A history of the people of the United States, from the Revolution to the Civil War

Chapter I. Page

Introduction 1, 2 Boundaries of the United States 3 Scattered state of the settlements 4 The Indians 5-8 Population ............. 9 Occupations of the people .......... 10 Boston 11 Names of the streets ........... 12 Building at Boston 13 Furniture of the houses 14 Books read 14, 15 Education of women ........... 15 Shops of Boston 16 Fruits and vegetables not known . . . . . . . . .17 The New England farmer 18 His dress, education, habits 18, 19 His religion ............. 20 The New England school-master 21, 22 Education of children 24 Harvard College 25, 26 Lack of schools in the southern States 2b, 27 The doctor 27 His education 28 His practice ............. 29 His medicines 30 The minister 31 His bigotry 32, 3o His poverty 34 His sermons . . . . . . . . . . • .35 Newspapers 35, 36 Thpir contents and appearance 37, CONTENTS.

IV PACK The post-office 40 Mails, and number of letters carried 41, 42 Post-riders 42, 43 Insecurity of the mails ; use of ciphers 43 Stage-coaches Distance travelled each day 45 Lack of bridges *° Ferries at Brooklyn aud Paulus Hook 46, 47 Dangers of the ferries 48 Packet-boats 49 Ocean-travel 51 Badness of the roads 52 New York city 53 Roads out of the city 54 Famous houses in 64 Dutch language and customs in 55 Dutch church 55, 56 The Methodists 56, 57 Towns along the Hudson .......... »° Albany. Habits of the people ; the shops 59 Houses and filthiness of the city 60 Valley of the Mohawk . 60, 61 New England towns 61 Spinning bees ............ 62 Whale-fishery 63 Nantucket 63, 64 Philadelphia .64 Dress of the inhabitants 65 Dancing assemblies . 66 Eoad to Pittsburg 67, 68 Pittsburg 69 Kentucky flat-boats ........... 69 Virginia ............. 72 Manor-houses 72 Virginia gentlemen 73-75 State of literature 75-78 Cost of books 79 Lack of Bristol-board 79 Architecture ............ 80 Fine arts 81, 82 Baltimore described 83 Theatre 84 Opposition to the theatre at Philadelphia and New York . . . 85-92 Opposition at Boston 93 Theatre broken up 94, 95 Laboring classes 96, 97 'i House-maids ............ 97 The jails and prisons 98, CONTENTS. V m a PAGE Terrors of 99, 100 Punishments for crime 100 101

Chapter II

Return of peace 103 Washington's farewell to his officers 104 Washington resigns his command 105 Stipulation touching the refugees ......... 107 The Whigs 108 Hatred of the refugees 109 110 Advice to the refugees .110, 111 The refugees at St. John 112,113 " Familiar Question " . . . . . . . . . . .114 " Independence fever " 114 Antipathy to the refugees in New England 116 At New York 118 The Alienation Bill 119 Meeting at Vandewater's 120 Whig meeting in Westchester county 121 Meeting of the Whig Society 122 Tories tarred and feathered in New Jersey 123 The Trespass Act 124 Hamilton defends the Tories . . . . . . . . .125 Character of Hamilton 125-127 Letters of Phocion 127 Letters of Mentor 127 Attempt to kill Hamilton 128 Treatment of the refugees in the South 128 Numbers killed in South Carolina 129 Love hanged at Ninety-Six 130 Condition of Congress . 130 System of representation . . . . . . . . . .131 Slim attendance of delegates 132 Contempt felt for Congress 133-136 "A Shorter Catechism" 137 Cost of the war 139 Cost of Government for 1784 139 Ways of raising a revenue .......... 140 Western lands 140 Impost 141, 142 Articles to be taxed 142, 143 Supplementary funds 143 Appeal for the impost and supplementary funds 144 Strictures of " Calca " on Congress 145, 146 Of " Rough Hewer " . . . 14V Virginia's possessions in the West ........ 148 Fort Pitt, Losantiville, Vincennes VI CONTENTS.

