixes the value at which it shall be taxed. Character. — The inhabitants of this state are assembled from various places, of different sentiments, manners, and habits Though rigorously opposed in particular religious and political tenets, they are tenacious of their liberties, and united in se- curing them. They are an active, hardy, industrious, and fru- gal people. Literature. — ^Vermont has two colleges. One is at Burling- ton, styled the Vermont University, established in 1791, and has been liberally patronised by the state, but as yet has had but few students. The other is at Middlebury, supported chiefly by private bounty, and is a respectable and flourishing institution. There is an academy in each county, and there are common schools in every town in the state. Toivns. — Montpelier is the seat of government. It is situated on the Onion River, within 10 miles of the centre of the state and is a flourishing town. Burlington, on Lake Champlain, 38 miles W. N. W. of Mont- pelier, is the most commercial town in the state, and remarka- ole for its delightful situation, and magnificent landscapes. Windsor and Brattleborough, on Connecticut River, are very pleasant and flourishing towns, and places of considerable busi- ness. The former contains the state prison. Middlebury, on the Otter Creek, at the falls, 32 miles south 36 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW of Burlington, has extensive manufactories, and considerable trade. Here is a quarry of excellent marble. Bennington, situated in the S. W. corner of Vermont, is a considerable town, and the oldest in the state. It is famous for a battle fought here, in August, 1777, between the British and Americans. Some of the other most important towns are Vergeunes, Newbury, Westminster, Royalston, Randolph, Arlington, and Shaftesbury. Manufactures. — The value of its manufactures, almost exclu- sively from its own productions, was estimated, in 1810, at 4,326,000 dollars. This does not include the various home commodities, among which is the article of maple sugar. Most families manufacture, in their own houses, the greater part of tiieir common clothing from flax and wool raised on their farms. Banks. — There is one bank in this state, called the Vermont State Bank, established in 1806, wholly the property of the state. It consists of four branches, at Burlington, Middlebury, Woodstock, and Westminster. It is under the management of 13 directors, appointed annually by the legislature. Commerce. — The inhabitants in the south-east part of the state trade with Hartford and Boston ; in the middle, with Bos- ton ; in the north-east, with Portland ; in the south-west, with New York ; in the north-west, with New York and Montreal. Burlington, on Lake Champlain, is the only port of entry. The exports, in 1817, amounted to 913,201 dollars. They con- sist of lumber, horses, beef, pork, butter, cheese, wheat, flour, pot and pearl ashes. The imports cannot be fairly estimated, as they are principally sent through the other states. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Climate. — The winter is cold, but (the sky is usually) serene, and the weather uniform. Snow lies commonly about four months, and, on the highlands, falls four feet deep. Vegetation in the spring is generally rapid. The climate is healthy, but some towns west of the mountains are afilicted with the fever and ague. Face of the Country. — It is a beautiful, picturesque country, entirely inland, abounding in mountains, which are universally covered with wood — with birch, beech, maple, ash, elm, and butternut, on the east side, and with evergreens on the west. Almost the whole of this country is formed with mountains ranging parallel with the Connecticut River. The west range, which continues unbroken with few exceptions, is in general the highest. The valleys, or glens, which separate the ranges, are generally narrow, and covered with hemlock, fir, and spruce. Mountains. — The Green Mountains extend through the whole length of the state, in a direction nearly north and south. The fjighest summits of this rarge, in Vermont, are Mansfield Moun- tain in Mansfield and Sterling, Camel's Rump, near the east part of Hiuitington, and Killington Peak, about 10 miles east OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. ST of Rutland. Ascutney Mountain lies west of Connecticut River, between Windsor and Weathersfield. The tops of the mountains are chiefly rocky, and covered with moss ; the sides are irregular and rough, and often precipitous. Soil and Productions. — The soil is very fertile, and fitted for all the purposes of agriculture. Winter wheat is extensively cultivated on the west side of the mountains, but does not thrive on the east side. Maize, barley, oats, and flax, succeed ever}" where, and the pastures are excellent. Rivers. — The west bank of Connecticut River forms the east- ern boundary of the state. All the rivers have their source in the Green Mountains, about 35 of which run easterly into the Connecticut, and 25 into Lake Champlain. The principal rivers within the state are Lamoille, Onion, Otter Creek, Missisque, Deerfield, Pasumic, White and Black Rivers. Lakes. — Lake Champlain is 128 miles long, and 12 broad, more than two thirds of which lies in this state. Lake Mem- phremagog lies chiefly in Lower Canada. It is 40 miles long, but only 7 or 8 miles of the south end are in this state. The rivers and lakes abound with various kinds of fish. Springs. — Besides the numerous springs of fresh water, there are some chalybeate springs. There is a spring in Orwel, near Mount Independence, and another at Bridport, which produce Epsom salts. There is also a mineral spring on some low land over against the great Ox Bow. Forests. — The greatest part of the state is still in forest, and the mountains will probably continue so for ages to come. Botany. — The forest trees comprise the diflferent species of pine, maple, oak, ash, birch, beech, walnut, chestnut and poplar. The esculent trees, shrubs, and vines, are the varieties of the cherry,juniper, and the diflTerentbush and vine berries and grapes. Medicinal and poisonous plants also abound in the mountains. Mineralogy. — Iron ore is found in several places, and there are some lead and copper mines. Porcelain earth is found at Monkton, and there are quarries of marble at Middlebury, Ben- nington, Swanton, Arlington, Shaftesbury, and Pittsford. Natural Curiosities. — There are remarkable caves in Ply- mouth, Clarendon, Dorset, Danby, and Bennington. The one in Plymouth, 18 miles west of Windsor, is situated at the foot of a mountain, near the head of Black River. It has five apart- ments, one of which is 30 feet long, 20 broad, and 20 high ; and two of the others are nearly equal. The rocks which form the cavern are wholly of limestone. Numerous stalactites are found here, which resemble icicles hanging from the rocks. NEW HAMPSHIRE. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent. — New Hampshire lies between lat. 42" 41' end 4^ 11' N. and between long. 70° 40' and 72» 28' W.' It is 168 4 SMI' GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW miles longf, from north to south. Its greatest breadth is 90, and its least 10 miles, and it embraces an area of 9289 square miles. Boundaries. — North by Lower Canada ; east by Maine, and the Atlantic ; south by Massachusetts ; and west by the west bank of Connecticut River : no part of that river is within the jurisdiction of Vermont. The extent of sea coast is 18 miles. Divisions. — This state is divided into seven counties, viz. Cheshire, Coos, Grafton, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rocking- ham, Strafford ; and 21.3 towns. JVame. — This territory received the name of JVew Hampshire from Capt. Mason, the original patentee. In the histories of the Indian wars, it is also called Capt. Mason^s Patent, and Pisca- taqua, from its principal river. Religion. — The principal denominations of Christians are Congregationalists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Baptists, Me- thodists, Universalists and Quakers. There is a small society of Sandemanians at Portsmouth, and Shakers at Enfield. Government. — The governor, senate, consisting of 12 mem- bers, and the house of representatives, composed of one from each town, are all elected annually, by the males of full age paying state taxes. The judiciary is composed of a superior court, having four judges, which makes two circuits annually through the coun- ties ; of an inferior court in each county, having four judges, and sitting four time$ in a year ; of a court of general sessions in each county, consisting of the justices of tlie peace, sitting the same week with the inferior courts ; of a court of probate in each county, having one judge, and sitting monthly; and. of justices' courts. Population. — The number of inhabitants was, in the year 1810, 214,460 ; in 1820, 244,161. Militia. — In 1818, the number of the militia was 25,794. Character. — The inhabitants of New Hampshire have tlie same general character as the New Englanders. They are tall and strong, industrious, well informed, enterprising, frugal, religious, and jealous of their rights. Literature. — The college of New Hampshire is in Hanover. It was called Dartmouth College from William, earl of Dart- mouth, one of its principal benefactors ; and stands in a plain about half a mile east of Connecticut River. Connected with the college is Moore's Charity School. There are about 20 academies incorporated in the state. That at Exeter, called Phillips' Exeter Academy, has funds unounting to about 80,000 dollars. Every town is obliged by law to have one or more common schools. Towns. — Portsmouth, the largest town in the state, and the only seaport, had 7827 inhabitants in 1820. It is pleasantly situated on the south side of the Piscataqua, 3 miles from the sea. It is well built, has a very excellent harbour, and a flour- ishing commerce. OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 39 Concord is the seat of government. It is pleasantly situated «n the Merrimack, 45 miles north-west of Portsmouth, and con- tains a large and elegant state-house of stone, and has consid- erable trade. Dover, on Cocheco River, 12 miles north-north-west of Ports- mouth, and Exeter, on Exeter River, 14 south-west of Ports- mouth, are flourishing towns, and have considerable trade and manufactures. The other considerable towns are Walpole, Claremont, Han- over, Hopkinton, Salisbury, Londonderry and Durham. Manufactures. — It is chiefly an agricultural state. It has considerable manufactures of iron, cotton, woollen, &c., the whole annual value of which, in 1810, was estimated at 8,135,000 dollars. There has since that period been a rapid increase. The people generally manufacture their own clothing, and most of their domestic utensils and furniture. Trade. — The chief articles of export are timber of various kinds, dried and pickled fish, whale oO, tar, flaxseed, hemp, corn, oxen, horses, sheep, bricks, pot and pearl ashes. The amount, in 1822, was 200,000 dollars. The imports consist of West India rum, gin, molasses, wine, porter, sugars, tea, coffee, cotton, cheese, nails, cordage, steel, lead and grindstones. About 27 schooners, and 20 boats, with 250 men, are employed in the fisheries. The inhabitants in the south-west parts of the state trade with Boston ; in the middle and north, with Portsmouth ; and in the extreme north with Portland. Banks. — There are 10 incorporated banks in the state ; at Portsmouth, Dover, Exeter, Concord, Keene, Amherst and Ha- verhill. Canals and Turnpikes. — Five canals have been formed on Connecticut River, two of which are in New Hampshire. By these the navigation on this river is opened for nearly 250 miles from its mouth. Several canals have been formed around falls in the Merrimack. Turnpike roads are constructed, inter- secting the most important parts of the state. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Climate. — The climate is severe, but healthy ; the ice lasts three months in the year on the lakes and rivers, which are then crossed by loaded wagons. Face of the Country. — The shore of New Hampshire is chiefly a sandy beach, within which are salt marshes intersected by creeks. The surface in the interior rises into mountains, which are clothed with wood, except their highest summits. Soil and Productions. — The ground is in general very fertile ; the uplands afford rich pastures, and the interval lands, along the rivers, heavy crops of hay and wheat. In the natural state, the varieties of soil may be distinguished by the growth of wood. Thus white oak and chestnut indicate a soil that is hard and stony ; pitch pine, one that ia dry and sandy ; white pine, a soil iO GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW light and dry, but deeper ; spruce and hemlock, a tliin, cold soil ; beech and maple, a warm, rich, loamy soil. It is observed that winter rye thrives best on new land, and maize on loamy or old. Mauntain^. — New Hampshire is more distinguished for its mountains, than any other state in the Union. Of these tlie principal are the White Mountains, which display the most sub- lime mountain sce''iery, surpassing every thing else of the kind in this country. They are covered with snow 9 or lO montlis in the year, and derive their name from their white appearance. They are seen many miles off at sea, and a person, when on their summit, has a distinct view of the Atlantic Ocean, the nearest part of which is 65 miles distant, in a direct line. Mount Washington, the highest summit, is 6230 feet above the level of the sea. Moosehillock, in this range, is 4500 feet high. Sunapee is in the same chain farther south ; and still fartlier the Monaduoc, the height of which is 3254 feet above the sea ; its summit is a bald rock ; on some parts of it are large piles of broken rocks ; and the sides present volcanic appearances. Rivers. — The Merrimack is formed by two branches, about 100 miles from its mouth, and falls into the sea at Newburyport. This river. Smiles below Concord, falls 15 feet in 30 rods, — which have been canalled. The Piscataqua is a stream of about 50 mUes in length, and empties into the sea at Portsmouth. The other considerable rivers, besides the Connecticut, wliich is the west boundary of the state, are the Androscoggin, Saco, Upper and Lower Ammonoosuc, Souhegan River, Ashuelot, and Contoocook. Lakes. — Winnipiseogee, the largest lake, situated in the cen- tral part of the state, is 23 miles long. It is a beautiful lake, of very irregular form, and is surrounded by the most romantic scenery. Other lakes are the Umbagog, Ossapee, Sunapee, Squam, and Newfound Lakes. Minerals. — Iron ore is found in great quantities at Franconia, where there are extensive iron works. Curiosities. — The JVotch, or Gap, in the White Mountains, is esteemed one of the greatest natural curiosities in the United States. It is a narrow defile, extending two miles in length, between two huge cliffs, apparently rent asunder by some vast convulsion of nature. The road from Lancaster to Portland passes through this opening, following the course of the head branch of the Saco, which has its source in a pond of one or two acres, situated near the road. The entrance of the chasm is fdrmed by two rocks standing perpendicularly, at the distance of only 22 feet from each other. The whole mountain, which otherwise forms a continued range, is here cloven quite down to its base, opening a free passage for the waters of the Saco. The Gap is so narrow, that space has been obtained with diffi- culty for the road. The crags and precipices on both sides rise OF MAINE. 41 with great steepness, forming a support for the irregular ridges above. In the township of Franconia is a singular curiosity, called the Profile. The high peak on which it is situated rises ab- ruptly, presenting a bold front of solid rock, a side view of which exhibits a complete profile of the human face. In the township of Chester are two remarkable caves. One, called the Devil's Den, is in Mine Hill in the western part. The liill is half a mile in diameter, and about 400 feet high, almost perpendicular on the south side. The entrance of the cave, which is on the south side, is 10 yards above the base, and, after a passage, varying in its dimensions, 25 feet in length, opens into the principal apartment, which is 15 or 20 feet square, 3 or 4 feet high, floored and ceiled by a regular rock. From the ceiling are dependent numerous stalactites or excrescences, in the form of pears, whose polished surfaces reflect a torch light with innumerable hues and uncommon brilliancy. The other cave is on the west side of Rattle-snake Hill, 7 miles south-west of the meeting-house. The principal entrance is 11 feet high and 4 wide. It extends 20 feet into the«ide of the hill, and, after forming a semicircle of 53 feet in length, passes out the same side. Other curiosities are Bellows' Falls, on the Connecticut, at Walpole, and the Great Boards Head, a promontory in Hampton. MAINE. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent and Boundaries. — Maine lies between lat. 43° 4' and 47° 50' N., and between Ion. 64° 54' and 70° 40' W. Its shape is nearly that of a rhombus, and it contains 32,000 square miles. The eastern line, which separates this state from New Bruns- wick, is 150 miles long ; the southern, on the Atlantic, 207 ; the western, which divides it from New Hampshire, 150 ; and the northern, dividing it from Lower Canada, 220. Divisions. — Maine is divided into nine counties, Cumberland, Hancock, Kennebec, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Somerset, Washington, York ; and has 243 towns. Religion. — The prevailing religious sects are Congregation- alists and Baptists. There are some Methodists, Episcopalians, Catholics and Universalists. Government. — Maine was a dependency of Massachusetts until 1820, when it received a constitution as an independent state, and became a member of the federal body. The governor- senate, and house of representatives are all elected annually, by the male inhabitants of the age of 21 and upwards. Population. — The population, which, in 1790, amounted only ta 96,540, was found to be 298,325 in 1820. Character. — Their character resembles that of the other in- 4* 43 GEOGBAPHICAJL VIEW habitants of New England ; they are moral, active, industrious, and enterprising. Literature. — Bowdoin College, at Brunswick, is a respectable and flourishing institution, ana has a medical school connected with it. At Waterville there is a college under the direction of the Baptists ; and at Bangor a literary and theological seminary, supported by the Congregationalists. There are schools in al- most every township, besides twenty-five academies in the more populous places. Towns. — Portland is much the largest town in Maine, con- taining, in 1820, 8,600 inhabitants. It is delightfully situated on a peninsula in Casco Bay, is well built, and has one of the best harbours in the world, and an extensive commerce. Bath, on the Kennebec, 13 miles from the sea ; Hallowell, on the same river, about 27 miles above Bath ; and Brunswick, on the Androscoggin, 7 miles west of Bath, are flourishing- towns, and have considerable trade. Eastport, in Passamaquoddy Bay, on the eastern border of the state, has a flourishing commerce. The other most considerable towns are Castine, Augusta, Wia- casset, Bangor, Kennebunk, Saco and York. Manufactures. — The manufactures are chiefly domestic, and were estimated at 2,138,000 dollars in 1810. Commerce. — Maine enjoys great facilities for commerce. The coast is indented with bays, abounding in excellent harbours. A great part of the state is yet unsettled, and covered with forests. The chief exports are timber and fish. Banks. — The banks in Maine are the Portland, Maine, Lin- coln and Kennebec, Saco, Hallowell and Augusta; and there are banks at Bangor and Waterville. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Climate. — ^The climate, though severe, having five months of frost and snow, is remarkably healthy. T'he weather in this country is more regular in the winter than in the Southern States. Face of the Country. — The state of Maine is an elevated country, but rather uneven than hilly or mountainous. The land rises very gradually from the coast, and most is capable of cultivation. There is no range of mountains of any conse- quence, except the high land on the southern frontier. Soil and Agriculttire. — It contains much poor soil along the coast, but the land between the Kennebec and the Penobscot Rivers is excellent, and well adapted to tillage and pasture. Wheat, rye, oats and barley are cultivated ; but pasturage and the feeding of cattle are leading objects of attention. Bays and Harbours. — The most considerable bays are Casco, Penobscot, Frenchman's and Passamaquoddy. The harbours are Lubec, Machias, Goldsboro', Castine, Owlshead, Waldo- boro', Bristol, Wiscasset, York, Portland, Saco and Kennebunk. Rivers. — The Penobscot rises from the lakes in the north- west part of the state, and flows into Penobscot Bay. It is navigable to Bangor, 52 miles above the mouth of the bay. OF MASSACHUSETTS. 43 The Kennebec is formed of two branches ; one comes from Moosehead Lake. It flows into the ocean 13 miles below Bath, and is navigable, for vessels of 150 tons, to Hallowell, 40 miles ; and for boats to Waterville. This river waters a fine tract of country, and there are upon its banks several flourishing towns. The St. Croix is an inconsiderable stream, noticeable princi- pally as a part of the eastern boundary of the United States. The other principal rivers are the Androscoggin and the Saco. Lakes. — Some of the most considerable lakes are the Moose- head, tlie Umbagog, lying partly in New Hampshire, the Sebago, and the Schoodic. Islands. — The islands along the coast are numerous. Some of the principal are Long Island, Deer Island, Mount Desert, Seguin Island, and the Fox Islands. Mountains. — The Spencer Mountains lie east of Moose Lake, 8 or 10 miles distant. One of the summits is very high. Mount Kinio lies in a peninsula on the east side of Moosehead Lake, about midway from north to south. It is very high, and the east side is nearly perpendicular. Its substance is granite. N'utural Curiosity. — In Hollis, on the north-west sida of the Saco, is a spring, remarkable for the phenomena which it ex- hibits. MASSACHUSETTS. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent.— This state lies between lat. 41® 23' and 43° 52' N., and between Ion. 69° 50' and 73° 10' W. Its length, on the northern line, is 1.30 miles ; on the southern, from New York to Cape Cod, 190. Its breadth, in the west, is 50 miles ; farther east, it is almost 100 ; and on the cape it does not exceed 1.5. Boundaries. — Massachusetts is bounded on the north by Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts Bay ; on the east by the same bay and the Atlantic ; on the south by the Atlantic, Rhode Island and Connecticut ; on the west by Rhode Island and New York. Divisions. — Massachusetts is divided into 14 counties, viz. Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Duke's, Essex, Franklin, Ham- den, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suftblk, Worcester ; and 300 towns. JVame, — The name Massachusetts was aboriginal, and be- longed to a numerous tribe of Indians, that lived in the neigh- bourhood of Boston. The south-eastern part of the state was called Plymouth, or the Colony of Plymouth. In a few of the earliest grants, the north-eastern part of the state was called Ma- riana. Many of the common people of New England have always called Massachusetts the Bay State, because, before the revolu- tion, its name was the Colony,oT Province, of Massachusetts Bay. Religion. — The Congregationalists are three times more nu- merous in this state than any other sect. The next in number 44 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW are the Baptists. There are also some Methodists, Episcopali- ans, and Universalists. Government. — The executive consists of a governor, lieuten- ant-governor, and a council of 9 members. The legislature, called also the general court, consists of a senate and house of representatives, chosen annually by the people. The judiciary is composed of a supreme court, of 5 judges, and sitting twice a year in each county ; county coui'ts, having 5 judges ; a court of probate in each county ; and justices' courts. Population.— The population was 378,787 in 1790, and had increased to 523,287 in 1820. Massachusetts is the most densely peopled of any state in the Union. Militia. — The militia, embracing the greatest part of the active citizens between the ages of 18 and 45, armed and or- ganized, amounted, in 1818, to 73,194. Banks. — There are more than 30 banks of discount and de- posit in Massachusetts, 8 of which are in Boston, and the rest are scattered over the state. Manners. — The state of society in Massachusetts is gene- rally desirable. Most of the inhabitants attend public worship on the Sabbath, and good order and sobriety prevail through the week. The great body of the people are agriculturalists, and are the proprietors of the soil. Literature. — The literary institutions of Massachusetts are well supported and flourishing. Harvard University in Cam- bridge is the most ancient, best endowed, and most extensive literary institution in the United States. It comprises 4 depart- ments, one for under-graduates, and one for students preparing for the professions of theology, law and medicine. There are, . including all the departments, 20 professors ; and the library, which is the largest in the United States, contains about 26,000 volumes. Williams' College is a respectable seminary at Williamstown, in the N. W. corner of the state. There is a flourishing college at Amherst, incorporated in 182(J. At Andover, 20 miles N. of Boston, there is a richly endowed Theological Seminary, which has 4 professors, and about 140 students. Phillips' Academy, at the same place, is one of the best endowed and most respectable institutions of the kind in the Union. There are about 30 other academies in the state. By law every town, containing fifty families, is bound to maintain a common English school ; and every town with 200 families is to maintain a school for Greek and Latin. Toiims. — Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, is the literary and commercial metropolis of New England, and contains 43,040 inhabitants. It is built cliiefly on a peninsula of uneven surface, at the head of Massachusetts Bay, and is nearly three miles long, and upwards of one mile, where widest, broad. It is connected with the main land by a narrow isthmus, called the JVeck, leading to Roxbury. The harbour is excellent, and so capacious that 500 vessels may ride at anchor in good depth OP MASSACHUSETTS. 