THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY From the collection of Julius Doerner, Chicago Purchased, 1918. 973 X>49aL I88& / 1 / Xaa O 7 Return this book on or before the Latest Date stamped below. A charge is made on all overdue books. U. of I. Library m UBMM unutm « #**•» SIGNING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. AMERICAN PROG-RESS: THE GREAT EVENTS he Greatest Century, INCLUDING ALSO Life Delineations of Our Most Noted Men. “They love their land because it is their own. And scorn to give aught other reason why.”— Halleck. By HON. R. M. DEVENS, OF MASSACHUSETTS. ILLUSTRATED WITH OVER THREE HUNDRED ENGRAVINGS. PUBLISHED BY C. A. NICHOLS & CO., SPRINGFIELD, MASS. WHEELER PUBLISHING CO., CHICAGO, ILL. 1888. - Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1877, by C A. NICHOLS & CO. In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. As the course of a distant mountain chain is indicated by those lofty peaks which rise to meet the sun, so a people’s social tendency and political and scientific advance- ment are revealed in those extraordinary names and deeds which rise into the light of immortality. Michael Angelo wrought into nine most wonderful frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel all the memorable events of the world’s first thousand years. No pen is more charming and educational than that which, like the Florentine’s pencil, throws all the greatness of a wonderful past into a series of glowing pictures. This has been our author’s endeavor. The result is a gallery of historical frescoes in which may be seen all those splendid deeds and mighty men that have made up our greatness. Our national progress has been most exciting and dramatic. What struggles and triumphs, what discoveries and inventions, what disasters and reforms, what tragedies and comedies, have characterized the greatest century since DEDICATION. 8 the world began ! Be this our native or adopted land, while we glory in our American citizenship we cannot become forgetful of those supreme characters and superb achievements which “constitute our common patrimony — the nation’s in- heritance.” The page which reflects the glory of our past must be bright and entertaining. The author believes that the proper narration of events is not only more in- structive but also more fascinating than romance. The work is not a mere history. It contains no tedious details of commonplace occurrences, but graphic descriptions of everything notable, — the cream of history. The needs of all classes of readers have been consulted. Our American youth, our intelligent farm- ers and artisans, our business and professional men of the land, who need books that are full of the most interesting and useful material for reference, illustra- tion, entertainment, and instruction, will find the present volume adapted to their wants. It is not dry, like an encyclopedia, but in the fullest sense stimu- lating, romantic, true , — to charm while it informs the mind. Dryness is not a proof of accuracy. The clearer and more vivid a picture the more faithful it may be to reality. An elevated and spirited style of composition is in harmony with splendid truths and facts. Eleven laborious years have been devoted to the preparation of the volume, and the publisher makes no apology for saying that the author has brought to his work experience, scholarship, and literary taste of the highest order. He has obtained rare and valuable information hitherto inaccessible. State and national archives, libraries and museums, private diaries and journals of public men, have been laid under contribution. From eye witnesses and partici- pants in thrilling scenes have been secured interesting facts never before in print. The book may be relied upon as authority on the subjects of which it treats. Over twelve thousand dollars has been expended in illustrating the work. Art is a charming instructor — it teaches while it entertains. The philosophy of a great life may be revealed in a portrait. A single engraving may convey a clearer idea of a subject than a whole chapter of words. The true value of a book is not commercial, but intellectual. Fenelon said, “If the crowns of all the kingdoms of the earth were laid down at my feet in exchange for my books and my love of reading, I would spurn them all.” Our hands must toil for our brains and hearts. Rich is the possessor of a good book. Our own rare Emerson said, “In the highest civilization the book is still the highest delight.” That volume in which the great events of our own nation’s existence are mirrored with all the colors of reality must challenge the attention of thoughtful men. To our American citizens— Liberty’s nobility — the publisher has the honor to dedicate this work, believing, with Goldsmith, that “in proportion as society refines, new books must ever become more necessary.” THE PUBLISHER. I. MOMENTOUS POLITICAL EVENTS OF ABSORBING INTEREST. BIRTH OF THE NATION.— The Grandest Modern Event.— The Gauntlet of Defiance thrown 1776 at the Feet of the British Realm by Her Youngest Colonies. — The whole World looks on Aston- ished. — Patrick Henry’s Burning Eloquence. — Excitement of the King and Court. — Lord Chatham’s Scorching Speech. — Struck Dead while Speaking. — Seven Years’ Struggle. — England Gives Up the Contest, and the World Welcomes the New Nation 25 APPOINTMENT OF OUR FIRST MINISTER TO EN GLAND . — J ohn Adams, the Foremost 1785 Enemy of British Tyranny, Fills this High Office. — What His Mission Involved. — All Europe Watches the Event. — Interview between Him and King George, His Late Sovereign. — Their Ad- dresses, Temper, Personal Bearing, and Humorous Conversation. — Results of this Embassy. . 70 FORMATION AND ADOPTION OF THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION.— Plan of Govern- 1787 ment to be Framed. — Statesmen and Sages in Council. — Dignity, Learning, and Eloquence of the Delegates. — Various Schemes Discussed. — Angry Debates, Sectional Threats. — Franklin’s Impress- ive Appeal. — Patriotism Rules all Hearts. — Sublime Scene on Signing the Instrument. — The United States no Longer a People Without a Government 77 FIRST ELECTION AND INAUGURATION OF A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 17§? STATES. — Washington, the Nation’s Spontaneous, Unanimous Choice. — His Farewell Visit to His Mother. — His Triumphal Progress from Home, and Solemn Induction into Office. — Order of Cere- monies. — Elegant Appearance and Dignity when Taking the Oath. — Reverentially Kisses the Bible. — Distinguished Celebrities Present. — Jubilee throughout the Republic, over the August Event. 84 FOUNDING AND ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.— Named in Honor 179? of Washington. — Bitter Sectional Contest in Deciding the Location. — First “Compromise ” in Con- gress between the North and the South. — Final Removal of the Government and its Archives to Washington. — Official Observance of the Event. — Magnificent Site and Plan of the City. — Splendor of its Public Buildings 112 CONTENTS. 10 PASSAGE OP BENTON’S FAMOUS “EXPUNGING RESOLUTION,” IN THE UNITED 1837 STATES SENATE. — Opposition to the United States Bank.— Jackson’s Message Against it. — Con- gress Grants a Charter, and Jackson Vetoes the Bill, Denounces the Bank, and Orders the United States Funds Removed. — Secretary Duane Declines to Act, but Taney Succeeds him and Obeys. — Fierce Conflict in Congress. — Weeks of Strong Debate. — Resolution to Censure Jackson Passed. — Benton’s Motion to Expunge. — He Follows it up Unceasingly, and Triumphs after Three Years’ Parliamentary Struggle 263 PROCLAMATION OF EMANCIPATION, AS A WAR MEASURE, BY PRESIDENT 1863 LINCOLN. — More than Three Millions, in Bondage at the South, Declared Forever Free. — Most Important American State Paper Since July Fourth, 1776. — Pronounced, by the President, “ The Great Event of the Nineteenth Century.” — The Whole System of Slavery Finally Swept from the Republic, by Victories in the Field and by Constitutional Amendment. — Public Reception of the Proclamation.— Promulgation at the South. — Scenes of Joy Among the Freedmen. — Enfranchise- ment Added to Freedom 544 II. BATTLES, SIEGES, AND BRILLIANT NAVAL ENGAGEMENTS. CORNWALLIS SURRENDERS HIS SPLENDID ARMY TO GENERAL WASHINGTON. 1781 — Final Catastrophe to British Arms in America. — Consternation and Despair in the Cabinet of King George. — Eloquence of Burke, Fox, and Pitt.— They Demand that the War Cease. — The Voice of Parliament.— Last Act in the Military Drama. — Washington’s Countrymen Everywhere Hail and Extol Him as Their Deliverer 66 ADIEU TO THE ARMY BY WASHINGTON.— Record of His Generalship.— Scheme to make 1783 Him King. — Indignantly Rebukes the Proposal. — Last Review of His Troops. — Affecting Interview and Parting Words between the Great Chieftain and His Comrades-in-Arms. — Solemn Farewell Audience with Congress. — He Voluntarily Divests Himself of His Supreme Authority, Returns His Victorious Sword, and Becomes a Private Citizen. — Rare Event in Human History 68 DECISIVE BATTLES WITH THE INDIANS.— Headlong Flight and Destruction of St. 17?1 Clair’s Army, in 1791, Before the Trained Warriors of “Little Turtle.” — This Mortifying Disaster Retrieved by Wayne’s Overwhelming Triumph, in 1794. — Final and Crushing Blow Dealt by Jack- son, in 1814.— 'The Question of Power Between the Two Races Forever Settled in Favor of the Whites 91 THE FAMOUS WHISKEY INSURRECTION IN PENNSYLVANIA.— Violent Resistance 1794 to the United States Excise Laws. — Monster Meetings and Inflammatory Appeals. — Officials and Loyal Citizens Whipped, Branded, Tarred, and Feathered. — Intense Excitement in all the States. — Washington Declares that the Union is in Peril and Heads an Army to Meet thq Crisis. — Precipi- tate Flight of the Armed Rebels 105 GENERAL JACKSON’S TERRIBLE ROUT AND SLAUGHTER OF THE BRITISH 1815 ARMY, AT NEW ORLEANS. — British Invasion of Louisiana. — Jackson Hastens to New Orleans. — His Consummate Generalship in the Order and Conduct of this Campaign — The War with England Terminated by a Sudden and Splendid Victory to the American Arms — Jackson is Hailed as One of the Greatest of Modern Warriors, and as the Deliverer and Second Savior of His Country. — National Military Prestige Gained by this Decisive Battle 171 GENERAL SCOTT IN THE HALLS OF THE MONTEZUMAS, AS THE CONQUEROR 1847 OF MEXICO — Irritation between the United States and Mexico. — Points of Boundary. — Mexico Refuses to Yield. — Declaration of War by Congress — Scott’s Order, “ On to Mexico ! ” — Doniphan’s March of Five Thousand Miles. — General Taylor’s Unbroken Series of Victorious Battles, from Palo Alto to Buena Vista. — Flight of Santa Anna in the Dead of Midnight — The Stars and Stripes Float Triumphantly from the Towers of the National Palace — First Foreign Capital Ever Occupied by the United States Army CONTENTS. 11 BOMBARDMENT AND REDUCTION OF FORT SUMTER.— Inauguration of Civil War in IW the United States. — First Military Act in the Long and Bloody Struggle to Dismember the Union. — Organization of the Southern Confederacy. — President Lincoln’s Proclamation for 75,000 Volun- teers. — Spontaneous Uprising of the Loyal People. — Calling the Battle-Roll of the Republic. — Su- preme Crisis in the Fate of the Nation. — Northern and Southern Variances — Slavery the Cause of Contention. — Culmination of the Antagonism. — Disunion Banner of the South. — Secession of Sev- eral States. — War Wager Boldly Staked. — Vain Efforts at Reconciliation. — Federal Property Seized at the South. — Batteries Erected at Charleston. — Fort Sumter Closely Besieged. — Beauregard De- mands its Surrender. — Major Anderson’s Flat Refusal — Weakness of his Garrison. — Attempts to Re-enforce It. — Prevented by Confederate Batteries. — All Eyes Riveted on the Fort. — Opening of the Attack, April Fourteenth. — Incessant and Tremendous Fire. — Terms of Evacuation Accepted. — Southern Rejoicings. — The Great Military Outlook — Washington the National Key. . . . 502 BATTLE AT BULL RUN, VA., BETWEEN THE FEDERAL ARMY AND THAT OF 18$1 THE SOUTHERN CONFEDERACY. — Three Months Since Sumter Fell — “ On to Richmond ! ” the Union War-Cry. — Severe Fighting for Many Hours. — March of McDowell’s Army, and Plan of the Movement — Re-enforcements for the Confederates — Davis’s Arrival on the Ground. — He Ex- claims, “ Onward, My Brave Comrades ! ” — Their Wild Enthusiasm — Most Disastrous Defeat of the Federal Troops. — Their Uncontrollable Panic and Headlong Flight. — First Important Engagement in the Great Civil War. — Lessons Taught by this Battle 517 BATTLE OF ANTIETAM, MARYLAND.— Bloodiest Day That America Ever Saw.— Nearly M«* One Hundred Thousand Men on Each Side. — General McClellan Declares on the Field that it is “the Battle of the War.” — Four Miles and Fourteen Hours of Fighting and Slaughter. — The Shock and “ Glory ” of War on a Colossal Scale. — Obstinate Bravery of the Contending Foes. — Some of the Regiments Almost Annihilated. — The Union Troops Hold the Disputed Ground and Drive the En- emy en Masse. — The After-Scene of Horror 535 CAMPAIGN AGAINST VICKSBURG, “ THE GIBRALTAR OF THE MISSISSIPPI,” 1*6? BY THE UNION FORCES. — The Genius, Valor, and Resources of Both Armies Tasked to Their Utmost — Final Capitulation of the City by General Pemberton, After a Prolonged and Brilliant Siege — Heaviest Blow Yet Dealt the Secession Cause. — General McPherson Receives the Formal Surrender. — 37,000 Prisoners, Fifteen Generals, Arms and Munitions for 60,000 Men, the Trophies. — Geographical Importance of Vicksburg. — Its Commanding Fortifications. — Farragut’s Naval Siege Powerless. — Sherman’s Attack Repulsed. — Grant Assumes Active Command — Vigorous Operations Undertaken. — His Series of Victorious Battles. — Futile Attempt to Storm Vicksburg. — Hours of Terrific Cannonading. — A Systematic Siege Begun. — Thorough Investment at all Points. — Federal Sapping and Mining — They Mine and Blow up Fort Hill. — Awful Spectacle of Blood and Ruin. — Deadly Struggle for a Foothold. — Success of the Forty-fifth Illinois. — Their Colors Surmount the Work. — Pemberton Sends a Flag of Truce — His Interview with Grant. — Grant’s Terms : " Uncon- ditional Surrender.” — The Victors Enter the City, July Fourth. — Curious Reminiscences. . . 554 THREE DAYS’ BATTLE BETWEEN THE CONCENTRATED ARMIES OF GENER- 1*«? ALS MEADE AND LEE, AT GETTYSBURG, PA.— Overwhelming Invasion of Pennsylvania by the Confederate Forces — The Union Army Drives Them with Great Slaughter Across the Poto- mac. — Unsuccessful Attempt to Transfer the Seat of War from Virginia to Northern Soil — One of the Most Decisive and Important Federal Victories in the Great American Civil Conflict. — Lee’s Army Impatient to go North. — Order of March at Last. — Consternation in the Border States. — Call for One Hundred Thousand More Men. — Advance of Meade’s Army. — Face to Face with the Foe. — Engagement between the Vanguards. — Terrific Artillery Contests — Movements and Counter Move- ments. — Severe Reverses on Both Sides.— Carnage at Cemetery Hill. — Longstreet’s Furious Onset. — Most Destructive Cannonade. — Gettysburg a Vast Hospital. — Crawford’s Grand Charge. — Stand- ing by the Batteries ! — Hand-to-Hand Conflict. — Following the Battle-Flag. — Deadly and Impetuous Fighting. — Forty-one Confederate Standards Taken. — Unbounded Joy of the Victors. — President Lincoln’s Announcement 563 GRAND MARCH OF THE UNION ARMY, UNDER GENERAL SHERMAN, THROUGH THE HEART OF THE SOUTH. — Generals and Armies Baffled : States and Cities Conquered. — - — Display of Military Genius Unsurpassed in any Age or Country. — Great Closing Act in the Cam- paign. — Sherman’s Qualities as a Commander. — His Own Story of his Success. — A Brilliant Cam- CONTENTS. 12 paign Planned. — Atlanta, Ga., the First Great Prize. — Destroys that City : Starts' for the Coast.— Subsists His Men on the Enemy’s Country. — Savannah’s Doom Sealed. -Fall of Fort McAllister. — Christmas Gift to the President. — Advance into South Carolina. — The Stars and Stripes in Her Cap- ital. — Battles Fought : Onward to Raleigh. — Johnson’s Whole Army Bagged. — Sherman Described Personally 598 FALL OF RICHMOND, VA., THE CONFEDERATE CAPITAL.— The Entrenched City 1865 Closely Encompassed for Months by General Grant’s Brave Legions and Walls of Steel. — Flight of Jefferson Davis, and Surrender of General Lee’s Army. — Overthrow of the Four Years’ Gigantic Rebellion. — The ASgis and Starry Ensigns of the Republic Everywhere Dominant. — Transports of Joy Fill the Land. — A Nation’s Laurels Crown the Head of the Conqueror of Peace.— Memorable Day in Human Affairs. — Momentous Issues Involved. — Heavy Cost of this Triumph. — Without It, a Lost Republic. — Unequaled Valor Displayed. — Sherman’s Grand Conceptions. — Sheridan’s Splendid Generalship. — Onward March of Events — Strategy, Battles, Victories. — Lee’s Lines Fatally Broken. — Approach of the Final Crisis. Richmond Evacuated by Night. — Retreat of Lee : Vigorous Pur- suit. — His Hopeless Resistance to Grant. — Their Correspondence and Interview. — The Two Great Generals Face to Face. — What was Said and Done. — Announcing the Result. — Parting of Lee with His Soldiers. — President Lincoln’s Visit to Richmond. — Raising the United States Flag at Fort Sum- ter. — Davis a Prisoner in Fortress Monroe 607 OUR FIRST VICTORY ON THE SEA.— John Paul Jones Fights and Captures the English HI# Ship-of War, Serapis, in British Waters. — Crowds of Spectators Line the Coast. — The Most Sangui- nary Battle Ever Fought Between Single Ships. — Britain’s Flag Struck to America. — Jones is Hailed as “ The Washington of the Sea.” — World-wide Interest of this Combat 32 AMERICA AND ENGLAND MATCHED AGAINST EACH OTHER FOR THE FIRST 1813 TIME IN A SQUADRON FIGHT. — Lake Erie the Scene of the Encounter. — Sixteen Vessels En- gaged — The British, under Captain Barclay, one of Lord Nelson’s Veteran Officers, and with a Su- perior Force, are Thoroughly Beaten by the Americans, under Commodore Oliver H. Perry. — Every British Vessel Captured. — General Harrison Completes the Victorious Work on Land. — American Prowess Invincible 163 EXTRAORDINARY COMBAT BETWEEN THE IRON CLADS MERRIMAC AND MON- 1862 ITOR, IN HAMPTON ROADS. — Sudden Appearance of the Merrimac Among the Federal Frig- ates. — Their Swift and Terrible Destruction by Her Steel Prow. — Unexpected Arrival -of the “ Lit tie Monitor ” at the Scene of Action — She Engages and Disables the Monster Craft in a Four Hours’ Fight. — Total Revolution in Naval Warfare the World Over by this Remarkable Contest — How the Merrimac Changed Hands. — Burned and Sunk at Norfolk, Va. — Her Hull Raised by the Confeder- ates. — She is Iron Roofed and Plated. — Proof Against Shot and Shell. — A Powerful Steel Beak in Her Prow. — Most Formidable Vessel Afloat. — In Command of Commodore Buchanan — Departs from Norfolk, March Eighth. — Pierces and Sinks the Cumberland. — Next Attacks the Congress. — The Noble Frigate Destroyed. — Fight Begun with the Minnesota. — Suspended at Nightfall — Trip of the Monitor from New York. — Her New and Singular Build — Lieutenant Worden Hears of the Battles — Resolves to Grapple with the Monster. — The Two Together Next Day — A Scene Never to be Forgotten. — Worden Turns the Tide of Fortune. — Repulse and Retreat of the Merrimac. 526 COMBAT BETWEEN THE ALABAMA, CAPTAIN SEMMES, AND THE REAR- 1864 SARGE, CAPTAIN WINSLOW, OFF CHERBOURG.— The Alabama is Sunk after an Hour’s Engagement, in Sight of the Two Great Maritime Powers of Europe. — Semmes Throws His Sword Away, Jumps Overboard, and Escapes. — Relative Equality, in Size and Armament, of the Two Ves- sels. — The Previous Destructive Career of the Alabama Against Northern Commerce. — Causeless Raid on Marine Property. — Fault in the Law of Nations. — British Origin of the Alabama — Her Un- mistakable Character. — Peculiar Model and Equipment. — Adapted to Destroy, Fight, or Run — Adroit Shipment of Stores and Guns — Ready for a Start. — All Hands Mustered Aft. — Semmes Reads Aloud His Commission — Cheers for Davis, Semmes, Etc. — Salute Fired : Hoisting the Flag. — A Long Cruise : Terrible Ravages — Puts in at Cherbourg, France — The United States Ship Kearsarge on His Track. — Semmes Boldly Offers to Fight. — Preliminary Maneuvers of the Ships — Seven Circles Round Each Other. — Semmes’s Rapid and Furious Fire. — Superior Gunnery of the Kearsarge — Its Fatal Effect on the Alabama. — Incidents of this Renowned Fight. . . . 581 CONTENTS. 13 ADMIRAL FARRAGUT’S ACHIEVEMENTS IN 1862 AND IN 1864 ; AND ADMIRAL PORTER’S IN 1865. — Fierce and Sanguinary Contest between the Admiral’s Flagship, and Admiral Buchanan’s Monster Ram. — The Latter Proves Herself, for a Time, a Match for the Whole Union Fleet. — Farragut’s Overwhelming Victory. — Farragut Pressed to Join the South. — His Unswerving Fidelity to the Old Flag. — High Trust Committed to Him. — Sailing of His Fleet. — Bold and Successful Plan of Battle. — Admiral Porter’s Services.— New Orleans Again Under the United States Flag. — Forts, Rams, Ironclads, etc., to Fight. — Powerful Build of the Tennessee. — Makes for Her Antagonist at Full Speed. — Farragut’s Masterly Maneuvers. — Unexpected Feature in His Tactics. — Deadly Contact of the Various Craft. — The “ Glory ” and Horrors of War. — Stubborn Bravery of the Great Ram. — Crippled at Last : The White Flag. — The Stars and Stripes on Her Staff. — Buchanan Yields His Sword 590 III. SUPERB ACHIEVEMENTS OF ORATORY. THE " GREAT DEBATE ” BETWEEN WEBSTER AND HAYNE IN CONGRESS. — Vi-1830 tal Constitutional Issues Discussed. — Unsurpassed Power and Splendor of Senatorial Eloquence. — Webster’s Speech Acknowledged to be the Grandest Forensic Achievement in the Whole Range of Modern Parliamentary Efforts. — His Magnificent Personal Appearance. — Unprecedented Interest and Excitement Produced in the Public Mind. — No Debate Comparable with This. — Known as the “ Battle of the Giants.” — Rival Orators ; Pleasant Courtesies.— Golden Age of American Oratory. 205 STRUGGLE FOR THE RIGHT OF PETITION IN CONGRESS.— John Quincy Adams, the 183* “ Old Man Eloquent,” Carries on a Contest of Eleven Days, Single Handed, in its Defense in the House of Representatives. — Passage of the “ Gag Rule.” — Expulsion and Assassination Threatened. — His Unquailing Courage. — A Spectacle Unwitnessed before in the Halls of Legislation. — Triumph of his Master Mind 252 POLITICAL DEBATE BETWEEN ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND STEPHEN A. DOUG- «« LAS, IN ILLINOIS. — Cause of this Remarkable Oratorical Contest. — Intense Interest in All Parts of the Land. — The Heart of Every American Citizen Enlisted in the Momentous Issue Involved. — Eminent Character of the Combatants. — Their Extraordinary Ability and Eloquence Universally Acknowledged. — The Discussions Attended by Friends and Foes. — Victory, Defeat, Life and Death. — Condition of the New Territories. — Form of Constitution to be Decided. — Domestic Institu- tions : Slavery. Mr. Douglas Advocates “ Popular Sovereignty.” — “ Prohibition ” Urged by Mr. Lincoln. — National Importance of the Question. — The Public Mind Divided. — Joint Debates Pro- posed. — Agreement between the two Leaders. — Personal Appearance and Style. — Plans, Places, Scenes. — Theories and Arguments Advanced. — Skill and Adroitness of the Disputants. — Immense Concourses. — Result Impartially Stated. — Mr. Douglas Re-elected Senator. — Mr. Lincoln Nominated for President. — His Election to that Office. — Douglas’s Magnanimity. — The Olive Branch. — Shoulder to Shoulder as Unionists. — Sudden Decease of the Great Senator 469 ORATORICAL CHAMPIONSHIP OF AMERICA’S CAUSE IN ENGLAND, BY REV. H. 1863 W. BEECHER. — His Olympian Speeches, in Defiance of British Sentiment, in the Great Cities of the Kingdom. — Superb Exhibition of Forensic Power in Liverpool.— He Wrestles, Single-Handed and Triumphantly, for Three Hours with a Vast Mob in that City. — Reception at Exeter Hall, London. — Mr. Beecher’s Tour Abroad for His Health. — Civil Conflict Raging in America. — Mr. Beecher Urged to Speak on United States Affairs. — Opening Speech in Manchester. — Great Audience. — Attempts to Silence Him. — Powerlessness of the Opposition. — Discussions in Glasgow and Edinburgh. — Battle Waged by Mr. Beecher in Liverpool. — Violent Efforts to Gag Him. — Taunts, Curses, Hisses, Fury. — Stampings, Hootings, Yellings. — Beecher’s Pluck, and Good Humor. — Grand Closing Scene in the Capital 573 IV. WONDERFUL PHENOMENA OF THE EARTH, OCEAN, AND HEAVENS. THE WONDERFUL DARK DAY. — One of Nature’s Marvels. — The Northern States Wrapt in 118* a Dense Black Atmosphere for Fifteen Hours. — The Herds Retire to their Stalls, the Fowls to their Roosts, and the Birds Sing their Evening Songs at Noonday. — Alarm of the Inhabitants. — The Day of Judgment Supposed to have Come. Science at a Loss to Account for the Mysterious Phenome- non. — Incidents and Anecdotes 40 CONTENTS. 14 TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE. — The Darkness of Night Falls upon the Earth at Mid-day. — Stars M0« and Planets in Full Radiance. — Magnificent Spectacle of the Glittering Corona around the Moon and the Brilliant Rosy Protuberances Flaming from the Sun. — Business Pursuits Abandoned. — Millions of Faces Turned Upward. — The Phenomenon Viewed with Curiosity, Wonder, and Absorbed De- light. — Triumphs of Astronomical Science. — Revelations of the Spectroscope. — Spots on the Sun Examined. — Climax of the Impressive Scene 134 EXTENSIVE AND CALAMITOUS EARTHQUAKE AT THE WEST.— Its Convulsive 18U Force Felt all Over the Valley of the Mississippi and to the Atlantic Coast. — The Earth Suddenly Bursts Open and a Vast Region of Country is Sunk and Lost. — Awful Chasms and Upheavels. — Ruin and Desolation Brought upon the Inhabitants. — Account of the More Recent Earthquakes in California, their Characteristics and Destructiveness. — Humboldt’s Interesting Opinion. ... 1 56 THE EVER-MEMORABLE GALE OF SEPTEMBER.— Bright Skies in the Midst of the W16 Tempest. — Suffocating Current of Hot Air. — All New England Desolated 178 SUBLIME METEORIC SHOWER ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, The Most Grand and Brilliant Celestial Phenomenon Ever Beheld and Recorded by Man. — The Whole Firmament of the Universe in Fiery Commotion for Several Hours. — Amazing Velocity, Size and Profusion of the Falling Bodies. — Their Intense Heat, Vivid Colors, and Strange, Glowing Beauty. — The People Wonder Struck. — Admiration Among the Intelligent. — Alarm Among the Ignorant. — Conflagration of the World Feared 228 MAGNIFICENT AURORA BOREALIS OF 1837.— A Vast Canopy of Gorgeous Crimson W37 Flames Encircles the Earth. — Arches of Resplendent Auroral Glories Span the Hemisphere. — Innu- merable Scarlet Columns of Dazzling Beauty Rise from the Horizon to the Zenith. — The Face of Nature Everywhere Appears, to an Astonished World, as if Dyed in Blood. — Uncommon Extent and Sublimity. — Millions of Wondering Observers 269 SUDDEN APPEARANCE OF A GREAT AND FIERY COMET IN THE SKIES AT NOONDAY. — It Sweeps Through the Heavens, for Several Weeks, with a Luminous Train 108,000,000 Miles in Length. — Almost Grazes the Sun, and, after Whirling Around that Orb with Prodigious Velocity, Approaches the Earth with a Fearful Momentum. Its Mysterious disappear- ance in the Unknown Realms and Depths of Space. — Most Notable of all Comets 300 V. EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERIES AND INVENTIONS, SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITIONS, AND THE SPLENDID TRIUMPHS OF MECHANICAL GENIUS. WHITNEY’S COTTON-GIN INVENTION. — The Inventor’s Obscure Circumstances. — His 1793 Early Mechanical Genius. — Determined to get an Education. — Goes to the South as a Teacher. — Befriended by a Widow. — His Inventive Efforts Produce the Cotton-Gin. — It Revolutionizes the In- dustrial Prospects and Political Power of the South. — How Cotton Became “ King.” — Its Relation to the Great Themes and Events in American History 98 FULTON’S TRIUMPHANT APPLICATION OF STEAM TO NAVIGATION.— Fulton’s WOT Early Mechanisms. — His Experiments and Trials. — Discovery of Steam Propulsion at Last. — Pub- lic Ridicule of the Scheme. — Construction of the First Steamboat. — Incidents at the Launch. — Sail- ing of the “ New-Fangled Craft.” — Complete Success of the Trip. — Fulton’s Checkered Fortunes. — First Steamboat at the West. — The World Indebted to American Ingenuity and Enterprise for this Mighty Agent in Human Progress and Power. — The Whole Scale of Civilization Enlarged. . 150 MORSE’S INVENTION OF THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.— Realization of the Highest W» Ideal of a Mechanical Miracle. — Principle, Structure and Operation of the Machine. — Net-Work of Lines Established Over the Four Continents. — The Inventor’s Experiments, Labors, Discourage- ments, and Triumphs. — “ Orders of Glory,” Gifts, and Other Honors, Bestowed upon Him by Crowned Heads 244 FREMONT’S HEROIC EXPEDITION OF DISCOVERY TO THE UNTRACKED RE- 1*4* GION OF THE NORTH-WEST, OREGON, CALIFORNIA, ETC.— Fremont a Pioneer of Em- pire. — National Objects of this Tour. Enchanting Record of Adventures. Surveys and Researches. —His Exploration of the Sierra Nevada, and of that Wonderful Gateway in the Rocky Mountains, CONTENTS. 15 the South Pass. — Plants the American Flag on the Highest Peak of that Lofty Range. — He Enriches Every Branch of Natural Science, and Illustrates a Remote and Boundless Country before Entirely DISCOVERY OF THE INHALATION OF ETHER AS A PREVENTIVE OF PAIN.— I**? Instinctive Dread of Pain. — Persistent Search for a Preventive. — Discovery of the Long-Sought Se- cret. — Honor Due to the Medical Science of America. — Curious Religious Objections. — Account of the First Capital Demonstration before a Crowded and Breathless Assembly. — Its Signal Success. — Most Beneficent Boon Ever Conferred by Science upon the Human Race 324 INVENTION OF THAT WONDROUS PIECE OF MECHANISM, THE SEWING- 1846 MACHINE. — The Woman’s Friend. — Romantic Genius and Perseverance Displayed in its Produc- tion. — Toils of the Inventor in His Garret. — His Ingenuity, Struggles and Triumphs. — A Machine at Last. — World-Wide Introduction of the Device. — The Industrial Interests of the Country Affected to the Amount of $500,000,000 Annually. — The Humble Inventor Becomes a Millionaire. . . 332 EXPEDITION TO THE RIVER JORDAN AND THE DEAD SEA, BY LIEUT. W. F. LYNCH, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE UNITED STATES GO VERNMENT.- Inter- est in the Holy Land. — Equipment of the United States Expedition. — On Its Way to the Orient. — Anchoring Under Mount Carmel. — Passage Down the Jordan. — The Sacred River Successfully Cir- cumnavigated, Surveyed, and Traced to Its Source. — Wild and Impressive Scenery. — Twenty Days and Nights upon the “ Sea of Death.” — It is Explored, and Sounded, and its Mysteries Solved. — Important Results to Science 354 DISCOVERY OF GOLD AT SUTTER’S MILL, CALIFORNIA.— First Practical Discovery of the Precious Metal. — Simple Accident that Led to It. — The Discovery Kept Secret. — How it was Disclosed. — The News Spreads Like Wild-Fire to the Four Quarters of the Globe. — Overwhelming Tide of Emigrants from all Countries. — Their Trials. — Life Among the Diggers. — Nucleus of a Great Empire on the Pacific. — California Becomes the El Dorado of the World and the Golden Commonwealth of the American Union. . 360 DISCOVERY OF PETROLEUM IN PENNSYLVANIA.— Discovery of Prodigious Quanti- 1869 ties of Illuminating Oil in the Depths of the Earth. — Boring of Innumerable Wells. — Fabulous Prices Paid for Lands. — Poor Farmers Become Millionaires. — The Supply of Oil Exceeds the Wants of the Whole Country. — Immense Exportations of the Article. — Vast Source of National Wealth and In- dustry. — Revolution in Artificial Light. — Ancient Knowledge of this Oil. — Floating on Ponds and Creeks. — Its Collection and Use. — Native Sources : Origin 476 THIRTY THOUSAND MILES OF RAILWAY IN THIRTY YEARS, AND EIGHTY 1859 THOU SAND IN HALF A CENTURY. — Curious Chronicles Relating to the Introduction of Im- proved Means of Transit. — The Old and the New. — Development and Progress. — Numerous and Important Advantages. — Great Saving of Time and Expense. — Initiatory Undertakings in the United States. — First American Railway with Steam as the Locomotive Power. — Small Beginnings : Great Results. — Amazing Growth and Expansion in all Directions. — Social and Business Changes. — Infancy of Mechanism in this Line. — Pioneer Coach and Locomotive. — Successive Steps of Advance- ment. — Usual Channels of Trade Abandoned. — Power of Capital Demonstrated. — Distant Sections and Interests Equalized. — Stimulus to Industry. — Vast Constructive Works Involved. — U. S. Enter- prise not Behindhand. — “Breaking the Ground.” — Less than 20 Miles in 1829. — Some 30,000 Miles in 1859. — Constant and Rapid Increase. — Inventive Genius Displayed. — “Improvements” by the Thousands. — Steel Rails Substituted for Iron. — Luxury on Wheels. — Palace and Sleeping Cars. — Tremendous Speed Attained. — American and Foreign Lines. — Railways 16,000 Feet Above the SUCCESSFUL LAYING OF THE TELEGRAPH CABLE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC 1866 OCEAN. — The Old World and the New United by Instantaneous Communication. — Pronounced the Grandest of Human Enterprises. — Ten Years of Difficulty and Failure in the Mighty Task. — The Name of Its Indomitable Projector Crowned with Immortal Honor. — Illustrations of the Power and Wonders of this New-Born Agent of Civilization. — Moral Uses of the Cable 629 COMPLETION OF THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.— Spikes of the Richest Gold and a Hammer 1869 of Pure Silver Used in Laying the Last Rail. — The Blows of the Sledge Telegraphed to All the CONTENTS. 16 Great Cities. — The Wide Continent Spanned with Iron from the Farthest East to the Golden Gate. — Junction of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. — Seven Days from New York to San Francisco. — Greatest Railroad Route on the Face of the Earth. — “ Manifest Destiny ” of the United States. 637 “ MIRACLES OF SCIENCE,” OR FOUR NEW WONDERS OF THE WORLD.— The I87t' Electric Light, or Brilliant and Abundant Illumination by Means of Electricity. — The Telephone, or Instantaneous Articulate Communication between Distant Points. — The Phonograph, or Talking Machine, Reproducing and Preserving Human Utterances, whether, of Speech or Song, in all their Characteristics. — The Microphone, or Prodigious Magnifier of Sound, however Slight or Remote. — Splendor of the Electric Rays. — Former Inventions in this Line. — Prof. Farmer’s Early Success. — Ed. ison’s Improved Device. — Its Special Characteristics. —Sanguine Expectations Entertained. — Interest Excited by the Telephone. — Encomiums from English Sources. — Principles of Construction and Use. — Simplicity and Serviceableness. — Tens of Thousands in Operation. How the Phonograph was Developed. — Other Inventions Fairly Eclipsed. — Its Appearance, Form, Outcome. — Words and Tones Recorded. — Astonishment and Delight. — Its Five Chief Features. — Marvels of the Micro- phone. — A Touch or Tick Audible for Miles. — Arrangement of the Apparatus. — Curious Feats Accomplished. — Explanation of this Property 681 VI. APPALLING PUBLIC CALAMITIES, DISASTERS, PANICS, ETC. DEATH OF GEORGE WASHINGTON.— His Sudden and Brief Illness, Last Hours and Dying H®? Words. — Fortitude and Serenity Through all His Sufferings. — He Calmly Announces His Approach ing Dissolution Without a Murmur. — The Whole World does Honor, by Eulogy and Lamentations, to His Exalted Worth and Immortal Fame. — He Anticipated an Early Death. — His Invariably Good Health. — Exposure in a Snow-storm. — Takes a Fatal Cold. — Last Letter Written by His Hand. — Reads the Papers in the Evening. — Characteristic Reply to His Wife. — Passes a Restless Night. — Alarming Condition the Next Day. — Medical Treatment of no Avail. — Calls for His Two Wills, Burns One. — Affecting Scene at His Bedside. — Last Words, “ ’Tis Well ! ” — Only One Day’s Sick- ness. — Acute Laryngitis His Disease. — Burial in the Old Family Vault. — Tidings of His Death. — Tributes from Peoples and Kings.— A Man Without a Parallel. — Last Page In His Journal. — Re- entombment in 1837. — Appearance of His Remains 119 AWFUL EXPLOSION OF COMMODORE STOCKTON’S GREAT GUN, THE “PEACE- 1844 MAKER.” — Stockton’s High Enthusiasm. — His Vast and Beautiful Ship. — Styled the Pride of the Navy. — Invitations for a Grand Gala Day. — President Tyler Attends. — Array of Female Beauty. — Music, Toasts, Wit and Wine. — Firing of the Monster Gun . — “ One More Shot ! ” and it Bursts.— The Secretaries of State and of the Navy, and Other Eminent Persons, Instantly Killed. — Miracu- lous Escape of the President. — Sudden Transition from the Height of Human Enjoyment to the Extreme of Woe 315. AWFUL VISITATIONS OF THE « ANGEL OF DEATH.”— Yellow Fever and Cholera Epi- 1849 demies at Different Periods. — Frightful Mortality and Panic. — Business Abandoned, Churches Closed, Streets Barricaded, Cities Deserted. — Proclamation by the President of the United States. — The Virtues, Passions, and Vices of Human Nature Strikingly Illustrated. — Tens of Thousands Swept at Once from the Face of the Earth. — Eras of American Epidemics. — Wide and Ghastly Ravages. — Self-Preservation the First Law. — Social Intercourse Suspended. — Ties of Affection Sundered. — Parents Forsake Children. — Husbands Flee from Wives. — Rich Men Buried Like Paupers. — Money and Rank Unavailing. — Rumble of the Dead Carts. — Activity in the Graveyards. — They Look as if Plowed Up. — Women in Childbirth Helpless — Their Screams for Succor. — Care of a Lunatic Pa- tient. — The Tender Passion Still Alive. — Courageous Marriages — Death in the Bridal Chamber. — Anecdotes of the Clergy. — Crime, Filth, and Disease. — Quacks and Nostrums Rife. — The Celebrated " Thieves’ Vinegar.” 368 LOSS OF THE SPLENDID COLLINS STEAMSHIP ARCTIC OF NEW YORK, BY 1854 COLLISION WITH THE IRON STEAMER VESTA.— Occurrence of the Disaster in Mid- Ocean, at Noonday, in a Dense Fog. — Sinking of the Noble Ship Stern Foremost. — Hundreds of Souls Engulfed in a Watery Grave. — Experiences Crowded Into that Awful Hour. — The Wail of Agony and Despair from the Fated Throng. — Her Non-Arrival, Painful Suspense. — The Dreadful News at Last. — Shock to the Public Mind. — Strong Build of the Arctic. — Prestige of the Collins Line. — A Casualty Undreamed of. — Surging Crowd in Wall Street. — Names of Lost and Saved Read. — Hope, Joy, Grief, Anguish. — The Sad Tale on all Lips. — Captain Luce in the Hour of Woe. — Manliness of His First Order. — Ship Deserted by the Crew. — “ Every Man for Himself.” — 429 CONTENTS. 17 TERRIBLE CRISIS IN THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL WORLD.— Known as “ The 1857 Great Panic.”— A Sudden Universal Crash in the Height of Prosperity.— Caused by Wild Speculations and Enormous Debt. — Suspension of Banks all over the Country.— Failure of the Oldest and Wealth- iest Houses.— Fortunes Swept Away in a Day. — Prostration of Every Branch of Industry. — Pro- longed Embarrassment, Distrust, and Suffering.— The Panic of 1837 : A Comparison. ... 447 ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN, AT FORD’S THEATER, WASHING- 1866 TON, BY J. WILKES BOOTH. — Conspiracy to Murder, Simultaneously, All the Chief Officers of the Government. — The Most Exalted and Beloved of Mortal Rulers Falls a Victim. — A Universal Wail of Anguish Poured Forth from the National Heart.— Darkest Page in the History of the Country.— Funeral Cortege Through Fifteen States.— Tragical F'ate of the Conspirators.— Object of this Most Infamous of Crimes.— Singular Time of Its Perpetration.— Virtual End of the War.— Dawn of Peace : Universal Joy.— President Lincoln’s Happy Frame of Mind.— How He Passed His Last Day.— Booth’s Swift and Bloody End.— Trial of His Accomplices 617 BURNING OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO, ILL., THE COMMERCIAL METROPOLIS OF 1871 THE NORTH-WEST.— Most Destructive Conflagration in the History of Civilized Nations.— A Thirty Hours’ Tornado of Fire in all Directions.— Vast Billows of Inextinguishable Flame.— Up- Wards of Two Thousand Acres, or Seventy-Three Miles of streets, with 17,450 Buildings, Destroyed; Loss, $200,000,000 653 ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT GARFIELD, AT THE BALTIMORE AND POTO- 1881 MAC RAILWAY STATION, IN WASHINGTON, JULY 2.— His Departure from the White House with Secretary Blaine on a Brief Tour of Recreation. — Excellent Health and Spirits.— Arrival at the Depot. — A Lurking Assassin, C. J. Guiteau, Approaches in the Rear.— A Startling but Harm- less Shot, followed by Another which Enters the Body. — The President Sinks to the floor. — A Hideous Tragedy. — Capture of the Murderer. — The Wounded Victim Conveyed to the Executive Mansion. — The Nation Horrified, and the Whole Civilized World Shocked. — Condolences from the Remotest Courts and Governments. — Unaffected Sympathy from all Political Parting. — Past Differences Hushed and Forgotten. — Eleven Weeks of Suffering. — Heroism and Resignation of the Patient. — Devotion and Fortitude of the President’s Wife. — Removal to Long Branch, N. J. — Temporary Relief. — Hover- ing between Life and Death. — Solemn Prayers for his Recovery. — Sudden and Fatal End of the Struggle. — A Pall over Four Continents. — Tributes from Sovereigns and Peoples the World Over. — The Wail and Lamentation of Mankind. — Funeral Procession and Ceremonies. — Queen Victoria’s Floral Offering on the Bier. — At Rest, in Lake View Cemetery, Cleveland, Ohio 705 VII. CELEBRATED CRIMINAL CASES, TRAGEDIES AND CONSPIRACIES, Etc. TREASON OF MAJOR-GENERAL BENEDICT ARNOLD.— Darkest Page in American Rev- 1780 olutionary History. — Plot to Deliver West Point, the Gibraltar of America, Over to the British. — Movements of the Guilty Parties. — Discovery and Frustration of the Crime. — -Major Andre, the Brit- ish Spy, is Captured, and Swings from a Gibbet. — Escape of Arnold to the Enemy. — Is Spurned and Isolated in England. — Arnold’s Unquestioned Bravery. — Commended by General Washington — In- . famous Personal Transactions. — Reprimanded by His Chief. — Determines on Revenge — Correspond- ence with the Foe. — Ingratiates Washington’s Favor Again. — Obtains Command of West Point. — Midnight Conference with Andre. — Andre Seized while Returning. — Astounding Evidence Against Him. — Attempts to Bribe -His Captors — Carried to American Head-Quarters. — Arnold Apprised of the Event — A Hurried Farewell to His Wife. — Quick Pursuit of the Traitor. — He Reaches a British Man-of-War — Washington’s Exclamation at the News. — His Call on Mrs Arnold. — Andre’s Trial and Conviction — Arnold’s Reward for His Crime — His Unlamented Death 48 FATAL DUEL BETWEEN MR BURR AND GENERAL ALEXANDER HAMILTON. 1804 — Fall of Hamilton at First Fire — His Death in Thirty Hours. — Profound Sensation and Solemn Obsequies in all Parts of the Land. — Mourned as One of the Founders of the Republic. — Indictment of the Assassin for the Crime of Murder. — Hamilton’s Brilliant Public Life. — Washington’s Right- hand Man — Champion of the Federalists.— Burr’s Career in the Revolution — His Notorious De- bauchery. — Finally Dismissed by Washington — Becomes Vice-President in 1800 — Deadly Personal Hatreds. — Criticisms on Burr by His Opponents — Challenge Sent to Hamilton. — Pacific Explana- tions Spurned — Forced to Meet Burr — Makes His Will in Anticipation. — Sings at a Banquet the Day Before. — Arrival of the Fatal Hour. — Hamilton’s Mortal Wound — What He Said of the Event. — Conversation before Dying. — Partakes of the Communion. — His Testimony against Dueling. — . CONTENTS. 18 CONSPIRACY AND TRIAL OF AARON BURR.— Lawless Scheme of Conquest and Domin- 112? ion at the South-west. — A New Empire Contemplated, with Burr as Sovereign. — Seizure of His Flo- tilla and Dispersion of His Men when Ready to Embark, by the Federal Forces. — Capture and Ar- raignment of Burr for High Treason. — Melancholy End of the Conspirator . — “ Theodosia, the Beloved.” — Reckless Character of Burr. — His Unscrupulous Ambitions. — Enlists Blennerhassett in His Plans. — Their Expedition Arranged. — Mexico the Ultimate Point. — Discovery of the Whole Plot.— Its Complete Frustration. — Burr Flees in Disguise. — Scene at His Arrest. — Attempt to Es- cape. — The Iron-Hearted Man in Tears. — His Social Fascination. — Preparations for the Trial. — Its Legal and Forensic Interest. — Acquittal on Technical Grounds. — Shunned as Man of Infamy. — De- votion of His Daughter Theodosia — Lifelong and Unalterable Love. — Her Mysterious Fate. — Burr’s Anguish and Agony. — A Moral Wreck and Warning 142 DUEL BETWEEN HENRY CLAY, SECRETARY OF STATE, AND JOHN RANDOLPH, 1829 UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM VIRGINIA.— Randolph’s Bitter Insult to Clay on the Floor of the Senate. — Accuses Him of Falsifying an Official Document. — The Puritan and “Black- leg” Taunt. — Clay Challenges the Senator to Mortal Combat. — Words and Acts of these Two Fore- most Men of their Times, on the “Field of Honor.” — Result of the Hostile Meeting. — Fame of these Party Leaders. — Ancient Political Antagonists. — Origin of the Present Dispute. — Randolph’s Gift of Sarcasm. — Applies it Severely to Clay. — Clay Demands Satisfaction. — Reconciliation Refused. — Bladensburg the Dueling Ground. — Pistols the Weapons Chosen. — Colonel Benton a Mutual Friend. — Incidents the Night Before. — Randolph’s Secret Resolve. — Going to the Field of Blood. — View of this Shrine of “ Chivalry.” — Salutations of the Combatants. — Solemn Interest of the Scene. — Dis- tance Ten Paces. — A Harmless Exchange of Shots. — Clay Calls it “ Child’s Play ! ” — Another Fire, No Injury . — “ Honor ” Satisfied. — Pleasant Talk with Each Other 196 CAREER, CAPTURE, AND EXECUTION OF GIBBS, THE MOST NOTED PIRATE 1831 OF THE CENTURY. — His Bold, Enterprising, Desperate, and Successful War, for Many Years, Against the Commerce of all Nations. — Terror Inspired by His Name as the Scourge of the Ocean and the Enemy of Mankind. — Scores of Vessels Taken, Plundered and Destroyed. — Their Crews and Passengers, Male and Female, Instantly Murdered. — His Capture and Execution 222 ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT JACKSON AT THE UNITED 1836 STATES CAPITOL IN WASHINGTON, BY RICHARD LAWRENCE.— Failure of the Pis- tols to Discharge. — The President Rushes Furiously upon His Assailant, and is Restrained from Executing Summary Vengeance only by His Friends. — Political Hostility Supposed to have Insti- gated the Act. — Lawrence Proves to be a Lunatic without Accomplices. — His History and Trial 286 MUTINY ON BOARD THE UNITED STATES BRIG-OF-WAR SOMERS, CAPTAIN A. 1842 S. MACKENZIE. — Deep Laid Plot to Seize the Vessel, Commit Wholesale Murder of Her Men, Raise the Black Flag, and Convert Her into a Pirate. — All Prizes to be Plundered, Burnt, Their Crews Butchered, and Women and Girls Ravished. — Midshipman Spencer, Son of a United States Cabinet Officer, the Ringleader — The Chief Conspirators Hung at the Yard-Arm — First Mutiny in the United States Navy. — Spencer’s Hold upon His Comrades. — Death the Penalty of Disclosure. — Confidence Fortunately Misplaced. — A Man of Honor Tampered With. — Captain Mackenzie In- formed of the Plot. — Treats it as Wild and Improbable —Confronts and Questions Spencer. — Orders Him to be Ironed. — Plan Found in His Razor Case. — Alarming Disaffection of the Crew. — None of the Officers Implicated. — Close Investigation of the Case. — Spencer, Cromwell, and Small, to Die — Their Fate Announced to Them.— Spencer’s Account of His Life. — They Meet on their Way to be Hung. Treatment of Each Other. — Spencer Begs to Give the Last Signal. — Closing Scene of the Tragedy. — All Hands Cheer the Ship — Raising the Banner of the Cross 291 MURDER OF DR. GEORGE PARKMAN, A NOTED MILLIONAIRE OF BOSTON, BY 1849 PROF. JOHN W. WEBSTER, OF HARVARD COLLEGE.— High Social Position of the Par- ties. — Instantaneous Outburst of Surprise, Alarm, and Terror, in the Community, on the Discovery of the Deed.— Remarkable Chain of Circumstances Leading to the Murderer’s Detection.— Solemn and Exciting Trial. — Account of the Mortal Blow and Disposal of the Remains. — Similar Case of Colt and Adams. — Parkman’s Wealth and Fame. — His Mysterious Disappearance.— Arrest of Web- ster at Night — Behavior in Court. — He Boldly Addresses the Jury.— Hung Near the Spot of His Birth • - 876 CONTENTS. 19 REIGN OF THE VIGILANCE COMMITTEE IN CALIFORNIA.— Revolution in the Admin- 1861 istration of Justice. — Powerlessness and Indifference of the Regular Authorities. — Robbery, Arson, and Murder, Alarmingly Prevalent. — The Committee’s Secret Chamber of Judgment. — Sudden Seiz ure and Trial of Noted Criminals. — Solemn Tolling of the Signal Bell. — Swift and Terrible Execu- tions. — Renovation of Society, 395 ASSAULT ON THE HON. CHARLES SUMNER, BY HON. PRESTON S. BROOKS.— 1856 Brought about by Sumner’s Great Kansas Speech for Free Soil and Free Labor. — Twenty Sudden and Terrible Blows, with a Solid Gutta Percha Cane, Dealt upon Mr. Sumner’s Bare Head. — He Staggers and Falls, Senseless, Gashed, and Bleeding. — His Three Years’ Illness. — Recovery. — Illus- trious Career, 437 ANARCHY IN THE UNITED STATES.— Anarchy.— Its Avowed Principles and Aims.— It 1886 Struggles Against Law and Order in Chicago, 111., and Milwaukee, Wis., and, for the First Time in the Western World, Tests the Strength of Republican Institutions. — Transplanting the Social Dis- ease from Europe to America. — Foreign Agitators Seek a Congenial Field in “ Freedom’s Land.” — Their Theories, Aims, and Methods. — Anti-Government Principles Loudly Proclaimed. — Destruc- tion of the State, Church, and Society. — Defiance of all Legal Restraint. — Red-Handed Schemes and Plottings. — Dynamite and Violence to be Employed. — How and Where the Bombs were Made. — Murderous Appeals to Workingmen. — Fatal Scene of Conflict Precipitated. — Dynamite Bombs Thrown Into the Police Ranks. — Their Heroic Fidelity to Duty. — Day and Night of Blood and Terror. — Horror and Indignation Throughout the Country. — Harvest of Death and Mu- tilation. — Arrest of Some of the Most Noted Leaders. — Their Conviction After a Two Months’ Trial. — Incidents Stated by Mr. Reid, a Deputy Sheriff. — Vindication of Law and Justice. — Justice of the Sentence Questioned by Some. — Life Imprisonment Urged. — Executions Amidst a Tumultu- ous Throng, 727 VIII. REMARKABLE REFORMS, DELUSIONS, AND EXCITEMENTS IN THE MORAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND RELIGIOUS WORLD, Etc. RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE MORMONS, or “LATTER DAY SAINTS,” UNDER 1830 JOSEPH SMITH, THE “PROPHET OF THE LORD.”