humane and pacific system toward the Indian tribes within the territory of the United States; and gave a general statement of the measures which had been pursued in fulfilment of treaties with foreign nations.*

The speech referred more particularly to the conduct of the French government, in authorizing or suffering its ships of war to cause embarrassments and injuries to the commerce of the United States, especially in the West Indies; and expressed an apprehension that further difficulties. might arise to the American trade and navigation. "It has been my constant, my sincere, and earnest desire," he said, "in conformity with that of the nation, to maintain cordial harmony, and a perfectly friendly understanding with this republic. This wish remains unabated; and I shall persevere in the endeavor to fulfil it to the utmost extent of what shall be consistent with a just and indispensable regard to the rights and honor of our country; nor will I easily cease to cherish the expectation, that a spirit of justice, candor, and friendship, on the part of that republic, will eventually ensure success. In pursuing this course, however, I cannot forget what is due to the character of our own government and nation; or to a full and entire confidence in the good sense, patriotism, self respect, and fortitude of my countrymen.

In this speech, the President recommended to the attention of Congress an increase of the navy, as necessary for the safety of the country, with so extensive a seacoast exposed to foreign powers, and as a protection to the commerce of the United States. Every member of the administration, at that time, was in favor of an increase of the naval establishment; and yet what appears to have been so important and essential, found dissentients in the party, which had then opposed the leading measures of government for five years. Mr. Adams, the Vice President, was decidedly and warmly in favor of such a measure; and General Knox, while Secretary at War, had expressed the same opinion with Mr. Adams.

The solicitude of President Washington for the adoption of some plan or measures for reducing the national debt was also expressed, in this his closing speech to Congress, by reiterating his admonitions on this subject. A work of magnitude had been performed, by the federal government,

* The treaty with Algiers had stipulated the payment of money, as a condition of their forbearance to depredate on the American commerce. It was the only method to negotiate with that nation, and to save the citizens of the United States from imprisonment and slavery.

within the eight years of its operation, by restoring the credit of the nation by paying the interest of the public debt, and discharging the current expenses of government. The original debt to foreigners had also been paid; but new loans had been made for that purpose, though on more favorable terms, than attended all former ones. To keep up the credit of the country, it was in his opinion necessary to provide for an augmentation of the revenue, and to obtain loans at a still less rate of interest. In a time of peace, and with a large increase of population, he believed that good policy dictated a reduction of the public debt, rather than to allow it to accumulate, or to remain as it was, as a burden to the next generation, which might have new and extraordinary expenses to provide for.

When Washington retired from office, the nation lost the services of an able politician, a sincere patriot, and a faithful and ever watchful chief magistrate; one who combined in a peculiar degree a high sense of national honor and dignity, with great economy in public expenditures, and personal simplicity and purity of character. During the eight years of his wise and upright administration, the federal government was made instrumental of all the benefits and blessings, which the most sanguine had anticipated; and political and general stability succeeded a period of national degradation and imbecility, which, in 1786, had alarmed those least likely to despair.

CHAPTER V.

Po

John Adams elected President, and Thomas Jefferson Vice President. litical Parties more strongly marked. President and Vice President of different Political Views. Embassies to France. Preparations for War with that Nation. Great Opposition to President Adams's Measures. Provisional Army. Direct Taxes. President's Message, 1799. Opposition in Pennsylvania to Direct Tax. Measures to suppress it. Conduct of Executive approved by the Majority of Senate and House. Laws of Congress, 1799— 1800. Bankrupt Law. Defensive Measures. Indiana made a Territory. Additional Laws to prohibit Slave Trade. Increase of Routes for the Mail. Opposition to Navy and to other Defensive Measures. Envoys to France. Treaty Conditionally Confirmed. Last Session of Congress, during the Presidency of Adams. His Address to Congress. W. Marshall Secretary of State, and Chief Justice. Presidential Election, 1800, Warm and Active.

