Chapter 12

_The Effect_.--Both parties felt that this surrender virtually ended the war. Joy pervaded every patriot heart. All the hardships of the past were forgotten in the thought that America was free. The news reached Philadelphia at two o'clock A.M. The people were awakened by the watchman's cry, "Past two o'clock and Cornwallis is taken." Lights flashed through the houses, and soon the streets were thronged with crowds eager to learn the glad news. Some were speechless with delight. Many wept, and the old door-keeper of Congress died of joy. Congress met at an early hour, and that afternoon marched in solemn procession to the Lutheran church to return thanks to Almighty God.

All hope of subduing America was now abandoned by the people of England, and they loudly demanded the removal of the ministers who still counselled war. The House of Commons voted that whoever advised the king to continue hostilities should be considered a public enemy.

[Footnote: On Sunday noon, November 25, 1781, the British Cabinet received intelligence of the defeat. When Lord North, the prime minister of Great Britain, heard the disastrous news, he was greatly excited. With looks and actions indicating the deepest distress, he again and again exclaimed, "O God! it is all over."]

DIFFICULTIES OF THE COUNTRY AND ARMY.--The situation of the United States at this time was perilous. Commerce had been destroyed by the war. The currency was worthless. War had been the main business of the country for eight years, and trade, manufactures, and agriculture, had been neglected. Villages had been burned, ships destroyed, and crops laid waste. The British held Charleston over a year, and Savannah and New York about two years after the surrender at Yorktown. George III was obstinate, and war might be resumed. Yet the American army was in almost open rebellion. The soldiers, afraid they should be disbanded and sent home without pay, petitioned Congress, but received no satisfaction. The treasury was empty. At this crisis Washington was invited to become king. The noble patriot was shocked at the proposal, and indignantly spurned it. A paper having been circulated advising violent measures, Washington addressed a meeting of the officers, and besought them not to mar their fair record of patriotic service by any rash proceedings. His influence prevailed, both with the army and with Congress, and the difficulties were amicably settled.

[Footnote: As he rose he took off his spectacles to wipe them, saying, "My eyes have grown dim in the service of my country, but I have never doubted her justice."]

PEACE DECLARED.--A treaty was signed at Paris (September 3, 1783) acknowledging the independence of the United States. Soon after, the army was disbanded. Washington bade his officers an affecting farewell, and retired to Mount Vernon, followed by the thanksgiving of a grateful people.

WEAKNESS OF THE GOVERNMENT.--During the war the thirteen States had agreed upon Articles of Confederation, but they conferred little power on Congress. It could recommend, but not enforce; it could only advise action, leaving the States to do as they pleased. Bitter jealousy existed among the several States, both with regard to one another and to a general government. The popular desire was to let each State remain independent, and haye no national authority. A heavy debt had been incurred by the war. Congress had no money and could not levy taxes. It advised the States to pay, but they were too jealous of Congress to heed its requests. "We are," said Washington, "one nation to-day, and thirteen to-morrow." In New England, large bodies of men assembled, refusing to pay their taxes and openly threatening to overturn the government. This insurrection, known as _Shays's Rebellion_, from the name of its leader, was put down by the militia under General Lincoln.

CONSTITUTION ADOPTED.--Under these circumstances, many of the best men of the land felt the need of a stronger national government. A convention was called in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. Washington was chosen president. After much deliberation.

[Footnote: The new constitution met with the most violent opposition. The people were divided into two parties--the _Federalists_ and the _anti-Federalists_. The former favored the constitution and sought to increase the powers of the national government, and thus strengthen the Union at home and abroad. The latter wished the authority to rest with the States, opposed the constitution, were jealous of Congress, and feared too much national power lest a monarchy might be established. The nation was agitated by the most earnest and thoughtful as well as the most virulent speeches on both sides. Within the year (1788) nine States had ratified the constitution. This was the number necessary to make it binding. Rhode Inland was not represented in the convention, and did not accept the constitution until 1790.]

During the next Epoch we shall notice the growth of the country under the wise provisions of this constitution.