— Smith the “Mohammed of the West.” — His Assumed Discovery of the Golden Plates of a New Bible-. — Secret History of this. Transac- tion. — Organization of the First Church. — Apostles Sent Forth and Converts Obtained in all Parts of the World. — Founding and Destruction of Nauvoo, the “ City of Zion.” — Smith’s Character and Bloody Death. — Brigham Young His Successor. — Removal to Utah, the “Promised Land,” . 214 BREAKING OUT OF THE TEMPERANCE REFORMATION.— First Temperance Society 1840 in the United States. — Origin, Rapid Spread, Influence, and Wonderful History of the Movement. — Enthusiasm Attending the “ Washingtonian ” Era. — Its Pioneers Rise from the Gutter to the Ros- trum and Sway Multitudes by their Eloquence. — Father Mathew’s Visit. — His 600,000 Converts. — Career of Hawkins, Mitchell, Gough, Dow, and Others. — Anecdotes of Washington.— General Tay- lor’s Whiskey-Jug. — Farragut’s Substitute for Grog, 276 EXPECTED DESTRUCTION OF THE WORLD.— Miller as a Man and Preacher.— His Ex- 1843 citing Prediction of the Second Advent of Christ. — The Speedy Fulfillment of the Latter-Day Bible Prophecies Boldly Declared. — Zealous Promulgation of His Views. — Scores of Thousands of Con- verts. — Public Feeling Intensely Wrought Upon. — Preparations by Many for the Coming Event. — The Passing of the Time. — Miller’s Apology and Defense. — His Calm and Happy Death, . 307 TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF FREE POPULAR EDUCATION.— An Experiment in Behalf 1844 of the Highest Civilization. — Condition of the Country Previous to such Efforts. — Early Scenes and Customs. — Public Law Invoked and Applied. — Impulse Given to the Work. — Progress and Results. — America in the Van. — Most Enlightened and Successful System in the World. — Female Educa- tion. — Colleges, Universities, etc. — A Very Modern Idea. — No National System of Education. — Un- dertaken by the Individual States. — Effect of Wise Legislation. — State Vieing with State. — School-houses in “ye olden time.” — The East and the West. — Wonderful Changes in Public Opinion, 667 SPIRITUAL KNOCKINGS AND TABLE-TIPPINGS.— Familiar Intercourse Claimed to be 1847 Opened Between Human and Disembodied Beings. — Alleged Revelations from the Unseen World. — Singular and Humble Origin, in a Secluded New York Village, of this Great Modern Wonder. — Its Development Among all Nations in all Lands. — Astonishing and Inexplicable Character of the Manifestations. — Theories of Explanation. — Investigations and Reports. — Views of Agassiz, Her- schel, and Other Scientists. — Press and Pulpit Discussions. — Tendency of the Phenomena. — Thirty Years’ History, 340 20 CONTENTS. THE "GREAT AWAKENING” IN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD.— Like a Mighty Rushing 1851 Wind, it Sweeps from the Atlantic to the Pacific. — Crowded Prayer Meetings Held Daily in Every City and Town, from the Granite Hills of the North to the Rolling Prairies of the West and the Golden Slopes of California. — Large Accessions, from all Classes, to the Churches of Every Name and Denomination. — The “ American Pentecost.” — Early American Revivals. — Moody and Sankey in Great Britain, in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston, etc. — Dr. Eranklin and Mr. White- field. — The Revival of 1857 Spontaneous. — No Leaders or Organizers. — Its Immediate Cause. — Uni- versal Ruin of Commerce. — Anxiety for Higher Interests. — All Days of the Week Alike. — Business Men in the Work. — Telegraphing Religious Tidings. — New York a Center of Influence. — Fulton Street Prayer Meeting. — Scenes in Burton’s Theater. — New Themes and Actors. — Countless Re- quests for Prayers. — A Wonderful Book. — Striking Moral Results. — Men of Violence Reformed. — Crime and Suicide Prevented. — Infidels, Gamblers, Pugilists. — Jessie Fremont’s Gold Ring. — “ Aw- ful ” Gardner’s Case 456 CONSECRATION OF THE FIRST CARDINAL IN THE UNITED STATES.— The Venera- 187 g ble Archbishop McCloskey, of New York, Selected by the Roman Pontiff, for this Great Office. — He becomes a Prince in the Church. — The Highest Ecclesiastical Appointment in the Catholic Hierarchy. — Reasons given for this Step. — Solemn Investiture, in the Cathedral, by Clerical Dignitaries from All Parts of the Country. — An Unparalleled Scene. — Illustrious Nature of this Office. — Special En- voy sent from .Rome. — Announcing the Event to the Archbishop. — Time of Public Recognition Assigned. — A Mighty Stream of Humanity. — Decorations of the Church. — Procession of Priests. — Incensing the Altars. — Sacred Vessels and Vestments. — Insignia Peculiar to this Rank. — The Scar- let Cap. — Profoundly Impressive Service. — Unprecedented on this Continent. — Imposing the Ber- retta. — Intoning and Chanting. — Official Letter from the Pope. — Use of the Latin Language. — In- spiring Strains of Music. — Incidents Attending the Ceremonial. — Pontifical Benediction by the Cardinal. — Retirement of tb e Cel# v *ants. — Dispersion of the Vast Throng 675 IX. POPULAR OVATIONS, NATIONAL JUBILEES, PAGEANTS, PEATS, Etc. VISIT OF LAFAYETTE TO AMERICA, AS THE GUEST OF THE REPUBLIC, AT 1824 THE INVITATION OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS AND OF PRESIDENT MONROE. — His Tpur of Five Thousand Miles through the Twenty-four States. — A National Ova- tion on the Grandest Scale. — Cities, States, Legislatures and Governors, Vie in their Demonstrations of Respect. — The Venerable Patriot Enters the Tomb and Stands beside the Remains of His Great Departed Friend, Washington. — Washington and Lafayette. — Noble Qualities of the Marquis. 186 BRILLIANT MUSICAL TOUR OF JENNY LIND, THE QUEEN OF SONG.— Twenty 1§50 Thousand Persons Welcome Her Arrival. — Transcendent Beauty and Power of Her Voice. — A Whole Continent Enraptured with Her Enchanting Melodies. — Pleasant Exhilaration of Feeling Throughout the Land by the Presence of the Fair Nightingale. — Honors from Webster, Clay and Other Dignitaries. — Her Praises Fill the Wide World. — The Vocal Prodigy of the Age. . . 386 THE GREAT INTERNATIONAL REGATTA AT COWES, ENGLAND.— The Yacht 1851 "America” Distances, by Nearly Eight Miles, the Whole Fleet of Swift and Splendid Competitors, and Wins “the Cup of all Nations.” — Grandest and Most Exciting Spectacle of the Kind Ever Known. — Queen Victoria Witnesses the Match. — Universal Astonishment at the Result. — Admira- tion Elicited by the “ America’s ” Beautiful Model and Ingenious Rig 403 RECEPTION OF GOVERNOR KOSSUTH, THE GREAT HUNGARIAN EXILE, AS 1851 THE INVITED GUEST OF THE NATION.— Splendid Military Pageant in New York, on His Arrival. — Welcomed and Banqueted by President Fillmore. — Received with Distinguished Official Honors on the Floor of Congress. — He Eloquently Pleads His Country’s Cause in All Parts of the Land. — Processions, Congratulatory Addresses, Acclamations, etc. — A True-Hearted Patriot, and Greatest Orator of the Day 412 EXHIBITION OF THE INDUSTRY OF ALL NATIONS, IN NEW YORK.— Construction 185* of the Crystal Palace, a Colossal Building of Glass and Iron. — Four Acres of Surface Covered with the Treasures of Art, Science and Mechanism, from Every Land. — Inauguration of the Enterprise by President Pierce. — Five Thousand Contributors. — Splendor of the Palace of Industry by Day ; Its Gorgeous Illumination at Night. — Beauty, Utility, Amusement. — The Grand Industries of Civil- ization. Lesson Taught by Such a Display. — Luster Reflected on America 421 CONTENTS. 21 GRAND EMBASSY FROM THE EMPIRE OF JAPAN, WITH A TREATY OF PEACE i860 AND COMMERCE, TO THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.— First Ambassadors Ever Sent from that Ancient Country to a Foreign Land. — Their Official Reception by President Bu- chanan, and Tour of Observation to the Chief Cities. — Public Interest Excited by this Extraordi- nary Mission. — Their Oriental Costume, Manners, Ceremonies, Etc. — Distinction Shown to Ameri- cans. — Character of the Embassy. — Headed by Eminent Princes. — Numerous and Brilliant Suite — Arrival at Washington — Procession to the Hotel. — Most Curious Spectacle. — How the Treaty was Carried. — Ceremonies at the White House — Salutations and Speeches. — Impressive International Scene. — Japanese Diplomacy. — Delivering the Tycoon’s Letter. — Appearance of the Ambassadors. — President Buchanan’s Opinion. — Humors and Drolleries — “ Tommy,” the Ladies’ Pet. — Gallantry to Miss Lane. — The Embassy at the Navy Yard. — Astonishment Expressed by Them. — Adieu to the President. — America’s Message to the Emperor 485 TOUR OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, ALBERT EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES, i860 THROUGH THE UNITED STATES. — Friendly Letters 'Between President Buchanan and Queen Victoria on the Subject. — The Prince’s First Entrance into American Waters. — Unbounded Hospi- talities Extended Him. — Hunting Excursions, Military Reviews, Balls, Illuminations, Etc. — Splendid Banquet at the White House. — England’s Appreciation of these Honors to Her Future King — Heir to the British Throne. — Arrival at Detroit, Chicago, etc. — Enthusiastic Crowds Greet Him. — His Way Completely Blocked Up. — On a Hunt : Fine Sportsman. — Receptions at Various Cities. — Lo- comotive Ride to Washington. — Guest of President Buchanan. — Courtesies and Ceremonials. — Visit to Mount Vernon. — At the Tomb of Washington — Unparalleled Historical Scene. — He Plants a Tree at the Grave — Rare Scenes in Philadelphia. — New York and Boston Festivities — Present from Trinity Church, New York. — Greatest Balls Ever Known — He Meets a Bunker Hill Veteran. — Impressions of America. — Incidents, Anecdotes, Interviews. — His Looks, Manners, Dress, Etc. — Brilliant Farewell at Portland. 498 ASTONISHING FEATS OF HORSE-TAMING PERFORMED BY MR. JOHN S. RAREY. 1861 — The Most Savage and Furious Animals Made Tractable as Lambs. — The Ferocious and Far- Famed “ Cruiser” Lies Docile at His Master’s Feet. — Acclamations of Wonder and Admiration by Crowded Audiences — Brilliant Honors from Monarchs and Courts Abroad — Philosophy of Mr. Rarey’s Method and Success. — Details of the System. — Mr. Rarey Personally 509 THE NATIONAL GRANGE MOVEMENT. — Popular Organizations in the Interests of Labor. 1872 — Changes Sought in the Relations between Producers and Consumers. — General Declaration of Principles and Aims. — A System of Universal Co-operation Proposed. — Results to be Realized by Such Combinations. — Patrons of Husbandry and Sovereigns of Industry. — Initiative Proceedings in 1867. — First Grange Founded in Washington, D. C. — Agriculture the Grand Basis. — Mutual Pro- tection and Advancement. — Small Encouragement at the Beginning. — Immense Growth in Five Years. — Activity in the West and South. — Social and Moral Aspects — Plan of Business Action.— Partisan Prejudices Disavowed — No Political Tests Involved. — Opinions of Eminent Leaders Cited. — Views of Foreign Publicists. — Vital Point in the New System. — Commercial and Financial Theo- ries. — Grain and Cotton Products. — Alleged Errors in Trade Customs. — Individual vs. Associated Efforts. — ‘ Middlemen ’ a Disadvantage. — Substitute for their Intervention. — The Case Illustrated. — Difficulties and Remedies 660 CENTENNIAL COMMEMORATION OF THE BIRTH OF THE REPUBLIC.— Year of 1876 Jubilee, Festival, and Pageant, throughout the Land — Prosperity, Power, and Renown of the Na- tion. — A Union of Nearly Forty Great Commonwealths and Forty Million People. —Anticipations of the Coming Anniversary. — Legislation by Congress for its Patriotic Observance. — A Grand Expo- sition of the Century’s Growth and Progress, the Principal Feature Decided Upon. — Vast Work of Preparation. — The Whole World at Peace, and all Countries and Climes in Sympathy with the Re- public and its Auspicious Era. — Ushering in the Year’s Ceremonials. — Every City, Town, and Vil- lage. Covered with Gay Streamers and Waving Flags. — Pomp, Parade, and Universal Fraternization. — Wondrous Microcosm of Civilization Concentrated at Philadelphia. — The Culminating Art and Skill of Sixty Centuries of Human Advancement, and the Products of Every Quarter of the Globe, Displayed in Their Richest Illustrations. — An Unprecedented Scene : President and Emperor Re- ceiving the Salutations of the American People. — Oratory, Music, Poetry, Bells, Illuminations, Can- non, Regattas, Banners, Hallelujahs, and Huzzas. — The Beauty, Utility, and Magnificence of the Orient and Occident, in Boundless Combinations. — The “ Glorious Fourth ” All Over the Land. — Congratulatory Letter from the Emperor of Germany 689 Signing the Declaration of Independ- ence (Frontispiece) Preface, --------- 7 The Opened Pages, ------ 9 Symbolical Head-piece, ----- 10 Genius of Art, - -- -- --22 Ringing of the Bell, July 4th, 1776, - 26 Hall of Independence, Philadelphia, 1776, - 27 Hoisting First Naval Flag, ----- 32 John Paul Jones; Portrait and Autograph, - 34 First American Naval Victory, - - 36 ■Wonderful Dark Day, May 19, 1780, - - 39 Traveling during the Dark Day, - 40 Change of Scene after the Dark Day, - - 44 The House where Cornwallis Surrendered - 65 Arnold’s Reward for Treason, - 48 Capture of Major Andre, ----- 50 General Arnold, with Autograph, 51 West Point in 1780, ------ 52 Arnold’s Head-quarters, ----- 53 Cornwallis’s Surrender, - 57 Cornwallis; Portrait and Autograph, - - 61 Washington’s Sword, ------ 63 The Washington Elm, Cambridge, Mass., - 65 Washington’s Resignation, - - - - 66 Amity between England and America, - - 70 George the Third; Portrait and Autograph, - 71 First Minister to England,— Reception of John Adams, ------ 73 John Adams; Portrait and Autograph, - - 74 Enrolling the Constitution, - 77 Convention at Philadelphia, 1787, - 79 Franklin Pleading for Pacification, 81 Washington’s Inauguration Bible, - 84 First Inauguration of a President, - 86 Presidential Mansion, 1789, - - - - 88 Presidential Mansion, 1876, - 88 Treating with the Indians, ----- 91 Wayne’s Defeat of the Indians, - - 93 Anthony Wayne; Portrait and Autograph, - 95 General St. Clair; Portrait and Autograph, - 96 “Little Turtle;” Portrait, - 97 Results of the Cotton-Gin, ----- 98 Eli Whitney’s Cotton-Gin, 1793, - - - 100 Eli Whitney; Portrait and Autograph, - - 102 Causes of the Whiskey Insurrection in Penn., 105 Famous Whiskey Insurrection in Pennsylvania, 106 David Bradford; Portrait, ----- 109 General Henry Lee; Portrait, - - - - 111 Washington, D. C., in 1876, - - - - 116 National Capitol in 1876, ----- 117 Symbolic Statue of America, on the U.S.Capitol, 117 Martha Washington; Portrait and Autograph, 120 Death of Washington, December 14, 1799, 122 George Washington, as Colonel, - 123 George Washington, General U. S. A., - - 124 George Washington, President of the United States; Portrait and Autograph, - - 124 Tomb of Washington, ------ 125 Scene of the Burr and Hamilton Duel, Wee- hawken, - -- -- -- - 131 Hamilton’s Tomb, ------ 127 Aaron Burr, with Autograph, - - - - 128 Alexander Hamilton with Autograph, - - 128 Total Solar Eclipse, in 1806, - - - 135 Progress of the Solar Eclipse, - - - - 136 Total Eclipse, in 1869, ----- 137 Eclipse, as seen in Brazil, ----- 140 Burr’s Flight, 142 Breaking up of Burr’s Expedition, - - 146 Burr and His Deluded Followers, - - - 146 Theodosia; Portrait and Autograph, - - 148 First Steam-boat on the Hudson, - - - 160 Robert Fulton; Portrait and Autograph, - 151 Fulton’s First Steam-boat, - - - 153 After the Earthquake, ----- 156 Scene of the Great Earthquake in the West, - 158 Earthquake scene in San Francisco, - 161 Perry’s Flag on Lake Erie, .... 163 Commodore Perry ; Portrait and Autograph, 165 Battle of Lake Erie,— Perry’s Victory, 167 General Harrison; Portrait and Autograph, - 170 American Defenses at New Orleans, - - 171 Andrew Jackson; Portrait and Autograph, - 174 Battle of New Orleans, — Jackson’s Terrific Slaughter of the British, - 176 Destruction by the Great Gale and Flood, - 178 The Ever-Memorable Gale, September 23, 1825, 180 Horrors of the Whirlwind throughout New England, ------- - 183 The Landing of Lafayette at New York, - 186 Lafayette; Portrait and Autograph, - - 188 Sword of Honor Presented to Lafayette, - 190 Lafayette’s Residence, ----- 191 Lafayette’s Birthplace, ----- 193 Lafayette’s Tomb, ------ 195 Preliminaries of the Code of Honor, - - 196 Henry Clay; Portrait and Autograph, - - 198 John Randolph; Portrait and Autograph, - 200 Dueling-Ground at Bladensburg, - - 202 The Victor’s Wreath, ------ 206 Robert Y. Hayne; Portrait, - - - - 207 Daniel Webster; Portrait, - - - - 209 Webster’s Reply to Hayne, - -212 ILLUSTRATIONS. 23 SUBJECT. SUBJECT. MO. PACK. iro. PAGE 99. Joseph Smith; Portrait and Autograph, 216 151. The Inventor Toiling in His Garret, 332 too. Brigham Young; Portrait and Autograph, - 218 152. Elias Howe, Jr.; Portrait and Autograph, 334 101. Mormon Temple, ------ 220 153. The Old and New: Sewing by Hand and 102. Salt Lake City, the Mormon Zion, - 221 Machine, ------- 336 103. Appeal of a Beautiful Girl to Gibbs to Spare 154. House in which Spiritual Rappings Originated , 340 her Life, - -- -- -- - 222 155. The Misses Fox; Portraits, - - - - 342 • 104. Pirate Gibbs; Portrait, ----- 224 156. D. D. Home; Portrait, - - - - 343 105. Gibbs Butchering the Crew of one of 167. Cora L. V. Hatch; Portrait, - - - - 345 his Prizes, ------- 226 158. Spiritual Autograph of Lord Bacon, 345 106. Meteoric Shower at Boston, - - - 228 159. A. J. Davis; Portrait, - - - - - 345 107. Meteoric Shower, as seen at Niagara Falls, - 230 180. Judge Edmonds; Portrait, - - - - 345 108. Remarkable Meteoric Display on the Missis- 161. Spiritual Autograph of Swedenborg. 345 »Ippi, 233 162. Storming of Chapultepec, - 347 109. The Preservation, ------ 236 163. President Polk; Portrait and Autograph 348 110. Attempted Assassination of President 164. General Taylor; Portrait and Autograph, 349 Jackson, ----- - - 238 165. Santa Anna; Portrait and Autograph, - 350 111. Bichard Lawrence; Portrait, - - - - 240 16 . General Scott; Portrait and Autograph, 351 112. Hanging the Telegraph Wire, - - - - 244 167. General Scott’s Grand Entrance into 113. The Original Telegraphic Instrument, 246 the Mexican Capital, - 352 114. Professor Morse; Portrait and Autograph, - 248 168. Lieutenant Lynch; Portrait and Autograph, 366 ' 115. Orders of Glory Conferred on Professor 169. Valley of the Jordan and Dead Sea, - 357 Morse, - -- -- -- - 250 170. Right Bank of the Dead Sea, - - - - 358 116. Monster Petition to Congress, - - - - 252 171. Mining Operations in California, - - - 300 117. John Quincy Adams; Portrait and Autograph, 254 172. Sutter’s Mill, where Gold was First 118. John Quincy Adams Defending the Discovered in 1848. ----- 362 Bight of Petition in Congress, - 258 173. John A. Sutter; Portrait, - - - - - 363 119. Safe Place for the Key to Public Funds, 263 175. James W. Marshall; Portrait, - - - 365 120. Thomas H. Benton; Portrait and Autograph, 265 175. Struck with the Cholera, - - - - - 368 121. Fac-Simile Copy of Expunging Resolution, - 267 176. Monument to the Victims of Cholera, - 370 122. Singular Form of Auroral Arch, - - - 269 177. Horrors of the Great Epidemic, - 372 123. Magnificent Aurora Borealis of No- 178. Professor Webster’s Murder Appliances, 376 vember 13 AND 14, 1837, ... - 271 179. Doctor Parkman; Portrait and Autograph, - 378 124. View of the Aurora Borealis in its early Stages, 274 180. Professor Webster; Portrait and Autograph, 380 125. Effect of the Temperance Reformation, 276 181. Professor Webster’s Cell in Prison, - 382 126. Signing the Pledge, ------ 279 182. Jenny Lind; Portrait and Autograph, - 388 127. Distinguished Temperance Advocates, 282 183. P. T. Barnum; Portrait and Autograph, 390 128. Exploring the North-west, - - - - 285 184. Jenny Lind’s Appearance at Castle Garden, 392 129. Planting American Flag on the Rocky Mount- 185. Double Execution in San Francisco, 395 ains, by Fremont, ------ 287 186. Seal of the California Vigilance Committee, 397 130. John C. Fremont; Portrait and Autograph, - 288 187. Executions by the Vigilance Commit- 131. Fremont on his Great Exploring Tour to the tee, in San Francisco, - 400 Far West and Rocky Mountains, 289 188. George Steers; Portrait, - - - - - 405 132. Mutiny on Board the United States Brig Som- 189. Yacht America; J. C. Stevens, Commo- ers; Hanging of the Ringleaders from the DORE, - -- -- -- - 407 Yard-arm, -------- 297 190. “ Cup of All Nations,” Won by the America, 409 133. The Black Flag Intended to be Raised on 191. United States Steamer Mississippi, convey- Board the United States Brig Somers, 291 ing Kossuth, ------- 412 134. Commodore MacKenzie, with Autograph, 293 192. Governor Kossuth; Portrait and Autograph, 414 135. Midshipman Spencer, with Autograph, - 295 193. Grand Military Reception of Govern- 136. View of the Comet when Nearest the Earth, 303 or Kossuth in New York, - 417 137. Appearance of the Comet in Full 194. Interior of the World’s Fair, New York, 421 Splendor, ------- 304 195. Theodore Sedgwick; Portrait and Autograph, 423 138. Telescopic View of the Comet, - - - 306 196. Crystal Palace of New York, for the 139. The Great Day Prophesied by the Second Exhibition of the Industries of All Adventists, ------- Nations, -------- 425 140. Symbolical Illustrations of the Sec- 197. Steamship, Arctic, ------ 429 ond Advent Prophecies, - - - - 309 198. Loss of the Collins Steamship Arctic 141. William Miller; Portrait and Autograph, 313 by Collision at Noonday in Mid- ~ 142. Stockton’s Great Gun, the “ Peacemaker/’ - 315 OCEAN, - -- -- -- - 433 143. President Tyler; Portrait and Autograph, - 316 199. Assault on Senator Sumner, by P. S. Brooks, 443 144. Secretary Gilmer; Portrait and Autograph, 318 200. Liberty for Kansas, ------ 437 145. Explosion of the Great Gun on Board the 201. Hon. Charles Sumner, with Autograph, 441 United States Steamship Princeton, - 319 202. Hon. P. S. Brooks, with Autograph, 444 146. Secretary Upshur; Portrait and Autograph, 320 203. Hon. A. P. Butler, with Autograph, 439 147. Commodore Stockton; Portrait and Auto- 204. Run on a Bank, ------- 447 graph, -- 322 205. Excitement in Business Circles during 148. Relieving Pain by the Use of Ether, - 324 the Great Panic, - 449 149. The Three Claimants of the Discovery of 206. Effects of the Hard Times, - 451 Painless Surgery, by Ether, - - - - 326 207. Book of Requests for Prayers, - - - - 456 190. Monument Erected in Honor of the 208. Group of Eminent Revival Preachers, dur- Discovery of Ether, ----- 330 ing the National Century, - 460 . 1 24 ILLUSTRATIONS. - 514 519 bUBJECT. WO. PAGE. 209. Dwight L. Moody ; Portrait , - - - - 464 210. Ira D. Sankey; Portrait, ----- 464 211. Revival Meetings, Moody and Sankey, 466 212. State Capital of Illinois, ----- 469 213. Debate between Lincoln and Douglas, 470 214. Stephen A. Douglas; Portrait and Autograph, 474 215. Petroleum Wells, ------ 476 216. Petroleum Wells in Pennsylvania, - - - 478 217. Process of Boring for Petroleum, - - - 479 218. Burning of One op the Great Oil Wells, 482 219. Japanese Box Containing the Treaty, - - 485 220. Reception op the Embassy prom Japan, 487 221. Ambassadors Simmi Boojsen Nokami and Mooragaki Awajsi Nokami, - 222. The Prince of Wales at Washington’s Tomb, 223. Prince of Wales ■, Portrait and Autograph, - 224. Ball Given to the Prince of Wales, 225. Flag of Fort Sumter after the Bombardment, 226. Major Anderson, with Autograph, - - - 227. General Beauregard, with Autograph, - 228. Interior of Fort Sumter after Bombardment, 229. “ Cruiser ” Untamed, ------ 230. John S. Rarey; Portrait, - - - - - 231. Mr. Rarey’s Method of Taming Horses, - 232. Monument on the Bull Run Battle-field, - 233. General McDowell; Portrait and Autograph, 264. General Johnson ; Portrait and Autograph, - 521 235. Battle of Bull Run, 523 236. Interior of the Tower of the Monitor, - - 626 287. Com. Buchanan ; Portrait and Autograph, - 628 238. Combat between the Merrimac and Monitor, 531 239. Lieut. Worden ; Portrait and Autograph, - 533 240. Burying the Dead at Antietam, - - - 535 241. General McClellan; Portrait and Autograph, - 637 242. General Burnside; Portrait and Autograph, - 538 243. Battle op Antietam, ----- 539 244. General “ Stonewall ” Jackson; Portrait, - 540 245. General Hooker; Portrait and Autograph, - 541 246. Pen used in Signing the Proclamation, - - 544 247. Secretary Seward; Portrait and Autograph, - 545 248. Secretary Stanton; Portrait and Autograph, 546 249. President Lincoln; Portrait and Autograph, 547 250. Proclamation op Emancipation, - - 549 251. Operations at Vicksburg, ----- 554 252. General J. C. Pemberton, ----- 556 253. Siege at Vicksburg by General Grant, 557 254. General McPherson; Portrait, - - - - 559 255. Interview between Grant and Pemberton, - 660 256. General Meade’s Head-quarters, - - - 563 257. General Meade, with Autograph, - - - 565 268. Battle of Gettysburg, ------ 567 259. General Longstreet, with Autograph, - - 569 260. Soldiers’ Monument at Gettysburg, 261. Henry Ward Beecher; Vignette Portrait, 262. Beecher Depending the American Union, in Exeter Hall, London, - 263. Mr. Beecher’s Church, Brooklyn, N. V., 264. Merchant Vessel burned by the Alabama, 265. Captain Semmes, with Autograph, - 266. Captain Winslow, with Autograph, - 267. Contest between the Kearsarge and Alabama, 587 268. Farragut’s Flag-Ship, “ Hartford,” - - • 590 269. Admiral Farragut, ------ 591 270. Admiral Porter, ------- 691 271. Admiral Foote, - - - - , - - 691 272. Admiral Dupont, ------- 591 273. Admiral Farragut’s Victory in Mobile Bay, - 594 274. Head-quarters Atlanta, Ga., - - - - 598 275. General Sherman; Portrait and Autograph, - 600 276. Sherman’s Grand March through the South, 602 277. General Lee’s Surrender to Lieut. Gen. Grant, 607 571 575 - 585 SUBJECT. PASE. Richmond Entered by the Union Army, - 610 Lincoln’s Early Home, ----- 617 Ford’s Theater at Washington, - - - 618 Assassination op President Lincoln, - 620 House where Lincoln died, - - - - 621 J. Wikes Booth; Portrait and Autograph, - 622 Lincoln’s Residence at Springfield, 111., - - 623 Sergeant Boston Corbett; Portrait, - - - 624 Burial Place of Lincoln, ----- 626 Section of the Atlantic Cable, - - - - 629 Cyrus W. Field; Portrait and Autograph, - 631 Arrival of the Great Eastern with Cable, - 635 Mountain Scene on the Pacific Railroad, - 648 Completion of the Pacific Railroad, - , 641 Traveler’s Dependence in Olden Times, - - 645 Locomotive “ Rocket,” ----- 646 Locomotive of To-day, ----- 647 Original Steam Car, ------ 648 Modern Railway Car, ------ 649 Metropolitan Elevated Railroad, N.Y., 652 Mr. Ogden’s House Untouched in the Midst of the Great Fire, 653 Burning of Chicago, Oct. 8 and 9, 1871, - 657 Emblem of Industry; Vignette, - - - 660 Symbols of Co-operative Labor Organizations, 662 Spirit of the Grange Movement, - - 664 The School-house as it was, - - - 667 Yale College in 1784, 668 Old King’s College, ------ 668 First Harvard College, ----- 668 North-Western University, - - - - 669 Normal School, New York, - - - - 670 View of Yale College Grounds, - - - - 672 View of Harvard College Grounds, - - - 673 The Great Catholic Cathedral, New York, - 675 Archbishop McCloskey; Portrait, - - - 676 Consecration of the First American Cardinal, ------- 678 Electric Lamp, - - - - - - -681 Electric Light at Sea, ----- 683 Thomas A. Edison, with Autograph, - - 684 The Phonograph, ------ 685 House in which Jefferson wrote the Declara- tion of Independence, - - - - 689 Opening of the Centennial Exhibition, 691 The Corliss Engine, ------ 692 Exhibition Buildings in Philadelphia, 694 Independence Hall, July 4, 1876, - - 695 Union Square, New York, July 4, 1876, - 697 Reading The Original Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1876, - - - 699 Entrance of the N. Y. 7th Regiment, - - 701 State Avenue, at the Centennial, - - - 702 Woman’s Pavilion, at the Centennial, - - 703 The Tunisian Tent, at the Centennial, - - 704 All Hail to the Hereafter! - - - 706 Flag of the German Empire, - - - - 707 Emperor William, with Autograph, - - 707 Assassination of President Garfield, - 709 View of Garfield’s Home at Mentor, - - 710 Portrait of Mrs. Garfield, - - - - 711 Portrait of Prest. Garfield’s Mother, - - 714 Portraits of Drs. Agnew, Hamilton and Bliss, 716 Francklyn Cottage, Elberon, - - - 717 Portrait of President Garfield, - - - 718 Death of President Garfield, - - - - 720 Body Lying in State in the Capitol Rotunda, 722 Viewing the Remains at Cleveland, O., - - 724 Receiving Vault, ------ 725 Lake View Cemetery, - 726 “ Victoria’s ” Floral Offering, - - - - 726 I. BIRTH OF THE NEW REPUBLIC.— 1776. Declaration of American Independence and National Sovereignty, July Fourth, 1776. — The Gauntlet of Defiance thrown at the Feet of the British Empire by Her Youngest Colonies. — Vast Disparity, in Power and Resources, between the Contestants. — The whole World looks on Astonished. — Seven Years’ Bloody and Desolating War. — The American Cause Triumphant. — Grandest Modern Event. — America Resists Unjust Taxation. — Haughty Obstinacy of King George. — Burning Eloquence of Pat- rick Henry. — His Summons, “ We Must Fight.” — Washington Endorses this Sentiment. — Determina- tion of the People. — War Preferred to Submission. — Momentous Action by Congress. — Separation from England Decreed. — Effect of the Act in America. — Its Reception in England. — Excitement of the King and Court. — Lord Chatham, America’s Advocate. — His Passionate Change of Views. — Scorch- ing Speech against the Colonies. — He is Struck Dead while Speaking. — Magnanimity of Burke and Fox. — Recognition from France Secured. — Her Timely Aid in the Struggle. — Victories over the British Armies. — England Gives Up the Contest. — World wide Welcome to the New Nation. “ It will be celebrated by succeeding generations, as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to Almighty God. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with *hows. games, sports, guns, bells, bon- fires, and illuminations, from one end of the continent to the other, from this time forth, forevermore. ’— John Adams. NE HUNDRED YEARS ago, namely, on the Fourth of July, 1776, there was horn in the western world a New Nation, — the Re- public of the United States. Defiance to tyrants was emblazoned in empyreal light upon her brow, and Freedom and Justice were the frontlets between her eyes. Mon- archs, crowned with kingly dia- dems, stood awed at the august manifesto, and at the solemn ar- raignment of King George before the judgment of mankind, and parliaments and cabinets started in dismay to their feet ; but the People, as they descried the eagle of Liberty spreading her wings, and soaring proudly aloft, breath- ed freer and took stronger heart, as the clear ring of her voice sounded through the air, declar- ing, with grandly rounded enun- ciation, that “ all men are created KINGING OF THE BELL, JUL'f 4, 1776. equal.” Refusing to pay the tribute of taxation arbitrarily imposed upon them at the point of the bayonet by the British crown, — 26 BIRTH OF THE failing, too, to move the king and his min- isters from their career of haughty and reckless obstinacy, — the thirteen American colonies found themselves reduced to the alternative of abject submission to their so-called royal masters, or of armed resist- ance. Already there had flashed through- out the country the electric words of Pat- rick Henry, “We must fight ! An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us. I repeat it, sir, we must fight!” And as the blood of patriot hearts had now flowed freely and bravely at Concord, and Lexington, and Bunker Hill, Washington declared, in words of solemn emphasis and characteristic brevity, “ Nothing short of Independence, it ap- pears to me, can possibly do.” He also warmly approved and commended Paine’s pamphlet, “ Common Sense,” written to this end. The sons of liberty shouted their responsive acclaim to this manly summons from the great American soldier — Wash- ington — and, like the sound of many wa- ters, the spirit of national independence which thus possessed the people came upon the continental congress, then in session in the state-house at Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania. It was in this temple of freedom, where- in was sitting as noble and august a legis- lative body as the world ever saw, that Richard Henry Lee introduced a resolu- tion, on the 7th of June, 1776, declaring, “ That the United Colonies are and ought to he free and independent States, and that their political connection with Great Brit- ain is and ought to be dissolved.” Upon this resolution there sprang up at once an earnest and powerful debate. It was op- posed, principally, on the ground that it was premature. Some of the best and strongest advocates of colonial rights spoke and voted against the motion, which at last was adopted only by a vote of seven States in its favor to six against. Some of the delegates had not received definite instruc- tions from their constituents, and others had been requested to vote against it. Its further consideration was accordingly post- poned until there was a prospect of greater NEW REPUBLIC. unanimity. On the eleventh of June, therefore, a committee was appointed to draft a formal Declaration ; this commit- tee consisting of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas J efferson, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston. On the twenty-eighth of June, the com- mittee made their report, and presented the Declaration which they had drawn up. The first or original draft was penned by Mr. Jefferson, chairman of the committee. On the second of July, congress proceeded to the serious consideration of this mo- mentous paper; the discussion, as to the tone and statements characterizing the document, and the propriety of adopting at that time a measure so decisive, lasted for nearly three days, and was extremely earnest. It was so powerfully opposed by some of the members, that Jefferson com- pared the opposition to “ the ceaseless ac- tion of gravity, weighing upon us by night and by day.” Its supporters, however, were the leading minds, and urged its adoption with masterly eloquence and abil- ity. John Adams, Jefferson asserts, was “ the colossus in that debate,” and “ fought fearlessly for every word of it.” The bond which was formed between those two great men on this occasion seems never to have been completely severed, both of them finally expiring, with a sort of poetic jus- tice, on the fiftieth anniversary of the act which constituted their chief glory. Well and truly did the mighty patriot Adams characterize this event as the most memorable epoch in the history of Amer- ica. “ I am apt to believe,” said he, “ that it will be celebrated by succeeding genera- tions, as the great anniversary festival. It ought to he commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to Almighty God. It ought to he solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illumina- tions, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forth forever- more ! ” The result has equaled the great patriot’s wishes. Tradition gives a dra- matic effect to its announcement. It was known, throughout the city, that the great BIRTH OF THE NEW REPUBLIC. event was to be determined that day, by the last formal acts ; but the closed doors of congress excluded the populace from witnessing the august assembly or its pro- ceedings, though thousands of anxious citizens had gathered around the building, eager to hear the words of national des- tiny soon to be officially proclaimed. From the hour when congress eame together in the forenoon, all business was suspended throughout the city, and the old bellman steadily remained at his post in the steeple, prepared to sound forth to the waiting multitudes the expected glad tidings. He had even stationed a boy at the door of the hall below, to give immediate signal of the turn of events. This bell, manufactured 27 felt such a professional pride, the electri- fied old patriot rung forth such a joyous peal as was never heard before, nor ceased to hurl it backward and forward, till every voice joined in its notes of gladness and triumph. The roar of cannon, and illu- minations from every house and hill-top, added to these demonstrations of uni- versal rejoicing. And this was the type of that exultation which everywhere manifested itself, as the news spread with lightning rapidity from city to city and from State to State. Every American patriot regarded the declaration by congress as the noble performance of an act which had become inevitable ; and the paper itself as the complete vindica- HALL OF INDEPENDENCE, PHILADELPHIA, 1776. in England, bore upon its ample curve the now prophetic inscription, “Proclaim lib- erty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” Hours passed on, and fear began to take the place of hope in many a heart ; even the venerable and always cheerful bellman was overheard in his despondent soliloquy, “ They will never do it! they will never do it!” Finally, at about two o’clock in the afternoon, the door of the mysterious hall swung open, and a voice exclaimed, “Passed! — it has passed ! ” The word was caught up by ten thousand glad mouths, and the watch-boy now clapped his hands and shouted, “ Ring ! Ring ! ” Seizing the iron tongue of the bell in which he had long tion of America before the bar of public opinion throughout the world. When it was read by the magistrates and other functionaries, in the cities and towns of the whole nation, it was greeted with shouts, bonfires, and processions. It was read to the troops, drawn up under arms, and to the congregations in churches by ministers from the pulpit. Washington hailed the declaration with joy. It is true, it was but a formal recognition of a state of things which had long existed, but it put an end to all those temporizing hopes of reconciliation which had clogged the military action of the country. On the ninth of July, therefore, Washington caused it to be read at six o’clock in the BIRTH OF THE NEW REPUBLIC. 2S evening, at the head of each brigade of the army. “ The general hopes,” said he in his orders, “that this important event will serve as a fresh incentive to every officer and soldier, to act with fidelity and courage, as knowing that now the peace and safety of his country depend, under God, solely on the success of our arms ; and that he is now in the service of a State, possessed of sufficient power to re- ward his merit, and advance him to the highest honors of a free country.” The troops listened to the reading of this with eager attention, and at its close broke forth in tumultuous applause. The excitable populace of New York were not content with the ringing of bells and the other usual manifestations of public joy. There was a leaden eques- trian statue of George the Third in the Bowling Green, in front of the fort. Around this kingly effigy the excited mul- titude, surging hither and thither, unit- edly gathered, and pulling it down to the ground, broke it into fragments, which fragments were afterwards conveniently molded into bullets and made to do service against his majesty’s troops. Some of the soldiers and officers of the American army having joined in this proceeding, Wash- ington censured it, as having much the appearance of a riot and a want of disci- pline, and the army was ordered to abstain, in the future, from all irregularities of the kind. In Boston, that citadel of radical insub- ordination to “his majesty,” the public joy knew no bounds, and even the British prisoners were courteously summoned to witness the spirit with which a brave peo- ple, determined to be free, dared to defy the British throne. On the seventeenth of July the British officers on parole re- ceived each a card from the governor, re- questing the honor of said officer’s attend- ance at a specified hour on the morrow, in the town hall. As rumors were pretty well afloat, however, touching the decided step that had been taken at Philadelphia, the officers were not without a suspicion as to the purport of the meeting, and hesi- tated for a while as to the consistency of giving the sanction of their presence to a proceeding which they could not but re- gard as traitorous. Curiosity, however, got the better of these scruples, and it wa3 resolved, after a brief consultation, that the invitation ought to be accepted. On entering the hall, the king’s officers found it occupied by ‘ rebellious ’ function- aries, military, civil, and ecclesiastical, and among whom the same good humor and excitement prevailed as among the throng out of doors. The British officials were received with great frankness and cordi- ality, and were allotted such stations as enabled them to witness the whole cere- mony. Exactly as the clock struck one, Colonel Crafts, who occupied the chair, rose, and, silence being obtained, read aloud the declaration, which announced to the world that the tie of allegiance which had so long held Britain and her North American colonies together, was forever separated. This being finished, the gen- tlemen stood up, and each, repeating the words as they were spoken by an officer, swore to uphold, at the sacrifice of life, the rights of his country. Meanwhile, the town clerk read from a balcony the solemn declaration to the collected multitude ; at the close of which, a shout began in the hall and passed like an electric spark to the streets, which now rang with loud huz- zas, the slow and measured boom of can- non, and the rattle of musketry. The batteries on Fort Hill, Dorchester Neck, the castle, Nantasket, and Long Island, each saluted with thirteen guns, the artil- lery in the town fired thirteen rounds, and the infantry scattered into thirteen divis- ions, poured forth thirteen volleys, — all corresponding to the number of states which formed the Union. There was also a municipal banquet, at which speeches were made and toasts drank ; and in the evening a brilliant illumination of the houses. In Virginia, the proclamation of inde- pendence was greeted with that same ardor of enthusiasm which for so many years had characterized the people of that BIRTH OF THE NEW REPUBLIC. 29 ancient commonwealth, in the course of political freedom. In South Carolina, too, the declaration was read to the assembled multitudes, amid the greatest rejoicings, — public addresses, military and civic proces- sions, bands of music, firing of cannon, and kindred demonstrations of popular favor. In all the colonies, indeed, the declaration was hailed as the passing away of the old w'wld and the birth of the new. But the declaration, though it thus solemnly inaugurated a new nation and made the colonies, for the time, the theater of patriotic jubilee, involved startling per- ils and imposed momentous duties ; for it was a defiant challenge to combat thrown by a mere province in the face of the most colossal power in all Christendom. This important paper commences with stating that, “ When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to as- sume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal stations to which the laws of Nature, and of Nature’s God, en- title them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should de- clare the causes which impel them to the separation.” The causes are then stated, and a long enumeration of the oppressions complained of by America is closed by saying that “ a prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.” History may be searched in vain for words so bold and scathing, used by a colony against a powerful sovereign. The fruitless appeals which had been made to the people of Great Britain are also recounted, but “ they too,” concludes this declaration, u have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in vvar, in peace friends.” Then comes the portentous conclusion — “We, therefore, the representatives of L___ the United States of America, in general congress assembled, appealing to the Su- preme Judge for the rectitude of our inten- tions, do, in the name, and by the author- ity 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 independ- ent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and 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 mutu- ally pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” In the whole country, however, between New England and the Potomac, which was now to become the great theater of action, although a vast majority was in favor of independence, there existed an influential number, who not only refused to act with their countrymen, but were ready to give information and aid to the enemy. Most of these tories were wealthy and haughty, and rendered themselves ex- tremely unpopular. Laws passed by the new State authorities had subjected these persons to fines and imprisonments, and their property to confiscation. They en- dured many outrages, and were treated to “tarrings and feathering ” innumerable, by the more violent among the angry pop- ulace. To prevent these outrages, con- gress gave the supervision of tories to committees of inspection. Many of these obnoxious families finally left the country, and in course of time the tory element was eradicated or completely silenced. Scarcely less interesting and important is the character of the reception which this remarkable document met on its ar- rival in England. Of the noble band of American patriots who had been chosen to deliberate and act for the best good of the BIKTH OF THE NEW REPUBLIC. oppressed colonies, and who, preceding the final act of the declaration of independ- ence, had sent forth the most magnani- mous appeals to Britain’s sense of justice, * — of these men and their works, there had gone forth one of the grandest eulogies from the elder Pitt (Lord Chatham), the greatest of Britain’s statesmen, who, in his place in parliament, dared to say — '‘I must declare and avow that in all my reading and study — and it has been my favorite study ; I have read Thucydi- des, and have studied and admired the master states of the world — that, for so- lidity of reasoning, for force of sagacity, and wisdom of conclusion, under such a complication of circumstances, no nation or body of men can stand in preference to the general congress of Philadelphia.” But when, a few years after, it was pro- posed, by the British prime minister, to conciliate the exasperated colonies by treat- ing them as a people possessing certain independent rights and powers, Pitt showed the exalted estimation in which he held the rebellious colonies as part of the British realm, by opposing such a course, in a speech of almost dramatic power and effect, and from which, owing to the exhaustion it produced in his own shattered system, the great peer and ora- tor almost immediately died. In France, the declaration oi independ- ence by the American colonies was greeted with secret satisfaction by the court and rulers, and aroused to universal gladness the popular heart. Reviewing the scene and its actors, one of the most brilliant and popular orators of that intrepid nation was led to say: “With what grandeur, with what enthusiasm, should I not speak of those generous men who erected this grand edifice by their patience, their wis- dom, and their courage ! Hancock, Frank- lin, the two Adamses, were the greatest actors in this affecting scene; but they were not the only ones. Posterity shall know them all. Their honored names shall be transmitted to it by a happier pen than mine. Brass and marble shall show them to remotest ages. In behold- 1 ing them, shall the friend of freedom feel his heart palpitate with joy — feel his eyes float in delicious tears. Under the bust of one of them has been written, ‘ He wrested thunder from heaven and the scepter from tyrants.’ Of the last words of this eulogy shall all of them partake.” Still more preg- nant were the words of the great Mira- beau, as, citing the grand principles of the American Declaration, from his place in the National Assembly, “I ask,” he said, “ if the powers who have formed alliances with the States have dared to read that manifesto, or to interrogate their con- sciences after the perusal ? I ask whether there be at this day one government in Europe — the Helvetic and Batavian con- federations and the British isles excepted — which, judged after the principles of the Declaration of Congress on the fourth of July, 1776, is not divested of its rights !” For more than a year, commissioners from congress, at the head of whom was Dr. Franklin, resided at the court of France, urging upon that government to acknowledge the independence of the- United States. But the success of the American struggle was regarded, as yet, too doubtful, for that country to embroil herself in a war with Great Britain. But that great event, the capture of the British army at Saratoga, seemed to increase the probability that the American arms would finally triumph, and decided France to espouse her cause. The aid which France now brought to the Americans was of great importance. It is even doubtful whether the colonies, without her contri- butions of money, navy, and troops, would have been able to resist Britain with final success ; at least, the struggle must have been greatly prolonged. To this inter- vention, however, France was inclined, by her own hostility to England, whom she delighted to see humbled, especially by a people struggling for independence. Fi- nally, after the surrender of Cornwallis to General Washington, the French court pressed upon congress the propriety of ap- pointing commissioners for negotiating peace with Great Britain. In accordance BIRTH OF THE with this advice, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and Henry Laurens, were appointed. The commissioners met Messrs. Fitzherbert and Oswald, on the part of Great Britain, at Paris, and provi- sional articles of peace between the two countries were there signed, November thirtieth, 1782 ; the definitive treaty being signed on the third of September, 1783. Holland acknowledged the independence of the United States in 1782 ; Sweden, in February, 1783; Denmark, in the same month ; Spain, in March ; Russia, in July. And thus, the Republic of the United States of America became an inde- pendent power among the nations of the earth. It was not unknown to the wise and venerable enactors of the Declaration, that their signatures to such an instrument would be regarded in England as an act of treason, rendering them liable to the halter or the block. In the full apprecia- tion of all this, every man of them placed his name upon the immortal parchment. The only signature which indicates a NEW REPUBLIC. 