236 ANDREW JACKSON 



At the same time it is perfectly clear that Washington 

 was right in insisting upon the ratification of the Jay 

 treaty. It did not give us much satisfaction, but at 

 that moment, and until our new government should 

 have become firmly established, anything w r as better 

 than war. A good commentary on the soundness of 

 Washington's conduct was to be found in the fact that 

 the British were almost as much disgusted with the 

 treaty as we were. When war was at length declared, 

 in 1812, Lord Sheffield said they would now be 

 revenged upon the Yankees for the concessions 

 extorted by Jay. That it did not turn out so was 

 partly due to the valour of the young man who now 

 sat chafing at Washington's moderation. Jackson's 

 other objection shows that even at that early day he 

 felt that banking is not a part of the legitimate busi- 

 ness of government. The year 1797 was a season of 

 financial depression, and the general paralysis of busi- 

 ness was ascribed perhaps too exclusively to the 

 overissue of notes by the national bank. Jackson's 

 antipathy to that institution was nourished by what he 

 saw and heard at Philadelphia. Of his other votes in 

 this Congress, one was for an appropriation to defray 

 the expenses of Sevier's expedition against the Chero- 

 kees, which was carried; three others were eminently 

 wise and characteristic of the man : 



1. For finishing the three frigates then building, 

 and destined to such imperishable renown, the Consti- 

 tution, Constellation, and United States. 



2. Against the further payment of blackmail to 

 Algiers. 



3. Against removing " the restriction which con- 