45 of water ; while the entrance is so narrow as scarcely to admit two ships abreast. It is finely situated for commerce, and has i more shipping than any other city in the United States, except |New York, and is a place of great trade and opulence. It con- ' tains 155 streets, 27 lanes, and about 80 wharves and quays. The city is irregularly laid out; many of the streets are narrow jand crooked ; and in the north part the houses are mostly of iwood, and many of them mean. But in the parts recently built, the streets are wider, and the private buildings display more j elegance and splendour than in any other city in the Union. Among the public buildings are the state-house, the Massachu- setts hospital, and 30 places of public worship. The state- house, a large brick edifice, has a noble and commanding situa- I lion, on ground elevated about 100 feet above the level of tlie harbour, and is a very conspicuous object. It is 173 feet in front, and its dome is 50 feet in diameter, terminated by a cir- cular lantern, at an elevation of 100 feet from its foundation. The prospect from the top is exceedingly magnificent and beau- tiful, surpassing any thing of the kind in this country, and will bear a comparison with Castle Hill of Edinburgh, the famous Bay of Naples, or any other of the most picturesque scenes of Europe. Here may be seen at a view the city, with its ship- ping and buildings ; the harbour, studded with about 40 small islands ; Charles River ; a fine country, ornamented with elegant country seats, and more than 20 flourishing towns and villages. [n front of the state-house is the Common, containing 44 acres, surrounded by the Mall, an extensive and most delightful public walk. On Central Wharf is an immense pile of building, 1,240 feet in length, 4 stories high, containing 54 stores, having a spa- cious hall in the centre, on which is erected an observatory. Boston may also be considered as the literary capital of the United States, so far as regards native publications, and no city of its size in the world is so well supplied with common schools. It has been distinguished in the history of this country, and took a conspicuous part in the revolution. Sa.lem, 14 miles north-east of Boston, is a pleasant and hand- some town, the second in New England in population, wealth, and commerce, and is largely concerned in the East India tra'le. The population is 13,000. Newburyport, on the Merrimack, 3 miles from the sea, and 24 north of Salem, is a handsome town, delightfully situated, and has considerable commerce. Marblehead, 4 miles south-east of Salem, is more largely concerned in the Bank fisheries than any other town in the United States. Population, 5,G00. Beverly, connected with Salem by a bridge, and Gloucester, 16 miles north-east of Salem, are also largely concerned in the fisheries. Charlestown, connected with Boston by Charles River bridge, has considerable trade and manufactures, and contains the U. S. 40 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW navy yard, the state prison, and the Massachusetts insane hos- pital. Population 6,600. Cambridge, 3 miles north-north-west of Boston, ia a consider- able town, and famous for its university. Plymouth, 36 miles south-south-east of Boston, is remarkable for being the oldest town in New England, and has considerable trade. The settlement was commenced in Dec. 1620, by 101 Puritans. Nantucket, on an island of the same name, carries on more trade in the whale fishery than any other town in the Union. It contains upwards of 7,000 inhabitants, nearly one half of whom are Friends. The whole number of whale ships owned here, in 1822, was 88. New Bedford, on an arm of the sea, which makes up from Buzzard's Bay, has considerable commerce, and is also largely concerned in the whale fishery. Population, 4,000, Worcester, 39 miles west by south of Boston, is a handsome town, and has an extensive inland trade. Springfield, on Connecticut River, 88 miles west by south of Boston, is a considerable and flourishing town, and contains a large United States armoury. Northampton, Greenfield, Pittsfield, Taunton, Dedham, Ha- verhill, Concord, Roxbury, Medford, and many others, are very pleasant inland towns. Manufactures. — The amount of manufactures in this state, in 1810, was 21,900,000 dollars. The chief articles are cottons, articles of tanned leather, cordage, wrought and cast iron, nails, woollens, ships, straw bonnets, hats, cabinet work, flour, paper, oil, soap, muskets, bricks, carriages and duck. Lynn is the principal seat of the shoe manufacture ; West Cambridge and Boston, of card manufactories. Window glass and other glass ware, equal to any that is imported, is made at Boston. Commerce. — Massachusetts has the principal share of the fisheries, and a greater amount of commerce and shipping than any other state. The amount of exports, in the year 1822, was 12,599,000 dollars. In 1817, Massachusetts paid into the treas- ury of the United States more than a seventh part of the reve- nue. The chief exports are fish, beef, lumber, pork, ardent spirits, furniture, flax-seed, and the more important manufactures abovenamed. Canals. — There are two canals at South Hadley. Middlesex Canal connects the Merrimack with Boston. The whole dis- tance is 30 miles. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Face of the Country. — The state is uneven and hilly generally, and mountainous near its western extremity. The south-eastern part of the state, including the counties of Plymouth, Bristol and Barnstable, is chiefly a plain. Soil and Productions. — The soil in the southern parts is OF MASSACHUSETTS. 47 sandy ; in the rest of the state it is generally strong, and well adapted either for grazing or grain. The agriculture is better conducted than that of any other state, except Connecticut and Pennsylvania. The average produce, per acre, of the good lands, is estimated to be thirty bushels of corn, thirty of barley, twenty of wheat, fifteen of rye, and two hundred of potatoes. Tlie ox is more used than the horse, in agriculture. Mountains. — The Taghconnuc range traverses the western tier of towns in the county of Berkshire ; the highest summit in (his range is in Sheffield, and is 3000 feet high. The range of the Green Mountains extends from north to south through the western part of the state. Saddle Mpuntain, in Williamstown, is 4500 feet high, and is the highest land in the state. The Mount Tom range runs north-north-east to the southern line of Northampton, where Connecticut River passes between Mount Tom and Mount Holyoke. Mount Tom, the highest summit in tlie range, is 1320 feet above the river, and 1500 above the sea. Mount Holyoke, on the other side of the river, is about 250 feet lower than Mount Tom. From the top of it is presented a most extensive and delightful view of the country bordering on Connecticut River. The White Mountain range runs up through the county of flampshire, traversing the middle of the towns east of the river. Wachusett, in Princeton, is 2989 feet above the level of the sea. Rivers. — The Connecticut divides the counties of Hampshire, [lampden and Franklin. The Housatonic runs through most if Berkshire, but is really a river of Connecticut. The sources >f the Quinebog, a branch of the Thames, are also in this state, rhe Merrimack has been described. The Pawtucket also runs I considerable distance here. Taunton River rises in the north-east part of Plymouth, and jursues a south-west course to Narragansett Bay. Charles River heads in a pond in Hopkinton, and pursues a ;ery circuitous route, but on the whole a north-east direction, Boston harbour, where it enters, after passing Charlestown. The other rivers are the Mystic, Nashua, Concord, whicli eeds the Middlesex Canal, the Chicapee, Deerfield, Westfield, md Miller's. Bays. — Massachusetts Bay lies between Cape Cod and Cape \nn. Barnstable Bay comprises the southern part of Massa- chusetts Bay. Buzzard's Bay lies on the south-west side of the leninsula of Cape Cod. Boston Bay sets up between Alderton md Nahant Points, about 8 miles. Capes. — The most noted capes are Cape Cod, Cape Ann^ Ilape Malabar, Cape Poge, Gayhead and Sandy Point. Peninsula. — The peninsula of Cape Cod comprises the county )f Barnstable, the most easterly part of the state. It is mostly L sandy barren, and the inhabitants chiefly obtain their subsist- mce from the seas. Islands. — The most considerable are Martha's Vineyard, Slantucket, the Elizabeth Islands, and Plum Island. 49 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW Mineralogy, — Iron ore is abundant, particularly in tlie three south-eastern counties. Several mines of black lead have been discovered in Hampshire ; and quarries of marble in several places in Berkshire. Curiosities. — Lynn Beach, which is a mile and a half lon^, and connects the peninsula of ISJahant with the main land, is regarded as a curiosity. Nahant is a remarkable promontory in the township of Lynn, 9 miles north-east of Boston by water, and 15 by land. It is a peninsula of a very irregular outline and surface, comprising about 550 acres. It is connected with the main land Ity a very narrow and straight isthmus, consisting of a delightful beach, of a mile and a half in length. Nothing can be finer than a ride over this smooth beach of hard sand, while the surf is rolling up alongside, and bursting in foam. The coast of the promontory is composed of ragged, precipitous rocks, wliich overhang the sea, and, on the southern shore, are more than 100 feet in height. Nahanfe commands a prospect over a large part of Massachusetts Bay, and presents some of the finest marine views that can be seen. After a storm, with an easterly wind, the foaming and dashing of the waves of the agitated ocean against the precipitous rocks, afford a most sub- lime spectacle. In the hottest weather in the summer, the sea breezes are, on this peninsula, cool and refreshing. In Adams there is a singular chasm formed by a branch of the River Hoosac. This chasm is scooped into an endless vari- ety of forms, some of them arched in the horizontal, and others in the perpendicular direction. The natural bridge, which lies over this stream, is formed of a huge mass of limestone. It is 14 feet long, 10 broad, and 62 feet high. About 20 feet directly under this bridge is another, of nearly the same dimensions. The stream runs from 20 to 30 feet below the lower bridge. RHODE ISLAND. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent. — This state is situated between 41° 17' and 42" N. lat., and between 71° 6' and 71° 52' W. Ion. Its north line is 29 miles long, and its west, 49. Rhode Island contains about 1580 square miles, and is the smallest state in the Union. Boundaries. — It is bounded north and east by Massachusetts ; south by the Atlantic ; and west by Connecticut. Divisions. — The state is divided into 5 counties, and 31 towns. Religion. — The Baptists are the most numerous denomina- tion. The tenets of most of them are Calvinistic. The other denominations are Congregationalists and Episcopalians. The clergy are maintained by the voluntary contributions of their people. Government. — This state, unlike the other members of the Federal Union, has no written constitution, being still governed, by the charter granted by Charles II. in 1631 ; in virtue of * OP RHODE ISLAND. 49 which the people annually elect a senate and house of repre- sentatives, who exercise the legislative power, and a governor, who exercises the executive. Population. — The population of the state was 68,828 in 1790 ; and 83,059 in 1820. Militia. — The militia in this state amounted, in 1817, to 8350 men, organized and disciplined in a manner similar to the rest of the New England militia. Literature. — Brown University, a respectable and flourishing seminary, is at Providence. A majority of the trustees are Baptists. At the same place the Friends have a large boarding school. There are 9 academical schools in the state. Towns. — Providence, situated on Providence River, a little above the head of Narragansett Bay, 35 miles from the ocean, and 40 south-west of Boston, is the largest town in the- state, and the third in size in New England, having, in 1820, 11,787 inhabitants. It is a handsome and flourishing town, has an ex- tensive trade, and is distinguished for its manufactures. Newport, situated on the south-west end of the island of Rhode Island, 30 miles south of Providence, is celebrated for the beauty of its situation, the salubrity of its climate, for the great variety of its fish, and the excellence of its harbour, which is one of the best in the world. Bristol, 15 miles south of Providence, is a pleasant, wealthy, and commercial town. Warren, 4 miles north of Bristol, is a pleasant town, and has some commerce. Pawtucket, at the Falls, so called, 4 miles north-east of Prov- idence, is a flourishing manufacturing village. fawtuxet, 5 miles south of Providence, has considerable trade manufactures. Manufactures. — Rhode Island, in proportion to its population, is the most considerable manufacturing state in the Union, con- taining from 90 to 100 cotton miUs, and a vast number of power looms. Commerce. — Its commerce is considerable, but chiefly witli other parts of the United States. Banks. — There are more than 30 banks in this small state, more than one half of which number are in the three principal towns. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Climate. — The climate is one of the most salubrious of the United States. It is somewhat damper than Connecticut. The winters are a little milder, but the north-east winds are more unpleasant, though less so than on the eastern coast. The { summers are delightful. I Face of the Country. — The northern and western parts are j hilly and rocky, and the hills continue, though with small eleva- ^ tion, through the northern third of the state. The rest of the country is chiefly level. 5 S& GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW Sail and Productions. — ^The country bordering on NarragaU' sett Bay is very fertile. In the northern and western parts, the soil is thin and lean. Agriculture is not very flourishing, except in the islands, which have been styled the Garden of New England. Grazing is an important occupation. Rivers. — The principu rivers are the Pawtucket, Providence, Pawtuxet, Pawcatuck and Wood Rivers. Bays. — Narragansett Bay extends up from south to north about 28 miles, intersecting the state. It is about 10 miles wide. Providence Bay sets up 15 miles north-north-west from Nar- ragansett Bay, and is from 1 to 3 miles wide. Islands. — Rhode Island, from which the state takes its name, is 15 miles long, and on an average 3J broad, and, on account of its salubrity, fertility and beauty, has been styled the Eden of America. Other islands are Canonnicut, Prudence, Patience, Hope, Dyer's and Hog Islands, all included in Narragansett Bay ; and Block Island, off the coast, in the Atlantic. Mountain. — Mount Haup, or Mount Hope, on the west side of the bay of the same name, is an inconsiderable eminence, famous as the residence of King Philip. Mineralogy. — Iron is found in great plenty in several places. There is a mine in a valley near Pawtucket River, about 12 miles from Providence. Limestone is found in great abundance in Providence county ; and a valuable coal mine has recently been discovered in the north part of Rhode Island. Curiosities. — The Falls of Pawtucket, at the village of that name, are much admired. The descent is about 50 feet. In Warwick, about 10 miles south-south-west of Providence, is a huge rock, so completely balanced upon another, that a boy of 14 years of age may put it in motion. The sound produced by the collision is somewhat like that of a drum, though more sonorous, and may be heard, in a still evening, at a distance of 7 or 8 miles. Hence, from time immemorial, it has been called Drum Rock. It is much visited as an interesting curiosity. CONNECTICUT. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent. — This state lies between lat. 41* and 42" N. and be- tween Ion. 71" 29' and 73*' 24' W. It contains 4674 square miles. Boundaries. — Bounded north by Massachusetts ; east by Rhode Island ; south by Long Island Sound ; west by New York. Divisions. — This state is divided into 8 counties, which are Bubdivided into 119 townships. Name. — The name of the state is derived from Connecticut River, a Moheakannew word, signifying long river. In the earliest records, the name is Q^uonehtacut and Quonehtiquot. Religion. — In 1818, there were 213 Congregational, 69 Epis- X OP CONNECTICUT. 51 cbpalian, and 70 Baptist churches in the Btate. The Episcopal congregations average about 40 families, or 250 individuals; the Baptist congregations are about the same size ; those of the Congregationalists, about 1000 individuals. Liberty of con- science, in its full extent, is enjoyed in Connecticut. Government. — The charter of Charles 11. contained the con- stitution till 1818. Till this period the legislature was styled the general assembly, and was composed of a council and house of representatives. The council consisted of a governor, lieuten- ant-governor, and 12 assistants. They were all chosen annually by the people. The new constitution does not materially alter the fundamental principles of the former, but reduces these principles to the customary form of a constitution. Population. — Its population has increased more slowly than any other state, being 237,946 in 1790, and 275,248 in 1820. Were it not for the tide of emigration, which is continually roll- ing to the west, Connecticut would be unrivalled in the increase of its population. Militia. — The militia of this state amounted, in 1818, to 90,593. Composed of freemen and landholders, they would be formidable to any assailants of their rights. Revenue. — The funds of the state were, in 1811, 421,871 dol- lars. This, added to the school fund, makes a sum total of near- ly two millions. The state owes no debt of any kind whatsoever. Manners and Customs. — The inhabitants are, almost to a man, cf English origin. Their ancestors emigrated from England to enjoy the blessings of civil and religious liberty. The institu- tions, which they founded, have produced a happy state of society- There are few men very rich, and few very poor : aU the male inhabitants, arrived to manhood, can read and write, and cast accounts ; and great numbers of them have a collegiate educa- tion. Their houses, equipage, dress and food, are good, but plain and simple. The good order of the people is singular, particularly on public occasions. Banks. — There are 14 banks in the state, distributed among the principal towns of each county. Literature. — Connecticut is distinguished for its attention to education. Yale College, in New Haven, is one of the most eminent and flourishing literary institutions in the United States. There are connected with it respectable medical and theological schools. Washington College, in Hartford, is now in its infancy, but its prospects are flattering. Hartford is also the seat of the first institution established in the country for the education of the deaf and dumb ; and of a Retreat for the Insane, designed for the whole state. There is at Middletown a respectable institution, called "the American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy." At Litchfield, 30 miles west of Hartford, is a respectable Imo sthool. There are in the state about 30 academies, of which those at Cheshire and Colchester are the most important. Th« 52 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW state has a fund of nearly 2,000,000 dollars, the interest of which is appropriated to the support of common schools. . Towns. — There are five incorporated cities, Hartford, New Haven, New London, Middletown and Norwich. Hartford, pleasantly situated on the Connecticut, 50 miles from its mouth, at the head of sloop navigation, is well huilt, and has flourishing manufactures, and considerable trade. New Haven, situated on a bay which extends up from Long Island Sound, 34 miles south-west of Hartford, is a remarkably pleasant town, and has considerable commerce. The sessions of the legislature are held alternately at Hartford and New Haven, New London, near the mouth of the Thames, has the best harbour in the state. Norwich, on the Thames, at the head of navigation, 14 miles north of New London, and Middletown, on Connecticut River, 14 miles south of Hartford, are both places of considerable im- portance in trade and manufactures. Bridgeport, Stonington, Litchfield, Fairfield, Danbury, Wind- ham, Weathersfield, Farraington, Windsor, East Windsor, Suf- field. East Hartford, Haddam, and several others, are pleasant towns. Manufactures. — Connecticut is distinguished for manufactures, particularly of tin ware, which is sent into all parts of the United States. In East Hartford are glass works, a snuff and powder mill, paper mills and iron works. In Salisbury and Norwich are ex- tensive iron works; and buttons, clocks and paper are manu- factured in several towns. In Goshen, Litchfield, and Simsbury, extensive woollen man- ufactories have been established, and at New Haven is a large and splendid manufactory of fire arms. The amount, in 1818, was 7,800,000 dollars. Canals and Bridges. — There is a canal nearly completed, extending from New Haven, through Farmington, to Southwick. It is contemplated to continue it to Northampton, in Massachu- setts, and thence to Vermont. An elegant bridge is built over the Connecticut at Hartford. It is built upon the chord of the arch, and is pronounced a specimen of finished workmanship. A bridge over the Housa- tOnic, at Stratford, is also a work of much beauty and excellence. Commerce. — There are five ports of entry in Connecticut. Almost all the produce of the western part of the state is entered at the New York custom-house, and the exports in the coasting trade are greater than those in the foreign. The amount of exports, in 1822, was $485,000. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Climate. — No climate is probably more favourable to health and longevity than that of Connecticut. The winters in gene- ral are severe ; on the shore the weather is variable, in the in- terior it is cold but serene. The north-west wind is cool, dry, OF CONNECTICUT. 63 and in a high degree refreshing. The north-east wind is damp, raw, and tempestuous. Most of the violent storms come with this wind. Face of the Country. — The shore is every where indented with small bays and harbours. The whole country is well wa- tered with rivers and brooks. But a small part of the state is mountainous, and but little of it is level. The hills are of a moderate size, and occur in quick succession, furnishing an agreeable variety of prospects. Soil and Agriculture. — The great body of the state is excel- lent land, fitted for all the purposes of agriculture. Much of it has been under cultivation for the greater part of a century, and still retains its original strength. The county of Fairfield is the best in the state, and the farmers there, as a body, are remarka- bly thrifty and prosperous. The interval land on the Connecti- cut, and some townships on the coast, are of a superior quality. Indian corn is the most abundant crop, and oats and flax are raised extensively. Immense numbers of neat cattle and swine are annually fattened, and the beef and pork of this state are of acknowledged excellence. The number of sheep has of late much increased, and the breed is improved since the introduction of Merinos by Col. Humphreys. Rivers. — The Connecticut, which has already been mention- ed in the preceding states, runs through the counties of Hart- ford and Middlesex, dividing the state into nearly equal parts. It is navigable for sloops and steamboats to Hartford, and for boats a considerable distance farther. A company has recently been incorporated, to improve tlie navigation of this stream, so as to render it the means of easy and direct transportation to the interior of Vermont. The Housatonic rises in Berkshire county, Massachusetts, and, ruWing in a direction almost due south, enters Connecti- cut between Canaan and Salisbury. About 7 miles from the line of the state, it is precipitated over a perpendicular fall 60 feet in height. This is the finest cataract in New England. This river pursues a southerly course through the state, and empties into Long Island Sound, between Milford and Stratford. Its whole length is about 140 miles. Tlie Thames has two principal sources. The eastern takes its rise in a pond in Sturbridge, Massachusetts', and runs in a direction west of south, till it joins the western branch a little above Norwich. Below this 17 miles, it empties into the sound. The other considerable rivers are the Farmington and the Naugatuck. Mountains. — The Taghconnuc range, commencing in Ridge- field, runs northward near the western line of the state. Mount Tom, the highest summit in the eastern branch of this range, is about 500 feet high. West Rock, the southern extremity of the east ridge of the Green Mountains, is a fine perpendicular bluff, fronting south, 400 feet high, and two miles north-west of 5* 54 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW New Haven. East Rock, the southern termination of the Mount Tom range, is a similar bluff, 370 feet high, at the same distance east-north-east of New Haven. The Blue Hills, in Southington, are three noble eminences in this range. The White Mountain range has no distinguished summits in Connecticut. Talcot Mountain is situated in Farmington, 8 miles west of Hartford. Near the summit is a lake of the purest water, about half a mile long, with a delightful villa close by it, built in the Gothic style, and forming a delightful summer house. One the summit, near the edge of the precipice, stands a hexagon tower, .