PAGE Virginia cedes her lands north of the Ohio 150 Thomas Paine attacks the act of session 150 Character of Thomas Paine 150-154 Virginia grants the impost . . . . . . . . . .154 North Carolina cedes her western lands 155, 156 Anger of the people ........... 157 Convention called to meet at Jonesboro ....... 158 An address issued ........... 159 A second convention at Jonesboro . . . . . . . .160 The act of session rescinded . . . . . . . . .161 Character of John Sevier 161-163 Discontent in Kentucky . . . . . . . . . 163, 164 Plan to lay out new States in the West 165 Names of the proposed States 165, 166 Attempt to forbid slavery in the new States ....... 167 Opposition to the Society of the Cincinnati 167, 168 Franklin ridicules it .......... . 169 Samuel Adams opposes it 170 John Adams opposes it .......... 171 The press attacks it 172 Character of Ædanus Burke ......... 173, 174 His pamphlet on the Cincinnati . . . . . . . . .174 Mirabeau attacks the society . . . . . . . • . . 175 Commutation Act 177 Anger of the people at .......... 178 Character of Samuel Adams ......... 178-180 Middletown Convention.

Noah Webster ....... 180 Newburg Addresses 181-183 Meeting of the Lancaster troops . . . . . . . . .183 Congress driven to Princeton . . . . . . . . .184 Anger of the people at the flight ........ 184 185 Opposition to a standing army . . . . . . . . 185 186 The army disbanded ........... 186 Resignation of Lincoln and Morris ........ 187 Character of Robert Morris 187 188 Character of Gouverneur Morris ........ 1S8 189 Coin in circulation in 1830 ........ 189 Coin in use in 1784 ........ . 190 191 Counterfeit coin .......... , 191 Clipping 192 Gouverneur Morris's plan for a national coinage 194-197 Jefferson's plan ........... 197 198 Criticism of Morris on ....... igg Congress takes a recess ....... . 200 The Whig party 201 Dread of enlarging the powers of Congress .... . 202 State of trade and commerce ....... . 204-207 Congress asks power to regulate trade _ CONTENTS.

VII PAGE Committee of the States 209 It adjourns 210 Wyoming controversy ........... 210 Flood in Wyoming valley 211 Conduct of the Pennsylvanians 212,213 Suffering of the valley settlers 213,214 The censors defied 215, 216 Visit of Lafayette to the United States 216 His reception at Boston 217 At Marblehead, Salem, and Philadelphia 218 Case of Rutgers vs. Waddington 219

Chapter III

Jefferson made minister to France ........ 221 French society in 1784 222, 223 Balloons invented 222 Ignorance of foreigners touching America ...... 224, 225 Feeling in England toward America 226 The foreign loan exhausted .......... 227 Journey of Adams to Amsterdam ......... 228 He seeks aid of the regency 229 Secures a loan from the Jews ......... 230 English Bishops refuse to ordain Americans 230-232 Treaty with Prussia' 232 Adams sent to London ........... 233 His audience of the King 234 Of Carmarthen 234-236 The debts. Views of Americans on 236-238 Views of the British on 238-239 Character of William Pitt . 239,240 Adams's interview with Pitt ......... 210-243 Treatment of Adams 244-245 Popular opinions on regulation of trade ...... 240-249 "Miss Columbia" 250 The Federal City 251-253 Complaints against British factors 255, 256 Boston trade resolutions .......... 256 Massachusetts urges a convention of the States 258 Her delegates refuse to lay the matter before Congress .... 25S, 259 First voyage of an American ship to China 260-262 North Carolina asked to re-cede her western lands . . ... • 263 The State of Franklin formed 263 Currency of the State 26i Petition to New York Legislature in support of the impost . . . .266 Reply of Sidney 2&1 State of parties at New York 2GS, 269 The Chamber of Commerce supports the impost ......

