glowing, by an able American journalist. Speaking of the revolutionary leaders, the Writer remarks, that the influence exercised over American affairs by Mr. Jefferson and Dr. Franklin, was of a purely philosophical nature: "neither of them possessed any por

tion of the talent of the orator or of the soldier." Whereas "Mr. Adams united to the pure philosophy of Jefferson and Franklin, a powerful gift in eloquence, which made him a far more efficient member of a deliberative assembly, than either." "Washington's talent was peculiar. We believe he never spoke in a deliberative assembly; 'and he discharged with great success the functions both of the philosophic statesman and the soldier, without possessing, in an eminent degree, the peculiar qualities of either. As a learned civilian, there were many of his contemporaries who surpassed him as a commander, it certainly would not be hard to point out, in the revolutionary army, a few men more visibly endowed with purely military qualities. He seemed to possess just enough of either character to enable him to do the duties of both. In civil administration, the decision, circumspection, and firmness of the commander were his main strength: in the command of the army, the moderation, assiduity, and perseverance of the civil service were the great features of his Fabian policy. He does not owe his military fame to his battles; nor his reputation as a magistrate to his political science. He is more indebted, perhaps, for his great and solitary ascendancy, to the moral qualities of his character, and to his high disinterestedness, than to his possession of the talents which render other men famous."* A character more finely adapted for the beneficent ruler

*North American Review, No. lxii, p. 49,

of a free people, could hardly be imagined; and few monarchs have won so pure and enviable a fame.

In 1801,* a new presidential election took place, which led to a transfer of the administration of the government to the republican party. They had been gradually increasing in numbers, and were now strong enough to obtain the elevation of Mr. Jefferson to the presidency, in opposition to Mr. Adams. Being re-elected in 1804, he held the office till the autumn of 1808, when, in conformity to the example of Washington, he announced his intention to retire from public life. James Madison was then elected president, and his administration was extended by a re-election to the same period.

It was towards the close of Mr. Jefferson's presidency, that the United States became involved in serious disputes with the belligerent nations of Europe, by the Berlin and Milan decrees of the French Emperor, and the British orders in council issued in May 1806. A system of restrictions upon commerce was in consequence attempted by the American Government, which had no other effect, however, than to injure their own commerce. In March 1809, Congress repealed the embargo that had been laid upon American vessels, and substituted a law prohibiting all intercourse with either Great Britain or France. In August 1810, the French Government having announced the revocation of the Berlin and Milan decrees, the Non-Intercourse law was repealed with regard to France; but, as Great Britain refused to

* In this year, a second census was completed, from which it appeared, that the population had, in ten years, increased from nearly four millions to five millions three hundred and twenty thousand. (See page 69 of this volume.) In the same term, the exports had increased from nineteen to ninety-four millions of dollars

repeal the orders in council, or to waive the right of search and impressment, the American President recommended to Congress in November 1811, "that the Republic should be placed in an attitude to maintain by force, its wounded honour and essential interests." Preparations were accordingly made, which it was confidently hoped would have the effect of intimidating Great Britain; but, as no disposition to concession was shewn on the part of this country, on the 18th of June, war was declared by the Republic.

The second American war with this country, unlike the first, commenced on the part of the Republican Government; and the spirit which hurried the nation into the unequal contest, was not the spirit of liberty, but of fierce rivalry and haughty defiance.* An overweening confidence in their own strength, led the Republicans to believe, that victory over the same foe would now be so much the more easily gained, as the nation was more rich and populous; and Canada was already numbered, in their imagination, with the United States. This rash miscalculation of their resources entailed its own punishment. In July 1812, General Hull, the American Governor of the Michigan

* In justification of the war, it is alleged, that "a strong belief was entertained, founded upon credible testimony," that the Indians residing near the sources of the Mississippi, had, in 1811, been incited to hostilities by British agents; and again, that one John Henry told the President, that he had been employed by the Governor of Canada, in 1809, to sound the people of Boston on the subject of their forming a political connexion with Great Britain; which disclosure he was led to make, by the neglect of his employer to reward him for his services!-See Hale's History, pp. 387, 8. When, in a respectable History, we find such contemptible reasons gravely assigned as the motives for war, resting on mere surmise, and not clearly implicating either the British nation or its Government, there can remain no doubt as to the eagerness with which the war was rushed into.

territory, crossed the river by which it is divided from Canada, and in a pompous proclamation, tendered to the Canadians the blessings of civil and religious liberty, announcing that his force was sufficient to break down all opposition. At the very first approach of a British force, composed only of militia and Indians, he hastened back to Detroit, and shut himself up in the fort: there he was speedily invested by General Brock, to whom, on the 16th of August, he surrendered his whole army. On the Niagara frontier, the operations of the Americans were equally inglorious. An army of regulars and militia had been with some difficulty collected, and about 1000 troops, commanded by General Von Rensselaer, crossed the river in October, and attacked the British at Queenstown. They gained possession of the fort, expecting to be supported by the rear division of the army; but the militia, who had displayed great eagerness to be led against the British, now utterly refused to cross the national boundary, and remained the tame spectators of the issue. Those who had gained the fort, were soon compelled to yield to superior numbers; and of the thousand men who had crossed into Canada, few effected their escape. Shortly afterwards, General Von Rensselaer retired from the service. He was succeeded by General Smyth, who, in a turgid address to the " men of New York, announced that, in a few days, he should plant the American standard in Canada." The morning was fixed for crossing the river; but the afternoon came before the first division was ready to leave the American shore. The enemy then ap

* General Hull was afterwards tried by a court-martial, and condemned to be shot; but the President remitted the sentence in consideration of the age and services of the General.

peared in force on the opposite bank; and a council of officers decided, that it was inexpedient at that time to make the attempt. Another day was fixed; but, when it came, the ardour of the troops had evaporated, and the plan of invading Canada was abandoned for the season. Thus ended the campaign of 1812, to the utter disappointment and mortification of the war party, who consoled themselves by laying all the blame on the Federalists.*

The vainglorious feeling of the nation was, however, called into full exercise by the triumphs of the American flag. On the 20th of August, the United States' frigate Constitution, of 44 guns, captured the British frigate Guerrière, of 38 guns. On the 18th of October, the Wasp, of 18 guns, captured the British sloop of war Frolic, after a sanguinary conflict of three quarters of an hour. On the 25th, the frigate United States, Captain Decatur, captured the British frigate Macedonian, after an action of an hour and a half. A fourth naval battle was fought on the 29th of December, between the Constitution, of 44 guns, and the British frigate Java, of 38 guns. The combat continued more than three hours, till the Java

The Federalists were accused of endeavouring to prevent enlistment into the army, and of maintaining the most pernicious doctrines in relation to the militia. Mr. Hale accounts for the backwardness of the people to join the army, by remarking, that "so happy was the condition of even the poorest class of American citizens, that few could be induced to enlist as soldiers. And in some of the States," he adds, "the plausible doctrine was maintained, that the officers of the General Government have no power over the militia, until called into service, and consigned to their authority, by the State executive; and that even then, they cannot be compelled to march beyond the boundary of the Republic. Several governors actually withheld their militia, when called for by the President, and thus diminished the amount of one species of force upon which the Government had relied."-Hale, pp. 392, 3,