°)5 feet in height, and the top of which is 960 feet above the level of the Connecticut. This spot is called Monte Video, and is remarkable for the beauty of its scenery, and for its extensive and delightful prospects. The diameter of the view, in two di- rections, is more than 90 miles, and comprises the spires of more than 30 of the nearest towns and villages. Botany. — The forest trees of Connecticut are the white, black, red, and mountain oak ; chestnut ; white, bitter, and shag- bajk walnut ; butternut ; white and swamp ash ; red and sugar maple ; buttonwood ; white, yellow, and pitch pine ; red, white, and yellow willow ; beech ; white and black poplar ; birch ; bass wood ; fir ; and hemlock. Mineralogy. — Iron mines are found in Salisbury, Canaan, Colebrook, Stafford, Kent, and Ridgefield, and the metal is abundant. Lead ore is found in Milford. Copper ore has been found in Fairfield. There is a mine of cobalt in Chatham, and antimony has been dug in Glastonbury. Marble abounds in Washington, New Milford and Canaan. A quarry of superior beauty has been discovered in Milford, near New Haven. There are excellent quarries of freestone in Chatham, East Windsor, and other places. Mineral Waters. — At Stafford, 25 miles east of Hartford, is a chalybeate spring, which is the most celebrated fountain of mineral waters in the Eastern States. NEW YORK. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent. — ^This state lies between lat. 40" 40' and 45° N., and between long. 73" and 79" 55' W. The length of the state, on the parallel of 42°, is 340 miles. The greatest breadth, from north to south, is 300 miles. The number of square miles, exclusive of the islands, is 45,000. Boundaries. — Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Long Island Sound, bound it on the south. Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont, from which it is separated by Lake Champlain, bound it on the east ; and it has Lower Canada, the St. Lawrence, Lake Ontario, Niagara River and Pennsylvania, on the north and west. This is the only state which extends across the - wbole United States, from the Atlantic to the western waters. OF NEW YORK. 65 Divisions. — New York is formed into four districts, which are divided into counties. The counties are subdivided into 560 townships. Southern District, — King's, New York, Queen's, Richmond, Suffolk, West Chester, Brooklyn. Middle District, — Columbia, Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster. East District, — Albany, Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Montgomery, Renselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, Washington. Western District, — Alle- ghany, Broome, Cataraugus, Cayuga, Chatauque, Chenango, Courtlandt, Erie, Genesee, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livings- ton, Madison, Monroe, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Oswego, Otsego, Schoharie, Seneca, Steuben, St. Lawrence, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne, Yates. JVame. — New York and the adjoining territories were origi- nally called JVew Virginia. The Dutch gave, in 1614, to this state the name of JVew JVetherlands. This name it retained till 1664, when it was called J^ew York, in honour of the duke of York. Religion. — The prevailing religious sects are the Presbyte- rians, Baptists, Episcopalians, Methodists, Dutch Reformed, German Lutherans, Quakers, &c. — all of which support their own preachers without receiving any assistance from the state. Government. — The constitution, as amended in 1821, vests the legislative power in a senate and house of representatives, elected, the former for four years, the latter for one, by all the free citizens paying state taxes. The executive is composed of a governor, lieutenant-governor, and council of appointment. The governor is chosen every three years. Population. — The population, in the interval between 1790 and 1820, increased from 340,120, to 1,372,812,— a rate of in- crease not paralleled in any of the old states. Militia. — The whole number of males, between the age of 18 and 45, was, in 1819, 180,652. The official return was, infantry, 109,274; artillery, 7,326; light artillery, 754 ; cavalry, 1,142; total, 118,496. Revenue. — The revenue, in 1815, amounted to 14,492,000 dollars. It is derived chiefly from duties on foreign goods. The state has, since the above date, advanced about five millions to construct the Erie Canal, which was finished in 1825. The tolls, in the year 1826, produced the enormous amount of 771,780 dollars. This will require but a few years to reimburse the whole expense of its construction. After that period, it will be a source of immense revenue to the state. Character. — The manners and character of the inhabitants of every colony or state will take their colouring, in a greater or less degree, from the peculiar manners of the first settlers. Hence it is that the neatness, economy and industry of the Dutch were early imitated by the first English settlers in this province, and, until the revolution, formed a distinguishing trait in their character. It is still discernible, though in a less de- gree, and will probably continue visible for some years to come. 56 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW Probably two-thirds of the population of this state are now de« scendants of New Englanders, and they retain much of the New England character. The character and manners of this large and respectable state are rapidly improving, and it has a large body of men in the several professions of distinguished eminence and worth. lAterature. — According to a report made to the legislature in March, 1824, there were in the state, in 1823, no less than 7382 common schools, at which were educated 400,534 persons, being 27,000 more than the whole number of children between the ages of 5 and 15, and actually exceeding one fourth of the population. In no other country in the world, as the reporter observes, is the proportion of persons attending schools near so large. There are besides, 40 academies, and 5 colleges, which receive about a million of dollars annually. The University of New York, in New York city, is composed of Columbia College, a respectable seminary, and a flourishing- medical institution. Union College, at Schenectady, with regard to the number of students and its endowments, is one of the most considerable institutions in the United States. Hamilton College, at Clinton, 9 miles west of Utica, is a flourishing seminary. At West Point, on the Hudson, 58 miles north of New York, is a military academy, under the direction of the national gov- ernment. There is a theological seminary, supported by the Episcopa- lians, in the city of New York, another at Auburn, by the Pres- byterians, and another at Hamilton, by the Baptists. The New York Institution for the instruction of the Deaf and Dumb went into operation in 1818. Towns. — New York, the principal town in the state, is the greatest commercial emporium in America, and is, perhaps, second only to London in the magnitude of its trade. It is finely situated at the south end of Manhattan Island, at the head of a beautiful bay, nine miles long, and has an admirable har- bour, capable of admitting vessels of any size close to the quays. 'J'he city extends about three miles along the harbour, and four miles along East River, and its progress has been so rapid that its population, which was only 33,131 in 1790, amounted to 123,706 in 1820. It is less regular in its plan than Philadelphia, . but its situation is more picturesque and commanding. The houses are of brick, and many of them handsome. There are 100 places of worship, some of which are elegant. The city is adorned with several other fine buildings, the most celebrated of which is the town hall. It is situated at the head of a handsome common, called the Park, near Broadway. It is built of white marble, and cost upwards of 500,000 dollars. The principa' street is Broadway. It is three miles long, 80 feet wide, gen- erally well built, and a part of it is very splendid. The Battery is a beautiful public walk, on the southern extremity of the OF NEW YORK. 57 island. The city, together with the surrounding objects, pre- sents a magnificent and beautiful view in approaching it through the Narrows. New York contains numerous literary, scientific and charita- ble institutions. Albany is situated on the west side of the Hudson, 6 miles below Troy, and 160 above New York. It is the seat of gov- ernment of the state of New York, and, in point of wealth, pop- ulation and trade, the second city in the state. Its population is about 13,000. Among the public buildings, are a state-house and academy, both large edifices of stone ; a state arsenal, and 11 houses of public worship. A large proportion of the houses are of brick. Albany has a pleasant and advantageous situation near the head of tide water. The grand canal from the Hudson to Lake Erie commences here. Troy is a beautiful and very flourishing town, on the east bank of the Hudson, 6 miles north from Albany. It contains 5300 inhabitants. Hudson, at the head of ship navigation, on Hudson River, 30 miles below Albany, has considerable trade, and Newburgli, Poughkeepsie, Catskill, Athens, Lansingburgh and Waterford, all on the Hudson, are considerable towns. Schenectady, on the Mohawk, 15 miles north-west of Albany, is celebrated for its college. Utica, near the centre of the state, on the Mohawk River and the Erie Canal, 93 miles west of Albany, is a handsome and flourishing town, and has an extensive trade. Rochester, at the Falls of the Genesee, where the Erie Canal crosses the river, is a very thriving town, and has a brisk trade. Auburn, a flourishing town at the north end of Owasco Lake, contains a state prison. Buffalo is a thriving town, at the point where the canal meets the east end of Lake Erie. There are many other flourishing towns, among which arc Brooklyn and Sag Harbour, on Long Island ; Plattsburgh and Whitehall, on Lake Champlain ; Sackett's Harbour, on Lake Ontario ; Geneva, on Seneca Lake ; Ithaca, on Cayuga Lake ; Canandaigua, on Canandaigua I'rain, particularly of Indian corn, possesses excellent grazing ands ; and also exports very large quantities of lumber. Rivers. — The largest rivers, besides the Delaware, which brms a part of the boundary, are Brandywine Creek, Chifstiana >reek, Duck Creek, Mispillion Creek, Indian River, Choptank, md Nanticoke. Swamps. — More than half of Cypress Swamp lies in Delaware, jontaining nearly 50,000 acres. It is a high and level basin, extremely wet, though on the ridge between the Chesapeake md the Atlantic. It contains a very great variety of plants, jees, wild beasts, birds, and reptiles. Mineralogy. — In the county of Sussex, among the branches }f Nanticoke River, large quantities of bog iron are to be found. Before the revolution, this ore was worked to a considerable 3Xtent ; it was thought to be of good quality, and peculiarly idapted to the purposes of casting. These works have chiefly fallen to decay. MARYLAND. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent. — The northern line of the state is 196 miles longi [n the broadest part, on the east of the bay, it is 120 miles wide. The number of square miles is about 14,000, of which about one fifth is water. Boundaries. — Maryland is bounded north by Pennsylvania and Delaware ; east by Delaware and the Atlantic ; south by Virginia and the Chesapeake ; south-west by the Potomac, which separates Maryland from Virginia ; and west by Virginia. Divisions. — Chesapeadte Bay extends up through the state from north to south, dividing it into two parts. The part east 70 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW of the bay is called the eastern shore, and contains 8 counties ; and the part west is called the western shore, containing 11 counties. JV*a?/ie. — Charles I. of England, (in his patent to Lord Balti- more, in 1632,) gave the name of Maryland to this territory, in honour of his wife, Henrietta Maria, daughter of Henry the Great of France and Navarre. It was then taken from Virginia. Religion. — The Roman Catholics were the first settlers ; and there are more of them in Maryland than in all the other states besides. The other principal sects are Episcopalians, Presby- terians, Methodists, German Lutherans, and Calvinists. Government. — The legislature is styled the general assembly, and consists of the senate and house of delegates. The senate is chosen by electors, who are elected by the freemen, every fifth year, two from a county, and one from each of the cities of Annapolis and Baltimore. The delegates are chosen annually, on the first Monday in October. Four are sent by each county, and two from each of the two cities. Population. — The population of the state, in 1820, was 407,350, including 107,398 slaves. Militia. — The militia of this state amounted, in 1813, to 32,183, consisting of able bodied men, between 18 and 45, and organized in the manner they are in the other states. Revenue. — The revenue of this state, in 1815, amounted to 4,151,000 ; it is raised chiefly from taxes on real and personal property. Chdracter. — The inhabitants, except in the populous towns, live on their plantations. Their manners are as polished as those of the country gentlemen in England ; their minds are well informed, and their intercourse free and social ; their sons generally receive a liberal education, and many of them engage in the study of law, without any intention of pursuing it as a profession. lAterature. — In Baltimore is an institution, styled the Univer- sity of Maryland. The medical department is one of the most flourishing medical schools in the United States. There are two other seminaries in the city, styled St. Mary^s College and Baltimore College. There are 17 academies, whicli are supported, in part, by the state. Towns. — Annapolis is the seat of government. It is situated on the Severn, 2 miles above its entrance into the Chesapeake, 28 miles south-south-east of Baltimore, and contains a handsome Btate-house, and 2,300 inhabitants. Baltimore is much the largest town in the state, and is third in size in the Union. It is pleasantly situated on the Patapsco, 14 miles above its entrance into the Chesapeake, and is a place of great commerce. The city is regularly laid out, the houses mostly of brick, and several of its public edifices are magnifi- cent. The Washington monument is a superb structure of stone, 163 feet high. Population, 62,100. Fredericktown, situated in the interior, in a fertile tract of OF MARYLAND. 71 country, 45 miles west of Baltimore, is a pleasant and handsome town, and has an extensive inland trade. Population, 3600. Hagerstown, 26 miles north-west of Fredericktown, situated in a fertile country, is a flourishing town. Among the other considerable towns are Cumberland, on the Potomac, Elkton, Chestertown, Snowhill and Cambridge, on the eastern shore. Manufactures. — Wheat is manufactured into flour in Fred- erick county to a great extent. The value of the manufactures of this state, in 1810, was 11,468,794 dollars. Commerce. — Maryland holds a high rank as a commercial state. The most important article of export is Jlotir ; next to this, tobacco. The exports from Maryland, in 1822, amounted to 4,537,000 dollars. The aggregate tonnage, in 1821, was 127,000 tons. Banks. — There are 24 banks in this state, including branches, 10 of which are at Baltimore ; the rest in 14 different towns in other parts of the state. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Face of the Country. — The eastern shore is low, level and sandy ; on the western shore, below the falls of the rivers, it is similar. Beyond the falls, it becomes variegated and hilly ; and the western part is mountainous. Soil and Productions. — A part of the eastern shore, and the tracts lying on the bay, are sandy, but the soil is generally rich, and produces the finest wheat and tobacco. The staple of Maryland is tobacco, a plant to which the far- mers of the states farther north are almost strangers, and which is cultivated by the labour of slaves. The negroes work in sets. The seed is sown in beds of fine mould, and transplanted in the beginning of May. The plants are set at the distance of three or four feet from each other, and are tilled, and kept continually free from weeds. When as many leaves have shot out as the soil will nourish to advantage, the top of the plant is broken oft', to prevent its crowing aigher. It is carefully kept clear of worms, and the suckers, which put up between the leaves, are taken off at proper times, till the plant arrives at perfection, which is in August. When the leaves turn of a brownish colour, and begin to be spotted, the plant is cut down, and hung up to dry, after having sweated in heaps over night. When it can be handled without crumbling, the leaves are stripped from the stalk, tied in bundles, and packed for exportation in hogsheads containing 800 or 900 pounds. No suckers or ground leaves are allowed to be merchantable. About 6000 plants yield 1000 pounds of tobacco. Rivers. — The Potomac forms the boundary on the south-west. The other principal rivers are the Susquehannah, Patapsco, Patuxent, Elk, Sassafras, Chester, Choptank, Nanticoke and Pooomoke. 5a3/s.— Nearly two thirds of the length of Chesapeake Bay 72 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW lies in Maryland. Senipuxen Bay is only a channel between the eastern coast and a succession of sand and islands. Swamp. — A part of Cypress Swamp, partly in Delaware, has already been mentioned as lying in Maryland. Mountains. — The various ridges of the Alleghany Mountains cross the western and narrow parts of this state. The most eastern ridge is the South Mountain, and then the Blue Ridge ; between which and the Alleghany range are various ridges of mountains, which run but a short distance in Maryland. Mineralogy. — Iron ore, of an excellent quality, is found in plenty in many parts of the state. Two beds of coal have been opened within a mile of the city of Baltimore. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. Extent and Situation. — This district is a square, with a side of 10 miles, and of course contains 100 square miles, or 64,000 acres. It lies on both sides of the Potomac, and 120 miles from its mouth, embracing a section of that river, extending from tlie southern part of Alexandria, to a point 5 miles above George- town, including a part of one of the Potomac canals. It is sit- uated between lat. 38° 48' and 38° 59' N. ; and the capitol is in about 77° 00' 22" W. Ion. from London. Boundaries. — On the south-east, north-east, and in part on the north-west, it is bounded by Maryland ; on all other sides, by Virginia. Divisions. — It is divided into the counties of Alexandria and Washington. Religion. — Presbyterians and Episcopalians are the two pre- vailing denominations in the district. There are also here Roman Catholics, Methodists and Baptists, all of whom have places for public worship. Government. — This district is exclusively under the authority of congress. Population. — The population of the district, in 1820, was .'^3,039, of whom 6377 were slaves, and 4048 free persons of colour. Towns. — Washington, the metropolis of the United States, is situated in the District of Columbia, on the Maryland side of the Potomac, 295 miles, by the course of the river and bay, from the Atlantic. It contains upwards of 13,000 inhabitants. The site consists of a point of land between the Eastern Branch and the Potomac, and the ground, as laid out, extends two or three miles up both of these rivers. It is separated from Georgetown by Rock Creek, over which are two bridges, and there is a bridge over the Potomac, more than a mile in length, leading to Alexandria. The natural situation of Washington is pleasant and salubrious, and it is laid out on a plan, which, when com- pleted, will render it one of the most handsome and commodious citiea in the world. It is divided into squares by spacious. OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 73 streets or avenues, from 130 to 160 feet wide, running north and south, and intersected by others at right angles ; these are crossed transversely by 15 other spacious streets. But a small part of the plan is yet completed. The buildings, which cover a small portion of the site as laid out, stand in 4 or 5 separate divisions, and Washington, at present, exhibits the appearance, not of a regular city, but of a collection of villages, in which the splendid public edifices appear of a disproportionate grandeur. Pennsylvania Avenue is the principal street, extending a mile and a half, between the capitol and the president's house and the public offices. The principal public buildings and institu- tions are, the capitol and the president's house, of stone ; 4 spacious brick edifices for the state, treasury, war and navy de- partments ; the general post office, city hail, Columbian College, navy yard, and 14 houses of public worship. The president's house is situated on a gentle eminence, a mile and a half west of the capitol. It is built of white freestone, and covered with marble. It is a very elegant edifice, 176 feet by 85, of 2 stories, with a suitable basement story. Alexandria, pleasantly situated on the south bank of the Po- tomac, 6 miles south of Washington, has a flourishing trade, chiefly in flour. Georgetown, on the Potomac, separated from Washington by Rock Creek, 3 miles west of the capitol, is a handsome town, and has considerable trade. THE CAPITOL. The capitol, at Washington, is finely situated on an eminence at the east end of Pennsylvania Avenue, commanding a beautiful prospect of the Potomac, of every part of the city, and a wide extent of the surrounding country. It is by far the most mag- nificent edifice in the United States, and the only one that can be compared in grandeur to the most splendid public buildings in Europe. It is built of white freestone, and the whole cost of it, when completed, is estimated at 3,000,000 dollars. The prin- cipal building is 340 feet by 120 ; with two projections, one 170 by 65 ; the other, 170 by 83. It is surrounded by an elegant, iron paling, which encloses 20 acres of ground, planted with various kinds of trees and shrubs. The north wing is occupieiJ by the senate, the south by the house of representatives. There are also rooms for the supreme court of the United States, the national library, and other purposes. The senate and represen- tative halls are finished in a style of great elegance and splen- dour. The one belonging to the house of representatives has been pronounced by an intelligent English traveller to be " the most beautiful hall he ever saw." It is of a semi-circular form, surrounded by 22 massy pillars or coluinns, and 4 pilasters of Breccia, or Potomac marble, as it is called, which stand on an elevated base of freestone. The capitals of these pillars are formed of Carrara marble, and are very beautiful ; and there is 7 74 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW supported by them a large and mag'nificent dome, in the centre of which is placed an ornamental cupola, which admits the light into the hall from above. In front of the speaker's chair, and over the entrance into the chamber, stands an allegorical figure, formed of Italian marble, representing History in the act of re- cording the proceedings of the nation. She stands on a winged car, which seems to roll over a section of the terrestrial globe, exhibiting, in bass-relief, the signs of the zodiac. The wheel of the car is intended as the face of a clock, which is to be placed behind, and the front contains, in bass-relief, a figure of Fame, and a profile bust of Washington. Above the speaker's cliair is a colossal figure of Liberty, in plaster, pointing to the hall below, and supported on the right by an American eagle, and on the left by the Roman fasces, which are partially envel- oped in the folds of a serpent. Immediately under this figure, on the frieze, is carved, in high relief, another eagle in the attitude of flying. Literature. — There is a Catholic college in Georgetown, which has respectable endowments. Columbian College, in Washington, is very pleasantly situated on College Hill, a mile north of the president's house. The plan embraces, in connexion with the college, a preparatory school, a theological and a medical department. Rivers. — The Potomac intersects this district, and is naviga- ble close to the bank, for large ships, half a mile above Green- leaf's- Point, and in the channel some distance farther. The Eastern Branch, as it is called, rises in Maryland, and flows about 20 miles. It is chiefly a bay of the Potomac, and is navi- gable 4 miles along the bank for the largest ships. Rock Creek runs southerly about 16 miles. Tiber, or Goose Creek, is a small stream, running through the city. Its source being 2.36 feet above the level of the Potomac, it can be made the reservoir of aqueducts for any part of the city. Four Mile Run falls into the Potomac from the Virginia side, opposite the Eastern Branch. Canals and Bridges. — A canal has been opened, connecting the Tiber with the Eastern Branch ; the tide flows into it 5 or 6 inches deep. Besides this is a canal of much importance to the city, which passes the Little Falls, above Georgetown, through which is brought the greater part of the flour used in the district, and exported from it, and also marble columns for the city edifices. Two bridges are built over Rock Creek, which divides the city from Georgetown. The bridge near the mouth of the creek has three arches, is about 135 feet in length, and 36 wide. The other, 650 yards above, is supported by piles, and is about 280 feet long, and 18 wide. A bridge over the Potomac, within this district, was built in 1809, on piles, one mile long, and another over the Eastern Branch. OF VIRGINIA. 