31 trembling hand, is that of Stephen Hop- kins, but this was owing to a nervous affection; for, so resolute was ho in con- gress, that, when some of the members suggested a hope of reconciliation, Mr. Hopkins replied, that “the time had come when the strongest arm and the longest sword must decide the contest, and those members who were not prepared for action had better go home.” The boldest signa- ture is that of John Hancock, he whom the British had excepted in their offers of pardon, as one “whose offenses are of too flagitious a nature to admit of any other consideration but that of condign punish- ment.” The number who signed the Dec- laration was fifty-six; and the average length of their lives was about sixty-five years. Carpenters’Hall — or Independence Hall — in Philadelphia, where these tre- mendous scenes transpired, is still one of the places which every American looks upon with patriotic pride ; for within that temple was born a Nation, in whose des- tiny were wrapped the interests of Liberty and Civilization to the end of time. II. FIRST AMERICAN NAVAL VICTORY.— 1779. John Paul Jones, Commanding the Bon Homme Richard, Fights and Captures King George’s Power iul Ship-of-war, the Serapis, in British Waters. — Crowds of Spectators Line the English Coast. — The Most Sanguinary Battle Ever Fought Between Single Ships. — Jones is Hailed as “The Washington of the Seas.” — World-wide Interest of this Combat. — Commodore Jones’s Early Career. — Offers his Services to Congress. — Appointed a Naval Lieutenant. — Joins the Continental Fleet. — The First to Hoist its Ensign. — Style and Motto of the Flag. — Sails from France on a Cruise. — Terror Created by his Movements. — Characteristic Anecdotes. — Two British Frigates in Sight. — Jones Ready for Bloody Work. — The Ships Muzzle to Muzzle. — Superiority of the Serapis. — A Most Deadly Contest. — Both Vessels on Fire. — Jones Attacked by Another Foe. — One of his Vessels Treacherous. — Remarkable Scenes. — Britain’s Flag Struck to America. — An Act Without Precedent. — Sinking of the Victori- ous Vessel. “ The most obstinate and bloody battle in the annals of naval warfare.”— J. Fenimore Cooper. ITCH an exploit as that performed by John Paul' Jones, in 1779, by which, in plain sight of the English coast, he flung to the breeze the gallant ensign of the United States, and, with Britons as wit- nesses of his daring, fought, victoriously, a battle which has always been spoken of as the most obstinate and sanguinary combat that ever occurred between single ships, can never be read, of by Ameri- cans with other than the deepest and most enthusiastic interest. The victory came, too, at one of the darkest hours In the revolutionary cam- , paign, and served to gladden and encourage, for the time being, the de- ll spondent hearts of honest patriots. The vaunted invincibleness of the .jifcAL British navy became a by-word of contumely, the world over, from the time Jones nailed his flag to the mast, and, under the calm sky and round harvest moon of September, dealt forth a storrr- of death and desolation upon the enemies of his adopted coun- try. The action may well be pronounced one of the most terrible on record, from its unusual duration for a naval bat- tle, from the ferocity which the combatants displayed, and from the proximity of the two vessels, the muzzles of the ships’ batteries almost reaching into each other’s port-holes. John Paul was born in Scotland, on the sixth day of July, 1747, and the scenery and associations of his birth- place — Arbigland — and its vicinity, doubtless encouraged that restless spirit of adventure and love of change, as well as that ardent enthusiasm in the objects of his pur- suit, which so strikingly characterized his career through life. . At the age of twelve, he was apprenticed to a merchant hoisting first naval flag, of Whitehaven, who carried on a considerable trade with FIRST AMERICAN NAVAL VICTORY. the American colonies. His first voyage was made before he was thirteen years old, being to Virginia, where his elder brother was established as a planter. He was after- ward engaged for a short time in the slave trade, which he left in disgust, and made a number of voyages to the West Indies. In 1773, John Paul removed to Virginia, to attend to the affairs of his brother, who had died childless and intestate. He now, for some unknown reason, assumed the ad- ditional surname of Jones, and which he retained through life. At the commence- ment of the revolutionary conflict, his feel- ings became warmly enlisted in the cause of the colonies, and this spirit fully pre- pared him for the active part he soon un- dertook in their behalf. An offer of his services, which he made to the colonies, was accepted, and, on the twenty-second of December, 1775, by a resolution of con- gress, he was appointed lieutenant in the American navy. It was Lieutenant Jones who hoisted, with his own hands, the first American naval flag on board the American frigate Alfred, the flag-ship, the national ensign being thus for the first time displayed from a man-of-war. The circumstances attend- ing this interesting occasion are stated to have been as follows : The Alfred was an- chored off the foot of Walnut street, Phila- delphia. On a brilliant morning, early in February, 1776, gay streamers were seen fluttering from every mast-head and spar on the river Delaware. At nine o’clock, a full-manned barge thridded its way among the floating ice to the Alfred, bearing the commodore. He was greeted by the thun- ders of artillery and the shouts of a multi- tude. When he reached the deck of the flag-ship, Captain Salstonstall gave a sig- nal, and Lieutenant Jones gallantly pulled the ropes which wafted the new flag mast- head high. It was of yellow silk, bearing the figure of a pine tree, and the signifi- cant device of a rattlesnake in a field of thirteen stripes, with the ominous legend, 11 Don't tread on me!" This memorable act, it was J ones’s high honor and privilege to perform when in his twenty-ninth year ; 33 an honor, too, of which, as events aiterward proved, he was fully worthy. On the fourteenth of August, 1779, Jones sailed from the roadstead of Groix, France, in command of a small squadron, consisting of the Bon Homme Richard, forty-two guns, the Alliance, thirty-six guns, the Pallas, thirty-two guns, the Cerf, twenty-eight guns, and the Vengeance, twelve guns. Two privateers afterwards joined them, but did not continue with them till the end of the cruise. The efficiency of the expedi- tion was marred by a want of subordination on the part of some of the officers, who do not appear to have been willing to yield prompt obedience to orders. Captain Lan- dais, of the Alliance, habitually disregarded the signals and orders, throughout the cruise, and, towards the close, committed acts of open hostility to his superior. But, notwithstanding the difficulties against which he had to contend, Jones inflicted great damage on the enemy; he coasted Ireland, England, and Scotland, making many prizes, and carrying terror wherever he appeared. But the action which gave the most dis- tinguishing renown to Jones’s brilliant ca- reer, and which so early gave prestige to American prowess on the ocean, is that of which a detailed account is given below : It was about noon, on the twenty-third of September, 1779, a fleet of over forty sail appeared off Flamborough Head, on the coast of Yorkshire, and Jones at once gave up the pursuit of a vessel in whose track he was just then following, with all possible speed, and made signals for a gen- eral chase. The sails in sight were a fleet of English merchantmen, under convoy of the ships-of-war Serapis and Scarborough, and as soon as they saw themselves pur- sued they ran in shore, while their convoys that protected them bore off from the land and prepared for an engagement. The Bon Homme Richard set every stitch of canvas, but did not come into fighting po- sition toward the enemy until about seven o’clock in the evening, at which time, from the darkness having set in somewhat, ob- jects on the water were dimly discerned. 34 FIRST AMERICAN NAVAL VICTORY. though not with such difficulty as would have been the case had not the moon shone forth with great brightness, and the weather proved serene and beautiful. When within pistol-shot, the hail from the Serapis, “What ship is that?” was answered, “ I can’t hear you.” Captain Pearson says the answer was, “ The Prin- cess Royal.” A second hail was answered by a thundering broadside from the bat- teries of the Richard, — a signal that in- dicated a hot and bloody encounter at hand, as the sequel soon proved. The American ship, it may here be re- marked, was much inferior to her antag- onist, being, in fact, an old vessel, clumsy, and unmanageable. She carried six eighteen-pounders on the lower gun deck, fourteen twelve-pounders and fourteen nine-pounders on the middle gun deck, two six-pounders on the quarter-gun deck, two six-pounders on the spar deck, one six-pounder in each gangway, and two six-pounders on the forecastle. She was manned by three hundred and eighty men and boys. The Serapis, on the other hand, was a new ship, built in the best manner, and with a much heavier arma- ment. She mounted twenty eighteen- pounders on her lower gun deck, twenty / nine-pounders on her upper gun deck, six / six-pounders on her quarter deck, four six-pounders on the forecastle ; and she had a crew of some three hundred and twenty men. Captain Cottineau, of the Pallas, en- gaged the Scarborough, and took her, after an hour’s action, while the Bon Homme Richard engaged the Serapis. In the earlier part of the action, the superior sailing qualities of the Serapis enabled her to take several advantageous positions, which the seamanship of Paul Jones, hampered by the unmanageable character of his craft, did not enable him to prevent. Thus he attempted to lay his ship athwart the enemy’s bows, but the bowsprit of the Serapis sweeping over the Richard’s poop, was grappled and lashed, and her stern swung round to the bow of the Bon Homme Richard by the action of the wind ; the vessels lay yard-arm and yard- arm, the muzzles on either side actually touching the enemy. But long before this, many of the eighteen-pound shot of the Serapis had entered the Richard’s hull be- low the water-mark, and she leaked in a, threatening manner. Just before they closed, Commodore Pearson hailed his ad- versary: “Has your ship struck?” “1 haven’t begun to fight yet 1 ” thundered forth the brave Jones, in reply. A novelty in naval combats \vas now presented to many witnesses, but few ad- mirers, — says Lieutenant Dale, who par- ticipated in the conflict, — the rammers being run into the respective ships to en- able the men to load after the lower ports of the Serapis had been blown away, to make room for running out their guns, and in this situation the ships remained until between ten and twelve o’clock, P. M. From the commencement to the termination of the action, there was not a man on board the Richard who was igno- rant of the superiority of the Serapis, both in weight of metal, and in the qualities of the crew. The crew of that ship were picked seamen, and the ship itself had been only a few months off the stocks; whereas the crew of the Richard consisted of part Americans, English and French, and a part of Maltese, Portuguese, and Ma- lays, these latter contributing by their want of naval skill and knowledge of the English language, to depress rather than encourage any reasonable hope of success in a combat under such circumstances. FIRST AMERICAN NAVAL VICTORY. 36 One of the most disheartening facts in the early part of the action, was the silenc- ing of the battery of twelve-pounders, on which Jones had placed his principal de- pendence. Brave and dauntless sailor as he was, Jones stuck to his little battery, and stimu- lated his men with word and example. While one of the nine-pounders vomited double-headed shot against the mainmast of the Serapis, the two others swept her decks with grape and canister. The fire was so hot from the nine-pound battery and the tops, that not a man could live on the deck of the English ship. But all this while, her lower battery of eighteen-pound- ers was making an awful ruin of the Rich- ard. The terror of the scene was also soon heightened beyond the power of language to depict, by both vessels taking fire, which required almost superhuman exertion to subdue, and, in the midst of all, Jones and his heroic men were horror stricken to see their consort, the Alliance, commanded by Captain Landais, come up and pour a full broadside into the Richard’s stern! The evidence is regarded as most conclusive, that Captain L.’s conduct on this occasion was not due to any mistake on his part in supposing the Richard to be the Serapis, but to his personal hostility to Jones. With jealousy and treason in his heart, his plan was to kill Jones, and, capturing the Serapis, claim the victory as his. But the black-hearted Frenchman failed in his plot. A quantity of cartridges on board the Ser- apis was set fire to by a grenade from Jones’s ship, and blew up, killing or wound- ing all the officers and men abaft the main- mast. But long after this the fight went on with fury. At last, the mainmast of the Serapis be- gan to totter to its fall — her fire slackened, and, about half-past ten o’clock, the British flag was struck, and Commodore Pearson surrendered his sword to his really weaker foe. In going through the formalities of this scene, Pearson displayed much irrita- bility, and, addressing Jones as one who fought under no recognized flag, said : “ It is painful to deliver up my sword to I a man who has fought with a halter around his neck.” “Sir,” replied Jones, good humoredly, as he handed back the weapon, “you have fought like a hero, and I make no doubt but your sovereign will reward you in the most ample manner.” True enough, the gallant Pearson soon received from King George the dignity of knighthood as an acknowledgment of his bravery in this unparalleled battle, — hear- ing of which honor, Jones is said to have dryly remarked : “Well, he deserved it; and should I have the good fortune to meet with him again, I will make a lord of him ! ” Another episode occurred in connection with a medical officer, — the surgeon of the Richard, — who ran up from the cock-pit, in great fright and trepidation, and hur- riedly accosting the captain, said : “Are you not going to strike the colors ? Is not the ship fast sinking ? ” “ What ! doctor,” re- plied Jones, “would you have me strike to a drop of water ? Here, help me get this gun over ! ” The doctor, as though answer- ing a sudden professional call, was soon retracing his steps to the cock-pit. So terribly was the Richard cut to pieces (being an old ship), that it was found im- possible, after the fight, to get her into port, and, the wounded being removed, she soon after sank. Jones took his prizes to Holland, and it is no exaggeration to say that the whole world stood astonished at his bravery and success. A most interesting account of this cele- brated battle between the Serapis and Richard was given, soon after its occur- rence, by Commodore Jones himself, a portion of which, describing in his own dramatic style, the principal scenes during the engagement, is given below: On the morning of that day, September twenty-third, the brig from Holland not be- ing in sight, we chased abrigantine that ap- peared laying to, to windward. About noon, we saw and chased a large ship that appeared coming round Flamborough Head from the northward, and at the same time FIRST AMERICAN NAVAL VICTORY. I manned and armed one of the pilot boats to send in pursuit of the brigantine, which now appeared to he the vessel that I had forced ashore. Soon after this, a fleet of forty-one sail appeared off Flamborough Head, bearing N. N. E. This induced me to abandon the single ship which had then anchored in Burlington Bay ; I also called back the pilot boat, and hoisted a signal for a general chase. When the fleet dis- covered us hearing down, all the merchant ships crowded sail toward the shore. The two ships-of-war that protected the fleet at the same time steered from the land, and made the disposition for battle. In ap- proaching the enemy, I crowded every pos- sible sail, and made the signal for the line of battle, to which the Alliance paid no at- tention. Earnest as I was for the action, I could not reach the commodore’s ship until seven in the evening, being then within pistol-shot, when he hailed the Bon Homme Richard. We answered him by firing a whole broadside. The battle being thus begun, was con- tinued with unremitting fury. Every method was practiced on both sides to gain an advantage and rake each other ; and I must confess that the enemy’s ship, being much more manageable than the Bon Homme Richard, gained thereby several times an advantageous situation, in spite of my best endeavors to prevent it. As I had to deal with an enemy of greatly su- perior force, I was under the necessity of closing with him, to prevent the advantage which he had over me in point of ma- neuver. It was my intention to lay the Bon Homme Richard athwart the enemy’s bow ; but as that operation required great dexterity in the management of both sails and helm, and some of our braces being shot away, it did not exactly succeed to my wish. The enemy’s bowsprit, however, came over the Bon Homme Richard’s poop, by the mizzenmast, and I made both ships fast together in that situation, which by the action of the wind on the.enemy’s sails, forced her stern close to the Bon Homme Richard’s how, so that the ships lay square alongside of each other, the yards being 37 all entangled, and the cannon of each ship touching the opponent’s. I directed the fire of one of the three cannon against the mainmast, with dou- ble-headed shot, while the other two were exceedingly well served with grape and canister shot, to silence the enemy’s mus- ketry and clear her decks, which was at last effected. The enemy were, as I have since understood, on the instant of calling for quarter, when the cowardice or treach- ery of three of my under-officers induced them to call to the enemy. The English commodore asked me if I demanded quar- ter, and I, having answered him in the most determined negative, they renewed the battle with double fury. They were unable to stand the deck; but the fire of their cannon, especially the lower battery, which was entirely formed of ten-pound- ers, was incessant ; both ships were set on fire in various places, and the scene was dreadful beyond the reach of language. To account for the timidity of my three under-officers, I mean the gunner, the car- penter, and the master-at-arms, I must observe, that the two first were slightly wounded, and, as the ship had received various shots under the water, and one of the pumps being shot away, the carpenter expressed his fears that she would sink, and the other two concluded that she was sinking, which occasioned the gunner to run aft on the poop, without my knowl- edge, to strike the colors. Fortunately for me, a cannon-ball had done that before, by carrying away the ensign-staff; he was therefore reduced to the necessity of sink- ing, as he supposed, or of calling for quar- ter, and he preferred the latter. All this time the Bon Homme Richard had sustained the action alone, and the enemy, though much superior in force, would have been very glad to have got clear, as appears by their own acknowledg- ments, and by their having let go an an- chor the instant that I laid them on board, by which means they would have escaped, had I not made them fast to the Bon Homme Richard. At last, at half-past nine o’clock, the Al- FIRST AMERICAN NAVAL VICTORY. 38 liancp appeared, and I now thought the battle at an end ; but, to my utter aston- ishment, he discharged a broadside full into the stern of the Bon Homme Richard. W e called to him for God’s sake to forbear firing into the Bon Homme Richard ; yet they passed along the off side of the ship, and continued firing. There was no pos- sibility of his mistaking the enemy’s ship for the Bon Homme Richard, there being the most essential difference in their ap- pearance and construction. Besides, it was then full moonlight. The Bon Homme Richard received various shots under wa- ter from the Alliance ; the leak gained on the pumps, and the fire increased much on board both ships. Some officers persuaded me to strike, of whose courage and good sense I entertain a high opinion. My treacherous master-at-arms let loose all my prisoners without my knowledge, and my prospects became gloomy indeed. I would not, however, give up the point. The ene- my’s mainmast began to shake, their firing decreased fast, ours rather increased, and the British colors were struck at half an hour past ten o’clock. This prize proved to be the British ship- of-war, the Serapis, a new ship of forty- four guns, built on the most approved con- struction, with two complete batteries, one of them of eighteen-pounders, and com- manded by the brave Commodore Richard Pearson. III. THE WONDERFUL DARK DAY.— 1T80. The Northern States wrapt in a Dense Black Atmosphere for Fifteen Hours. — The Day of Judgment Supposed to have Come. — Cessation of Labor. — Religious Devotions Resorted to. — The Herds Retire to their Stalls, the Fowls to their Roosts, and the Birds Sing their Evening Songs at Noonday. — Science at Loss to Account for the Mysterious Phenomenon. — One of Nature’s Marvels. — Redness of the Sun and Moon. — Approach of a Thick Vapor.— Loud Peals of Thunder. — Sudden and Strange Darkness. — Alarm of the Inhabitants. — End of the World Looked For. — Dismay of the Brute Crea- tion. — An Intensely Deep Gloom. — Difficulty in Attending to Business. — Lights Burning in the Houses. — Vast Extent of the Occurrence. — Condition of the Barometer. — Change in the Color of Objects. — Quick Motion of the Clouds. — Birds Suffocate and Die. — The Sun’s Disc Seen in Some Places. — Oily Deposit on the Waters. — Impenetrable Darkness at Night. — Incidents and Anecdotes. — Ignorant Whims and Conjectures. — An Unsolved Mystery. “The Dark Day in northern America was one of those wonderful phenomena of nature which will always be read of with interest, but which philosophy is at a loss to explain.”— Herschel. DIFFICULTY OF TRAVELING. LMOST, if not altogether alone, as the most mysterious and as yet unexplained phenome- non of its kind, in nature’s diversified range of events, during the last century, stands the Dark Day of May Nineteenth , 1780, — a most unaccountable darkening of the whole visible heavens and atmosphere in New England, — which brought intense alarm and distress to multitudes of minds, as well as dismay to the brute creation, the fowls fleeing, bewildered, to their roosts, and the birds to their nests, and the cattle returning to their stalls. Indeed, thousands of the good people of that day be- came fully convinced that the end of all things terrestrial had come ; many gave up, for the time, their secular pursuits, and betook them- selves to religious devotions ; while many others regarded the darkness as not only a token of God’s indignation against the various iniquities and abominations of the age but also as an omen of some future destruction that might overwhelm the land — as in the case of the countries men- tioned in biblical history, — unless speedy repentance a"d THE WONDERFUL DARK DAY. reformation took place. The ignorant in- dulged in vague and wild conjectures as to the cause of the phenomenon; and those profounder minds, even, that could “ gauge the heavens and tell the stars,” were about equally at loss for any rational explanation of the event. It is related that the Connecticut legislature was in session at this time, and that, so great was the darkness, the members became terri- fied, and thought that the day of judg- ment had come ; a motion was conse- quently made to adjourn. At this, Mr. Davenport arose and said: “Mr. Speaker, — It is either the day of judgment, or it is not. If it is not, there is no need of adjourning. If it is, I desire to be found doing my duty. I move that candles be brought, and that we proceed to business.” The time of the commencement of this extraordinary darkness was between the hours of ten and eleven in the forenoon of Friday, of the date already named ; and it continued until the middle of the follow- ing night, but with different appearances at different places. As to the manner of its approach, it seemed to appear first of all in the south-west. The wind came from that quarter, and the darkness ap- peared to come on with the clouds that came in that direction. The degree to which the darkness arose varied in differ- ent localities. In most parts, it became so dense, that people were unable to read common print distinctly, or accurately de- termine the time of day by their clocks or watches, or dine, or manage their domes- tic affairs conveniently, without the light of candles. In some places, the degree of darkness was just about equal to prevent- ing persons seeing to read ordinary print in the open air, for several hours together. The extent of this darkness was also very remarkable. It was observed at the most easterly regions of New England; west- ward, to the furthest parts of Connecticut, and at Albany ; to the southward, it was observed all along the sea coasts ; and to the north, as far as the American settle- ments extended. It probably far exceeded these boundaries, but the exact limits were 41 never positively known. With regard to its duration, it continued in the neighbor- hood of Boston for at least fourteen or fif- teen hours ; but it was doubtless longer or shorter in some other places. The appear- ance and effects were such as tended to make the prospect extremely dull, gloomy, and unnatural. Candles were lighted up in the houses; the birds, in the midst of their blithesome forenoon enjoyments, stopped suddenly, and, singing their even- ing songs, disappeared, and became si- lent; the fowls retired to their roosts; the cocks were crowing in their accustomed manner at the break of day; objects could not be distinguished at a comparatively slight distance; and everything bore the aspect and gloom of night, — to say noth- ing of the effect upon the minds of the people, which, indeed, was quite inde- scribable. The above general facts concerning this strange phenomenon were ascertained, after much painstaking inquiry, soon after its occurrence, by Prof. Williams, of Harvard College, who also collected to- gether some of the more particular ob- servations made in different parts of the country, relative to the remarkable event. From these data it appears that, with re- gard to the state of the atmosphere pre- ceding this uncommon darkness, it was noticed in many sections, for several days before, that the air seemed to be of a smoky and vaporous character. The sun and the moon exhibited an unusual red- ness in their color, and divested of their usual brightness and lucid aspect; and this obscuration increased as they ap- proached nearer to the horizon. This was ascertained to have been the case in almost all parts of the New England states, for four or five days preceding the nineteenth of May. The winds had been variable, but chiefly from the south-west and north-east. The thermometer indi- cated from forty to fifty-five degrees. The barometer showed a somewhat higher range than usual. The weather had been fair and cool for the season. As to the state of the atmosphere when THE WONDERFUL DARK DAY. 42 the darkness came on, it was observable that the weight or gravity of it was grad- ually decreasing, the greater part of the day. According to the observations made at Cambridge, Mass., the mercury in the barometer was found, at twelve o’clock, to stand at twenty-nine inches, seventy; in half an hour after, the mercury had fallen the one-hundredth part of an inch ; at one o’clock, it was twenty-nine inches, sixty- seven ; at three o’clock, it was at twenty- nine inches, sixty-five; at eight minutes past eight, it was at twenty-nine inches, sixty-four. A similar course of barometri- cal observations made, at the same time, in another part of the state, showed as fol- lows : at six o’clock in the morning, the mercury in the barometer was found to be at twenty-nine inches, eighty-two ; as soon as the darkness began to appear uncom- mon, that is, at ten minutes past ten, the mercury was found at twenty-nine inches, sixty-eight ; at quarter before eleven — the time of the greatest degree of darkness in that part of the country — the mercury was at twenty-nine inches, sixty-seven, the darkness continuing in the same degree for an hour and a half ; at fifteen minutes past twelve, the mercury had fallen to twenty-nine inches, sixty-five, and, in a few minutes after this, the darkness began to abate ; the mercury remained in this state during the whole evening, without any sensible alteration. At half-past eight, it seemed to have fallen a little, but so small was the alteration, that it was at- tended with some uncertainty, nor did it appear to stand any lower three hours later. From these observations, it is certain that, on the day when the darkness took place, the weight or gravity of the atmos- phere was gradually decreasing through the whole day Both of the barometers in use were instruments of superior work- manship, and consequently to be depended on as to the accuracy of their indications. The color of objects that day, is another point of interest. It is mentioned, in the record of observations made with reference to this feature of the phenomenon, that the complexion of the clouds was com- pounded of a faint red, yellow and brown, — that, during the darkness, objects which commonly appear green, were of the deep- est green, verging to blue, — and that those which appear white, were highly tinged with yellow. This was the character of the observations, as given by almost every one who made any record of the day’s ap- pearance. But Prof. Williams states that, to him, almost every object appeared tinged with yellow, rather than with any other color; and this, whether the thing was near, or remote from the eye. Another element of peculiarity, in this remarkable scene, was the nature and ap- pearance of the vapors that were then in the atmosphere. Early in the morning, the weather was cloudy ; the sun was but just visible through the clouds, and ap- peared of a deep red, as it had for several days before. In most places thunder was heard a number of times in the morning. The clouds soon began to rise from the south-west, with a gentle breeze, and there were several small showers before eight o’clock ; in some places there were showers at other hours, throughout the day. The water that fell was found to have an un- usual character, being thick, dark, and sooty. One observer, in the eastern part of Massachusetts, states, in this connec- tion, that the strange appearance and smell of the rain-water which people had saved in tubs, was the subject of universal and wondering remark. On examining the water, there was found a light scum upon it, which, on being rubbed between the thumb and finger, seemed to resemble the black ashes of burnt leaves ; the water also gave the same strong, sooty smell, which characterized the air. A similar appearance, in this respect, manifested itself in other localities ; it was especially exhibited on the Merrimac river, large quantities of black scum being seen float- ing upon tbe surface of that stream, dur- ing the day. In the night, the wind veered round to the north-east, and drove this substance towards the south shore; when the tide fell, tbe matter lay for THE WONDERFUL DARK DAY. many miles along the shore, the width of the deposit being some four or five inches. An examination of a considerable quantity of this substance, in several places, failed to show anything of a sulphurous nature, either in its taste, color, or smell. Prof. Williams states that, being apprehensive as to whether there was not some uncom- mon ingredient in the air that day, he put out several sheets of clean paper in the air and rain. When they had been out four or five hours, he dried them by the fire. They were much sullied, and became dark in their color, and felt as if they had been rubbed with oil or grease ; but, upon burn- ing them, there could not be detected any sulphurous or nitrous particles. The motion and situation of the cur- rents or bodies of vapor in the atmosphere likewise exhibited some striking peculiar- ities. In most places, it was very evident that the vapors were descending from the higher parts of the atmosphere towards the surface of the earth. A gentleman who made some special observations bear- ing upon this point, mentions a very curi- ous circumstance, as to their ascent and situation, namely, that at about nine o’clock in the morning, after a shower, the vapors rose from the springs in the low lands, in great abundance. Notice was taken of one large column that as- cended, with great rapidity, to a consid- erable height above the highest hills, and soon spread into a large cloud, then moved off a little to the westward. A second cloud was formed in the same manner, from the same springs, but did not ascend so high as the first; and a third was formed from the same places, in less than a quarter of an hour after the second. About three-quarters of an hour after nine o’clock, these clouds exhibited a very striking appearance. The upper cloud wore a peculiar reddish hue; the second showed in some places or parts a green, in others a blue, and in others an indigo color ; while the surface of the third cloud was almost white. Of a somewhat singular nature, also, is the fact, as related by another, that, while 43 the darkness continued, the clouds were in quick motion, interrupted, skirted one over another, so as to form — at least to the eye of the beholder — a considerable number of strata, the lower stratum being of an uni- formheightas far asvisible; but this height was conceived to be very slight, from the small extent of the horizon that could be seen, and from this circumstance observed in the evening. A lighted torch, held by a person passing along the street, occa- sioned a reflection of a faint red or copper- tinged light — similar to a faint aurora borealis, — the apparent height at which the reflection was made, being some twenty to thirty feet. And it was generally re- marked, that the hills might be seen at a distance in some directions, while the in- termediate spaces were greatly obscured or darkened. It would thus appear, from the state- ments now cited, as if the vapors, in some places, were ascending ; in most, descend- ing ; and, in all, very near to the surface of the earth. To this it may be added, that, during the darkness, objects seem- ingly cast a shade in every direction, and, in many instances, there were various appearances or corruscations in the atmos- phere, not unlike the aurora borealis,— though it is not stated that any uncom- mon exhibitions of the electric fire were witnessed during the day. In some ac- counts, however, it is mentioned that a number of small birds were found suffo- cated by the vapor ; some were found dead, and some flew affrighted, or stupefied, into the houses. In New Haven, Conn., there was a shower of rain, with some lightning and thunder, about daybreak in the morning, the rain continuing, with intervals, until after sunrise. The morning was cloudy and darkish ; and the sun, rising towards the zenith, gave no increase of light, as usual, but, on the contrary, the darkness continued to increase until between eleven and twelve o’clock, at which time there was the greatest obscurity in that place. What little motion of the air there was just at this period, was nearly from the THE WONDERFUL DARK DAY. 44 south ; though the atmosphere was as calm as the blandest summer morning. There was something more of a luminous appear- ance in the horizon, than in the hemi- sphere in general; also, a most marked liveliness of tint to the grass and other green vegetation ; and a very noticeable yellowness in the atmosphere, which made clean silver nearly resemble the color of brass. At about twelve o’clock, noon, the singular obscuration ceased; the greatest darkness, at any particular time, was at least as dense as what is commonly called ‘candlelighting,’ in the evening. In the town of Hartford, and the neighboring villages, the phenomenon was observed with all its distinctive peculiarities ; and, by some persons, the disc of the sun was seen, at the time of the greatest deficiency of light. such buildings. At twelve, the darkness was greatest, and a little rain fell ; in the street, the aspect was like that at the be- ginning of evening, as lights were seen burning in all the houses. The clouds were thinnest at the north ; at the north- east, the clouds were very thick, and so low that hills could not be seen at the dis- tance of half a mile ; south-westerly, hills might be clearly seen at the distance of twenty miles, though the intermediate space was so shaded that it was impossi- ble to distinguish woodland from pasture. At half-past twelve, the clouds, having been hitherto detached, began to concen- trate at such an height, that all the hills became visible, and the country around exhibited a most beautiful tinted verdure ; at one, the clouds became uniformly spread, and the darkness was not greater CHANGE OF SCENE AFTER THE DARK DAY. In Middlesex county, Mass., the peals of thunder were loud and frequent at six o’clock in the morning, attended with heavy rain ; at seven o’clock, the rain and thunder had ceased, but the sky contin- ued cloudy. Between nine and ten o’clock, the clouds were observed to thicken, and to receive continual accessions from the low lands. Before ten, the darkness had sensibly increased, till it became difficult to read an almanac in a room having two windows ; at eleven o’clock, candles were lighted, and at half -past eleven the dark- ness was so great in the meeting-house, where a court was then sitting, that it was difficult to distinguish countenances at the smallest distance, notwithstanding the large number of windows usual in \ than is usual on a cloudy day. The same weather continued through the whole afternoon, except that the sun was seen for a few minutes, in some places, about three o’clock. At eight in the evening, the darkness was so impenetrably thick, as to render traveling positively imprac- ticable ; and, although the moon rose nearly full about nine o’clock, yet it did not give light enough to enable a person to distinguish between the heavens and the earth. In the account of this phenomenon given by Dr. Tenney, of New Hampshire, an in- telligent observer and writer, are some interesting details, gathered by him while on a journey to Pennsylvania, from the east. He repeats and confirms the state- THE WONDERFUL DARK DAY. ment made by others, that, previously to the commencement of the darkness, the sky was overcast with the common kind of clouds, from which there was, in some places, a moderate fall of rain. Between these and the earth, there intervened an- other stratum, apparently of great thick- ness ; as this stratum advanced, the dark- ness commenced, and increased with its progress till it came to its height, which did not take place till the hemisphere was a second time overspread — the uncom- mon thickness of this second stratum be- ing probably occasioned by two strong cur- rents of wind from the southward and westward, condensing the vapors and drawing them to the north-east. The result of Dr. Tenney’s journey, — during which he made the best use of his opportunities for information, — was, that the darkness appeared to be most gross in Essex county, Massachusetts, the lower part of the state of New Hampshire, and in portions of what was then the province of Maine. In Rhode Island and Connect- icut it was not so great, and still less in New York; in New Jersey, the second stratum of clouds was observed, but it was not of any great thickness, nor was the darkness very uncommon ; in the lower parts of Pennsylvania, no extraordinary scene was noticed. Through the whole extent of country referred to, the lower cloud-stratum had an uncommon brassy hue, while the earth and trees were adorned with so enchant- ing a verdure as could not escape notice, even amidst the unusual atmospheric gloom that accompanied it. The dark- ness of the following evening was proba- bly as deep and dense as ever had been ob- served since the Almighty fiat gave birth to light ; it wanted only palpability to ren- der it as extraordinary as that which over- spread the land of Egypt, in the days of Moses. If every luminous body in the universe had been shrouded in impenetra- ble shades, or struck out of existence, it was thought the darkness could not have been more complete. A sheet of white paper, held within a few inches of the 45 eyes, was equally invisible with the black- est velvet. And, considering the small quantity of light that was transmitted by the clouds, during the day, it is not surprising that, at night, a sufficient quan- tity of rays should not be able to penetrate the same strata, brought back by the shift- ing of the winds, to afford the most ob- scure prospect even of the best reflecting bodies. The denseness of this evening darkness was a fact universally observed and recorded. In view of all the information contained in the various accounts of this day, it ap- pears very certain that the atmosphere was charged with an unprecedented quan- tity of vapor, — from what primary cause has never been satisfactorily determined; and as the weather had been clear, the air heavy, and the winds small and variable for many days, the vapors, instead of dis- persing, must have been constantly rising and collecting in the air, until the atmos- phere became highly charged with them. A large quantity of the vapors, thus collected in the atmosphere, on the day in question, was floating near the surface of the earth. Wheresoever the specific grav- ity of any vapor is less than the specific gravity of the air, such a vapor will, by the law of fluids, ascend in the air ; where the specific gravity of a vapor, in the at- mosphere, is greater than that of the air, such a vapor will descend ; and where the specific gravity of the vapor and air are the same, the vapor will then be at rest, — floating or swimming in the atmosphere, without ascending or descending. From the barometrical observations, it appears that the weight or gravity of the atmos- phere was gradually growing less, from the morning of the nineteenth of May, until the evening ; and hence the vapors, in most places, were descending from the higher parts of the atmosphere, towards the surface of the earth. According to one of the observations cited, the vapors were noticed to ascend, until they rose to a height where the air was of the same specific gravity — a height not much above the adjacent hills, — and here they in- THE WONDERFUL DARK DAY. 46 stantly spread, and floated in the atmos- phere. From these data, the conclusion is drawn, that the place where the vapors were balanced must have been very near the surface of the earth. Reasoning from the premises thus set forth, Prof. Williams was of the opinion that such a large quantity of vapor, float- ing in the atmosphere, near the earth’s surface, might be sufficient to produce all the phenomena that made the nineteenth of May, 1780, so memorable. Thus, the direction in which the darkness came on would be determined by the direction of the wind, and this was known to he from the south-west; the degree of the dark- ness would depend on the density, color, and situation of the clouds and vapor, and the manner in which they would transmit, reflect, refract, or absorb the rays of light ; the extent of the darkness would be as great as the extent of the vapor ; and the duration of it would continue until the gravity of the air became so altered that the vapors would change their situation, by an ascent or descent; — all of which particulars, it is claimed, agree with the observations that have been mentioned. Nor does the effect of the vapors, in dark- ening terrestrial objects, when they lay near the surface of the earth, appear to have been greater than it was in darken- ing the sun and moon, when their situa- tion was higher in the atmosphere. It being thus evident that the atmos- phere was, from some peculiar cause (per- haps great fires in distant woods) charged, in a high degree, with vapors, and that these vapors were of different densities and occupied different heights, — the de- duction is, that by this means the rays of light falling on them must have suffered a variety of refractions and reflections, and thereby become weakened, absorbed, or so reflected, as not to fall upon objects on the earth in the usual manner; and as the different vapors were adapted by their nature, situation, or density, to absorb or transmit the different kind of rays, so the colors of objects would appear to be af- fected by the mixture or prevalency of those rays which were transmitted through so uncommon a medium. This was the explanation suggested by Prof. Williams, though not to the exclusion of other the- ories. But there were not wanting those — and a large number they were too — who gave play, in their minds, to the most strange opinions concerning the cause of so mar- velous an appearance. It was imagined by some persons, that an eclipse of the sun, produced of course by an interposition of the moon, was the cause of the darkness — others attributed it to a transit of Yenus or Mercury upon the disc of the sun — others imputed it to a blazing star, which they thought came between the earth and the sun. So whimsical, indeed, were some of the opinions which possessed men’s minds at this time, that even so bare a vagary as that a great mountain obstructed the rays of the sun’s light during that day, obtained advocates ! Whether they thought that a new mountain was created and placed between the earth and the sun, or that a mountain from this globe had taken flight and perched upon that great luminary, does not appear. That this darkness was not caused by an eclipse, is manifest by the various posi- tions of the planetary bodies at that time, for the moon was more than one hundred and fifty degrees from the sun all that day, and, according to the accurate calcu- lations made hy the most celebrated as- tronomers, there could not, in the order of nature, be any transit of the planet Venus or Mercury upon the disc of the sun that year ; nor could it be a blazing star — much less a mountain, -^that darkened the at- mosphere, for this would still leave unex- plained the deep darkness of the following night. Nor would such excessive noc- turnal darkness follow an eclipse of the sun ; and as to the moon, she was at that time more than forty hours’ motion past her opposition. One of the theories, looking to a solution of the mysterious occurrence, which found defenders, was as follows : The heat of the sun causes an ascent of numerous particles THE WONDERFUL DARK DAY. which consist of different qualities, such as aqueous, sulphurous, bituminous, salinous, etc. ; hence the waters of the seas, rivers, and ponds ; the fumes of burning volca- noes, caused by subterraneous veins of liquid fire ; all the other kinds of smoke — fat, combustibles, oily matter from various kinds of earth, the juice of trees, plants and herbs ; salinous and nitrous particles from salt, snowwater, and kindred sources ; — these are exhaled into the regions of the air, where their positions are subject to various mutations or changes by reason of the motion and compression of the air, causing them to be sometimes rarefied and. sometimes condensed. It was (according to this theory,) a vast collection of such particles that caused the day of darkness ; that is, the particles, after being exhaled, were driven together by certain winds from opposite points of the compass, and condensed to such a degree by the weight of the earth’s atmosphere, that they ob- structed the appearance of the rays of the sun by day, and those of the moon by night. Having thus presented the facts and circumstances pertaining to this notable day in the history of the New England or northern states, it may not be amiss to add, that a similar day of mysterious dark- ness occurred on October 21, 1716; the day was so dark, that people were forced to light candles to dine by, — a darkness which could not proceed from any eclipse, a solar eclipse having taken place on the fourth of that month. There was also a remarkable darkness at Detroit and vicin- ity, October 19, 1762, being almost total for the greater part of the day. It was dark at day-break, and this continued until nine o’clock, when it cleared up a little, and, for the space of about a quarter of an hour, the body of the sun was visible, it appear- ing as red as blood, and more than three 47 times as large as usual. The air, all this time, was of a dingy yellowish color. At half-past one o’clock, it was so dark as to necessitate the lighting of candles, in order to attend to domestic duties. At about three in the afternoon, the darkness became more dense, increasing in intensity until half-past three, when the wind breezed up from the southwest and brought on a slight fall of rain, accompanied with a profuse quantity of fine black particles, in appearance much like sulphur, both in smell and quality. A sheet of clean paper, held out in this rain, was rendered quite black wherever the drops fell upon it ; but, when held near the fire, it turned to a yel- low color, and, when burned, it fizzed on the paper, like wet powder. So black did these powdery particles turn everything upon which they fell, that even the river was covered with a black froth, which, when skimmed off the surface, resembled the lather of soap, with this difference, that it was more greasy, and its color as black as ink. At seven, in the evening, the air was more clear. This phenomenon was observed throughout a vast region of coun- try ; and, though various conjectures were indulged in, as to the cause of so extraor- dinary an occurrence, the same degree of mystery attaches to it as to that of 1780, — confounding the wisdom even of the most learned philosophers and men of science. It may easily be imagined, that, as the deep and mysterious darkness which cov- ered the land on the memorable nineteenth of May filled all hearts with wonder — and multitudes with fear, — so, the return, at last, of that brightness and beauty charac- teristic of the month and of the season, brought gladness again to the faces of the young, and composure to the hearts of the aged ; for never before did nature appear clothed in so charming an attire of sun- shine, sky and verdure. IV. TREASON OF MAJOR-GENERAL BENEDICT ARNOLD.