Contents

PAGE The circular to the States and counties 271 Parties in Virginia ........... 272 Petitions from Norfolk, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Alexandria .... 273 Characters of Harrison, Braxton, and Smith ...... 274, 275 A navigation act debated in Virginia ........ 276 The boundary commission 278 Virginia calls a trade convention ........ 279, 280 Paper-money party ........... 281 Paper money in Maryland ......... 282, 283 In Pennsylvania ............ 284 In North Carolina 285 In South Carolina 286 The " Hint Club " 287 Paper money in Georgia 288 • Mechanics refuse to take it 288 Merchants obtain a forcing act ' . . 288 Paper money in Virginia 289 Patriotic Society • . . . . 289 Paper money in New York . . . . . . ... . . 290 Arguments of " Honestus " 291 Of Thomas Paine 292 Attempt to prevent depreciation ......... 293 Paper money in New Jersey 294 Exportation of coin from Boston ......... 294 Rise of cotton and woollen industries in New England ..... 295 Arkwright machines ........... 296 Attempt to bring them to America ........ 297 The first in the United States 297, 298 Condition of the people of New England in 1786 299 Debts in Massachusetts 300, 301 The lawyers denounced 302, 303 Paper money and tender laws rejected in Massachusetts .... 304 County and town conventions 305 Courts and lawyers complained of 306 Courts at Worcester broken up 307 Mob at Concord 308 At Great Barrington 309 311 Shays leads the mob at Springfield 310 The General Court 311, 312 Convention of Worcester county 312 Mob at Worcester 313 Economical league at Boston 313, 314 At Hartford ............. 314 Warrants issued against the malcontents 315 Capture of Parker and Page 315 Of Shattuck 316 Shays marches into Worcester 316 Boston put in a state of defence CONTENTS. ix PAGE Retreat of Shays 317 Massachusetts raises an army 318 Its character 319 Mob at Springfield 320 They attack Shepard, and are defeated 321 Lincoln reaches Springfield 322 Shays retreats 322 Lincoln pursues 323 Suffering of the troops 324 Rout of Shays 825 Disturbances in Berkshire 325, 326 Theodore Sedgwick 326 Letter of Eli Parsons 327 The States order the arrest of rebels coming within their borders . . . 328 Conduct of Vermont 329 Conduct of Rhode Island 330 Paper-money party in 331 Paper money issued 332 Forcing Act 333 Effect of, on business 333, 334 Scarcity of food 334 Riot at Newport 335 Money raised at Providence to buy bread 336 County conventions 336, 337 The Forcing Act in court 338 Declared unconstitutional .......... 338 The judges summoned before the Legislature 339 The Test Oath proposed 339 Rejected by the people 340 Paper money used to lift mortgages ........ 341 Troubles in New Hampshire 341, 342 Debts in 343 Lawyers complained of 344 General Court attached 345, 346 Paper-money party in Vermont 347-349 Mob at Rutland .350 At Windsor , 351 Specific Tender Act 352 Court stopped at Rutland 353, 354

Chapter IV

The national debt 356 Ways of raising money .......... 358 Character of Rufus King ........•■ 359 Congress again urges the impost ......... 360 Acts of the States on the regulation of trade 361 Barbary piracies CONTENTS. X PAGE New Jersey refuses her quota 363 Congress remonstrates 365, 366 Petition to New York Legislature in support of the impost .... 367 Reply of " Gustavus " 368 Character of George Clinton 369 Congress asks him to call a special meeting of the Legislature to consider the impost ; he refuses 370 Navigation of the Mississippi river 371 Secret article regarding .......... 372 Spain refuses to open the Mississippi 372 Popular feeling on the refusal 373, 374 The matter in Congress .......... 375 Amis sends a flat-boat down the river 376 The Spaniards seize it 376 Indignation in Kentucky .......... 377 Character of John Jay 377 He proposes to close the Mississippi ....... 378, 379 Spanish property seized at Vincennes 380 Kentucky protests against closing the river ....... 381 Feeling in the West 382, 383 Sevier attacks the Cherokees ......... 385 Clark's Wabash expedition 386, 387 Logan's expedition to Mad river 388 Virginia protests against closing the Mississippi ...... 389 The Annapolis Convention 390 The Federal Convention at Philadelphia called 390 Delegates chosen to the Philadelphia Convention 391 Contempt felt for Rhode Island 392 " Know Ye men and measures."