7o VIRGINIA. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent— This state lies between lat. 36° 30' and 40* 43' pT.. and between Ion. 75° 25' and 83° 40' W. Its length, on the southern line of the state, is 440 miles. Its greatest breadth is 290. Boundaries. — Bounded north by Pennsylvania and Maryland : east by Maryland and the Atlantic ; south by North Carolina and Tennessee ; west by the Cumberland Mountains and Big Sandy River, which divide it from Kentucky and Tennessee ; and north-west by Ohio River, which divides it from Ohio. Divisions. — The state is divided into 103 counties. JVame. — Queen Elizabeth, in 1584, gave the name of Virginia to a much larger tract than is now included in its limits ; as a memorial that its discovery was made under a virgin queen. Religion. — Virginia is deficient in churches, but religion is making progress. The most considerable sects are the Baptists and Methodists. The Presbyterians, Episcopalians and Friends, ar^ next in numbers. Government. — The legislature is called the general assembly, and is composed of a senate and house of representatives. The senate consists of 24 members, who are chosen for four years by districts. One fourth of the senate goes out yearly. The repre- sentatives are chosen annually, two from each county, and one from several cities and boroughs each. The governor is chosen annually by joint ballot of both houses, and can hold the office but 3 years out of 7. Population. — The population of the state, in 1790, was 747,610, and in 1820, 1,065,366, the latter number including 425,153 slaves. Militia. — The number of the militia, in 1817, was 85,758. It is divided into four grand divisions, each of which is com- manded by a major-general. The governor is head of the mili- tary as well as the civil power. Revenue. — The revenue amounts commonly to about 600,000 dollars, and is raised principally by a tax on land and slaves. Character. — The Virginians are firm republicans, polite, frank, liospitable, generous, and high-spirited. The general character of the people west of the Blue Ridge is that of industry, temper- ance and economy. The religious and moral state of the great body of the inhabitants is deplorable. This state has produced some of the most distinguished char- acters in American history. Four of the presidents of the United States have been Virginians. Literature.— The University of Virginia is established at Charlottesville. The buildings are on a large scale, and were erected at great expense. There are, besides, 3 colleges, — Wil- liam and Mary's College, at Williamsburg ; Washington Col- T6 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW lege, at Lexington; and Hampden Sidney College, in Prince Edward county, 85 miles south-west of Richmond. Academies have been established in various places. The state has a fund of upwards of 1,100,000 dollars, the interest of which is appropriated to the use of schools and for literary purposes. Towns. — Richmond is the largest town, and the seat of govern- ment. It is beautifully situated at the Falls of James R-iver, about 150 miles from its mouth. It contains a capitol, or state- house, and various other public buildings, and has an extensive trade. Norfolk, on Elizabeth River, 8 miles above its entrance into Hampton Roads, has a good harbour, and more foreign com- merce than any other town in the state. Petersburg, on the Appomattox, 24 miles south by east of Richmond, has consider- able trade in tobacco and flour. Lynchburg, on James River, near the head of boat navigation, 120 miles west of Richmond, is a thriving town, and has a flourishing trade. Fredericksburg, on the Rappahannock, near the head of navigation, is a place of considerable trade. Williamsburg, 55 miles east by south of Richmond, was formerly the seat of government. Winchester, 70 miles west-north-west of Washington city, is a pleasant and flourishing inland town. It has a healthy situation, with several mineral springs in its vicinity, and is a place of considerable re- sort in the hot season. Yorktown, on York River, 29 miles north-west of Norfolk, has a good harbour, and is famous for the surrender of the British army, under Lord Cornwallis, in 1781. Mount Vernon, the celebrated seat of General Washington, is pleasantly situated on the Potomac, 9 miles below Alexandria. Monticello, the seat of Mr. Jefterson, is 2 miles from Char- lottesville. Manufactures. — The manufactures of this state are chiefly domestic, except those of iron, lead, and small arms, which are on a considerable scale. The amount of manufactures, in 1810, was 15,300,000 dollars. Commerce. — Estimating by the amount of its exports in 1822, Virginia holds only the eighth rank among the commercial states. The exports consist chiefly of tobacco, flour, Indian corn, pork, lumber, coals. The amount of exports at the above date was 3,217,000 dollars. Banks. — There are 17 banks in this state, which are distrib- uted among the principal towns. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Climate. — The climate varies very much ; it is hot, moist, and unhealthy in the lower alluvial country, and cool and salubrious among the mountains. Face of the Country. — The Apalachian chain covers the whole middle section with its ridges, and gives it a rugged surface. The country east of these descends gradually to the flat and sandy alluvion of the coast. The district west of the mountains is hiljy. Sou and Productions. — The soil varies very much ; sandy and OF VIRGINIA. 77 sterile on the coast ; extremely' fertile on the banks of rivers ; and productive in the valleys of the AUeghanies. This state has the most valuable productions of temperate regions ; and the southern part has some belonging to the warm regions. The upper country raises excellent wheat; tobacco is extensively cultivated between tide-water and the mountains ; and rice, with some cotton, grows near the coast. Rivers. — The Ohio is the north-west boundary for many miles ; and the Potomac, one of the largest rivers that flows into the Atlantic, the north-east, through its whole length. James River runs wholly in this state ; the Roanoke, partly in Virginia, and partly in North Carolina ; the Monongahela and Great Kenhawa, chiefly in Virginia. The other principal rivers are the Rappa- hannock, Shenandoah, York, Appomattox, Elizabeth and Sandy. Mountains. — The mountains of this state are all in ridges, run- ning in a north-east direction. The Blue Ridge extends from south-west to north-east through the central part of the state. West of this are other ranges of the Alleghany Mountains, as North Mountain, Laurel Mountain, and Jackson's Mountain. The Cumberland Mountains are in the south-westernpart of the state. The Peaks of Otter, summits of the Blue Ridge, are ac- counted the most elevated mountains in Virginia. Minerals. — Virginia is rich in iron, coal, and other minerals of value. Mineral Waters. — There are several mineral springs of some celebrity. Berkeley Springs, near the Potomac, 35 miles north Dy west of Winchester, and Sweet Spring, about 70 miles west of Lexington, are places of much resort. There are two springs near Bath, between Jackson's River and Mountain. The Warm Spring issues with a bold stream, sufficient to turn a mill, and to keep the water of its basin, which is 30 feet in diameter, at the temperature of 96". The Hot Spring, 6 miles from the Warm, is much smaller. Swamp. — A considerable part of Dismal Swamp is in this state. Capes. — Cape Charles and Cape Henry, sometimes called the Capes of Virginia. NATURAL CURIOSITIES. JVatural Bridge. — This wonderful bridge is by some esteem- ed, next to the cataract of Niagara, the greatest natural curiosi- ty in the United States. The following description of it is by Mr. Jefferson : — " The Natural Bridge, the most sublime of nature's works, is on the ascent of a hill, which seems to have been cloven through its length by some great convulsion. The fissure, just at the bridge, is, by some admeasurements, 270 feet deep, Dy others, only 205. It is about 45 feet wide at the bottom, and 90 feet at the top ; this of course determines the length of the bridge, and its height from the water. Its breadth in the middle is about 60 feet, but more at the ends, and the thickness of the masi 7* 78 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW at the summit of the arch, about 40 feet. A part of tliis thick- ness is constituted by a coat of earth, which gives growth to many large trees. The residue, with the hill on both sides, is one solid rock of limestone. " The arch approaches the semi-elliptical form, but the larger axis of the ellipsis, which would be the chord of the arch, is many times larger than the transverse. Though the sides of this bridge are provided, in some parts, with a parapet of fixed rocks, yet few men have resolution to walk to them, and look over into the abyss. You involuntarily fall on your hands and feet, creep to the parapet, and peep over it. Looking down from this height about a minute, gave me a violent headache. "The fissure continuing narrow, deep, and straight, for a con- siderable distance above and below the bridge, opens a short but very pleasing view of the North Mountain on one side, and the Blue Ridge on the other, at the distance, each of them, of about, .5 miles. This bridge is in the county of Rockbridge, to wliich it has given name, and affords a public and commodious passage over a valley, which cannot be crossed elsewhere for a con- siderable distance. The stream passing under it is called Ce- dar Creek. It is a water of James River, and sufficient in the driest seasons to turn a grist mill, though its fountain is not more than two miles above." The passage of the Potomac, immediately after its junction with the Shenandoah, through the Blue Ridge, at Harper's Ferry, is a singular and highly interesting spectacle. The river here descends 15 feet, and rolls between its walls of rock with the wildness and rapidity of a cataract. The mountains on each side are perpendicular, and appear to have been separated by some great convulsion of nature. Wier^s Cave. — In the limestone country of Virginia, there are several caves of considerable extent. The most remarkable one is Wier's Cave, which is on the north side of the Blue Ridge, and on the south fork of the Shenandoah. It is in a hill, which is about 200 feet in perpendicular height, and so steep tliat you may pitch a biscuit from its summit into the river wliich washes its base. It was discovered in 1814. Its entrance is only about 100 yards from that of Madison's Cave, another cele- brated cavern, which, though it has been much longer known, is greatly inferior to Wier's Cave. The following is an account of a visit to this extraordinary place : — "There were three of us, besides our guide, with lighted torches, and our loins girded, now ready to descend into the cave. We took our lights in our left hands, and entered. The mouth was so small that we could descend only by creeping one afler another. A descent of almost 20 yards brought us into the first room. The cave was cold, dark and silent. In this maimer we proceeded, now descending 30 or 40 feet, now as- cending as high, now creeping on our hands and knees, and now walking in large rooms, the habitations of solitude. The mountain seems to be composed almost wholly of limestone, OF VIRGINIA. 79 and by this means the cave is lined throughout with the most beautiful incrustations and stalactites of carbonated lime, which are formed by the continual dripping of water. These stalac- tites are of various and elegant shapes and colours, often bear- ing a striking resemblance to animated nature. At one place we saw over our heads what appeared to be a water fall of the most delightful kind, descending 12 or 15 feet. Nor could the imagination be easily persuaded that it was not in reality a water fall. You could see the water dashing and boiling down, with its white spray and foam ; but it was all solid, carbonated lime- stone. Thus we passed on in this world of solitude ; now stop- ping to admire the beauties of a single stalactite ; now wonder- ing at the magnificence of a large room ; now creeping through narrow passages, hardly wide enough to admit the body of a man ; and now walking in superb galleries, until we came to the largest room, called Washington hall. This is certainly the most elegant room I ever saw. It is about 270 feet in length, about -35 in width, and between 30 and 40 feet high. The roof and sides are beautifully adorned by the tinsels which nature has bestowed in the greatest profusion, and which sparkle like the diamond, while surveyed by the light of torches. The rtoor is smooth, flat and solid. I was foremost of our little party in entering this room, and was not a little startled on approach- ing the centre, and by my small light seeing a figure as it were rising up before me, out of solid rock. It was not far from 7 feet high, and corresponding in every respect to the common idea of a ghost. It was very white, and resembled a tall man clothed in a shroud. I went up to it sideways, though I could not really expect to meet a ghost in a place like this. On examination, I found it was a very beautiful piece of the carbonate of lime, very transparent, and very much in the shape of a man. This is called Washington's statue. In one room we found an excel- lent spring of water, which boiled up, slaked our thirst, sunk again into the mountain, and was seen no more. In another room was a noble pillar, called tlie toiver of Babel. It is com- posed entirely of stalactites of lime, or, as its appearance would seem to suggest, of petrified water. It is about 30 feet in diam- eter, and a little more than 96 in circumference, and about 30 high. It would appear as if there were many millions of stalac- tites in this one pillar.!' Falling Spring, about 50 miles west by north of Lexington, has a cataract of 200 feet perpendicular. Near the Great Kenhawa there is a small cavity in the earth, from which issues a stream of air, which, on applying a torch, takes fire, and sometimes burns several days. Near Panther Gap is Blowing Cave, from which a strong current of air continually issues. Near the Ohio, 12 miles below Wheeling, is a vast mound, 300 feet in diameter at the base, and 90 high» containing thou- sands of human skeletons. 80 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW NORTH CAROLINA. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent. — This state is situated between lat. 33° 50' and 36* 30' N., and between Ion. 75° 45' and 80° W. Its length, lat. 35* 7', is 430 miles. The greatest breadth is 180. In the west it terminates in a point. Boundaries. — On the north by Virginia ; on the east and south-east by the Atlantic ; on the south-west and south by South Carolina ; and on the west and north-west by Tennessee. Divisions. — This state is divided into 69 counties, and the counties are subdivided into towns. Population.-^The population, in 1790, was 393,751 ; and in 1820, 639,000. JVames. — This state was first a part of the Florida of the Spaniards and French, and of the Virginia of the English. It was next included in the patent of South Virginia ; then in that of Carolana ; and afterwards in that of Carolina. In 1729, it received the name of JVorth Carolina, in consequence of its being made a distinct province. Religion. — The Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians are the predominant sects. Government. — The legislative power is vested in the senate, elected by the landholders, and house of commons, elected bj- all who pay taxes. The governor is chosen annually by a joint ballot of both houses, and is eligible 3 years in 6. Militia. — In 1818, the militia of this state amounted to 50,387. Character. — The North Carolinians are mostly planters, and live from half a mile to three or four miles from each other on their plantations. They are hospitable, and industrious, and since the war are making progress in morals and religion. Literature. — There is a respectable and flourishing institu- tion, styled the University of JVorth Carolina, at Chapel Hill, 28 miles west-north-west of Raleigh. There is an excellent Moravian seminary for females at Salem, and academies are established in various places. There is no general provision for . the support of schools in this state, but more attention is paid to the subject than formerly. Toivns. — Raleigh is the seat of government. It is pleasantly situated in the central part of the state, a,nd contains a hand- some brick state-house, in which is an elegant marble statue of Washington. Population, 2700. Newbern, situated on the Neuse, is the largest town in the state. It is well built, and has considerable commerce, and 3700 inhabitants. Fayetteville, on Cape Fear River, near the nead of steamboat navigation, 60 miles soutli of Raleigh, is a flourishing town, and has a brisk trade, in tobacco, cotton and flour. Population, 3600. Wilmington, on Cape Fear River, 36 miles from its mouth, OF NORTH CAROLINA. 81 and 90 south-east of Fayetteville, contains 2600 inhabitants. The exports of this town are much greater than those of any other in the state. Edenton, on a bay of Albemarle Sound, contains 1600 inhab- itants ; Washington, on Pamlico River, 1000. The other prin- cipal towns are Salem, 100 miles west of Raleigh ; Salisbury, 33 miles south-west of Salem ; Hillsborough, 30 miles west- nortli-west of Raleigh. Manufactures. — The manufactures of this state are chiefly do- mestic. The amount of manufactures, in 1810, was $6,700,000. Commerce. — Its commerce is limited for want of good har- bours ; and there is no considerable seaport. The amount of exports from this state, in 1821, was $586,000. The aggregate tonnage of this state, for the year 1821, was 33,000. Banks. — There are more than 10 banks in this state, whicli are distributed in the principal towns. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Climate. — The climate is unhealthy in the low country ; but very agreeable in the elevated tracts. June is the most healthy month ; often May and July may be called healthy. Summers dry and cool are the most salubrious. The hottest weather is in July. Autumn is very pleasant, both in regard to the tem- perature and serenity of the weather, and the richness and va- riety of the vegetable productions, which the season affords. The winters are so mild in some years, that autumn may be said to continue till spring. Wheat harvest is in the beginning of June, and that of Indian corn early in September. Face of the Country. — North Carolina is divided into the low and sandy alluvion on the coast, the middle country on the Alleghanies, and the high countries among these mountains. Its coast is flat, and lined with sand-bars and islands. It is furnished with numerous sounds and inlets, but has no good harbours. SoU and Productions. — The soil varies with the geology, but is generally unproductive, except in the valleys of the streams, and among the mountains. It produces the crops both of the Northern and Southern States. The potatoe is indigenous in this state, and is supposed to have been conveyed from hence to Ireland in 1587 or 1588. Mountains. — The Alleghany Ridge crosses the western part of this state, and the Blue Ridge lies farther east. Rivers. — The principal rivers are the Roanoke, Chowan, Neuse, Pamlico or Tar, Cape Fear, Yadkin and Catawba. Sounds. — Albemarle, Pamlico and Core Sounds, all commu- nicate with each other. The inlets are Currituck, Roanoke, Grant and Ocracoke ; the last only is navigable. Capes. — Cape Hatteras is the most dangerous cape on the American coast. The shoals are extensive, and the weather frequently tempestuous. Cape Lookout and Cape Fear are also formidable to seamen. S2 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW Swamps. — Great Dismal Swamp lies partly in this state, and partly in Virginia. It is 30 miles long, and 10 broad, and is a marshy tract, covered with trees and brushwood, in many parts so thick as to be impenetrable. Little Dismal Swamp is be- tween Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds. Mineralogy. — A gold mine has been discovered in Cabarrag county, in this state, which had, in 1805, furnished the mint of the United States with virgin gold, which has produced 11,000 dollars, gold coin ; more has been found, but the extent of the mine has not yet been discovered. Gold has been discovered in other creeks in the same neighbourhood. There is a long ridge of limestone, which, extending in a south-westerly direction, crosses the whole state of North Carolina. JVatural Curiosities. — Ararat or Pilot Mountain, is regarded as a great curiosity. It rises in the form of a pyramid, nearly a mile high. On the area at the top, which contains only about an acre, a stupendous rock rises to the height of 300 feet, and terminates with a flat surface at the top, which affords an ex- tensive and delightful prospect. In the vicinity of Salisbury, there is a. remarkable stone wall, the top of which approaches within one foot of the surface of the ground. It is laid in cement, plastered on both sides, 22 inches thick, and 12 or 13 feet high. The length of what has been discovered is 300 feet. SOUTH CAROLINA. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent.— This state lies between lat. 32° and 35° 8' N., and between Ion. 78° 24' and 83° 30' W. The greatest length of the state, from the mouth of the Santee to the north-west angle, is upwards of 340 miles. The breadth on the coast is 170 miles, but it is generally much less ; and, at the farther extrem- ity, terminates in a point. Boundaries. — On the north and north-east, by North Caro- lina ; on the east, by the Atlantic ; and on the south-west and west, by the Savannah and Tugulo Rivers, which separate it from Georgia. Divisions. — This state is divided into 28 districts. JVame. — This was a part of the Florida of the early Spanish and French, and of the Virginia and South Virginia, of the early English voyagers. With North Carolina and Georgia, it received the name of Carolana in 1630, and that of Carolina in 1663. The name of South Carolina was given it when it was separated from North Carolina, in 1729. Population. — The population of South Carolina, in 1790, was 240,073, including 107,094 slaves. In 1820, it was 502,741, including 258,475 slaves ; so that the number of the latter has increased faster than that of the freemen. or SOUTH CAROLINA. 83 Religion. — ^The Methodists arc the most numerous sect. Next to these are the Baptists, Presbyterians of different de- scriptions, Episcopalians and Congregationalists. Besides the above, there are a few German and French Protestants, Quakers, Roman Catholics and Jews. The greater part of these de- nominations reside in the city of Charleston. Government. — The legislature consists of a senate and house of representatives. The senate is composed of 43 members, chosen every four years, by districts. The house of representa- tives consists of 124 members, chosen every two years by dis- tricts. The governor is chosen every two years, by a joint bal- lot of both houses. He can hold the office only two years in six. Militia. — The militia of this state is respectable. It amounts to 38,729 men, divided into 5 grand divisions, each commanded by a major-general. Revenue. — The revenue of this state, in 1815, was 1,429,000 dollars. The taxes are on land and negroes. Character. — The Carolinians, says Dr. Ramsay, combine the love of liberty, hospitality, charity, and a sense of honour, with dissipation, indolence, and a disposition to contract debts. Hunting and dancing are favourite diversions, and music is cul- tivated with much diligence and success. The planters, who form the leading class, and have large incomes, live at their ease, are high-minded, and possess much of that dignity of character, which belongs to our independent country gentlemen. The farmers, who have few or no slaves, are active, industrious, and more simple in their manners. The women are generally well educated, and many of them possess refined manners and cultivated minds. Their natural vivacity is tempered by sweet- ness of disposition and discretion. They are affectionate wives, daughters, and mothers : they enjoy prosperity without ostenta- tion, and bear adversity with patience and dignity. " Indolence, ignorance and dissipation," in the opinion of Mr. Hall, "are leading traits in the character of the planters of the Southern States." The manners of the lower classes are depraved and brutal ; those of the upper, corrupted by power, are frequently arrogant and assuming. Unused to restraint or contradiction of any kind, they are necessarily quarrelsome ; and in their quarrels the native ferocity of their hearts breaks out. Duelling is not only in general vogue and fashion, but is practised with circumstances of peculiar vindictiveness. "It is usual, when two persons have agreed to fight, for each to go out regularly, and practise at a mark, in presence of their friends, during the interval which precedes their meeting : one of the parties, there- fore, commonly falls." These observations will apply to other Southern States. Literature. — In 1785, three colleges were constituted in this state, on the same day — one at Charleston, one at Winnsborough, and the other at Cambridge ; but they are colleges in name only, in truth only grammar schools. In 1795, a charter was granted for a college at Beaufort. 