732 



UNITED STATES (PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY). 



try; but the course of the president was finally 

 approved by the great body of the nation. A treaty 

 of friendship, limits and navigation, settling the 

 boundaries between the United States and the 

 Spanish colonies, and conceding to the former the 

 right to navigate the Mississippi, was concluded, 

 after protracted negociations, Oct. 27, 1795; and 

 a treaty of amity, commerce and navigation (Jay's 

 treaty), with Great Britain, was ratified by the 

 American government, Aug. 14, 1795. This treaty 

 created such divisions in the United States, as to 

 put in danger the existence of the government. 

 Petitions against it were sent in from all parts of 

 the country, and it was the subject of a violent de- 

 bate in the house of representatives during the next 

 session of congress.* But public opinion was 

 gradually settled in favour of the treaty, as being 

 the only possible means of saving the country from 

 becoming involved in the wars of the French revo- 

 lution. In the president's message to congress 

 (December, 1796), he urges the necessity of creat- 

 ing a navy, encouraging manufactures and agricul- 

 ture, establishing a military academy and a national 

 university, and declares his determination to retire 

 from the government, which he did, accordingly, 

 on the 4th of March, 1797. The weight of his 

 personal character was of the highest moment in 

 setting the machinery of the new government in 

 motion, as it had been in carrying on the war, in 

 preserving tranquillity on the conclusion of peace, 

 and in effecting the adoption of the constitution by 

 the convention. In the short period of eight years, 

 all the disputes between the United States and 

 foreign nations had been adjusted, with the excep- 

 tion of those with France, which had arisen during 

 that time, out of the new state of things in Eu- 

 rope. " At home, public and private credit was 

 restored; ample provision made for the security 

 and ultimate payment of the public debt ; American 

 tonnage had nearly doubled ; the exports had in- 

 creased from nineteen to more than fifty-six million 

 of dollars ; the imports in about the same propor- 

 tion ; and the amount of revenues from imposts had 

 exceeded the most sanguine calculations." (Pit- 

 kin's History, &c.) The depredations of French 

 cruisers upon the commerce of the United States 

 had been such, that, on the 7th of July, 1797, the 

 treaties with France were declared to be no longer 

 obligatory on the United States; an army was 

 raised, of which general Washington was named 

 commander-in-chief ; and several engagements took 

 place at sea between the French and American 

 cruisers. In this crisis, the revolution of 18th 

 Brumaire changed the policy of the French repub- 

 lic, and a treaty was concluded between the two 

 powers, September 30, 1800. On the retirement 

 of Washington, John Adams had been elected to 

 succeed him; and, in 1801, Thomas Jefferson was 

 chosen third president of the United States. One 

 of the most important events of this period was 

 the purchase of Louisiana from the French govern- 

 ment (1803), for the sum of fifteen million dollars, 



" The objections of those opposed to carryinsr the treaty into 

 effect, were, generally, that it wanted reciprocity ; that it rave 

 up all claims of compensation for negroes carried awav con- 

 trary to the treaty of peace, and for the detention of the wes- 

 tern posts ; that it contravened the French treaty, and sacri- 

 ficed the interest of an ally to that of Great Britain ; that it 

 gave up, in several important instance?, the law of nations, par- 

 ticularly in relation to free ships making free goods, cases of 

 blockade, and contraband war ; that it improperly interfered 

 with the lesfislative powers of congress, especially by prohibiting' 

 the sequestration of debts ; and that the commercial part gave 

 few advantages to the United States." Pitkin's Hittorv of 

 the United State*. 



two million and a half of which were retained by 

 the United States, as a compensation for the illegal 

 captures made by France. An expedition was sent 

 out by the American government to explore the 

 country, which reached the Pacific, across the 

 Rocky mountains. (See Louisiana.') The peace 

 of Amiens had restored a short peace to Europe ; 

 but hostilities, in which all the European powers 

 were involved, were soon renewed ; and the United 

 States was almost the only power which preserved 

 its neutrality. The Americans, under these cir- 

 cumstances, had become possessed of an extensive 

 and lucrative carrying trade ; but the continental 

 system of Napoleon, and the counter measures of 

 the British government (see Continental System}, 

 directed to the interruption of all commercial in- 

 tercourse between the respective belligerents and 

 neutrals, led to a series of acts which threatened 

 the entire destruction of American commerce. In 

 addition to the depredations committed by the two 

 powers, Great Britain also claimed the right of 

 searching American vessels, and impressing from 

 them British seamen. In order to counteract the 

 imperial decrees and the British orders in council, 

 the general government laid an embargo, prohibi- 

 ting the exportation of every article from the 

 United States (December, 1807), and thus entirely 

 annihilating their foreign commerce ; the coasting 

 trade was at that time insignificant, and this mea- 

 sure was received with so much opposition, that, in 

 1809, the embargo was repealed. At the same 

 time, all trade and intercourse with France and 

 England was prohibited by act of congress. In 

 June, 1812, war was declared against Great Britain, 

 and was continued, with various success, for three 

 years, during which the Americans attempted, 

 without success, the conquest of Canada, and the 

 British were repulsed in several attacks upon the 

 maritime cities. The success of the Americans 

 by sea were more brilliant. (See Navy.} Peace 

 was finally concluded at Ghent, December 24, 1814, 

 by a treaty which settled nothing, and made no al- 

 lusion to the causes of the war. The change in 

 European affairs, produced by the peace of Paris in 

 1815, and the events of the American war, contri- 

 buted to introduce a considerable change in the 

 policy of the American government, and the rela- 

 tions of domestic parties, which still continues in 

 operation. Previous to this time, party divisions 

 were founded, in a great measure, upon points of 

 foreign policy, and on foreign predilections or aver- 

 sions. The great facilities for commerce had 

 diverted a great portion of the national capital into 

 commercial channels, and manufactures had received 

 little attention. Since that period, foreign politics 

 have had little influence in the country ; manufac- 

 turing industry has been developed to an astonish- 

 ing degree, and taken under the protection of the 

 government ; internal improvements the construc- 

 tion of roads, canals and railways have been pushed 

 with wonderful vigour ; the acquisition of Florida 

 has given a more secure southern boundary to the 

 republic; six new states have been admitted into the 

 Union, and twenty years of peace and prosperity 

 have well developed the resources of the country. 



Geography and Statistics. 



1. Physical Geography. The United States 

 form the great middle division of North America, 

 bounded north by New Britain and Upper and 

 Lower Canada, east by New Brunswick and the 

 Atlantic ocean, south by the gulf of Mexico, 

 south-west and south by the country of Mexico, 