" Rogue's Island " 393 Debate on the Federal Convention in Connecticut 394-397 New York urges Congress to call a convention of States to revise the Articles of Confederation 399 Massachusetts does the same 399 The Philadelphia Convention approved by Congress ..... 399 State of the coin 400 Coin current in New York .......... 401 Birmingham coppers ........... 401 Loss to the State by counterfeiters ........ 402 Coppers in New Jersey and Virginia ........ 402 Coinage Act of 1785 403 Foreign coins forbidden to circulate 403 " Cents " struck by the United States Note, 404 New York taxes the shipping of her neighbors 404 New Jersey retaliates 405 New London merchants retaliate ......... 406 The Tripoline ambassador calls on Adams 406 Adams returns the visit ; ludicrous interview 407, 408 Price of peace with Barbary powers CONTENTS.

XI PAGE Barclay and Lamb sent to Africa 409 Barclay's interview with the Emperor of Morocco 410,411 Treaty with Morocco 412 Spanish claims to the Mississippi ........ 412, 413 Virginia disclaims the action of Clark at Vincennes ..... 413 Jay's negotiations with Gardoqui 414 Debate in Congress on Jay's conduct 415, 416 The Federal Convention .......... 417 The Convention organizes 418 Sketch of the members 419, 420 Character of Franklin 421, 423 Complaints of hard times 423, 424 Money wasted on horse-racing, cock-fighting, and betting, in Virginia . 424, 425 Scarcity of money ridiculed 425 Franklin's " Consolation for America " . . . . . . . 426, 427 Webster's attempt to reform English spelling 428 His lectures 429, 430 The Independent Gazetteer attacks his book 430 Webster replies 431, 432 His reforms ridiculed .......... 431, 432 Steam navigation begun 432 Character of John Fitch 432, 433 He invents a steamboat 433 Seeks aid of Congress 433 Of Gardoqui 433 A company formed at Philadelphia 434 Henry Voight 434 Fitch's steamboats 434 James Rumsey's boat 435 Popular interest in the Federal Convention 436 Fears of a King 437 The work of the Convention begins 438 The Virginia plan of Government 439 The South Carolina plan 439 Debate on the Virginia plan 440 Debate on representation 442, 443 Debate on the executive 442 The New Jersey plan 444 Hamilton's resolutions 445 Debate on the New Jersey plan 445, 446 The Virginia reported 44° Debate on representation 446^49 The subject referred to a committee 450 Report of the committee 450> 451 Number of the first House of Representatives 451 The Constitution submitted to the Convention 452 Remarks of Franklin 45" Signing the Constitution 4B2> CONTENTS. XII

Chapter V. Page

The Constitution before the people 454 Action of Pennsylvania Federalists 455 Antifederalists dragged to the Assembly ....... 456 A State Convention called .......••• 457 Address of the Antifederal members of the Assembly 458 Federal replies ............ 459 "The Junto" 460 Popular objections to the Constitution 460, 461 Federal defence of the Constitution ....... 462, 463 Speech of James Wilson 463, 464 Nicknamed James de Caledonia ......... 464 Antifederal abuse of " Great Names " 465, 466 Washington " a fool " 467 The "New Roof" 467 The "New Breeches" 467 " A Turk " on the Constitution . . ' 467, 468 " Endorsement " of the Constitution ........ 468 " Receipt for an Antifederal Essay " 468, 469 " Political Creed of Every Federalist " 469 " The well-born "' ; origin of the term . 469 Adams's book attacked 470,471 Electioneering in Pennsylvania 471 In Philadelphia 471,472 The Convention meets 472 Complaints of the cost 472, 473 Pennsylvania ratifies ........... 473 Rejoicing at Philadelphia 473 Protest of the minority ........... 474 Delaware and New Jersey ratify ......... 474 Antifederal riot at Carlisle 475 Georgia ratifies .....;...... 476 Connecticut ratifies 476 Debates in the Massachusetts Convention ....... 477 Charges of the Boston Gazette 478 Vote of Samuel Adams changed 479 Paul Revere and the Boston mechanics 479 Massachusetts ratifies.