84 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW South Carolina College, at Columbia, a well endowed and re- spectable institution, ie liberally patronised by the state. Academies have been established in varions places. The state has appropriated 30,000 dollars annually for the support of free schools. Towns. — Charleston is much the largest town, and the princi- pal emporium, not only of South Carolina, but also of a consid- erable part of North Carolina. It is situated on a tongue of land, formed by the confluence of Cooper and Ashley Rivers, 7 miles from the ocean. It is regularly laid out, well built, and contains various public buildings, and is a place of much wealth and commerce. The houses are mostly of brick, many of them elegant, and furnished with piazzas. Population, 24,800. Columbia is the seat of government. It is jileasantly situated on the Congaree, 120 miles north-north-west of Charleston. It is a flourishing town, regularly laid out, and handsomely built, and contains a state-house, and a number of other elegant pub- lic edifices. Population, 3,000. Georgetown, on Winyaw Bay, 12 miles from the sea, 60 north- north-east of Charleston, has considerable trade. Population, 2,000. Camden is situated at the head of boat navigation, on the Wateree, 25 miles north-east of Columbia ; Beaufort, on an islarnd, 72 miles south-west of Charleston. Banks. — There are 8 banks in this state ; 6 at Charleston, 1 at Columbia, 1 at Georgetown. Manufactures. — Domestic manufactures, in the upper dis- tricts, are carried on to an extent which goes far to supply the wants of families, but none are made for exportation, articles of iron excepted. The amount of manufactures in this state, in 1810, was 3,623,595. Commerce. — The exports of South Carolina exceed those of any one of the Southern States, except Louisiana, which is properly the outlet of the whole western country. Cotton and rice are the leading articles, after which may be classed timber, pitch, tar, turpentine, beef, pork, indigo, and tobacco. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Climate. — The climate of tliis state is warmer than that of North Carolina ; but the degree of heat in Charleston is con- siderably less than in the interior western country. April, May, and June, are commonly the healthiest months ; August and September the most unhealthy. The hottest day of the year is sometimes as early as June, sometimes as late as September, but most frequently in July or August. The soil is seldom bound with frost, and this does not often extend into the ground rnore than two inches. Sharp cold weather seldom commences before December, though there are several cold days in No- vember. Face of the Country. — This state is sometimes divided, aa to its surface, inte the lower and upper country. The upper cou"n- OF SOUTH CAROLINA. S5 try includes all the land above the falls of the rivers, and the lower comprehends all the country between this and the sea coast. This country produces extensive forests of pitch-pine, which are called pine barrens. Extensive marshes and swamps are also found in this tract. The western part of the state is mountainous. Soil and Productions. — The rivers are bordered with marshc?, in which are produced large crops of rice. To the distance of J 00 miles from the sea, the country is low, flat, and sandy. Above this, and reaching to the foot of the mountains, is a fer- tile country, beautifully diversified with hill and dale, and richly wooded. In addition to many of the fruits of the Northern States, South Carolina produces oranges, limes, lemons, figs, and pomegranates. The low country is universally occupied by planters, who cultivate the ground by slaves; in the upper coun- try the population consists chiefly of farmers, who work with their own hands. Cotton, the great staple of the state, is of three varieties. The black seed cotton is grown on the sea islands, and in the low country ; it produces a fine, white fleece, of a silky appearance, very strong, and of a long, good staple. Green seed, or upland cotton, chiefly cultivated in the middle and upper country, produces a white fleece, good, but of shorter staple, and inferior to the other. It adheres so closely to the seed, that, till the invention of the cotton gin by Mr. Whitney, it was not worth cleaning. That invention has been of incalcula- ble benefit to the Southern States. The Mznkeen cotton, raised chiefly in the middle and upper country, for family use, retains the Nankeen colour as long as it is worn. The cultivation of rice is necessarily limited to lands that admit of irrigation — to swamps on bays, creeks and rivers overflowed by the tide, and to inland swamps, with reservoirs of water. Inland plantations yield from 600 to 1500 pounds of clean rice per acre ; tide plantations, from 1200 to 1500, and the best as high as 2400 per acre. Rice is sown in the tide lands about the 20th of March, and in the inland swamps about the second week in April. The land is previously turned up with the plough or hoe, and then drilled by the same instruments into trenches. In these the rica is sown, from one to two bushels per acre. The planters then flow the fields with water, keeping it on from two to four daya. This kills the worms, and starts the grain, which appears five or six days afterwards. It is commonly hoed three times during^ its growth, and in the second hoeing the grass is picked up by the hand from the trenches, and the rice is then overflowed from ten to twenty days. As the water is gradually drawn off, the plants branch, and on the number of branches depends the size of the crop, each branch producing one ear of from 100 t« 300 grains. Three months after sowing, it begins to joint, blossom, and form the ear. It is then overflowed till harvest, which commences in the end of August, near the sea, and in September is general through tlie state. The rice ground*, thus alternately wet and dry, infect the air with noxious e.xiiala- a 86 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW tions, and spread bilious and intermitting fevers among the ne- groes who labour them, and the white settlers who live in their vicinity. A single plantation has often rendered a considerable town unhealthy. Rice was introduced into Carolina from Mad- agascar only in 1G93. Mountains. — The Alleghany Mountains extend through the western part of this state. The principal summit in South Caro lina is Table Mountain, which has been estimated at about 4,000 feet in height. On one side of it is a tremendous precipice, nearly perpendicular, styled the Lover's Leap, which is regard- ed as an interesting curiosity. Rivers. — The Savannah separates this state from Georgia. The Santee is the largest river in South Carolina. It is formed by the Congaree and Wateree. Steamboats go up to Columbia on the Congaree, and boats to Camden on the Wateree. The Pcdee is navigable for boats about 200 miles. Some of the other rivers are the Waccamaw, Cooper, Ashley, Edisto, and Combahee. Canal. — A canal, 22 miles long, connects Cooper River with the Santee. Mineralogy. — Iron ore of an excellent quality abounds in the upper country, particularly in the districts of Pendleton and Greenville. THE MAGNOLIA. The magnolia grandiflora is the glory of the southern forest, arid produces a larger flower than any other tree that is known. It is found in great perfection in Florida, and in several of the Southern States. It is a noble evergreen tree, and an uncom- monly striking object, rising with an erect trunk to the height ef 100 feet, and forming towards the head a perfect cone, having its dark-green foliage silvered over with milk-white flowers, fre- quently 8 or 9 inches in diameter. The leaves are partly of an oval form, of a deep green, shining and beautiful. The magno- lia blossoms in July. The flowers are on the extremities of the branches, perfectly white, and expanded like a full blown rose. GEORGIA. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Exte7it. — This state lies between lat. 30° 42' and 35" N., and between Ion. 80° 20' and 86° W. Its length is 270 miles. Its breadth at Savannah is 250 ; on the southern boundary, 170, and oh the northern, 120. Boundaries. — On the north, by the parallel of 35°, which di- vides the state from Tennessee and North Carolina, till it strikes the head waters of Savannah River ; on the north-east, by Sa- vannah River, which separates it from South Carolina ; on the •east, by the Atlantic; on the south, by Florida; and on the west, by Alabama. OF GEORGIA. 87 Divisions. — That part of the state which is settled is divided into 4 districts, and 38 counties. J^ames. — The French and Spaniards early gave the name of Florida to a large undefined tract of country, reaching north- ward from the Gulf of Mexico, The English, at the same time, gave it the name of Virginia and South Virginia. The name of Carolana was given, in 1630, to all the country south of lat. 16°, and that of Carolina to the country between 26° and 31° north, in 1663. This state was iticluded under each of these territories. Its present name was given to it in 1732, in honour of George II. Religion. — The inhabitants of this state, who profess the Christian religion, are of the Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Baptist and Methodist denominations. The two latter are much the most numerous. Population. — The population of Georgia, in 1790, was 82,548, and in 1820, it had increased to 340,989, of whom 149,656 were slaves. Government. — The legislature is styled the general assembly, and consists of a senate and a house of representatives. The senate are chosen annually by counties, one from each. The representatives are chosen annually by counties, each sending at least one, and none more than four. The governor is chosen for two years, by the general assembly. Indians. — The Creek Indians inhabit the western and south- western parts of the state ; and the nortli-western part is in- cluded in the Cherokee country. Militia. — There were, in 1817, 27,484 men on the militia rolls in this state, in general badly armed and disciplined. Character. — No general character will apply to the inhabitants at large. There is so little uniformity, that it is difficult to trace ahy governing principles among them. An open and friendly hospitality, particularly to strangers, is an ornamental charac- teristic of a great part of this people. Literature. — There is a respectable college at Athens, 94 miles west-north-west of Augusta, styled Franklin College, and provision is made for an academy in each county. Towns. — Milledgeville is the seat of government. It is a flourishing town, pleasantly situated on the Oconee, 300 miles by the river from the sea, 160 west-north-west of Savannah, and contains an elegant state-house, a penitentiary, and an arsenal, all of brick. Population, 2100. Savannah, on the River Savannah, 17 miles from its mouth, is the emporium of the state, and a place of extensive commerce. It is built on a sandy plain, elevated about 40 feet above low tide. The streets are regularly laid out, and planted with trees, called the pride of China. Population, about 4000. Augusta, on the Savannah, 340 miles above the city of Sa- vannah, by the river, and 123 by land, is a flourishing town. Immense quantities of cotton, also tobacco, and other produce, SS GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW are collected here, and conveyed down the river to Savannah. Population, about 4000. Darien is a flourishing commercial town, near the mouth of the Alatamaha. Among the other towns are Petersburg, on the Savannah, 53 miles above Augusta ; Washington, 50 west-north-west of Au- gusta ; Louisville, 110 north-west of Savannah ; Sparta, 25 north-east of Milledgeville, and St. Mary's in the south-east part of the state. Manufactures. — Sugar is now manufactured to a considerable extent in the low country. The inhabitants in the interior are in the habit of manufacturing their clothing and bedding for common use. The estimated value of manufactures of this state, in the year 1810, was 3,53.3,.387 dollars. Commerce. — The commerce is extensive, but chiefly carried on by northern ships. The exports, in 1822, amounted to 5,485,000 dollars. The shipping, in 1821, was only 14,000 tons. Banks. — There is one or more banks in most of the cities and towns which have been mentioned. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Climate. — Till within 8 or 10 years, the months of July, Au- gust and September, were denominated the sickly season. The summers since that time have been cooler, and epidemic fevers nave raged in the autumnal months. The winters in Georgia are mild and pleasant ; snow is seldom or never seen. Face of the Counti-y. — Georgia, like the state last described, consists of two tracts of land — an alluvial plain, towards the coast, covered with sands intermixed with swamps ; and a roll- ing upland country of good soil towards the mountains. Soil and Agriculture. — The lands in the upper country are of four sorts. The best are tlie low grounds. These lie on the rivers and creeks, and have a soil that is a mixture of rich black mould with a small quantity of fine sand. Land of the second quality is called mulatto land, and has a fine dust of a reddish colour, approaching to clay. Gray land is the third quality. The soil is a mixture of a gray mould. The fourth quality, called barrens, is poor and unproductive. On the dry plains grow large crops of sweet potatoes. The cultivation of cotton is very profitable, and employs almost all the people, to the ex- clusion of the other branches of agriculture. Indigo was for- merly an important product of this state, but is now generally neglected. Mountains. — Cunaw-hee Mountain is the southern termina- tion of the Blue Ridge. It rises, like a sugar-loaf, out of the rich plains of Franklin county, and is about 1500 feet above the level of the sea. Rivers. — The largest rivers are the Savannah, Ogeechee, Alatamaha, Satilla, Oakmulgee, Oconee, St. Mary's, Flint, Chatahoochee, Talapoosa and Coosa. Swamps. — Okefonoco is an Indian word, and means living OF ALABAMA. 89 _^round, or shaking ground. This swamp has been said to be 300 miles in circumference, but is not in fact more than 180. There is another swamp, called Cypress Swamp, between Flint and Satilla Rivers. Bays. — There are numerous bays or sounds along the coast, between the islands and the main. Zoology. — Alligators abound in the rivers of Georgia, and there are great numbers of reptiles, many of a venomous kind. The number of frogs also is prodigious. Musquitoes swarm like the flies of Egypt, around the swamps and low grounds. The cochineal insect is found in great numbers on the leaves of the cactus opuntia, on the southern part of the coast. Mineral Waters. — There are several valuable mineral springs, hut the most celebrated are Indian Springs, 16 miles from Mon- ticello. These springs are much resorted to in summer. JVatural Curiosities. — Tuccoa Falls, in Franklin county, near the north-west corner of Georgia, form a most beautiful cataract of 133 feet in perpendicular height. The stream on which they are situated rises from Chatahoochee Ridge, 5 miles distant, but is not very large. The water is precipitated with singular beauty over a perpendicular rock, and, when the stream is full, it passes down the precipice without being broken. JVicojack Cave. — At Nicojack, in the Cherokee country, in the north-west corner of Georgia, is a remarkable cave. It is half a mile from the south bank of Tennessee River, situated in Rac- coon Mountain, which fronts to the north-east. Immense layers of horizontal limestone form a precipice of considerable height. In this precipice is the entrance of the cave, with a mouth 160 feet wide, and 50 high. Its roof is formed by a solid and reg- ular layer of limestone, having no support but the sides of the cave, and as level as the floor of a house. From its entrance it consists chiefly of one grand excavation through the rocks, pre- serving for a great distance the same dimensions as at its mouth. The most remarkable circumstance respecting it is, that it forms for the whole distance, as far as it has been explored, a walled and vaulted passage, for a stream of cool and limpid water, which, where it leaves the cave, is 60 feet wide, and 6 deep. A few years since. Col. Ore, of Tennessee, traced the course of this stream in a canoe for the distance of 3 miles. He then came to a fall of water, which obliged him to return. He entered the cave in the morning, and did not return till the evening, hav- ing been busily engaged for 12 hours in his subterranean voyage. ALABAMA. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent. — ^This state lies partly on the north shore of the Gulf of Mexico, between lat. 30® and 35° N., and between Ion. 85"* and 88° 10' W. Length, from north to south, about 360 miles ; breadth, about 200. 8* 90 * GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW Boundaries. — This state has Georgia on the east, Tennessee on the north, Mississippi on the west, and the Gulf of Mexico on the south. Divisions. — This state is divided into 22 counties. Population. — The population, in 1820, was 144,317, of whom 41,859 were slaves. JVame. — This state takes its name from the Indian name of its principal river. Government. — Alabama was raised to the rank of a state in 1819. The act of congress, which admits this state into the Union, on an equal footing with the original states, authorizes the citizens of Alabama to form themselves a constitution, and determines the qualifications, and the number of the representa- tives to the general assembly, from the several counties ; 44 in the whole. Militia. — No returns have yet been made of the number of the militia. Manners and Customs. — These are mixed and various, accord- ing to the manners and customs of the states and nations, from which these new settlers have been collected. They have not been together a sufficient time to form a regular and uniform character. Literature. — The act of congress constituting this state re- serves, on certain conditions, section No. 16, in every township, for the use of its schools. Land is also reserved to be appropri- ated to the support of a college. Huntsville may be considered the seat of literature. Towns. — Cahawba is situated on the Alabama, at the junc- tion of the River Cahawba, 150 miles north by east of Mobile. It was laid out in 1819, and in 1821 contained 1200 inhabitants. Mobile and Blakely are the principal ports. Mobile is sit- uated at the head of Mobile Bay, .33 miles north of its entrance into the Gulf of Mexico. Population, 2500. Blakely is situated on the east channel of the Mobile, 12 miles east-north-east of Mobile. Huntsville, in the northern part of the state, 11 miles north of the River Tennessee, and about 220 north of Cahawba, is a flourishing town, situated in a very fertile district. Population, 1500. Tuscaloosa, the seat of government, is a thriving tovi^n, at the head of navigation, on the Black Warrior or Tuscaloosa River, 97 miles north of Cahawba. Some of the other principal towns are St. Stephen's, at the head of schooner navigation, on the Tombeckbe ; Claiborne, at tlie head of schooner navigation, on the Alabama ; Florence, on the Tennessee, at the lower end of the Muscle Shoals. Banks. — There are three banks at Alabama, — one at Hunts- ville and St. Stephen's, and a branch of the United States' Bank at Mobile. Manufactures and Commerce. — Both these are yet in their in- fancy, and no official returns have been made. The prospects, OF MISSISSIPPI. 91 in regard to both, are highly favourable. Its commerce is al- ready very considerable. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Face of the Country. — The southern part is low and level : the northern is elevated and diversified ; in some parts moun- tainous. The Alleghany Mountains terminate in the north-east part. 5*017 and Productions. — A large portion of the soil is very fer- tile, and adapted to the various purposes of agriculture ; but the staple production is cotton. Rivers. — The two most important rivers are the Alabama and Tombeckbe, which unite 45 miles above Mobile Bay, to form Mobile River. The Alabama and Tombeckbe afford a schooner navigation upwards of 100 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, and a boat navigation far into the interior. Springs. — The salt springs in this state are reserved for public use, and are not to be sold. Mineralogy. — Great quantities of excellent coal are found in several places ; also iron ore. Petrifactions are very common in tlie northern parts. MISSISSIPPI. HISTORICAT. GEOGRAPHY. Extent.-r-The act of congress of March, 1817, establishing this state, prescribes the following limits : Beginning on the Mississippi River, at the point where the southern boundary line of the state of Tennessee strikes the same ; thence east, along the same boundary line, to the Tennessee River ; thence up the same to the mouth of Bear Creek ; thence, by a direct line, to tlie north-west corner of the county of Washington ; thence due south to the Gulf of Mexico ; thence westwardly, including all the islands within six leagues of the shore, to the most eastern junction of Pearl River with Lake Borgne ; thence up said river to the thirty-first degree of north latitude ; thence west, along this line of latitude to the Mississippi River ; thence up the same to the beginning. Boundaries. — It lies between 30° and 35° north latitude, and 88° 20' and 91° 30' west longitude ; and is 350 miles long, from north to south, and, on an average, about 1.30 broad, containing about 45,000 square miles, or 29,000,000 of acres. It is bounded on the north by Tennessee ; east by Alabama ; south by the Gulf of Mexico and Louisiana ; and west by the Mississippi River. Divisions. — All th'e northern parts of the state are yet occu- pied by the Indians. The part which has been divided into counties lies south of the mouth of the Yazoo River, and com- prehends less than one third of the whole state. The names of the counties are, Warren, Claiborne, Jefferson, Adams, Wil- 95 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW kinson, Franklin, Amite, Lawrence, Pike, Marion, Wayne, Greene, Hancock, Covington, Jackson, Monroe. Of these the five first lie upon the Mississippi River, between the mouth of the Yazoo and the southern boundary of the state, and contain two thirds of the whole population, on a territory of about 2500 square miles. Franklin and Amite lie directly east of Adams and Wilkinson. The remaining counties lie south-east of the others. Hancock county borders on the Gulf of Mexico. JSTame. — This state takes its name from the river which forms its western boundary. Religion. — There is a very great deficiency in the means of religious instruction, and there are few preachers of education, or who possess the qualifications for teachers of religious truth. The principal denominations scattered through the state are Presbyterians, Baptists and Methodists. The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions have made some efforts for extending the privileges of Chris- tianity to the Indians, and have established missionary stations among the Choctaws at Elliot, and among the Cherokees at Brainerd. Both have been encouraged by the pleasing success that has attended them. Laws. — The fourth section of the act of congress admitting this state into the Union, provides that every tract of land sold by congress shall be exempt from any tax laid by the state, whether for state, county, town, parish, or other purposes, for the term of five years from the day of sale ; and that the lands belonging to the citizens of the United States residing without the state, shall never be taxed higher than the lands belonging to persons residing therein ; and that no tax shall be imposed on lands the property of the United States ; and that the River Mississippi, and the navigable streams and rivers leading into the same, or into the Gulf of Mexico, shall be common highways, and for ever free to all the citizens of the United States, without any tax, duty, impost, or toll therefor, imposed by the state. Population. — According to the census of 1820, the population of Mississippi amounted to 75,000, of whom 32,814 were slaves. A very considerable number of emigrants are annually removing into this state, and the institutions of government, literature and religion will probably be multiplied proportionably to the increase of population. Uterature. — Jefferson College, in the town of Washington, was incorporated in 1802 ; but the institution cannot yet be ranked higher than a respectable academy. Another college has been recently incorporated in Shieldsborough. There are academies at Natchez, Monticello, and Woodville. Towns. — Natchez, on the Mississippi, 320 miles by the river, and 156 by land, above New Orleans, is much the largest town. It is situated on a bluff or bank, elevated about 150 feet above the river, and has a flourishing trade. All the other towns are small. Jackson, the seat of government, is a new town on Pearl River, near the head. Some of the other more considerable OF MISSISSIPPI. 