Summary of the History of the Third Epoch, arranged in Chronological Order.

1765. The Stamp Act passed, March 8, 1766. The Stamp Act repealed by Parliament, March 18, 1767. A tax imposed on tea, &c., June 29, 1768. The British troops arrived at Boston, September 27, 1770. Boston Massacre, March 5, All duties except on tea repealed, April 12, 1773. The tea thrown overboard in Boston Harbor, Dec. 16, 1774. "Boston Port Bill" passed, March 31, First Continental Congress met at Philadelphia, Sept. 5, 1775. Battle of Lexington, April 19, Ticonderoga taken by Allen and Arnold, May 10, Crown Point taken, May 12, Washington elected commander-in-chief, June 15, Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, Washington took command of the troops before Boston, July 2, Montreal surrendered to Montgomery, November 13, Battle of Quebec--Montgomery killed, December 31, 1776. Boston evacuated by the British troops under Lord Howe, March 17, Attack on Fort Moultrie, June 28, Declaration of Independence, July 4, Battle of Long Island, August 27, Battle of White Plains, October 28, Fort Washington taken, November 16, Washington's retreat through New Jersey, November and December, Battle of Trenton, December 26, 1777. Battle of Princeton, January 3, Murder of Miss McCrea, July 27, Battle of Bennington, August 16, Battle of Brandywine, September 11, First battle of Saratoga, September 19, Philadelphia captured by the British, September 25, Battle of Germantown, October 4, Second battle of Saratoga, October 7, Surrender of Burgoyne, October 17, 1778. American Independence acknowledged by France, Feb. 6 Battle of Monmouth, June 28 Massacre of Wyoming, July 3 French fleet arrived in Narraganset Bay, July 29 British captured Savannah, Ga., December 29 1779. Stony Point captured by General Wayne, July 15 Sullivan defeated the tories and Indians near Elmira, N. Y., August 29 Paul Jones's victory, September 23 Savannah besieged by the Americans and the French, September and October D'Estaing and Lincoln repulsed at Savannah, October 9 1780. Charleston surrendered to the British, May 12 Battle of Hanging Rock, S. C., August 6 Battle of Camden, August 16 Andre executed, October 2 Battle of King's Mountain, October 7 1781. Richmond burned by Arnold, January 5 Battle of the Cowpens, January 17 Greene's celebrated retreat, January and February Battle of Guilford Court House, March 15 Battle of Eutaw Springs, September 8 Surrender of Cornwallis, October 19 1783. Savannah evacuated by the British, July 11 Treaty of Peace signed at Paris, September 3 New York evacuated by the British, November 25 Washington resigned his commission, December 23 1787. Shays's Rebellion in Massachusetts Constitution of the United States adopted in Convention, September 17 1788. Constitution adopted by nine States

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REFERENCES FOR READING.

Lossing's Field Book of the Revolution.--Spencer's History of the United States--Garden's Anecdotes of the Revolution.--Grace Greenwood's Forest Tragedy.--Campbell's Gertrude of Wyoming (Poem). --Halleck's Wyoming (Poem).--Simms's Life of Marion; also his Series of Historical Tales.--Bryant's Song of Marion's Men and Seventy-Six (Poems).--Magoon's Orators of American Revolution. --Headley's Washington and his Generals.--Wirt's Life of Patrick Henry.--G. W. Greene's Historical View of American Revolution and Life of General Greene.--Parton's Life of Benjamin Franklin--Longfellow's Paul Revere's Ride and Pulaski's Banner (Poems).--Headley's Life of La Fayette--Hawthorne's Ticonderoga (Twice Told Tales)--Mrs Ellet's Women of the American Revolution--Watson's Camp Fires of the Revolution--Raymonds Women of the South--Sabine's Loyalists of the American Revolution--Lee's War in the Southern Department--Drake's American Flag (Poem)--Streets Concord, Bennington, and American Independence (Poems)--Dwight's Columbia (Poem)--Washington's Farewell Address--The Declaration of Independence (see Appendix)--Sears's History of the American Revolution--Freneau's Poems--Life of General Joseph Reed, by Wm. B. Reed--Cooper's novels (The Spy, The Pilot and Lionel Lincoln)--Motley's Horton's Hope and Paulding's Old Continental (novel)--Winthrop Sargent's Life of Andre and Loyalist Poetry of the Revolution--Moore's Songs and Ballads and Diary of the Revolution--Whittier's Rangers (Poem)--Hawthorne's Septimius Felton (Fiction)--Winthrop's Edwin Brothertoft (fiction)--Barnes's Brief History of France--Barnes's Popular History of United States--Harper's Magazine, vol 50, p 777, Art The Concord Fight, vol 51, p 230, Art, Echoes of Bunker Hill vol 53 p 1, Art, Virginia in the Revolution vol 55, 511 Art, Battle of Benmngton--Atlantic Monthly, vol 37, p. 466, Art, The Siege of Boston--Martin's Civil Government

TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNITED STATES (see Map of VIth Epoch)--The Treaty with Great Britain (Sept 3, 1783) fixed the boundaries of the United States as the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico the Mississippi River, and the Great Lakes From this however, was to be excluded Florida, which belonged to Spain and the part of Louisiana east of the Mississippi. The Thirteen Colonies occupied only a narrow strip along the Atlantic sea-board. Pennsylvania was a frontier State, with Pittsburg as an advanced military post. The interior of the continent as far as the Mississippi was called the Wilderness. These broad lands belonged to the States individually, since the original English grants extended from the Atlantic to the Pacific (See second note, p 40) They were finally generously given up to the general government of the young confederacy (See second note, p 194, and article on Public Lands, _Harper's Magazine_ vol 42, p 219) In 1787, the great legion north of the Ohio was organized into the Northwestern Territory (See notes, p 201) This was slowly settled. As late as 1819 even the Terntory of Michigan was thought to be a "worthless waste" The Province of Louisiana was purchased of France in 1803 (p 156) Little was known of the country thus acquired, and that same year it was said "The Missouri has been navigated for 2500 miles, there appears a probability of a communication by this channel with the Western Ocean" The famous expedition under the command of Captains Lewis and Clarke (see Barnes's Popular History of United States, p 360) in 1804-5 gave the first accurate information concerning this vast territory. Florida was purchased of Spain (p 173) by a treaty proposed Feb 22, 1819 though not signed by the King of Spam until Oct 20,1820, while the United States did not obtain full possession before July 17,1821. (These facts account for the different dates assigned to this purchase in the various histories.) The treaty with Spain which secured Florida, _also relinquished all Spanish authority over the region west of the Rocky Mountain, claimed by the United States as belonging to the Louisiana purchase, but not previously acknowledged by Spain._ This is of special importance since many maps giving the Spanish version, extend Louisiana only to the Rocky Mountains (the map of the VIth Epoch is based on the one in the United States Census of 1870). In the beginning of the war of 1812, a strip of coast about fifty miles wide lying between Florida and Louisiana, considered by Spain as a part of Florida had been taken by the United States under the claim that it also belonged to the Louisiana purchase. Texas was annexed in 1845 (p 205, and also _Scribner's Magazine_, vol 16 p 868). The Mexican cession of 1848 gave the United States California and several other States (p 206-8). Alaska, the latest acquisition, was purchased in 1867.

EPOCH IV.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATES.

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From 1787--the Adoption of the Constitution, To 1861--the Breaking Out of the Civil War.

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WASHINGTON'S ADMINISTRATION. (FIRST PRESIDENT--TWO TERMS 1789-1797)

WASHINGTON'S INAUGURATION (April 30, 1789).--In the choice of the first President of the United States, all hearts turned instinctively to Washington. With deep regret, he left his quiet home at Mount Vernon for the tumults of political life. His journey to New York was a continual ovation. Crowds of gayly-dressed people bearing baskets and garlands of flowers, and hailing his appearance with shouts of joy, met him at every village. On the balcony of old Federal Hall, New York City, he took the oath to support the Constitution of the United States. Difficulties beset the new government on every hand. The treasury was empty, and the United States had no credit. The Indians were hostile. Pirates from the Barbary States attacked our ships, and American citizens were languishing in Algerine dungeons. Spain refused us the navigation of the Mississippi. England had not yet condescended to send a minister to our government, and had made no treaty of commerce with us. We shall see how wisely Washington and his cabinet met these difficulties.

