Under his administration the United States had attained a prosperous financial and industrial condition and won the respect of foreign nations.

He took leave of the people in a farewell address which has become one of the famous state papers of the United States, it being filled with the most patriotic and statesmanlike sentiments. His period of private life was not long. In less than three years this noble man, the "Father of his Country," died.

2. John Adams's Administration. Condition of the Country.-John Adams' was inaugurated President at Philadelphia on March 4, 1797. He came into office at a time of promise and growing prosperity. The national debt had been funded and much of it paid. The revenue was abundant for the country's needs. The Indians were quiet, the threatened war with England had been avoided, the commercial and agricultural interests of the country were rapidly developing, and some progress in manufacturing had been made.

JOHN ADAMS.

1 John Adams was born in Massachusetts in 1735. He was a mem ber of both Colonial Congresses, and earnestly advocated the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. He was sent as ambassador to France in 1777, and spent most of the next ten years abroad, being one of the commissioners who negotiated the treaty of peace of 1783. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention. After serving as Vice-President and President, he died on the fiftieth anniversary of American independence, July 4, 1826, his last words being, "Thomas Jefferson still survives." By a remarkable coincidence Jefferson died on the same day.

Hostile Relations with France.-In one direction only were there threats of trouble. The Jay treaty had established peaceful relations with Great Britain, but it greatly displeased France, whose government thought that America should repay her aid in the Revolution by siding with her against Great Britain. The election of Adams to the Presidency instead of Jefferson, the friend of France, added to the anger of the revolutionary government, and the American minister was ordered to leave that country.1

How the Envoys were Treated. This was almost equivalent to a declaration of war. France, in fact, began actual war by ordering her cruisers to capture American vessels, of which, it is estimated, as many as a thousand were taken. President Adams, feeling that the country was in no condition for war, sent three envoys to France, with instructions to negotiate a treaty, if possible. They were treated with indignity, and were privately advised that they would not be received officially unless they agreed to pay the French government a quarter of a million dollars. To this suggestion of bribery Charles Pinckney, one of the envoys, indignantly replied, " Millions for defence, but not one cent for tribute," a sentiment which became highly popular in the States. Soon after two of the envoys were ordered to leave the country. Elbridge Gerry remained, but his stay proved useless.

1 The sympathy with the French revolutionists was wide-spread in America. Numerous clubs were formed in imitation of the republican clubs of France. French fashions of dress and speech were imitated. It was then that men began to wear trousers, in place of the kneebreeches and long stockings of earlier times. Jefferson, who had lately returned from France, was in full sympathy with the revolutionists. The Federal party favored them at first, but changed its opinion when their violent excesses began.

Warlike Sentiment.-In April, 1798, the whole correspondence with the agents of Prince Talleyrand, the French minister, was published. Their letters were signed X. Y. Z., and the papers became known as the "X. Y. Z. despatches." On reading them the whole country burst into warlike fury. "Millions for defence; not one cent for tribute," became the war-cry of the people. Acts of Congress were passed to increase the army and navy, Washington reluctantly consenting to accept the command of the former. The naval vessels were ordered to capture French armed ships, and several were taken.

Ocean Battles.-In February, 1799, a naval battle took place between the new 38-gun frigate Constellation and the French 38-gun frigate L'Insurgente. The French vessel was captured. This was followed by another obstinate fight, in which Captain Truxton, in the Constellation, captured the La Vengeance, of fifty-four guns. The French, astonished and dismayed by these unlooked-for losses, now grew anxious for peace. The Federal party, of which Adams was the head, desired war, but he desired peace, and succeeded in having a satisfactory treaty made with Napoleon Bonaparte, now First Consul of France.

The Alien and Sedition Laws.-The troubles with France caused Congress to pass two laws which proved very unpopular, and did much to arouse opposition to the Adams administration. They were due to two causes,-the hostile activity of French emissaries in this country, and the virulent abuse of the President, and even of Washington, by the papers of the opposite party. These were known as the Alien and Sedition Laws.

By the Alien Law the President was given power to banish from the country any foreigner whose action he considered dangerous, and to imprison him if he returned.

The Sedition Law was aimed at the hostile newspapers, and gave the right to punish by fine and imprisonment any one who should publish anything false or malicious against Congress or the President.

Effect of these Laws.-These laws, passed in 1798, greatly injured the Federal party. The people declared them unconstitutional, as interfering with personal liberty and freedom of speech. The legislatures of Virginia and Kentucky passed resolutions against them, Kentucky declaring that a State has the right to nullify any act of Congress which violates the Constitution.' The Alien Law was never enforced; the Sedition Law was, on several occasions.

Death of Washington.-In December, 1799, Washington, while attending to some duties on his estate, became wet in a storm, and in consequence took a severe cold. Fever followed, and on the night of December 14 he died. Thus passed away, in his sixty-eighth year, the noblest of the Americans, justly entitled "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." The whole country united in paying honor to his memory, and his tomb at Mount Vernon has become a hallowed shrine to patriotic Americans.

The New Election.-During the whole of the Adams administration party feeling ran high. The Republican party increased in strength, and the Federal party lost many of its adherents. In the election of November, 1800, Adams and Pinckney were the Federal, Jefferson and Aaron Burr

1 To nullify a law means to refuse to allow its enforcement within the State. Such a principle would soon break up the Union. The United States has never acknowledged this right, and put down by force the effort at nullification made by South Carolina some thirty years afterward.

the Republican candidates. The rule of making the candidate who received the highest electoral vote President, and the second on the list Vice-President, now caused trouble, since Jefferson and Burr each received seventy-three votes. Adams received sixty-five.

In consequence it became necessary for the House of Representatives to decide which of the two Republican candidates should be President. Jefferson was the strongest in the House, but some Federalists intrigued against him, the result being that he was elected only a fortnight before the end of Adams's term.

The Twelfth was evident from this that the Constitution was faulty, since an occasion might arise in which the country would be left without a President. To avoid such a danger a new amendment to the Constitution, the twelfth, was prepared and passed in 1804. Since then

it has been specially declared which candidates run for President and which for Vice-President.

Chief Justice Marshall.-On January 31, 1801, the eminent jurist, John Marshall, was appointed chief justice of the United States, a position which he held with the highest honor for thirty-four years. Five days after the death of Washington he had offered in Congress a series of resolutions, prepared by General Henry Lee, in which the deceased hero is truthfully described as "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."