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248

CONDUCT OF FRANCE.

hastened to that real felicity which awaited him at Mount Vernon, the enjoyment of which he had long impatiently anticipated.'*

CHAPTER XXXIV.

ADMINISTRATION OF JOHN ADAMS.

THE Conduct of France was the first important subject of attention to the new government. The executive directory of that country, elated by their new and wondrous career of conquest, were disposed to assume towards foreign powers a tone of imperial arrogance. Mr. Pinckney, the American envoy, was informed that he could not be received till existing grievances had been redressed;' and was, moreover, almost bidden to quit the country. In addition to these insults to Mr. Pinckney, Mr. Monroe, the former envoy, was addressed, at his audience of leave, in terms so vituperative as to amount almost to a declaration of war. The tone assumed, was that of an appeal from the government to the people of the United States and the minister of France in America had adopted the same tone and conduct in endeavouring to influence the late elections.

When envoys from this country were sent to France to negotiate, the minister for foreign affairs, Talleyrand, demanded a douceur of $250,000 for himself and the other leaders of the directory, besides a loan to be afterwards made from America to France.

To exact these conditions, every argument that meanness could suggest was employed by Talleyrand: he demanded to be feed as a lawyer, or bribed as a friend. But the American envoys were inexorable; and two of their number returned, to announce to their countrymen the terms on which peace was offered. The cupidity of the French government completely turned against it the tide of popular feeling in America. Millions for defence, not a cent for tribute,' was instantly the general cry;

Whither did Washington retire ?-How were the American envoys in France treated 1-What terms were privately offered by Talleyrand How were they received by the envoys 1-By the American nation?

* Marshall.

PREPARATIONS FOR WAR WITH FRANCE.

249

and the president felt his hands strengthened by the demands of the French.

Congress voted an army of twelve new regiments, with engineers and artillery corp 3. Washington was appointed its commander in chief, an office which he accepted with unfeigned reluctance, although he approved of the course of the government. A naval armament, too, was decided upon, and a new department-that of the navy-erected into a ministerial office, giving a seat in the cabinet. A land tax passed congress.

An alien law was passed for getting rid of Volney, Collot, and other French emissaries; and a sedi ion bill followed it, which was loudly complained of by the republicans. Communication with France was prohibited; orders issued for capturing any of her vessels that might appear off the coasts, and all treaties with that country were declared to be void. These successive steps were not taken without the opposition of a strong minority in congress, of whom the vice-president, Mr. Jefferson, may be considered the leader.

A great part, however, of this animosity against France, proceeded from an apprehension that she meant to invade America, and to interfere under the pretext of giving her some larger share of liberty, such as she had forcibly imposed upon Switzerland. When, however, it was seen that France had no such ideas of offensive war, and when Talleyrand explained away his former arrogance by more recent declarations to Mr. Gerry, the envoy who had latest left France, and still later by overtures made through Pichon, the French charge de affaires at the Hague, to Mr. Murray, there was somewhat of a reaction,

This became evident in 1799, when the weight of the additional taxes and restrictions had begun to be felt. Several states petitioned for the repeal of the alien and sedition laws; whilst in others there was a general resistance to the officers employed in taking the valua tion preparatory to the land tax. This last spirit showed itself chiefly in the western part of Pennsylvania. The president had, however, anticipated this reaction in favour

What was done by congress -Who was appointed commander in chief of the army?-What new department was created ?-What tax 1 -What is said of the alien and sedition laws?-Of the orders issued?—-* Of the opposition and of Jefferson --What mistake led to these preparations --What produced a reaction?--How was this manifested!

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250

DEATH OF WASHINGTON.

of peace, by appointing Mr. Murray plenipotentiary to the French republic, with a proviso, however, that he was not to enter their territories before he was assured of an honourable reception,

The directory had fallen ere that took place; and Bonaparte, who as first consul succeeded to their power, had no mercenary interest in prolonging the state of hostility. This was, accordingly, discontinued, and a final treaty of peace was signed betwixt France and America in the course of the year 1800.

The war, while it lasted, had given rise to some encounters at sea, which afforded a promise of the future glories of the American navy. One of these was a very severe action between the American frigate Constellation, of 38 guns, commanded by Commodore Truxton, and the French frigate l'Insurgente, of 40 guns, which terminated in the capture of the latter. Truxton, in a subsequent engageinent, compelled another French frigate, mounting no less than 50 guns, to strike her colours, but she afterwards made her escape in the night.