MR. ADAMS received a plurality of the votes of the electors for President, and Mr. Jefferson, for Vice President;* and they were inducted into office on the fourth of March, 1797. The two great political parties in Congress and in the nation were almost equally balanced; and the administration was constantly embarrassed by a powerful opposition. For Mr. Adams pursued the policy of his predecessor, which it was well understood he had invariably approved; and it was to be expected, that he would fail to please where the former had been opposed and censured. The rulers of France did not meet the friendly assurances of Mr. Pinckney, in an amicable spirit; but continued to complain of the United States as ungrateful, and to rise in their demands for direct aid, as due to their forbearance to inflict greater injuries, as well as for the services of that na

Mr. Adams was a delegate from Massachusetts to the first continental Congress, September, 1774; and he and Mr. Jefferson were of the committee of that august body, in 1776, which reported the Declaration of the Independence and sovereignty of the United States. In 1778, he was appointed Envoy to France; in 1780, to Holland; and in 1784, to England; being the first minister from the United States to that Court, soon after the peace of 1783, in which he was one of the negotiators. He performed the high and arduous duties of these several stations, with great ability, fidelity, and uprightness. He returned to America in 1788, and was the first Vice President in the federal government, and held the office during the whole time Washington was chief magistrate. Mr. Jefferson was chairman of the committee of Congress to prepare the Declaration of Independence, was several years a distinguished member of that assembly; sometime Governor of Virginia, his native State; a minister to France in 1785, '86, and '87; and first Secretary of State in the government of the Union, which he held till his resignation in 1794.

tion in the American struggle for independence. They knew they had a powerful party in the United States, disposed to support their wishes for a close alliance between the two countries, and for united hostilities against Great Britain. In 1797, Mr. Pinckney obtained leave to retire from France, as he could not, with his sentiments of patriotism and national honor, submit to the demands made upon the government of the United States, as the price of the promised favor of that nation; which were as improper in manner, as extravagant in principle. But in this protracted and unhappy dispute, a large party in the United States constantly justified the demands and the measures of the French rulers, and condemned or disapproved the conduct of the federal administration.

When Mr. Adams was inducted into the office of President, he offered a merited tribute of praise to his illustrious predecessor, for his political wisdom and fidelity. Having spoken of the Constitution of the United States, and of the republican institutions of the country, and noticed the abuses which might take place from the prevalence of a licentious spirit, he observed, "The people of America have exhibited a most interesting system of government, to the admiration and anxiety of the wise and virtuous of all nations, for eight years, under the administration of a citizen, who, by a long course of great actions, regulated by prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude; conducting a people inspired with the same virtues, and animated with the same ardent patriotism, and love of liberty, to independence and peace, to increasing wealth, and unexampled prosperity; has merited the gratitude of his fellow citizens, commanded the highest praises of foreign nations, and secured immortal glory with posterity. In that retirement, which is his voluntary choice, may he long live to enjoy the delicious recollection of his services, the gratitude of mankind, the happy fruits of them to himself and the world, which are daily increasing, and that splendid prospect of the future fortunes of his country, which is opening from year to year. His name may be still a rampart, and the knowledge that he lives a bulwark, against all open or secret enemies of his country's peace.'

Before the close of the fourth Congress, March, 1797, provision was made, by law, for the meeting of the next

It is a remarkable fact, that, in June, 1775, when the Continental Congress were about to choose a commander-in-chief of the American army, raised, and to be raised, for the defence of our liberties, Mr. Adams proposed George Washington, who received the unanimous vote of the members.

Congress, on the first Monday of November, of that year; but as the relations of the United States had become more critical and embarrassing with France, owing to the extravagant demands and the unfriendly measures of those then in power in that nation, and of the apprehensions, perhaps justly entertained, of a declaration of war by that government, or of acts of hostility, equally injurious to America, President Adams called a meeting of the federal legislature to be holden on the fifteenth of May.

Mr. Pinckney was treated with personal disrespect, and the government of the United States severely reproached, in the communications which were officially made to him by the French Directory. It was probably intended so to wound his feelings and his national pride, as to induce him to quit his station, and thus to give a new occasion for complaint against him. But his desire to conciliate, if possible, the rulers of France, or a hope that others might succeed to power there, who would be desirous to treat the United States as an independent nation, induced him to remain, until he received an order from the Directory to depart the country.

This conduct of the French rulers served to convince many citizens of the United States, with all their gratitude and friendship towards that nation, that France could not be conciliated without too great sacrifice, or too much humiliation. The terms proposed by the Directory, for the continuance of national friendship, were highly unreasonable; and its language to the representative of the American government, expressed too much of an insolent spirit to find justification or apology.

The

Had there been any stability in the French government from 1793 to 1798; had it been only changed from an absolute monarchy to a republic; and had the claims of the rulers of France on the gratitude and friendship of the United States, been reasonable and just, there would have been no serious difficulties between the two nations. federal administration was friendly to the French people, and to a republic; and would never have interfered with their government in any of its rapid and extraordinary changes; but it could not perceive that it would be consistent with safety, or that any obligation existed, to comply with the extravagant demands which were made on the American States.

The President communicated to Congress the recent instances of unfriendly and threatening declarations of the