By this time Clinton had discovered Washington's real object, but it was too late for him to help Cornwallis. When the combined French and American armies arrived at the head of Chesapeake Bay, French transports (September 17, 1781) conveyed them to Yorktown. Here Washington was joined by Lafayette's men, by a body of Virginia militia, and by three thousand French soldiers furnished by De Grasse. His total force numbered nine thousand Americans and seven thousand French.

234. The siege and fall of Yorktown (1781). — On the water side the powerful French fleet effectually cut off Cornwallis from all hope of help or of escape in that direction. On the land side the British general saw himself hemmed in by a force of sixteen thousand or more than double his own army. The besieging force began at once (September 30, 1781) to throw up works. Hour by hour they crept nearer to the doomed town. On the tenth day (October 9, 1781) Washington himself applied the match to the first American battery. From that time onward, for more than a week, a circle of sixty cannon and mortars rained an incessant storm of shot, shell, and red-hot balls against the defences of Cornwallis. The British general could make but a feeble reply, his stock of artillery ammunition was fast running short, and his halfcompleted fortifications were crumbling to pieces. Of his garrison only a little over three thousand men were fit for duty; the rest were lying sick or wounded in hospital, or were worn out by fatigue.

On October 17 (1781) Cornwallis sent out a white flag, and asked for terms. It was just four years to a day since Burgoyne had surrendered at Saratoga (§ 218). Two days later, October 19 (1781), the British garrison, with colors cased, marched out between the lines of the American and French forces, which formed an avenue more than a mile in length. The captive army moved with slow and solemn steps, their drums beating the quaint but highly appropriate tune of the "World's Upside Down.' 59

235. Effect of the news of the surrender of Cornwallis in England; treaty of peace (1783). When the news of the surrender reached London, Lord North, the English prime minister, threw up his arms as though a cannon-ball had struck him, and cried out wildly: "O God, it is all over!" 540 He was right, for although desultory fighting continued for a time, yet the fall of Yorktown really ended the war.

Both sides had long been weary of the struggle. The spring after Cornwallis surrendered, the House of Commons resolved to "consider as enemies to His Majesty and the country" all who should urge the further prosecution of the war against the Americans.

Before the close of that year a provisional treaty of peace was made (1782). On the 19th of April, 1783, just eight years to a day after the battle of Lexington, Washington issued an order to the Continental Army, declaring the war of the Revolution at an end. In making the final treaty of peace we demanded (1) the full recognition of the independence of the thirteen States; (2) the recognition of the Mississippi River as our western boundary; (3) the recognition of our right to fish on the banks of Newfoundland. The English, on the other hand, wished (1) to limit our western boundary to the line of the Alleghanies, and (2) to shut us out from any part in the cod fisheries; finally they (3) insisted on our making compensation to the Tories for their loss of property.

Our commissioners, Adams, Franklin, and Jay, refused to yield to these demands, but agreed that the last demand should be referred to the legislatures of the States, with a recommendation that they give it favorable consideration. The result was that when the final treaty was signed at Paris, September 3, 1783, it fully recognized all that we claimed, namely: (1) the independence of the American Republic; (2) the Mississippi River as our western boundary; (3) our right to fish on the banks of Newfoundland.541

236. Articles of Confederation; Maryland and the western land claims. Meanwhile the United States had adopted (1781) the plan of confederation first reported to Congress in 1776 (§ 209).

Congress voted (1777) to accept the proposed constitution, but several of the States found serious objections to it. In order that the Articles of Confederation should go into effect, it was necessary that all of the States should formally ratify them. Finally, all agreed to do so except Maryland. She positively refused unless the seven States which claimed western territory (§ 173) should cede their claims to the United States for the general good.

For a long time none of the States claiming western lands would agree to give them up. This difficulty threatened to prevent the adoption of any regular system of national government. At length, however, New York offered to surrender her claim. Connecticut and Virginia had already virtually promised to do the same.542 On the day that New York made her offer, Maryland signed the Articles, thus making the Confederation complete (March 1, 1781).

The whole immense western territory, extending to the Mississippi, was now practically secured to the nation. This fact greatly strengthened the bonds of the new Republic, and promised to guarantee its permanency and its growth.543

237. The ordinance for the Government of the Northwest Territory (1787). After New York, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Connecticut had completed their cessions of land (17811787) the Congress of the Confederation took action. By the famous "Ordinance of 1787"-"the Magna Charta of the West" it erected a Government for the territory northwest of the Ohio.

Among other provisions that ordinance enacted: (1) "That no one should ever be molested on account of his mode of worship or religious sentiments in said territory." (2) That schools and the means of education should be "forever encouraged."

(3) Slavery was absolutely barred out, but slaves escaping from their masters in the States, and taking refuge in the Northwest Territory, were to be seized and returned to their owners.

By this last-mentioned provision this celebrated ordinance, so highly praised by Daniel Webster, did two opposite things it secured an enormous area to freedom, but it first granted national recognition and protection to the existence of slavery.

(4) Finally, the ordinance provided that all States formed from this territory should be admitted on an equal footing in every respect with the thirteen original States.544

From that magnificent domain, embracing about 270,000 square miles, the five great and powerful States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin (together with eastern Minnesota) were formed between the years 18031848.

238. Chief provisions of the Articles of Confederation.The "Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union" (1781) bound the States (1) to "enter into a firm league of friendship with each other." (2) All votes in Congress were to be cast by States, and each State, whatever its number of delegates, was to have but one vote." (3) Congress reserved the power of declaring war and peace, and of negotiating treaties. (4) Congress, on appeal, was to decide all disputes between the States. (5) The regulation of commerce and the raising of revenue and taxes were left entirely to the control of the separate States. (6) The power to coin and issue money was shared by the general Government with the States. (7) Congress had authority to appoint a "Committee of the States" to manage the general affairs of the nation when the national Legislature was not in session. (8) The final article declared that the Union thus formed should be "perpetual," and forbade that any change should hereafter be made in the above Constitution "unless such alteration be agreed to in a Congress of the United States, and be afterwards confirmed by the Legislatures of every State."