— 1780. Darkest Page in American Revolntionary History. — Plot to Deliver West Point, the Gibraltar of Amer ica, Over to the British. — Movements of the Guilty Parties. — Discovery and Frustration of the Crime. — Major Andre, the British Spy, is Captured, and Swings from a Gibbet. — Escape of Arnold to the Enemy. — Is Spurned and Isolated in England. — Arnold’s Unquestioned Bravery. — Commended by General Washington. — Infamous Personal Transactions. — Reprimanded by his Chief. — Determines on Revenge. — Correspondence with the Foe. — Ingratiates Washington’s Favor Again. — Obtains Com- mand of West Point. — Midnight Conference with Andre. — Andre Seized while Returning — Astound- ing Evidence Against Him. — Attempts to Bribe His Captors. — Carried to American Head-Quarters — Arnold Apprised of the Event. — A Hurried Farewell to His Wife. — Quick Pursuit of the Traitor. — He Reaches a British Man-of-War. — Washington’s Exclamation at the News — His Call on Mrs Ar- nold — Andre’s Trial and Conviction. — Arnold’s Reward for His Crime. — His Unlamented Death. “ Providence, which has so often and so remarkably interposed in our favor, never manifested itself more conspicuously than in the timely discovery of Arnold’s horrid intention to surrender the post and garrison of West Point to the enemy.”- Washington. ARK and tragical, indeed, is that page in the history of the American revolutionary war, which records Benedict Arnold’s atrocious scheme of treason against his native land, in its struggle against British oppression. Equally strange and startling is the story which narrates the dis- covery and frustration of so perfidious a plot. Around the memory of the unfortunate Andre, pity still wreathes her romantic chaplet ; while the name of Arnold will, to the end of time, transfix every patriotic mind, as that price op Arnold’s treason. G f the blackest among modern criminals. The treacher- ous deed was committed, too, in a year of deep depression on the part of the Americans. Of Arnold, personally and professionally, it may be remarked, that he was horn in Norwich, Connecticut, in 1740, and began his business career at an early age, as a horse- dealer, and not over-scrupulous. He was also for a time a druggist and bookseller in New Haven. At the beginning of the war of the Revolution he placed himself at the head of a volunteer company, and soon distinguished himself ; was associated also with General Montgomery in the expedition against Quebec. In this latter most disastrous affair, undertaken in severe weather, his illustrious colleague lost his life, and Arnold, who was severely wounded in the leg, displayed the highest abilities as a commander and the greatest gallantry as a soldier, eliciting Washington’s warmest esteem and ad- miration. But, licentious and rapacious as he was brave and intelligent, he plundered Montreal in his retreat, and by his misconduct exasperated the minds of the Canadians, who previously were not hostile to the Revolution. After exhibiting great courage and skill on Lake Champlain, at Fort Schuyler, and the battle of Stillwater, his leg was shattered by a ball on the seventh of October, 1777, in a daring assault on TREASON OF MAJOR-GENERAL BENEDICT ARNOLD. the English lines, which he penetrated, and but for his wound would have carried. Being thus unfitted for active service, he was appointed commander of the garrison at Philadelphia, but his dissipation, extor- tion, and peculation, at last subjected him to a trial by court martial, and to a repri- mand from Washington, at the beginning of 1779. This sentence was approved by Congress, and carried into execution by General W ashington. Embarrassed in his circumstances, disappointed in his expec- tations, and exasperated by disgrace, he formed the design of retrieving his misfor- tunes and satisfying his revenge, by be- traying his country. It was in this wise : While the British army was in Phila- delphia, in the spring of 1778, a grand parting entertainment was given by the royalists to Sir William Howe, the British commander-in-chief. Major Andre, made Adjutant-General of the army by Howe’s successor, was one of the chief managers of the affair. Miss Shippen, a Philadel- phia belle (and who subsequently became Mrs. Arnold), figured conspicuously among the actors of the entertainment, and she and Andre kept up a correspondence after- ward. Through this channel Arnold saw, after his marriage with Miss Shippen, an opportunity for communicating with Sir Henry Clinton, the British commander at New York. In other words, he deter- mined to betray his country, — being, in this respect, an almost solitary instance, Dr. Benjamin Church, of Massachusetts, surgeon-general, being the other principal offender. Under fictitious names, and in the dis- guise of mercantile business, Arnold was even now in treacherous correspondence with Sir Henry Clinton, through Major Andre. To him the British general com- mitted the maturing of Arnold’s treason, and, to facilitate measures for its execu- tion, the sloop of war Vulture moved up the North river, and took a station con- venient for the purpose, but not so near as to excite suspicion. An interview was agreed on, and in the night of September twenty-first, 1780, he was taken in a boat, 4 49 which was dispatched for the purpose, and carried to the beach, without the posts of both armies, under a pass for John Ander- son. He met General Arnold at the house of a Mr. Smith. Yielding with reluctance to the urgent representations of Arnold, Andre laid aside his regimentals, which he had hitherto worn under a surtout, putting on a suit of ordinary clothes instead; and now, receiv- ing a pass from the American general, authorizing him, under the feigned name of John Anderson, to “proceed on the public service to the White Plains, or lower if he thought proper,” he set out on his return in the evening of the twenty- second, accompanied by Joshua Smith, and passed the night at Crompond. The next morning he crossed the Hudson to King’s Ferry on the east side. A little beyond the Croton, Smith deeming him safe, bade him adieu. Alone, and without having excited the least suspicion, Andre passed the American guards, and was silently congratulating himself that he had passed all danger, when, coming to a place whore a small stream crossed the road and ran into a woody dell, a man stepped out from the trees, leveled a musket, and brought him to a stand, while two other men, sim- ilarly armed, showed themselves prepared to second their comrades. The man who at first stepped out wore a refugee uniform. At sight of it, Andre’s heart leapt, and he felt himself secure. Losing all caution, he exclaimed eagerly : “Gentlemen, where do you belong? I hope to our party ! ” “ What party?” was their immediate inquiry in response; the trio consisting of scouting militiamen, named Paulding, Williams, and Van Wart. “The party below,” — meaning New York, was the answer. “We do,” was the shrewd reply of the three, as they now seized the bridle of the unfortunate man’s horse, and challenged his business in that place. Seeing, beyond all doubt, the hands he had fallen into, Andre quickly shifted his tactics by jocosely remarking that what he TREASON OF MAJOR-GENERAL BENEDICT ARNOLD. 50 had first represented himself to be was merely by way of badinage, and that he was in reality a Continental officer, going down to Dobbs Ferry to get information from below ; so saying, he drew forth and showed them the pass from General Arnold. This in the first place would have sufficed, but his strange conduct and imprudent speech had so thoroughly betrayed him, that the three militiamen insisted on searching his person. They therefore obliged him to take off liis coat and vest, and found on him eighty dollars in Conti- nental money, but nothing to warrant sus- picion of anything sinister, and were about to let him proceed, when one of them — marks on the works ; also other important documents. While dressing again, Andre endeavored to ransom himself from his captors. He would give any sum of money, if they would let him go; would give his horse, saddle, bridle, gold watch, and one hundred guineas, and would send them to any place that might be fixed upon. Williams asked, ironically, whether ht would not give more than all that. Andre replied, that he would give any reward they might name either in goods or money, and would remain with two of their party while one went to New York to get it. CAPTURE OF ANDRE. Paulding, a stout-hearted youngster — ex- claimed : “Boys, I am not satisfied — his boots must come off.” At this Andre changed color. His boots, he said, came off with difficulty, and he begged he might not be subjected to the inconvenience and delay. His remon- strances were in vain. He was compelled to sit down ; his boots were drawn off and the concealed papers discovered. Hastily scanning them, Paulding exclaimed — “ My God ! He is a spy / ” The papers, which were in the hand- writing of Arnold, contained exact returns of the state of the forces, ordnance, and defenses of West Point, with critical re- Here Paulding broke in and declared with an oath, that if he would give ten thousand guineas he should not stir one step. On the morning of the twenty-eighth of September, Andre, in charge of Major Tallmadge, was conveyed in a barge to King’s Ferry. Being both young, of equal rank, and prepossessing manners, a frank and cordial intercourse grew up between them. By a cartel, mutually agreed upon, each might put to the other any question not involving a third person. They wer§ passing below the rocky heights of West Point and in full view of the frowning fortress, when Tallmadge asked Andre whether he would have taken an active ] TREASON OF MAJOR-GENERAL BENEDICT ARNOLD. 51 part in the attack on it, should Arnold’s plan have succeeded. Andre promptly answered this question in the affirmative ; pointed out a table of land on the west shore, where he would have landed a select corps, described the route he would have taken up the moun- tain to a height in the rear of Fort Put- nam, overlooking the whole parade of West Point — “and this he did,” writes Tallmadge, “ with much greater exactness than I could have done. This eminence he would have reached without difficulty, as Arnold would have disposed of the gar- rison in such manner as to be capable of little or no opposition — and then the key public ear, and all hearts turned for relief to the wisdom of Washington. Unfortu- nately for the ends of justice, Andre asked permission of Colonel Jameson, as soon as he was taken to the latter’s custody, to write to General Arnold, to inform him that ‘Anderson’ was detained. Not knowing the rank of his prisoner nor the magnitude of the plot, the letter was al- lowed by Jameson to be sent, and Arnold, being thus apprised, escaped. Colonel J ameson also forwarded to General W ash- ington the papers found on the prisoner, and a statement of the manner in which he was taken. The papers sent to Washington missed of the country would have been in his hands, and he would have had the glory of the splendid achievement.” Tallmadge ventured to ask Andre what was to have been his reward had he succeeded. To this the reply was : “ Military glory was all I sought. The thanks of my general and the approbation of my king would have been a rich reward for such an under- taking.” Tallmadge also adds : “ I think he further remarked, that, if he had suc- ceeded, he was to have been promoted to the rank of a brigadier-general.” The news of Andre’s arrest and Arnold’s treason fell like a thunderbolt upon the him, as he did not return by the road h© went, but took the northern route to Fish- kill, where, September twenty-fourth, he arrived late in the afternoon, the very day after Andre’s capture, — of which event and of Arnold’s treason he was wholly unconscious. Stopping at Fisbkill only a short time, he pushed on for the quarters of his brave general, Arnold, some eighteen miles distant. He had gone, however, but a mile or two, before he met the French minister, Chevalier Luzerne, on his way to Newport, to visit Rocbambeau, the French naval commander. The latter prevailed on him to return to Fishkill for the night, TREASON OF MAJOR-GENERAL BENEDICT ARNOLD. 52 as he had matters of importance to com- municate. The next morning, Washington was early in the saddle, having sent word be- forehand to Arnold that he would break- fast with him. It was a bright autumnal morning, and the whole party in high spirits pushed rapidly forward through the gorges of the Highlands. As they came opposite West Point, Washington, instead of continuing on to Arnold’s quarters, which were on the same side, turned his horse down a narrow road toward the river. Lafayette observing this, ex- claimed — “ General, you are going in the wrong direction ; you know Mrs. Arnold is wait- ing breakfast for us, and that road will take us out of the way.” Jameson, commanding at North Castle, announcing the capture of Andre, and who had been brought in to Jameson’s post, by three militiamen, Paulding, Williams, and Yan Wart, his captors, whom the gallant but unfortunate man vainly endeavored to bribe, in order to his release. They knew him to be a spy, but were ignorant of his military rank. Merely remarking that his presence at West Point was necessary, Arnold re- quested the aids to say to Washington on his arrival that he was unexpectedly called over the river, and would be back soon. Repairing to his wife’s chamber, he sent for her at the breakfast table, and told her that he must instantly leave her and his country forever, for death was his certain doom if he did not reach the enemy before WEST POINT IN 1780. “ Ah ! ” replied Washington, laughingly, “ I know you young men are all in love with Mrs. Arnold, and wish to get where she is as soon as possible. You may go and take breakfast with her, and tell her not to wait for me. I must ride down and examine the redoubts on this side of the river, and will be there in a short time.” The officers preferring not to proceed without him, two aids were dispatched to tell Arnold not to wait breakfast. The latter, therefore, with his family and the two aids sat down to the table. While they were conversing on indifferent topics, a messenger entered and handed a letter to Arnold, who opened and read it in pres- ence of the company, without, of course, di- vulging its contents. It was from Colonel he was detected. Paralyzed by the sud- den blow, she fell senseless at his feet. Not daring to call for help, Arnold left her in that state, and rapidly descending to the door, mounted one of the horses belonging to Washington’s aids, and taking a by-way pushed for the river, where his barge was moored. Jumping in, he or- dered his six oarsmen to pull for Teller’s Point. Stimulating them to greater efforts by the promise of two gallons of rum, he swept rapidly past Verplanck’s Point, and as he approached the British ship Yulture, waved a white handkerchief, and was soon on board. In the meantime, Washington, having finished his survey, rode on to Arnold’s house. Taking a hasty breakfast, and being informed that TREASON OF MAJOR-GENERAL BENEDICT ARNOLD. 53 Mrs. Arnold was in her room, unwell, he said he would not wait for Arnold to return, but cross over to West Point and meet him there. As the boat swept over the water, he remarked — “Well, gentlemen, I am glad on the whole that General Arnold has gone before us, for we shall now have a salute, and the roaring of the cannon will have a fine effect among these mountains.” At this moment an officer was seen coming down the rocky hill-side, to meet the barge. It was Colonel Lamb, who looked confounded on seeing the commander-in-chief. He commenced an apology, declaring that he was wholly ignorant of his excellency’s intention to visit West Point. “How is this, sir,” broke in Wash- ington, “ is not General Arnold here ? ” “No, sir,” replied the colonel, “he has not been here these two days, nor have I heard from him in that time.” “This is extraordinary,” replied Wash- ington ; “ he left word that he had crossed the river. However, our visit must not be in vain. Since we have come, we must look around and see in what state things are with you.” And now it was that Hamilton broke the astounding news to his chief. The latter, stunned and bewildered, ordered Hamilton to mount a horse and ride as for life to Yerplanck’s Point, and stop Arnold, if possible ; he called in Knox and Lafay- ette, and told them what had occurred, merely remarking at the close, “ Whom can we trust now?” His countenance was calm as ever, and being informed that Arnold’s wife was in a state bordering on insanity, he went up to her room to soothe her. In her frenzy she upbraided him with being in a plot to murder her child. One moment she raved, another she melted into tears. Sometimes she pressed her infant to her bosom and lamented its fate, occasioned by the imprudence of its father, in a manner that would have pierced in- sensibility itself. It was four o’clock in the afternoon when these disclosures of Arnold’s treason and Andre’s capture were made to Washington, and, an hour later, dinner being announced, he said — “Come, gentlemen, since Mrs. Arnold is unwell and the general is absent, let us sit down without ceremony.” No one at the table but Knox and La- fayette knew what had transpired, nor did Washington exhibit any change oi demeanor, except that he was more than usually stern in his voice and manner. But his mind, oppressed with nameless fears, wandered far away from that dinner table, and no sooner was the quiet repast over than he addressed himself to the task before him. He wrote rapidly, and cour- iers were soon seen galloping in every di- rection. He announced the treason to Colonel Wade, commanding at West Point, in the absence of Colonel Lamb, in the single sentence, “ General Arnold is gone to the enemy.” Having done all he could to arrest the tremendous evils that threat- ened to overwhelm him, Washington re- tired late at night to his bed, fearful that the sound of the enemy’s cannon, under the auspices of Arnold’s treacherous schemes, would awake him before day- light. It happily did not prove so. A court-martial, having condemned Andre as a spy, Sir Henry Clinton, the British general, put forth every effort to avert the dreadful fate of his officer. He sent three commissioners to reason and re- monstrate with the officers of the court. He appealed to Washington, while Arnold, wrote him a threatening letter, declaring if Andre was hung he would revenge his death on every American prisoner that fell into his hands. Washington deigned no reply to the letter, but tenderly forwarded GENERAL ARNOLD’S HEAD-QUARTERS. 64 TREASON OF MAJOR-GENERAL BENEDICT ARNOLD. Mrs. Arnold and her baggage over to the British side. Washington, though his heart was filled with the keenest sorrow for the fate of one so universally beloved, and possessed of such noble qualities of heart and mind, refused to arrest the course of justice. As in all cases where great trouble came upon him, so in this, he said but little, but sternly and silently wrestled with it alone. Arnold was made brigadier-general in the British service, and put on an official level with honorable men, who scorned, how- ever, to associate with him. What golden reward he was to have received had he succeeded in delivering West Point to the enemy, is not known ; £30,000, most prob- ably. V. CORNWALLIS SURRENDERS HIS SPLENDID ARMY TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.— 1781. Final Catastrophe to British Arms in America. — Consternation and Despair in the Cabinet of King George — Their Vaunted Wager of Battle Returns to Them with the Loss of their Fairest Possession. — Washington’s Countrymen Everywhere Hail and Extol Him as their Deliverer. — Last Act in the Military Drama. — Cornwallis Halts at Yorktown. — Makes it His Defensive Post. — Decoy Letter Sent by Washington. — The British Strongly Fortified. — American and French Forces United. — Their Advance on the Enemy. — Furious Bombardment. — Redoubts Stormed by Lafayette. — Both Sides Confident of Triumph. — British Efforts to Retreat. — Cornwallis Prefers Death to Defeat —Reckless Bravery of Washington. — Ardor and Exultation of His Troops. — Cornwallis Fails of Re-enforcements. — He Asks a Cessation of Hostilities. — Forced to Yield the Struggle. — Universal Rejoicing of Amer- icans. — Mortification of the English. — Eloquence of Burke, Fox, and Pitt. — They Demand that the War Cease. — The Voice of Parliament — Commemorative Action by Congress. "Oh,GodI It ib all over— it is all over!'’— Lord North, Prime Minister of England, on Hearing of Cornwallis’s Surrender. T the head of a powerful army, with which he had just established himself in Virginia, Lord Cornwallis vaunt- ingly wrote to General Clinton, his superior, as follows : — “I have ventured, these last two days, to look General Washington’s whole force in the face, in the posi- tion on the outside of my works, and have the pleasure to assure your Ex- cellency that there is but one wish throughout the army, which is, that the enemy would advanced Scarcely did Cornwallis have time to awake from his day-dream of security, when a courier was thundering at the doors of the Continental Congress, with the THE HOUSE WHERE CORNWALLIS SURRENDERED. . , , , following dispatch from General Washington : <£ I have the honor to inform congress that a reduction of the British army, under the command of Lord Cornwallis, is most happily effected. The unremitted ardor, which actuated every officer and soldier in the combined army on this occasion, has principally led to this important event, at an earlier period than my most sanguine hopes had induced me to expect. The singular spirit of emulation, which animated the whole army from the first commencement of our operations, has filled my mind with the CORNWALLIS’ SURRENDER. 56 highest pleasure and satisfaction, and had given me the happiest presages of success.” A glorious event, one eliciting the most unbounded demonstrations of joy throughout the United States, and which completely destroyed British military power at the south, thus setting the seal of American success upon the contest with the mother country, — was the capture, as announced in the above dispatch, of Lord Cornwallis and his splendid army, at York- town, Virginia, in October, 1781, by the combined American and Erench forces under General Washington and Counts de Rochambeau and Grasse. In the summer of 1781, Cornwallis had taken possession of several places in the south, and, in the latter part of July, de- sirous of establishing himself firmly in Virginia, he accordingly selected York- town as a suitable defensive post and capa- ble of protecting ships of the line. Little did he think, as he began leisurely to for- tify the place, that it was a net which would entangle him in crushed hopes and ruined fortunes. Yorktown is situated at the narrowest part of the peninsula formed by the York and James rivers, where the distance across is but eight miles. By placing his troops, therefore, around the village, and drawing about them a range of outer redoubts and field works calcu- lated to command this peninsula, Cornwal- lis had, as he thought, established himself well. Lafayette, with an inferior number of troops, was at this time at Williamsburg, but was unable to make successful engage- ments with the superior force of the Brit- ish. Seeing, at once, the importance of putting some check upon the progress of Cornwallis at the south, Washington de- termined to unite the American and Erench forces, then in the neighborhood of New York, and join Lafayette at Williamsburg. This junction was effected on the four- teenth of September, Washington being at the head of the American troops, and the Count de Rochambeau at the head of the Erench forces. At the same time the Count de Grasse, with his fleet, entered the Chesapeake, after a slight engagement with Admiral Graves off the capes, and was joined by the squadron of the Count de Barras from Newport. Three thou- sand men, under the Marquis St. Simon, were also added to the troops under La- fayette’s command; and these combined forces then moved toward Yorktown and Gloucester, where Corwallis was sta- tioned. The British general had been expecting aid from Sir Henry Clinton at the north, but so adroitly had Washington withdrawn his troops, that Sir Henry scarcely sus- pected his design, till it was too late to frustrate it. On the thirteenth of Septem- ber, the allied army occupied the outer lines of Cornwallis, which that general had abandoned without a struggle. York- town was in a short time completely invested; the American army occupying the right, and the Erench the left, forming a semi-circle with each wing resting upon the river. On the night of the sixth of October the besieging army broke ground within six hundred yards of the British lines ; and the first parallel was completed with little loss. On the ninth and tenth, guns were mounted on the works, and the batteries began to play, with visible effect, on the lines of the enemy. Many of their guns were soon silenced, and their works damaged. By the eleventh, the enemy scarcely returned a shot. The shells and red-hot balls of the besiegers reached the shipping in the harbor, and set the Charon frigate of forty-four guns, and several large transports on fire, which were en- tirely consumed. On the night of the eleventh, the second parallel was begun within three hundred yards of the British lines. The working parties were not dis- covered until day-light, when the trenches were in a situation to cover the men. But there were two redoubts in particu- lar, in front of the British lines and which flanked the second parallel of the Ameri- cans, that gave great annoyance to the latter, and it was deemed necessary to carry them by storm. To prevent national jealousy, however, and to keep alive the CORNWALLIS’ SURRENDER. 57 spirit of emulation which animated the co- operating armies, the attack of one was assigned to the American troops, and that of the other to the French. Lafayette commanded the American detachment and the Baron de Yiominet the French. Colonel Hamilton, who through this cam- paign commanded a battalion of light in- fantry, led the advanced corps of the Americans to the assault, while Colonel Laurens turned the redoubt and attacked in his confidence of triumph, had so recently written to his superior, Sir Henry Clinton. Having failed in his sortie, and knowing that his position had become untenable, the British general took the desperate res- olution of crossing over to Gloucester Point in the night, and cutting his way through the blockading force there — then, mounting his men on whatever horses he could seize, make a rapid march northward and join Sir Henry Clinton ! By this in the rear, to prevent the retreat of the garrison. Without giving time for the abattis to be removed, and without firing a gun, the Americans gallantly assaulted, and instantly carried the works, with a small loss of men on either side. The re- doubt attacked by the French being more strongly garrisoned made greater resist- ance, and was overcome with a much heav- ier loss. The success of these movements was a stunning blow to Cornwallis, who, movement he would abandon his sick and baggage ; but he would save himself the disgrace of a surrender. Boats were se- cretly procured, and the first embarkation reached the point safely and unperceived ; but, at this juncture, a violent storm arose, which drove the boats down the river. The tempest continuing until day-light, the enterprise was necessarily given up, and the troops that had passed over gladly re-crossed to the southern field. CORN W ALLIS’ SURRENDER. 58 In the mortification and anguish of his soul, Cornwallis shed tears, and expressed his preference for death rather than the ignominy of a surrender. But there was no resource — the handwriting on the wall was against him — the fate of war must be accepted. The siege had continued close for more than two weeks, and, notwith- standing the losses in killed, wounded, and missing, that had been sustained, the Brit- ish army showed a handsome force of be- tween seven and eight thousand trained fighting men, of unquestioned bravery, hut who were soon to capitulate to the besieg- ing forces, numbering, in all, some sixteen thousand men, less disciplined, perhaps, but determined and indomitable. Of Washington, the central character and actor in this great drama, every American heart engrossingly thinks. Knowing that Sir Henry Clinton had written to Cornwallis, bidding him to strengthen his position at Yorktown, and promising him the immediate aid of both land and naval forces, Washington had, seasonably and with shrewd forecast, writ- ten a letter to Lafayette, then in Virginia, which he caused to be intercepted. In this letter he remarked that he was pleased with the probability that Earl Cornwallis would fortify either Portsmouth or Old Point Comfort, for, were he to fix upon Yorktown, from its great capabilities of defense, he might remain there snugly and unharmed, until a superior British fleet would relieve him with strong re-enforce- ments, or embark him altogether. This decoy letter quieted the apprehen- sions of the British commander-in-chief as to the danger of Cornwallis, and produced those delays in the operations of Sir Henry, which, as will have been seen, tended so materially to the success of the allies and the surrender of Yorktown. Thus it was that Washington by . his pen, laid the train of success so well. Nor less so with his sword. In the simultaneous attack upon the redoubts, made by the combined American and French army, Washington was an intensely-excited spectator. He had dismounted from his horse — the mag- nificent charger, named Nelson, — and put him in the care of a servant, while the general himself took his stand in the grand battery with his two chief generals, Lin- coln and Knox, and their aids, and here he exposed himself to every danger. When all was over, at this critical junc- ture, — the redoubts being taken, and Washington’s intense anxiety so happily relieved, — the general drew a long breath, and looking at Knox with an expression of extreme satisfaction, remarked, briefly, “ The work is done, and well done ! ” Motioning to his faithful servant, who was quickly in his presence, he said, “William, bring me my horse,” — mounting which, the chieftain proceeded to make sure that the success which had attended the first par- allel was followed up energetically until no loop-hole was left, through which Corn- wallis might escape. No such loop-hole was afforded, and Cornwallis’s doom was sealed. It was a proud day for the war-worn troops of America to see so fine an army not only within their grasp, but, to all in- tents and purposes, completely at their disposal, — waiting only those last formali- ties which give solemn dignity to the de- crees already made by the sword, — and they saw, in the coming event, the final catastrophe of British rule in America, — the close of the Revolutionary drama, — the establishiggnt of a free and independ- ent republic. As already remarked, Corn- wallis had hoped for succor to the last, but the slaughter of his men became too seri- ous to be any longer endured, and finally the loud beat of the chamade was heard in the intervals of the explosions of cannon, and the firing ceased. Cornwallis then sent a flag of truce requesting a cessation of hostilities for twenty-four hours, to ar- range the terms of capitulation. To this Washington would not consent, fearing that the arrival of the English fleet in the meantime might alter the aspect of affairs, and allowed him but two hours in which to transmit his proposals. The full sur- render took place the next day, October 19, 1781, the articles of capitulation being CORNWALLIS’ SURRENDER. signed by Cornwallis at the house of a Mr. Moore. At about 12 o’clock of that day, the combined continental army was drawn up in two lines more than a mile in length, the Americans on the right side of the road, and their French allies on the left. Washington, mounted on a noble steed, and attended by his staff, was in front of the former; the Count de Rochambeau and his suite, of the latter. The French troops, in complete uniform, and well equipped, made a brilliant appearance, and had marched to the ground with a band of music playing, which was a novelty in the American service. The American troops, hut part in uniform, and all in garments much the worse for wear, yet had a spirited soldier-like air, and were not the worse in the eyes of their countrymen for bearing the marks of hard service and great priva- tions. The concourse of spectators drawn from all the neighboring country to witness a scene so thrilling and momentous, was almost equal in number to the military, but silence and order prevailed unbroken. The enthusiasm throughout the country, on the surrender of CornwallD, was un- bounded. “ Cornwallis is taken ! ” was the message which sped itself with the wings of the wind to every city, to vn and village, and was shouted by every mouth. But the mortification of Cornwallis was intense, and the British cabinet, on hear- ing the news, turned pale with despair. Lords Germain, Walsingham, and Stor- mount, proceeded to Lord North’s house, and there, at midnight, announced to him the portentous dispatch. The haughty premier was astounded and humbled. In the words of Lord Germain, in answer to the inquiry how Lord North received the news? — “As he would have received a ball in his breast ; for he opened his arms, ex- claiming wildly as he paced up and down the apartment, ‘ Oh God ! It is all over — it is all over /’” King George III. was at Kew, and the intelligence was forwarded to him at that place. He exhibited no loss of self-control, it is said, notwithstanding the hopes which had been centered in Corn- o9 wallis and his army, to give triumph to the British arms. It is well known that, during the month of November, the accounts received by the British government, of Lord Cornwallis’s embarrassments, gave great anxiety to the cabinet. Lord George Germain, in partic- ular, conscious that on the prosperous or adverse result of Cornwallis’s movements hinged the result of the whole American contest, as well as his own political fate — and probably the duration of the ministry itself, — expressed to his friends the strong- est uneasiness on the subject. The meet- ing of parliament stood fixed for the 27th of that month. On the 25th, the official intelligence of the unconditional surrender of the British forces of Yorktown, arrived at Lord Germain’s house. Lord Walsing- ham, who, previous to his father, Sir Wil- liam de Grey’s elevation to the peerage, had been under-secretary of state in that department, and who was to second the address in the house of lords, happened to be there when the messenger brought the news. Without communicating it to any unofficial person, Lord George, for the purpose of dispatch, immediately got with him into a hackney-coach, and drove to Lord Stormount’s residence in Portland Place. Having imparted the disastrous information to him, they determii ed, after a short consultation, to lay the in telligence themselves in person before Lord North, with what result has already been stated on the authority of a writer in Blackwood’s Magazine. The next picture is that of a cabinet council in terror. When the first agitation had subsided, the four ministers discussed the question, whether it might not be ex- pedient to prorogue the meeting of parlia- ment for a few days ; but as scarcely an interval of forty-eight hours remained be- fore the appointed time of meeting, and as many members of both houses had arrived in London, or were on their way, the prop- osition was abandoned. It became, how- ever, indispensable to alter, and almost remodel, the king’s speech. This was done without delay, and at the same time CORNWALLIS’ SURRENDER. 60 Lord George, as secretary for the American department, sent off a dispatch to the king, then at Kew, acquainting him with Cornwallis's fate. One who was intimate in the circle of court actors and secrets at that time says : — I dined that day at Lord George’s, and although the information which had reached London in the course of the morn- ing from France, as well as from the offi- cial report, was of a nature not to admit of long concealment, yet it had not been communicated to me or any other individ- ual of the company when I got to Pall Mall, between five and six o’clock. Lord Walsingham, who also dined there, was then the only person, except Lord George, officially knowing to the fact. The party, nine in number, sat down to the table. I thought the master of the house appeared serious, though he manifested no discom- posure. Before dinner was over, a letter was brought from the king, by the messen- ger who had been dispatched to him with the startling intelligence. Lord Walsing- ham simply indulged in the observation : “The king writes just as he always doas, except that I perceive he has neglected to mark the hour and minute of his writing with his usual precision.” This remark, though calculated to awaken some interest, excited no comment ; and while the ladies, Lord George’s three daughters, remained in the room, all manifestation of curiosity was repressed. But they had no sooner withdrawn, than Lord George having com- municated the fact that information had just arrived from Paris of the old Count Maurepas, first minister of the French cabinet, lying at the point of death, the remark was made by one of the party — “ It would grieve me to finish my career, however far advanced in years, were I first minister of France, before I had witnessed the termination of this great contest be- tween England and America.” “ He has survived to see that event,” at once replied Lord George Germain, with some agitation. The conversation was continued, until, on the more particular mention of the Vir- ginia campaign, the minister disclosed the full bearing of the intelligence he had received, saying — “ The army has surrendered, and you may peruse the particulars of the capitula- tion in that paper.” The paper was taken from his pocket, and read to the company. The next ques- tion was one of rather an obtrusive kind, to learn what the king thought on the subject. In reply to this, the minister’s remark did the highest credit to his maj- esty’s firmness, fortitude and consistency. The minister even allowed the king’s bil- let to be read, and it was as follows : — ‘ I have received, with sentiments of the deepest concern, the communication which Lord George Germain has made to me, of the unfortunate result of the operations to Virginia. I particularly lament it, on account of the consequences connected with it and the difficulties which it may produce in carrying on the public business, pr in repairing such a misfortune. But I trust’ that neither Lord Germain, nor any other member of the cabinet, will suppose that it makes the smallest alteration in those principles of my conduct, which have di- rected me in the past time, which will al- ways continue to animate me under every event, in the prosecution of the present contest.’ The cabinet, strengthened by the royal determination, now recovered courage ; they met parliament at the appointed time, and fought their battle there with unusual vigor. Perhaps in all the annals of sena- torial struggle, there never was a crisis which more powerfully displayed the talents of the Commons. Burke, Fox, and Pitt, were at once seen pouring down the whole fiery torrent of declamation on the government. But at all events, the success of the siege of Yorktown, it is generally under* stood, decided the revolutionary war. “The infant Hercules,” said Dr. Franklin, “ has now strangled the two serpents, that attacked him in his cradle.” All the world agree that no expedition was .aver better planned or better executed. For the CORNWALLIS’ SURRENDER. 61 “ great glory and advantage ” of Cornwal- lis’s subjection, Washington afterwards acknowledged himself chiefly indebted to the Erench alliance. And in the proceed- ings of congress upon the matter, it was amongst other things: ‘Resolved, that congress cause to be erected at Yorktown a marble column, adorned with emblems of the alliance between the United States and France, and inscribed with a succinct narrative of the siege, and capitulation.’ Special thanks were also tendered by that body’s vote, to each commander engaged in the siege; and to Washington were presented two stands of colors taken from the enemy, and two pieces of field ordnance to Counts Rochambeau and de Grasse. The next day after the surrender was the Sabbath, and Washington ordered special divine service in each of the brig- ades of the American army. He also by public proclamation congratulated the allied armies on the auspicious victory, awarding high praise to the officers and troops, both Erench and American, for their conduct during the siege, and speci- fying by name several of the generals and other officers who had especially distin- guished themselves. All those of his army who were under arrest were pardoned and set free. News of this glorious victory sped like lightning over the land. Washington dis- patched at once one of his aids, Colonel Tilghman, to congress, then sitting in Philadelphia. The swift rider dashed on a gallop into the city at midnight — the clatter of his horse’s hoofs the only sound that broke the silence of the deserted streets, as he pressed straight for the house of McKean, then president of congress. Thundering at the door as though he would force an entrance, he roused the. sleeping president, saying, “Cornwallis is taken ! ” The watchmen caught the words, and when they called “ One o’clock,” they added, “and Cornwallis is taken!” As they moved slowly on their nightly rounds, windows were flung open and eager coun- tenances were everywhere scanning the streets. A hum, like that of an awaken- ing hive, immediately pervaded the city. The inhabitants went pouring into the streets, while shout after shout rose on the midnight air. The old bellman was roused from his slumbers, and soon the iron tongue of the bell at the state-house rang out, as of old, “ Proclaim liberty through- out all the land to all the inhabitants thereof.” The dawn w r as greeted with the booming of cannon ; and salvos of artillery, and shouts of joy, and tears of thanksgiving, accompanied the glad news as it traveled exultingly over the length and breadth of the land. Every voice was loud in its praise of General Washington, and of his gallant ally, the Count de Rochambeau. It is stated as an interesting fact in the history of this great event and the charac- ter of the two chief commanders, that, on the day after the surrender, Cornwallis went in person to pay his respects to Gen- eral Washington and await his orders. The captive chief was received with all the courtesy due to a gallant and unfortunate foe. The elegant manners, together with the manly, frank, and soldierly bearing of Cornwallis, soon made him a prime favor- ite at head-quarters, and he often formed part of the suite of the commander-in- chief in his rides to inspect the leveling of the works previous to the retirement of the combined American and French armies from before Yorktown. At the grand din- ner given at the head-quarters to the offi- cers of the three armies, Washington filled his glass, and, after his favorite toast, whether in peace or war, of “ All our . CORNWALLIS’ SURRENDER. 62 friends,” gave “ The British army,” with some complimentary remarks upon its chief, his proud career in arms, and his gallant defense of Yorktown. When it came to Cornwallis’s turn, he prefaced his toast by saying that the war was virtually at an end, and the contending parties would soon embrace as friends ; there might be affairs of posts, but nothing on a msare enlarged scale, as it was scarcely | to he expected that the ministry would send another army to America. Then turning to Washington, his lordship con- tinued — “And when the illustrious part that your excellency has borne in this long and arduous contest becomes matter of history, fame will gather your brightest laurels rather from the banks of the Delaware | than from those of the Chesapeake.” YI. ADIEU TO THE ARMY BY WASHING-TON.— 1783. Affecting Interviews and Parting Words between the Great Chieftain and His Comrades-in-Arms. — Solemn Farewell Audience with Congress. — In Its Presence He Voluntarily Divests Himself of His Supreme Authority, Returns His Victorious Sword, and Becomes a Private Citizen. — History of the Election of a Military Leader. — America’s Destiny in His Hands — Appointment of George Wash- ington. — The Army at Cambridge, Mass. — He Immediately Takes Command. — Is Enthusiastically Greeted — Leads Its Fortunes Seven Years — Record of His Generalship. — Ends the War in Tri- umph. — Scheme to Make Him King. — Indignantly Rebukes the Proposal. — Last Review of His Troops. — His Strong Attachment for Them. — Intention to Leave Public Life — Congress Informed of this Fact. — Embarkation from New York. — Homage Paid Him Everywhere — Arrival at Annapo- lis. — Proceeds to the Halls of, Congress. — Impressive Ceremonial There. — Rare Event in Human History. 44 Having now finished the work assigned me, I retire from the theater of action, and, bidding an affectionate farewell to this august body under whose orders I have so long acted, I here offer my commission, and take my leave of all the employments of public life.”— Washing- ton's Retirement as Revolutionary Leader. HAT momentous object for which the War of Independence was for seven long years waged, under the supreme leadership of General Washington, having been achieved by the unconditional acknowledg- ment of that independence on the part of Great Britain, a cessation of hostilities was formally announced by congress to a rejoicing people. Washington’s military course having thus honorably and successfully terminated, he, Cincinnatus-like, sheathed his sword, and surrendered his high commission to that power which had in- vested him with its authority. It will, therefore, not only be appro- priate, but of peculiar interest, to link together, in one narrative, the circumstances attending his appointment to the responsible office of commander-in-chief of the revolutionary army, and that last great act — the Return of his Commission — in the stupendous drama of which he was the central figure. To that sterling old patriot, John Adams, the credit of the wisdom of selecting Washington as military chieftain principally belongs. It was a question, on the decision of which hung the fate of the rev- olutionary cause ; and in all parts of the country, among the people at large as well as in the more immediate circles of congress, by whom the great question was finally to be determined, the discussion as to who should be chosen as the nation’s leader in the councils of s sword, war and on the battle-field, was universal. Mr. Adams states that to this election, there was in congress a southern party against a north- a jealousy against a New England army under the command of a ADIEU TO THE ARMY BY WASHINGTON. 