Federal Street named in Boston .... 479 Antifederalists accuse the postmasters of keeping back the newspapers . . 480 Newspapers not mail matter 480,481 " The Federalist," Origin of 482 " The Gilded Trap " 482 The first number of " The Federalist " 483 Popular opinion of " The Federalist " 484 New Hampshire rejects the Constitution 484 Maryland ratifies 485 Auspicious days CONTENTS. xiii PAGE South Carolina and New Hampshire ratify 487 Virginia Convention 488 Character of Patrick Henry ......... 4S9, 490 Virginia ratifies ............ 491 Rejoicing at Alexandria 490 At Philadelphia 493 494 Popularity of the word " Federal " 494 Antifederal riot at Providence, R. I. . . . . . . 495 At Albany 496, 497 New York Convention 497 498 New York ratifies and calls a new convention of States 499 Circular to the States 500 North Carolina ratifies ........... 501 The new Government to begin March 4, 1789 602 Debate on the seat of Government ....... 502, 503 State of the army 504 The frontier posts 504 Great immigration to Kentucky ........ 504, 505 The Ohio Company formed 505-507 Seeks to buy land of Congress 507, 508 The first land job 509-511 The Scioto Land Company 511, 513 The Ohio Company's purchase . . . . . . . . .513 The Company sends out emigrants 513, 614 Origin of the name " Ohio " Note, 514 Marietta founded ............ 515 Symmes's purchase ........... 515 Losantiville founded ; meaning of the name . . . . . . .516 Rage for western emigration 517 Attempts to discourage it 518 Discontent in the West 519 Wilkinson sends a boat to New Orleans 520, 521 And opens trade with that city ......... 521 Wilkinson and Lord Dorchester's agent 522, 523 Kentucky begins to trade with New Orleans 523, 524

Chapter VI

Choice of presidential electors 525, 526 Attempt to defeat Adams 527-529 Election of senators and representatives 530, 531 Preparations to receive Congress at New York 532 Farewell to the old Confederation 533 Slowness of the new Congress in assembling 633, 534 The presidential vote 534, 535 Advice to Congress 535 Popular complaint of extravagance 536 Spinning bees CONTENTS.

PAGE Washington sets out for New York '. 538 His reception on the way 538, 539 His inauguration . 540 A title proposed for him 540, 541 Debate on titles in the House 641, 542 Salaries of the President and congressmen 642, 543 Anger of the people at the great pay of congressmen .... 643, 544 Debate on the revenue system ........ 545-650 Tonnage 651 Debate on taxing slaves 552-554 Amendments to the Constitution ......... 555 Debate on the seat of Government ....... 555-561 Congress adjourns 561 Movement of the centre of population since 1789 562 Presidential etiquette 563 " Hail, Columbia " ; origin of the music and words .... 564, 565 Washington visits the eastern States ........ 565 Hancock's rudeness .......... 565, 566 The cabinet 566 Congress assembles ; absence of party-men 567 The national and State debts ......... 568 Hamilton's plan for funding the national debt and assuming the State debts 569-571 Speculators buy up certificates and final settlements .... 571, 572 Opposition to funding 571, 572 History of the national debt ......... 572, 573 Debate on funding and assumption ....... 674-578 Assumption rejected 580 Pennsylvania holds the balance of power 580 The residence bill altered 581 The supply bill thrown out .......... 581 Alarm at the state of affairs 581, 582 A compromise effected 582 The residence bill passed 682 The assumption bill passed .......... 583 The first patent issued by the United States 583 Popular anger over assumption ........ 683 584 " Miss Assumption " 583 Conduct of Congress denounced ........ 584 585 Removal of Congress denounced ........ 585 586 Rage for lotteries 588 State of the copper coinage 589 Mints for striking coppers .......... 589 Value of the coppers in different States 590 They cease to circulate ........... 590 Suffering of the poor in consequence ••...... 691 Common council of New York issue tickets ....... 591 The manufacturing society do so also . . . . . . . .591 CONTENTS.

