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War with Tripoli.-Troubles with England and France.

P'D. II.

CH. 1.

1803.

Barbary powers

1. THE Barbary Powers were nations of professed P'T. IV. pirates. They took and made slaves of American citizens, as they did those of other countries, and appropriated vessels and their cargoes. If any nation would pay them annual tribute, they would not take that nation's vessels. This was for several done by the United States, as it had long been, by European piratinations. At length the American republic determined to resist, and declared war against Tripoli. This war is memorable, as it laid the foundation of the American naval character, and discipline. Commodore

years

CHAPTER I.-1. What were the Barbary Powers? What did they with respect to the citizens and vessels of the European and American nations? In what case would they desist from their piracy? What did the U. S. do? Why is the Tripolitan war memorable?

cal.

274

P'D. II.

TRIPOLITAN WAR ENDED.

P'T. IV. Preble, who commanded the American fleet, sent in 1803 to the Mediterranean, was not only an able ofCH. I. ficer himself, but he possessed the talent of moulding others.

Deca

ploit.

1804. 2. Lieut. Stephen Decatur, retook the frigate Philadelphia from under the guns of the Tripolitan battery; set her on fire in the harbor, and escaped. This frigate, commanded by Capt. Bainbridge, was one of Feb. Preble's squadron, and had adventured too far into the tur's ex- harbor of Tripoli, and ignorant of the navigation had grounded. The officers and crew were made captives, and with other Americans, were treated with every indignity. Their sufferings went to the hearts of their fellow citizens; and, as an expedient to oblige the bashaw of Tripoli to release them, the government authorised Capt. William Eaton to unite with Hamet, an expelled bashaw, to assist him to recover his former station.

Eaton

Derne.

1805. 3. Eaton was made general of Hamet's forces, amounting to a few hundred Arabs. He marched from Egypt Feb. to Derne, where the American fleet co-operated with takes him. He assaulted and took Derne. The Tripolitans sent an army, which were defeated in two engagements. The bashaw then sued for peace; and Col. June 3. Lear, the American consul, negotiated with him a Peace treaty, by which the American prisoners were set at Tripoli. liberty, sixty thousand dollars ransom-money being

paid. Support was withdrawn from Hamet, but he recovered his wife and children.

Burr

4. In July, 1804, occurred the death of Gen. Alexander Hamilton. He died in a duel, fought with 1804. Hamil Aaron Burr, vice-president of the United States. ton killed was the challenger. Hamilton, not having the courage to brave the opinion which would call him coward, met his antagonist against his sense of right, and without desire or intention to injure him. By this lament

in a duel

with

Burr.

1. Who was the commander? What can you say of him? 2. What daring exploit was performed by Decatur? How came the Philadelphia stranded? Where were the captain and crew? What was William Eaton to do in this war?-3. Give an account of his movements? On what terms was peace concluded? 4. Give an account of the death of Hamilton, and its cause?

FRENCH DECREES AND BRITISH ORDERS.

275

able weakness of mind, America lost one of her most PT. IV. gifted sons... Mr. Jefferson received his second pre- P’D. II. sidential election; and such was his popularity, that ca. 1. out of 176 votes, he received 162. George Clinton 1805. of New York, was chosen vice-president.

Neither 180%.

5. Col. Burr was a dark and subtle man. party had, any longer, confidence in him. He went to the west, and there set on foot some great scheme, which he was carrying on, when, becoming suspected of treasonable designs against the government, he was Burr's seized, and taken to Richmond for trial. It was sup- treasonposed, that he intended to possess himself of the bank able project. of New Orleans; and that he was raising an army, with which he meant, either to subdue Mexico, or some other of the Spanish provinces. Sufficient evidence of his guilt not appearing on trial, he was acquitted.

to

6. Although a neutral policy had been steadily maintained, the American nation was now made to 1806. suffer in her commerce, by the measures which England took, on the one hand, to humble France, by 1809. keeping all neutrals from trading at her ports; and the Am.comcounter measures assumed, on the other hand, by the emperor Napoleon, to keep all neutrals from the ports belonging to Great Britain.

merce

injured.

Fr. or

7. The "decrees" made by France, and the " orders in council" made by Great Britain, for these purposes, were unjust, and contrary to the laws of nations. The United States were not in right obliged to abstain from trading to the French ports, because the sovereign of Great Britain commanded it; nor to abstain Eng. and from trading to Great Britain, because it was so ordered ders and by the French emperor. And when these two nations proceeded, which on both sides they did, to take, and condemn as prizes, American vessels for disobeying their unlawful decrees, they both committed acts of war upon our nation.

