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by Mr. Clay, which reduced the duties on certain articles and limited the operation of the tariff to the 30th of September, 1842.

In 1835, serious apprehensions were entertained of a war with France. Our government for many years had urged in vain upon that country the claims of our citizens, for spoliations upon American commerce during the wars of Napoleon. These claims amounting to twenty-five millions of francs, had been acknowledged by the French government, but for various reasons payment was delayed. Certain measures were now proposed, which it was feared would involve the two nations in war. Happily all differences were amicably settled. In 1835, the national debt was extinguished, and such was the financial state of the nation, that several millions of surplus revenue, at the beginning of 1836 remained in the treasury.

VAN BUREN'S ADMINISTRATION.

Martin Van Buren, succeeded General Jackson in the presidency, in 1837, and continued in office four years During the administration of his predecessor, the public moneys were removed from the United States bank and deposited in the state banks. These institutions thus had their facilities for lending money increased, speculation was encouraged, large debts were contracted, and the common beaten track of honest industry in order to acquire wealth, was in a measure abandoned. This unnatural state of things of course could not continue; it had its crisis in 1837. Such was the revulsion in business transactions, that the banks suspended specie payments. Those where the public funds were deposited, shared the common fate, and the government expected embarrassment. The president convened a special session of Congress, September 4th, 1837, and recommended a mode of keeping the public money called the “subtreasury" scheme. This was rejected by Congress, and treasury notes were ordered to be issued in order to supply the wants of government.

HARRISON'S AND TYLER'S ADMINISTRATIONS.

After a long and exciting political contention with regard to candidates for the presidential office, General Wm. H. Harrison was by a large majority elected president, and John Tyler vice-president. General Harrison was inaugurated March 4th, 1841, and died April 4th, just one month afterward; and Mr. Tyler, by the constitution, became president. Some of the leading measures of Mr. Tyler's administration were not in accordance with the wishes of the political party who elevated him to office, and much dissatisfaction was thereby given. The most important political event during his administration was the annexation of Texas to the United States. In 1842, after a long and exciting controversy for some years, respecting the northeastern boundary of the Uni ted States, dividing the state of Maine from Canada, a treaty was negotiated between the British envoy Lord Ashburton, and Daniel Webster the American secretary. After another exciting political struggle, James K. Polk having received a majority of electoral votes, was on the 4th of March, 1845, inducted into the presidential office.

POLK'S ADMINISTRATION.

The principal events and measures which signalized the administration of Mr. Polk, were: the admission of Texas as a state; the division of Oregon; the Mexican war; the occupation of Mexico; the treaty; and the acquisition of California with its mines of gold. In consequence of the measures of the American government in relation to Texas, difficulties took place with the government of Mexico, which resulted in open war. For a long period the boundaries of Oregon, owing to conflicting claims remained undefined, and it was feared that hostilities would arige on this account, but in 1846, all differences were adjusted. The acquisition of California, extending the limits of the United States from the Atlantic to the Pacific, will undoubted prove an important event in the his

tory of the world. After another political struggle, General Zachary Taylor having received a majority of thirtysix votes in the electoral college over his competitor, General Cass, was on the 5th of March, 1849, inaugurated as president.

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INTERESTING EVENTS, &c.

1. North American Indians.

It has long been a question agitated among the learned. how America was first peopled. The opinion best supported is, that the Indians of this country emigrated from the north-eastern parts of Asia, crossing over to this continent at Bhering's straits. It having been established by the discoveries of Captain Cook, that at Kamschatka, in about latitude 66 degrees north, the continents of Asia and America, are separated by a strait only eighteen. miles wide, and that the inhabitants on each continent are similar, and frequently pass and repass in canoes from one continent to another: from these and other circumstances, it is rendered highly probable that America was first peopled from the north-east parts of Asia.

But since the Esquimaux Indians are manifestly a separate species of men, distinct from all the nations of the American continent, in language, disposition, and habits of life; and in all these respects bear a near resemblance to the northern Europeans, it is believed that the Esquimaux Indians emigrated from the northwest parts of Europe. Several circumstances confirm this belief. As early as the ninth century, the Norwegians discovered Greenland, and planted colonies there.

With regard to the number of Indians inhabiting our country, at the time of the arrival of the European settlers, no correct estimate can be made; but, according to the estimate of Dr. Trumbull, they could not much exceed 150,000, within the compass of the thirteen original states. It is believed that they were formerly much

more numerous, particularly on the Ohio river and its branches, and in New-England.

A few years before the arrival of the Plymouth settlers, a very mortal sickness raged with great violence among the Indians inhabiting the eastern parts of NewEngland. "Whole towns were depopulated. The living were not able to bury the dead; and their bones were found lying above ground many years after. The Massachusetts Indians are said to have been reduced from 30,000 to 300 fighting men. In 1633, the small pox swept off great numbers."

The Indians of this country were divided into many small tribes, governed by their sachems, or kings, and were often at war with each other.

In their persons, the Indians were tall, straight, and well proportioned; in their councils, they were distin guished for their gravity and eloquence; in war, for bravery, stratagem, and revenge.

Hunting, fishing, and war, were the employment of the men. The women were compelled to till the field and to perform the common drudgery of their domestic affairs.

Their dress in summer consisted chiefly of a slight covering about the waist; in winter they clothed themselves with the skins of wild animals.

They were extremely fond of ornaments, and on days. of festivity and show, they were painted with various colours, and profusely ornamented with shells, beads,and feathers.

Their habitations, which were called by the English wigwams, were constructed by erecting a strong pole for the centre, around which other poles, a few feet distant, were driven, and fastened to the centre pole at the top, then covered with mats and bark of trees, which rendered them a shelter from the weather.

Their warlike instruments and domestic utensils were few and simple;-a tomahawk, or hatchet of stone, bows and arrows, sharp stones and shells, which they used for knives and hoes, and stone mortars for pounding their corn. For money they used small beads, curiously

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wrought from shells, and strung on belts, or in chains, called wampuт.

The Indians of this country were generally Polytheists, or believed in a plurality of gods. Some were considered as local deities; yet they believed that there was one Supreme God, or Great Spirit, the creator of the rest, and all creatures and things. Him the natives of New-England called Kichtan. They believed that good men, at death, ascended to Kichtan, above the heavens, where they enjoyed their departed friends and all good things; that bad men also went and knocked at the gate of glory, but Kichtan bade them depart, for there was no place for such, whence they wandered in restless poverty. This Supreme Being they held to be good, and prayed to him when they desired any great favour, and paid a sort of acknowledgment to him for plenty, victory, &c. The manner of worship in many tribes, was to sing and dance around a large

fire.

There was another power which they called Hobbamock, in English, the Devil, of whom they stood in greater awe, and worshipped him merely from a principle of fear, and it is said that they sometimes even sacrificed sheir own children to appease him. They prayed to him to heal their wounds and diseases. When found curable, he was supposed to be the author of their complaints; when they were mortal, they were ascribed to Kichtan, whose diseases none were able to remove; therefore they never prayed to him in sickness. Their priests, which were called Powaws, and their chief warriors, pretended often to see Hobbamock in the shape of a man, fawn, or eagle, but generally of a snake, who gave them advice in their difficult undertakings. The duty and office of the Powaws, was to pray to Hobbamock for the removal of evils; the common people said amen. In his prayer the Powaw promised skins, kettles, hatchets, beads, &c., as sacrifices, if his reques should be granted.

The apparent insensibility of the Indians under pains

Morse and Parish's Hist.

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