Before this war had terminated, Washington was removed from the scene of his earthly glories. He died after an illness of only a few hours, occasioned by cold and consequent inflammation of the throat, at Mount Vernon, on the 14th of December, 1799. Neither congress nor the nation were wanting in that universal tribute of mourning and veneration due to the illustrious founder of their common freedom. Perhaps the most sensible mark of this veneration was the removal of the seat of government to the federal city, of which the site was selected by Washington, and which was dignified with his name. In November, 1800, congress opened its sittings at Washington for the first time.

A new trial of strength was now about to take place between the political parties, as the four years' term of Mr. Adams's government was about to expire. On the important question of the presidential election, it was the populous state of New York that held the balance. There was a personage at this time in New York, most active in canvassing for votes. This was Colonel Burr, a man whose subsequent career furnished an enigma What was done by the president ?-By the French under Bonaparte ? What naval encounters had taken place 1-When did Washington die -When did congress first sit in the city of Washington-Wha was now about to take place!

ELECTION OF JEFFERSON.

251

which history has hitherto failed to solve. His talents were of a high order; his service in the revolution commenced with Arnold's famous march to Quebec, but ended before the close of the war; and he had lately been active as a party politician; so that it is not surprising he should have been put in nomination throughout all the states, in common with Jefferson, on the republican interest.

When the votes were counted, Adams was found completely in the minority. Jefferson and Burr were the names foremost upon the list; and by a singular fatality, they had an equal number of votes. As the constitution had provided that the candidate having the greatest number of votes should be president, and the one having the second number, should be vice-president, it now became a question who was entitled to the highest office. The circumstance of equality in the number of votes of two candidates, gave the power of election to the house of representatives. Thirty-five ballotings took place in the house, before a decision was obtained; and then Jefferson prevailed over his opponent, and was declared president, Burr becoming vice-president. The question was decided in Febuary, 1801.

CHAPTER XXXV.

JEFFERSON'S ADMINISTRATION.

As the ever large body of the politically timid, who invariably desert the unsuccessful, now passed over to the side of Jefferson, their accession, together with the popular support of his own party, gave him a stronger power than had been wielded since the first year of Washington.

The Americans were congratulating themselves that the restoration of peace in Europe, by the late treaty between England and France, would, by opening the ports of these nations to America, and ridding the sea of obstrue

Who was put on the republican ticket with Jefferson ?-What was Burr's character ?-What appeared on counting the votes ?-Give an account of what followed this discovery.-How was the election finally decided? What was effected by the treaty of peace between England and France?

252

ACQUISITION OF LOUISIANA.

tion, bring about a season of commercial prosperity, such as they had not yet been able to enjoy. The reconciliation of enemies, however, in general, turns to the disad vantage, rather than the advantage, of neutrals. So the Americans found, upon learning that Spain had ceded the province of Louisiana to France; and that Great Britain looked on, well pleased, at an arrangement that would give so troublesome a neighbour as France to the United States.

The attention of Napoleon, who then governed France, was necessarily directed to the recovery of that colonial force which had been lost during the war. His present amity with Britain opening the ocean to the French fleets, enabled the first consul to form plans of empire in the only region where England would permit and might applaud the attempt. An expedition was fitted out to recover St. Domingo from the insurgent blacks. After its conquest, the army was to take possession of Louisiana; and these united would give to France a certain preponderance in the West Indies, as well as commercial advantages, highly to be desired. By these means, indeed, they would have the full command of the Mississippi,

and the Gulf Stream itself.

The president no sooner learned these arrangements, than he wrote to Mr. Livingston, the envoy at Paris, to represent there the inexpediency of them, and the danger that would accrue to the good feeling between the people of all nations; and intimating the probability of a war.

Napoleon was, of course, not likely to yield to any thing which had the appearance of a threat; and the right which the Americans had hitherto enjoyed, of a depôt at New Orleans, was suspended by the Spanish authorities in October, 1802. The western states were instantly in a flame at a prohibition which, rightful or not, had the effect of suspending their commerce.

Many of them determined to assert their right by arms; and Jefferson, notwithstanding his partiality for France, would have found himself embarked inevitably in a war with that country had not other events occurred to obviate

What did the Americans expect from it?-What nation acquired Louisiana?-What was now the object of Napoleon?-What expedition did he cause to be fitted out?-After conquering St. Domingo, whither was the French army to proceed?-What would naturally follow from this proceeding ?-What did Jefferson do to prevent this?-What was threatened?-When was the port of New Orleans closed against the Americans?-What was the consequence?--What was now threatened?

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