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Congress led to an insurrection in western Pennsyl-
vania. That outbreak was suppressed in 1794 by
sending the militia of New Jersey, Maryland, and
Virginia, and some troops of Pennsylvania, into the
troubled region. This indicated the energetic poUcy
that was adopted by the new government. Armies
under Generals Harmer and St. Clair were defeated by
the Miamis. In 179.5, after their defeat by General
Wayne, the tribe made a cession of nearly the whole
of Ohio. In 1794-95 John Jay, Chief Justice of the
United States Supreme Court, negotiated a very
unpopular treaty with Great Britain. After the
people of France had put their king and queen to
death. President Washington issued his Neutrality
Proclamation, thus taking the first step in the foreign
policy of the United States. Though Washington
was honoured by a second election, his administra-
tion continued to be attacked with considerable energy
and great bitterness. After enact ing the laws referred
to, tracing the foreign pohcy of his country, and
organizing its departments, Washington determined
to retire from public hfe. Before doing so he issued
his "Farewell Address". Washington's refusal of a
third term was, perhaps, not unconnected with the
at tacks upon him by the coarse journalists of that time.
John Adams, who had served two terms as vice- president, was chosen to succeed Washington. His majority over Jefferson, who was elected to the vice- presidency, was very slight. An effort of this administration to negotiate a commercial treaty with France resulted in the celebrated " X Y Z " corre- spondence. In portions of the country there was opposition to the new taxes. A graver problem with the administration was the question of dealing with those citizens and resident aliens who attacked the president and the members of his administration. The Alien and Sedition Laws were designed to meet the emergency. By a majority of the people the Sedition Law was regarded as a violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and of the Press. By the legisla- tures of Virginia and Kentucky these measures were criticised, and the latter came near to proclaiming nullification as the rightful remedy. Madison was the author of the Virginia resolutions, while Jefferson prepared those passed by Kentucky. These resolu- tions connect with the Hartford Convention, Nulli- fication, and Secession. In the third presidential election the administration was embarrassed by the taxes necessary for building up a navy, by the Alien and Sedition Laws, and by dissension among the Federalist leaders. Hamilton attacked President Adams with great severity, and contributed to the defeat of the Federalist party, of which he had been the intellectual head.
Early Political Parties. — In the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia there were many discrep- ant elements. We are now concerned with only two, viz., those who favoured the fa^dus, or union, under the proposed system and those who opposed it. The former were known as Federalists, the latter as Anti- Federalists. When the Constitution was finally adopted, the Anti-Federahsts became "strict con- structionists" and the Federalists "loose construc- tionists". Presid(-nl Washington had generally acted with the Federalists. Adams also belonged to that party. It was during his presidency that Congress enacted the celebrated Alien and Sedition Laws. These measures w(>re unpopular, and, combined with the attitude of the Federalists during the War of 1S12, led to (heir complete overthrow. They had organized the government and given it its tendency, but after the a<liniiiislruti()n of Adams they became little more than a parly of protest. In ISOO the followers of Jefferson, (hen known as Republicans, won the presidency. They had previou.sly obtained control of Congress. At that time the conflict in
progress between England and France divided the
American people on the question of foreign relations.
The Federalists, who were strongest in New England,
favoured England, while the Repubhcans generally
sympathized with France, the late ally of the United
States. After the War of 1812 party hues had been
almost effaced. President Monroe was practically
the unanimous choice of the American people. The
rivah'y of Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay led, after
1829, to the rise of a new political party. The fol-
lowers of Clay were known as Whigs, those of Jackson
as Democrats. Clay and his friends favoured internal
improvements at federal expense, and the continuance
of the United States Bank, an institution first char-
tered by the Federalists. They also favoured a tariff
for protection. These principles formed what is known
as the "American" system. Of course, the Whigs
were "loose constructionists" of the Constitution.
To these principles the Democrats were opposed.
That organization is generally regarded as being
identical with the Jeffersonian party. William Henry
Harrison, the first Whig president, served for one
month. His successor, X'ice-President Tyler, though
an admirer of Henry Clay, was a "strict construc-
tionist". Again in 1848 the Whigs elected General
Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore. This was their
last victory. Their attitude toward the Fugitive
Slave Law impaired their popularity, and in 18.52
they met with a crushing defeat. In 18.56 a new
organization, composed chiefly of anti-slavery ele-
ments, nominated Fremont and Dayton, the first
candidates of the Republican party. They were
defeated. After 1860, however, they won all the
presidential elections except those of 1884 and 1892,
when Grover Cleveland, the Democratic candidate,
was chosen. The third parties, generally parties of
moral ideas, will be noticed presently.
Territorial Accessions. — After 1800 the successive acquisitions of territory are to be noticed. In point of time the Louisiana Purchase, in 1S03, came first. This was acquired from France after she had lost the important colonial possession of Hayti, and when Napoleon had decided to renew the war with England. Florida was acquired from Spain in 1821, when the United States surrendered any claim they may have had to the Texan country. At that time and by the same purchase the United States succeeded to Spain's rights in the Oregon country. Having achieved her independence from Mexico, Texas was annexed in 184.5 by a joint resolution of both Houses of Congress. The constitutionality of that act has been challenged. The settlement of the Oregon dispute was a contem- porary event. To that country America had several distinct titles. Oregon was claimed by right of Cap- tain Gray's discovery of the Columbia River, which he named after his ship; when President Jefferson had bought Louisiana he sent Lewis and Clark to explore that region; in ISll the fur-trading station Astoria was established there. The right acquired with the purchase of Florida has already been mentioned. These claims, reinforced by American occupation, ultimately gave the vast Oregon country to the United States. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848), which concluded the war with Mexico, gave to the United States an immense region in the south- west. This included the whole of California, Nevada, LTtah, a small [lart of Wyoming, more than a third of Colorado, and considerable portions of Arizona and New Mexico. In 1S.5.S the Gadsden Purcha.se from Mexico completed the boundary of (he United States in that region. Alaska w;ia purchased in 1S67 for $7,200,000 from Russia. In our own time (1S99) Porto Rico and the Phihppine archipelago were ac(iuired, as a result of the war with Spain. Less ini|)or(an( insular possessions in the Pacific (Hawaiian Islands, Guam, Sanioan Islands) were also acquired about this time.
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