64 New England general ; but whether this jealousy was sincere, or whether it was mere pride and ambition — the ambition of furnishing a southern general to command the northern army, — was a matter of doubt. The intention, however, was very visible that Colonel Washington was their object. The military ability which had been dis- played, on different occasions, by Colonel Washington, were well understood, and, from the conspicuous positions in which he had thus been placed, and the saga^ cious judgment which was known to have characterized him in important emergen- cies, he had, for a long time past, enjoyed a fine reputation throughout the colonies, as a gallant and successful officer. He was only in a moderate sense a partisan, in the difficulties and discussions which had arisen between his own and the mother country ; but, from the very first, he ex- hibited sufficient repugnance to any atti- tude of vassalage, on the part of his coun- trymen, to show that he would be no will- ing subject of coercion, should the preten- sions of the British be attempted to be car- ried out by threats, or by recourse to arms. When congress had assembled, Mr. John Adams arose in his place, and in as short a speech as the subject would admit represented the state of the colonies, the uncertainty in the minds of the people, their great expectation and anxiety, the distresses of the army, the danger of its dissolution, the difficulty of collecting an- other ; and the probability that the Brit- ish army would take advantage of these delays, march out of Boston, and spread desolation as far as they could go. He concluded with a motion, in form, that congress would adopt the army at Cam- bridge, and appoint a general ; that though this was not the proper time to nominate a general, yet as there existed reasons for believing this to be the greatest difficulty, he had no hesitation to declare that there was but one gentleman in his mind for that important office, and that was a gen- tleman from Virginia — one of their own number, and well known to them all, — a gentleman whose skill and experience as an officer, whose independent fortune, great talents, and excellent general character, would command the approbation of all America, and unite the cordial exertions of all the colonies better than any other person in the Union. Mr. Washington, who happened to sit near the door, as soon as he heard this al- lusion to himself, with his usual modesty, darted into the library room. The subject came under debate, and several gentlemen declared themselves against the appointment of Mr. Washing- ton, not on account of any personal objec- tion against him, but because the army were all from New England, had a general of their own, appeared to be satisfied with him, and had proved themselves able to imprison the British army in Boston. Mr. Pendleton, of Virginia, and Mr. Sherman, of Connecticut, were very ex- plicit in declaring this opinion. Mr. Cushing and others more faintly expressed their opposition, and their fears of discon- tent in the army and in New England. Mr. Paine expressed a great opinion of General Ward, and a strong friendship for him, having been his classmate at col- lege, or, at least, his contemporary ; but gave no opinion on the question. The subject was postponed to a future day. In the meantime, pains were taken out of doors to obtain a unanimity, and the voices were generally so clearly in favor of Wash- ington, that the dissenting members were persuaded to withdraw their opposition, and Mr. Washington was nominated by Mr. Thomas Johnson, of Maryland, unan- imously elected, and the army adopted. His official commission was at once drawn up and presented to him ; a copy of which most interesting document is given below : — 11 In Congress. We the delegates of the United Colonies of New Hampshire, Mas- sachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New Castle, Kent, and Sussex on Dela- ware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, ADIEU TO THE ARMY BY WASHINGTON. To George Washington, Esquire : We, reposing special trust and confi- dence in your patriotism, conduct, and fidelity, do by these presents constitute and appoint you to be General and Com- mander-in-Chief of the army of the United Colonies, and of all the forces raised or to be raised by them, and of all others who shall voluntarily offer their services and join the said army for the de- fense of American liberty, and for repelling every hostile invasion thereof. And you are hereby invested with full power and authority to act as you shall think for the good and welfare of the service. And we do hereby strictly charge and require all officers and soldiers under your command to be obedient to your orders, and diligent in the exercise of their several duties. And we do also enjoin and require you to be careful in executing the great trust reposed in you, by causing strict discipline and order to be observed in the army, and that the soldiers are duly exercised and provided with all convenient necessaries. And you are to regulate your conduct in every respect by the rules and discipline of war, (as herewith given you,) and punc- tually to observe and follow such direc- tions, from time to time, as you shall re- ceive from this or a future Congress of the said United Colonies, or a Committee of Congress for that purpose appointed. This commission to continue in force till revoked by this or a future Congress. By order of Congress. John Hancock, President. Dated, Philadelphia, June 19, 1775. Attest, Charles Thomson, Secretary.” On the second day of July, 1775, Wash- ington arrived in Cambridge, Massachu- setts, accompanied by Major-General Lee, his next in command, and other officers, establishing his head-quarters at the man- sion subsequently occupied by Longfellow, the elegant scholar and poet. At about nine o’clock on the morning of the next day, Washington, attended by a suitable escort, proceeded from his head-quarters to a great elm tree — one of the majestic na- 65 tives of the forest, — near Harvard College, and where the continental forces were drawn up in military order. Under the shadow of that wide-spreading tree, Wash- ington, moving forward a few paces, drew his sword as commander-in-chief of the American army, declaring that it should THE -WASHINGTON ELM, CAMBRIDGE, MASS. never be sheathed until the liberties of his country were established. The record of his services is the history of the whole war. Joining the army in July, 1775, he compelled the British to evacuate Boston in March, 1776; he then followed the British to New York, fighting the battle of Long Island on the twenty-seventh of August, and that of White Plains on the twenty-eighth of October. On the twenty- fifth of December he made the memorable passage of the Delaware, and soon gained the victories of Trenton and Princeton. The battle of Brandywine was fought on the eleventh of September, 1777, and that of Germantown, October fourth. Febru- ary twenty-eighth, 1778, witnessed his “ glorious and happy day,” as he himself termed it, at Monmouth. In 1779 and 1780 he conducted the military operations in the vicinity of New York ; after which, in 1781, he marched to Virginia to watch the movements of Lord Cornwallis, whom he forced to surrender at Yorktown, in October, by which great achievement he put an end to the active operations of the revolutionary struggle, and secured peace and independence to his country. With the return of peace, and the achievement of independent nationality, 66 ADIEU TO THE ARMY BY WASHINGTON. the wisdom and patriotism of Washington were to be severely tested, and in a most unexpected manner, in connection with the form of government to be adopted by the United States. The English government was regarded by many of the strongest American minds as, in most respects, a model one ; and by many persons the En- glish form of a constitutional monarchy was decided, especially by some of the army officers, to be the most promising, and thus far the most successful, experi- ment in government, and the one most this scheme called a secret meeting, and finally determined on the title of King, and Washington was informed of the fact. He spurned the gilded bribe of a king’s crown, and promptly and sternly rebuked the abettors of the scheme in the following letter addressed to their leader : “Sir , — With a mixture of great sur- prise and astonishment, I have read with attention the sentiments you have sub- mitted to my perusal. Be assured, sir, no occurrence in the course of this war has given me more painful sensations than WASHINGTON’S RESIGNATION. likely to be adopted by America upon due deliberation. U niversal dissatisfaction was felt with the proceedings and conduct of congress as a governing power, and there- fore some agency superior to that, and of controlling prerogative, was proposed, — a head, like the English sovereign, with proper safeguards against usurpation. Circumstances, of course, indicated Wash- ington as that head, and the next ques- tion naturally arose — under what official title should such a head rule ? The officers around Newburgh who were associated in your information of there being such ideas existing in the army as you have expressed, and which I must view with abhorrence and reprehend with severity. Eor the present, the communication of them will rest in my own bosom, unless some further agitation of the matter shall make a dis- closure necessary. I am much at a loss to conceive what part of my conduct could have given encouragement to an address which to me seems big with the greatest mischiefs that can befall my country. If I am not deceived in the knowledge of ADIEU TO THE ARMY BY WASHINGTON. myself, you could not have found a person to whom your schemes are more disagree- able. At the same time, in justice to my own feelings, I must add, that no man possesses a more serious wish to see ample justice done to the army than I do; and, as far as my power and influence, in a con- stitutional way, extend, they shall be em- ployed to the utmost of my abilities to effect it, should there he any occasion. Let me conjure you, then, if you have any regard for your country, concern for your- self or posterity, or respect for me, to banish these thoughts from your mind, and never communicate, as from yourself or any one else, a sentiment of the like na- ture.” In perfect keeping with the spirit in which Washington treated the dazzling offer thus so unexpectedly set before him, was the simplicity of his conduct in bid- ding adieu to his comrades-in-arms, and then presenting himself before congress, there to deliver up his sword, and volunta- rily divest himself of the supreme com- mand ; — in the serene and thoughtful phraseology of his own words, “ to address himself once more, and that for the last time, to the armies of the United States, however widely dispersed the individuals who compose them may be, and to hid them an affectionate and a long farewell.” For the last time, he assembled them at Newburgh, when he rode out on the field, and gave them one of those paternal ad- dresses which so eminently characterized his relationship with his army. To the tune of “ Roslin Castle,” — the soldier’s dirge, — his brave comrades passed slowly by their great leader, and filed away to their respective homes. It was a thrilling scene. There were gray-headed soldiers, who had grown old by hardships and exposures, and too old to begin life anew ; tears coursed freely the furrowed cheeks of these veter- ans. Among the thousands passing in review before him were those, also, who had done valorous service when the destiny of the country hung tremblingly in the balance. As Washington looked upon them for the last time, he said, “ I am 67 growing old in my country's service, and losing my sight ; but I never doubted its justice or gratitude.” Even on the rudest and roughest of the soldiery, the effect of his parting language was irresistible. On the fourth of December, 1783, by Washington’s request, his officers, in full uniform, assembled in Fraunces’s tavern, New York, to take a final leave of their commander-in-chief. On entering the room, and finding himself surrounded by his old companions-in-arms, who had shared with him so many scenes of hard- ship, difficulty, and danger, his agitated feelings overcame his usual self-command. Every man arose with eyes turned towards him. Filling a glass of wine, and lifting it to his lips, he rested his benignant but sad- dened countenance upon them, and said, — “With a heart full of love and grati- tude, I now take leave of you. I most de- voutly wish that your latter days may be as prosperous as your former ones have been honorable and glorious.” Having drunk, he added, “ I cannot come to each of you to take my leave, but shall be obliged to you, if each of you will come and take me by the hand.” A profound silence followed, as each officer gazed on the countenance of their leader, while the eyes of all were wet with tears. He then expressed again his desire that each of them should come and take him by the hand. The first, being nearest to him, was General Knox, who grasped his hand in silence, and both embraced each other without uttering a word. One after an- other followed, receiving and returning the affectionate adieu of their commander, after which he left the room in silence, followed by his officers in procession, to embark in the barge that was to convey him to Paulus’s Hook, now Jersey City. As he was passing through the light in- fantry drawn up on either side to receive him, an old soldier, who was by his side on the terrible night of his march to Trenton, stepped out from the ranks, and reaching out his arms, exclaimed, “ Fare- well , my dear general, farewell ! ” Wash- ington seized his hand most heartily, when ADIEU TO THE ARMY BY WASHINGTON. 68 the soldiers forgot all discipline, rushed towards their chief, and bathed him with their tears. The scene was like that of a good patriarch taking leave of his children, and going on a long journey, from whence he might return no more. Having entered the barge, he turned to the weeping company upon the wharf, and waving his hat, bade them a silent adieu. They stood with heads uncovered, until the barge was hidden from their view, when, in silent and solemn procession, they returned to the place where they had as- sembled. Congress was at this time in session at Annapolis, Maryland, to which place Washington now proceeded, greeted along his whole route with enthusiastic homage, for the purpose of formally resign- ing his commission. He arrived on the nineteenth of December, 1783, and the next day he informed congress of the pur- pose for which he had come, and requested to know whether it would be their pleas- ure that he should offer his resignation in writing, or at an audience. A committee was appointed by congress, and it was de- cided that on Tuesday, December twenty- third, the ceremonial should take place as follows : — • The president and members are to be seated and covered, and the secretary to be standing by the side of the president ; the arrival of the general to be announced by the messenger to the secretary, who is thereupon to introduce the general, at- tended by his aids, into the hall of con- gress; the general, being conducted to a chair by the secretary, is to be seated, with an aid on each side standing, and the secretary is to resume his place. After a proper time for the arrangement of spec- tators, silence is to be ordered by the sec- retar}', if necessary, and the president is to address the general in the following words : “ Sir , — The United States in con- gress assembled are prepared to receive your communications.” Whereupon the gen- eral is to arise and address congress ; after which he is to deliver his commission and a copy of his address to the president. The general having resumed his place, the president is to deliver the answer of con- gress, which the general is to receive standing; the president having finished, the secretary is to deliver the general a copy of the answer, and the general is then to take his leave. When the general rises to make his address, and also when he retires, he is to bow to congress, which they are to return by uncovering without bowing. When the hour arrived, the president, General Mifflin, informed him that that body was prepared to receive his commu- nications. With a native dignity, height- ened by the solemnity of the occasion, the general rose. In a brief and appropriate speech he offered his congratulations on the termination of the war, and having alluded to his object in appearing thus in that presence, — that he might resign into the hands of congress the trust committed to him, and claim the indulgence of retir- ing from the public service,- — he concluded with those affecting words, which drew tears from the eyes of all in that vast as- sembly : “ I consider it an indispensable duty to close this last act of my official life, by commending the interests of our dearest country to the protection of Almighty God, and those •who have the superintend- ence of them, to his holy keeping. Having now finished the work assigned me, I retire from the theater of action, and, bidding an affectionate farewell to this august body, under whose orders I have so long acted, I here offer my commission, and take my leave of all the employments of public life.” After advancing to the chair, and deliv- ering his commission to the president, he returned to his place, and remained stand- ing, while General Mifflin replied, review- ing the great career thus brought to a close, and saying, in conclusion : “ The glory of your virtues will not ter- minate with your military command; it will continue to animate the remotest ages. We join with you in commending the in- terests of our country to Almighty God, beseeching Him to dispose the hearts and ADIEU TO THE ARMY BY WASHINGTON. minds of its citizens to improve the op- portunity afforded them of becoming a happy and respectable nation. And for you, we address to Him our warm- est prayers, that a life so beloved may 69 be fostered with all His care, that your days may be as happy as they have been illustrious, and that He will finally give you that reward which this world cannot bestow.” YII. APPOINTMENT OF THE FIRST MINISTER PLENIPOTENi TIARY, FROM THE NEW REPUBLIC TO THE ENGLISH COURT.— 1785. John Adams, America's Sturdiest Patriot, and the Foremost Enemy of British Tyranny, Fills this High Office —Interview between Him and King George, His Late Sovereign. — Their Addresses, Temper, Personal Bearing, and Humorous Conversation. — The Two Men Rightly Matched Against Each Other. — Old Animosities Unhealed — Mutual Charges of False Dealing. — Settlement Demanded by the United States. — What Adams’s Mission Involved. — Dismemberment of the British Realm. — Loss of the Fairest Possession. — Bitter Pill for the King. — His Obstinacy Forced to Yield. — Humilia- tion of the Proud Monarch. — All Europe Watches the Event. — Mr. Adams Presented at Court. — Pa- triot and King Face to Face. — Official Address by the Minister. — Reply of King George. — His Visi- ible Agitation. — Adams’s Presence of Mind. — Pays His Homage to the Queen — Her Majesty’s Re- sponse — Civilities by the Royal Family. — Results of this Embassy. — Pitiable Position of George the Third. — Fatal Error of Great Britain. “ I must avow to your majesty, I have no attachment but to my own country."— J ohn Adams to Kino Geobge. “ An honest man will have no other.”— T ub Kino's Instant Recly. O deep-seated and festering were the old animosities between Amer- ica and the mother country, that, scarcely had the war of the revo- lution terminated, when the two nations reciprocally charged each other with violating the treaty of peace. The United States were accused of having infringed those articles which contained agree- ments respecting the payment of amity between englard and America. debts, the confiscation of property, and prosecution of individuals for the part taken by them during the war. On the other hand, the English were charged with violating that article which stipulated against the destruction or carrying away of any description of American property; the king was also complained of, for still retaining possession of the posts on the American side of the great lakes, thus influencing the Indian tribes to hostility; and, above all other sources and causes of complaint, in the conduct of Great Britain, was her rigorous and restrictive commercial system. These growing misunderstandings between the two countries, discussed with such angry vehemence on both sides, threatened such serious consequences should their adjust-: ment be much longer delayed, that congress determined upon the important step of FIRST MINISTER TO ENGLAND. appointing, after the manner of independ- ent nations, a Minister Plenipotentiary to the court of Great Britain ! In February, 1785, John Adams was duly accredited ambassador, to represent the United States at that court. That George the Third was as obstinate a man as ever ruled a kingdom, no histo- rian has ever questioned. Having struck at the rights and liberties of America, in order to add to the riches of his coffers, nothing could turn him from his determin- ation to rule, or to ruin and destroy. To the suggestion that the king’s rule over the colonies might be slightly softened or modified, Lord North despairingly replied : “It is to no purpose the making objec- tions, for the king will have it so.” But in no more forcible phrase could the king’s arbitrary temper concerning his colonies be shown, that in that which fell from his own lips, in the presence of the new en- voy, namely, “ I was the last man in the kingdom, sir, to consent to the independ- ence of America .” Of all the opponents of British misrule, in the western world, John Adams was the earliest, ablest, most intrepid and un- tiring. It was John Adams, who, in 1775, in the memorable continental con- gress,- at Philadelphia, suggested George Washington as commander-in-chief of the army that was to wage war against Great Britain — and, even before this crowning act, had sent across the Atlantic, ringing into the ears of the haughty monarch, the epithets tyrant and usurper. The kingly ceremony of acknowledging the colonies independent took place, in con- formity with previous arrangements, on the fifth of December, 1782, in the house of lords. The scene was one which drew together an immense and won- dering crowd of spectators, conspicu- ous among whom was the celebrated admiral Lord Howe, who had just re- turned from a successful relief of Gibraltar, and who had now elbowed himself exactly in front of the throne, to listen, sadly, to his country’s hu- miliation. The ladies of the nobility occupied the lords’ seats on the wool- sacks, so called, as an emblem of the power and wealth of old England, because it had been mainly derived from wool. The lords were standing here and there promiscuously. It was a dark and foggy day, and the windows being elevated and con- structed in the antiquated style, with leaden bars to contain the diamond- cut panes of glass, augmented the gloom. The walls Avere also hung with dark tapestry, representing the de- feat of the great Spanish armada. The celebrated American painters, West and Copley, Avere in the throng, with some American ladies, also a number of dejected- looking American royalists. After a tedious suspense of nearly two hours, the approach of the king was announced by a tremendous roar of artillery. He entered by a small door on the left of the throne, and immediately seated himself in the chair df state, in a graceful attitude, with his right foot resting on a stool. He was clothed in the magnificent robes of British majesty. Evidently agitated, he drew slowly from his pocket a scroll containing his humbling speech. The commons were FIRST MINISTER TO ENGLAND. 72 summoned, and, after the bustle of their entrance had subsided, the thrilling mo- ment arrived, when the speech was to he read. After some general remarks, usual on public occasions, he said : “ I lost no time in giving the necessary orders to prohibit the further prosecution of offensive war upon the continent of North America. Adopting, as my inclin- ation will always lead me to do, with de- cision and effect, whatever I collect to be the sense of my parliament and my people, I have pointed all my views and measures, in Europe, as in North America, to an entire and cordial reconciliation with the colonies. Finding it indispensable to the attainment of this object, I did not hesi- tate to go to the full length of the power vested in me, and therefore I now declare them ” — here he paused, in evident agita- tion, either embarrassed in reading his speech, by the darkness of the' room, or affected by a very natural emotion, but, recovering himself in a moment by a strong convulsive movement, he added — “ free and independent states. In thus admitting their separation from the crown of this kingdom, I have sacrificed every consideration of my own, to the wishes and opinions of my people. I make it my humble and ardent prayer to Almighty God, that Great Britain may not feel the evils which might result from so great a dismemberment of the empire, and that America may be free from the calamities which have formerly proved, in the mother country, how essential monarchy is to the enjoyment of constitutional liberty. Re- ligion, language, interests, and affection may, and I hope will, yet prove a bond of permanent union between the two coun- tries.” It was universally remarked of King George, that, though celebrated for read- ing his speeches in a distinct, composed, and impressive manner, he was on this occasion painfully lacking in his usual self-possession ; he hesitated, choked, and executed the high but humbling duties of the occasion, in a manner which showed that he was deeply mortified. Mr. Adams was at Paris when he re- ceived information of his appointment, in 1785, to confront his late king and royal master. In an account given by Mr. Adams himself, of his movements at this time, he says: At Versailles, the Count de Vergennes said he had many felicita- tions to give me upon my appointment to England. I answered that I did not know but it merited compassion more than felicitation. “ Ay, why ? ” “ Because, as you know, it is a species of degradation, in the eyes of Europe, after having been ac- credited to the king of France, to be sent to any other court.” “But permit me to say,” replies the count, “ it is a great thing to be the first ambassador from your country to the country you sprang from. It is a mark.” One of the foreign ambassadors said to me — “You have been often in England.” “Never, but once in November and De- cember, 1783.” “ You have relations in England, no doubt.” “None at all.” “None, how can that be? you are of English extraction.” “Neither my father or mother, grand- father or grandmother, great grandfather or great grandmother, nor any other rela- tion that I know of, or care a farthing for, has been in England these one hundred and fifty years ; so that you see I have not one drop of blood in my veins but what is American.” “Ay, we have seen proof enough of that. ,> In the month of May, Mr. Adams trans- ferred himself and family to the other side of the channel, prepared to undertake the new duties to which he had been ap- pointed. The first thing to be done was to go through the ceremony of presenta- tion to the sovereign ; to stand face to face with the man whom he had for the first forty years of his life habitually regarded as his master, and who never ceased to regard him, and the rest of his country- men, as no better than successful rebels FIRST MINISTER TO ENGLAND. against his legitimate authority. In his dispatch to Mr. Jay, then American secre- tary of foreign affairs, Mr. Adams gave the following very interesting account of this meeting : — At one o’clock on Wednesday, the first of June, 1785, the master of ceremonies called at my house, and went with me to the secretary of state’s office, in Cleveland Row, where the Marquis of Carmarthen received and introduced me to Mr. Frazier, his under secretary, who had been, as his 73 attended by the master of ceremonies, the room was very full of ministers of state, bishops, and all other sorts of courtiers, as well as the next room, which is the king’s bed-chamber. You may well suppose I was the focus of all eyes. I was relieved, however, from the embarrassment of it, by the Swedish and Dutch ministers, who came to me and entertained me with a very agreeable conversation during the whole time. Some other gentlemen, whom I had seen before, came to make their com- lordship said, uninterruptedly in that office, through all the changes in administration, for thirty years. After a short conversa- tion, Lord Carmarthen invited me to go with him in his coach to court. When we arrived in the ante-chamber, the master of ceremonies introduced him, and attended me while the secretary of state went to take the commands of the king. While I stood in this place, where it seems all min- isters stand upon such occasions, always RECEPTION OF JOHN ADAMS. pliments to me, until the Marquis of Car- marthen returned and desired me to go with him to his majesty. I went with his lordship through the levee room into the king’s closet. The door was shut, and I was left with his majesty and the secretary of state alone. I made the three rever- ences : one at the door, another about half- way, and another before the presence, according to the usage established at this and all the northern courts of Europe, and FIRST MINISTER TO ENGLAND. 74 then I addressed myself to his majesty in the following words : “Sire: The United States have ap- pointed me minister plenipotentiary to yonr majesty, and have directed me to deliver to your majesty this letter, which contains the evidence of it. It is in obe- dience to their express commands, that I have the honor to assure your majesty of their unanimous disposition and desire to cultivate the most friendly and liberal in- tercourse between your majesty’s subjects and their citizens, and of their best wishes for your majesty's health and happiness, and for that of your family. The appointment of a minister from the United States to your majesty’s court will form an epoch in the history of England and America. I think myself more fortu- nate than all my fellow-citizens, in having the distinguished honor to he the first to stand in your majesty’s royal presence in a diplomatic character, and I shall esteem myself the happiest of men, if I can he instrumental in recommending my country more and more to your majesty’s royal benevolence, and of restoring an entire v esteem, confidence, and affection; or, in better words, 1 the old good nature and the good old humor,’ between people who, though separated by an ocean, and under different governments, have the same lan- guage, a similar religion, a kindred blood. I beg your majesty’s permission to add, that, although I have sometimes before been instructed by my country, it was never in my whole life in a manner so agreeable to myself.” The king listened to every word I said, with dignity, it is true, but with apparent emotion. Whether it was my visible agi- tation, for I felt more than I could ex- press, that touched him, I cannot say; but he was much affected, and answered j me with more tremor than I had spoken with, and said — “ Sir : The circumstances of this audi- ence are so extraordinary, the language you have now held is so extremely proper, and the feelings you have discovered so justly adapted to the occasion, that I not only receive with pleasure the assurance of the friendly disposition of the United States, but I am glad the choice has fallen upon you to be their minister. I wish you, sir, to believe, that it may be understood in America, that I have done nothing in the late contest but what I thought myself indispensably bound to do, by the duty which I owed my people. I will be frank with you. I was the last to conform to the separation ; but the separation having become inevitable, I have always said, as I now say, that I would be the first to meet the friendship of the United States as an independent power. The moment I see such sentiments and language as yours prevail, and a disposition to give this country the preference, that moment I shall say, let the circumstances of lan- guage, religion, and blood, have their nat- ural, full effect.” The king then asked me whether I came last from France ; upon my answer- ing in the affirmative, he put on an air of familiarity, and, smiling, or rather laugh- ing, said — “ There is an opinion among some peo- ple that you are not the most attached of all your countrymen to the manners of France.” “ That opinion, sir, is not mistaken ; 1 must avow to your majesty , I have no at- tachment but to my own country.” The king replied as quick as lightning — FIRST MINISTER TO ENGLAND. “ An honest man will have no other." The king then said a word or two to the secretary of state, which, being be- tween them, I did not hear, and then turned round and bowed to me, as is customary with all kings and princes when they give the signal to retire. I retreated, stepping backwards, as is the etiquette, and making my last reverence at the door of the chamber. Mr. Adams was yet to pay his first court of homage to the queen. He was presented to her on the ninth of June, by Lord Allesbury, her lord-chamber- lain, — having first been attended to his lordship and introduced to him by the master of the ceremonies. The queen was accompanied by her ladies-in-wait- ing, and Mr Adams made his compli- ments to her majesty in the following words : “Madam, — Among the many circum- stances which have rendered my mission to his majesty desirable to me, I have ever considered it a principal one, that I should have an opportunity of paying my court to a great queen, whose royal virtues and talents have ever been ac- knowledged and admired in America, as well as in all the nations of Europe, as an example to princesses and the glory of her sex. Permit me, madam, to recommend to your majesty’s royal goodness a rising em- pire and an infant virgin world. Another Europe, madam, is rising in America. To a philosophical mind, like your majesty’s, there cannot be a more pleasing contemplation, than the prospect of doubling the human species, and aug- menting, at the same time, their prosper- ity and happiness. It will, in future ages, be the glory of these kingdoms to have peopled that country, and to have sown there those seeds of science, of liberty, of virtue, and permit me, madam, to add, of piety, which alone constitute the prosper- ity of nations and the happiness of the human race. After venturing upon such high insinu- ations to your majesty, it seems to be 75 descending too far, to ask, as I do, your majesty’s royal indulgence to a person who is indeed unqualified for courts, and who owes his elevation to this distinguished honor of standing before your majesty, not to any circumstances of illustrious birth, fortune, or abilities, but merely to an ardent devotion to his native country, and some little industry and perseverance in her service.” To this address of Mr. Adams, the queen answered, in the accustomed royal brevity, as follows : “ I thank you, sir, for your civilities to me and my family, and am glad to see you in this country.” The queen then asked Mr. Adams if he had provided himself with a house, to which question answer was made that he had agreed for one that morning. She then made her courtesy, and the envoy made his reverence, retiring at once into the drawing-room, where the king, queen, princess royal, and the younger princess, her sister, all spoke to the new minister very courteously. But, notwithstanding the memorable historical bearings of this mission of the great American statesman, as first ambas- sador of the new-born republic, to his late august sovereign, — a mission which riveted the attention of the civilized world, — and although George the Third had submitted with dignity to the painful necessity of such a meeting, the embassy was attended with no permanently favorable result either to America or to Mr. Adams. Indeed, of the many humiliations which befell the unhappy George, perhaps few were felt so bitterly as this almost compulsory inter- view with the representative of a people, once his subjects, afterwards rebels, and now free. Well and truthfully has the historian said, that, in the conduct of the king, on this occasion, the obvious wisdom of conciliating the young and rising nation on the western side of the Atlantic was forgotten, and the error of supercilious neglect was preferred. Throughout the whole political history of Great Britain 76 FIRST MINISTER TO ENGLAND. this marked fault may be traced in its relations with foreign nations, but it never showed itself in more striking col- ors than during the first half century after the independence of the United States. The effects of the mistake then committed have been perceptible ever since. VIII. FORMATION AND ADOPTION OF THE FEDERAL CONSTI- ' TUTION.— 1787. The United States no Longer a People Without a Government. — Establishment of the Republic on a Permanent Foundation of Unity, Organic Law and National Polity. — Dignity, Learning, and Elo- quence of the Delegates. — Sublime Scene on Signing the Instrument. — Extraordinary Character of the Whole Transaction. — State of Things After the War. — Financial Embarrassment. — Despondency of the People. — Grave Crisis in Public Affairs. — A Grand Movement Initiated. — Plan of Government to be Framed. — All the States in Convention. — Washington Chosen to Preside. — Statesmen and Sages in Council. — The Old Compact Abrogated. — New Basis of Union Proposed. — "Various Schemes Dis- cussed. — Jealousy of the Smaller States. — Angry Debates, Sectional Threats. — Bad Prospects of the Convention. — Its Dissolution Imminent — Franklin’s Impressive Appeal. — Compromise and Concilia- tion. — Final System Agreed Upon. — Patriotism Rules all Hearts. — Ratification by the States. — Na- tional Joy at the Decision. *’ Should the states reject this excellent Constitution, the probability is that an opportunity will never again be offered to cancel another in peace— the next will be drawn in blood.”— R emark of Washington on Signing the Constitution. ENROLLING THE CONSTITUTION. HOUGH the close of the war of independence resulted in the establish- ment of a free national- ity, it nevertheless brought anxious solici- tude to every patriot’s mind, and this state of apprehension and disqui- etude increased with each succeeding year. The state debts which had been incurred in anticipation of prosperous times, operated severely, after a while, on all classes in the community; to meet the payment of these debts, at maturity, was impossible, and every relief-act only added to the difficulty. This, and kindred troubles, financial and governmental, impressed the people with the gloomy conviction that the great work of independence, as contemplated in the revolutionary struggle, was only half done. It was felt that, above all things, a definite and organic form of government — reflecting the will of the people — should be fixed upon, to give energy to national power, and success to individual and public enterprise. So portentous a crisis as this formed another epoch for the display of the intellectual and political attainments of American statesmen, and the ordeal was one through which they passed with the highest honor, and with ever-enduring fame, at home and abroad. New men appeared on the stage of legislative council and action, and it was found that the quan- FORMATION OF THE CONSTITUTION. 78 tity of talent and information necessary in the formation period of a new republic had greatly increased in the various states. But, in especial, the great minds that achieved the revolution beheld with deep concern their country impoverished and distracted at home, and of no considera- tion among the family of nations. A change was now to be wrought, the grandeur of which would be acknowledged throughout all lands, and its importance reach forward to the setting of the sun of time. The same hall which had resounded with words of patriotic defiance that shook the throne of King George and proclaimed to an astonished world the Declaration of Independence, — that same hall in Avhich congress had continued to sit during the greater part of the momentous period in- tervening, — in the state house at Phila- delphia, was soon to witness the assem- bling of such a body of men as, in point of intellectual talent, personal integrity, and lofty purpose, had perhaps never before been brought together. The curious stu- dent of this page in modern history has sometimes plausibly but speciously attrib- uted to mere chance — instead of to that Providence which rules in the affairs of men — this timely and grand event. Thus, General Washington, having contemplated with great interest a plan for uniting the Potomac and the Ohio rivers, and by this means connecting the eastern and western waters, made a journey of six hundred and eighty miles on horseback, taking minute notes of everything which could be subserv- ient to this project. His influence, and the real importance pf the design, induced the legislatures of Virginia and Maryland to send commissioners to Alexandria to deliberate on the subject. They met in March, 1785, and having spent some time at Mount Vernon, determined to recom- mend another commission, which might establish a general tariff on imports. The Virginia legislature not only agreed, but invited the other states to send deputies to meet at Annapolis. In September, 1786, they had arrived from five only, and with too limited powers. A number of able statesmen, however, were thus assem- bled, . who, feeling deeply the depressed and distracted state of the country, became sensible that something on a much greater scale was necessary to raise her to pros- perity, and give her a due place among the nations. They therefore drew up a report and address to all the states, strongly representing the inefficiency of the present federal government, and earn- estly urging them to send delegates to meet at Philadelphia in May, 1787. Con- gress responded to this proceeding in Feb- ruary, by the passage of resolutions rec- ommending the proposed measure, — but of which, perhaps, they did not then contem- plate all the momentous results. On the day appointed for the meeting of the convention, May fourteenth, 1787, only a small number of the delegates had arrived in Philadelphia. The deliberar tions did not commence, therefore, until May twenty-fifth, when there were pres- ent twenty-nine members, representing nine states. Others soon after came in, till the whole number amounted to fifty- five. Never, perhaps, had any body of men combined for so great a purpose — to form a constitution which was to rule so numerous a people, and probably during so many generations. The members, con- sisting of the very ablest men in America, were not unworthy of, nor unequal to, so high a trust. Towering above all these men of might, in his world-wide fame and in the genius of his personal ascendency, was Washing- ton, intrusted by the commonwealth of Virginia with the work of cementing to- gether the sisterhood of states in one in- dissoluble bond of mutual interest, co-ope- ration, and renown. And there was Rufus King, from Massachusetts, young in years, but mature in wisdom and brilliant in ora- tory; Langdon, from New Hampshire, strong in his understanding and readily mastering the most intricate details ; El- bridge Gerry, of Massachusetts, exhibiting the utmost zeal and fidelity in the per- formance of his official duties ; Caleb Strong, from the same state, plain in his FORMATION OF THE CONSTITUTION. 79 CONVENTION AT PHILADELPHIA, 1787. appearance, but calm, firm, intelligent, and well-balanced; Ellsworth, from Connecti- cut, elegant in his manners, and distin- guished for his energy of mind, clear reasoning powers, and effective eloquence ; Sherman, his colleague, a statesman and jurist whose fame has extended far beyond the western world ; Hamilton, from New York, spare and fragile in person, but keen, active, laborious, transcendent in his abilities and of unsullied integrity; Livingston, from New Jersey, of scholarly tastes, uncompromisingly republican in his politics, and fearless in the expression of his opinions ; Franklin, from Pennsylvania, one of the profoundest philosophers in the world, and, though now rising of four- score years, capable of grasping and throw- ing light upon the most recondite ques- tions relating to the science, of govern- ment ; Robert Morris, from Pennsylvania, the great financier, of whom it has been said, and with much truth, that ‘the Americans owed, and still owe, as much acknowledgment to the financial operations of Robert Morris, as to the negotiations of Benjamin Franklin, or even to the arms of George Washington ; 5 Gouverneur Morris, from the same state, conspicuous for his accomplishments in learning, his fluent conversation, and sterling abilities in debate ; Clymer, distinguished among the sons of Pennsylvania, as one of the first to raise a defiant voice against the arbitrary acts of the mother country; Mifflin, another delegate from the land of Penn, ardent almost beyond discretion, in zeal for his country’s rights and liberties ; Dickinson, from New Jersey, a patriot, who, though the only member of the con- tinental congress opposed to the Declara- tion of Independence, on the ground of its being premature, was nevertheless the only member of that body who immediately shouldered his musket and went forth to face the enemy ; Wythe, from Virginia, wise, grave, deeply versed in the law, and undaunted in the defense of liberty for the the people; Madison, also from Virginia, talented, thoughtful, penetrating, one of the brightest ornaments of his state and nation; Martin, from Maryland, a jurist FORMATION OF THE CONSTITUTION. 80 of vast attainments and commanding powers; Davie, from North Carolina, of splendid physique, one of the master-minds of the country ; Rutledge, from South Car- olina*, pronounced by Washington to he the finest orator in the continental con- gress ; Pinckney, from the same state, a soldier and lawyer of unrivaled abili- ties; — and thus the record might go on, until it embraced all the names of this eminent assemblage of America’s noblest patriots and most illustrious historic char- acters, “all, all, honorable men.” On proceeding with the organization of the convention, George Washington was nominated by Robert Morris to preside over its deliberations, and was unanimously elected. The standing rules were then adopted, one of these being that nothing spoken in the house be printed or other- wise published, or made known in any manner, without special permission. And in this connection, the following little epi- sode, which has come to light, will doubt- less be read as a refreshing reminiscence of the “ secret ” doings among those grave old worthies : One of the members of the Georgia del- egation w r as Mr. , a gentleman, the zeal of whose legislative mind and efforts sometimes quite ate up his attention to mere extraneous matters. Like all the rest of his associates in the assembly, he had been furnished with a schedule of the principal points of debate, or subjects of consideration, which were to be brought before the convention as constituting its business, and, in accordance with the par- liamentary usage of secrecy, this pro- gramme of the convention’s duties and deliberations was with especial care to be kept from disclosure during the period of its sittings. It happened, however, that one of the delegates unfortunately lost his copy of this official schedule or orders of the day. General Mifflin, one of the del- egates from Pennsylvania, by good chance discovered the stray document, and, ex- plaining the circumstances to Washing- ton, placed it in the latter’s hands, who, in silence and gravity, deposited it among his own papers. At the close of that day’s proceedings, and just previously to the convention’s rising, Washington, as pre- siding officer, called the attention of the assembly to the matter in question, in the following characteristic remarks : “ Gentlemen, I am sorry to find that some one member of this body has been so neglectful of the secrets of this convention, as to drop in the state house a copy of their proceedings — which, by accident, was picked up and delivered to me this morn- ing I must entreat gentlemen to be more careful, lest our transactions get into the newspapers, and disturb the public repose by premature speculations. I know not whose paper it is, but there it is (throwing it down on the table) ; let him who owns it take it.” But to proceed with the historical sketch of this most august body of modern legislators. They had been appointed merely with a view to the revision or improvement of the. old articles of confederation, which still held them precariously together as a na- tion; yet they had not deliberated long, when they determined that the existing compact or system of government must be swept away. The question, however, as to what should be substituted in its place, was one of extreme difficulty. Mr. Randolph, of Virginia, opened the great discussion by a speech in which he laid bare the defects of the confederation, and then submitted a series of resolutions embodying the sub- stance of a plan of government — the same, in character, as that contained in letters written by Mr. Madison to Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Randolph, and General Washington, a few months previous. The plan in question proposed the form- ation of a general government, consti- tuted as follows : The national legislature to consist of two branches — the members of the first branch to be elected by the people of the several states, and the members of the second branch to be elected by the first branch, out of a proper number nominated by the state legislatures; the national legislature to have a negative on FORMATION OF THE CONSTITUTION. ail the state laws contravening the articles of union, and to have power to legislate in all cases where the states were incompe- tent ; the right of suffrage in the legisla- ture to be proportioned to the quota of contribution, or to the number of free in- habitants; a national executive to be chosen by the national legislature ; a na- tional judiciary, to consist of one or more supreme tribunals and inferior ones, the judges to he chosen by the national legis- lature; the executive, and a convenient number of the national judiciary, to com- pose a council of revision to examine every act of the national legislature before it should operate, and every act of a particu- lar legislature before a negative thereon should be final ; provision to he made for the admission of new states to the Union; a republican form of government to be administered in each state; provision to be made for amendments to the articles of union ; the legislative, executive, and judi- ciary powers, or officials, of the several states, to be hound by oath to support the articles of union. (i 81 A good degree of favor was shown to Mr. Randolph’s plan, but not sufficient to prevent other projects, conspicuous among these being one by Mr. Patterson, of New Jersey, and another by Alexander Hamil- ton, from being brought forward and urged by their respective friends, — all of these being republican in their general features, but differing in their details. For some days, angry debates occurred which, but for the timely and healing ivisdom of Dr. Franklin, the Mentor of the convention, would have ended in the breaking up of the body. As soon as there was an opening for him to speak, the doctor rose, and in a most impressive manner, said, among other things : “ It is to be feared that the mem- bers of this convention are not in a temper, at this moment, to approach the subject on which we differ, in a candid spirit. I would therefore propose, Mr. President, that, without proceeding further in this business at this time, the convention shall adjourn for three days, in order to let the present ferment pass off, and to afford time for a more full, free, and dispassionate investigation of the subject; and I would earnestly rec- ommend to the members of this con- vention, that they spend the time of this recess, not in associating with their own party, and devising new arguments to fortify themselves in their old opinions, but that they mix with members of opposite senti- ments, lend a patient ear to their reason- ings, and candidly allow them all the weight to which they may be entitled; and when we assemble again, I hope it will be with a determination to form a consti- tution ; if not such an one as we can indi- vidually, and in all respects, approve, yet the best which, under existing circum- stances, can be obtained.’’ (Here the countenance of Washington brightened, and a cheering ray seemed to break in upon the gloom of the assembly.) The doctor continued: FRANKLIX PLEADING FOR PACIFICATION. FORMATION OF THE CONSTITUTION. 