[Footnote: New York was only temporarily the capital. At the second session of Congress the seat of government was transferred to Philadelphia, where it was to remain for ten years, and then (1800) be removed to the District of Columbia, a tract of land ten miles square ceded for this purpose by Maryland and Virginia. Here a city was laid out in the midst of a wilderness, containing only here and there a small cottage. In 1800 it had eight thousand inhahitants. The "Father of his country" laid the cornerstone of the capitol (1793). The part of this District on the Virginia side of the Potomac was (1846) ceded hack to that State.]

[Footnote: George Washington was born February 22, 1732; died December 14, 1799. Left fatherless at eleven years of age, his education was directed by his mother, a woman of strong character, who kindly, but firmly, exacted the most implicit obedience. Of her, Washington learned his first lessons in self-command. Although bashful and hesitating in his speech, his language was clear and manly. Having compiled a code of morals and good manners for his own use, he rigidly observed all its quaint and formal rules. Before his thirteenth year he had copied forms for all kinds of legal and mercantile papers. His manuscript school-books, which still exist, are models of neatness and accuracy. His favorite amusements were of a military character; he made soldiers of his playmates, and officered all the mock parades. Grave, diffident, thoughtful, methodical, and strictly honorable, such was Washington in his youth. He inherited great wealth, and the antiquity of his family gave him high social rank. On his Potomac farms he had hundreds of slaves, and at his Mount Vernon home he was like the prince of a wide domain, free from dependence or restraint. He was fond of equipage and the appurtenances of high life, and although he always rode on horseback, his family had a "chariot and four," with "black postilions in scarlet and white livery." This generous style of living, added perhaps to his native reserve, exposed him to the charge of aristocratic feeling. While at his home, he spent much of his time in riding and hunting. He rose early, ate his breakfast of corn-cake, honey, and tea, and then rode about his estates; his evenings he passed with his family around the blazing hearth, retiring between nine and ten. He loved to linger at the table, cracking nuts and relating his adventures. In personal appearance, Washington was over six feet in height, robust, graceful, and perfectly erect. His manner was formal and dignified. He was more solid than brilliant, and had more judgment than genius. He had great dread of public life, cared little for books, and possessed no library. A consistent Christian, he was a regular attendant and communicant of the Episcopal Church. A firm advocate of free institutions, he still believed in a strong government and strictly enforced laws. As President, he carefully weighed his decisions, but, his policy once settled, pursued it with steadiness and dignity, however great the opposition. As an officer, he was brave, enterprising, and cautious. His campaigns were rarely startling, but always judicious. He was capable of great endurance. Calm in defeat, sober in victory, commanding at all times, and irresistible when aroused, he exercised equal authority over himself and his army. His last illness was brief, and his closing hours were marked by his usual calmness and dignity. "I die hard," said he, "but I am not afraid to go." Europe and America vied in tributes to his memory. Said Lord Brougham, "Until time shall be no more, a test of the progress which our race has made in wisdom and virtue will be derived from the veneration paid to the immortal name of Washington." Washington left no children. It has been beautifully said, "Providence left him childless that his country might call him Father."]

[Footnote: Three executive departments were now established--the Department of Foreign Affairs (now the Department of State), the Department of War, and the Department of the Treasury. The heads of these departments were called Secretaries, and, with the Attorney-General, formed the President's cabinet.]