XV PAGE Content in New England 592 Discontent in the South 593 The Indians become troublesome 593, 694 History of the discovery of the Mississippi valley .... 594-596 Indian treaties 597 Harmar sent against the Indians 598 Character of his army ........... 598 The Indians defeat him . . 599-601 Alarm in the West 601, 602, 603 Congress assembles 603 Jackson attacks the Creek treaty HISTOET OF THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES. CHAPTEE I. THE STATE OF AMERICA IN 1784. The subject of my narrative is the history of the people of the United States of America from the close of the war for independence down to the opening of the war between the States. In the course of this narrative much, indeed, must be written of wars, conspiracies, and rebellions ; of presidents, of congresses, of embassies, of treaties, of the ambition of political leaders in the senate-house, and of the rise of great parties in the nation.

Yet the history of the people shall be the chief theme. At every stage of the splendid progress which separates the America of "Washington and Adams from the America in which we live, it shall be my purpose to describe the dress, the occupations, the amusements, the literary canons of the times ; to note the changes of manners and morals; to trace the growth of that humane spirit which abolished punishment for debt, which reformed the discipline of prisons and of jails, and which has, in our own time, destroyed slavery and lessened the miseries of dumb brutes. Nor shall it be less my aim to recount the manifold improvements which, in a thousand ways, have multiplied the conveniences of life and ministered to the happiness of our race ; to describe the rise and progress of that long series of mechan ical inventions and discoveries which is now the admiration of the world, and our just pride aud boast ; to tell how, under the benign influence of liberty and peace, there sprang up, in the course of a single century, a prosperity unparalleled in VOL. I. — 1784. 2 OHAP.

I. the annals of human affairs ; how, from a state of great pov erty and feebleness, our country grew rapidly to one of opu lence and power ; how her agriculture and her manufactures flourished together ; how, by a wise system of free education and a free press, knowledge was disseminated, and the arts and sciences advanced ; how the ingenuity of her people be came fruitful of wonders far more astonishing than any of which the alchemists had ever dreamed. Such a mingling of social with political history is neces sary to a correct understanding of the peculiar circumstances under which our nation was formed and grew up. Other people in other times have become weary of their rulers, have thrown off the yoke, have come out of the house of bondage and set up that form of government which has always been thought the freest and most perfect.

But our ancestors were indeed a highly favored people. They were descended from the most persevering, the most energetic, the most thrifty of races. They enjoyed the highest form of civilization ; their climate was salubrious ; their soil rich ; their country bound less ; they were hampered by no traditions ; they were sur rounded by no nations of whom they stood in fear. Almost, alone, in a new land, they were free to work out their own form of government in accordance with their own will. The consequence has been such a moral and social advancement as the world has never seen before. The Americans who, toward the close of 1783, celebrated with bonfires, with cannon, and with bell-ringing, the acknowledgment of inde pendence and the return of peace, lived in a very different country from that with which their descendants are familiar.

Indeed, could we, under the potent influence of some magi cian's drugs, be carried back through one hundred years, we should find ourselves in a country utterly new to us. Kip Van Winkle, who fell asleep when his townsmen were throw1 ing up their hats and drinking their bumpers to good King George, and awoke when a generation that knew him not was shouting the names of men and parties unknown to him, did not find himself in a land more strange. The area of the republic would shrink to less than half its present extent. The number of the States would diminish to thirteen, nor 1784.