82 “Before I sit down, Mr. President, I will suggest another matter; and I am really surprised that it has not been pro- posed by some other member, at an earlier period of our deliberations. I will sug- gest, Mr. President, the propriety of nom- inating and appointing, before we separate, a chaplain to this convention, whose duty it shall be uniformly to assemble with us, and introduce the business of each day by imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing upon our deliberations.” The doctor sat down, and never did a countenance appear at once so dignified and so delighted as that of Washington, at the close of this address. The motion for appointing a chaplain was instantly seconded and carried. . The convention also chose a committee, by ballot, consist- ing of one from each state, to sit during the recess, and then adjourned for three days. The three days were spent in the manner advised by Doctor Franklin. On re-assembling, the chaplain appeared and led the devotions of the assembly, and the minutes of the last sitting were read. All eyes were now turned to the venerable doctor. He rose, and in a few words stated, that during the recess he had list- ened attentively to all the arguments, pro and core, which had been urged by both sides of the house; that he had himself said much, and thought more, on the sub- ject; he saw difficulties and objections, which might be urged by individual states, against every scheme which had been pro- posed; and he was now, more than ever, convinced that the constitution which they were about to form, in order to be just and equal, must be formed on the basis of compromise and mutual concession. With such views and feelings, he would now move a reconsideration of the vote last taken on the organization of the senate. The motion was seconded, the vote carried, the former vote rescinded, and by a suc- cessive motion and resolution, the senate was organized on the present plan. On the seventeenth of September, the final debate closed, the last amendment was adopted, and the result of the convention’s labors was the formation of a constitution establishing a national government on the following prescribed principles : That the affairs of the people of the United States were thenceforth to be administered, not by a confederacy, or mere league of friend- ship between the sovereign states, but by a government, distributed into the three great departments — legislative, judicial, and executive ; that the powers of govern- ment should be limited to concerns per- taining to the whole people, leaving the internal administration of each state, in time of peace, to its own constitution and laws, provided that they should be repub- lican, and interfering with them as little as possible in case of war ; that the legis- lative power of this government should be divided between the two assemblies, one representing directly the people of the separate states, and the other their legisla- tures ; that the executive power of this government should be vested in one person chosen for four years, with certain quali- fications of age and nativity, and invested with a qualified negative upon the enact- ment of the laws; and that the judicial power should consist of tribunals inferior and supreme, to be instituted and organ- ized by congress, the judges removable only by impeachment. Thus, finally amended, the constitution was signed by all the members present, except by Messrs. Randolph and Mason, of Virginia, and Gerry, of Massachusetts. The scene is described as one of historic solemnity, rising almost to the sublime. When Washington, whose turn came first, was about to sign the instrument ordained to be henceforth — if ratified by the several states — the palladium of his country’s na- tional existence, and the formation of which he had watched over with such anxious solicitude, he rose from his seat, and holding the pen in his hand, after a short pause, pronounced these words : “ Should the states reject this excellent Constitution, the probability is that an op- portunity will never again be offered to cancel another in peace — the next will be drawn in blood.” FORMATION OF THE CONSTITUTION. And when, following the example of their illustrious leader, the other members of the convention appended their signa- tures, Doctor Franklin, with his eye fixed upon the presiding officer’s seat, in the rear of which was the picture of a halo or sun, made the characteristic remark: “ I have often and often, in the course of the session, and in the vicissitudes of my hopes and fears as to its issue, looked at that sun behind the president, without being able to tell whether it was rising or sinking; at length I have the happiness to know it is a rising and not a setting sun.” The convention, however, which framed the constitution, was not clothed with leg- islative power, nor was the congress of the confederation competent to accept it or reject the new form of government. It was referred by them to the several states, 83 represented by conventions of the people; and it was provided in the instrument it- self, that it should become the supreme law of the land, when adopted by nine states. It was not till the summer of 1788 that the ratification of nine states was obtained, beginning with Delaware, some by large, and some by very small majorities. The violence of the opposition party was in some sections very great, re- sulting, in New York, in tumultuous riots. Of the thirteen original states, Rhode Island was the last to accept the constitu- tion, which she did in May, 1790. The year of suspense, while the Ameri- can people were debating the great question whether to accept or reject the constitu- tion offered them by Washington and his associate compatriots, was, on the an- nouncement of the result, succeeded by a national jubilee. IX. FIRST ELECTION AND INAUGURATION OF A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.— 1789. Washington, “ First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of his Countrymen,” the Nation’s Spontaneous, Unanimous Choice — His Triumphal Progress from Home, and Solemn Induction into Office. — Jubilee throughout the Republic, over the August Event. — Auspicious Commencement of the National Executive Government — Requirements of the Constitution. — A President to be Chosen. — Four Years the Term of Service. — All Eyes Fixed Upon Washington. — His Reluctance to Accept. — Reasons Given for this Course. — Urgent Appeals to Him. — The Result of the Election — One Voice and One Mind. — He Bows to the People’s Will. — Joy Produced by His Decision. — Departs at Once from Mount Vernon. — Farewell Visits to His Mother.— Inauguration Appointed for March Fourth. — Postponement to April Thirtieth. — Order of Ceremonies. — New Spectacle in the Western World. — Distinguished Celebrities Present. — Washington’s Elegant Appearance. — Dignity when Taking the Oath. — Reverentially Kisses the Bible. — Curious Customs Initiated. “ "Where shall the eye rest, weary of gazing on the great, where find a glory that is not criminal, a pomp that is not con- temptible? Yes, there is a man, the first, the last, the best of all, the Cincinnatus of the West, whom envy itself does not hate. The name of Washington is bequeathed to us to make humanity blush that such a man is alone in history ’’—Lord Byron. CCORDING to the terms of the new federal constitution, which had now been assented to and ratified by the Washington’s inauguration bible. requisite number of states, a President of the United States was required to be elected for a term of four years ; and, amidst all the discordances of political opinion respecting the merits of the constitution itself, there was but one sentiment throughout the country as to the man who should admin- ister the affairs of the government. All eyes were directed to Washington, and at an early period his correspondents endeavored to prepare his mind to gratify the expecta- tions of the people. Mr. Johnson, a distinguished patriot of Maryland, wrote him, “We can not do without you.” Indeed, he alone was believed to fill so pre-eminent a place in the public esteem, that he might be called to the head of the nation without exciting envy ; and he alone possessed in so unlimited a degree the confidence of the masses, that, under his auspices, the friends of the new political system might hope to see it introduced with a degree of firmness which would enable it to resist the open assaults and secret plots of its many enemies. By almost all who were on terms of intimacy with Washington, fears were enter- tained that his earnest desire for private life and the improvement of his vast and long- neglected plantations, would prevail over the wishes of the public, — an acquiescence in which wishes was believed to be absolutely essential to the completion of that great work, the Constitution, on which the grandeur and happiness of America was deemed tc FIRST ELECTION depend. The struggle, on his part, be- tween inclination and duty, was long and severe, as is evident by the letters which he wrote on the subject, in response to the ap- peals and importunities constantly made by his friends. Colonel Lee, then a distin- guished member of congress, communicat- ing to Washington the measures which that body were adopting to introduce the govern- ment just ordained, thus alludes to the presidency: “Without you, the govern- ment can have but little chance of success ; and the people, of that happiness which its prosperity must yield.” So, also, Mr. Gouverneur Morris, a patriot who had been one of the most valuable members of con- gress during a great part of the war, and who had performed a splendid part in the general . convention, wrote : “ I have ever thought, and have ever said that you must be the president; no other man can fill that office.” The great Hamilton likewise urged him to accept the office, and thus yield to the general call of the country in relation to its new and untried govern- ment. “You will permit me to say,” wrote Hamilton, “ that it is indispensable you should lend yourself to its first opera- tions. It is to little purpose to have in- troduced a system, if the weightiest influ- ence is not given to its firm establishment at the outset.” Such arguments and en- treaties as these poured in upon Washing- ton from all quarters of the broad land, that he should consent to assume the pres- idential chair. But the election had taken place, in obedience to the fundamental law ; and at length, the votes for the president and vice-president of the United States were, as prescribed in the constitution, opened and counted in the senate. The result showed, that neither the animosity of par- ties, nor the activity of the enemies of the newly-formed government, could deprive General Washington of a single vote in the electoral college. By the voluntary and spontaneous voice of a great people, he was called to the chief magistracy of the nation. The second number of votes was given to Mr. John Adams, of Massa- OF A PRESIDENT. 85 chusetts. George Washington and John Adams were therefore declared to be duly elected president and vice-president of the United States, to serve for four years from the fourth of March, 1789. At Mount Vernon, on the fourteenth of April, 1789, the appointment of General Washington as supreme executive of the republic was officially announced to him. This commission was performed by Mr. Charles Thomson, secretary of the late congress, who presented to him a certifi- cate signed by John Langdon, president pro tempore of the senate, stating that he was unanimously elected. Accustomed to respect the wishes of his fellow-citizens, Washington did not think himself at liberty to decline an office con- ferred upon him by the unsought suffrage of an entire people. His acceptance of it, and the expressions of gratitude he in- dulged in for this fresh proof of the esteem and confidence of his country, were min- gled with declarations of extreme diffidence in himself. “ I wish,” he said, “ that there may not be reason for regretting the choice, for, indeed, all I can promise is, to accomplish that which can be done by an honest zeal.” In this spirit of devoted self-sacrifice, and realizing that the ur- gency of public affairs must require the immediate attendance of the president at the seat of government, he hastened his departure ; on the sixteenth of April, therefore, — the second day after receiving the certificate of his election, — he bade adieu to Mount Vernon, to private life, and to domestic felicity, and, in company with Mr. Thomson and Colonel Hum- phreys, proceeded to New York, where congress was then in session, to assume the administration of the new government. But, notwithstanding the weight of anxi- ety upon his mind concerning the public business, he did not omit to pay a parting visit to his venerable mother. Embracing his mother, Washington bowed his head upon her shoulder and wept, murmuring at the same time something of a hope that they should meet again. “No, George,” she replied, “ this is our last parting ; my 86 FIRST ELECTION OF A PRESIDENT. days to come are few. But go, fulfill your high duties, and may God bless and keep you.” She was then afflicted with a town, where the whole population turned out to do him honor. And thus it was, that, notwithstanding Washington wished cancer, of which she died in her eighty- second year. Leaving Alexandria, he was accompa- nied by a throng of citizens to George- to make a private journey, his desire could not be gratified. The public feelings were too strong to be suppressed. Crowds flocked around him enthusiastically whcr- \ FIRST ELECTION ever lie stopped ; and corps of militia, and processions of citizens, attended him through their respective states. At Phil- adelphia, he was received by a concourse of the most distinguished personages of the city and state, and followed by thou- sands of people to a grand banquet, pre- pared for the occasion, where addresses and sentiments were interchanged, while the air was filled with the shouts of popu- lar exultation, and with one universal acclaim, invoking blessings upon him. As he crossed the Schuylkill, a civic crown of laurel was, unperceived by him, let down upon his head by a youth who was con- cealed in the arch of evergreen which dec- orated the bridge. At night, the whole town was brilliantly illuminated, and all classes and ages spontaneously united in the happy festivities. The next day, at Trenton, he was wel- comed in a manner exceedingly novel and touching. In addition to the usual dem- onstrations of respect and attachment, which were given by the discharge of cannon, by military corps, and by private persons of distinction, the gentler sex pre- pared, in their own taste, a most unique tribute of their regard, indicative of the grateful recollection in which they held their deliverance twelve years before from an insulting enemy. On the bridge ex- tending across the stream which passes through the town, — the place where Wash- ington, at one time, made so gallant a sur- prise on the enemy of his country, and at another, so important a stand, and a re- treat worth more than a victory, — a tri- umphal arch was erected, with evergreen and floral adornments, and supported by thirteen pillars similarly enwreathed. On the front was inscribed, in large golden letters: ‘The Defender of the Moth- ers WILL BE THE PROTECTOR OF THE Daughters.’ Over this, in the center of the arch, above the inscription, was a dome or cupola of evergreens and flowers encircling the dates of two memorable events, one of these being the bold and judicious stand made by the American troops, by which the progress of the Brit- OF A PRESIDENT. 87 ish army was arrested on the evening pre- ceding the battle of Princeton ; the other was the date of Washington’s glorious victory at Trenton, when nine hundred Hessians were made prisoners, and the horizon of American affairs was illumined by a radiance which never again wholly forsook it. On the summit of the arch a large sun-flower, as always pointing to the sun, was designed to express this motto, — ‘To You Alone.’ The ladies had ar- ranged themselves on the side of the street, between the arch and the town, with their daughters in front, to a very considerable number, all dressed in white, and decorated with floral wreaths and chaplets. Six of these held baskets of flowers in their hands, and, as soon as the general had passed under the arch, the beautiful choristers advanced, singing a sonnet composed for the occasion ; as they sung the last lines they strewed the flowers before the general. At Brunswick, he was joined by Gov- ernor William Livingston, of New Jersey, who accompanied him to Elizabethtown Point. On the road, the committee of congress received and attended him with much military parade to the point where he was to embark for New York. The embarkation took place in a magnificently- decorated barge, manned and rowed by thirteen branch pilots, attired in white. There were also other barges, filled with eminent dignitaries from all parts of the land. Arriving at New York, the president was received by the governor of the state, and by an immense concourse of citizens, headed by the military. Multitudes of his old and faithful officers and fellow-patriots pressed around him to offer their congrat- ulations, and to express the joy which glowed in their bosoms at seeing the man in whom all confided, at the head of the nation’s affairs. Thus it appears that the president’s first arrival at the seat of government was a national ovation which showed, by its spontaneousness, enthusiasm, and unanim- ity, that all hearts and voices were united 88 FIRST ELECTION in liis favor. It was an occasion which excited the great heart of the people be- yond all powers of description ; the hand of industry was suspended, and the various pleasures of the capital were centered in a single and universal enjoyment. Many aged patriots were heard to say that they should now die contented, having had a sight of the Father of his Country. The fourth of March was the day which had been appointed for the new national government to commence operations, hut so many impediments occurred that it was not until the thirtieth of April that this took place. Vice-president Adams arrived in New York, escorted by a troop of horse, on the twenty-first of April, and, two days before Washington’s arrival, took his seat as the constitutional presiding officer of the senate. On doing this, he addressed that body in a dignified speech adapted to the occasion, and warmly eulogistic of the new-born republic and its illustrious chief magistrate. On Thursday, the thirtieth of April, 1789, the ceremony of Inaugurating the First President of the United States took place in New York, which at that time was the federal capital. Long before the hour arrived, the town swarmed with people; every tavern and hoarding-house was full, and private residences teemed with guests and lodgers. Many persons are said to have slept in tents on ‘the Common.’ The Hudson was studded with boats hearing visitors, and long caravans of carts began to arrive before daybreak, from Westchester, Long Island, and the Jerseys. The ceremony of the day was OF A PRESIDENT. ushered in by a salute fired from the bat- tery. This was about six o’clock in the morning, and, even at this early hour, the streets were fast filling up. At nine, the church hells rang out a merry peal ; at ten they summoned the worshipers to church, each pastor devoting the occasion to im- ploring Heaven’s blessing upon the nation and the first president. General Wash- ington had now been in the city a week, having arrived on the twenty-third. He was living in a private house, the prop- erty of Mr. Osgood, on the corner of Cherry street and Franklin square; hut his household arrangements had not yet been perfected, as Mrs. Washington did not arrive for some little time, remaining at Mount Vernon until affairs were in a state of readiness for her presence at the new presidential mansion. At eight o’clock, on this memorable morning, the sky was overcast, and the appearance was that of a gathering storm. Everybody noticed, however, that the mo 1 ment the hells began to ring the sky cleared, and by the close of divine service the weather was serene and beautiful. At noon, the procession that was to conduct the president to Federal hall assembled in due style opposite his residence in Cherry street. There were the usual mil- itary companies — a troop of horse, one or two companies of grenadiers, a company of Highlanders, in kilts, — all the chief mu- nicipal officers, the congressional commit- PRESIDENTIAL MANSION, 1876. tees, and the new cabinet, — multitudes of distinguished citizens bringing up the rear. By this assemblage the new presi- dent was escorted to Federal hall, which stood at the head of Broad street, in Wall, FIRST ELECTION where the custom-house was subsequently built. The old building had been put in repair at a considerable expense, but it was still so rickety that cautious persons looked forward to the ceremony with un- easiness. The procession having arrived, and the hall occupied according to the pro- gramme, nothing remained but to proceed with the solemn formalities ; and, when it is remembered that there was no precedent in history for the inauguration of a repub- lican president, one can not but admire the striking dignity which characterized the whole occasion. At the door of the senate chamber, to which the eyes of the whole vast multitude were intensely directed, the vice-president met General Washington, and with consummate but unaffected ease and grace of manner said — “ Sir, the senate and house of represent- atives of the United States are ready to attend you to take the oath required by the Constitution, which will be adminis- tered to you by the chancellor of the state of New York.” “I am ready to proceed ,” was Washing- ton’s reply, made with his accustomed elegant dignity. The vice-president now led the way to the outside gallery ; the president fol- lowed, with as many of the high function- aries as could find room, and all were pres- ently gathered on the balcony fronting on Wall street. Of the group, perhaps the most striking person was Chancellor Liv- ingston, in a full suit of black, and, like Washington, one of the finest-looking men anywhere to be seen. Secretary Otis car- ried the Bible on a crimson cushion, and near him were Generals Knox and St. Clair, Roger Sherman, Hamilton, and other noted persons of revolutionary fame. At the proper moment, the chancellor ad- ministered the oath, with great delibera- tion and emphasis, to Washington, who, bowing down, seized the book, kissed it, and exclaimed, with closed eyes and much emotion — “I swear, so help me God!” “It is done,” the chancellor declared, and, turning to the crowd exclaimed, OF A PRESIDENT. 89 “ Long live George Washington, President of the United States!” This last-named declaration, on the part of the chancellor, was in imitation of mo- narchical custom. The error of this prac- tice was, however, soon exposed and abandoned; but at this time, the crowd thought of nothing but the exciting solem- nity of the scene, and many who demon- stratively waved their hats were too overcome by emotion to join in the huzzas. Of course, Washington was the observed of all observers in that mighty crowd, and his grandly-commanding figure made this both natural and easy, and so too did the construction of the balcony, conspicuously fronting the edifice, where the remarkable ceremony was performed. He was dressed in a complete suit of dark brown broad- cloth, of American production, white silk long stockings, silver shoe-buckles upon his polished shoes, a steel-hilted dress sword, and his hair dressed and powdered according to the style then in vogue, and gathered up in a bag. This attire, it may be remarked, was Washington’s personal choice. On the occasion of his second in- auguration, however, Washington was dressed precisely as Stuart has painted him in Lord Lansdowne’s full-length por- trait — in a full suit of the richest black velvet, with diamond knee-buckles, and square silver buckles set upon shoes ja- panned with the most scrupulous neatness, black silk stockings, his shirt ruffled at the breast and wrists, a light dress-sword; his hair profusely powdered, fully dressed, so as to project at the sides, and gathered be- hind in a silk bag, ornamented with a large rose of black ribbon. He held his cocked hat, which had a large black cock- ade on one side of it, in his hand, while standing, but laid it on the table when he sat down. Washington, on taking the oath, as ad- ministered by Chancellor Livingston, is said to have laid his hand upon that page of the Bible containing the fiftieth chapter of Genesis, opposite to which were two illustrations of the text, one being a pic- ture of 1 The Blessing of Zebulon,’ and the 90 FIBST ELECTION other of ‘ The Prophecy of Issachar.’ That memorable volume, of such peculiar his- torical associations, now belongs to one of the masonic lodges in New York. Upon each of the two outside surfaces of the vol- ume, there is engraved in golden letters a commemorative record of the interesting circumstances attaching to it ; and on the inside, beautifully written upon parch- ment, in ornamental style, surmounted by an engraved portrait of Washington, is the following statement : 1 On this Sacred Volume, on the 30th day of April, 1789, in the city of New York, was administered to Geokge Washington the first President of the United States of America, the oath to support the Constitu- tion of the United States. This important ceremony was performed by the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Free and Accepted Masons of the state of New York, the Honorable Robert R Livings- ton, Chancellor of the state.’ The inaugural address delivered by Washington, and which, like all the early inaugurals, possessed the merit of brevity, was pronounced in the senate chamber. It was considered, in those days, a speech to congress and not to the people ; and both houses felt it incumbent on them — follow- ing the usage of monarchies, — to present replies to the president, at his residence. From the senate chamber, the president was escorted to St. Paul’s church, where he heard an appropriate religious service, conducted by Dr. Prevost; and thence home to his house. In the evening the whole city was one blaze of illumination, all classes participating in this attractive OF A PRESIDENT. feature of the general jubilee. Many of the illuminations were very beautiful — none more so than those of the French and Spanish ministers, who both lived in Broadway, near the Bowling Green; and the whole scene was unique, animated, and enchanting. General Washington him- self went ‘down town,’ that is to say, toward the Battery, to see the spectacle, of which he expressed the warmest admira- tion ; returning about ten o’clock on foot, the crowd being too dense for a carriage to pass. As the supreme head of the nation, President Washington at once endeavored to acquaint himself fully with the state of public affairs, and for this purpose, he called upon those who had been the heads of departments under the confederation, to report to him the situation of their respec- tive concerns. He also, having consulted with his friends, adopted a system for the order of his own household, for the regu- lation of his hours of business, and of in- tercourse with those who, in a formal manner, visited him as the chief magis- trate of the nation. But he publicly an- nounced that neither visits of business nor of ceremony would be expected on Sunday, as he wished to reserve that day sacredly to himself. One of the most important and delicate of the president’s duties was to fill those departments which congress at an early day had established to aid the executive in the administration of the government. His judgment and prudence were consistently exhibited in this respect, by his selecting such able men for his cabinet. X. GREATEST DEFEAT AND VICTORY OF AMERICAN ARMS IN THE INDIAN WARS. — 1791. Headlong Flight and Destruction of St. Clair’s Army, in 1791, Before the Trained Warriors of “Lit- tle Turtle.” — This Mortifying Disaster Retrieved by Wayne’s Overwhelming Triumpli in 1794. — Final and Crushing Blow Dealt by Jackson, in 1814. — The Question of Power Between the Two Races For- ever settled in Favor of the Whites. — Old Feuds Between the Races. — Iiarmer’s Expedition to the North-west. — Powerless in Ambush Warfare. — Repeated and Bloody Reverses. — St. Clair put in Com- mand. — Warning Words of Washington. — Sudden Attack by the Miamis. — Terrible Slaughter of the Whites. — Overthrow of the Whole Campaign. — Washington’s Reception of the News. — His Appall- ing Wrath. — Sketch of St. Clair’s Conqueror. — His Fame at Home and Abroad. — General Wayne Sent to the Field. — Unsuccessfully Proffers Peace. — Instantly Prepares for Battle. — Great Army of Indian Warriors — Their Sagacious Choice of Position. — Desperate Fury of the Conflict. — Wayne’s Prowess Irresistible. — Death Knell of the Savages. — Their Confederacy Shattered. 44 Nothing but lamentable sounds was heard. Nor aught was seen but ghastly views of death Infectious horror ran from face to face, And pale despair.” LL historians agree in declaring that the defeat of General St. Clair, in 1791, by the Indians of the north-west territory, GREATEST BATTLES IN THE INDIAN WARS. 92 was the most signal and disastrous ever sustained by the American army, in its battles with the warriors of the forest. On the other hand, this defeat — the news of which fell like a thunderbolt upon the then struggling and distracted govern- ment, — was retrieved by a most complete and decisive victory, under General Wayne, over these same tribes, collected together in a vast and powerful horde, at the rapids of the Maumee, in 1794; a vic- tory which, taken in connection with the subsequent overwhelming triumph of Gen- eral Jackson, in Iiis campaign against the Creeks, gave the finishing stroke to the power of the Indian race in North Amer- ica, — settling forever the long struggle that had been carried on between the white man and the red man, in favor of the former, though the warlike propensities of the savages occasionally broke out in sub- sequent years, as in 1811, under Tecum- seh ; the Creek war, of 1814, under Weatherford ; the terrible Seminole cam- paign ; the Cherokee contest ; the hostili- ties of the Sacs, Foxes, and Winnebagoes, under Black Hawk; the renowned Flor- ida war, of 1835, under Micanopy and Os- ceola ; etc. These later wars tasked, to the utmost, the military skill of such trained soldiers as Jackson, Harrison, Worth, Harney, Jessup, Clinch, Thomp- son, Dade, Atkinson, Gaines, Taylor. Red Jacket, and- Cornplanter, were prominent chieftains in the wars of the Senecas. In the month of September, 1790, Gen- eral Harmer was intrusted with the import- ant duty of looking after the fierce tribes on the Miami and Wabash, between whom and the Kentuckians there had long waged a relentless war. The general went for- ward with a body of three hundred and twenty regulars, who, being re-enforced by the militia of Pennsylvania and Kentucky, formed a corps of one thousand four hun- dred and fifty-three men. The Indians, on his approach, set fire to their villages ; but this was nothing, unless they could be brought to an engagement. Harmer, however, instead of advancing himself, with the main body, sent forward Colonel Hardin, with two hundred and ten men, of whom only thirty were regulars. They were attacked ; the militia fled ; the others were nearly cut off. The general then sent forward Hardin, with three hundred men, who speedily encountered another large body. After a brave contest, in which this party lost nearly half their number, they retreated on the main body. Thus disaster followed disaster, and the nation became sore and mortified under such repeated humiliations. One of the last measures, therefore, adopted by the United States congress, the ensuing year, 1791, was to augment the national military force, to a suitable degree of power, and to place in the hands of President Washington more ample means for the protection of the frontier, as the Indians on the north-west side of the Ohio still continued their hostilities. A new expedition against the belligerent tribes had, in consequence, been projected ; and General St. Clair, then governor of the territory west of the Ohio, was ap- pointed commander of the forces to be em- ployed. Washington had been deeply chagrined by the mortifying disasters of General Ilarmer’s expedition to the Wa- bash, resulting from Indian ambushes. In taking leave, therefore, of his old mili- tary comrade, St. Clair, he wished him success and honor, and added this solemn warning : “ You have your instructions from the secretary of war. I had a strict eye to them, and will add but one word, — Be- ware of a surprise ! You know how the Indians fight. I repeat it — Beware of a surprise ! ” With these warning words, sounding in his ear, fresh with Washington’s awful emphasis, St. Clair departed. On the fourth of November, while the main body of St. Clair’s army were en- camped in two lines on rising ground, some fifteen miles south of the Miami vil- lages on one of the tributaries of the Wa- bash, and the militia upon a high flat on the other side of the stream, they were surprised and terribly attacked by an In- GREATEST BATTLES IN THE INDIAN WAKS. 93 dian force which lay concealed in the woods. General St. Clair, who was suffer- ing severely from gout, was unable to mount his horse, and had to be carried about in a litter, from which he gave his orders with discretion and the most perfect coolness. The battle raged fearfully for nearly three hours, and after nearly half of his army had been slaughtered, St. Clair beat a headlong retreat. Thus were all the plans, hopes and labors of President Washington, congress, and the cabinet, in reference to the Indian campaign, utterly and deplorably overthrown in a single day ! This result is stated to have arisen thus : On the third of November, St. Clair formed his force into two lines ; the first, under the command of General Butler, composed the right wing, and lay with a creek immediately in their front. The left wing, commanded by Colonel Darke, formed the second, and lay with an inter- val of about seventy yards between them and the first line. The militia were ad- vanced beyond the creek, about a quarter of a mile in front. About half an hour before sunrise the next morning, just after the troops had been dismissed from the parade, an unexpected attack was made upon the militia, who fled in the utmost confusion, and rushing into camp through the first line of regular troops, which had been formed the instant the first gun was discharged, threw them too into disorder. Such was the panic, and so rapid and irreg- ular the flight, that the exertions of the officers to recall the men to their senses and to duty were quite unavailing. It was soon perceived that the American fire could produce, on a concealed enemy, no considerable effect, and that the only hope of victory was in the bayonet. At the head of the second regiment, which formed the left of the left wing, Darke made an impetuous charge upon the enemy, forced them from their ground with some loss, and drove them about four hundred yards. He was followed by that whole wing ; but the want of a sufficient number of riflemen to press this advan- tage, deprived him of its benefit, and, as soon as he gave over the pursuit, the In- dians renewed the attack. In the mean- time, General Butler was mortally 94 GREATEST BATTLES wounded, the left of the right wing was broken, the artillerists almost to a man killed, the guns seized, and the camp pen- etrated by the enemy. Orders were given to again charge with the bayonet; this was done with spirit and momentary suc- cess, the Indians being driven out of the camp, and the artillery recovered. To save the remnant of the army was all that now remained to he done; and, about half-past nine in the morning, Gen- eral St. Clair ordered Colonel Darke, with the second regiment, to charge a body of Indians who intercepted their retreat, and to gain the road. Major Clarke, with his battalion, was directed to cov£r the rear. These orders were executed, and then a disorderly flight commenced. The pursuit was kept up about four miles, when, fortu- nately for the surviving Americans, the victorious savages, eager for plunder, stopped at the camp of their vanquished foes, to divide the spoils. The routed troops continued their flight to Eort Jef- ferson — some thirty miles, — throwing away their arms along the road. At this place they met the detached regiment, and leaving their wounded at Eort Jefferson, the army continued its retreat to Fort Washington, the site of the present city of Cincinnati. Poor St. Clair’s defeat has been aptly paralleled with that of Braddock. No doubt, when he realized the terrible havoc that had been made, he thought sadly of Washington’s parting words, “ Beware of a surprise ! ” The manner in which the news of this disaster affected Washington is thus described by Mr. Rush : — Towards the close of a winter’s day, in December, an officer in uniform was seen to dismount in front of the president’s house in Philadelphia, and, giving the bridle to his servant, knock at the door of the mansion. Learning from the porter that the president was at dinner, he said he was on public business, having dis- patches which he could deliver only to the commander-in-chief. A servant was sent into the dining-room to give the informa- tion to Mr. Lear, the president’s private IN THE INDIAN WARS. | secretary, who left the table and went into the hall, where the officer repeated what he had said. Mr. Lear replied that, as the president’s secretary, he would take charge of the dispatches and deliver them at the proper time. The officer made answer that he had just arrived from the western army, and his orders were explicit to deliver them with all promptitude, and to the president in person ; but that he would wait his directions. Mr. Lear re- turned, and in a whisper imparted to the president what had passed. General Washington rose from the table and went to the officer. He was back in a short time, made a word of apology for his ab- sence, but no allusion to the cause of it. He had company that day. Everything went on as usual. Dinner over, the gen- tlemen passed to the drawing-room of Mrs. Washington, which was open in the even- ing. The general spoke courteously to every lady in the room, as was his custom. His hours were early, and by ten o’clock all the company had gone. Soon Mrs. Washington left the room, and the general and Mr. Lear remained. The chief now paced the room in hurried strides, and without speaking, for several minutes. Then he sat down on a sofa by the fire, telling Mr. Lear to sit down. He rose again, and, as he walked backward and forward, Mr. Lear saw a storm gathering. In the agony of his emotion, he struck his clenched hands with fearful force against his forehead, and in a paroxysm of anguish exclaimed — “ It’s all over ! St. Clair’s defeated — routed ; the officers nearly all killed — the men by wholesale — that brave army cut to pieces — the rout complete ! too shocking to think of — and a surprise in the bargain ! ” He uttered all this with great vehe- mence. Then he paused, and walked about the room several times, agitated, hut saying nothing. Near the door he stopped short and stood still a few seconds ; then, turning to the secretary, who stood amazed at the spectacle of Washington in all his terrors, the general, in his wrath, again broke out, saying, GREATEST BATTLES IN THE INDIAN WARS. 95 “ Yes, sir, here, in this very room, on this very spot, I took leave of him; I wished him success and honor. ‘ You have your instructions,’ I said, ‘ from the secretary of war; I had a strict eye to them, and will add but one word — beware of a surprise ! I repeat it — beware of a surprise! You know how the Indians fight us.’ He went off with that as my last solemn warning thrown into his ears. And yet, to suffer that army to be cut to pieces, hacked by a surprise — the very thing I guarded him against ! 0 God ! O God ! he’s worse than a murderer ! How can he answer it to his country ? The blood of the slain is upon him — the curse of widows and orphans — the curse of heaven ! ” This torrent came out in tone appalling. His very frame shook. “ It was awful ! ” said Mr. Lear. More than once he threw his hands up as he hurled imprecations upon St. Clair. Mr. Lear remained speech- less — awed into breathless silence. Pres- ently the roused chief sat down on the sofa once more. He seemed conscious of his passion, and uncomfortable. He was silent; his wrath began to subside. He at length said, in an altered voice, “ This must not go beyond this room.” Another pause followed — a longer one — when he said, in a tone quite low, “General St. Clair shall have justice. I looked hastily through the dispatches — saw the whole disaster, but not all the par- ticulars. I will hear him without preju- dice ; he shall have full justice ; yes, long, faithful, and meritorious services have their claims.” Washington was now perfectly calm. Half an hour had gone by ; the storm of indignation and passion was over, and no sign of it was afterward seen in his con- duct or heard in his conversation. His wrath on this occasion was perhaps never before aroused to so great a pitch, except when he confronted Lee, when the latter was retreating at the battle of Monmouth. St. Clair was succeeded by the brave General Wayne, whose successes retrieved the misfortunes of his predecessor, as the following stirring record will show. It will be interesting, however, to have some account of the character and personal ap- pearance of Michikiniqua, or “ Little Turtle,” the Missesago chief, who conquered St. Clair, for in no recorded battle did the sons of the forest ever show themselves better warriors, or achieve more renown at home and abroad. Notwithstanding his name, Little Turtle was at this time at least six feet high, strong, mus- cular, and remarkably dignified in his manners, though of a very sour and morose countenance, an d apparently very crafty and subtle. He was the son of a Miami chief, and was forty-five years of age when he led his warriors against poor St. Clair. His warlike train- ing was of that stern and hardening kind which was never omitted in his nation. It was on the banks of the Miami, or Maumee, in 1794, that General Anthony Wayne, the successor of St. Clair in the command of the American army in the Miami country, dealt a retributive and staggering blow to the power of the In- dians in that vast and magnificent region, — a blow from which they never recovered. Realizing the terrible shock which the nation received by the defeat of St. Clair, GREATEST BATTLES IN T THE INDIAN WARS. 96 the brave Wayne — “ mad Anthony,” as he was commonly called, on account of his reckless courage, — at once made the best of his way to the theater of action, for it was easy to foresee, what indeed immedi- ately ensued, that, under the encourage- ment of the successes against Harmer and St. Clair, all the treaties would be dis- solved, and a general savage confederacy formed against the United States. On the eighth of August, 1794, Wayne had reached the confluence of the Au Glaize and the Mi amis of the lakes, with- out opposition. The richest and most extensive settlements of the western In- dians were here. Halting at this place, a few days, the Americans threw up some works of defense. A fort had also been built on the St. Mary, twenty-four miles in advance of Fort Recovery. Unwilling to lose time, or to be in any way outwitted, Wayne moved forward on the fifteenth of August, and on the six- teenth met his messenger returning from the Indians, and bearing word from them, that, if the Americans would wait ten days at Glaize, they, the Indians, would decide for peace or war. Wayne’s only notice of this evasive message was to march straight on, arriving, on the eighteenth, at the rapids ; here they halted, and labored the next day in erecting works for the protec- tion of their baggage. At eight, on the morning of the twentieth, the American army moved down the north bank of the Maumee ; Wayne’s legion was on the right, its flank covered by the Maumee; one brigade of mounted volunteers was on the left, under Brigadier-General Todd; and the other was in the rear, under Brig- adier-General Barbee. A selected battal- ion of mounted volunteers moved in front of the legion, commanded by Major Price, who was directed to keep sufficiently ad- vanced, so as to give timely notice for the troops to form in case of action, it being yet undetermined whether the Indians would choose peace or war. Wayne says, in his official dispatch, that, after advancing about five miles, Major Price’s corps received so severe a fire from the enemy, who were secreted in the woods and high grass, as to compel them to retreat. The legion was immedi- ately formed into two lines, principally in a close thick wood, which extended for miles on the left, and for a very consider- able distance in front ; the ground was covered with old fallen timber, probably occasioned by a tornado, which rendered it impracticable for the cavalry to act with effect, and afforded the enemy the most favorable covert for their mode of warfare. The savages were formed in three lines, within supporting distance of each other, and extending for nearly two miles at right angles with the river. Wayne soon discovered, from the weight of the fire and the extent of their lines, that the enemy were in full force in front, in possession of their favorite ground, and endeavoring to turn the American left flank. He there- fore gave orders for the second line to advance and support the first, and directed Major-General Scott to gain and turn the right flank of the savages, with the whole of the mounted volunteers, by a circuitous route; at the same time, the front line was ordered to advance and charge with trailed arms, and rouse the Indians from their coverts at the point of the bayonet, and when up to deliver a close and well-directed fire on their backs, followed by a brisk charge, so as not to give them time to load again. All these orders were obeyed with spirit GREATEST BATTLES IN THE INDIAN WARS. and promptitude ; but such was the im- petuosity of the charge by the first linq of. infantry, that the Indians and Canadian militia and volunteers were driven from their coverts in so short a time, that, although every possible exertion was used LITTLE TURTLE. by the officers of the second line of the legion, and by Generals Scott, Todd, and Barbee, of the mounted volunteers, to gain their proper positions, only a part of each could get up in season to participate in the action, — the enemy being driven, in the course of one hour, more than two miles, through the thick woods, by less than one- half their numbers. Thus did this power- ful horde of savages, who had assumed to dictate terms and throw down the gauntlet to the American nation, abandon them- selves to flight, and flee in terror and dis- may, before Wayne and his victorious army. They were compelled to sue for peace on the conqueror’s own terms} their 7 97 confederacy was shattered into fragments ; their power was forever annihilated. On the return of Wayne to Philadelphia, then the nation’s capital, there was a cessation of all business, as on some great holiday ; the military turned out in legions to meet him ; the bells rang out their merriest peals, cannon boomed from every hill-top, and the plaudits of the multitude attended him at every step. General Harrison’s defeat of the Indians under Tecumseh, at Tippecanoe, in 1811, was another victory of similar brilliancy and importance, de- serving of mention here. It only remains to add to this chapter, General Jackson’s crowning achievement in the work of grinding to powder the mil- itary prestige of the Indian race in North America. The Creeks and Seminoles had long disputed the intrusion of the white race, and, though dreadfully cut to pieces in the battles of Talluschatches, Talladega, Emuckfaw, Enotochopco, and others, de- termined to make one more great and final struggle in the field. Accordingly, with consummate sagacity and skill, they se- lected a position at the great bend of the Tallapoosa, called by them Tohopeka, and by the whites Horseshoe Bend. Here, strongly fortified, were collected together the proudest, fiercest, most victorious war- riors, of all that race and region. On the 27th of March, 1814, Jackson advanced and attacked them with tremendous en- ergy, the troops leaping over the walls of the fort, and engaging in a hand-to-hand combat with the savages, the latter fight- ing with characteristic fury and despera- tion. Of the nine hundred warriors, — the flower of their tribes, — who defended the fort, seven hundred and fifty were killed or drowned ; for, seeing no chance of escape, and scorning to surrender, they fought with bloody energy until nearly all were slain. XI. WHITNEY’S EXTRAORDINARY COTTON-GIN INVEN- TION.— 1793. Amazing Impetus Given to the Culture, Uses and Consumption of Cotton. — Revolution in the In- dustrial Prospects and Political Power of the South.— How Cotton Became “King.” — Its Relation to the Great Themes and Events in American History. — Ingratitude to Whitney. — His Brilliant Change of Fortune in Another Sphere. — Whitney’s Obscure Circumstances. — His Early Mechanical Genius. — Determined to Get an Education. — Goes to the South as a Teacher. — Change of Pursuits. — Be- friended by General Greene’s Widow. — Amateur Inventive Efforts — Low State of Southern In- dustry. — Objection to Cotton-Raising. — Mrs. Greene’s Apt Suggestion. — Whit- ney’s Characteristic Resolve — Secret and Persevering Toil. — Exciting Rumors as to His Purpose — Great Expectations En- tertained. — Triumphant Success. — En- thusiasm of the Cotton-Growers. — His Machine Stolen from Him. — Infringe- ments upon His Patent. — Law-Suits, but no Redress for Him. — His Pathetic Let- ter to Fulton. — He Invents a Valuable Firearm. — Southern Strides in Wealth. “ What Peter the Great did to make Russia dominant, Eli Whitney’s invention of the Cotton-Gin has more than equaled in its relation to the progress and power of the United States.”— Lord Macaulay. 