[Footnote: _Questions on the Geography of the Fourth Epoch_--Names of places in italic letter may be found on map, Epoch VI. Locate New York Philadelphia Baltimore _Boston Washington_ Detroit York St Johns Montreal Plattsburg Fort Schlosser Sackett's Harbor Frenchtown Chappewa _Stonington_ New Orleans _Charleston_ Sacramento San Francisco _Palmyra_ Santa Fe _Nauvoo Mount Vernon_ Queenstown Heights Chrysler's Field Horseshoe Bend Lundy's Lane

Locate Fort Malden Fort Erie Fort Meigs Fort Stephenson Fort Mimms (Mims) Fort McHenry _Fort King_ Fort Brown

Describe the Maumee River Hudson River Tippecanoe River Niagara River St Lawrence River Raisin River Thames River _Columbia River_ Rio Grande River Nueces River Locate Sandusky Bay Lake Champlain _Tampa Bay_

Locate Palo Alto Point Isabel Resaca de la Palma Matamoras Monterey Buena Vista Vera Cruz Puebla Cerro Gordo The Cordilleias Contieras Mexico _Cuba Havana_]

DOMESTIC AFFAIRS.--Finances.-By the advice of Alexander Hamilton, secretary of the treasury, Congress agreed to assume the debts contracted by the States during the Revolution, and to pay the national debt in full. To provide funds, taxes were levied on imported goods and the distillation of spirits. A mint and a national bank were established at Philadelphia. By these measures the credit of the United States was put upon a firm basis.

[Footnote: The credit of these plans belongs to Hamilton. Daniel Webster has eloquently said of him, "He smote the rock of the national resources, and abundant streams of revenue burst forth. He touched the dead corpse of public credit, and it sprang upon its feet."]

_Whisky Rebellion_ (1794).--Great opposition was made to raising money by taxation. In western Pennsylvania it was agreed that no tax should be paid on whisky. The rioters were so numerous and so thoroughly organized that fifteen thousand of the militia were ordered out to subdue them. Finding the government in earnest, the malcontents laid down their arms.

_Indian Wars_.--Two armies sent against the Indians of the northwest were defeated. At last General Wayne--"Mad Anthony"--was put in command. Little Turtle, the Indian chief, now advised peace, declaring that the Americans had "a leader who never slept." But his counsel was rejected, and a desperate battle was fought on the Maumee (Aug. 20, 1794). Wayne routed the Indians, chased them a great distance, laid waste their towns for fifty miles, and at last compelled them to make a treaty whereby they gave up all of what is now Ohio and part of Indiana.

[Footnote: He told them, it is said, that if they ever violated this agreement he would rise from his grave to fight them. He was long remembered by the western Indians.]

FOREIGN AFFAIRS.--_England_.--Hardly had the war closed when complaints were made in England that debts could not be collected in America. On the other hand the Americans charged that the British armies had carried off their negroes, that posts were still held on the frontier, and that our seamen were impressed. Chief Justice Jay was sent as envoy extraordinary to England. He negotiated a treaty, which was ratified by the Senate (1795), after violent opposition.

[Footnote: This treaty enforced the payment of the English debts, but did not in turn forbid the impressment of American seamen. Its advocates were threatened with personal violence by angry mobs. Hamilton was stoned at a public meeting. Insults were offered to the British minister, and Jay was burned in effigy. The more quiet people expressed their indignation by passing resolutions condemning the action of the Senate.]

_Spain and Algiers_.--The same year a treaty was made with Spain, securing to the United States the free navigation of the Mississippi, and fixing the boundary of Florida, still held by that nation. Just before this, a treaty had been concluded with Algiers, by which our captives were released and the Mediterranean commerce was opened to American vessels.

_France_.--The Americans warmly sympathized with France, and when war broke out between that country and England, Washington had great difficulty in preserving neutrality. He saw that the true American policy was to keep free from all European alliances. Genet (je-nay), the French minister, relying on the popular feeling, went so far as to fit out, in the ports of the United States, privateers to prey on British commerce. He also tried to arouse the people against the government. At length, at Washington's request, Genet was recalled. But, as we shall see, the difficulty did not end.

POLITICAL PARTIES.--During the discussion of these various questions two parties had arisen. Jefferson, Madison, and Randolph became leaders of the republican party, which opposed the United States Bank, the English treaty, and the assumption of the State debts. Hamilton and Adams were the leaders of the federalist party, which supported the administration.