an ardent and sanguine people. The expenses of the war had created a debt which bore heavily upon them; an excessive issue of paper currency had taken place; the country was drained of its specie to pay for foreign goods; and the value of the public stock sank to two shillings in the pound. The system of confederation, which even during the war, when upheld and enforced by the enthusiasm of the national contest, and a sense of the common danger, had been found inefficient, now became a merely nominal bond of union. The requisitions of Congress, no authority being given to enforce obedience, were generally disregarded; commerce languished; the general distress increased; and every thing indicated an approaching anarchy. To remedy these evils, Congress applied to the States for a grant of the power to regulate commerce and to collect a revenue from it. New York alone refused; but, as unanimity was requisite, the single negative of this State defeated the project. A conviction of the necessity of some change in the confederation, that should confer more efficient powers upon the General Government, at length became universal among the friends of social order; and in September 1786, a convention of commissioners from five of the Middle States, held at Annapolis, for the purpose of devising a uniform system of commercial regulations, came to the conclusion, that nothing short of a reform of the existing government should be attempted. Upon their report, Congress resolved to recommend a convention of delegates from all the States, for the purpose of revising the articles of confederation. With this recommendation, all the States, except Rhode Island, complied; and in May 1787, the convention met at Philadelphia, Washington being unanimously elected president. They deliberated with

closed doors, and at the end of four months, agreed upon the constitution which was afterwards ratified by the respective States,* and is still in force. To the highest station in the republic, thus re-organised, the electors, by a unanimous vote, raised George Washington; and by a vote nearly unanimous, the office of Vice-President was conferred upon John Adams. The inauguration of the President took place on the 30th of April, 1789. Under the new system of government, trade revived; the public confidence was restored; and a great improvement soon began to be visible in the circumstances of the people. In 1793, Washington was unanimously re-elected to the presidency, and Mr. Adams was again chosen vice-president.

During the war between Great Britain and France, that rose out of the French Revolution, the wise policy of Washington maintained the strict neutrality of the American Government. The feelings of a large portion of the community were warmly enlisted on the side of France, and would have urged the nation into hostile proceedings against Great Britain. Genet, the minister from the French Republic, was received by the people of the Southern States with the most extravagant demonstrations of satisfaction and regard, with which he was so intoxicated as to attempt, by insolent declarations, to drive the President from the ground he had taken. He even threatened to appeal from the Government to the people; a measure which other agents of the French Republic had adopted with success in Europe. But here, the people rallied round

The new constitution found zealous opposers among the ultra-democratic or anti-federalist party; and in some of the States, its ratification was obtained with difficulty and by a small majority. It was not adopted by the little State of Rhode Island until after the lapse of two years.

their rulers; the French emissary was abandoned by most of his partisans; and his own Government, at the request of the American President, annulled his powers. This conduct on the part of Genet, together with the atrocities committed by the French people, alienated from them the more respectable part of the American community, especially those belonging to the Federal party, who became attached to the cause of Great Britain. The Anti-federalists, on the contrary, who were most numerous in the slave-holding States, retained an unabated attachment to the French. Over these two parties, Washington watched with patriotic solicitude, striving to temper their mutual animosities; and the unbounded confidence reposed by the people in their beloved chief magistrate, enabled him by his personal influence to restrain the spirit of faction. On no occasion was this influence more strikingly displayed, than when, in 1794, in defiance of popular clamour, he gave his assent to the Treaty of Commerce with Great Britain, concluded by the American minister, Mr. Jay. In various parts of the Union, public meetings had been held, at which resolutions were passed, expressing warm disapprobation of the treaty, and an earnest wish that the President would withhold his ratification. The republicans and partisans of France exclaimed in intemperate language against most of its stipulations. But no sooner had Washington affixed to it his public sanction, than the popular sentiment began to change; and on the final question in the house of representatives, after a long and fierce debate, a majority of three voted in favour of the appropriation necessary to carry it into effect.

As the termination of the second four years for which the President had been elected, drew near, Washington announced to his fellow-citizens his de

termination to retire from public life. In a farewell address, he warned them, with all the ardour of parental affection, against the dangers to which the liberties and internal peace of the Republic were exposed. To fill the station from which the "Father of his Country" had resolved to [retire, the two great political parties brought forward their respective chiefs. The Federalists, who desired that the system of measures adopted by Washington should continue to be pursued, made the most active efforts to procure the election of John Adams. The Republicans made equal exertions to elect Thomas Jefferson. The result was the elevation of the former to the office of President, while Mr. Jefferson was chosen Vice-President.

During the administration of Mr. Adams, the French Directory, disappointed of engaging the United States in a war with England, pursued a course of insult and aggression towards them, which compelled the American Government to have recourse to measures of retaliation and defence. Provision was made for raising immediately a small regular army, the command of which was conferred upon the illustrious Ex-President. With great reluctance he consented to accept the office, declaring at the same time, that he cordially approved of the measures of the Government. Hostilities between the United States and France continued, however, but a few months, and were confined to the ocean, where two severe and well fought actions took place, in both

Mr. Jefferson had been minister to France at the commencement of the revolution in that country; and in the early stages of its progress, he was its enthusiastic and undisguised defender. On the adoption of the new constitution, he was appointed Secretary of State, which office he resigned on the first day of the year 1794. His resignation, and that of General Knox at the close of the year, was followed by the secession of most of the leaders of the repub. lican party from the interests of the administration.

of which the Americans were victorious. The Directory having made overtures of peace, the American President appointed commissioners to negotiate a treaty, who, on their arrival at Paris, found the executive authority in the hands of Bonaparte as First Consul. In September, 1800, a treaty was concluded, satisfactory to both countries.

While this negotiation was in progress, the whole country was overshadowed with gloom by the sudden death of the Father of his Country. On the 14th of December, 1799, after an illness of only one day, General Washington expired at the age of sixty-eight. His death was felt throughout the Union as at once a public calamity and a private loss. On receiving the intelligence, Congress, then in session at Philadelphia, immediately adjourned. On the next day, they met only to appoint a committee to devise the most suitable manner of paying honour to the memory of "the man first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." It was recommended to the people of the United States, to wear crape for thirty days, a measure which was universally adopted. A more permanent mark of the national veneration for the memory of this illustrious Patriot, was shewn by conferring the name of Washington upon the new city on the Potomac, a few miles above Mount Vernon; which was founded, in pursuance of a law enacted in 1790, as the permanent seat of the National Government. Public buildings having been erected, the officers of Government removed to that place in 1800; and in November of that year, Congress, for the first time, there commenced its session.

The finely tempered and well-balanced character of the First American President, has been drawn with much discrimination, and certainly in colours not too