8. The American government by its agents at the courts of Great Britain and France, remonstrated in

5. What further account is given of Col. Burr?-6. How did America now suffer in her commerce ?-7. What may be said of the decrees and orders in council as regards the right of the case? What did both nations with regard to the U. S.?

decrees.

276

PT.IV.

P'D. II.

CH. 1.

MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION.

decided terms. As the shipping of the country was so much exposed to seizure, congress laid an embargo. This also deprived the nations, which had injured the 1807. American commerce, of the advantages of their trade. An em- But the measure was much disliked by many of the American people.

bargo.

9. There were other causes of complaint against the English. In the exercise of what they termed the right of search for British native born subjects, their Pretend naval officers entered and searched American vessels ed right of search. on the high seas; and repeatedly took, not only naturalized, but native American citizens. The Leopard, a British ship of war, attacked and overpowered an American frigate, the Chesapeake, but a few miles from the coast, and took from her four men. Outrage 10. The outrage upon the Chesapeake, which hapthe pened before the embargo was laid, was resented by the peake. whole nation. But the English government sent out Mr. Rose, who made such explanations as satisfied the 1809. federal party.... In 1809, Mr. Madison was inaugurated Madison president, and Mr. George Clinton of New York was president. re-elected vice-president. . . In the meantime the embargo met with the most violent opposition throughout Non-in- the country. The government repealed it and substisubsti- tuted a law, prohibiting all intercourse with France tuted. or Great Britain; with a proviso, that should either

uponesa

tercourse

revoke her edicts, this non-intercourse law should cease to be enforced, as it regarded that nation.

11. In April, a treaty was concluded with Mr. Ers Mr. Er- kine, the British minister; which engaged on the part skine's of Great Britain, that the orders in council, so far as ment dis- they affected the United States, should be withdrawn. owned The British ministry refused their sanction, alledging ministry. that their minister, whom they recalled, had exceeded

arrange

by the

his powers. His successor, Mr. Jackson, insinuated

8. What course was taken by the Am. government?-9. What other cause of complaint was against England? What was done by a British armed ship? 10. What was the national feeling respecting this outrage? Who were made president and vice-president? In what year? What law was substituted for the embargo?-11. What arrangement was made by Mr. Erskine ? What was done by the British ministry? What was Mr. Jackson's behaviour, and the consequence?

THE TWIN BROTHERS.

277 in a correspondence with the secretary of state, that P'T. IV. the American government knew that Mr. Erskine was not authorized to make the arrangement. This accusation was denied by the secretary, but repeated by Mr. Jackson. The president then declined further inter

course.

P'D. II.

CH. 1.

12. In 1810, France repealed her decrees, and the 1810. president issued a proclamation on the 2d of Novem- French ber, declaring, that all the restrictions imposed by the decrees non-intercourse law, should cease, in relation to France and her dependencies.

13. The population of the United States, by the third census, taken in 1810, was 7,239,903. ... An encounter took place off Cape Charles, between the American frigate President, commanded by Com. Rogers, and the British sloop of war, Little Belt, commanded by Capt. Bingham. The attack was commenced by the Little Belt, but she was soon disabled. This was a token that war was at hand.

repealed.

1811.

May 16.

Attack

on the President.

Br. loss,

32.

Tecum

tawa.

14. The appearance of a hostile confederacy, had been discovered among the Indians on the western Indians frontier. At its head, was the great chief Tecumseh, hostile. and his twin brother, Elskwatawa. Tecumseh, who was the master-spirit, took upon himself the depart- und ments of war and eloquence, while Elskwatawa was Elskwato invest himself with the sacred and mysterious character of "Prophet." Pretending to be favored with direct communications from the Great Spirit, he by tricks and austerities, gained belief. He then began The Ina species of drill, the object of which seems to dians led have been to discipline the Indians to obedience and by their union. He ordered them to kill their dogs, and these tion. faithful friends were instantly sacrificed. They must not, he said, permit their fires to go out; and at once the fire of every wigwam was watched as by vestals.

15. While the Prophet thus manifested, that priestcraft, in its worst form, may inhabit the desert as well

12. What was done by France? What by the president? 13. What was the population? Of what year? What encounter took place? - 14. What two remarkable characters appeared among the Indians? Give an account of Tecumseh? Of Elkswatawa?

supersti

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