93 places are, Washington, six miles north by east of Natchez ; Woodville, 37 nules south of Natchez ; Port Gibson, 35 miles' north by east of Natchez ; Monticello, on Pearl River, 90 miles east of Natchez ; Shieldsborough, on the Bay of St. Louis, 40 miles north-east of New Orleans. Elliot, on the Yalo Busha, 130 miles above Natchez, is a missionary station among the Choc taws. Manufactures. — The manufactures in Mississippi are few, as the cotton, which forms the staple article of growth, is mostly exported, or manufactured in the Northern and Middle States, where the density of populatiofi requires a greater quantity of cotton goods. Bank. — A bank is established at Natchez, with a capital of $3,000,000, having several branches. Commerce. — Cotton is the principal article of exportation. Tobacco and indigo were formerly important articles of com- merce, but the former is nearly, and the latter entirely abandon- ed by the planters, in consequence of the increasing demand for cotton and the facilities which new inventions have afforded for its preparation for the manufacturer. Most of the flour and grain consumed in the settlements on the Mississippi, is pur- chased from the boats of the interior and northern country. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Climate. — The country on the Mississippi, from the Yazoo tp the southern boundary of the state, is salubrious, except the parts immediately adjacent to the river. The surface is dry and waving, little or no marshy laud exists, and the spring and well water is excellent. The inhabitants here are said to enjoy as fine health as in any other part of the world of the same latitude, and the weather, from September to April, is uniformly pleasant. Face, of the Country. — The southern part of the territory, about 100 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, is mostly a flat coun- try, with occasional hills of moderate elevation, and is covered with forests of the long-leaved pine, interspersed with the cy- press swamps, open prairies, and inundated marshes. A con- siderable portion of this part is susceptible of cultivation. In proceeding north, the face of the country becomes more elevated and agreeably diversified. Mountains. — There are no very considerable mountains with- in the limits of Mississippi. At Loftus Heights, in the south- west corner of the state, a ridge of land commences and pursues a north-eastern course into the Indian country, separating the waters which flow into the Buffalo, the Homochitto and Yazoo, from those which flow into the Amite and into the Pearl. Though this ridge is not very elevated, there is a sejisible dif- ference of climate on the opposite sides. Soil and Productions. — The counties lying west of the di- viding ridge, and bordering upon the Mississippi, are the most fer- tile parts of the state in possession of the whites. The westeru 94 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW border of this section is formed by the banks of the Mississippi The extensive bottoms of these tracts are liable to an annual inundation from the river, and the whole extent of the surface thus inundated is estimated at 6000 square miles. There are but few places in the United States, where the soil affords more diversity than does the country watered by the Yazoo, Big Black, Homochitto, Buffalo, and the numerous streams in their vicinity. No part of the earth is more congenial than this to the growtli of cotton, and this useful plant flourishes luxuriantly in this warm and waving soil. After leaving the level, inundated bottoms of the Mississippi, and ascending into the interior, the surface of the country is generally composed of rich loam, and thickly tim- bered with a great variety of trees. Upon land thus richly clad by nature have arisen the fine farms that now pour such abundant wealth into the lap of their owners. Though the cultivation of the vegetables and the richest species of fruits would be abundantly successful, yet the growth of cotton, which is attended with such enormous profits, is so much more lucrative, that this state will probably, for a long time to come, be supplied with its grain and fruits from the country lying above. Rivers. — The Mississippi forms the western boundary of the state, and has already been particularly described. The other principal rivers are, the Yazoo, which runs almost entirely with- in the Indian country, and affords a navigation for the distance of 100 miles ; the Big Black, navigable £Uiout70 miles ; the Ho- mochitto, rising in the Indian country, and flowing south-west into the Mississippi ; the BufFalo and the Pearl Rivers, which last is the largest stream between the Mobile and Mississippi, but its navigation is much impeded by shallows ; the Pascagou- la, which is navigable for vessels drawing four feet of water about 50 miles. The Tennessee also flows through this state. Natural Curiosities. — About 300 miles north-east of Natchez are immense beds of oyster shells, extending at intervals through a distance of twelve miles. The shells do not cover the surface of the earth merely, but form a constituent part of the hills or plains in which they are found. The Spanish moss, which is met with in the Choctaw nation, about 300 miles from New Or- leans, is also a curiosity. This singular vegetable attaches itself to the bran'ches of the trees, and hangs loosely from them, havino- the colour and appearance of dressed flax. Zoology. — Game in this state is scarce ; but tigers, bears, wolves, wild-cats and foxes are found in the forests skirting the Mississippi. The alligator inhabits the streams south of latitude 52°. The teeth of this animal are short and irregular, and the jaws remarkably strong. If they are successful in seizing their prey, they never suffer it to escape. On the approach of rainy weather, they make a bellowing noise, which may be heard at the distance of half a mile. OF LOUISIANA. $4 LOUISIANA. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent. — This state lies between 29® and 33° N. lat., and be- tween 89** and 94° 10' W. Ion. Its greatest length, from north to south, is 270 miles ; and its greatest breadth, from east to west, is 300 miles ; its breadth on the northern border is 174 miles. It is estimated to contain 48,220 square miles. Boundaries. — It is bounded north by Arkansas Territory, east by the state of Mississippi, south by the Gulf of Mexico, and west by the Spanish dominions. Divisions. — The state appears to be divisible into three great natural sections; — the northern, embracing, in general, the country north of the parallel of 31° ; the south-eastern, embrac- ing all the country below that parallel, and east of the Atcha- falaya River ; and the south-western section, including the re- mainder of the state lying west of that river. The civil division is into parishes. In the northern section are, Natchitoches, Ouachitta, Rapides, Ocatahoola, Concordia, Avoyelles. In the south-eastern section are, Placquemines, Orleans, St. Ber- nard, St. Charles, St. John Baptiste, St. James, Ascension, As- sumption, Interior of La Fourche, Iberville, West Baton Rouge, Point Coupee, New Feliciana, East Baton Rouge, St. Helena, St. Tammany. In the south-western section are, St. Mary's and St. Martin's, (Attacapas,j St. Landre, (Opelousas.) JVame. — The name o{ Louisiana was given to this country in honour of Louis XIV., and was originally applied to the whole country west of the Mississippi, included within the limits of the present state of Louisiana, and of the Arkansas and Missouri Territories. Religion. — The majority of the population of the state are Roman Catholics, though the clergy of the order are not very numerous. Within the last fifteen years, Protestant mission- aries, of several denominations, have visited the country, and established churches in various places in the state. No regard is paid to the Sabbath, by the great mass of the people in the state. Dancing, gambling, parties of pleasure, and theatrical amusements, are the common business of the day, in the city of New Orleans, after mass in the morning. A change for the better, in regard to the low state of religion and morals, has already successfully commenced. Men of high standing and influence are engaged with becoming zeal in this work of reform. Government. — The legislature is composed of a senate, of 17 members, and a house of representatives, of 34 members. The government is as yet well balanced between the French and American party. In 1818, the French had the majority in the house of representatives, and the Americans in the senate. The governor, treasurer and secretary of state were French. In the superior court, two of the judges were French, aad one 96 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW American. Of the district judges, six were Americans, and only one French. Population. — The number of inhabitants in this state, accord- ing to the census for 1820, was 153,000, of whom 69,064 were slaves. This population is principally settled on the banks of the Mississippi, from Point Coupee to some distance below New Orleans, on both sides of the river. Through the whole dis- tance, of more than 100 miles, the banks present the appearance of almost a continued village. The inhabitants of the upper parts of these settlements are Canadians ; of tlie middle, Ger- mans ; and in the lower parts are French and Spanish, from Europe. Militia. — The number of militia, in 1827, amounted to 9233. Revenue. — The revenue of Louisiana, in 1815, amounted to 985,000 dollars, and increases in proportion to the consumption of foreign goods, which are needed to supply the growing pop- ulation of the immense valley of the Mississippi. Character. — In journeying from New Orleans to the moutli of the Sabine River, we meet with men in every stage of civili- zation. In New Orleans, and other places on the banks of the Mississippi, the sugar and cotton planters live in splendid edi- fices, and enjoy all the luxuries that wealth can impart. In At- tacapas and Opelousas, the glare of expensive luxury vanishes, and is followed by substantial independence. Often the loom occupies one part of the common sitting room or parlour, of families really wealthy. The farmers in this part of the country count their cattle by the thousand. Hospitality and bravery are mentioned as common characteristics of the people in this part of the state. lAterature. — Education has hitherto been deplorably neglect- ed, and, till very recently, they were almost without schools. Of the French inhabitants, not one in ten can read. The gov- ernment is now turning its attention to the establishment of schools, academies, and higher seminaries of learning, in differ- ent parts of the country. A Catholic college has been estab- lished in New Orleans, which is said to be pretty well endowed. Toivns. — New Orleans, the capital, is the only large town. It is built on the east bank of the Mississippi, 100 miles, by the river, from its mouth. It is admirably situated for commerce, on one of the largest rivers in the world, whose numerous branches, extending many hundred miles in different directions, waft to this port the products of different climes. Since it has belonged to the United States, it has become one of the greatest empo- riums of commerce in America. New Orleans is built on ground lower than the surface of the river, and is protected from inun- dation by an embankment called the levee, which extends IGO miles in length. The city is subject to great ravages from the yellow fever. The population, in 1800, was 10,000 ; in 1820, 27,176. Saton Rouge is situated on the east bank of the Mississippi, 150 miles, by the river above New Orleans. It is built on the OF LOUISIANA. 97 first eminence that is seen in ascending the Mississippi, and is elevated twenty-five or thirty feet above high water mark. Population, 1100. Alexandria is situated on Red River, 346 miles, by water, north-easterly from New Orleans. 180 in a direct line. It has considerable trade, and employs several steamboats. Popula- tion, 700. The other principal towns are Natchitoches on Red River, St. Francisville on the Mississippi, Donaldsonville and Madisonville on the same river, and St. Martinsville on the Teche, Manufactures. — The manufactures of this state are extremely inconsiderable. The whole amount invested, in 1810, was $1,200,000. Commerce. — The commerce is great, and is daily augmenting, as the facilities for navigating the Mississippi and its branches are continually multiplied. The productive valley of the Mis- sissippi pours its abundance into New Orleans, which consists chiefly of cotton, sugar and molasses. This is the port of entry and clearance for all articles of commerce, and possesses most of the shipping belonging to the state. The amount of exports from the state, in 1820, v/as $7,979,000. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Climate. — About 30° nortli latitude may be assumed as the region of snow ; few instances occur of its falling below that parallel. There is a singular coincidence between the line where snow ceases and sugar cane commences. Maiiy attempts have been made to cultivate sugar cang above 31° north latitude, some of which produced delusive results, as no instance has yet occurred, where the existence of that plant was not found pre- carious, when attempted in places where snow had been fre- quent. The southern parts of this state in summer are hot, sultry and unhealthy. The northern parts are more temperate and healthy. Face of the Country. — The southern section of this state includes the delta of the Mississippi. The country about the mouths of the river, for thirty miles, is one continued swamp, destitute of trees, and covered with a species of coarse reed, four or five feet high. Nothing can be more dreary than a prospect from a ship's mast while passing the immense waste. The Mississippi flows upon a raised ridge or platform, its two banks forming long mounds, which are elevated many feet above the level of the surrounding country. Below 30° north latitude, the waters often cover the whole country. The whole extent of land, over which the inundation reaches, on the Mississippi and Red River, is estimated at 10,890 square miles ; but within this surface there are many tracts which are never covered. The best lands consist of the immediate banks of the river, which are from a mile to a mile and a half broad, and are seldom or never 9 93 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW overflowed. They are extremely rich, and sell by the front acre, the depth of each tract being forty, and sometimes eighty acres ; but only the seventy acres nearest the river are dry enough to be susceptible of cultivation. To protect this ground from inundation, a levee, or artificial embankment of earth, from five feet to thirty in height, is raised upon the natural bank of the river, at the distance of thirty or forty yards back from the usual margin of the water. Each proprietor is bound to keep up the levee in front of his own land, and on some plantations one sixth of the annual labour is employed in repairing these works. The water sometimes bursts these artificial barriers, and rushes out with a noise like the roaring of a cataract, boil- ing and foaming, and tearing every thing before it. When a breach of this kind is made, which is called a crevasse, the in- habitants, for miles above and below, abandon every employ- ment, and hasten to the spot, where every exertion is made, night and day, to re-establish the levee ; but more frequently the destructive element is suffered to take its course. The consequences are, that the flood overthrows the buildings, and sweeps away the crop, and often the soil, leaving the surface strewed with numerous logs and trees, which must be destroyed before the land can be again cultivated. Productions. — The staple productions of Louisiana are cotton, sugar and rice. The cotton plantations are the most extensive, but those of the sugar are rapidly increasing in the southern parts of the staie. There is a vast extent of lands adapted to the cultivation of rice, and which will be used for this purpose, whenever the demand for this article shall render it necessary. The fruits most generally cultivated are the peach, orange and fig. Plums, grapes and pomegranates grow luxuriantly, and produce abundantly. Rivers. — The Mississippi is the great river of Louisiana. The Red River rises in Mexico, in the Rocky Mountains, and flows into the Mississippi, 240 miles above New Orleans. It is navi- gable two thirds of the year for large steamboats as far as Alexandria. The other principal rivers are the \v achita, or Ouachitta, and the Sabine River. Lakes. — There is a chain of lakes, which wash the eastern side of the island of New Orleans, the principal of which are Pontchartrain, Maurepas, Borgne, Mermentau, Billineau and Sabine. Springs. — Salt springs are frequent upon all the streams be- tween Ouachitta and Red River. Two or three of these springs are in operation, and the principal manufactory of salt is in the neighbourhood of Natchitoches. There are springs on the Ouachitta and Dugdomoni, equally productive with that near Natchitoches, and capable of supplying the wants of the coun- try in its vicinity. OF TENNESSEE. ^9 TENNESSEE. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent. — The extreme length of Tennessee is 430 miles, and ita breadth is 204 miles. It lies between 81" 30' and 90" 30' W. longitude, and between 35° and 36° 30' N. latitude, and con- tains an area of 41,300 square miles. Boundaiies. — It is bounded on the north by Kentucky and part of Virginia ; east by North Carolina ; south by Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi ; west by the River Mississippi. Its shape is rhomboidal. Divisions. — The Cumberland Mountains divide this state into two parts,^East and West Tennessee. The counties in East Tennessee are, Anderson, Bledsoe, Blount, Campbell, Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Granger, Greene, Hamilton, Hawkins, Jeffer- son, Knox, Marion, McMinn, Monroe, Morgan, Rhea, Roane, Sevier, Sullivan, Washington. In West Tennessee the coun- ties are, Bedford, Davidson, Dickson, Franklin, Giles, Hardman, Hickman, Humphries, Jackson, Lawrence, Lincoln, Montgome- ry, Maury, Overton, Perry, Robinson, Rutherford, Shelby, Sumner, Smith, Stuart, Wayne, Wilson, Williamson, White, Warren. JVame. — This state takes its name from its principal river. The Indians are said to have given this name to the river on account of its curvature, which gave to their imaginations the form of an Indian spoon, which is the meaning of the name. Religion. — The most numerous denominations of Christians in this state are Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians. Many of the preachers are persons of limited attainments in learning ; whose discourses are consequently better calculated to excite the passions than to enlighten the understanding. The build- ings erected for public worship are very ordinary, and indeed, in a country so new, splendid edifices are not to be expected. But, doubtless, from the increase of population in Tennessee, which contains many professors of religion, larger and more convenient places for public worship will soon be erected. Government. — By the constitution of this state, formed in 1776, the legislative authority is vested in a general assembly, consisting of a senate and house of representatives ; the num- ber of representatives to be fixed once in seven years, by the legislature, according to the number of taxable inhabitants, who are to be numbered septennially. The executive power of the state is vested in a governor, who is chosen by tlie electors who elect the members of the legisla- ture : the person having the highest number of votes is chosen. Population. — The population of Tennessee, in 1790, was 35,691, and in 1820, it was 422,813, of whom 72,157 were slaves. Militia. — There are several companies of cavalry in this state, and some of infantry, which are tolerably expert ; though, in general, the militia are far from being well disciplined. 'The 100 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW number of militia, in 1817, was 29,193. They would make ex- cellent partisan warriors ; their hands and their eyes are familiar with the rifle ; and there is too much Indian in them not to un- derstand scouting. They are hardy, and used to privations, and must prove formidable to any enemy, that should attempt an in- vasion of their territory or their rights. Revenue. — This is raised by taxation, but the taxes are very low ; as each 100 acres of land pays annually to the state only \2i cents ; a free poll, the same ; and a slave, 25 cents. Every merchant or pedler pays 20 dollars a year in each county where he exhibits his goods for sale. Character. — There seems to be a greater resemblance between Tennessee and the Southern States, than the Northern. The character of the inhabitants, however, is not yet completely de- veloped, and there appears a constant change in their habits and practices, which shows that they are yet under the influence of the circumstances that attend the growing condition of any country. The progress of civilization is followed by the light of knowl- edge, and as knowledge elevates the intellectual powers of men, Ihey look at the great purposes of society, and make wise pro- visions for the security of its interests. Literature. — Acts of incorporation were passed by the territo- rial govemmevA, in 1794,.for three colleges in East Tennessee. The first, called Washington College, in Washington county ; the second, called Greenville College, in Greene ; and a third m Knox county. The two first are in a flourishing condition, and under the charge of instructors, who are well qualified for their charge, and deserve well for their assiduity. In West Tennes- see, there is a college at Nashville, called Cumberland College, which is under the charge of a president and tutor. The donation from congress for these colleges consisted of 100,000 acres of land, which has been disposed of at one dollar per acre. Another 100,000 acres they conferred, also, for the support of academies, one in each county. A spirit for education seems to be increasing. Language. — The national language is uniformly spoken, for as foreigners come mostly by single families, they cannot pre- serve their different dialects, but are under the necessity of con- forming to the language of the place. Towns. — Murfreesborough, lately the seat of government, is pleasantly situated 32 miles south-east of Nashville, and is a thriving town, containing about 1,200 inhabitants. — Nashville is the capital town, and the largest in the state. It is situated on the Cumberland, in a fertile and populous country, and contains upwards of 5,000 inhabitants. The other most considerable towns in West Tennessee are Franklin, Fayetteville, Shelb)rville, Columbia, Clarksville, Carthage and Gallatin. Knoxville, in East Tennessee, is pleasantly situated on the Hols- ton, with a population of 2,000. The other principal towns in East Tennessee are, Jonesborough, Greenville, and Rogersville. OF TENNESSEE. 101 Manufactures. — In East Tennessee, there are several estab- lishments for the manufacture of iron, a rolling and slitting mill, and two paper mills. Iron is also wrought to some extent in West Tennessee, and there are several machines for the spin- ning of cotton, and several for the manufacture of hemp into bagging and ropes. Salt is also made in great quantities in this state. The value of the manufactures, in 1810, was $3,600,000. Banks. — There are banks among the public institutions of Murfreesborougli and Nashville. Commerce. — The principal exports from this state have hitherto been coiton and tobacco. But the common articles of produc- tion in the Middle and Northern States are more generally and abundantly raised as the country becomes more thickly in- habited, and the different qualities of soil are brought under the hand of cultivation. Goods imported are brought into East Tennessee in wagons, from Baltimore and Philadelphia, and to West Tennessee, principally as far as to Pittsburg, and then by water down the Ohio and up the Cumberland. The commerce of this state will be facilitated by the construction of contem- plated canals, and will equal, in this department of active society, that of the states in its neighbourhood. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Climate. — The climate of tliis state has been called the mid- dle climate of the United States, in consequence of the influence which the mountains, that extend over this and the neighbour- ing states, have upon it. The season of vegetation commences six or seven weeks earlier than in New Hampshire, and con- tinues as much later, making a difference of three months. There are some cold days in winter, and annually some snow. Ten inches is a deep snow, and ten days an extraordinary term for its duration. The piercing northerly winds, that prevail during the winter, in the Atlantic States, seldom affect the in- habitants of this state ; for they have no great mountains to the northward or westward. North-easterly storms never reach this country. Face of the Countrjj. — Tennessee is one of the most pleasant, healthful, and beautiful states in the Union. It is free of the barren, sandy tracts, and great swamps, so common in the states of the south, and enjoys a richer soil, as well as better climate, than those of the north. Cumberland Mountain passes through the state obliquely, and divides it into two equal valleys, which are intersected by Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers. East Tennessee, in which is the nucleus of the Alleghany Mountains, is more broken than West Tennessee, where the mountains, in their western course, gradually subside, and terminate in a plain before they reach the Mississippi. Soil and Productions. — The soil is a mixture ; a great propor- tion of it clay. On Cumberland, Duck, and many other rivers, it is of a very superior quality. Corn is produced in great abun- dance, and the soil is well adapted to the growth of hemp, flax, 9* i02 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW and for sweet potatoes ; vines, garden plants and fruit trees grow luxuriantly, and, as far as experiment has been made, grasses have been found to flourish, both for pastures and meadows. Rivers. — The two great rivers of the state are the Cumber- land and Tennessee. There are several beatable rivers flowing westerly into these, the principal of which are the Holston, Clinch, French Broad, Nolachucky, Hiwassee, and Duck. These rivers water abundantly both East and West Tennessee, and afford to the inhabitants of almost every part of the state the facilities of water carriage for the surplus productions of the soil. Mountains. — The mountains of this state are ribs of the Alle- ghany. They form a ridge, which separates this state from North Carolina. Its general course, as well as that of most of the others, is nearly from the north-east to the south-west. Cumberland Mountain is the largest eminence of the state. In its whole extent, from the Great Kenhawa to the Tennessee, it consists of the most stupendous piles of craggy rocks of any mountain in the western country. In several places even the Indians are not able to ascend these lofty summits, and in one place particularly, there is a most remarkable ledge of rocks, about thirty miles in length, and two hundred feet thick, show- ing a perpendicular face to the south-east, far more noble than any artificial fortification in the known world, and apparently equal in point of regularity. Springs. — On the waters of the French Broad River is a fine, large, clear, medicinal, warm spring, to which invalids from the Carolinas and Virginia have often resorted with benefit. When the improved state of the country shall afford sufficient accom- modations, this spring will probably be as much resorted to as those of the back parts of Virginia, being more convenient to the Southern States, and equally efficacious in healing diseases. There are also salt springs in this state, but they have not yet been productive, as salt has been procured from the vicinity on such terms as to discourage the manufacture of it from these waters. Botany. — The kinds of trees and plants found in this state are the same as belong to the same latitude in other parts of the United States. The forests afford almost every variety of tim- ber, and yield the several species of nuts, which the harder woods produce. The under-growth in many places, and especially in low grounds, is cane, some of which is twenty feet high, and so thick as to prevent any other plant from growing. There are also Virginia and Seneca snakeroot, ginseng, Carolina pink, angelica, senna, lobelia, Indian physic, spicewood, wild plum, .sweet anise, red bud ginger, spikenard, wild hop, and grape- vines. The glades are covered with wild rye, wild oats, clover, bufiulo grass, strawberries and pea vines. On the hills, at the heads of the rivers, are found majestic red cedars, many of which are four feet in diameter, and forty feet clear of limbs. ■ Mineralogy. — Iron is found in every part of the state in suffi- .cient quantities to supply all the inhabitants, and the lower OF KENTUCKY. 103 countries which are destitute. Copperas is made in West Ten- nessee, which contains a profusion of this mineral, as well as of alum. Great quantities of saltpetre are also manufactured from the nitrous caves. Some lead mines have been discovered. In the mountains a.re found the material for excellent grindstones ; in some places vast beds of slate. There is also a variety of flint, different sulphurets, beds of fossil coal, marble and limestone. JYatural Curiosities. — The Suck or Whirl in the Tennessee River forms an object of curiosity. As the waters, in their pas- sage through the Cumberland Mountains, approach the opening which they have forced through the rocks, a huge rock projects from the northern shore, and forces the stream from its direct course, and the current, opposed in its fearful impetuosity, hur- ries with tremendous violence to the opposite side of the pass, and rebounds with grand sublimity before it again rolls on its course to the ocean. The river in this spot is compressed to the widtli of 70 feet. There, are several caves, some of which have been explored, and others are too small to be entered, and too deep to be fathomed. There are on the mountains bordering on Tennessee the singular appearances of the footsteps of various animals of the forest, and the prints of men's feet of a peculiar form and size. Mr. Fisk has given a description of these curious appearances, and says that the impressions of human feet have uniformly six toes, with the exception of one track, which he considers thai of a negro. One of these tracks is very remarkable, being of the monstrous dimensions of 16 inches long, 13 wide between the extremities of the outer toes, and the diameter of the heel ball 5 inches. From the form of these impressions, the origi- nals have been supposed to be the progeny of Titan or Anak. It can hardly be imagined, that all these were the work of play- ful nature, or were wrought by the hand of the rude savage, but they probably remain as the chronicle of times long gone by, and testimonials of a race of men long since passed from the earth. To know, in cases like this, is beyond the power of man. KENTUCKY. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Exte7iL—This state lies between 36° 30' and 39° 10' N. lat. and between 81° 30' and 89° 20' W. Ion. Its length is 300 miles ; its greatest breadth, 180 miles, and its least, 40. The Ohio winds along its northern side. The number of square miles is 39,000, or 24,960,000 acres. Thirty thousand square miles were supposed to be inhabited in 1817. Boundaries. — The Ohio, on the north, separates this state from Ohio, Indiana and Illinois ; Big Sandy River and Cumber- land Mountains separate it on the east from Virginia ; Ten- nessee lies on the south ; and the Mississippi, on the west, sep- arates it from Missouri. 104 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW Divisions. — This state is divided into 67 counties, and is en- titled to 12 representatives to congress. N'ame. — The River Kentucky gives its name to the state. Religion. — The Baptists are the most numerous denomination of Christians in the state, and the Presbyterians are the second in point of number. The Methodists are considerably numerous, and in principle Wesleyans. These three denominations live in perfect harmony, and have teachers highly respectable for their learning and piety. The laws make no provision for the support of religion, but the institutions of religion are observed with a good degree of zeal. Government. — The legislature, called the general assembly, consists of a senate and a house of representatives. The num- ber of senators is limited to 38, and the conditions of election are, that the member must have resided in the state six years, and in the district one year, and that he be 35 years of age. The number of representatives cannot exceed 100. A member must be a citizen of the United States, and have resided in the state the two years previous to his election, and in the town or county the last of these. Population. — The population of Kentucky, in 1790, was 73,677, and, in 1820, was 564,317, including 126,732 slaves. The blacks have increased faster than the whites. Militia. — The militia of this state, in 1817, amounted to 52,919, and are organized in the manner of the Virginia militia. Most of them are well disciplined, and prepared for efficient warfare, and in the late war were signalized for their bravery. Character. — The inhabitants possess all that variety of char- acter, which naturally arises from a diversity of education.. They are emigrants from almost every state in the Union, and from every country of Europe. A considerable number of the early settlers were men of education and worth, who have im- parted a good influence throughout the state. The Kentuck- ians are celebrated for their hospitality, and the cheerful recep- tion which they offer to strangers and travellers, to their huts and firesides. The wealthy contemn labour, and employ their slaves in every species of work, and make the possession of slaves a criterion of merit. Literature. — Transylvania College, at Lexington, is a respect- able and flourishing institution, and has connected with it a law school and a medical school. The university depends upon grants from the legislature, and the fees of the students, for the support of its officers, and to defray its expenses ; and these grants have been quite liberal. The legislature granted, a few years since, 6000 acres of land for the support of common schools, of which each county is to receive an equal share. Totvns. — Frankfort, the seat of government, is situated in a hilly country, on Kentucky River, 60 miles above its confluence with the Ohio. Population, 1700. Lexington, the largest town, is pleasantly situated tn a branch •f the Elkhorn, 22 miles south-east of Elkhorn. It is hand- & OF KENTUCKY. 105 somely built, chiefly of brick, and is one of the greatest manu- facturing towns in the Western States. The population is 4000. Louisville is situated at the rapids of the Ohio, and has a population of 4000. Russelville, 190 miles south-west of Lex- ington, is situated in a very fertile country, with a population of 1700. The other most considerable towns are Maysville, Washington, Bairdstown, Paris, Danville, Georgetown, New- port, Winchester and Hopkinsville. Manufactures. — The amount employed in manufacturing es- tablishments in Kentucky was, in 1810, $7,200,000. This was invested in tanneries, distilleries, looms, powder and paper mills, salt works, cotton manufactories, spinning machines, forges and furnaces. Commerce. — The staple commodities in this state are hemp, wheat and tobacco. It is but a few years since the planters turned their attention to the cultivation of hemp. These, and the other articles of export, are carried down the Ohio and Mis- sissippi to New Orleans, whence the foreign articles of con- sumption are chiefly brought up these rivers. Steamboat navi- gation will aid the commercial and manufacturing interests of Kentucky to an extent beyond our means to calculate. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Climate. — The atmosphere of Kentucky is a very moist one, which renders the ground generally muddy throughout the winter, and early in the spring. The inhabitants seldom expe- rience the extremes of heat and cold. The weather, in spring and fall, is delightful ; snow seldom falls deep, or lasts long ; and the winters, which begin at Christmas, never exceed three months, and commonly only two, and are eo noild that cattle subsist without fodder. Face of the Country. — The eastern counties are mountainouB, those on the Ohio are hilly ; the rest of the country is partly level, and partly undulating. The greatest natural disadvantage of this state is the failure of most of the streams during the summer. Soil and Productions. — For fifty miles around Lexington, the soil is'Bxceedingly good : also a district in the south-west, be- tween Green and Cumberland Rivers. All the level and undu- lating parts lie upon an immense bed of limestone, usually about eight feet below the surface. Its chief agricultural productions are wheat, tobacco, Indian corn, hemp, rye, and, to a small extent, cotton. Vineyards have been found to succeed. Rivers. — The Ohio bounds the state on the north, the Missis- sippi on the west, and the Big Sandy on the east. The Tennes- see and Cumberland flow through the western part. The other principal rivers are the Kentucky, Green, Barren and Licking. Springs. — The Olympian Springs are near the sources of Licking River, in a delightful and romantic situation. There are three different kinds of water within the space of half a mile. One of these is salt water, impregnated with sulphur and 106 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW carbonic acid ; another is impregnated with iron, and is an ex- cellent chalybeate ; the third is merely a sulphur spring. There is another spring in Mercer county, strongly impregnated with Epsom salts, besides several other salt springs or licks. Mineralogy. — Iron ore abounds in various places ; but the metal is not of the best quality. It is well adapted for hollow ware, but does not answer for malleable iron. This superior sort is procured from Pittsburg. There is an immense quarry of marble on the banks of the Kentucky, which is of a grayish cast, beautifully variegated, and susceptible of a high polish. On the banks of the same river, 20 miles from Lexington, there is a peculiar mineral, which is semi-transparent, always breaks in a rhomboidal form, and has the double refracting power of the Iceland crystal. JVatural Curiosities. — There are caves in the south-west part of the state, which are great curiosities. One, styled Mammoth Cave, or the Great Cave of Kentucky, is situated in Warren county, in a country broken, but not mountainous, 130 miles south-west of Lexington. It has been explored to the extraor- dinary distance of 16 miles, and is found to contain numerous apartments and avenues, one of which comprises an area of eight acres, without a single pillar to support it, and is from 60 to 100 feet high. In some parts of the cavern are the most beautiful and splendid columns of brilliant spar, sixty or seventy feet in height. The cavern abounds in nitre, and the air within is pure and salubrious. There are also the remains of fortifications in a good state of preservation, although they are buried beneath the wood of a third growth since the erection of these pilps They discover in the construction an ing-cnulty and skill far superior to any of the works of the present generation of savage Indians, and must have been the work of some race of men, who possessed the land long before the variety of our species, whom we have dispos- sessed of it, had wandered into the region. It is a curious sub- ject of speculation, to trace from the buried remains and works of art, that are scattered through this fertile country, the char- acter of those who originally formed them. The truth of the matter, however, is left untold, and must sleep in silence, unless some more sure record shall reveal it than the fanciful tradition of the Indians, or the still obscurer traces which are found among these ruins. OHIO. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent.— Ohio lies between 38° 30' and 42° N. lat., and be- tween 80° 35' and 84° 47' W. Ion. Its mean length, from north to south, is 200 miles, and its mean breadth is 190. Its area is 38,500 square miles, equal to about 24,000,000 acres. Boundaries. — Ohio is bounded on the north by Michigan OF OHft). 107 Territory and Upper Canada ; on the east by Pennsylvania ; on the south by Virginia and Kentucky ; and on the west by Indiana. Divisions. — In 1820, the number of counties in this state was fifty-nine, and there are no divisions but these civil ones. Religion. — The principal denominations of Christians in Ohio are the Presbyterians, who had, in 1817, 48 ministers ; Metliod- ists, who had 34 ministers ; Baptists, who had 13 ; Newlights of the Christian Church, who had 9 teachers ; and the Episcopa- lians, Seceders and Congregationalists ; also the meetings of Friends in this state and Indiana were 59. Government. — The legislative authority of this state is vested in a genera] assembly, composed of a senate, to be chosen bien- nially, and a house of representatives, to be chosen annually, both by the people ; the representatives to be proportioned by law, from time to time, to the population. The senators are to be divided into two classes by lot, the seats of the first class to be vacated at the expiration of the first year, and those of the second to be vacated at the end of the second year, so that one half are to be annually chosen. Population. — The population in this state amounted, in 1790, to no more than 3000, and in 1820 it amounted to 581,434, be- sides the Indians. A more recent computation has placed the present number of tlie inhabitants at 1,000,000. The probabili- ty is, that the population will long continue to increase, but not with the same rapidity that it has for the twenty years past. The cheapness and fertility of the J and, the security of land titles, and the prohibition of slaves, which increases the price for labour, all go to encourage emigration. Character. — The inhabitants of tJiis state have not lived to- gether long enough to form a fixed and uniform character. The mass of the emigrants have been farmers from the Northern and Middle States, who were, in general, industrious, temperate, and frugal, with as much intelligence, and even more enterprise than the people of the states from which they emigrated. The Sabbath and other religious institutions are better supported than generally is found to be the case in new settlements. Literature. — One thirty-sixth part of the state of Ohio, that is, one section in each town, has been granted by the government of the United States, for the support of schools ; besides two or three townships for the establishment of colleges. The two principal colleges are located at Athens and Cincinnati. The Ohio University, at Athens, is endowed with two townships of 46,000 acres of land, and has commenced its operations under very favourable auspices. The Western Reserve College hag been located at Hudson, and a commodious edifice erected. The college at Cincinnati is also a flourishing institution. Besides these institutions, there are academies, well endowed, in the principal towns of the state, so that the means of education are as great as in any state of the west. Towns. — Colinnbus, the seat of governmsnt, is situated on Ute Seioto, in the central part of the state, 45 miles n©rth of 108 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW Chillicothe. It was laid out in 1812, and contained in 1820 about 1,600 inhabitants. Cincinnati is the largest town in the Western States. It is pleasantly situated on the Ohio, 465 miles below Pittsburg, by water, 300 by land. It is a flourishing town, regularly laid out, and handsomely built of brick, and has a flourishing trade, and extensive manufactures. The population, in 1820, was 9,600. The other principal towns are Chillicothe, Steubenville, and Circleville, which is remarkable for its sites, being built on two large, ancient forts, one circular, the other square ; Marietta, Dayton, New Lancaster, New Lisbon, St. Clairsville, Urban, Lebanon and Galliopolis ; and, on Lake Erie, Painsville, Cleveland, and Sandusky. Manufactures. — The amount invested in manufactures, in 1810, was $2,900,000, and the articles of manufacture consisted of' linen, woollen, and cotton goods, leather, spirits, beer, iron, machinery, nails, &c. These establishments have very greatly increased in extent and value since that period. Banks. — There are over 30 chartered banks in Ohio, estab- lished at Cincinnati, Chillicothe, Zanesville, and the other prin- cipal towns throughout the state. Commerce. — The commerce of this state, and of the country generally, till within a few years, was carried on in flat-bottom- ed boats, keel-boats and barges, but is at present carried on al- most entirely by steamboats. The exports consist of tobacco, flour, pork, pot and pearl ashes, cheese, soap and candles, and lumber. The imports of East India, European and New England goods, and of the manufactures of the Middle States, have hith- erto been brought from Philadelphia and Baltimore. But the internal improvements of the country, which are projected, will facilitate the means of transportation both by land and water, so that the commerce of this state will be yearly increased. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Climate. — Owing to the unsettled state of the country, the climate has been unfavourable to the health of the settlers ; but it is found that the undue proportion of moisture contained in the atmosphere diminishes as the country becomes cleared, and the woodlands cultivated ; and this circumstance justifies the conclusion, that, when the country becomes extensively opened, the atmosphere will be as dry as that of any part of the Union. By accurate observations, made at Cincinnati for a course of nine years, it was ascertained that the mean annual range of the thermometer was 100°. The amount of rain and snow which falis annually is about thirty-six inches. Face of the Country. — About one fourth of the state of Ohio declines to the northern lakes, the other three fourths to the Ohio. The surface of the former is generally flat, and frequently marshy ; that of the latter is rolling and uneven, and beautifully diversified with round-topped hills, covered with a fertile soil, which bears a rich growtli of wood. Prairies, or large tracts of land naturally destitute of wood, abound here, as in all the coun- OF OHIO. 109 fries west of the AUeghanies. In the northern parts of this state they occupy three fourths of the surface. Soil and Productions. — A large portion of the soil is very fer- tile. The country watered by the Scioto and the Great and Little Miamies, is accounted the best. The average produce of farming land in the state, and in the basin of the Ohio generally, is forty bushels of maize per acre, twenty-two of wheat, twenty- six of rye, thirty-five of oats, thirty of barley, and twelve to fif- teen hundred weight of tobacco. Rivers. — The Ohio forms the southern boundary. The prin- cipal rivers flowing into the Ohio in this state are "the Musking- um, Hockhockiug, Scioto, and the Miamies. The largest that flow into Lake Erie are the Miami, Sandusky and Cayahoga. Springs. — The Yellow Spring, in Greene county, 64 miles from Cincinnati, and two from the Falls of Little Miami, is a copious river, bursting from a fissure in the silicious limestone rocks ; and is, at the distance of a few rods, precipitated into a ravine more than a hundred feet deep. On its passage thither it has deposited an immense bank of brownish ochre, of which an attempt has been made to prepare a paint, which has been attended with the most flattering success. The springs mostly resorted to, by the people of Cincinnati, are the Salines at Big- Bone, 22 miles south-west of the town. There is said to be an oil spring, 42 feet deep, and 3 feet diameter, on Duck Creek, which yields an abundance of pure oil of the smell of British oil, which burns well in lamps. Botany. — The prevailing growth of timber, and the more use- ful trees, are maple, or sugar tree, sycamore, black and white mulberry, black and white walnut, butternut, chestnut, &c. &c. There is a sycamore tree, near Marietta, measuring 60 feet in cir- cumference, and, being hollow, will contain 18 or 20 men. The black walnut also attains to a very great size, and has been found to measure from seven to eight feet in circumference. Mineralogy. — ]\ear the Yellow Spring have been found spe- cimens of silver ore and iron ore ; coal and limestone are abun- dant. There are also found valuable beds of white and blue clay, which are a source of great profit to the owners. Salt springs of very considerable value are found on the Scioto River, also near the Muskingum, and on the military tract, which are the property of the United States. JVatural Curiosities. — The only natural curiosities of Ohio are the prairies, which are extended meadow lands of very groat extent, covered with grass of most luxuriant growth. They af- ford pastures for wild game and wild cattle, which are taken with great dexterity and art. The remains of fortifications, and the remnants of the works of ancient population, are objects of curiosity, and excite the attention of every inquisitive traveller. 10 110 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW '. \ INDIANA. ' ' HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent.— This state lies between 37° 45' N. lat., and 41° 50'; and between 84" 42' and 87° 49' W. Ion. Its greatest length, from north to south, is 287 miles, and its breadth 155 miles, and it contains an area of 36,250 square miles. Boundaries. — The state is bounded north by Illinois, Lake Michigan and Michigan Territory, east by Ohio, south by Ken- tucky, west by Illinois. Divisions. — Indiana is divided into forty-three counties. Religion. — The principal religious sects are Presbyterians, Baptists and Methodists. They have few regular and settled ministers, but there is a prevailing disposition to receive mis- sionaries. A new sect of religionists have recently sprung up in the eastern part of the state, who call themselves Harmonians. Population. — The population of Indiana, in 1800, was 5,641, and in 1820, 147,178. The white population is principally con- fined to the southern part of the state. The Indians do not, probably, exceed 6,000 or 7,000. Character. — The population is made up of emigrants from the old states and Europe, who have brought the characters of those with whom they were originally associated. The settlement near Vevay is composed of Swiss, who emigrated to this country in 1805. They are a temperate, industrious people, and warmly attached to their new comtry. Jjiterature. — In the act of congress admitting this state into the Union, one section in each township is appropriated to the support of schools, and one entire township was given for the use of a college. Towns. — The towns in Indiana are small, and all of them have been recently settled, except Vincennes. Indianopolis is the seat of government, and was laid out in 1823. Vincennes, on the Wabash, is the oldest town, and a place of considerable trade. The otJier towns are Madison, Vevay, Corydon, Harmo- ny and Princeton. Commerce. — The commerce of this country centres at Vin- cennes. The merchants bring their goods from Canada down the Wabash, from Orleans up the Mississippi, and from the Eastern States down the Ohio, and up the Wabash. