economically administered; and in a few years the debt was honestly paid.

2. In December of 1817, Mississippi was organized and admitted into the Union. The new State came with a population of sixtyfive thousand souls. At the same time, the attention of the government was called to a nest of pirates on Amelia Island, off the coast of Florida. An armament was sent against them, and the lawless establishment was broken up. Another company, on the island of Galveston, was also suppressed.

3. The question of internal improvements now began to be agitated. Without railroads and canals the products of the interior could never reach a market. Whether Congress had a right to vote money to make public improvements was a question of debate. In one instance a bill was passed making appropriations for a national road across the Alleghanies, from Cumberland to Wheeling. Among the States, New York took the lead in improvements by constructing a canal from Buffalo to Albany. The cost of the work was nearly eight million dollars.

4. In 1817 the Seminole Indians of Georgia and Alabama became hostile. Some negroes and Creeks joined the savages in their depredations. General Gaines was sent into the Seminole country, but his forces were found inadequate. General Jackson was then ordered to reduce the Indians to submission. He mustered a thousand riflemen from Tennessee, and in the spring of 1818, completely overran the hostile country.

5. While on this expedition, Jackson took possession of St. Mark's. The Spanish troops, stationed there, were removed to Pensacola. Two Englishmen, named Arbuthnot and Ambrister, charged with inciting the Seminoles to insurrection, were tried by a court-martial, and hanged. Jackson then captured Pensacola, and sent the Spanish authorities to Havana. The enemies of General Jackson condemned him for these proceedings; but the President and Congress justified his deeds. The king of Spain now proposed to cede Florida to the United States. On the 22d of February, 1819, a treaty was concluded at Washington city by which the whole province was surrendered to the American government. The United States agreed to relinquish all claim to

Texas and to pay to American citizens, for depredations committed by Spanish vessels, five million dollars.

6. In 1818 Illinois, the twenty-first State, was organized and admitted into the Union. The population of the new commonwealth was forty-seven thousand. In December of 1819, Alabama was added, with a population of a hundred and twenty-five thousand. About the same time, Arkansas Territory was organized. In 1820 the province of Maine was separated from Massachusetts and admitted into the Union. The population of the new State had reached two hundred and ninety-eight thousand. In August of 1821, Missouri, with a population of seventy-four thousand, was admitted as the twenty-fourth member of the Union.

7. When the bill to admit Missouri was brought before Congress, a proposition was made to prohibit slavery in the new State. This measure was supported by the free States of the North, and opposed by the slaveholding States of the South. Congress was distracted with long and angry debates. At last the measure, known as THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE, was brought forward and adopted. Its provisions were first, the admission of Missouri as a slaveholding State; secondly, the division of the rest of the Louisiana purchase by the parallel of thirty-six degrees and thirty minutes; thirdly, the admission of new States, south of that line, with or without slavery, as the people might determine; fourthly, the prohibition of slavery in all the new States north of the divid ing-line.

8. The President's administration grew into high favor with the people; and in the fall of 1820 he was reëlected. As VicePresident, Mr. Tompkins was also chosen for a second term. The attention of the government was next called to a system of piracy which had sprung up in the West Indies. Early in 1822, an American fleet was sent thither, and more than twenty piratical ships were captured. In the following summer, Commodore Porter was despatched with a larger squadron. The retreats of the searobbers were completely broken up.

9. About this time, many of the countries of South America declared their independence of foreign nations. The people of the United States sympathized with the patriots of the South. Henry

Clay urged upon the government the duty of recognizing the South American republics. In March of 1822, a bill was passed by Congress embodying his views. In the President's message of 1823, the declaration was made that the American continents are not subject to colonization by any European power. This is the principle ever since known as THE MONROE DOCTRINE.

10. In the summer of 1824, the venerated La Fayette, now aged and gray, revisited the land for whose freedom he had shed his blood. The patriots who had fought by his side came forth to greet him. In every city he was surrounded by a throng of shouting freemen. His journey through the country was a triumph. It was a solemn moment when he stood alone by the grave of Washington. In September of 1825, he bade adieu to the people, and sailed for his native land. While Liberty remains, the name of La Fayette shall be hallowed.

