Jefferson was the son of a planter of Albemarle county, Virginia. After the important part he had taken in the Congress of 1776, he became governor of Virginia, and was subsequently sent as minister to France. Adams, like Washington, was in favor of a firm centralized government; while Jefferson, perhaps a stronger advocate of a republican government than either of the former, favored more liberty for the individual states. The reason why a president and vice-president of such opposite political views were chosen, was because the then method of balloting for those officers was for each elector to vote for two persons; he who received the highest number of votes being elected president, and the second on the list, vicepresident. Many of the Federalists voted for Jefferson, instead of their own candidate for vice-president.

Immediately after their inauguration (3d month 4th, 1797) the attention of the new incumbents was turned to the hostile attitude of the French Directory, which, having failed to persuade the American government to forsake its policy of neutrality, was disposed to make its displeasure apparent. Refusing to receive Pinckney as minister, in place of Monroe, until their demands should be complied with by the United States, the president thereupon appointed three envoys-extraordinary to proceed to the French capital. Though they were not officially received, the envoys were given to understand that the payment of a considerable sum of money to Talleyrand, the minister of foreign relations, would open the way to negotiations with the Directory. As this method of intercourse was as unsatisfactory as it was dishonest, the envoys, after several months spent in fruitless parleys, were recalled by the president.

A war now seemed imminent. Washington was called once more from his home on the Potomac and placed in command of a provisional army, while the navy was increased, and began measures of retaliation. A large French frigate, L'Insurgent,

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was captured by the Constellation, commanded by Commodore Truxton. But at this crisis, the power of the Directory was overthrown by Bonaparte, who, being willing to enter into a negotiation with the United States, envoys were again appointed to proceed to Paris. In the 9th month (September), 1800, a treaty was signed, by which all matters in dispute were amicably adjusted. Before the treaty was concluded, Washington died at Mount Vernon the 14th day of the 12th month (December), 1799, in the 68th year of his age.

The warlike measures adopted by Adams in the dispute with France, had rendered him unpopular with many citizens, and this feeling was increased by his approval of the “Sedition" and "Alien" laws, which were considered as opposed to the constitutional guarantee of personal liberty. By the Sedition Law, any persons combining or conspiring together to oppose the measures of the government, by means of any false or scandalous writing, were punishable by a heavy fine and long imprisonment. The Alien Act conferred authority upon the president to banish any unnaturalized foreigner whom he should consider dangerous to the peace and liberty of the country. These restrictive measures were adopted to circumvent the machinations of the French revolutionists, whose acts were reprobated as partaking far more of unlimited license than of true liberty. Similar Alien acts were passed by the English parliament in 1792 and 1793, in consequence of the great influx of strangers, many of them being political adventurers suspected of sinister motives.

The year 1800 is also memorable as being that in which the seat of the Federal government was removed from Philadelphia to the city of Washington, in accordance with the law passed by Congress in 1790. A small territory, the District of Columbia, square in shape, and measuring ten miles on each side, situated partly in the state of Virginia and partly in Maryland, had been ceded by those states as the location for

a permanent capital. The city was laid out under the direction of General Washington, with streets from 90 to 120 feet wide, and twenty "avenues" 130 to 160 feet in width. A capitol and other public buildings having been erected, Congress assembled there for the first time in the 11th month (November), 1800.

THOMAS JEFFERSON, PRESIDENT.

ACQUISITION OF LOUISI

ΑΝΑ. A DUEL. WAR WITH TRIPOLI.

At the next presidential election, the result of a persistent adherence to party candidates became apparent when the electors chosen by the states (who together constitute the temporary body styled the "electoral college"), having cast their ballots, it was found that Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr each had the same number of votes. Consequently, in accordance with a constitutional provision, it became necessary to refer the choice to the House of Representatives. Curiously it happened, that the like result transpired there, Jefferson and Burr receiving again an equal number of votes; and it was not until the 36th ballot had been taken, that the change of one vote decided the contest for the presidency in favor of Jefferson.

Jefferson's inaugural speech (1801) instead of being deLivered before the houses of Congress in person, as had been done by Washington and Adams, was conveyed to those bodies in the shape of a written message,-a practice which was followed by his successors. To fill the important post of secretary of state, James Madison was appointed. The various political offices of the country were, for the most part, transferred to the adherents of the successful party. Thus was begun that bad practice of substituting party favor for integrity and ability, which has to this day proved so disastrous to the best interests of the country.

1800]

ACQUISITION OF LOUISIANA.

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The Alien and Sedition Laws were repealed by the new administration, and the excise on whiskey abolished. By the second census, the population of the United States was shown to have increased from about four million in 1790, to five million three hundred thousand; and the exports, from 19 to 94 million dollars. Ohio was admitted in 1802, the seventeenth state of the Union, slavery being excluded. The territory of this state, by virtue of the original grants from the crown, had been claimed by both Connecticut and Virginia, but those claims were now relinquished. During St. Clair's governorship of the North-West Territory, Fort Washington was built on the Ohio (1788), on the site of the future city of CINCINNATI.

The most important event of the first term of President Jefferson's administration, was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana, then included within boundaries many times larger than is the present state of that name. This extensive territory, which had been transferred by France to Spain in 1762, was ceded back to France in the year 1800. As a result of the latter transfer, the permission which had been granted by the Spanish authorities to United States citizens, of landing merchandise at the port of New Orleans, was rescinded. Apprehensive that the commerce of the western rivers would be ruined by this prohibition, Congress lost no time in representing to the French court the serious loss which must ensue. These representations having been made in a reasonable and amicable spirit, the privilege was once more restored.

So obvious, however, was the desirability of obtaining control of the Louisiana territory, and thus permanently assuring the free navigation of the Mississippi river, that Congress, instructed by the recent troublesome occurrence, opened negotiations with the French government for its purchase. The proposal was acceded to. For the sum of fifteen million dollars, all the region included between the Mississippi river and

the Rocky Mountains was granted absolutely to the United States. By this treaty, which was concluded at Paris in 1803, the geographical area of the Republic was more than doubled. (See map, page 405.) The State of Louisiana was admitted into the Union in 1812. Although its staple, the sugar-cane, was introduced in 1751, slow progress was made in cultivating it until 1794, when the revolution in San Domingo drove some Frenchmen to Louisiana, and by them was introduced an improved smaller variety, the yellow creole cane.

In the summer of 1804 occurred the death of Alexander Hamilton in a duel with Aaron Burr, the vice-president. Hamilton had been the constant companion and counsellor of Washington during the latter years of the Revolutionary war. About the time of the framing of the constitution, he had published, under the title of "The Federalist," a series of notable essays intended to vindicate the constitution from the various objections which had been urged against it. As secretary of the treasury during Washington's presidency, Hamilton had acquired a reputation for ability which ranked him with the greatest financiers. Upon the death of Washington, he became commander-in-chief of the army; but, having incurred the bitter resentment of the vice-president on account of some published expressions which he refused either to retract or deny, Burr sent him a challenge to mortal combat.

Aaron Burr, although a grandson of the good Jonathan Edwards, and son of a clergyman (President Burr, of Princeton College), was himself a skeptic in religion. From his youth he had evinced a love of intrigue and of the military art, had gleaned from books all that could be learned of the latter "profession," and prized the soldier's glory above any other. After taking an active part in the war of the Revolution, he became a practieing lawyer of New York city, in reputation second to Hamilton, but opposed to him in politics and always his rival.