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Face of the Country. — Near the Ohio the country is hilly ; farther north, generally level, and abounding in extensive prai- ries,, some of which are dry, others wet and marshy. Soil and Productions. — The soil and productions are similar to those in Ohio and Illinois. Agriculture is well conducted, and its products are abundant. Wine is made in Vevay, on the Ohio. Rivers.'— The Ohio ferms the southern boundary. The other OF ILLINOIS. . Ill large river is the Wabash, which is navigable for boats 400 miles. Other rivers are the White River, White Water, Tip- pecanoe, Illinois and St. Joseph's. Mineralogy. — There is a coal mine on White River, and coal mines are said to be numerous on the banks of the Wabash. N'atural Curiosity. — In the southern part is the Indiana Cave, which is very extensive, comprising several apartments, variously decorated. It is remarkable for the great abundance of Epsom salts which it affords. ILLINOIS. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent— This state lies between lat. 36° 57' and 42" 30' N., and between Ion. 86° and 91° 20' W. It is 390 miles long, from north to south, and, on an average, more than 150 broad. Boundaries. — North by the North-west Territory, east by Lake Michigan and Indiana, south-east by Kentucky, and west by the Mississippi. Divisions. — This state is divided into 26 counties. JVame. — This state derives its name from the River Illinois, an Indian word signifying a man of full age, in the vigour of his years. Illinois River is the river of men. Population. — The population, in 1820, was 55,211. Government. — The constitution, which was adopted in 1818, in all its grand features, is very similar to the other states of the Union. The governor is chosen for four years. Literature. — A portion of every township is appropriated to the support of schools ; and provision has also been made for a college. Roads and Canals. — Two per cent, of the net proceeds of the United States' lands, lying within the state, are to be ex- pended, under the direction of congress, in making roads lead- ing to the state. A canal has been projected, to unite the head waters of the Illinois with Lake Michigan. Towns. — Vandalia is the seat of government, and is pleasanth' situated on the Kaskaskia, 65 miles north-east of St. Lo.uis. It was bandsomely laid out in 1819, and is a flourishing place. Some of the other considerable towns are, Kaskaskia, on the river of the same name, 6 miles east of the Mississippi ; Cahokia and Alton, on the Mississippi ; Edwardsville, 20 miles north- east of St. Louis ; Shawneetown, on the Ohio ; and Albion, a few miles from the Wabash. Manufactures and Commerce. — Manufactures scarcely exist, except a few products of domestic industry. Provisions anti grain are exported. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Face of the Country. — Illinois has no mountains ; the face of the country is generally level, or moderately uneven. More than one half of the state consists of prairies. 112 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW Soil and Productions. — The soil is very fertile. Indian corn is one of the staple productions, and sometimes yields upwards of 100 bushels to an acre. The soil is well adapted to other kinds of grain, and hemp, flax, tobacco, &c. Rivers. — The Mississippi, Ohio and Wabash, form about two thirds of the whole of the boundary of the state. The Illinois is a fine river, lying chiefly within the state, and flowing into the Mississippi, 21 miles above the junction of the Missouri. It has a very gentle current, and is navigable to within a few miles of Lake Michigan. A canal, of a few miles in length, would open a water communication between the Mis- sissippi and the great lakes. The other principal rivers are the Kaskaskias, Big Muddy, Little Wabash, Sanguemon and Rock River. Mineralogy. — Coal is found in great abundance ; also valuable mines of lead and iron. Salt springs occur in almost every county, and are of great value. The most important salt works are in the neighbourhood of Shawneetown. JVatural Curiosities. — On the banks of the Ohio and Illinois are steep, high and picturesque clifi^s, in which are found cav- erns of different dimensions : the most remarkable of these is Cave in Rock, which is situated on the Ohio, 30 mUes below the mouth of the Wabash, and was formerly a rendezvous of rob- bers. In one of the head branches of the Illinois there is a singular fossil, or petnjied tree, lying in a horizontal position. It is 2d feet in diameter, and the part of the trunk now visible is 51 feet long. MISSOURI. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent.— li extends from 36" to about 40" 30' N. lat., and from 89° to 94° 10' W. Ion. Boundaries. — Missouri is bounded east by Mississippi River, which separates it from Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee ; south by Arkansas Territory ; west and north by Missouri Territory. Divisions. — The state is divided into 15 counties. Population. — Its population, in 1820, was 66,586, including 10,222 slaves. Towns. — ^Jefferson, a new town, on the Missouri, a few miles above the mouth of the Osage, was laid out in 1822, and made the seat of government. St. Louis, on the Mississippi, 18 miles below the junction of the Missouri, is much the largest town. It is a flourishing place, admirably situated for trade, near the junction of the three great rivers, the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois. Population, 4600. The other principal towns are, St. Charles, on the Missouri, 18 miles north-west of St. Louis ; Franklin, on the Missouri, 175 miles west of St. Louis ; St. Genevieve and Herculaneum, on the OF MICHIGAN TERRITORY. 11 o Mississippi, the principal depots of the lead mines ; and Potoei and St. Michael, the chief towns in the mining' district. Education. — A portion of the land in every township is appro- priated to the support of schools, and provision has been made for endowing a college. Manufactures. — The only manufactures, except domestic, are those of lead. Coinmerce. — This state carries on a considerable trade, chief- ly with New York, Philadelphia and Pittsburg, in the produce of its mines, the cattle of its prairies, and the furs of western regions. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Face of the Country. — The face of the country is greatly di- versified with plains, forests, prairies and barren and rocky hills. The lands bordering on the rivers are low, and subject to inun- dations. In the south-east part are the Ozark Mountains, some peaks of which are about 3000 feet high. Soil and Productions. — The land on the rivers is generally very ricli ; at a distance from them, much of it is poor. The productions are similar to those of Illinois. Rivers. — The Mississippi forms the eastern boundary ; the Missouri flows through the state ; and the Osage is a large, navigable river, flowing into the Missouri. The other prin- cipal rivers are the Charaton, Grand, Salt, Meramec and St. Francis. Mineralogy. — The famous lead mines of the Missouri lie about 40 miles to the west of the Mississippi. They are among the richest and most extensive in the world. The mine district contains upwards of 3000 square miles. The soil is poor, and the surface rolling, like a body of water in gentle agitation. There are 45 mines, which employ 1100 persons, and yield an- nually 3 or 4,000,000 pounds of lead. Rich iron ore, in vast quantities, is found in the state. Antiquities. — Several skeletons were discovered, in the fall of 1813, on the banks of the River Meramec, which indicate a stature unusually small, and are supposed by many to be the remains of an extinct race of human beings, of dwarfish origin, who inhabited the country at a former period. IVIICHIGAN TERRITORY. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent.—TYvQ territory extends from 41° 31' to 46° 39' N. lat., and from 82° to about 86° W. Ion. It is 350 miles long, from north to south, and 212 broad, on the southern boundary. Boundaries.— M.\ch\gsia Territory is bounded north by Lake Superior ; east by Lakes Huron, St. Clair and Erie ; south by Ohio and Indiana ; and west by the North-west Territory. Divisions.— The territory was divided, in 1820, into 7 counties. 10* 114 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW Population. — The population, exclusive of Indians, in 1810? waa 4762, and in 1820, 8896 ; none of these were slaves. Indians. — The number of Indians in this territory is estimated at between 9 and 10,000. The two principal tribes are the Chippewas and Ottawas. Government— The legislative power is vested in a governor, and a supreme court, composed of three judges ; all appointed by the president of the United States. Religion. — The greater part of the inhabitants were, till late- ly, Catholics, descendants of the French traders, and were sunk m a state of deplorable ignorance and wickedness. Lately the state of religion and morals has been rising. Literature. — A corporate body, styled "The University of Michigan," has been formed, similar to that which exists in New York and Georgia. This body has power to institute col- leges, academies and primary schools. Towns. — Detroit, the chief town, is delightfully situated on Jhe west bank of Detroit River, 9 miles from Lake St. Clair, and has considerable trade in furs and peltry. Population, 1422. Michillimackinac, pronounced Mackinaw, is an island in the straits of the same name, 300 miles north-north-west of Detroit, and contains upwards of 100 houses. St. Mary's village is at the foot of the rapids in St. Mary's River. Bank. — A bank has been established at Detroit, which is in operation. Manufactures. — The manufactures in this territory, in 1810, were estimated at 50,000 dollars. Commerce. — This territory is finely situated for commerce, being almost surrounded by navigable waters, which will soon be connected by canals with the Hudson on the one hand, and the Mississippi on the other. The vessels which navigate the lakes are from 10 to 60 tons. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Climate. — ^The climate is healthful, and much milder than that of the Atlantic States in the same latitude ; but upon the coast of Lake Huron and Lake St. Clair, it is more severe. Face of the Country. — There are no mountains. The country is generally level, or moderately uneven ; in the central parts somewhat elevated, but level and marshy ; descending in all directions towards the waters. Soil. — A great part of the country has an extremely fertile soil ; but that part bordering on Lake Michigan is generally Bandy and barren. Rivers. — The rivers within this territory are numerous, but small. Some of the princinal ones are the Raisin, Huron, St. Joseph's and Grand RiversI They abound in white fish, and the fisheries are valuable. Lakes. — Lake Michigan lies wholly within this territory. It is 260 miles long, and 55 broad. Lake Huron lies partly in this territory, and partly in Upper Canada. Lake St. Clair, OF THE NORTH-WEST TERRITORY. 115 lying between Lake Huron and Lake Erie, is about 90 miles in circumference. Islands. — Grand Isle is near the southern coast of Lake Su- perior, more than 100 miles from the eastern extremity of the lake. The St. Martin's Islands lie about 10 miles north-east of Michillimackinac. NORTH-WEST TERRITORY. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent.—lt extends from 42" 30' to 49° N. latitude, and from 84° to 98° W. longitude. Its greatest length, from south-east to north-west, is 700 miles ; its greatest breadth, 550. Boundaries. — This territory is bounded north by the bounda- ry line between the United States and the British possessions ; east by Michigan Territory ; south by the state of Illinois ; west by the Mississippi. Population. — It has a few white inhabitants, who are subject to the government of Michigan. Indians. — The principal tribes of Indians in this territory are the Chippeways, Winnebagoes, and the Menomonies. Tlie whole number of Indians in the North-west Territory is esti- mated at 18,000. Settlements. — Prairie du Chien is a settlement on the Missis- sippi, 3 miles above the mouth of the Ouisconsin. There is an- other settlement at the head of Green Bay. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Face of the Country. — The northern part, bordering on Lake Superior, is wild, rough, sometimes mountainous, and generally barren ; but most of the country is but moderately uneven, and a great part of it consists of prairies. Soil. — There are excellent alluvial tracts on many of the rivers, and much of the upland has a good soil. Rivers. — The Mississippi bounds this country on the west. The other chief rivers are the Ouisconsin, Fox, Menomonie, Chippeway, Coppermine, Rocky, Montreal, St. Louis, and St, Croix. Lakes and Bays. — Lake Superior, the largest lake in North America, lies on the boundary line between the United States and the British possessions. The principal bays are Fond du Lac, on the western extremity of the lake ; Chegoimegon Bay, and Keweena Bay. Sandy Lake is a small lake, about 12 miles in circumference, in the western part of the territory. Copper Mines. — The southern coast of Lake Superior yields iron, lead, and various other metals, but particularly copper. On the banks of the Ontonagon, large masses of this metal are found in a pure state. 116 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW ARKANSAS TERRITORY. Situation. — Arkansas Territory is bounded north by Missouri Territory and state ; east by Mississippi ; south by Louisiana, and by Red River, which separates it from the Spanish domin- ions ; and west by the Spanish dominions. Divisions. — The territory is divided into 9 counties. Population. — This territory contained 14,273 inhabitants in 1820, of whom 1,617 were slaves. Indians. — The principal tribes are the Cherokees and the Osages. Of the latter there are about 2,000, who inhabit seve- ral villages, and branches of the Arkansas River. Face of the Country. — Its eastern part is flat, and contains the great swamp, which receives the surplus waters of the Missis- sippi ; the western part is uneven, but very bare of wood ; the middle is occupied by the broad and low chain of the Ozark Mountains. Prairies are very common, and some of them of great extent. Soil. — In the eastern part there are rich alluvial tracts ; the western parts are dry and fertile. Towns. — A country so recently settled can have no consider- able towns. The village of Arkopolis, formerly called Little Rock, on Arkansas River, about 140 miles ftom its mouth, is the seat of government. The settlement was commenced in 1820. The post of Arkansas was established by the French, more than a century ago, on Arkansas River, 65 miles from its mouth. Dwight is a missionary station among the Cherokees, near the Arkansas, about 400 miles by the stream above its mouth. Rivers. — The Arkansas rises from the Rocky Mountains, and flows through the whole extent of this country. It is navigable for boats, at some seasons, nearly 2,000 miles. The Mississippi and Red River form a part of the boundary. The other princi- pal rivers are White, St. Francis, and Wachita. Hot Springs. — The Hot Springs, about 150 miles north-west of Arkansas, are about 70 in number, and much visited by invalids, and are useful in various complaints. The water is limpid and colourless, and so hot, at some seasons, as to boil eggs in a few minutes. The steam rising from the springs is condensed into a white vapour, which is often visible at a great distance. There are several salt springs ; and about 1,300 miles up the Arkansas is a tract of several miles in extent, called the salt prairie, which is covered, to the depth of 4 or 6 inches, with pure white salt. MSSOURI TERRITORY. Extent and Situation. — Missouri Territory is bounded north by the British dominions ; east by the North-west Territory and the states of Illinois and Missouri ; south by Arkansas Territory ; OF MISSOURI TEBBITORY. 117 south-west by the Spanish dominions ; and west by the Rocky Mountains. Face of the Country and Soil. — The Missouri Territory com- prehends the vast region situated on both sides of that river, be- tween the state of Missouri and the Rocky Mountains. Of this territory, the eastern parts are level, moderately uneven, or hilly ; towards the west the country becomes elevated and mountainous. The soil in the eastern and southern parts is generally fertile, and also on the margin of the rivers. In the central and western parts, except on the border of the rivers, the country is, for the most part, destitute of timber and vegetation. Itisa vast, elevated, barren waste. Rivers. — The Missouri pursues a circuitous route through the heart of the territory. The three largest branches of the Mis- souri are the Yellow Stone, the Platte and the Kansas. Mountains. — The Rocky Mountains, the most elevated range within the territory of the United States, rise abruptly on the eastern side, from a plain which is supposed to be elevated about n,000 feet above the sea. They consist of ridges and peaks, the highest of vi^hich are covered with perpetual snow, and rise from 4,000 to 8,000 feet above their base, or from 7,000 to 11,000 feet above the sea. They are rugged and broken, and, though gen- erally rather barren, they exhibit a scattering growth of scrab- by pines, oak, cedar and furze, and enclose some fertile valleys. Animals. — Buffaloes and other wild animals wander, in im- mense herds, over almost every part of the territory ; but par- ticularly on the banks of the Missouri and Arkansas, which are regarded as the paradise of hunters. Buffaloes are sometimes seen in herds, supposed to amount to 10,000. Indians. — This territory is inhabited, except at a few military posts, exclusively by Indians. The tribes best known to us are the Sioux, Osages, and Fox Indians. The Sioux are the most powerful tribe in North America. They are brave, spirited and generous, with proud notions of their origin, and of their supe- riority as hunters and warriors. Their number has been esti- mated at 22,000. The Osages live principally in this territory, but partly in Arkansas. Their whole number has been esti- mated at about 6,000. The Fox Indians are a small but warlike tribe, on both sides of the Mississippi, between the Ouisconsin and Rock Rivers. The whole number of the various tribes of Indians has been estimated at 150,000. The United States have military posts at Countil Bluffs and St. Peter's River. Curiosities. — The Great Falls of the Missouri are 2,570 miles, by the river, above its junction with the Mississippi. They consist of a succession of cataracts and rapids, and present scenes of great beauty and grandeur. The largest cataract is 87 feet perpendicular, and the whole descent of the river is up- wards of 350 feet. The place where the river makes its escape from the moun- tains, called the Gates of the Rocky Mountains, is a scene of 118 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW singular grandeur. For a distance of more than 5 miles, the rocks rise perpendicularly from the water's edge nearly 1,900 feet. The river is compressed to the width of 150 yards, and for three miles there is but one spot on which a man can stand between the water and the perpendicular ascent of the mountain bank. On the Missouri, about 100 miles below the Great Falls, there are natural stone walls, rising in some places to the height of nearly 300 feet. They are almost perpendicular, exhibiting a great variety of forms, sometimes resembling different kinds of ruins, and often so regular as to seem the work of art. Near the foot of the Rocky Mountains are seen lofty eminen- ces, rising with perpendicular sides, and level, table-like summits. One of these singular hills is called Castle Rock, and has columns, porticoes, and arches ; and, when seen at a distance, it exhibits an astonishingly regular and artificial appearance. FLORIDA. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY. Extent and Situatio7i. — This territory of the United States is 400 miles long, from Cape Sable to St. Mary's River, and 340 broad, from the Atlantic to the Perdido River, which separates it from Alabama. It lies between lat. 25° and 31" N., and Ion. 80° 30' and 87° 15' W. Boundaries. — Bounded north by Alabama and Georgia ; west by Alabama and the Gulf of Mexico ; south and east by the Atlantic. Divisions and Government. — While the Floridas belonged to Spain, they were divided into two provinces. East and West Florida, each of which had its own government. Since the cession of it to the United States, " all the military, civil, and judicial powers, exercised by the Spanish officers before the cession, are vested, by act of congress, in such person or persons, and to be exercised in such manner as the president of the United States shall direct, for the maintaining the inhabitants of said territory in the free enjoyment of their liberty, religion and property ; and .the laws of the United States, relative to the collection of the revenue, and the importation of persons of colour, shall be extended to said territory." JVame, — Juan Ponce de Leon gave the country the name of Florida, " because," says Purchas, " it was discovered on Palm Sunday, or Easter day, which the Spaniards call Pasqua Florida." Religion. — The prevalent form of the Christian religion is Roman Catholic. Population. — The population of Florida was estimated, in 1820, at 10,000, exclusive of Indians. Towns. — ^The most considerable places are St. Augustine on the east coast, which had 3,000 inhabitants, and Pensacola on the west, which had 2,000, both chiefly of Spanish origin. Tallahassee, a new town, is now the capital. OP THE WESTERN TERRITORY. Il5 Commerce. — The trade of the eastern part of Florida centres in St, Augustine, that of the western part in Pensacola, which is the best port in the Mexican Gulf. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY. Face of the Country. — Florida is a flat country, interspersed with swamps, some of which are extensive. A ridge of lime- stone runs through the middle of the peninsula, and there is a little upland near the northern boundary. Soil and Productions. — The soil is in general barren and sandy, but on the rivers it is extremely fertile, and adapted to the culture of rice and corn; while cotton, coffee and sugar may be raised on the other soils in abundance. The live oak, much valued for timber, abounds in this country. The mag- nolias, which have already been described, are uncommonly striking objects. Rivers. — The Perdido forms the western boundary. The Appalachicola is formed by the union of the Flint and Chata- houchee Rivers, at the south-west extremity of Georgia. The St. John's is the principal river of Florida. Its whole length is about 300 miles, and it is navigable about 150. Bays. — Pensacola Bay, at the mouths of Escambia and Al- mirante Rivers, is 15 miles long, and from 3 to 7 broad. This bay is a great acquisition to the United States. Islands. — St. Rose's Island is every where narrow, and reaches from Pensacola Bay to St. Rose's Bay, about 45 miles. St. George's Islands are 6 leagues long, and of considerable breadth. WESTERN TERRITORY. The Western Territory includes the country watered by the Columbia and its branches ; and is but little known. The tract along the Rocky Mountains is a high, level plain, in all parts fertile, and in many covered with a growth of long-leaved pine. The rest of the country is nearly of the same description ; but the soil, in the district nearest the coast, is subject to excessive rains. The climate is severe in the mountainous parts, but milder near the shores of the Pacific. A fallen fir tree, in the Columbia valley, was found by Lewis and Clark to be 318 feet in length, though its diameter was only 3 feet. The Columbia is navigable for sloops, as high as the tide water reaches, 183 miles. At the mouth of the river, the United States Iiave established a colony, which will probably soon be connected with the settlements on the Missouri, by a line of military posts. The Indian tribes, which are numerous in the Western Terri- tory, have been supposed to include a population ©f 80,000 souls. INDEX. Fage. f Geographical View of the Uni- ted States 3 Extent and Boundaries — Gov- ernment 3 ( 'ourts and Laws G Ileligion 7 Uivisions 8 Population — Languages — Liter- ature 9 Colleges and Universities 11 Religious and Benevolent Soci- eties 11 Canals executed and projected. 12 Rail Roads executed and pro- jected 13 National Roads 13 Society, Manners and Customs . 14 Arts 15 Army — Navy 16 Revenue — Expenditure — Public Debt 17 National Funds— Mint 18 Post Office— Banks 19 Cities — Inland Navigation 20 Inventions .22 Manufactures — Commerce 23 Natural Geography 24 Soil and Agriculture 25 Bays 26 Sounds 27 Capes — Rivers 28 Lakes 29 Mountains 30 Forests — Botany — Zoology ... .31 Mineralogy 32 Page. Mineral Waters— Natural Curi- osities 33 Vermont 34 New Hampshire 37 Maine 41 Massachusetts 43 Rhode Island 48 Connecticut 50 New York 54 New Jersey 60 Pennsylvania 63 Delaware ... 67 Maryland 69 District of Columbia 72 Virginia 75 North Carolina 80 South Carolina 82 Georgia 86 Alabama 89 Mississippi 91 Louisiana 95 Tennessee 99 Kentucky 103 Ohio 106 Indiana 110 Illinois Ill Missouri 112 Michigan Territory 113 North-west Territory 115 Arkansas Territory 116 Missouri Territory 116 Florida 118 Western Territory 119 ■ * ,^^;'' /!."'- .f\^fj ..'^^ '•'^^. .^^^ •J^ \ ^ i^ -i- .^ "°,V" . ^ o V ^ v»n ^ r\v S^ 'y. (|^> 3^ > !• -a ov ■O, ' o , X ■* ,0^ v .o^x. aV , o^ '%^^ ■\- '^ Rj. ^ ^ T* ?? 5l * 'A. <>^^' "^^ '^. ' . . -* ^O^ ,, ^.