11. In the fall of 1824, four candidates were presented for the presidency. John Quincy Adams was put forward as the candidate of the East; William H. Crawford of Georgia as the choice of the South; Henry Clay and Andrew Jackson as the favorites of the West. Neither candidate received a majority of the electoral votes, and the choice of President was referred to the House of Representatives. By that body Mr. Adams was elected. For Vice-President, John C. Calhoun of South Carolina was chosen by the electoral college.

RECAPITULATION.

The new President and his policy.-The cabinet.-Revival of the country.Mississippi is admitted.-The pirates of Amelia Island dispersed.-The question of internal improvements arises.-The canal from Buffalo to Albany.-The Seminole War breaks out.-Jackson captures St. Marks.-Hangs Arbuthnot and Ambrister.-Takes Pensacola.-The cession of Florida.-Illinois is admitted.And Alabama.-Arkansas is organized.-And Maine admitted.-And Missouri. -The Missouri Compromise.-Monroe and Tompkins are reëlected.--Commodore Porter suppresses piracy in the West Indies.-Sympathy of the United States for the South American republics.-The Monroe Doctrine.-The visit of La Fayette.-John Quincy Adams chosen President.

THE

CHAPTER LI.

ADAMS'S ADMINISTRATION, 1825-1829.

HE new President was a man of the highest attainments in literature and statesmanship. At the age of eleven years he accompanied his father, John Adams, to Europe. At Paris and Amsterdam and St. Petersburg the son continued his studies, and became acquainted with the politics of the Old World. In his riper years, he served as ambassador to the Netherlands, Portugal, Prussia, Russia, and England. He had also held the offices of United States senator, and secretary of State.

2. The new administration was a time of peace; but the spirit of party manifested itself with much violence. The adherents of General Jackson and Mr. Crawford united in opposition to the President. In the Senate the political friends of Mr. Adams were in a minority, and their majority in the lower House lasted for only one session. In his inaugural address the President strongly advocated the doctrine of internal improvements.

3. When, in the year 1802, Georgia relinquished her claim to Mississippi Territory, the general government agreed to purchase for the State all the Creek lands lying within her borders. This pledge the United States had never fulfilled, and Georgia complained of bad faith. Finally, in March of 1826, a treaty was concluded between the Creek chiefs and the President, by which a cession of all their lands in Georgia was obtained. At the same time, the Creeks agreed to remove beyond the Mississippi.

4. On the 4th of July, 1826-just fifty years after the Declaration of Independence-John Adams, second President, and his successor, Thomas Jefferson, both died. Both had lifted their voices for freedom in the days of the Revolution. ten and both had signed the great Declaration.

One had writBoth had lived

Both had reached extreme

to see their country's independence. old age: Adams was ninety; Jefferson, eighty-two. Now, while the cannon were booming for the fiftieth birthday of the nation, the honored patriots passed from among the living.

5. In the congressional debates of 1828, the question of the tariff was much discussed. By a tariff is understood a duty levied on imported goods. The object of the same is-first, to produce a revenue for the government; and secondly, to raise the price of the article on which the duty is laid, in order that the domestic manufacturer of the thing taxed may be able to compete with the foreign producer. When the duty is levied for the latter purpose, it is called a protective tariff. Mr. Adams and his friends favored the tariff; and in 1828 protective duties were laid on fabrics made of wool, cotton, linen and silk; and those on articles manufactured of iron, lead, etc., were much increased.

6. With the fall of 1828, Mr. Adams, supported by Mr. Clay, was put forward for reëlection. General Jackson appeared as the candidate of the opposition. In the previous election Jackson had received more electoral votes than Adams; but the House of Representatives had chosen the latter. Now the people were determined to have their way; and Jackson was triumphantly elected, receiving a hundred and seventy-eight electoral votes against eighty-three for his opponent.

RECAPITULATION.

Sketch of the President.-Partisan opposition to him.-Internal improvements favored by the executive.-Trouble with Georgia about the lands of the Creeks. -Settled by a treaty.-Death of Adams and Jefferson.-Discussion of the tariff in Congress.-A protective duty laid on fabrics.-Adams renominated for the presidency.-General Jackson put forward by the Democrats.-And elected.