5YOND all doubt or question, the invention of the cotton-gin, just at the close of the eighteenth century, was an event which most wonder- kesults of the cotton-gin. fully accelerated the high career of the United States, in an industrial point of view, and, indeed, revolutionized, by an extraordinary impetus, the manufactures and commerce of the world. It may be re- garded, in a word, as the first key which was applied to the unlocking of those won- drous natural capabilities ' of the new-born republic, the continued development of which has given her such a foremost place, in respect to material and political power, among the nations of the earth. So direct is its identity with the facts and causes which have led to the country’s prodigious progress during the hundred years of its national history, that he who would trace to their primary source — with even ordinary philosophical acuteness of judgment — those momentous events, whether material, political, military, or social, which have distinguished the greater part of that century, may well pause longest and take his latitude at this point. Such, in- deed, is the great national consequence accorded by historians to this machine, that, of COTTON-GIN the thousands upon thousands of inven- tions and discoveries recorded in the patent office at Washington, many of them, of course, of almost incalculable value, only some half a dozen, or less, are comprised in the ‘ chronology of important dates,’ in the New American Cyclopedia, — that marvelous portrayal of man and civilization during the known ages. First among the triumphs of Amer- ican ingenuity thus made conspicuously historical, is the invention and introduc- tion of the cotton-gin, in 1793, which is the subject of this article. That it should have a place among the few of its kind capable of coming within the plan and scope of this volume, will he at once ap- parent. Before entering into the more elaborate details pertaining to this remarkable ma- chine and its bearing upon American industry and commerce, it may be useful to give, in the first place, a sketch in brief of the career of Eli Whitney, whose genius gave to his country, and to mankind, this great boon. At an early age, he gave in- dications of that mechanical and inventive talent, for which he was afterwards so greatly celebrated. His father was a farmer in Westborough, Massachusetts, a village where only the ordinary advantages of a common-school education were availa- ble. But Mr. Whitney was desirous of the benefits of a more complete course of instruction, and at the age of twenty-three entered the college in New Haven. He received the honors of this institution in 1792, and soon after went to Georgia, in the expectation of opening a private school, and devoting himself to that profes- sion. In this expectation he was disap- pointed, for, on arriving at the place of his destination, he was informed that another tutor was already filling the station he ex- pected to occupy. Having traveled from the north, to Sa- vannah, in company with Mrs. Greene, the widow of the revolutionary general and hero of that name, he received from that lady a courteous invitation to make her house his home, while engaged in his INVENTION. 99 course of studies preparatory to entering the legal profession. This most favorable offer, so timely in view of his shattered health and scanty means, he gratefully availed himself of. It was on the occasion of a social gath- ering of some neighbors and others, one afternoon, at the residence of Mrs. Greene, — a party including several planters of distinction, a few of whom had served as officers under General Greene’s command, — that Whitney first resolved to rouse his genius to its utmost accomplishment. Among other remarks made by the gentle- men present, on the occasion referred to, was one in regard to the depressed condi- tion of the agricultural interests of Geor- gia, namely, that since all the lands in that region, not suitable for the cultivation of rice, were eminently favorable for the production of heavy cotton-crops, it was exceedingly to be regretted that no means existed of cleansing the green seed-cotton, or of separating it from its seed, in a manner sufficiently thorough to make it profitable, — it being almost useless, in the absence of such a method or contrivance, to undertake to grow cotton-crops for sale, because only a pound of this green seed- cotton could be cleaned and made mer- chantable, per day, by a single laborer,- and the price obtainable for it, when thus prepared, was but a few cents per pound. In response to these suggestions, Mrs. Greene, with true womanly perceptions, and knowing Whitney’s ingenious turn of mind in the sphere of mechanics, naively remarked, “Well, gentlemen, apply to my young friend, Mr. Whitney, — he can make anything ; ” and, suiting the action to the word, she led them into the room where her tambour or embroidery-frame was kept, together with some other ingenious contrivances, and exhibited them to the company as evidences of Whitney’s sin- gular skill. On being introduced to these gentlemen, and entering into conversation with them on the subject, Mr. Whitney was obliged to inform them that he had never seen cotton nor cotton-seed in his life! COTTON-GIN In a few months, he had advanced so far and so successfully with his machine, as to leave no doubt of his having achieved a complete triumph. In acknowledgment of Mrs. Greene’s many and valued atten- tions to him during his labors, and her steadfast interest in his fortunes, the grat- ifying privilege was accorded her, on a day duly appointed, of exhibiting to an invited assembly of guests, principally planters, a model of the saw-gin that was to produce such a mighty change. Their astonishment was almost unbounded, when, on examining the principle and working of the instrument, they found that more cotton could be separated from the seed in one day by the labor of a single hand, than could be done, in the usual manner, in many months. Enthusiasm over such a result, and in view of such a prospect, was very natural. The report of Mr. Whitney’s invention spread very rapidly throughout the South, exciting intense interest, and the planters in especial were eager to see a machine that promised such incalculable benefits to themselves and to the nation. For a time, however, Whitney declined showing the gin, as it was not entirely perfected, and because it might be imitated by others, and he be deprived in that way of his right to a patent. But, so great was the excitement to which the people had been wrought up, and so tempting was the chance which presented itself to the un- principled, to appropriate to themselves the fruits of other men’s toils, that the building in which Whitney carried on his labors was actually broken into, one night, by a party of lawless individuals, and the instrument secretly carried off. Thus it was that several machines were constructed on the basis of Whitney’s invention, and indeed varying but little from the original, though it was artfully attempted to have the deviation sufficiently obvious to escape the penalties of imitation. It may well be supposed that the vari- ous lawsuits growing out of the infringe- ments upon his rights, was an exhausting draft upon Mr. Whitney’s funds. But, in INVENTION. 101 addition to this drawback upon his enter- prise, there befell him the successive calamities of prolonged sickness, the destruction of his manufacturing estab- lishment by fire, and, worse than all, the assertion on the part of certain unfriendly persons, that the use of the machine ought to be abandoned, because it greatly in- jured the fiber of the cotton. The testi- mony of some of the British manufacturers was industriously circulated, to the effect that the old roller-gin, which ground the seed to impalpability, was preferable to that which separated the seed from the staple, at the sacrifice of its quality ! And here it may be of interest to state, that, in order to overcome the difficulty of separat- ing the seed from the wool by hand, a rude hand-mill, or roller-gin, was at an early period substituted, in some parts of India and China, by which from forty to sixty-five pounds could be cleaned in a day. After this, the cotton was further cleaned from dirt and knots by ‘bowing.’ A large bow being placed in a heap of cotton, the string was made to vibrate pow- erfully, thus dispersing and cleaning the heap. These means, employed from re- mote times in eastern countries, were also formerly used by American growers. Much of the sea-island cotton is still sepa- rated from its seeds by rollers constructed on a large scale, and worked by horses, steam, or water. These rollers are of wood, and revolve rapidly in contact with each other ; as they do so, a sort of comb with iron teeth acts on the cotton as it passes between them, and detaches the seeds, which fly off like sparks in all direc- tions. Particles of seeds which escape and pass through with the cotton, are removed by hand. The cotton is then whisked about in a light wheel, and, when well winnowed, it is conveyed to the packing- house, and forced into bags by means of screws, until each bag contains the requi- site number of pounds. But short-stapled cotton cannot be properly cleaned by this process ; the seeds are so firmly attached to the wool, that a more powerful machine is needed , — and here the utilty of the saw- COTTON-GIN INVENTION. 102 gin over the roller-contrivance is manifest. The cotton is put into a long and narrow hopper, one side of which is formed by a grating of strong parallel wires, one-eighth of an inch apart. Close to the hopper is a roller set with circular saws, an inch and a half apart. These, as they revolve, pass within the grating of the hopper to a cer- tain depth, and seize by their teeth on the locks of cotton, dragging them through the wires, which are not wide enough apart to allow the seeds to pass also. The cotton is afterwards swept from the saws by a revolving cylindrical brush. Thus the separation is effected in a cheap, easy, and rapid manner. At first, Whitney used bent wires or teeth, like those of the common card, but much larger and stronger, and these were placed in rows on a revolving cylinder. The cotton was separated from this cylinder by a frame of parallel wires; as the cylinder revolved, the teeth extending through the wire- frame caught the cotton and drew it through the grating, but the seeds being too large to pass between the wires, were of course separated from the fiber. These teeth, however, being found too weak to pull the cotton from the seed without be- coming bent or broken, Whitney substi- tuted a circular saw in their place. The teeth of the saw being large, and shaped like the beak of a bird, had more strength and were equally effective. So serious an objection as that brought by the British manufacturers, namely, that the operation of this maohine injured the quality of the cotton, was a most disheart- ening one to Mr. Whitney and his part- ner, Mr. Miller, for, on its truth or falsity, their fortune and fate depended. Eor a time, the process of patent ginning was quite at a stand ; and, indeed, little was heard of it by the originators, except the condolence of a few real friends, who ex- pressed their regret that so promising an invention had entirely failed. Of the in- ventor’s state of mind, as well as the con- dition of his purse, at this time, some idea may be formed from a letter written by Whitney, in the autumn of 1797, in which he says : ‘ The extreme embarrassments which have for a long time been accumu- lating upon me are now become so great that it will be impossible for me to strug- gle against them many days longer. It has required my utmost exertions to exist, without making the least progress in our business. I have labored hard against the strong current of disappointment, which has been threatening to carry us down the cataract ; but I have labored with a shat- tered oar, and struggled in vain, unless some speedy relief is obtained. Life is but short, at best, and six or seven years out of the midst of it is, to him who makes it, an immense sacrifice. My most unre- mitted attention has been directed to our business. I have sacrificed to .it other objects, from which, before this time, I might certainly have gained twenty or thirty thousand dollars. My whole pros- pects have been embarked in it, with the expectation that I should, before this time, have realized something from it.’ Against all opposition, the machine finally became appreciated according to its merits, and, though the country was flooded with imi- tations, — against the manufacturers of which, it seemed almost impossible to obtain any redress or protection in the courts of law, — a large demand set in, and COTTONGIN Whitney’s golden visions appeared likely to be realized. At the suggestion made to them by some of their business friends, Miller and Whitney were induced, in view of the public benefit that would accrue to the cotton-growing states, by the general and inexpensive introduction of the saw-gin, to offer the exclusive disposal of the machine in South Carolina to the legislature of that state, which offer was finally accepted ; the sum paid to the inventors, for this privilege, being fifty thousand dollars. Though this sum was only one-half of that which had originally been fixed upon by the patentees, it seems to have given quite a zest to Mr. Whitney’s feelings and an- ticipations, for he wrote in relation to the new arrangement : ‘ The use of the machine here (in South Carolina) is amazingly ex- tensive, and the value of it beyond all calculation. It may, without exaggera- tion, be said to have raised the value of seven-eighths of all the three southern states from fifty to one hundred per cent. We get but a song for it in comparison with the worth of the thing ; but it is se- curing something. It will enable Miller and Whitney to pay all their debts, and divide something between them. It es- tablishes a precedent that will be valuable as respects our collections in other states, and I think there is now a fair prospect that I shall in the event realize property enough to render me comfortable, and, in some measure, independent.’ It was not, however, without much trouble and litiga- tion, that Whitney realized the fulfillment of this contract. But the expense involved in numerous suits at law against the encroachers upon his patent, was more than the profits yielded by the sales, and these struggles and expenditures, and constantly-recurring discouragements, sent Mr. Miller to a pre- mature grave, at the close of 1803. In the year 1812, Mr. Whitney applied to con- gress for a renewal of his patent, in the hope of still receiving some substantial benefit from his invention. But the southern delegation generally — though INVENTION. 103 with some honorable exceptions — were op- posed to it ; which was of course the more unexpected, as well as wounding, in view of the immense advantage of the machine to that part of the United States. In regard to this last-mentioned point, no tes- timony could be more weighty or emphatic in the affirmative than that by Judge Johnson, an eminent South Carolinian, and, at the time of speaking, a judge of the United States supreme court : — ‘ The whole interior of the southern states (these are the words of Judge Johnson, as judi- cially uttered) was languishing, and its inhabitants emigrating for want of some object to engage their attention, and em- ploy their industry, when the invention of this machine at once opened views to them which set the whole country in active motion. From childhood to age, it has presented to us a lucrative employment. Individuals who were depressed with pov- erty, and sunk in idleness, have suddenly risen to wealth and respectability. Our debts have been paid off. Our capitals have increased, and our lands trebled themselves in value. We cannot express the weight of the obligation which the country owes to this invention. The ex- tent of it cannot now be seen. Some faint presentiment may be formed from the re- flection that cotton is rapidly supplanting wool, flax, silk, and even furs, in manufac- tures, and may one day profitably supply the use of specie in our East India trade. Our sister states also participate in the benefits of this invention ; for, beside af- fording the raw material for their manu- facturers, the bulkiness and quantity of the article afford a valuable employment for their shipping.’ Such was the testimony borne by the highest possible authority, in regard to the wonderful value and effect of this in- vention. And yet, though full a dozen years had elapsed since Whitney had staked his all upon the machine, and was even now pleading for redress against the piracies committed upon his rights and property, he was actually a poor man, struggling against remorseless fate. Mr. 104 COTTON-GIN Whitney, in a letter almost pathetic in its rehearsal of his wrongs, addressed to Robert Fulton, the inventor of the first successful steamboat, remarks, that ‘the difficulties with which he had to contend originated, principally, in the want of a disposition in mankind to do justice. The invention was new and distinct from every other ; it stood alone. It was not inter- woven with anything before known; and it can seldom happen that an invention is so strongly marked, and can be so clearly and specifically identified; and I have always believed that I should have had no difficulty in causing my rights to he re- spected, if it had been less valuable, and been used only by a small portion of the community. But the use of this machine being immensely profitable to almost every planter in the cotton districts, all were in- terested in trespassing upon the patent right, and each kept the other in counte- nance. Demagogues made themselves popular by misrepresentation and un- founded clamors, both against the right, and the law made for its protection. Hence there arose associations and combi- nations to oppose both. At one time, few men in Georgia dared to come into court and testify to the most simple facts within their knowledge, relative to the use of the machine. In one instance, I had great INVENTION. difficulty in proving that the machine had been used in Georgia, although, at the same moment, there were three separate sets of this machinery in motion within fifty yards of the building in which the court sat, and all so near that the rattling of the wheels was distinctly heard on the steps of the court-house/ Surely, few men of genius have rendered so great ben- efits to their country, by means of an in- vention, who have been so heartlessly treated and so poorly remunerated. De- spairing of ever realizing an adequate return, therefore, for his cotton-gin, Whit- ney applied his inventive skill to the im- proved manufacture of firearms, in which he was very successful, and, having ob- tained valuable contracts from the govern- ment for his improved muskets, he ultimately acquired a fortune, — a strange hut most deserved sequel to his hitherto checkered career. The progress and value of the cotton production in the United States, under the impetus given to it by Whitney’s inven- tion, may be characterized as simply prodigious ; and, in the mind of the philo- sophic statesman and student, the story of the cotton-gin will forever weave itself, most intimately and wonderfully, with those great themes and events which make up the nation’s history. XII. THE FAMOUS WHISKEY INSURRECTION IN PENNSYL- VANIA.— 1794. Violent Resistance to the United States Excise Laws — Monster Meetings and Inflammatory Appeals — Officials and Loyal Citizens Whipped, Branded, Tarred, and Feathered. — Intense Excitement in all the States. — Washington Declares that the Union is in Peril and Heads an Army to Meet the Crisis. — Precipitate Flight of the Armed Rebels. — Congressional Tax on Spirits. — Cry of “ Tyranny !•” from Distillers. — Western Pennsylvania in a Blaze. — Extent of her Whiskey Interests. — Ambitious Politi- cians at Work. — A Revolt Incited by Them. — Bradford the Chief Desperado. — Reign of Terror Inaugurated. — Tax-Collectors Roughly Handled. — The Incendiary’s Torch. — “Tom the Tinker’s ” Ruffianism. — Fury of the Factionists — Firm Courage of Loyal Men. — Perplexity of the United States Government. — Presidential Proclamation. — Law and Order to be Maintained. — Troops Summoned into Service. — Prompt and Patriotic Response — The Olive Branch vs. the Sword. — Bradford Scorns Conciliation. — Washington’s Mind Made Up. — Prevents the Effusion of Blood. ** Here’s to your fery goot healthy And taran ta whusky duty ! Song of the Times. HE year 1794 is distinguished in American history by a remark- able revolt among a portion of the inhabitants of Pennsylvania, and which is known as the Whiskey Insurrection. In 1791, congress had enacted laws laying excise duties upon spirits distilled within the United States. This tax excited great and general opposition, but nowhere else was such vio- lence exhibited in resisting the execution of the law, as in the western counties of Pennsylvania, where the crops of grain were so over-abundant, that, in the absence of an adequate market for its sale, an immense quantity of the cereal was distilled into whiskey, — the far-famed “ Monongahela,” so called from the name of the principal river of the region where the manufacture was carried on. It was insisted upon, by these people, that an article produced so exclusively, by an surrection in penn. isolated community, as their sole and necessary dependence, ought not to be taxed for the support of the federal government ; and this opinion they adhered to — as the following pages will be found to show — with a tenacity worthy of a better cause, notwithstanding the day of temperance societies had not then dawned. Public meetings were held in all the chief towns, at which the action of congress was loudly denounced as oppression to be battled against to the very last extremity ; FAMOUS WHISKEY INSURRECTION declaring, too, Uat any person who had accepted or might accept an office under government, in or- der to carry the law into effect, should be regarded as an enemy of his country, to he treated with contempt and total non-intercourse, official and personal. The federal government was scoffed at, its coercive authority disavowed; thus, with the motto, “ Liberty and No Excise ! ” the ball of rebellion rolled on. It was at this stage in the progress of affairs, and only one day preceding the assembling of an import- ant meeting of malcon- tents of Pittsburg, that the tax collector for the counties of Alleghany and Washington made his ap- pearance. Aware of his business, a party of men, armed and disguised, way- laid him at a place on Pigeon Creek, in Washing- ton county, seized, tarred and feathered him, cut off his hair, and deprived him of his horse, obliging him to decamp on foot in that ludicrous and painful con- dition. In attempting to serve legal processes upon the perpetrators of this out- rage, the marshal’s deputy was also seized, whipped, tarred and feathered ; and, after having his money and horse taken from him, the ruffians blindfolded and led him into the depths of the forest, where he was tied and left to his fate. He was fortunately discovered in season, and rescued, by some friends. FAMOUS WHISKEY INSURRECTION. Not long after, a person of the name of Roseberry underwent the humiliating pun- ishment of tarring and feathering, with some attendant aggravations, for having in conversation hazarded the very natural and just, but unpalatable remark, that the inhabitants of a county could not reasona- bly expect protection from a government whose laws they so strenuously opposed. So great, too, was the audacity of the per- petrators of these outrages, that an armed banditti of them ventured to seize and carry off two persons who were witnesses against the rioters in the case of Wilson, in order to prevent their giving testimony in a court then sitting, or about to sit. On the part of the executive, such open defiance of the laws, and of the authority of the government, was believed to imperi- ously require that the strength and effi- ciency of those laws should be tried, by the governing power. Accordingly, Wash- ington issued his proclamation, emphati- cally condemning the lawless acts and pro- ceedings, warning all to return at once to their allegiance, and assuring them that the laws should be executed at any hazard. Against the leaders in some of the out- rages which had been committed, bills of indictment were found in a court of the United States, upon which process was directed to issue, and, at the same time, process was also issued against a great number of non-complying distillers. This proclamation not producing the desired effect, President Washington next endeavored to prevent the necessity of having recourse to active military meas- ures, by making it the interest of the dis- tillers to pay the duty. To this end, in addition to the prosecutions instituted against delinquents, the spirits distilled in the counties opposing the law were ordered to be seized on their way to market, by the officers of the revenue, and the con- tractors for the army were directed to purchase only the spirits on which the duties had been paid. But, whatever were the inclinations of the distillers — or some of them, — the fear of an infuriated popu- lace prevented a compliance with these 107 orders; and the factionists continued to take encouragement from the lenity of the executive, in the expectation of ultimate success. By violent threats they still kept the marshal from serving his precepts, committed numerous outrages upon the friends of government, and perfected their organization into military bands, to resist any force that might be sent to subject them to the laws. They styled their acts, “ mending the still.” It is not to be doubted that this inflamed state of the public mind was greatly ag- gravated by the ambitious designs and intemperate speeches of a few leading men. Conspicuous among the friends of the malcontents were Bradford, Marshall, Smilie, Brackenridge, Husbands, Findley, and Gallatin. The first-named, David Bradford, was the chief agitator, and led in person the desperate bands, in their career of violence. He was an old settler in Washington county, had accumulated a large fortune, and, being bold and unscru- pulous in his politics, wielded a powerful influence over a certain class. Those asso- ciated with him were men of decided abil- ity, being of Scotch or Irish birth, and possessing their dominant characteristics of nationality. In the early part of 1794, the hostility of the law-breakers seemed to become more implacable and demonstrative. William Richmond, who had given information against some of the rioters, in the affair of Wilson, had his barn burnt, with all its valuable contents; and the same thing happened to Robert Shawan, a distiller, who had been among the first to comply with the law, and who had always spoken favorably of it. These instances were multiplied. The law-abiding inhabitants were dogged and pursued by disorderly persons, their houses and distilleries broken into, property destroyed, conflagra- tions kindled, machinery disabled, life threatened. June being the month for receiving an- nual entries for stills, endeavors were used to open offices in Westmoreland and Washington, where it had hitherto been FAMOUS WHISKEY INSURRECTION. 108 found impracticable. With much pains and difficulty, places were at last procured for the purpose. That in Westmoreland was repeatedly attacked by armed men, in the night, who frequently fired upon it ; but it was de- fended with so much determination and perseverance, as to have been maintained during the remainder of the month. That in Washington, after repeated attempts, was suppressed. Charging himself with the service of the processes officially intrusted to him, the marshal repaired in person to the country which was the scene of these disorders. He continued unmolested in the perform- ance of this duty, until, being seen in company with General John Neville, in- spector of the county and a zealous advo- cate of the tax, they were assaulted on the road by a body of armed men, who fired, but without doing any injury. Early the next morning, a party attacked the house of General Neville, the inspector, but he defended himself bravely and successfully. Apprehending, however, that the busi- ness would not terminate here, Neville made application by letter to the judges, generals of militia, and sheriff of the county, for protection. A reply to his application, from John Wilkins, Jr., and John Gibson, magistrates and militia-offi- cers, informed him that the laws could not be executed, so as to afford him the pro- tection to which he was entitled, owing to the too general combination of the people in that part of Pennsylvania to oppose the revenue law ; adding, that they would take every step in their power to bring the rioters to justice, and would be glad to receive information relative to the individ- uals concerned in the attack on his house, that prosecutions might be commenced against them — at the same time expressing regret that, should the citizens of the county be ordered out, in support of the civil authority, very few could be gotten who were not of the party of the rioters. The day following, the insurgents re- assembled with a considerable augmenta- tion of numbers, amounting to at least five hundred, and, on the seventeenth of July, renewed their attack upon the house of the inspector, who, in the interval, had taken the precaution of calling to his aid a small detachment from the garrison of Fort Pitt, which, at the time of the attack, consisted of eleven men, who had been joined by Major Abraham Kirkpatrick, a friend and connection of the inspector. The leader of the insurgents was a despe- rado named John Holcroft, or “ Tom the Tinker as he was familiarly called. There being scarcely a prospect of ef- fectual defense against so large a number as then appeared, and as the inspector had everything to apprehend for his person, if taken, it was judged advisable that he should withdraw from the house to a place of concealment; Major Kirkpatrick gen- erously agreeing to remain with the eleven, intending, if practicable, to make a capit- ulation in favor of the property, or, if un- successful, to defend it as long as possible. A parley took place, under cover of a flag, which was sent by the insurgents to the house, with a demand that the inspec- tor should come forth, renounce his office, and stipulate never again to accept an office under the same laws. To this it was replied, that the inspector had left the house upon their first approach, and that the place to which he had retired was un- known. They then declared that they must have whatever related to his office ; to which, answer was made they might send persons, not exceeding six, to search the house, and take away whatever papers they could find, pertaining to the office. But, not satisfied with this, they insisted, unconditionally, that the armed men who were in the house for its defense, should march out and ground their arms. Major Kirkpatrick peremptorily refused, consid- ering it and representing it to them as a proof of a design to destroy the property; and this refusal put an end to the parley. Brisk firing now took place between the insurgents and the party in the house, lasting for about an hour, till the assail- ants, having set fire to the neighboring and adjacent buildings, eight in number, FAMOUS WHISKEY INSURRECTION. the intenseness of the heat, and the danger of an immediate communication of fire to the house, obliged the brave Kirkpat- rick and his small party to come out and surrender themselves. Desirous of ascertaining their full strength, and also to discover any secret enemies that might remain unsuspected in the midst of these treasonable movements, Bradford and his comrades proceeded with a high and unsparing hand. Monster meetings of friends and sympathizers were DAVID BRADFORD. appointed, to determine the first question ; and, to obtain satisfaction in regard to the second, the mail between Pittsburg and Philadelphia was stopped by armed men, who cut it open,- and took out the letters which it contained. In some of these letters, a direct disapprobation of the vio- lent measures which had been adopted was openly avowed. Upon acquiring thus the names of their opponents, messengers were sent to Pittsburg, where the writers of the offensive letters resided, demanding the banishment of the offenders. A prompt obedience to these demands was unavoidable. Another plan was, for seiz- ing the United States military stores at Pittsburg, and using them in carrying on the revolt. In order to accomplish this, a mammoth gathering of the anarchists was appointed to be held on Braddock’s field, August first. This call was made in the form usual for militia musters, and all were notified to come armed and equipped. Seven thousand men answered to this call, and Bradford, assuming the office of major- general, reviewed the dense mass of troops. The main purpose, however, of this assem- blage, namely, to march upon Pittsburg, 109 take possession of Fort Pitt and the United States arsenal, and then form an independent state, or sovereignty, com- posed of the counties west of the Alleghany range, had been divulged to few, and, upon farther consultation, it was found that the desperation of some of the leaders failed them at this point, and the project was abandoned. But it was determined to march to Pittsburg at any rate, — a march that was attended by a wholesale intimi- dation of the disaffected, the robbing of houses, and the burning of buildings. But the greatest popular demonstration made of the law-breakers’ strength, was the meeting at Parkinson’s Ferry, where there assembled representatives of the whole vast region in insurrection, and, in the mad enthusiasm of the hour, pledged them- selves to follow, sixteen thousand strong, under the banner of Bradford, in resisting and overturning the government. There were at this meeting many able men, but the attendant throng was of a far different class. The president had now, for three years, patiently awaited the effect of conciliatory measures, but these had only continued to render the opposition more desperate. He therefore had only to choose between the alternative of permitting the prostration of the government, or to call out its force in support of the laws. It was not in the nature of Washington to allow the former. The subject, in all its momentous con- sequences, was laid by President Wash- ington before the cabinet, for final action, and General Mifflin, the governor of Penn- sylvania, was on this occasion called into the council. Their unanimous desire was to avoid, if possible, a resort to arms and bloodshed, and they therefore advised that commissioners should be sent to the insur- gents to warn them of their danger, and to offer a pardon of past offenses, on condi- tion of future obedience to the laws. It was also advised that a proclamation should be issued, in conformity to the act of congress, commanding the insurgents to disperse by a given day. All agreed that a crisis had arrived which was testing FAMOUS WHISKEY INSURRECTION. 110 the strength and practicability of republi- can institutions. The president did not hesitate to do his duty. He could no longer see the laws prostrated, and the authority of the United States defied, without exerting the means of prevention. He resolved, therefore, to issue the proclamation, which, by law, was to precede the employment of force. This proclamation, issued August seventh, con- tained a brief but distinct recapitulation of the measures which had been adopted by the government, as well as the pro- ceedings on the part of the insurgents, and the preparatory steps which had been taken to authorize the executive to employ coercion — and which, though with the deepest regret, he had determined to do, in the interests of national preservation and social order ; and commanding all persons being in the position of insurgents, and all others whom it might concern, on or before the first day of the ensuing month of September, to disperse and re- tire peaceably to their homes. On the same day of this proclamation, a requisition was made on the governors of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, for their several quotas of militia to compose an army of twelve or fifteen thousand men, who were to be im- mediately organized and prepared to march at a minute’s warning. While the necessary steps were being taken to bring this force into the field, a last attempt was made to render its em- ployment unnecessary. To this end, the attorney-general of the United States, who was also a citizen of Pennsylvania, to- gether with Judge Yates, of the superior court, and Senator Ross of Pennsylvania, who was particularly popular in the west- ern section, were deputed by the govern- ment to be the bearers of a general amnesty for past offenses, on the sole con- dition of future obedience to the laws. It having been deemed advisable that the executive of the state in which the insurrection was rampant should act in concert with that of the United States, a proclamation, similar in tone and spirit to that of the president, was now issued by Governor Mifflin, and commissioners were appointed by him to unite with those of the general government. But Bradford, whose sway over his fol- lowers was well nigh despotic, inspiring them with slavish terror, laughed at the government proclamation and measures, claimed that he could marshal an army that would scatter the federal force to the four winds, and, under the banner of “ Liberty and No Excise — No Asylum for Cowards and Traitors!” the insurgent spirit waxed fiercer and more bold. At- tempts were made to embark the adjacent counties of Virginia in their cause, and their violence was extended to Morgan- town, at which place an inspector resided, who only saved himself by flight, and pro- tected his property by advertising, on his own door, that he had resigned his office. Similar excursions were made into the eastern counties of Pennsylvania. The great convention of malcontents at Parkinson’s Ferry had, under the advice of Brackenridge, Marshall, Gallatin, and some others, appointed a committee of safety, of sixty members, who chose fifteen of their body to confer with the commis- sioners of the United States, and of Penn- sylvania. This committee was to receive proposals, but neither offer nor accept terms of settlement. In their report of the conference thus held, the committee expressed themselves in favor of accepting the accommodation offered by the government. But, though many of the insurgents, trembling at the extent of the conflagration they had kin- dled, were now disposed to yield, a vast number still continued, under Bradford’s fiery lead, to go on in their revolutionary violence, and so the last door to reconcilia- tion was shut. Meanwhile, the president’s call for troops was being responded to in overwhelming numbers, under the patriotic lead of Governor Mifflin. The president issued a second proclama- tion, September 25, describing in terms of great energy the obstinate and perverse spirit with which the government’s lenient FAMOUS WHISKEY INSURRECTION. propositions had been received, and de- claring his fixed determination, in virtue of the high and imperative duty imposed upon him by the constitution to “ take care that the laws be faithfully executed ,” to reduoe the refractory to obedience. On every side, the signals of war were now displayed ! The troops of New Jersey and Pennsylvania were directed to ren- dezvous at Bedford, and those of Maryland and Virginia at Cumberland, on the Poto- mac. The command of the expedition was given to General Henry Lee, of Virginia; and the governors of New Jersey and Pennsylvania commanded, under him, the militia of their respective states. The president, in person, pushed on for Phila- delphia, through deep roads and a three days’ drenching rain, visiting, as com- mander-in-chief, each of the two grand divisions into which he had divided the forces. He had intended to continue to lead the army solely himself; but, ascer- taining that this would not be called for, and feeling confident that the force em- ployed must break down all resistance, he left General Hamilton, as his deputy, giving directions to Lee to marcn each 111 division across the Alleghany mountains, meet on the other side, and act against the insurgents as circumstances might require. But, as had been sagaciously foreseen, the GEN. HENRY LEE. greatness of the force prevented the effu- sion of blood. The rebellious hordes fled before such a demonstration, the clemency of the government was solicited, and sub- mission to every law freely promised. Some of the more evil disposed were ar- rested and tried, but pardon was ultimately extended to all. Bradford escaped to Spanish territory. And thus, in the words of Washington, was decided “the contest, whether a small proportion of the United States shall dictate to the whole Union.” XIII. FOUNDING AND ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.— 1799. Bitter Sectional Contest in Deciding the Location. — First “Compromise” in Congress between the North and the South. — Final Removal of the Government and its Archives to Washington. — Official Observance of the Event. — Magnificent Site and Plan of the City. — Splendor of its Public Build- ings. — Congress First Sits in Philadelphia. — Need of a Permanent Capital. — National Dignity Involved. — Violent Agitation of the Subject. — Philadelphia and New York Proposed. — They are Objected to by the South. — Northern Disunion Threats. — Schemes of Conciliation. — How the Question was Settled. — Sweetening Two Bitter Pills. — Jefferson’s Graphic Account. — General Washington’s Preference. — His Site on the Potomac Adopted. — Some Rather Personal Anecdotes. — Work of Laying Out the City. — Its Original Aspect and Condition. — Early Trials of the President's Wife. — Construction of the Cap- itol.— Its Corner-Stone Laid by Washington. — Congress in its New Halls. — Growth of the Metropolis, — The New Corner-Stone of 1851. ** Where peered the hut the palace towers * Where skimmed the bark the war-ship lowers j Ooy gaily carols where was silence rude *, And cultured thousands throng the solitude. EXT in importance to the founding of a free and independent nationality, and the inauguration of a supreme legislative and executive government, was the act of establishing a permanent capital, — one on a scale, and of a character, commensurate with the dignity and prospects of the new republic. Indeed, from as early a period as June, 1783, when congress was virtually driven from its halls in Philadelphia by the mutiny of a part of the Pennsylvania line, the necessity was very evident of some place being fixed upon where the government of the Union might at least be secure from violence and insult. As this remarkable and untoward circumstance was, perhaps, one of the most notable in its bearing upon subsequent events, in this connection, it may be worth while to recite some of its chief features. While the patriot army, encamped under the eye of Washington, bore their hardships and privations without flinching, and, at the close of the struggle, in 1783, returned quietly, though poor and unpaid, to their homes, some of the newly-recruited soldiers of Pennsylvania, stationed at Lancaster, suddenly mutinied and set off in a body for Philadelphia, to demand redress of fancied grievances from the legislature of the state. Arriving at that city, they were joined by a force from the barracks, and proceeded on the second of J une with beat of drum and fixed bayonets to the state house, where congress and the supreme executive council of Pennsylvania were both holding their sessions. After placing sentinels at all the doors, they sent in a written message, threatening the president and the council of the state to let loose an enraged soldiery upon them, if their demands were not acceded to in twenty minutes. Although the resentments of this banditti were not directed par- FOUNDING OF THE ticularly .against congress, the government of the Union was grossly insulted, and those who administered it were blockaded for several hours in the discharge of their duties, by an armed band. Fearing lest the authorities of Pennsylvania might not be able to furnish adequate protection, it adjourned to meet within a few days at Princeton, — sending information, in the meantime, to Washington, of this outbreak. The latter immediately sent fifteen hun- dred men under General Howe to suppress the mutiny ; but before the detachment could reach Philadelphia, the mutiny was in a great degree subdued, and fortunately without bloodshed. When once the subject of definitely fixing upon a location for the seat of gov- ernment was before congress and the people, the question seemed to overshadow all others. Being in session at Princeton, under the circumstances above narrated, it was resolved by congress that a building for the national legislature be erected near the Falls of the Delaware. The commissioners to lay out a town on the Delaware reported their proceedings to congress, but no further steps were taken to carry the resolution into effect. Some were very strenuous for New York, others proposed some convenient place on the banks of the Susquehanna. To the latter proposition, southern members, among whom was Mr. Madison, were un- alterably opposed. All admitted the im- portance of the step to he taken, involving, perhaps, the perpetuity of the government itself. At length, a compact respecting the temporary and permanent seat of govern- ment was entered into between the friends of Philadelphia, and the Potomac, whereby it was stipulated that congress should hold its sessions in Philadelphia, for ten years, during which time, buildings for the accommodation of the government should be erected at some place, to be se- lected, on the Potomac, and which latter should become, on the expiration of the ten years, the permanent capital of the nation. This compromise having united NATIONAL CAPITAL. 113 the representatives of Pennsylvania and Delaware with the friends of the Potomac, in favor both of the temporary and perma- nent locality which had been mutually agreed on between them, a majority was thus finally secured in favor of the project, and a bill which was brought into the senate in conformity with this arrange- ment, passed both houses by small major- ities, though, according to Judge Marshall, these majorities would have been larger, if necessary. But, as the final compromise briefly re- corded above shows, the die was cast, at last, to mutual satisfaction. How this was brought about, Jefferson’s graphic, and, it may be, highly-colored portraiture of the closing hour and result of the struggle will give some idea : 1 The eastern members particularly, who, with Smith from South Carolina, were the principal gamblers in these scenes, threatened secession and dis- solution. Hamilton was in despair. As I was going to the president’s, one day, I met him in the street. He walked me backwards and forwards before the presi- dent’s door for half an hour. He painted pathetically the temper into which the legislature had been wrought ; the disgust of those who were called the creditor states ; the danger of the secession of their members, and the separation of the states. He observed that the members of the ad- ministration ought to act in concert ; that though this question was not of my de- partment, yet a common duty should make it a common concern ; that the president was the center on which all administration questions ultimately rested, and that all of us should rally around him, and support, with joint efforts, measures approved by him; and that the question having been lost by a small majority only, it was prob- able that an appeal from me to the judg- ment and discretion of some of my friends, might effect a change in the vote, and the machine of government, now suspended, might be again set into motion. I told him that I was really a stranger to the whole subject ; that not having yet informed my- self of the system of finance adopted, I 114 FOUNDING OF THE knew not how far this was a necessary se- quence ; that undoubtedly, if its rejection endangered a dissolution of our Union at this incipient stage, I should deem that the most unfortunate of all consequences, to avert which all partial and temporary evils should be yielded. I proposed to him, however, to dine with me the next day, and I would invite another friend or two, bring them into conference together, and I thought it impossible that reasona- ble men, consulting together coolly, could fail, by some mutual sacrifices of opinion, to form a compromise which was to save the Union. The discussion took place. I could take no part in it but an exhortatory one, because I was a stranger to the cir- cumstances which should govern it. But it was finally agreed, that whatever im- portance had been attached to the rejection of this proposition, the preservation of the Union and of concord among the states, was more important, and that, therefore, it would be better that the vote of rejec- tion should be rescinded, to effect which some members should change their votes. But it was observed that this pill would be peculiarly bitter to the southern states, and that some concomitant measure should be adopted to sweeten it a little to them. There had before been projects to fix the seat of government either at Philadelphia, or at Georgetown on the Potomac ; and it was thought that, by giving it to Phila- delphia for ten years, and to Georgetown permanently afterwards, this might, as an anodyne, calm in some degree the ferment which might be excited by the other meas- ure alone. So two of the Potomac mem- bers (White and Lee, but White with a revulsion of stomach almost convulsive) agreed to change their votes, and Hamilton undertook to carry the other point. In doing this, the influence he had established over the eastern members, with the agency of Robert Morris with those of the middle states, effected his side of the engagement.’ Thus it was that the assumption-bill was passed, and thus it was that the far more important measure was enacted, which provided — NATIONAL CAPITAL. “ That a district of territory on the river Potomac, at some place between the mouths of the eastern branch and the Connogocheague, be, and the same is hereby, accepted, for the permanent seat of the government of the United States.” In enduring honor of the father of his country, the name given to the projected city was Washington. From the beginning, General Washing- ton advocated the site which was finally fixed upon, and its establishment there was due in a large measure to his counsels and influence. It is related, though some- what questionable, that during the hot and angry discussion on the subject, in con- gress, pending the determination of a locality, a person who was in company with Washington remarked, one day, — “I know very well where the federal city ought to be.” “ Where then would you put it, sir ? ” was the serene inquiry of Washington. “ It ought to be located in Philadelphia,” was the reply. “ Why are you sure it should be there ? ” “For the most satisfactory of all rea- sons,” was the sinister answer ; “ because nearly the whole of my- property lies there and in the neighborhood.” In stern silence did Washington fasten his eye upon the man who thus dared the insolent insinuation that the president favored the location of the capital in its present site because it was near his Mount Vernon estates; and the offender soon vanished out of sight. Another little anecdote in this connec- tion will be here given, as showing that “ no sea is free from ripples.” It was for many years traditional in the federal capi- tal, that one man was found not awed by the presence of the great founder of that city. While the president was procuring the ground which was to be the seat of government, he had but little difficulty in obtaining the necessary releases, except in one instance. Mr. James Byrnes was the owner of a lot or tract which it was advis- able should be included in the plan. The general had various conferences with Mr. FOUNDING OF THE Byrnes, who was especially obstinate, and, highly prizing, as he did, the tract in ques- tion, flatly resisted all the reasonings and persuasions of the great man. Unused to opposition, Washington at last turned upon him and said, as only he could say it,— “Mr. James Byrnes! what would your land have been worth if I had not placed this city on the Potomac ? ” Byrnes was not at all crushed by this peculiar flanking argument on the part of the general; but, undismayed, coolly turned to him and said, — “George Washington, what would you have been worth if you had not married the widow Custis ? ” It will not do to judge of the nation’s metropolis at that day by what it is now. At that time it was desolate in the ex- treme, with its long unimproved avenues and streets, its deep morasses, and its vast area covered with trees instead of houses. Mrs. Adams, the wife of President John Adams, who first occupied the White House, in writing to a friend regarding the city and the presidential mansion at that period, says : ‘ In the city are build- ings enough, if they were compact and finished, to accommodate congress and those attached to it, but as they are, I see no great comfort in them. The river, which runs up to Alexandria, is in full view of my window, and I can see the vessels as they pass and re-pass. The house is upon a grand and superb scale, requiring about thirty servants to attend and keep the apartments in proper order, and perform the ordinary business of the house and stables ; an establishment very well proportioned to the president’s salary. The lighting the apartments, from the kitchen to the parlors and chambers, is a tax indeed; and the fires we are obliged to keep, to secure us from daily agues, is another very cheering comfort. To assist us in this great castle, and render less at- tendance necessary, bells are wholly want- ing, not one being hung through the whole house, and promises are all we can obtain. This is so great an inconvenience NATIONAL CAPITAL. 115 that I know not what to do, or how to do. If they will put me up some bells, and let me have wood enough to keep fires, I de- sign to be pleased. I could content my- self anywhere three months, but sur- rounded by forests, can you believe that wood is not to be had, because people can not be found to cut and cart it ? Briesler entered into a contract with a man to supply him with wood. A small part, a few cords only, has he been able to get. Most of that was expended to dry the walls of the house before we came in, and yes- terday the man told him it was impossible for him to procure it to be cut and carted. He has had recourse to coals; but we can not get grates made and set. We have indeed come into a new country .’ These and kindred inconveniences were naturally incident to the new order of things ; they were only temporary. As has already appeared, it was reserved to Washington’s immediate successor in the presidential office, to be the first occu- pant of the executive mansion. Neverthe- less, the superintending mind and hand of Washington are broadly identified with the conception not only of that elegant building, but of the capitol and other gov- ernment structures. On the fifteenth day of April, 1791, the Hon. Daniel Carroll and Dr. David Stewart superintended the fixing of the first corner-stone of the Dis- trict of Columbia, at Jones’s Point, near Alexandria; it was laid with all the usual masonic ceremonies, an address being also delivered on the occasion by Rev. James Muir. “ May this stone,” said the orator, “ long commemorate the goodness of God in those uncommon events which have given America a name among nations. Under this stone may jealousy and selfish- ness be forever buried. From this stone may a superstructure arise whose glory, whose magnificence, whose stability, shall astonish the world.” The south-east corner-stone of the capitol was laid by President Washington, September eight- eenth, 1793, with appropriate services, principal among which was the act of the commissioners, in their official capacity, 116 FOUNDING OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL. WASHIHGTOX, D. C., IS 1876. when they delivered to President Wash- ington, who deposited it in the stone, a silver plate, inscribed as follows : — “ This south-east corner-stone of the Capitol of the United States of America, in the city of Washington, was laid on the 18th day of September, 1793, in the eight- eenth year of American Independence, in the first year of the second term of the presidency of George Washington, whose virtues in the civil administration of his country have been as conspicuous and beneficial as his military valor and pru- dence have been useful in establishing her liberties, and in the year of Masonry 5793, by the President of the United States, in concert with the Grand Lodge of Mary- land, several lodges under its jurisdiction, and Lodge No. 22 from Alexandria, Vir- ginia.” In the summer of 1800, the archives of the government were removed from Phila- delphia to Washington, and, the ensuing November, the north wing of the capitol was ready for the first sitting of congress in the new metropolis. John Cotton Smith, a distinguished member of this com gress from Connecticut, speaking of the new city on his arrival there, says : ‘ I can not sufficiently express my admiration of its local position.’ It was at this session that formal recog- nition was made of the great national event of the founding and establishment of the national capital, by mutual congrat- ulatory addresses between the chief mag- istrate of the republic on the one part, and the senate and house of representatives on the other. A more beautiful site for a large city could scarcely have been selected. On a level plain some three miles in length, and varying from a quarter to two miles wide, and extending from the banks of the Potomac to a range of hills bounding the plain on the east, the new city was laid out. The idea of General Washington was that the capitol should be the center of the city, and that avenues should radi- ate from it at equi-distant points. To complete his plan, the metropolis should have a million of inhabitants, instead of FOUNDING OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL. its present very moderate fraction of that number. Though not a seven-hilled city, Washington has, as well as Rome, its Ca- pitoline Hill, commanding views scarcely less striking than those of the Eternal City. The general altitude of the city- plot is forty feet above the river, but this is diversified by irregular elevations, which serve to give variety and commanding sites for the public buildings. The plot is slightly amphitheatrical, the president’s house on the west standing on one of the sides, and the capitol on the other, while the space between verges towards a point near the river. The president’s house and the capitol stand centrally with regard to the whole, though situated at the distance of one mile from each other, the former forty-four feet above the Poto- mac, and the latter seventy-two feet. All the public buildings are on a scale of mag- nificence worthy of a great nation ; and the munificence of congress in this respect, as well as in regard to all that pertains to the city, as the seat of government of the United States, is evident on every side. This is as it should be, and betokens the destined splendor, in point of architecture, avenues and parks, institutions of art, science and education, of the federal cap- ital. Starting from the capitol, the streets run from north to south and from east to west, their width varying from ninety to one hundred and ten feet. There are be- side twenty avenues, named after the 117 older states of the Union, which cross the streets at various angles and connect the most important points of the city, forming at their intersection with the streets and with each other numerous open spaces. These grand avenues are from one hundred and thirty to one hundred and sixty feet uni- form width ; the principal of these is called in honor of the state of Pennsylvania, and extends from Georgetown to the Anacostia, a distance of four miles. It forms the main avenue of communication between the capitol and the presi- dent’s house and the chief offices of government. The capitol com- mands Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maine, and Missouri avenues; the president’s house, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and Connecticut avenues. The effect of this arrangement, taken in connection with the natural advantages of the site, is exceedingly fine — one of the finest in the world, for a city. From the hill, in especial, on wliich stands the capitol, the SYMBOLIC STATUE OP AMERICA SURMOUNTING THE U. S. CAPITOL. most noble view presents itself to the eye of the beholder that the imagination can conceive. On the fourth of July, 1851, NATIONAL CAPITOL IN 1876. FOUNDING OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL. 118 the corner-stone of that magnificent ex- tension of the capitol which has rendered it the most superb structure of its kind in the world, was laid with splendid ceremo- nial, including a commemorative oration by President Fillmore, assisted by Daniel Webster, secretary of state. In the stone was also deposited a record of the event, with the following impressive statement and invocation : — “ If, therefore, it shall be hereafter the will of God that this structure shall fall from its base, that its foundation be up- turned, and this deposit brought to the eyes of men, be it then known that on this day the union of the United States of America stands firm, that their Constitu- tion still exists unimpaired and with all its original usefulness and glory, growing every day stronger and stronger in the affections of the great body of the Amer- ican people, and attracting more and more the admiration of the world. And all here assembled, whether belonging to public life or to private life, with hearts devoutly thankful to Almighty God for the preservation of the liberty and happi- ness of the country, unite in sincere and fervent prayer that this deposit, and the walls and arches, the domes and towers, the columns and entablatures, now to be erected over it, may endure forever ! God Save the United States of America ! ” XIV. DEATH OF GEORGE WASHINGTON.— 1799. His Sudden and Brief Illness, Last Hours, and Dying Words — Fortitude and Serenity Through all His Sufferings. — He Calmly Announces His Approaching Dissolution Without a Murmur — The Whole World Does Honor, by Eulogy and Lamentations, to His Exalted Worth and Immortal Fame. — He Anticipated an Early Death. — His Invariably Good Health — Exposure in a Snow-Storm. — Takes a Fatal Cold. — Last Letter Written by His Hand. — Reads the Papers in the Evening. — Char- acteristic Reply to His Wife. — Passes a Restless Night. — Alarming Condition the Next Day. — Medi- cal Treatment of no Avail. — Calls for His Two Wills, Burns One. — Affecting Scene at His Bedside. — Last Words, “’Tis Well!” — Only One Day’s Sickness. — Acute Laryngitis His Disease. — Burial in the Old Family Vault. — Tidings of His Death. — Tributes from Peoples and Kings. — A Man Without a Parallel. — Last Page in His Journal. — Re-entombment in 1837. — Appearance of His Remains. “Posterity will talk of WnRhimrton with reverence, or the founder of a great empire, when my name ahull be lost in the vortex of revolution.* -Nafoluok Bo- N A PARTE. is dead ! ” were the appalling words which, with the fading out of the eighteenth century, brought home to every American heart the solemn lesson of the flight of time, and that “ all men are mortal.” Totally unprepared as was his idolizing country for such an event, — no intelligence of the slightest illness of the great chieftain having preceded the bald announcement of his death and burial, — the tidings moved the nation’s heart to profound amazement and sorrow, and deep an- swered unto deep, in the universal wail of a bereaved and stricken republic. If a nation’s prayers could have prevailed, Washington — Columbia’s most honored, venerated, and renowned son, — would have been immortal on earth. But the ordinance of divine wisdom is, that the great boon of immortality shall he attained by man only through the portals of the grave, and to this decree the illustrious and the humble are alike sub- ject. Thus it was that Washington, the great Christian warrior and statesman — the greatest of good men and the best of great men — paid the debt of nature when he had scarcely reached the allotted period of three-score years and ten. The last end of so illustrious a personage as Washington, is fraught with an interest so profound and memorable, as never to lose its freshness and value to successive generations. It appeared to he the will of heaven that, so soon as the circum- stances of his country enabled it to dispense with the services of the man who, above all others, was its founder and leading head, he should be summoned away from the scenes of earth. That he was one who was accustomed to consider the brevity of life and the uncertainty of human affairs, is evident from the tenor of his conduct and conversation, and from occasional passages in his correspondence. Thus, to the Hon. James M’Henry, secretary of war, he wrote, but a few months prior to his decease : “ My greatest anxiety is to have all these concerns in such a clear and distinct DEATH OF GEOBGE WASHINGTON. 120 form, that no reproach may attach itself to me when I have taken my departure for the land of spirits.” He had also been making arrangements, just before the at- tack of illness which terminated in his death, for the construction of an improved family tomb, and in speaking of his plans to a relative at his side, he remarked, “ This change, I shall make the first of all, for I may require it before the rest.” He had also been heard to say, “I am of a short-lived family, and cannot expect to remain very long upon the earth.” The month of December, 1799, found kirn in the enjoyment of excellent health. Indeed, Major Lewis, his nephew, writing of him as he appeared to himself and a friend at that time, says, “ The clear and healthy flush on his cheek and his sprightly manner brought the remark from both of us, that we had never seen the general look so well.” On the tenth of December, he completed the draught of an elaborate plan for the management of his lands, laying down the rotation of the crops for a succession of years in advance. The morning of that day was clear and calm, but the afternoon was lowering. The next day, the eleventh, was bluster- ing and rainy ; and at night, as Washing- ton recorded in his diary, “there was a large circle round the moon.” The morn- ing of the twelfth was overcast. Wash- ington’s last letter was written that morning — it was to Hamilton, and princi- pally on the subject of a military academy. The events of that day, and of the two days following, are most minutely narrated by an eye-witness — Mr. Tobias Lear, — who was Washington’s private secretary as well as valued friend; and with Mr. Lear’s statement, are incorporated some facts from the pen of Washington’s favor- ite kinsman, Mr. Custis : — On Thursday, December twelfth, the general rode out to his farms about ten o’clock, and did not return home till past three. Soon after he went out, the weather became very bad, rain, hail, snow falling alternately, with a cold wind. When he came in, I carried some letters to him to frank, intending to send them to the post- office in the evening. He franked the letters, but said the weather was too bad to send a servant to the office that even- ing. I observed to him, that I was afraid he had got wet. He said, No, his great coat had kept him dry. But his neck ap- peared to be wet, and the snow was hanging upon his hair. He came to din- ner, which had been waiting for him, without changing his dress. In the even- ing he appeared as well as usual.- A heavy fall of snow took place on Friday, which prevented the general from riding out as usual. He had taken cold, undoubtedly from being so much exposed the day before, and complained of a sore throat. He, however, went out in the afternoon into the ground between the house and the river to mark some trees, which were to be cut down in the improve- ment of that spot. As was usual with him, he carried his own compass, noted his observations, and marked the ground. He had a hoarseness, which increased in the evening, but he made light of it. Between two and three o’clock, on Sat- urday morning, December fourteenth, he awoke Mrs. Washington, and told her that he was very unwell, and had had an ague. She observed that he could scarcely speak, / 0 and breathed with difficulty, and would have got up to call a servant. But he would not permit her, lest she should take a cold. As soon as the day appeared, the DEATH OF GEORGE WASHINGTON. woman (Caroline) went into the room to make a fire, and Mrs. Washington sent her immediately to call me. I got up, put on my clothes as quickly as possible, and went to his chamber. Mrs. Washing- ton was then up, and related to me his being ill as before stated. I found the general breathing with difficulty, and hardly able to utter a word intelligibly. He desired Mr. Rawlins (one of the over- seers) might be sent for, to bleed him be- fore the doctor could arrive. I dispatched a servant instantly for Rawlins, and an- other for Dr. Craik, and returned again to the general’s chamber, where I found him in the same situation as I had left him. A mixture of molasses, vinegar, and butter, was prepared, to try its effects in the throat; but he could not swallow a drop. Whenever he attempted it, he ap- peared to be distressed, convulsed, and al- most suffocated. Rawlins came in soon after sunrise, and prepared to bleed him. When the arm was ready, the general, ob- serving that Rawlins appeared to be agi- tated, said, as well as he could speak, “ Don’t be afraid.” And when the incision was made, he observed, “ The orifice is not large enough.” However, the blood ran pretty freely. Mrs. Washington, not knowing whether bleeding was proper or not in the general’s situation, begged that much might not be taken from him, lest it should be injurious, and desired me to stop it; but, when I was about to untie the string, the general put up his hand to prevent it, and, as soon as he could speak, he said, “ More, more.” Mrs. Washing- ton being still very uneasy, lest too much blood should be taken, it was stopped after taking about half a pint. Finding that no relief was obtained from bleeding, and that nothing would go down the throat, I proposed bathing it externally with sal volatile, which was done, and in the opera- tion, which was with the hand, and in the gentlest manner, he observed, “It is very sore.” A piece of flannel dipped in sal volatile was put around his neck, and his feet bathed in warm water, but without affording any relief. 121 In the meantime, before Dr. Craik ar- rived, Mrs. Washington desired me to send for Dr. Brown, of Port Tobacco, whom Dr. Craik had recommended to be called, if any case should over occur that was seriously alarming. Dr. Dick came about three o’clock, and Dr. Brown arrived soon after. Upon Dr. Dick’s seeing the general, and consulting a few minutes with Dr. Craik, he was bled again. The blood came very slow, was thick, and did not produce any symptoms of fainting. Dr. Brown came into the chamber soon after, and upon feeling the general’s pulse, the physicians went out together. Dr. Craik returned soon after, The general could now swallow a little. Calomel and tartar emetic were adminis- tered, but without any effect. The weather became severely cold, while the group gathered nearer to the couch of the sufferer. He spoke but little. To the respectful and affectionate inquir- ies of an old family servant, as she smoothed down his pillow, how he felt himself, he answered, “ I am very ill.” To Mrs. Washington he said, “Go to my desk, and in the private drawer you will find two papers — bring them to me.” They were brought. Upon looking at them he observed, “ These are my wills — preserve this one and burn the other;” which was accordingly done. In the course of the afternoon he ap- peared to be in great pain and distress, from the difficulty of breathing, and fre- quently changed his posture in the bed. On these occasions I lay upon the bed and endeavored to raise him, and turn him with as much ease as possible. He ap- peared penetrated with gratitude for my attentions, and often said, “ I am afraid I shall fatigue you too much ;” and upon my assuring him that I could feel nothing but a wish to give him ease, he replied, “ Well, it is a debt we must pay to each other, and I hope, when you want aid of this kind, you will find it.” He asked when Mr. Lewis and Wash- ington Custis would return. (They were then in New Kent.) I told him about the DEATH OF GEOEGE WASHINGTON. ing the day ; and in the afternoon, the general directed him to sit down, as he had been standing almost the whole day. He did so. About eight o’clock in the morn- ing, he had expressed a desire to get up. His clothes were put on, and he was led to a chair by the fire ; he found no relief from that position, and lay down again about ten o’clock. About five o’clock, Dr. Craik came again into the room, and, upon going to the bedside, the general said to him, “ Doctor, I die hard, but I am not afraid to go. I believed, from my first attack, that I should »not survive it. My breath can not last long.” The doctor pressed his hand, hut could not utter a word. He retired from the bedside, and sat by the fire absorbed in grief. Eetween five and six o’clock, Dr. Dick and Dr. Brown came into the room, and with Dr. Craik went to the bed, when Dr. Craik asked him if he could sit up in the bed. He held out his hand, and I attentions ; but I pray you to take no wore trouble about me. Let me go off quietly. I cannot last long.” About ten o’clock he made several at- tempts to speak to me before he could effect it. At length he said, “I am just going. Have me decently buried; and do not let my body he put into the vault in less than three days after I am dead.” I bowed assent, for I could not speak. He then looked at me again and said, “ Do you understand me ? ” “Yes,” I replied. “’Tis well,” said he; the last words which he ever uttered on earth. With surprising self-possession he pre- pared to die — composing his form at full length, and folding his arms on his bosom. About ten minutes before he expired (which was between ten and eleven o’clock Saturday evening), his breathing became easier. He lay quietly; he withdrew his hand from mine, and felt his own pulse. DEATH OF GEORGE WASHINGTON. I saw his countenance change. I spoke to Dr. Craik, who sat by the fire. He came to the bedside. The general’s hand fell from his wrist. I took it in mine, and pressed it to my bosom. Dr. Craik put his hands over his eyes, and he expired without a struggle or a sigh, December fourteenth, 1799, in the sixty-eighth year of his age, after an illness of twenty-four hours. While we were fixed in silent grief, Mrs. Washington, who was sitting at the foot of the bed, asked with a firm and collected voice, “ Is he gone ? ” I could not speak, but held up my hand as a signal that he was no more. “’Tis well,” said she, in the same voice, “all is now over; I shall soon follow him ; I have no more trials to pass through.” The disease of which Washington died was what is now technically called “ acute laryngitis,” a disease of very rare occur- rence. GEORGE WASHINGTON, AS COLONEL. About twelve o’clock, the body was car- ried down stairs, and laid out in the large drawing-room ; the burial taking place the next Wednesday, December 18th, his mortal remains being deposited in the family vault at Mount Vernon. The sudden tidings of his death fell like a do- mestic sorrow upon the hearts of the people ; lamentations and solemn obsequies filled the land, — and, throughout the whole world, the event was heard with the deep- est emotion. Nearly forty years after Washington’s 123 death and burial, his remains, together with those of his wife, were re-entombed, in order to their being placed in the marble coffins which had been generously offered for that purpose by a patriotic citi- zen of Philadelphia, to the legal represen- tatives of the departed chieftain. This was in 1837. At the time of Washing- ton’s interment, December 18, 1799, his body was placed in a mahogany coffin lined with lead, soldered at the joints, with a cover of lead to be soldered on after the body should be in the vault. The coffin was put into a case, lined and covered with black cloth. On entering the tomb and examining the coffin, on the occasion in question, it was found that the lid had become dis- placed and broken, and the silver shield which had originally surmounted the lid had dropped down into the case. At the request of Major Lewis, who was one of the family group to witness the re-entomb- ment, the fractured part of the lid was turned over on the lower part, exposing to view a head and breast of large dimen- sions, which appeared, by the dim light of the candles, to have suffered but little from the effects of time. The eye-sockets were large and deep, and the breadth across the temples, together with the fore- head, appeared of unusual size. There was no appearance of grave-clothes ; the chest was broad, the color was dark, and there was the appearance of dried flesh and skin adhering closely to the bones. The ancient family vault, in which Washington’s remains first reposed, was situated under the shade of a small grove of forest trees, a short distance from the family mansion of Mount Vernon, and near the brow of the precipitous bank of the Potomac. Diminutive and unadorned, this humble sepulchre stood in a most romantic and picturesque spot, and, on ac- count of its prominent locality, could be distinctly seen by travelers, as they passed in steamboats up and down the river. But the ashes of the father of his coun- try were in course of time removed from that place, to a lot near the corner of a DEATH OF GEORGE WASHINGTON. 124 beautiful enclosure, where the river is con- cealed from view. This site was selected by Washington himself, in the later years of his life, for a tomb. It is scarcely necessary to cite the opin- ions held by the illustrious men of Amer- ica concerning Washington. Those opin- ions, held and shared by all, from the highest to the humblest citizen, may all be summed up in that grand apotheosis of eulogy, namely, that he was “First in' War, First in Peace, First in the Hearts of His Countrymen.” It will be of interest, however, in this place, to glance at the estimate of Washing- ton held by some of the great historic characters of the old world, — kings, queens, nobles, and orators. When Napoleon was about to embark for Egypt, some American gentlemen who happened to be at Toulon, being anxious for an interview with the mighty Corsi- can, obtained an introduction to him. Scarcely were the customary salutations exchanged, when he eagerly asked — “How fares your countryman, the great Washington ? ” “ He was very well, general, when we left America,” replied the travelers. “Ah, gentlemen,” rejoined the man of destiny, “Washington can never be other- wise than well. The measure of his fame GEORGE WASHINGTON", GENERAL U. S. A. is full. Posterity will talk of him with reverence as the founder of a great empire, when my name shall be lost in the vortex of revolutions.” Marie Antoinette, queen of France, was a great admirer of the heroism and per- sonal character of Washington, though not in sympathy with his political princi- ples. Wishing to send to him a royal PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. gift in token of her appreciation of his great merits, she consulted Lafayette as to the form of presentation, citing the terms used on similar occasions, in addressing kings and other monarchs. Lafayette mildly objected to those terms, as being not altogether suitable in the present case, saying: “They, madam, were only kings. Washington is the General of a free na- tion,” — a sentiment to which the gentle- mannered queen at once yielded a most gracious assent, in deference to the ac- knowledged pre-eminence of Washington. LordErskine, in writing to Washington from London, said : “ I have taken the liberty to introduce your august and im- mortal name in a short sentence, which is to be found in a book I send you. I have a large acquaintance among the most val- uable and exalted classes of men ; but you are the only human being for whom I have ever felt an awful reverence. I sincerely pray God to grant you a long and serene evening to a life so gloriously devoted to the universal happiness of the world.” DEATH OF GEOEGE WASHINGTON. In the year 1780, Frederick the Great, king of Prussia, presented General Wash- ington with a picture of his majesty taken to the life, and inscribed underneath with the words — “From, the oldest general in Europe, to the greatest general on earth.” Charles James Fox, the renowned Brit- ish premier, declared of Washington, in the presence of parliament : “ How infi- nitely wiser must appear the spirit and principles manifested in his late addresses to congress than the policy of modern Eu- ropean courts ! Illustrious man ! deriving honor less from the splendor of his situa- tion than from the dignity of his mind; before whom all borrowed greatness sinks into insignificance, and all the potentates of Europe — excepting the members of our own royal family — become little and con- temptible. I can not, indeed, help admir- ing the wisdom and fortune of this great man. A character, of virtues so happily tempered by one another, and so wholly unalloyed by any vices, is hardly to be found on the pages of history. F or him it has been reserved to run the race of glory, without experiencing the smallest inter- ruption to the brilliancy of his career.” When the news of Washington’s death reached France, Napoleon announced the event to his army, and ordered black crape to be suspended from all the flags and standards in the French service for ten days ; and, on the eighth of February, 1800, M. DeFontanes, by direction of Nar poleon, pronounced a funeral oration in honor of Washington, in the presence of Bonaparte and the great dignitaries of the realm, in which oration the illustrious de- ceased was declared to be “ a character worthy the best days of antiquity.” Of Washington’s personal appearance, little further need be remarked than that it comported entirely with the solid gran- deur of his character. In respect to phy- sique, no man could have been better formed for command. A stature some- what exceeding six feet, a full but admir- ably-proportioned frame, calculated to sustain fatigue, without that heaviness 125 which generally attends great muscular strength and abates active exertion, dis- played bodily power of no mean standard. A light gray eye and full, firm forehead, Eoman nose ; his mouth was peculiar of its TOMB OF WASHINGTON. class — the lips firm, and the under jaw seeming to grasp the upper with force, as if its muscles were in full action when he sat still. It was Washington’s habit to fasten his eyes calmly and steadily upon those who were ushered into his presence, whether friend or foe, nor was it a slight ordeal thus to meet his penetrating gaze. His limbs were long, large, and sinewy, and his frame was of equal breadth from the shoulders to the hips ; his joints were large, as were also his feet, and the great size of his hand never failed to attract attention. His gait and tread was that of a practiced soldier ; his deportment inva- riably grave and reserved ; his speech sparing and deliberate. At home he wore the usual dress of a citizen ; on state occa- sions, he dressed in a full suit of the rich- est black velvet, with diamond knee- buckles, and square silver buckles set DEATH OF GEORGE WASHINGTON. 126 upon shoes japanned with the most scru- pulous neatness, black silk stockings, his shirt ruffled at the breast and wrists, a light dress sword, his hair profusely pow- dered, fully dressed, so as to project at the sides, and gathered behind in a silk bag, ornamented with a large rose of black ribbon. In the prime of life, Washington stood six feet two inches, and weighed nearly two hundred and twenty pounds ; he measured precisely six feet when at- tired for the grave. XV. FATAL DUEL BETWEEN MR. BURR AND GENERAL ALEXANDER HAMILTON.— 1804. Fall of Hamilton at First Fire. — His Death in Thirty Hours. — Profound Sensation and Solemn Obse- quies in all Parts of the Land. — Mourned as one of the Founders of the Republic. — Indictment of the Assassin for the Crime of Murder. — Hamilton’s Brilliant Public Life. — Washington’s Right-hand Man. — Champion of the Federalists. — Burr’s Career in the Revolution. — His Notorious Debauchery. — Fi- nally Dismissed by Washington. — Becomes Vice-President in 1800. — Deadly Personal Hatreds. — Criticisms on Burr by His Opponents. — Challenge Sent to Hamilton. — Pacific Explanations Spurned. — Forced to Meet Burr. — Makes His Will in Anticipation. — Sings at a Banquet the Day Before. — Arrival of the Fatal Hour — Hamilton’s Mortal Wound. — What He Said of the Event. — Conversation Before Dying — Partakes of the Communion. — His Testimony Against Dueling. — Heartless Conduct of Burr. — A Fugitive and an Outlaw. Grsar to Antony .* “Let the old ruffian know I have many other ways to die; meantime* Laugh at his challenge."— Ant. & Cleo., Act. 4, 8c. 1. Y far the most exciting personal transac- tion that occurred among the first genera- tion of American statesmen and politi- cians, was the duel fought in July, 1804, between Colonel Aaron Burr, at that time vice-president of the United States, and General Alexander Hamilton, formerly secretary of the treasury, during the ad- ministration of Washington; and in which duel Hamilton fell mortally wounded, his country being thus deprived of its most brilliant ornament. Of transcendent abilities and unsullied official integrity, it may be said of the victim in this murderous tragedy, that no one labored more efficiently than he, in the organization of the present federal govern- ment. At the age of nineteen he entered the revolutionary army, and in 1777 was appointed aid-de-camp of General Wash- ington, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. In this capacity he served during the re- mainder of the war, and at the siege of Yorktown led in person the detachment that carried by assault one of the British outworks. When his military services were no longer required, he commenced the study of the law, entered into its prac- BURR AND HAMILTON DUEL. 128 tice in New York, and soon rose to dis- tinction. In 1782, he was chosen a member of congress ; in 1787, a member of the convention that framed the federal constitution. Of this work, as profound as any, and more generally intelligible than most, that have been written on the science of government, the larger portion pro- ceeded from the pen of Hamilton. In political life, he was one of the strongest champions of the party which had Wash- ington at its head. In 1789, he was placed in the cabinet, as secretary of the treasury, and while in this position rendered the most efficient service to his country, by the establishment of an admirable system of national finance. During the insurrec- tion in Pennsylvania, when the people of the western counties took up arms against the general government, Hamilton was placed at the head of the government force destined to act against them ; the disturb- ances being quelled without bloodshed, he resigned his post. His last appearance in military character was again by the side of Washington, in 1798, as second in com- mand of the army, which was to be called into service in case of hostilities with France. Aaron Burr was one year the senior ol Hamilton, in point of age. His father was the Rev. Aaron Burr, the learned and de* vout president of Princeton college, and his mother the daughter of that eminent divine, Jonathan Edwards. Before Burr had reached his third year, however, he was an orphan. When twelve years of age he entered college, graduating at six- teen with the highest reputation. In 1775, while a student of law, he joined the American army under Washington, and such was his ardor in his country’s cause, that he joined Arnold as a volunteer in the expedition against Quebec. After his arrival there he was appointed aid-de-camp to Montgomery, and was by the side of that brave officer when he fell. Subse- quently, in 1776, he was received by Washington as one of his military family, but was soon cast off by that stern moral- ist in consequence of his debauchery. This act of Washington, Burr never for- gave. His unquestioned military talents, however, secured for him the high position of lieutenant-colonel in 1777, which he re- tained until 1779, when he was obliged to relinquish it on account of ill-health. De- voting himself to law, he early became one of the greatest lawyers in New York, of which state he was made attorney-general in 1789. From 1791 to 1797, he was a United States senator. In 1800, he was a BURR AND HAMILTON DUEL. candidate for tlie presidency, and received the same number of votes as Thomas J ef- ferson ; the choice thus went to congress, which, on the thirty-sixth ballot, elected Jefferson president and Burr vice-presi- dent. In his personal appearance, Burr is described as having been, in the prime of his manhood, a small but well-formed, fair-complexioned, fascinating man; his face was handsome, by some described as striking, and eyes jet-black and uncom- monly brilliant and piercing. In public he had an air of eminent authority, but in the drawing-room his manner was singu- larly graceful, gentle, and winning. He was a wit, a beau, a good scholar, a pol- ished gentleman, an unscrupulous lawyer and politician, and a libertine in morals. But whoever would read, in all its varied detail, the life of this wonderful man, must consult the biographies of him by Parton and Davis. The animosity between Burr and Ham- ilton, as the leaders, respectively, of the two great political parties, was very bitter. The history of this quarrel, in its immedi- ate bearing upon the fatal rencontre in which it finally culminated, is somewhat differently characterized by various biogra- phers, and perhaps not always impartially. Reviewing the matter from the date of Washington’s death, the fact is brought to notice, that such was the number of seced- ers from the federal party after that un- looked-for event, that their opponents re- solved to adopt the bold policy of running two presidential candidates, in order thus to secure at least the election of a vice- president, and in this way, although a choice by the electoral colleges was not effected, the two candidates of the demo- cratic party were brought before the house of representatives with claims apparently equal. In the vote of this body by states, it soon appeared that the federal members had it in their power to determine which of the two, Jefferson or Burr, should be president. Many violent federal parti- sans were inclined to throw a brand of discord into the republican party, by con- ferring the dignity on Burr ; and he is 9 129 accused of intriguing with them for the purpose. It is believed that Burr, from this time forth, became Hamilton’s mortal foe, and watched for an occasion to get rid of such a rival. In the careful account given by Hildreth, of the subsequent progress of this feud, — a portion of which is here cited. — he mentions, primarily, the two well- known letters written by Dr. Cooper, a zealous partisan, in one of which it is alleged that Hamilton had spoken of Burr as a dangerous man, who ought not to be trusted with the reins of government. In the other letter, after repeating the above statement, Cooper added that he could de- tail a still more despicable opinion which General Hamilton had expressed of Mr. Burr. Upon this latter passage, the historian asserts, Burr seized as the means of forcing Hamilton into a duel. For his agent and assistant therein he selected William P. Van Ness, a young lawyer, one of his most attached partisans, and not less dark, de- signing, cool, and implacable than himself. Van Ness was sent to Hamilton with a copy of Cooper’s printed letter, and a note from Burr, insisting upon a prompt and unqualified acknowledgment or denial of the use of any expressions which would warrant Cooper’s assertions. Hamilton expressed a perfect readiness to avow or disavow any specific opinion which he might be charged with having uttered ; but added that he never would consent to be interrogated generally as to whether he had ever said anything in the course of fifteen years of political competition to justify in- ferences which others might have drawn, thus exposing his candor and sincerity to injurious imputations on the part of all who might have misapprehended him. “ More than this,” said Hamilton in the conclusion of his letter to Burr, “can not fitly be expected of me; especially, it can not be reasonably expected that I shall enter into any explanations upon a basis so vague as that you have adopted. I trust, on more reflection, you will see the matter in the same light. If not, I can BURR AND HAMILTON DUEL. 130 only regret the circumstance, and must abide the consequences.” Burr’s curt, rude, and offensive reply began with intimating that Hamilton’s Jetter was greatly deficient in that sincer- ity and delicacy which he professed so much to value. The epithet in question, in the common understanding of it, im- plied dishonor. It having been affixed to Burr’s name upon Hamilton’s authority, he was bound to say whether he had au- thorized it, either directly, or by uttering expressions or opinions derogatory to Burr’s honor. It was apparent from this letter, and it was subsequently distinctly stated by Van Ness, that what Burr required was a gen- eral disavowal on the part of Hamilton, of any intention, in any conversation he might ever have held, to convey impres- sions derogatory to the honor of Burr. Desirous to deprive Burr of any possible . excuse for persisting in his murderous designs, Hamilton caused a paper to be transmitted to him, through Pendleton, a brother lawyer, who acted as his friend in this matter, to the effect that, if properly addressed — for Burr’s second letter was considered too insulting to admit of a reply — he should be willing to state that the conversation alluded to by Dr. Cooper, so far as he could recall it, was wholly in re- lation to politics, and did not touch upon Burr’s private character; nor should he hesitate to make an equally prompt avowal or disavowal as to any other particular and specific conversation concerning which he might be questioned. But as Burr’s only object was to find a pretext for a challenge, — since he never could have expected the general disavowal he demanded, this offer was pronounced unsatisfactory and evasive; and again, a second time, disavowing in the same breath the charge made against him of predeter- mined hostility, Burr requested Van Ness to deliver a challenge. The eleventh of July, at seven in the morning, was the time mutually agreed upon for the duel ; the place, Weehawken, New Jersey, opposite the city of New York; the weapons to be pistols, and the distance ten paces. In the meantime, Hamilton and Burr met once more at the convivial board, namely, at the annual banquet of the Soci- ety of the Cincinnati, of which Hamilton was president and Burr a member. It is related that on this occasion Hamilton was cheerful, and at times merry. He was urged, as the feast wore away, to sing the only song he ever sang or knew, the famous old ballad of “ The Drum.” It was thought afterward, that he was more reluctant than usual to comply with the company’s request ; but after some delay, he said, “ Well, you shall have it,” and sang it in his best manner, greatly to the delight of the old soldiers by whom he was surrounded. Burr, on the contrary, was reserved, and mingled little with the company, and held no intercourse what- ever with the president. He was never a fluent man, and was generally, in the soci- ety of men, more a listener than a talker. On this occasion, his silence was, there- fore, the less remarked; yet it was re- marked. It was observed, too, that he paid no attention to Hamilton’s conversa- tion, nor, indeed, looked toward him, until he struck up his song, when Burr turned toward him, and, leaning upon the table, looked at the singer until the song was done. The fatal morning came. Colonel Burr arrived first on the ground, as had been previously agreed. He deliberately took off his coat, surveyed the ground, and then cleared away the bushes, limbs of trees, etc. When General Hamilton ar- rived, the parties exchanged salutations, and the seconds proceeded to make their arrangements. They measured the dis- tance, full ten paces, and cast lots for the choice of position, as also to determine by whom the word should be given, both of which fell to the seconds of Hamilton. They then proceeded to load the pistols in each other’s presence, after which the parties took their stations. The gentleman who was to give the word now explained to the parties the rules which were to govern them in firing, BURR AND HAMILTON DUEL. 131 SCENE OF THE BURR AND HAMILTON DUEL, WEE HAWKED. which were as follows : 1 The parties being placed at their stations, the second who gives the word shall ask them whether they are ready; being answered in the affirmative, he shall say Present ; after this, the parties shall present and fire when they please. If one fires before the other, the opposite second shall say, One, two, three, fire ; — and he shall then fire, or lose his fire.’ He then asked if they were prepared; being answered in the affirmative, he gave the word Present , as had been agreed on, and both parties presented and fired in succession. The fire of Burr took effect ; Hamilton sprang upon his toes with a convulsive movement, reeled a little toward the heights, at which moment he involuntarily discharged his pistol, and then fell headlong upon his face, and remained motionless upon the ground. His ball rustled among the branches, seven feet above the head of his antagonist, and four feet wide of him. Burr heard it, looked up, and saw where it had severed a twig. Looking at Hamilton, he beheld him falling, and advanced towards him with a manner and gesture that appeared to he expressive of regret, hut without speaking turned about and withdrew, being urged from the field by his friend. No further communication took place be- tween the principals, and the barge that BURR AND HAMILTON DUEL. 132 carried Colonel Burr immediately left tlie Jersey shore for New York. Hamilton was at once borne away ten- derly in the arms of Pendleton, and his necessities ministered to by Dr. Hosack. He had, at this moment, just strength enough to say, “This is a mortal wound, doctor ; ” when he sank away, and became to all appearance lifeless. “ My vision is indistinct,” were his first words. Soon after recovering his sight, he happened to cast his eye upon the case of pistols, and observing the one he had used lying on the outside, he said : “ Take care of that pistol ; it is undis- charged, and still cocked; it may go off and do harm ; — Pendleton knows (attempt- ing to turn his head towards him) that I did not intend to fire at him.” “ Yes, I have already made Dr. Hosack acquainted with your determination as to that,” replied Pendleton. On approaching the shore, he said, “ Let Mrs. Hamilton he immediately sent for ; let the event he gradually broken to her ; hut give her hopes.” His friend, Mr. Bayard, stood on the wharf in great agita- tion, and, on seeing Hamilton lying in the bottom of the boat, he threw up hi3 arms and burst into a flood of tears and lamen- tation. Hamilton alone appeared tranquil and composed. On being put to bed, a consultation of physicians was held, who united in the opinion that there was no chance of his recovery. General Key, the French consul, also had the goodness to invite the surgeons of the French frigates then in New York harbor, as they had had much experience in gun-shot wounds, to render their assistance. They immedi- ately came, hut their opinion was unani- mous as to the hopelessness of the case. The ball had struck the second or third false rib, and fractured it about the middle ; it then passed through the liver and the diaphragm, and as far as was sub- sequently ascertained, lodged in the first or second lumbar vertebra, the latter being considerably splintered, so that the spic- ulfe wo x